ESPN:Mike Greenberg: 'Martin Luther COON...King Day"

g under p · January 2010

Mike Greenberg: 'Martin Luther Coon...King Day"

Did anybody catch this from Espn's Mike and Mike in the Morning show? I only heard about it on a radio show here in DC, do you think this has racial overtones or nothing to worry about in this day and age?

Oh here's a video of the incident...Mike Greenberg Calls MLK A Coon: Is Mark Greenberg Racist?

Peace

michelleelise · January 2010

I don't get what "this day and age" has to do with it? Did the word "coon" lose its racist connotations recently?

I think it's a slip-of-the-tongue indicating that he's a racist prick who walks around saying "Martin Luther Coon" when he's not on the air.

blended1 · January 2010

michelle822 wrote:

I don't get what "this day and age" has to do with it? Did the word "coon" lose its racist connotations recently?

I think it's a slip-of-the-tongue indicating that he's a racist prick who walks around saying "Martin Luther Coon" when he's not on the air.

I agree and it's disgraceful

mysticweed · January 2010

michelle822 wrote:

I don't get what "this day and age" has to do with it? Did the word "coon" lose its racist connotations recently?

I think it's a slip-of-the-tongue indicating that he's a racist prick who walks around saying "Martin Luther Coon" when he's not on the air.

Damn right! He had to have already said it more than once for it to slip out on a live broadcast.

jimed14 · January 2010

I don't know Greenberg other than what I see on ESPN. He seems like a decent guy ... have never heard anything like this before out of him.

I will say that when these guys cut in and out of breaks, they are talking a mile a minute and have 50 different things on their mind ... I often hear them mix up/mash together words.

That said, there isn't really much I can hear within the script that sounds close to the word "coon" that he could have made the mistake with.

Someone with a more detailed history on him, past comments he's made perhaps, could make the judgement on this I suppose. I'm on the fence between honest accident of mixing words and a racist gaffe that made its way out which he should be fired for. Leaning towards the latter.

eyedclaar · January 2010

You know, I actually use the word "coon" but only when referring to an actual raccoon. Is that racist? I'm actually kind of wondering. We don't really have black people in Idaho.

Gary Carter · January 2010

michelle822 wrote:

I don't get what "this day and age" has to do with it? Did the word "coon" lose its racist connotations recently?

I think it's a slip-of-the-tongue indicating that he's a racist prick who walks around saying "Martin Luther Coon" when he's not on the air.

+1

peacegirl · January 2010

michelle822 wrote:

I don't get what "this day and age" has to do with it? Did the word "coon" lose its racist connotations recently?

I think it's a slip-of-the-tongue indicating that he's a racist prick who walks around saying "Martin Luther Coon" when he's not on the air.

agreed...if you don't talk that way you won't say it no matter where you are or what the situation is

g under p · January 2010

michelle822 wrote:

I don't get what "this day and age" has to do with it? Did the word "coon" lose its racist connotations recently?

I think it's a slip-of-the-tongue indicating that he's a racist prick who walks around saying "Martin Luther Coon" when he's not on the air.

I'm just talking about today, racism is something that will never go away. I don't know M Greenberg other than his radio/tv show and I think though this may have been a slip of the tongue. The *U* sound from Luther combining with the word King could bring about *COON* quite easily. These radio guys MG are speaking a mile a minute while on the air. It's possible this incident happened this way.

What I don't know is has he apologized for this incident whether he thinks this was a slip or just a honest mistake. Many out there even it's just one that thinks this was just a mistake he should still apologize. Should he be fired well that depends on whether he has had any other racial incidents, my answer NO.

Peace

pjhawks · January 2010

this is a non-story. the guy had a slip of the tongue is all. people just trying to make a bigger issue than it is. jeez lighten up people. there was nothing malicious about it, he apologized, it's over.

JD Sal · January 2010

Black Voices are giving him a pass...

Mike Greenberg: King Becomes 'Coon' to Sports Talker

Was it an unfortunate slip of the lip or a not-too-subtle racist jab at civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.?

Only ESPN Sports Talker Mike Greenberg knows for sure. But one thing is for certain. When Greenberg slipped the word "coon" into the name of the civil rights leader during his show on Monday, he won himself a lot of unwanted attention.

Co-host of the popular 'Mike and Mike in the Morning' sports radio show alongside former player Mike Golic, Greenberg issued an apology, saying, "I'm sorry that my talking too fast – and slurring my words – might have given people who don't know our show the wrong impression about us and about me. I feel horrible about that, because nothing could be farther away from who I am and what our show is about. I would never say anything like that, not in public or in private."

In sports, you review the tape for a better view of the action. And in the case of trying to discern what Greenberg might have been thinking, you go to the record book on the man. And to his defense, Greenberg has never been accused of racially inflammatory talk on or off the air.

If Rush Limbaugh or Don Imus, known racial offenders, had said it, it would be a very different situation, but in this case, I think, Greenberg deserves a pass.

Exactly why the word coon was on his mind and made the journey through his lips will remain a mystery. But I don't think this situation is that uncommon for a lot of black folks who find themselves forced to forgive white folks for little racial slipups more frequently than we would like to think.

I can recall during my teen years driving around with my buddy in Hackensack, N.J., trying to figure out where a local arcade was located. It was off Knickerbocker Road. I don't think I have to tell you what word he substituted for the first part of the word Knickerbocker when he repeated the street to me.

I chuckled at first, and then there was an awkward silence. Then Grosso started apologizing profusely, saying he didn't mean anything by it. I know he didn't, but I cursed him a bit just to see him squirm.

The incident was forgotten by the time we met up with our friends 30 minutes later. Until now.

Grosso wasn't a racist. He just said something stupid.

Like a driver with a clean driving record caught speeding on a roadway, Greenberg should walk away from this mistake with a mere warning. He apologized quickly, so let's move on.

He should know, however, that the next time he blurts out a racial slur for the name of a civil rights hero, especially on a national holiday dedicated to his birthday, a lot of Americans will be calling for his head.

g under p · January 2010

JD Sal wrote:

Black Voices are giving him a pass...

Mike Greenberg: King Becomes 'Coon' to Sports Talker

He should know, however, that the next time he blurts out a racial slur for the name of a civil rights hero, especially on a national holiday dedicated to his birthday, a lot of Americans will be calling for his head.

Rightfully so they should ask for his head. I'm glad he quickly apologized.

Peace

blackredyellow · January 2010

michelle822 wrote:

I think it's a slip-of-the-tongue indicating that he's a racist prick who walks around saying "Martin Luther Coon" when he's not on the air.

Totally disagree...

Like mentioned these guys talk for hours straight while simultaneously reading things and with producers and research assistants talking in their ears the whole time.

I don't know Greenberg at all except listening to him off an on for several years, and he has a tendency to mix words up occasionally. He is a HUGE sports fan and speaks in reverence about many athletes (most of whom are black), so the thought of him being a racist prick doesn't fly with me.

tybird · January 2010

eyedclaar wrote:

You know, I actually use the word "coon" but only when referring to an actual raccoon. Is that racist? I'm actually kind of wondering. We don't really have black people in Idaho.

Black people in the South refer to actual raccoons as "coons"..we even have coon dog cementeries scatttered about the region...in fact I saw gentlemen selling something out of the back of his pick-up in Laurel, Mississippi once (2007)....his poster board signs said, "Coon Man"......thus I guess he was selling raccoon meat....which is eaten in many rural areas of the region...Yes, the gentleman in question was Black. That said, the word can be used in an unacceptable manner.

CJMST3K · January 2010

metsfan wrote:

michelle822 wrote:

I don't get what "this day and age" has to do with it? Did the word "coon" lose its racist connotations recently?

I think it's a slip-of-the-tongue indicating that he's a racist prick who walks around saying "Martin Luther Coon" when he's not on the air.

+1

yup.

dcfaithful · January 2010

pjhawks wrote:

this is a non-story. the guy had a slip of the tongue is all. people just trying to make a bigger issue than it is. jeez lighten up people. there was nothing malicious about it, he apologized, it's over.

If you're voice is heard by people across the nation, a slip of the tongue like this is unacceptable and bound to be made into a big issue, it offends people. Accident or not, you just don't do that in his position. If he's an ass enough to use that term when not on the air, he should definitely be better at watching his mouth on air.

I'm not offended personally, but all I'm saying is that this is a pretty dumb ass mistake for a guy with his position.

Hammerdonkey · January 2010

This isn't racial. I'm sure he doesn't go around calling MLK a COON. That's ridiculous. We don't even do that shit down here where it's perfectly acceptable to be racist. I've said the N word a million times. Over 900,000 were just talking to my white friends and not even referring to blacks in any way. Fucking rap music will do that to you.

Anyway, I've never heard anyone here, including myself, ever refer to Dr. King as a Coon. That's just retarded.

The word Junior has the syllable (JOON) like Coon.

King begins with the same structural sound as the word Coon.

Put them together and you can slip up and say Koon. It's a slip of the tongue. Leave the man alone.

eyedclaar · January 2010

Hammerdonkey wrote:

This isn't racial. I'm sure he doesn't go around calling MLK a COON. That's ridiculous. We don't even do that shit down here where it's perfectly acceptable to be racist. I've said the N word a million times. Over 900,000 were just talking to my white friends and not even referring to blacks in any way. Fucking rap music will do that to you.

Anyway, I've never heard anyone here, including myself, ever refer to Dr. King as a Coon. That's just retarded.

The word Junior has the syllable (JOON) like Coon.

King begins with the same structural sound as the word Coon.

Put them together and you'll can slip up and say Koon. It's a slip of the tongue. Leave the man alone.

See, we agree on stuff. But would somebody answer my question... should I just always say "raccoon" to be safe?

dcfaithful · January 2010

eyedclaar wrote:

Hammerdonkey wrote:

This isn't racial. I'm sure he doesn't go around calling MLK a COON. That's ridiculous. We don't even do that shit down here where it's perfectly acceptable to be racist. I've said the N word a million times. Over 900,000 were just talking to my white friends and not even referring to blacks in any way. Fucking rap music will do that to you.

Anyway, I've never heard anyone here, including myself, ever refer to Dr. King as a Coon. That's just retarded.

The word Junior has the syllable (JOON) like Coon.

King begins with the same structural sound as the word Coon.

Put them together and you'll can slip up and say Koon. It's a slip of the tongue. Leave the man alone.

See, we agree on stuff. But would somebody answer my question... should I just always say "raccoon" to be safe?

I would say just make sure whoever is listening knows the context you're speaking in. :?

Hammerdonkey · January 2010

eyedclaar wrote:

Hammerdonkey wrote:

This isn't racial. I'm sure he doesn't go around calling MLK a COON. That's ridiculous. We don't even do that shit down here where it's perfectly acceptable to be racist. I've said the N word a million times. Over 900,000 were just talking to my white friends and not even referring to blacks in any way. Fucking rap music will do that to you.

Anyway, I've never heard anyone here, including myself, ever refer to Dr. King as a Coon. That's just retarded.

The word Junior has the syllable (JOON) like Coon.

King begins with the same structural sound as the word Coon.

Put them together and you'll can slip up and say Koon. It's a slip of the tongue. Leave the man alone.

See, we agree on stuff. But would somebody answer my question... should I just always say "raccoon" to be safe?

I say if you're gonna be racist, just be man enough to drop the N Bomb. There are no misconceptions there. If somebody can't go on with their life because they heard that word, then they've got a bigger problem than the person using the word. It's a fucking word. Is that how you let yourself be defined? By a single word? Spare me motherfuckers.

Anyway, don't be a racist.

g under p · January 2010

eyedclaar wrote:

Hammerdonkey wrote:

This isn't racial. I'm sure he doesn't go around calling MLK a COON. That's ridiculous. We don't even do that shit down here where it's perfectly acceptable to be racist. I've said the N word a million times. Over 900,000 were just talking to my white friends and not even referring to blacks in any way. Fucking rap music will do that to you.

Anyway, I've never heard anyone here, including myself, ever refer to Dr. King as a Coon. That's just retarded.

The word Junior has the syllable (JOON) like Coon.

King begins with the same structural sound as the word Coon.

Put them together and you'll can slip up and say Koon. It's a slip of the tongue. Leave the man alone.

See, we agree on stuff. But would somebody answer my question... should I just always say "raccoon" to be safe?

I don't think it's appropriate to call anyone *coon* just based on how it was used in such a racial derogatory way in the past. If it makes you more comfortable calling a raccoon *coon* then go right ahead. I wouldn't, I'll call it what it is a raccoon. If one gets too comfortable with the word *coon* who knows where or when one could slip up down the road.

Peace

ESPN:Mike Greenberg: 'Martin Luther COON...King Day"

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ESPN:Mike Greenberg: 'Martin Luther COON...King Day&quot;

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ESPN:Mike Greenberg: 'Martin Luther COON...King Day"