FREE STEVE BLASS

By Mark Madden
https://1059thex.iheart.com/featured/mark-madden/content/2019-06-05-free-steve-blass/
June 5, 2019

During the TV broadcast of last night’s Pirates-Atlanta game, analyst Steve Blass said he doesn’t like Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves wearing so much jewelry while he plays. Blass added that maybe Acuna would have got thrown at back in Blass’ day.

Those statements have zero racial overtones. Not even a trace.

Blass doesn’t like flashy, and never has. He’s 77. He’s old school.

But a plethora of SJWs posing as journalists have descended to imply that Blass is racist – without outright saying it, of course. That would take balls.

That is total idiocy. A pile of steaming nonsense.

Blass is a thoroughly decent man. When Blass played his 10 seasons with the Pirates, he was very well-known for neutralizing racism in the clubhouse at a time when that wasn’t easy. Blass took white, black and Latino and brought everybody together during a turbulent era. Ask Al Oliver or Manny Sanguillen.

Critics of what Blass said couldn’t be bothered to check out his track record. That doesn’t fit the narrative, or allow drama to be made out of harmless commentary.

Blass doesn’t want players to accessorize like Mr. T while they’re on the field. That’s his opinion. If you think all the gold chains are OK, that’s your opinion.

But it’s all just opinion.

Would Blass scold a white player for being too ostentatious? He would, and has. Including Bryce Harper.

Blass said nothing wrong. To see him vilified is an egregious wrong. If Roberto Clemente were alive, he’d hit somebody in the head with a bat.

Steve Blass with Manny Sanguillen