Hansen, Lawrensen and Shearer bring shame on the BBC

[Monkfish]

If Mario was white, English, and played for England and United (or Liverpool), and nothing else was different, these same guys would wanking themselves silly over him.

Paranoid delusional persecution complex nonsense.

Funny that only radicalised City supporters have spotted this racist behaviour, the rest of the world must be blind to the truth that only a select few like yourself can see.

If you take the 'White' part out of it, there's not too much wrong with that statement.

Though the 'white' part is clearly the standout piece of barkingness, I would also be pretty sure the pundits would be commenting on the other behaviour of this make-believe player. Gascoigne anybody? He was just left alone without critique about wasting his talent?

 

[BrianW]

Sorry, but I don't think Mario's 'blackness' helps his cause with certain people. They may not be overtly racist, they may not vote BNP (I can't see inside their heads) but it adds another layer to his 'difference'. Many people find 'difference' threatening. And Mario is definitely 'different', whatever else he may be.

Anyway, forget that bit, does anyone really doubt that if Mario was English and played for the Rags he wouldn't get half the stick he does? Look at the Blessed Wayne Rooney, that exemplar of correct behaviour and professionalism. He is worshipped by the pundits, who seem to think he's God's gift to football. Mario may do stupid things at times, but is he a significantly worse human being or professional than the sainted Wayne? I think not.

 

[Monkfish]

Sorry, but I don't think Mario's 'blackness' helps his cause with certain people. They may not be overtly racist, they may not vote BNP (I can't see inside their heads) but it adds another layer to his 'difference'. Many people find 'difference' threatening. And Mario is definitely 'different', whatever else he may be.

Anyway, forget that bit, does anyone really doubt that if Mario was English and played for the Rags he wouldn't get half the stick he does? Look at the Blessed Wayne Rooney, that exemplar of correct behaviour and professionalism. He is worshipped by the pundits, who seem to think he's God's gift to football. Mario may do stupid things at times, but is he a significantly worse human being or professional than the sainted Wayne? I think not.

The whole Mario 'package' is different from any other player I have known in my lifetime of watching football so I dont think you can really judge how it would be if he was english/white/rag. From some he may get an easier ride, but I could also see him coming in for more criticism from some sources.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Either consciously or sub-consciously there's a racial element to this. They may not be overtly racist remarks on the scale of Ron Atkinson's "lazy ******" comment about Marcel Desailly but they follow the same pattern. Mario is black. Black men are lazy and stupid. Therefore Mario is thick as two short planks. Wayne Rooney & John Terry are white and do some actually quite stupid and malicious things. But they would never be described as thick.

Alan Green, Lawrenson's partner on that evening has some history in this regard. The comment about Djemba-Djemba ("Me no cheat") mocking his supposed lack of command of English and of course "No 17, that'll be the Chicken Chow Mein" about our very own Sun Jihai.

Although OFCOM don't have any remit over the BBC, they were moved to comment about the first ”We considered that the suggestion that a black player was incapable of speaking grammatical English was inappropriate, particularly given the drive to eradicate racist attitudes in football”. The BBC’s response to both Green's comments was that they were “ill judged”.

Add to that Hansen's "coloured players" comment and we have a group of men of working-class origins who are not well-educated with the 1970's attitude to race that was formed in their communities and dressing rooms. It is the same sort of institutional racism found by official investigations into the police.

Claiming that the BBC isn't racist becasue it employs Garth Crooks (a well-spoken and articulate black man) is as crass as Blatter having his picture taken with a black FIFA official after his blinkered comments about racism.

 

[franksinatra]

Either consciously or sub-consciously there's a racial element to this. They may not be overtly racist remarks on the scale of Ron Atkinson's "lazy ******" comment about Marcel Desailly but they follow the same pattern. Mario is black. Black men are lazy and stupid. Therefore Mario is thick as two short planks. Wayne Rooney & John Terry are white and do some actually quite stupid and malicious things. But they would never be described as thick.

Alan Green, Lawrenson's partner on that evening has some history in this regard. The comment about Djemba-Djemba ("Me no cheat") mocking his supposed lack of command of English and of course "No 17, that'll be the Chicken Chow Mein" about our very own Sun Jihai.

Although OFCOM don't have any remit over the BBC, they were moved to comment about the first ”We considered that the suggestion that a black player was incapable of speaking grammatical English was inappropriate, particularly given the drive to eradicate racist attitudes in football”. The BBC’s response to both Green's comments was that they were “ill judged”.

Add to that Hansen's "coloured players" comment and we have a group of men of working-class origins who are not well-educated with the 1970's attitude to race that was formed in their communities and dressing rooms. It is the same sort of institutional racism found by official investigations into the police.

Claiming that the BBC isn't racist becasue it employs Garth Crooks (a well-spoken and articulate black man) is as crass as Blatter having his picture taken with a black FIFA official after his blinkered comments about racism.

I think the relevance of Garth Crooks and Ian Wrights comments is not to suggest the BBC are not racist because they employ black people, but that the views of the likes of Lawrenson etc are shared by pundits of the same ethnicity and is a widely held opinion of Balotelli. Rather than a reflection of a subconcious racial element that you suggest is based on perceptions of black men.

I do love the irony of bluemoon; moral outrage to comments considered factually incorrect aimed at Balotelli while in the next breath castigating commentators as being racist.

 

[Bobby Taylor's Pub Team]

I do love the irony of bluemoon; moral outrage to comments considered factually incorrect aimed at Balotelli while in the next breath castigating commentators as being racist.

Not limited to bluemoon or anywhere else. Though I'm interested in people's interpretations it's all speculation until one of these commentators says something blatant.

What I find interesting is the supporting of the idea that black people define what is racist and what is not - that is, if Wright or Crooks says the same thing a racist says, it somehow cancels out the racism behind the original statement.

 

[Wilmslow Road]

Heres my reply from the BBC

We understand you felt the commentators and presenters were biased
against Mario Balotelli. We appreciate in your view, they made a serious
of snide and offensive remarks which were unnecessary.

Mario Balotelli has been a controversial figure throughout his career in
bith Italy and England. In common with various media and press in both
countries, our pundits have acknowledged both his youth and undoubted
footballing talent, but have had to comment from time to time on various
disciplinary issues both on and off the pitch, and his repeated raw displays
of dissent and frustration.
Jose Mourinho described him as "unmanageable" and both his current club
and international managers, Mancini and Prandelli have expressed concerns
that his talent could go to waste unless he changes his ways.
Our teams comments, while somes reflecting those concers, have across
the programme been balanced and fair.

Please be assures, we do appreciate your strength of feeling on this.
Therefore your complaint has been registered in audience log.

I will not bore you with the rest.
Though I might be getting somewhere when I read the first paragraph.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Either consciously or sub-consciously there's a racial element to this. They may not be overtly racist remarks on the scale of Ron Atkinson's "lazy ******" comment about Marcel Desailly but they follow the same pattern. Mario is black. Black men are lazy and stupid. Therefore Mario is thick as two short planks. Wayne Rooney & John Terry are white and do some actually quite stupid and malicious things. But they would never be described as thick.

Alan Green, Lawrenson's partner on that evening has some history in this regard. The comment about Djemba-Djemba ("Me no cheat") mocking his supposed lack of command of English and of course "No 17, that'll be the Chicken Chow Mein" about our very own Sun Jihai.

Although OFCOM don't have any remit over the BBC, they were moved to comment about the first ”We considered that the suggestion that a black player was incapable of speaking grammatical English was inappropriate, particularly given the drive to eradicate racist attitudes in football”. The BBC’s response to both Green's comments was that they were “ill judged”.

Add to that Hansen's "coloured players" comment and we have a group of men of working-class origins who are not well-educated with the 1970's attitude to race that was formed in their communities and dressing rooms. It is the same sort of institutional racism found by official investigations into the police.

Claiming that the BBC isn't racist becasue it employs Garth Crooks (a well-spoken and articulate black man) is as crass as Blatter having his picture taken with a black FIFA official after his blinkered comments about racism.

I think the relevance of Garth Crooks and Ian Wrights comments is not to suggest the BBC are not racist because they employ black people, but that the views of the likes of Lawrenson etc are shared by pundits of the same ethnicity and is a widely held opinion of Balotelli. Rather than a reflection of a subconcious racial element that you suggest is based on perceptions of black men.

I do love the irony of bluemoon; moral outrage to comments considered factually incorrect aimed at Balotelli while in the next breath castigating commentators as being racist.

What utter bollocks. It's your opinion that the comments aren't racist or have a racial undertone. It's not a "fact" that they don't. How can you "prove" that Lawrenson, Hansen & Green aren't sub-consciously racist when there is a record of certainly Green & Lawrenson having made comments that have already been stated as ill-judged by their employer? All those comments were of a racial nature and leopards don't change their spots.

I'm not saying that they are overt racists - I certainly couldn't prove that. But I'm saying they echo the attitudes of the 1970's, where many working class men (including football players) thought nothing of racially abusing black people.

 

[catfish]

Either consciously or sub-consciously there's a racial element to this. They may not be overtly racist remarks on the scale of Ron Atkinson's "lazy ******" comment about Marcel Desailly but they follow the same pattern. Mario is black. Black men are lazy and stupid. Therefore Mario is thick as two short planks. Wayne Rooney & John Terry are white and do some actually quite stupid and malicious things. But they would never be described as thick.

Alan Green, Lawrenson's partner on that evening has some history in this regard. The comment about Djemba-Djemba ("Me no cheat") mocking his supposed lack of command of English and of course "No 17, that'll be the Chicken Chow Mein" about our very own Sun Jihai.

Although OFCOM don't have any remit over the BBC, they were moved to comment about the first ”We considered that the suggestion that a black player was incapable of speaking grammatical English was inappropriate, particularly given the drive to eradicate racist attitudes in football”. The BBC’s response to both Green's comments was that they were “ill judged”.

Add to that Hansen's "coloured players" comment and we have a group of men of working-class origins who are not well-educated with the 1970's attitude to race that was formed in their communities and dressing rooms. It is the same sort of institutional racism found by official investigations into the police.

Claiming that the BBC isn't racist becasue it employs Garth Crooks (a well-spoken and articulate black man) is as crass as Blatter having his picture taken with a black FIFA official after his blinkered comments about racism.

I also e-mailed the BBC and added to the complaint of each individual mentioned I also stated my belief that there was something institutionally racist about the show, its presenters and pundits.
I know there was nothing said that was outright racist, however, I felt it was an undertone of the whole proceedings. Remember, it went on throughout the game, pre-match and after the final whistle.

 

[Monkfish]

I'm not saying that they are overt racists - I certainly couldn't prove that. But I'm saying they echo the attitudes of the 1970's, where many working class men (including football players) thought nothing of racially abusing black people.

Dangerous nonsense being dished out again here. Over 20m people watched the England-Italy game. Lets be wildly pessimistic and suggest 100,000 of these people were black. What is wrong with these people that they did not notice this racism? How have they watched MOTD without realising the institutional racism involved?

Surely the only thing to do here is put radicalised white Manchester City supporters in charge of the Commision for Racial Equality and all the media watchdogs as City supporters are obviously the only people who can spot these evil 70's working class white male racists.

Radicalised City supporters must protect these black people who are unable to spot this racism themselves. We must help the helpless.

To coin your phrase Prestwich, utter bollocks. Utter dangerous bollocks at that.