Kopech the latest MLB player with questionable Twitter history

[iWiN4PreP]

14 minutes ago, 3GamesToLove said:

Calling people gay as an insult because they don't tweet back to you is pretty bad.

Yeah -- I won't deny that using gay as an insult or even f** as an insult or both in the 'do not do' list, however it was clear by the context of the tweets that he was just jousting with his buddies. It would have been different if it was actually meant as a hurtful thing to say. As a person who takes interest in these types of issues (call it a SJW or whatever you'd like) I feel like a situation like this actually HURTS the issue. These tweets are clearly not hateful and clearly a talk amongst their friends -- making things like this into a bigger story only will serve to turn more people against social justice issues like this.

[Wanne]

2 hours ago, 3GamesToLove said:

Calling people gay as an insult because they don't tweet back to you is pretty bad.

what if they listen to Tears for Fears?...is it ok then?   Asking for a friend?

[Wanne]

2 hours ago, 3GamesToLove said:

EDIT: also, interesting note that I didn't realize until I bought the tickets today: his projected next start at home, next Friday against Boston.....is the Sox's first ever Pride Night.

Don't really care if the PC Police take issue with this or not...this response on FB made me laugh.

[TaylorStSox]

6 minutes ago, Wanne said:

Don't really care if the PC Police take issue with this or not...this response on FB made me laugh.

I don't really care if the PC police take issue with me thinking you're an idiot. 

[Wanne]

8 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

I don't really care if the PC police take issue with me thinking you're an idiot. 

fuck off

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I'm not gay, so I guess my straight point of view doesn't really allow for me to say that friends calling each other gay is normal and forgivable behavior for a high schooler, but I hear people use the "R word" at least a few times a week either at work or in general and while that does does personally affect me, I also don't think they need to be ruined or lose their jobs over it.  I just chalk it up as them being ignorant to it's connotations and it's effects on people. I also don't think it means they hate mentally challenged individuals or that they would ever use it towards a mentally challenged person to hurt them.

[Soxbadger]

Instead of fighting about whether its good or bad, I think kids need to start realize that there is no benefit to putting "controversial" statements on social media. Back in the days of my youth, we had rules about never taking pictures when we did something bad, never leaving evidence etc.

That isnt ground breaking advice. And many people could save themselves a lot of hassle if they followed it.

[Balta1701]

10 minutes ago, Soxbadger said:

Instead of fighting about whether its good or bad, I think kids need to start realize that there is no benefit to putting "controversial" statements on social media. Back in the days of my youth, we had rules about never taking pictures when we did something bad, never leaving evidence etc.

That isnt ground breaking advice. And many people could save themselves a lot of hassle if they followed it.

I think there's becoming a greater realization of this...but also when you're talking about 16 year old kids they're going to make mistakes. It's ok to judge things based on what they said, how other people around them react when those mistakes are revealed, and how they respond to it too. Kopech seems to have dealt with it as needed, apologized, and so I think it's ok to move on.

[Kyyle23]

I think the Evolution of Twitter has also changed the game.  People used to think it was an anonymous sounding board, and it isn’t.  

[3GamesToLove]

29 minutes ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

I'm not gay, so I guess my straight point of view doesn't really allow for me to say that friends calling each other gay is normal and forgivable behavior for a high schooler, but I hear people use the "R word" at least a few times a week either at work or in general and while that does does personally affect me, I also don't think they need to be ruined or lose their jobs over it.  I just chalk it up as them being ignorant to it's connotations and it's effects on people. I also don't think it means they hate mentally challenged individuals or that they would ever use it towards a mentally challenged person to hurt them.

I'm a high school teacher. On the first day I make it clear that calling something they don't like "gay" or "retarded" will not be tolerated in my class.

[3GamesToLove]

47 minutes ago, Wanne said:

Don't really care if the PC Police take issue with this or not...this response on FB made me laugh.

homophobia so cool

 

get it cause it's a team we don't like so, you know, gay. so funny

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

5 minutes ago, 3GamesToLove said:

I'm a high school teacher. On the first day I make it clear that calling something they don't like "gay" or "retarded" will not be tolerated in my class.

It's a good rule.

[3GamesToLove]

2 minutes ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

It's a good rule.

It's the only language I specifically mention in my syllabus.

[35thstreetswarm]

1 hour ago, Wanne said:

Don't really care if the PC Police take issue with this or not...this response on FB made me laugh.

Wow, you’re incredibly brave

[kwolf68]

Kopech is young, he comes from Texas, he maybe even fits the "redneck" stereotype, who knows. Kopech has spent his entire life becoming a pitcher, by all accounts a damn good one. Michael Kopech has absolutely ZERO understanding or perspective about other cultures, he probably is not able to see the world from the view of a black person, latino, or even a gay person. He probably even considers them all "the different". Michael Kopech is not an enlightened person. And he is 22 years old. That all said, as he associates with more latin people, black people, people who are conservative, people who are liberal, and even gay people he will grow from it and realize they aren't so bad and hopefully become respectful and tolerant. If he CHOOSES to continue to be a narrow minded idiot I'll judge him at that time, but at this time I want to allow him to grow up and be lead by the world baseball is going to soon open for him. Good luck in that quest Michael. I so want to root for you and I typically like rooting for good people. 

Edited August 24, 2018 by kwolf68

[3GamesToLove]

3 minutes ago, kwolf68 said:

Kopech is young, he comes from Texas, he maybe even fits the "redneck" stereotype, who knows. Kopech has spent his entire life becoming a pitcher, by all accounts a damn good one. Michael Kopech has absolutely ZERO understanding or perspective about other cultures, he probably is not able to see the world from the view of a black person, latino, or even a gay person. He probably even considers them all "the different". Michael Kopech is not an enlightened person. And he is 22 years old. That all said, as he associates with more latin people, black people, people who are conservative, people who are liberal, and even gay people he will grow from it and realize they aren't so bad and hopefully become respectful and tolerant. If he CHOOSES to continue to be a narrow minded idiot I'll judge him at that time, but at this time I want to allow him to grow up and be lead by the world baseball is going to soon open for him. Good luck in that quest Michael. I so want to root for you and I typically like rooting for good people. 

I don't take much issue with most of this post, but much of Texas is very diverse. Kopech's hometown is only 56% white.

[wrathofhahn]

55 minutes ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

I'm not gay, so I guess my straight point of view doesn't really allow for me to say that friends calling each other gay is normal and forgivable behavior for a high schooler, but I hear people use the "R word" at least a few times a week either at work or in general and while that does does personally affect me, I also don't think they need to be ruined or lose their jobs over it.  I just chalk it up as them being ignorant to it's connotations and it's effects on people. I also don't think it means they hate mentally challenged individuals or that they would ever use it towards a mentally challenged person to hurt them.

Retarded is actually the clinical definition or at least was until 2010.

It's all silly because even the campaign against it's use has no real reason to stop it's use. It has a well established clinical definition it's connotation means slow which is not offensive.

It all seems to stem from the fact people use it as an insult but the reality is it's just as easy for someone to use the term mentally challenged, mentally disabled, etc as an insult all you have done is invent a new word for kids to insult each other on the playground.

If you believe the use of the term is hurtful the solution isn't to ban the word it's to engage and hold those accountable who use the term in a hurtful way.

Edited August 24, 2018 by wrathofhahn

[kwolf68]

Just now, 3GamesToLove said:

I don't take much issue with most of this post, but much of Texas is very diverse. Kopech's hometown is only 56% white.

Of course Texas is diverse, but there is still a very strong "white culture". I have friends down there and when I visit them they complain incessantly about Mexicans. They too live in a diverse area. I am not casting Texas, because you can find some of the worlds WORST racists in say...BOSTON. That city has treated black hockey players like shit in the past. It does not mean ALL of Boston is racist, but racists can certainly reside there. I apologize if my point wasn't well made there.

Edited August 24, 2018 by kwolf68

[Jack Parkman]

As you all know, I'm autistic. I'm not that offended by the word "Retarded" I think that the disability community should take back that word. I use it, when I deem appropriate. I went to a HS that was over 95% white and I will tell you that kind of stuff was common language every day. If we all condemned everyone for stupid shit they did at the age of 18-22, the entire world would be unemployed and in jail. Nobody here hasn't done something regrettable at least once in their life. As long as he's not doing anymore, I couldn't care less. I will say, that when people call me "retarded" I have learned to tell when people are using it as an insult. 

Edited August 24, 2018 by Jack Parkman

[Two-Gun Pete]

I didn't read his tweets as being directed at an individual or group in a derogatory way; Many Millennials stupidly use the N-word ending with an "a" as some bizarre greeting for each other. Regardless, it was stupid for him to do.

That said, I'm absolutely STUNNED that players simply aren't advised by their agents and/or their teams' on proper social media norms to limit a players' exposure to this sort of thing. A good rule could be for a player to delete all social media accounts upon being signed, and then re-start afresh. [With proper professional advise insofar as how to behave in such a way that their online presences don't put the players/teams into a position of disrepute.]

 

For the agent, if your sole job is to get your clients as much cash on AND OFF the field, why wouldn't you advise ALL clients to clean up/delete all social media accounts, and then re-start? For the teams, why not have this be a part of all new player orientation? [Don't know if the SOX do this, but I do know of at least one local NCAA school that does do this.]

[Balta1701]

3 minutes ago, Two-Gun Pete said:

I didn't read his tweets as being directed at an individual or group in a derogatory way; Many Millennials stupidly use the N-word ending with an "a" as some bizarre greeting for each other. Regardless, it was stupid for him to do.

That said, I'm absolutely STUNNED that players simply aren't advised by their agents and/or their teams' on proper social media norms to limit a players' exposure to this sort of thing. A good rule could be for a player to delete all social media accounts upon being signed, and then re-start afresh. [With proper professional advise insofar as how to behave in such a way that their online presences don't put the players/teams into a position of disrepute.]

 

For the agent, if your sole job is to get your clients as much cash on AND OFF the field, why wouldn't you advise ALL clients to clean up/delete all social media accounts, and then re-start? For the teams, why not have this be a part of all new player orientation? [Don't know if the SOX do this, but I do know of at least one local NCAA school that does do this.]

FWIW, these are screenshots from his account that have since been cleaned up and deleted. 

[wrathofhahn]

23 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

As you all know, I'm autistic. I'm not that offended by the word "Retarded" I think that the disability community should take back that word. I use it, when I deem appropriate. I went to a HS that was over 95% white and I will tell you that kind of stuff was common language every day. If we all condemned everyone for stupid shit they did at the age of 18-22, the entire world would be unemployed and in jail. 

That's fair. The problem sort of becomes when it stops being the clinical term it sort of has the opposite effect because in a way the disabled community is giving up ownership of it and if it no longer refers to someone who is disabled how can it be offensive?

After all at one time moron, imbecile, and idiot were also clinical definitions of people with an intellectual disability (ICD-9, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ICD-9_codes_290–319:_mental_disorders#Mental_retardation_(317–319)) has retiring them from medical texts stopped their usage?

What makes using retard less acceptable then imbecile? Time?

Edited August 24, 2018 by wrathofhahn

[Two-Gun Pete]

9 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

FWIW, these are screenshots from his account that have since been cleaned up and deleted. 

Oh, I'm aware. And I recognize that anything that is put on the interwebs lives forever.

But, I believe he has the same account NOW as he did then. My view is that it can be helpful for a young signee/draftee to clean up stupid posts from his high school FB/Twitter/etc accounts, THEN delete the accounts, and then re-start, if only to provide some small measure of distance from previously ill-considered posts put up in the past.

Keeping the same HS FB/Twitter/Insta accounts is asking for past mistakes to haunt a player's future, IMO.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Two-Gun Pete

[ChiSox1917]

I see nothing wrong with his tweets.  People are just so f*cking oversensitive these days.

[Middle Buffalo]

39 minutes ago, kwolf68 said:

Kopech is young, he comes from Texas, he maybe even fits the "redneck" stereotype, who knows....Michael Kopech has absolutely ZERO understanding or perspective about other cultures, he probably is not able to see the world from the view of a black person, latino, or even a gay person. 

Not trying to be PC police, but I always find it odd that people have no problem throwing around "redneck" when they are talking about race. I don't see how it's different from some of the other words that are taboo.

I know "gay" and "retard" were just words we threw around when I was a kid. Lots of times between friends. They were put downs, and I think we didn't really understand how those words might hurt other people. In our constantly evolving cultural language, i think people will verbalize these types of words less and less. Hopefully, it follows suit on social media.

We can chalk some things up to youthful ignorance, and we can thank God our every thought and conversation wasn't archived and photographed when we were kids. People today are dealing with a whole new set of rules. I just had "the talk" with my 14 year old again just so I could emphasize the evils of social media posting. It's scary to think that something he says/posts/does as a teenager can have negative consequences for years down the line. I hope he got the message.

Hopefully Kopech was just joking around with friends, and he learned a lesson. He's young. He can learn from this.