Anti-semitic comments- but I don't find them offensive

[sportsaddict]

Former NBA star Ray Richardson is under fire for making some comments about Jews...

Former NBA All-Star Micheal Ray Richardson appeared to be getting his life back on track after his league suspension in 1986 for drug use. He was coaching in the Continental Basketball Association and had led his team, the Albany Patroons, to the playoffs. But as they say: What goes up, must come down.

The Patroons have suspended Richardson for the rest of the CBA championship series for comments made to the Albany Times Union on Tuesday.

Before Tuesdays game against the Yakima Sun Kings, Richardson made anti-Semitic comments to two reporters in his office when discussing the contract general manager Jim Coyne had offered him Monday to coach his team in the CBA and USBL.

"I've got big-time lawyers," Richardson said, according to the Times Union. "I've got big-time Jew lawyers."

When told by the reporters that the comment could be offensive to people because it plays to the stereotype that Jews are crafty and shrewd, he responded with, "Are you kidding me? They are. They've got the best security system in the world. Have you ever been to an airport in Tel Aviv? They're real crafty. Listen, they are hated all over the world, so they've got to be crafty."

And he continued, "They got a lot of power in this world, you know what I mean?" he said. "Which I think is great. I don't think there's nothing wrong with it. If you look in most professional sports, they're run by Jewish people. If you look at a lot of most successful corporations and stuff, more businesses, they're run by Jewish. It's not a knock, but they are some crafty people."

And the offensive remarks didn't stop there.

According to the Times Union, Richardson told a fan who heckled him early in Tuesday's game, "Shut the [expletive] up." And near game's end, he shouted at another heckler, "Shut the [expletive] up, you [derogatory term for gay men],"

Assistant Derrick Rowland will coach the Patroons for the reminder of the series. Richardson will not be allowed into the Washington Avenue Armory during practices or games.

"It's terrible and I don't think it's fair," Richardson told the Times Union regarding the suspension. "But I want to make an apology if I offended anyone because that's not me."

The Patroons released a statement apologizing for the coach's remarks.

"The Albany Patroons' organization sincerely apologizes to any individuals or ethnic groups that these alleged statements may have offended," the statement read.

The release also stated that the team and league "shall conduct a full and complete investigation as to the validity of these allegations. If these allegations are true, appropriate action will take place immediately."

Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 1978 draft, is best known for an embattled NBA career that ended because of drugs. He was the subject of a 2000 film "What Happened to Micheal Ray?" documenting his troubled life.

In his second year, Richardson became only the second player in NBA to lead in both assists and steals. In 1986, the four-time NBA All-Star was banned for drug use in what David Stern called "the hardest thing I've ever had to do as commissioner."

Richardson played 14 seasons in Europe before making a comeback in American basketball as a coach.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2816356

I will preface this by saying I am Jewish, and his quotes in the following article, for some reason, has absolutely no effect on me. To be honest, I thought he was complimenting Jewish people for being intelligent and successful. His first comment was a little over the line, because he phrased it in a negative tone, but his explanation pretty much was a compliment to the Jewish people. I don't know how everyone else feels about this, but I didn't see a huge problem with his comments. He probably shouldn't have said anything, but I don't think he's anti-semitic just because of what he said here.

However, his comments to that fan were uncalled for. You cannot defend that whatsoever.

[A Fleshner Fantasy]

As a jewish person, I wasn't really offended either. That being said, there is absolutley no way he was complimenting jews. He was promoting the stereotype that has existed for a really long time.

[Atog]

I agree that it's not very offensive, although he should have known better. Not big on the comments to the fan, though

[Kilroy]

I won't say that those comments about Jews are in any way appropriate, but it's certainly no Gibson tirade either.

The comments to the fan were completely out of line. Homophobia aside hecklers are a part of sport, and players/coaches have to be above it.

[joelamosobadiah]

There is NOTHING wrong IMO with those comments. Sure it was used as a stereotype, but some stereotypes have some truth to them. I don't have any problems with this except for the fan comments. He should be getting blasted WAY worse for those.

[knapplc]

Any time you say something to the effect that, "All _________ are ___________," you're probably playing into some kind of stereotype, and that's really dangerous water to be in.

I'm not a Jew, so I can't speak on their behalf and say this is offensive.

I will say that I do not think what he thinks, I would not say what he said, and I would not want someone to say those things in my presence. They are not called for, in my humble little opinion.

[joelamosobadiah]

Any time you say something to the effect that, "All _________ are ___________," you're probably playing into some kind of stereotype, and that's really dangerous water to be in.

I'm not a Jew, so I can't speak on their behalf and say this is offensive.

I will say that I do not think what he thinks, I would not say what he said, and I would not want someone to say those things in my presence. They are not called for, in my humble little opinion.

I completely agree with that post, however, I didn't really read into his comments as saying that all Jews are crafty and smarter than others, but more as a deal of in his opinion they tended to be more crafty than others. That's just me though and I am by no means a Jew either or any minority (except skinny, that should be declared an American minority ).

[Redskins Win]

i don't think it's at all bad that he said it, i don't think it the correct medium to say it. but i think he's right on many levels.
i'm not sure if crafty is right maybe entreprneureal maybe more correct. jesus was a jew and he seems pretty crafty.

commenting back to fans who are heckling isn't right but i'm sure he took a lot of abuse before he even responded.

[5]

I know a couple of Jewish people that didn't really appreciate it...and others that didn't care (none of which are sensitive people by any means).

Whoa whoa did he just drop "hard J"
Always Sunny in Philadelphia - great show

He was banned for drug use and had a lot of steals so he has his own stereotypes to deal with.

[sammyj1404]

yeah, as a jew, im not really offended by it. i mean, i think it is inappropriate to say, but in reality, the stereotype is pretty true. i usually dont get offended with comments like that, its just i dont think they should have ever said it. keep it to yourself