Wednesday, January 28, 2009

A Canadian Gay Rights Group is Not So Fond of Mike Milbury

Remember last week when Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury looked like they were going to actually fight each other during an intermission debate about fighting? You know, the one where Milbury said eliminating fighting would 'pansify' the sport.

Well, not only was it a hilarious exchange, but this story isn't going to go quietly into the night. The Globe and Mail is reporting that Milbury pissed off a gay rights group in Canada, where he has used the term 'pansification' on CBC a couple times this season.

Egale Canada, a gay advocacy organization, protested last week. But Scott Moore, the head of CBC Sports, said through a network spokesman yesterday that commentators are free to make their own decisions whether to use the expression.

"That's ridiculous," said Helen Kennedy, the executive director of Egale Canada. "So it's okay for people to go around using these slurs — derogatory, stereotypical terms against a group in society? That's outrageous."

A fair point, no doubt.

But to be honest, I'm not sure these folks know who they're dealing with. This is Mike Milbury. He has unbelievable wisdom. Take for example this 'pansification' exchange. It allowed him to agitate Pierre McGuire, ignore the recent death of Don Sanderson completely and anger homosexuals all in one fell swoop. It takes a special kind of person to be able to do that, folks.

6 comments:

  1. Oh give me a break. In common usage the word means "weak/effeminate"... and that IS what he was referring to, not the fact that these particular upset guys happen to like to have sex with one another. Being gay does not mean that you are effeminate, anyway- I know lots of gay guys who arent weak or effeminate at all. I think that gay guys who hear a term like pansy and automatically associate it with homosexuality are actually perpetuating stereotypes, not fighting them- and they are doing a disservice to the very people they think they are defending.

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  2. People give Jack Edwards a lot of crap, but Milbury is on the NESN telecast enough that Jack pales in comparison.

    I'm thinking we get an apology from Mad Mike before the trade deadline.

    One more thing about Milbury: During one of the "Instigators" shows NESN does on thursday while I'm heading to and from the game (damn you, nesn, re-show that ever again) he said Don Waddell was a good GM.

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  3. That whole "argument" on NBC was embarrassing with the screaming and the music clips and the rest.

    I think the gay rights group will have to get in line behind people who don't like Mike like the Islanders, most of North America, etc.

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  4. Hey, since when is Long Island a Canadian Gay Rights Group?

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  5. TMC beat me to the punch.

    I was going to ask when pansy was automatically associated with being gay?

    There are too many groups and associations to worry about pissing off when you are a broadcaster - it's actually quite humorous if you look at the whole picture.

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