Matra1
Mentor
Here's an interesting story about Blue Jays coach Cito Gaston. In 1997 he accused a sport talk radio host of racism.
In 1997 Cito Gaston called me a racist. When confronted on the legitimacy of such a claim his sole response was, "Whatever has been said, whatever has been written, if it has offended someone and it's unjustly offended them, I apologize. If it hasn't, then I don't apologize." More than a decade later, Gaston has returned to manage the Blue Jays and in an article by Stephen Brunt in the Globe and Mail made it clear that his position hasn't changed. "I don't really look back at it, but if I look back at it, who knows if I was right or wrong? I don't know. Only they know," he is quoted as saying.
The other media members Gaston accused of being racist were Dave Langford and Steve Simmons. Shortly after the story swept across North America, the three of us were afforded the opportunity to confront our accuser in separate meetings. I cannot speak for Simmons or Langford, but my meeting was among the most appalling proceedings with which I have ever been involved...
...Denying a charge of racism isn't something anyone spends time thinking about. I certainly hadn't. But as I prepared for my face to face with Cito, I decided that I would write down my thoughts in advance and read him my prepared statement. I wanted to choose my words carefully so that nothing could be misconstrued. While I had experienced a wide range of emotions in the days between his pronouncement and our meeting, the only one that lingered was anger. I thought that if I ad-libbed my address there was a real chance that it would get ugly. So I wrote about a thousand words and read it to the group. When I finished there was dead silence for what seemed like an eternity. I stared at Cito, hoping that my body language would clearly convey one message..."F--- You!" At this moment I didn't care what he might have endured. It didn't give him the right to turn my life...my family's life... upside down without a shred of evidence. Whatever hardships or injustices Gaston may have experienced, I wasn't responsible for any of them. When Cito finally spoke, he repeated his non-apology. "If you aren't a racist I apologize. If you are, I don't." I shook my head, stood up and responded, "well I guess this meeting is over."
I haven't met Cito Gaston or talked to him since that day.
When Gaston came back to manage the Blue Jays last year, I called Paul Godfrey, then President of the club. I told him that it was my desire to "wipe the slate clean and start fresh" with Cito and asked Paul if he would talk to him. Godfrey agreed. The following day, Paul called me at home to say that Cito was amenable and that he would come on our show when asked.
We are now approaching a year since Cito's return and all requests for an appearance on Prime Time Sports have been met with, "He can't do it."
In 1997 Cito Gaston called me a racist. When confronted on the legitimacy of such a claim his sole response was, "Whatever has been said, whatever has been written, if it has offended someone and it's unjustly offended them, I apologize. If it hasn't, then I don't apologize." More than a decade later, Gaston has returned to manage the Blue Jays and in an article by Stephen Brunt in the Globe and Mail made it clear that his position hasn't changed. "I don't really look back at it, but if I look back at it, who knows if I was right or wrong? I don't know. Only they know," he is quoted as saying.
The other media members Gaston accused of being racist were Dave Langford and Steve Simmons. Shortly after the story swept across North America, the three of us were afforded the opportunity to confront our accuser in separate meetings. I cannot speak for Simmons or Langford, but my meeting was among the most appalling proceedings with which I have ever been involved...
...Denying a charge of racism isn't something anyone spends time thinking about. I certainly hadn't. But as I prepared for my face to face with Cito, I decided that I would write down my thoughts in advance and read him my prepared statement. I wanted to choose my words carefully so that nothing could be misconstrued. While I had experienced a wide range of emotions in the days between his pronouncement and our meeting, the only one that lingered was anger. I thought that if I ad-libbed my address there was a real chance that it would get ugly. So I wrote about a thousand words and read it to the group. When I finished there was dead silence for what seemed like an eternity. I stared at Cito, hoping that my body language would clearly convey one message..."F--- You!" At this moment I didn't care what he might have endured. It didn't give him the right to turn my life...my family's life... upside down without a shred of evidence. Whatever hardships or injustices Gaston may have experienced, I wasn't responsible for any of them. When Cito finally spoke, he repeated his non-apology. "If you aren't a racist I apologize. If you are, I don't." I shook my head, stood up and responded, "well I guess this meeting is over."
I haven't met Cito Gaston or talked to him since that day.
When Gaston came back to manage the Blue Jays last year, I called Paul Godfrey, then President of the club. I told him that it was my desire to "wipe the slate clean and start fresh" with Cito and asked Paul if he would talk to him. Godfrey agreed. The following day, Paul called me at home to say that Cito was amenable and that he would come on our show when asked.
We are now approaching a year since Cito's return and all requests for an appearance on Prime Time Sports have been met with, "He can't do it."
