Doc's Morning Line: Don't use racial slurs in any context. Is it really that hard?

The question isn’t whether what Ron Jans said was wrong. It was. The question is why are we still having this discussion?

Jans admits to dropping the N-word in the FC Cincinnati locker room. He said he was simply singing along with the music that was playing there. The MLS is checking it out, so let’s not convict Jans of anything in This Space.

I don’t want to say this is tiresome. That’d be a slap in the face of all African Americans, for whom the issue is anything but tiresome. So let’s call it exasperating that in 2020 this is still an issue.

Don’t say the N-word.

OK?

Is that hard?

We’re two months short of the 73rd anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and I’m still sitting here typing on this subject. What the hell?

According to the Enquirer’s soccer maven Pat Brennan, a member of the team took Jans aside after the incident to “tell him that was unacceptable in America.’’

Duh.

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The fact Jans is from the Netherlands is not an excuse. He’s 61 years old. Besides, is that word OK in the Netherlands?

Then, there is this, also from Brennan:

In a separate incident, the complaint against Jans says he made inappropriate comments about slavery before the Oct. 6 game against D.C. United. In that case, it was said after Jans spent time at the nation's memorials and was meant to inspire the team to overcome adversity.

What?

What coach invokes slavery to fire up his team?

Sorry, but no matter the explanation (which we might or might not get) there is no context in which that would be OK.

That prior incident also suggests Jans lacks good judgment and common sense. The whole issue makes you wonder if Jans can lead this team. The roster includes several players of color, not the least of whom is Jürgen Locadia, the club’s prime offseason acquisition.

It’s not just here. Racism is rampant in soccer, around the world. Italy, the EPL. Premier League. This just happened in Portugal:

FC Porto striker Moussa Marega, who tried to walk off the field after being the target of racist slurs from fans, faced apparent attempts Sunday by his own teammates and opposition players to prevent him from leaving. Marega, who is black and plays for Mal i, was visibly angered by monkey noises targeting him. (AP)

Seriously?

I hate doing columns/TMLs on this subject. They come off as too easy and too preachy. More, they make me mad. Having to remind a coach – or anyone, for that matter – that the N-word has no place, anywhere, ever, is ridiculous.

Words matter. Words create perceptions. Perception can become reality. To call my daughter the R-word is to suggest she’s incapable. She’s anything but. Words matter. If you can’t use them with care, just shut up.

Now, then. . .

THE BEARCATS? I really don’t know. They played a bad team from their 7th-ranked conference Sunday, and needed overtime to win. Keith Williams bailed them out.

At the moment, if they make the Madness, they’re one and done. Lunardi has them an 11 seed, less than a month from Selection Sunday. You could say their grit is impressive, in winning consecutive OT games after losing one at UConn. You could also say if they’d taken care of business against Memphis (67 in the Kenpom rankings, starting four freshmen) at home, and yesterday at ECU (215) OT would not have been needed.

Sunday was not encouraging. Twenty-two turnovers and 5-for-16 from the line are decent indicators of a general lack of concentration and urgency. Then they went four minutes in the 2nd half in full sleep mode, to fall behind by 8.

If you figure out Jarron Cumberland, please let the rest of us know. Very good player. I’ve said here that he’s UC’s most important player since Sean Kilpatrick. But sometimes, he looks checked out.

He’s a great passer who occasionally makes bad passes. He’s a good defender who sometimes loses his man. He’s a very good scorer, when he remembers to score. Too often, the reigning conference POY is not the best player on the floor.

The Bearcats can beat bad teams without Cumberland’s full participation. In March, there are no bad teams.

TIGER THE MAN IS EASY TO ROOT FOR. . . Here’s what he said after finishing some 20 strokes back in the Genesis Sunday:

“Considering the fact that I look at it that this part of my career really didn’t exist a few years ago, to be able to do this—no matter what I shoot,” Woods said.

“It’s still disappointing, it’s still frustrating, I’m still a little ticked. But I also look at it from a perspective which I didn’t do most of my career: I have a chance to play going down the road. A few years ago that wasn’t the case.” (Golf Digest)

Lucky and wise is the elite athlete who can summon this sort of thinking.

ROB MANFRED SCREWED THIS THING UP. He went on ESPN to rationalize not punishing a single Astros player for cheating. ESPN.com:

Manfred told Ravech that any discipline of the players likely would have resulted in grievances from the Major League Baseball Players Association, citing Luhnow's failure to communicate to the Astros' players the contents of a 2017 memorandum outlining MLB's policy on the use of technology.

"It's in my report. The memorandum went to the general manager, and then nothing was done from the GM down," Manfred said. "So we knew if we had disciplined the players in all likelihood we were going to have grievances and grievances that we were going to lose on the basis that we never properly informed them of the rules.’’

We’re supposed to believe that because it wasn’t spelled out to them, Astros players thought it was OK to steal signs electronically. Then this:

“I am a believer in the idea that precedent happens and when you deviate from that, you have to have a very good reason. The report gave people a transparent account of what went on. We put people in position to make their own judgments about the behavior that went on.’’

To Manfred, it’s OK to let certain cheaters skate, because it resulted in a “transparent’’ account of what happened. It allowed the world to make up its own mind about the cheaters.

That’s such B.S.

Manfred’s job isn’t just to be “transparent’’ after a few years of being told this sort of cheating was going on and doing nothing. It was to make the consequences severe enough, it wouldn’t happen again.

Did he do that?

"I think if you watch the players, watch their faces when they have to deal with this issue publicly, they have paid a price.’’

Hahahahaha.

They’ve already moved on. They get their money, they get their rings. The trophy no doubt looks fantastic in the lobby. Dusty Baker is playing a whole deck of “time to move on’’ cards.

There are lots of things I don’t like about Rob Manfred. Here’s something I really don’t like:

He thinks we’re stupid. He insults our intelligence.

Don’t deviate from precedence? Is that why Rose molders in baseball purgatory and guys like Bregman skate with insincere apologies? Altuve and his mates can’t get their stories straight about why Altuve didn’t want his jersey stripped off in celebration at home plate?

Child, please.

It’s all an embarrassment to baseball, not the least of which has been Manfred’s timid handling of it.

ANOTHER GREAT SHOW by local bluesman deluxe Stacy Mitchhart. He played the 2nd Annual Cincinnati Winter Bluesfest Saturday night at the Manor House in Mason and ripped it up, as usual. Stacy is a Sycamore grad, diehard Bengals fan, Nashville resident and member of the Blues HOF. If you’ve never seen him perform, you are completely missing out.

Here’s what you do, and thank me later: Spend a weekend in Nashville when Stacy is playing the Bourbon Street Boogie and Blues Bar in Printer’s Alley. Get there early, grab a table by the stage, order some Abita beers and prepare to have more fun than should be allowed.

TUNE O’ THE DAY. . . Stacy mixes in a few covers, including a great version of Come Together, while playing a guitar made from, literally, a cigar box. This one was live from Bourbon Street.