Braves expected to announce decision on McDowell fallout Friday

I don’t understand what is going on in the outside world…

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I wonder what was said to him that caused him to respond like that. We never get both sides of the story.

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Does not look good

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McDowell has to go…come back, Leo Mazzone.

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Why does Carroll Rogers write under DOB’s picture and Braves blog? Can’t the AJC get Carroll her own picture and headline?

Roger is in major trouble. Sad really.

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Carl – it really does not matter what the fan said. Roger is the professional representing the braves organization. He is the one getting paid and wether you are an player or a coach – you should be professional and not ingage fans like that – especially in front of kids. If I own the Braves I’d understand that I can directly control what fans say – but I can control how my players and coaches behave.

Ave, Roger does not get to hire a lawyer – so freakin what ? what does that have to do with it

Questiton – how would you feel if you were in the stands with your children and heard the professional coach’s words to the fans

please – unacceptable Roger.

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JC, Mazzone was a decent pitching coach. Of course I would have been a decent pitching coach with 3 Hall of Famers on my staff. Leo’s time has passed.

McDowell made a mistake in responding to heckling fans. There must have been something pretty good said to him to make him respond. Let’s get the full story before passing judgement.

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EG, there’s always radio and TV for you… JC, wanting Leo back is like wishing you could go back and relive your high school days. As for Roger, don’t know exactly what happened, but everyone deserves a second chance. Let the involved deal with this between themselves, get rid of the lawyers and let’s move on.

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Let’s let everyone make jokes and jeers about funny, white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant guys who shave their heads and be done with it. That way, no one but me will be offended.

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If it’s true it’s bad….but let’s also remember that only one fan has come forward with a story so far. I want to hear from other witnesses before passing judgement. And honestly, I’m not sure I believe anyone that would hire Gloria Allred as their attorney…

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How the heck does Gloria Allred always get in the picture?

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Why did Roger have a bat in left field? Plus the Braves dugout is on the right field side of that park.

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He should lose his job. There’s no excuse. If doesn’t know how to act in public, then forget him. What a loser. Such ugly, vile words.

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Yes, it sounds bad, and it is NEVER a good idea for a professional to respond to a heckler in any way, shape or form, even just to say “hey, shut up.”

But keep in mind that we are hearing only one side of the story here. I have had the misfortune to be in a legal altercation years ago, and the things alleged that I did were, at best, wild exaggerations of the truth, and many things were 100% false. And that was just with a run-of-the-mill ambulance-chasing bloodsucker. This is Gloria Flippin’ Allred we’re talking about, a grandstanding camera hog, drama queen and backstabber of the first degree. While I think it’s likely Roger responded to some heckling fans, I don’t believe a bloody thing in the complaint until I get some corroborating evidence. And that’s the bottom line.

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I agree with alexander….let’s get to the truth, not just a celebrity lawyer’s side of it. Someone might be looking for a big pay day. Yeah, Roger’s a little flaky, but wow! Really think that we have heard everything that was said? Let’s see what shakes out.

Oh, and by the way, “great pitchers make great pitching coaches.” I would have been a great pitching coach with Smoltz, Glavine, and Maddux. And people would be wanting me back…darn, missed my chance!

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I think everyone deserves a second chance…(unless he’s already had one and we don’t know about it) but he needs to be suspended for a period of time and he needs to meet face to face with the folks he offended and apologize to them personally. Fans heckle opposing players and coaches and even when they are out of line, it comes with the turf. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Let’s face it, McDowell was way out of line and to say that kids don’t belong at a ballpark is, well, just plain stupid. If he survives this incident it can never ever happen again…ever.

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A devout fan of the ATL braves I went to Washington for Bobby’s 2500th win last year in september.. If everyone remembers, that series was directly after the Philly series in which we were swept and the NL East was gone. I get the the Nats game early, and head to the pen. I was talking with Kimbrel, and complimenting Johnny Venters on his gutsy pitching, when Roger came out from the bullpen, and said loudly, “WE DONT NEED YOUR SH**” I replied yall needs someones SH** or we are going to lose the wild card to me. He immedilty said go back to your seat A**hole we still dont need your SH**..

To make a long story short, if I was wearing a braves jersey, hat and coat, and he cussed me, wonder what he says to a heckler from another city… He has anger issues, and from that moment own I have referred to him as Roger McDUESHEBAG. He will get what he deserves. He is an arrogont pr1ck. THREE WORDS FOR YOU ROGER…

WELCOME BACK LEO!!!!!!!

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“It’s not like he’s done wonders with the pitching staff.”

Yeah, it’s not like we have one of the best staffs in baseball or anything…

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Great posts by “damngooddawg” and “who cares”! All of my thoughts wrapped up in your 2 posts! Wouldn’t you just the irony of firing him and hiring John Rocker to replace him? That would be epic!

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Fine him and move on. He shouldn’t lose his job or be persecuted, he made a mistake, who hasn’t. People wonder why this country is in the shape it is, Jesus, when something like this warrants the coverage it has gotten and we have people who lost lives, homes, etc…

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I watched and heard McDowell do a similiar thing at Nationals park in May of last season. I sat next to the Braves’ bullpen while Tim Hudson warmed up. Some kid yelled something at Hudson (which I did not hear), and McDowell told the kid to send his mother to his hotel room later on. Yes, he needs to shut his mouth. And yes, MLB needs to do something about the behavior of fans who can sit there all night dropping f-bombs on the left fielder (who was Matty D that night).

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No accident. This happens with this idiot all the time. He is a cocky prick who thinks he runs the world.

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It’s OK for drunk idiodic fans to scream and heckle athletes and coaches, but, it’s not OK for a coach to respond? Get over it. The world is too overly sensitive. That’s why our kids are such pansies these days. Quit being so PC and get a life. Nothing good has ever come out of California and here’s another case. It just gave Gloria Alred a chance to get out of her terrariam and Demand something else….

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Kudos to Braves fans who are taking on this guy. No matter what the fans say, it doesn’t give them the right to use the bad language in front of the kids. Second, the man he threatens is the not the idiot fans who were heckling. Also how does he exactly justify saying f**ing Kids don’t belong at the ball park? Really?

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Greg Maddox for pitching coach???

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btw…he was holding that bat in DC too….

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Remember the good old days when everyone was afraid of some “Big Brother”-type government coming to power? Well, don’t look now, but when people are losing their careers and being penalized over dumb, off-the-cuff remarks, it sounds an awful lot like thought-policing to me. Ask (former) Miss California if she believes we still have the freedom to believe and say what we truly feel (even in good taste and in response to a direct question, as she did) in America today. It’s scary, folks.

I have to say I am disappointed in Mr. Bradley’s remark about the Braves’s PR being threatened by keeping a “homophobe” on their payroll. It’s easy to make an “opinionated” statement that caters to the mainstream (politically correct); what Mr. Bradley said was as much about placating those in power in our nation as it was about denouncing the actions of Roger McDowell.

And let’s just be frank; the term “homophobe” is a misnomer at best that’s being used by the liberal political machine through the media to make people of conviction feel isolated and out-numbered. The truth is it’s not homosexuals themselves that most of us are afraid of; it’s the idea of someone living a lifestyle we believe is inherently amoral and against the teachings of God’s Word using the media and the State to force an acceptance and approval of that lifestyle on us (both in our families and even our churches) via overwhelming propoganda and social and economic pressure and persecution, denying us the right to believe as we feel convicted to and to teach our children what we believe. We fear what America is becoming: a nation where right has become wrong and wrong has become right in the eyes of people, where innocence is ridiculed and discouraged and character is secondary to money and power in importance. And most of all we fear what will happen when God turns His back on our country; it will rain both on the just and the unjust when that happens.

Even the famous atheist Voltaire made the statement, “I may not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Looks like the liberal crowd has lost a lot of credibility when they won’t even let anyone hold a belief or make a statement contrary to their own, doesn’t it? Let folks do and believe as they will; we all have to face the same Judge someday anyway.

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This isn’t McDowell’s first incident with some fans, he also spit on Kramer and Newman at a Mets game.

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IF, McDowell is guilty of the allegations, Selig and Liberty Media will decided his fate.

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You know the accusations are not true because Gloria Allred is the lawyer. Enough said…

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He’s toast….we’ll have a new pitching coach in a week.

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QUIT BEING SENSATIVE… YOU GET PAID TONS OF MONEY TO LISTEN TO FANS (WHO PAY YOUR SALARY) QUIT BEING A PANSY MCDUESHBAG!

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If guilty he has to go. What an idiot!

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itpdude – lmao at your comment

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We have all heard some of the outrageous things that emanate from the stands at baseball games. McDowell seems contrite about his actions, slap him on the wrist as the NBA did to Bryant and move on. Bud Lite – you have much bigger issues to deal with.

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This story is gaye.

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Good for Roger!

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Maybe Roger said that kids don’t belong at “this” ballpark. Considering the description of what the fans were doing in the story, the statement may not have been out of line.

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Quinn’s attorney, celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, said McDowell responded by saying “Kids don’t [expletive] belong at the baseball park.”

Really, Roger? Maybe families should boycott the Braves games as long as you’re an employee…

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If this issue was just limited to Roger using a gay slur toward some heckling fans, it really isn’t much of a story. The guys he insulted aren’t even the ones complaining. Its the interaction between Roger and the guy with his wife and kids that’s really the ugly part of the story. Threatening a guy with a bat? Kids shouldn’t be at the ballpark? Come on. Roger should know better.

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If the alleged second portion about threatening the parent and making the comment about kids is true, McDowell should and will be fired. Very unfortunate for the Braves, because I thought he was doing a good job.

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Number one, he never should have responded to any heckling by any fan. He’s a professional. It’s his job to ignore it. The game would never get played if every person on the field responded to things being said from the sidelines.

(Can you imagine if the umpires bothered to respond to hecklers?)

Number two, as long as you have jerks like McDowell who can’t see past their own noses to realize that some people *might* be different than they are, you’re never going to have a society where gay athletes will feel comfortable. And that’s not right.

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There is a different stadard of justice coaches vs multi million dollar players, coaches are expendable but players have the union. So Rodger will probably be fired where if the same thing had happened to Prince Fielder he would be given a $5,000. fine and suspended for two games and that would be the end of it.

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Imagine how upset the Giants fans will be when Buster comes and plays for the Braves in a few years.

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BRING BACK LEO!!!!!! with Notre Dame Cap and ROCKIN!!! BEST PITCHING COACH EVER!!!!

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IF these allegations turn out to be true, then the dude’s got to go…..I hate to say it. He’s a good pitching coach and we will miss him, but no way an organization like the Braves and what they stand for can allow this guy to be on their payroll. And the quote about “kids dont belong at the ballpark?” Someone please try and explain that one to me. I am at a loss.

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Can’t defend or excuse anything Roger said, but it’s hard to take anyone who turns to Gloria Allred seriously.

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Maybe Kobe will pay Roger’s fine for him.

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its a baseball game, not church. be a parent to the kid and teach em right from wrong. you cant police other peoples language. you cant take children to public places and them not hear some kind of adult language. and what type of lawsuit does this guy have? McDowell hurt his family’s feelings? as an organization i wouldnt want my pitching coach behaving that way, but thats another matter. this Quinn sucks

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I will reserve judgement until the real truth comes out. All of these quotes are from Giants fans. Once the truth comes out, than we’ll talk. As far as calling someone a “homo”, get over it. It’s a word. Who cares. You probably say much worse in your car. Unless you have never said anything hurtful in your life, keep your hypocracy to yourself. As far as the response to the dad in front of his daughters, that’s a shame if it’s true. I can maybe see it. But the bat allegation sounds like stretch. I don’t see how a grown man would do something like that. Something smells fishy.

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No coaches union to protect him? He is gone. This would be a slap on the wrist and a sorry Mr Selig but you can’t get rid of me if this was a player.

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Why would fan hire Gloria Allred if all he wanted was for RM to apologize? There’s more to story than just whats being told. RM didn’t just go crazy for nothing. Just like the Fans at LA beating the SF fan to death after game couple weeks ago in parking lot. The fans had to say the majic words to get that reaction. Self -defense is ok if you are anything except st-white..right? What has America come to. Stop selling Beer etc at games would help. To many drunks.

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this isn’t political “extremus.” why do some people have to make everything about politics?

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Ok here goes, I’ll be the bad guy on this blog for all you libs SF types. Roger over-reacted to the the heckling by those fans. Especially the father with his daughter, that is the only thing that bothers me. If I had been that dad, the 2-3 gay guys sitting near me and my daughter who were acting up would have been my first concern. Probably would have told them to shut up. Seems like a double standard to me, if gays are berated or hassled they file complaints and wine about it, but if the gays are hassling someone that seems to be okay with society. Buying a ticket only allows you to go so far with your conduct towards others. Everyone knows that SF is the gay capital of the world but that does not give them special rights to hassle anyone just because they are not the same as them. Before you start to call me names, I do not bother anyone that is gay nor do I expect someone who is gay to bother me! The hecklers should have been tossed out of the stadium if it was that offensive and Roger should not have vented towards the dad and his daughter!!

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While I agree with most people saying that he shouldn’t lose his job, this is the Braves. Make waves and you’re done.

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“No HR manual says that even if you are berated by a customer, can you retaliate with obscenities and threats even if they did it to you first. You simply walk away. Roger is a loudmouth jerk, I know I watched him as a met fan years ago. He has to go.”

Every place I’ve worked has had it in the manual that if a customer was verbally abusing and/or berating you, you could respond verbally in any way you see fit so long as it wasn’t against the law. So while that means you can’t threaten customers, you *can* tear them a new one verbally without repercussions.

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RD should know better but, political correctness has gone way to far. It isn’t like he was saying that to a gay couple holding hands, they were simulating a sex act with a bat, in the stands??? Really??? Now how the father and daughter got involved and why RD snapped at them isn’t very clear, but perhaps the father should have told the simulators to mind their manners around kids as well

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Wowwwww. Just now able to get link to load on my phone. Did not expect the allegation to be this bad. What in the world was he thinking?

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Big deal. It is hard to ascertain the bigger parasite- Allred or Selig. McDowell should have taken the safe route and taken a shot at Christians. He would have been safe from criticism.

And, yes, Conservative Johnson, the First Amendment does protect McDowell’s right to free speech.

And for those proposing sensitivity training, you are ridiculous. What a waste of time.

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Don’t forget, he also spit on Kramer and Newman!

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Real quick, let’s say you wait tables for a living and a customer is being difficult. I’m sure there are a lot of things that you want to say to that person, but don’t out of respect for the fact that you need to maintain your job.

Surely, your personal prejudices would come to mind, but you keep them to yourself. You can’t act that way in ANY field. People love to blame “political correctness” when they’re not able to spit whatever bile comes to their mind whenever they want.

Face it, in ANY field of work, if an employee acted that way towards customers they would lose their job immediately. That’s not “political correctness” that’s a company doing what it needs to to preserve it’s business.

Let’s say you owned a contracting company and your company was doing work on a gay person’s home, would you appreciate your EMPLOYEE using gay slurs to the customer because he was being picky about something? NO! You would lose THAT business and probably a lot of business in the area due to bad word of mouth. People can say whatever they want, it’s a free country, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be FREE-MARKET consequences to those actions… i.e. losing business.

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Did anyone notice that I didn’t yell “first”?

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Matt, GOOD summary of life 101!!!!!!!

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roger is probably in the wrong here, but ive seen many cases where the flamboyant attorney on one side wildly exaggerates what happened. its part of trial strategy, and it starts with the media.

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summaries!!

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Why do people find it necessary to compare professional athletes or coaches to regular “9 to 5″ jobs? By saying things like “No HR manual says…” or by saying “How would you like people standing over your shoulder sreaming at you all day at work…” you are drawing a false parellel.

The fact is that these jobs are unique. They get paid handsomely to put up with stuff that you or I do not, or should not have to deal with. That being said, they can also feel the need to snap back or saying something equally as atrocious as what has been said to them.

My question is why did the father of these girls feel it necessary to start an altercation with McDowell? It sounds like Roger was talking to another group of people and this guy chimed in. then Roger may or may not have said something to the man. Now the guy feels that he needs to take his entire family down to LA to have a prepared press conference with Gloria Allred? Did I miss something here?

The quip or joke to the group of guys about the “Gay couple or threesome” was not all that bad, but if he actually threatened someone (and they have multiple people, or evidence to back it up) OR if he actually said the ridiculous line of “kinds don’t belong at the bleepin baseball park”, then he should be fired.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that, at the very least, the “kids dont belong…” comment is fabricated because the exact quote the guy gave included the words “baseball park”, which if you have ever been around anyone that cares about baseball you know that you never use the words “baseball park”, you just say “ballpark”. It is kind of like how homeplate is always called “the plate” or “homeplate”, not “home base”.

I think that line was fabricated by the father or Allred because they knew that would strike a cord with everyone as an idiotic statement that would definitely be the wrong message for the Braves or MLB to have to stand behind. That is just my opinion.

If it is ALL true, then HE GONE! If not, then this family is shameful and an example of everything wrong with todays lawsuit-obsessed society.

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Braves need to conduct some in-house training. Clearly other employees witnessed this on-field behavior and did not report it; or it was reported and ignored by on-site supervisors including the coach.

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So how bout them Braves!

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Big deal…I can only imagine what the fans were saying to precipitate this. Fans at most sporting events are out of control and need to be put in their place on occasion. So somebody got called a name…big deal.

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The threat – if true – was not wise.
The “couple or threesome” remark….get over it. Just here on this blog, Roger has been called :
jerk
Jack@$$.
What a loser
redneck
Roger McDUESHEBAG
cocky prick
homophobe
PANSY MCDUESHBAG!
jerks like McDowell
loudmouth jerk

Oh, and I don’t care who I’ve “offended”. I’m “offended” everyday.

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OK, if Roger did those things, then yes the Braves should take whatever action needed. But if that were me with my wife and kids, what the heck do I need a lawyer for? Seriously. Why hire a lawyer and Gloria Allred for that matter. What exactly is the lawyer for?

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Frankly, I was willing to agree that this went down the way the SF fan claimed it did — right up to the moment when I saw the photo of his whole family at a table with Gloria Allred with them!

Right then, I smelled a rat!

Allred is a sleaze lawyer who gives lawyers a bad name. For this fan within 48 hours, or less, of the action, already having a photo taken with the whole family and Allred at a big table, that tells me this fan is someone who knows what buttons to press to cash in on an issue. And Allred’s history is one of a lawyer who is perfectly willing to cook up accusations that simply are not true!

McDowell may well have yelled back junk to a couple of fans who themselves were hurling invectives. That’s nothing new. But the real issue is the honesty of the report that McDowell actually held a bat in a threatening manner as he asked a fan “how much [his] teeth are worth!”

Without Allred’s presence I may have given the fan’s statement credence. With Allred’s presence so quickly after the incident, I have serious doubts as to the fan’s integrity.

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Roger has always been a jerk. There is no excuse if the allegations are true and he should fired asap. What would happen to someone in other enterprises if he acted this way toward a customer/client? After an investigation he would lose his job no question. All I can say is “Roger, over and out.”

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i heard roger was WASTED!

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@Matt,

Simmer down, man. It’s pretty clear that McDowell acted very inappropriately and said things he should be disciplined for. I agree with you that the First Amendment (for the most part) only protects free speech when said speech is appropriate and non-endangering to other parties.

My point about political correctness was in regard to the wholesale destruction of anyone and their career who makes even an offhand remark that offends certain segments of our society. Doesn’t matter that they may be behaving like jerks within the context of the event or whether, like happened to (former) Miss California, they’re simply answering a direct question in an honest and non-threatening manner; the results are the same branding as a bigot and societal persecution by a tenacious, liberally slanted media.

Roger McDowell behaved like a jerk and his behavior reflects poorly on the Braves organization; fine. If the Braves discipline or fire him, they’re within their rights to do so. But dogpiling on McDowell or anyone else specifically because they happen to utter a non-PC word or two during their remarks is quite simply thought-policing and against the principles America was founded upon.

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The Tigers have or had Gary Sheffield. Look up his views on the subject. Good luck getting through downtown Detroit safely. Good riddance!

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What ever happened to freedom of speech? Oh I forget the democrats have taken that to. A fan could have said the same statement that Roger did and nothing would have been said or reported but Knowing he is famous, we will just get a lawyer. Everyone is so scared hurting someones feelings you can’t say anything anymore grow a backbone and some thick skin!

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Clearly someone yelled “Nice game pretty boy” at Keith Hernandez and it ticked McDowell off. The second spitter strikes again!

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I would only say bring back Leo if that means he would get off 680 the fan with his dumb as stories and ass kissing all other players and coaches!

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If this is TRUE, we dont need this!!!! Profanity by MLB players happens at every game. MLB needs to put a stop to this NOW!!!!

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Its part of the game if you don’t like it stay home

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Those same sanfran fans beat a dodger fan into a coma come if they are so good than why this

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Sure freedom of speech is great, but the words you choose may just liberate you from your job.

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Perhaps I’m missing the point.

Was it ever determined whether it was a gay couple or a gay threesome that Roger was addressing?

I think this is a critical fact in the case.

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Thanks for noticing…

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DamnGoodDawg! (see above) asks “why would anyone want to raise their kids in San Francisco anyway? Sounds like you’re condoning Roger’s behavior? Just asking. I don’t think you represent good and decent Braves fans.

Braves fans are good people who love families. DamnGoodDawg! is probably a teenager who doesn’t understand how a professional MLB coach should act in public especially when representing one of baseball’s best teams.

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I was at the Braves game in SF…the only “heckling” I heard was fans asking for a ball. I didn’t see ANYTHING that would have set this guy off.

And the coach was holding the bat in a threating manner when he asked what the dad’s teeth were worth…it wasn’t just an innocent random question. What a horrible ballpark experience for his kids!

AT&T Park is a very family friendly place…I’ve never experienced anything like this.

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Leo is available .

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Roger, just remember, “what would Jackie Robinson do?” The answer for that brave, put-upon ballplayer was NOTHING! He just played lights out.

McD, you can also read Aaron’s biography to get a clue about non-responding to hecklers.

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How sad! I am furious at Roger for this behavior. I love my Braves, and I believe in forgiveness. But how in the world can you say that a ballpark is no place for children??? Has he lost his mind? His actions are forgivable, but his job is gone in my opinion. We need a new coach who WILL reflect Braves moral!!!

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Roger apologized. Let’s move on.

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Here’s what the fan said to McDowell: “Watch your language in front of my kids.”

I wish more people spoke up like that. If McDowell told him not to bring the kids to the ballpark, then he not only ought to be fired, he should go sit with Pete Rose and John Rocker in the Hall of Stupid.

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While I am as conventional as anyone and really respect McDowell’s progress with Our Team’s Pitching since Leo departed, if these allegations are anywhere near True, then Roger must Go.-Bobby Cox probably would have defended him but hopefully, Freddie will send him away-maybe to Minor Leagues but no where near any Major League Ball Field (at least for all of 2011)-Braves have a Division to WIn-Pitching Coach stupid behavior NOT NEEDED-What Next?- Let’s Play Ball…

-Does Billy Wagner want a Pitching Coach job?. School’s almost out so his Wife and Kids could be with him .

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Sonny ..you take care Buddy.

Go Braves—- Kick-AZZ

Man, I still miss Rocking Leo but he was to hard on pitchers, some bitch to much.

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“the only “heckling” I heard was fans asking for a ball”

Hence McDowell going off with his gay rant.

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joop – you from Alabama?

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Who will replace Roger McDowell?

Let’s face it, folks: Roger is toast. The Braves don’t need a foul odor to follow them everywhere they play, and the politically correct crowd will make sure to crucify us if we don’t remove him from our team immediately.

Who’s available (other than Leo, who won’t be coming back, sorry to say)? Glavine? Mad Dog?

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How come there is no video of this with all the technology out there? If it is true, someone would have recorded everyting on their cell phone.

How come the guy from San Francisco had to go all the way to LA to get a lawyer?

This is he said-he said, we’ll never know the truth, especially with Gloria Allred.

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Dave you crazy.
Braves country…was you there and heard what you said you heard? I think not..lie lie hope to die

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LOL @ Braves Country

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If Roger said what he said and did what he did in front of kids, he should be fired. I like the guy but, if he did those things….he should be fired.

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Uncle Bud(Selig) or Liberty Media, will probably have the last say.

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For the poster who wanted to know why McDowell would have a bat: obviously, he was down there before the game to watch his starting pitcher warm up. So, there should be some witnesses: starting pitcher, catcher who warmed him up, and probably Eddie Perez.

McDowell would have had a bat because often during warmups, he stands there acting as a batter simulating a batter in the box. What in the heck is “hectoring” as the man claimed McDowell was doing to the 3 gentlemen?

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Good grief who peed in his corn flakes that morning!! How stupid can you be???? He’s as good as gone. The Braves have prided themselves on being a professional organization, he’s as good as gone.

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I don’t think homophobia is the issue. If the story is true, his behavior was unacceptable whether he used gay slurs or not. The guy who hired a lawyer sounds like a jerk but nothing he or his family members did or said justify threatening behavior from a Braves employee. The Braves need to cut McDowell loose. Very sad.

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Was he drunk?? Geez! Way to commit professional suicide there Rog!!!

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@joop,

The world will be what we make the effort to make it become. A world where kids can’t hold onto their innocence for at least awhile shouldn’t have to be a fantasy. While yes, we are adults, we owe it to set certain examples for our kids; it’s our responsibility before God to do so as parents and as elders. I personally remember a time when neighbors looked out for each other and total strangers would wave as you walked by; that’s not a fantasy world, it’s one I remember fondly and feel sad every time I think back on. For all we’ve gained technologically we’ve sure lost a whole lot in other equally tangible areas.

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A threesome, since you asked.

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So, our country has become so full of pansies — oh, sorry, that could be misinterpreted, uuhhh — full of daisies that an attention-seeking (and money seeking!) lawyer like Gloria “Where’s the TV Camera” Allred is hired to defend this family’s honor!?!!? If McDowell threatened them or made a sexual gesture, that’s totally wrong. But, if the “anti-gay slur” is the word “homo”, why should that be a big deal? Isn’t it the first part of the word “homosexual”…!?!?!? If we can’t say “homo” without being labeled a bigot, why should any American be allowed to say “homosexual” without being condemned to death (or public flogging, at a minimum….)….!?!?!? To paraphrase Tom Hanks, “There’re no lawyers in BASEBALL!”. If the French invaded us now, they might have a chance at victory for the first time in over 200 years………….!

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Smoltz would solve alot of problems…hire Smoltz

One million in Alabama with out power and we worry about this crap.

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o-me

How many of those usually have power?

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I am in no way supporting what McDowell may have said, but we should reserve judgement until his story comes out. He obviously said something because he apologized, but I don’t think that the entire story sounds very legit. And true, with the amount of technology on every electronic device out there, SOMEBODY would have recorded at least part of the altercation. It sounds fishy…but Tommy G would make a great pitching coach. I don’t care

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“I thought that Keith Hernandez, was the guy that spit on Kramer and Newman.”

That’s what they thought too, until they talked to Hernandez — he told them McDowell was the spitter. I don’t know, though — that would have been one magic loogie. There must have been a second spitter!

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So the new criteria for hiring a pitching coach will be whether or not they are gay-friendly.

I misses me the good old days.

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Smoltz is too busy playing golf, waiting to be old enough to qualify for the Senior Circuit. He’s not willing to trade his golf time for baseball time.

Been there, did that.

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Yea, im sick of kids at parks too. I pay for season tickets, sit in my seat and the whole game I am up and down with Mom and Dad taking kids to bathroom, taking kids to eat, taking kids to drink coke, back to bathroom, again and again. People with kids need to be put in a parent/kids section where they can all tramp on feet of other parents with kids and leave the adult sports watcher alone. We can sit for 3 hours without having to pee…..

As for Roger, did he, didnt he. Was the fans drunk, wheres the youtube on this? Just because a fan who may or maynot be drunk says something????? Wheres the bat and why did a pitching coach have a bat in the outfield? Oh yea, to see if he could hit his pitchers? Maybe a catching glove but a bat? I really want the youtube on Roger going off please. Dont tell me theres not one fan who was taping this because I know you are all wrong. Im sick of people trying to get money off professional athlets. Lets let them prove the facts first, then I will make my decision as to my comments on Roger McDowell. Until then, I will wait on the Braves to look into it. I know they will.

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Mike whats that got to do with Pitching Coach……..

braves country..I don’t know but over 75 homes gone etc.. Glad you can make jokes.

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I want to suggest a new rally song – Lawyers, Guns and Money by Warren Zevon — the @#$% has hit the fan –

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@Relic, I wouldn’t say a replacement needs to be gay friendly, but certainly could not be vocal about their anti-gay sentiments. Gay folks spend lots of money at the ballpark and the Braves don’t want to lose out on that.

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I suppose the issue of the location of the visitors’ bullpen may need a second look in Frisco.
Also, Coach McDowell should consider not getting sloppy drunk at the ballpark if he can’t handle a few hecklers without blowing his top.
That’s what I love about Leo; his nose gets a little red, he rocks a little faster, but he never makes it obvious that he’s got a serious buzz worked up by the 6th inning.

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Oh, by the way, a vast line of storms tore through the South last night and killed over 200 people, including some in my area. I confess I feel guilty for having wasted my time on this discussion when there are certainly more immediate and important issues out there all around us at the moment than somebody saying bad words and behaving like a jackass. It’s kind of humbling to suddenly realize how misplaced our priorities have become.

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Choices – I had a 3-4 yr old sitting next to me at a playoff game a couple of years ago. Started whining and crying in the 4th inning that he “wanted to go home”, dad stayed for the full 9. If I’d only had a bat then……………

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There is no way a former ballplayer said that children dont belong at the park. I think that part was completely made up to make the story sound worse. If Gloria Alred is involved I almost always take the word of the accused. This is BS and he should not lose his job.

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Attention Braves fans: a major league ballpark is no place for anyone under the age of 16.
Please leave your ugly, dim-witted, ginger, overweight kids back at the First Baptist Church where they belong. Only Jesus can save them from your cooking and bad genes.

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Amazing.

Many of you have him tarred and feathered, tried, convicted and sentenced, or even nailed to the cross and you have yet to hear his side of the story…the OTHER side of the story, remember.

And “estremous,” touché!

But I have the courage to not hide behind social terms and behavioral classifications. When a human mail with a fully functioning brain generates ans erection at the though or sight of another human male’s fecal filled rectum that is just loaded with harmful and potentially lethal bacteria from human waste then this male is grossly perverted.

Stop hiding behind political correctness and behavioral classifications and just say it! I’d rather one of these perverts simply say to me “I know this is perverted and deviant but I just can’t help myself” than for you weak minded sissy’s and nerds to try to justify this behavior in any was as normal or moral. I would have more respect for the pervert!

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@Furman, unfortunately, McDowell did not deny saying kids don’t f’n belong in his apology. At this point, I have to assume he said it…

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corrections: male, not mail; an, not ans; thought, not though; way, not was.

I was too pissed to read before submission and I’m an amateur typist.

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Assume what you want. He didn’t say he said it either. That doesnt make sense to say that kids dont belong at the park. To call two people homo’s in SF does make sense.

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Why are so many of you McDowell-bashers missing the real point of this??? Read this AGAIN:

“A California man accused McDowell of yelling “Are you a homo couple or a threesome?” to fans sitting in the left field seats and simulating a sex act with a bat.”

So this dumbas* father is trying to force an apology from McDowell? How about telling the “fans sitting in the left field seats and SIMULATING A SEX ACT WITH A BAT” to grow up, have some class, quit drinking, and stop acting like a bunch of perverts when there are children and other fans around????? THAT is the crux of the issue!

The fact is that these fans were acting obscene, perverted, offensive, and crass…. THEY are the ones at fault, not Roger. God only knows what they were saying… what if they’d been heckling him and his family for 3 straight hours? Roger can’t fire a couple of comments back their way?

That’s the problem with America and a bunch of panty-waist, bleeding-heart liberals… we are SO concerned to not offend a small segment of society with a comment here or there, but general decency and things that offend the MAJORITY of decent, moral people are just ignored.

I would have done exactly what Roger did, and I hope he does it again if those bat-sex clowns do something like that. Good for him. Maybe the butt-wipe fans who are simulating sex with a baseball bat will grow up and have somebody get in their face and teach them some DECENCY and some MANNERS and some CLASS.

God help our society.

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It will be a huge mistake to fire him. It will blow over in a couple of days and we will be back to baseball. Braves dont go back to San Fran this year so it really doesnt matter.

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the coach did the “bat act”

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Are you kidding Terry that Gloria Alred has better things to do?????????????? This is what she does. Frivolous law suits, stupid publicity stunts. Thats her game. She has no cred.

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why does it have to be anti-gay slurs? why not call it foul language..some will use it try and push a pro gay agenda…It is wrong to treat anyone with disregard, but we should never use this to try and legitmize sin of any kind…

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I see sensitivity training and unemployment in Roger’s future.

Perhaps Ozzie Guillen will hire him as pitching coach

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With “Civil Rights Weekend” coming up, this must be a tremendous blemish on the white bread image the Braves have.

We don’t have such issues in Philly.

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I’m beginning to wonder just how much of this story has been construed out of context. If those fans were indeed up there in the stands doing lewd gestures with the bat and McDowell made his remark angrily at them, and then the dad misunderstood what McDowell meant when he supposedly said “Kids don’t belong at the ballpark” (for instance, what if McDowell meant or even said that that ATMOSPHERE was no place for kids), then obviously it changes the picture quite a bit. Roger McDowell was still wrong to get into an argument with fans and should be fired if he physically threatened anyone with a bat, but the fact is we may never know the full and exact truth about what transpired there.

Oh, and “Larry”, it’s “extremus” (there’s a good reason I don’t give my real name on a forum like this). And I’m straight, I’m a Christian, and proud of those facts and the right to say so, even if anonymously.

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The fan did not make the sexual gesture with the bat, McDowell did.

Mike- that is my point. You roll the dice by allowing your kid at funciton such as MM concert. MLB events are almost always kid friendly and therefore should not tolerate such acts.

Think 680 the Fan would be willing to give up Leo???

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Mike at 12:27 — no, I stand by my comments. If the dad was SO concerned about language and behavior at the stadium, he sound have immediately found ushers and security when the perverts were making sex act simulation with a bat. THAT is MUCH more offensive than a few curse words.

Again, the action by Roger (his comments) came ONLY after the initial obscene behavior by the fans. If they had kept their mouths shut, Roger would have not had the need to comment. Yes, it’s bad what he said about the kids, etc., but he was probably hot and fed up with the pervert fans.

So if the ORIGINAL problem had been addressed, there would be no confrontation. The idiot pervert fans heckling a pitching coach are the ones to blame.

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Sorry, should have said “he SHOULD have immediately found ushers and security “…

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Considering McDowell hasn’t tried to defend himself at all and just outright apologized for his actions I would take that as an admission of guilt.

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And by the way, baseball fans at EVERY stadium are guilty of horribly offensive behavior. People look at it as a chance to get drunk, high, and cuss out the opposing team, fan, and coaches at every opportunity. Fans behavior these days has become obscene and offensive to the point where I would SERIOUSLY think before taking a kids to a game.

Let’s not let fans off the hook and only blame the athletes and coaches. Remember the NBA fight in Detroit was egged on by fans… some baseball stadium brawls have involved fans… and soccer riot problems are almost always fans, it’s not the TEAMS that get into a fight.

Until people start being more responsible and living up to a higher standard of behavior and decency, these problems will continue.

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McDawg – Great post.

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This has as much to do with homophobia as Iraq had to do with 9/11.

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John Rocker is available

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My how much has changed in the United States in nearly 100 years.

How mean was Ty Cobb? On May 15, 1912, the Tigers were in New York to play the Yankees. A fan named Claude Lueker, who had lost one hand and three fingers on the other in a printing press accident, was heckling Cobb. The two traded insults for a couple of innings. After one exchange, teammate Sam Crawford asked Cobb if he was going to take that. Cobb charged into the grandstand and proceeded to beat and stomp Lueker. When somebody said he has no hands, Cobb shouted, “I don’t care if he has no feet.”

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I saw this comment on an article at the SF Chronicle. If it’s true, it certainly helps Roger’s case.

“I was there and was about 2 people away from this guy with the complaint. He was actually the one being the instigator. It all started with McDowell and David Ross being heckled by 3 guys in the bleachers because they wouldn’t throw batting practice balls into the stands. McDowell had a bat with him and was hitting the BP balls back to the infield. McDowell then turned to them and asked if they were a “gay couple” or a “threesome”. He then took the bat and made stroking motions with it and thrusting his hips and he asked the 3 hecklers if that was what they were going to do to each other later that night. Everybody in the stands were laughing. Then a few minutes later, this Quinn guy yells “hey coach, my kids want to know what that means”. Then he was saying that McDowell shouldn’t be doing that stuff in front of kids. Then Quinn yelled out “come over here and say it to me”. That is when McDowell started walking over to the wall. Quinn’s family then started to pull at him and told him to stop. Quinn then turned to his wife and said “what’s he going to do? come up here?”. Then McDowell was telling him that if he didn’t want his kids hearing stuff like that hen he should have said something to the 3 hecklers that started the whole thing. Quinn just kept going on and calling McDowell a “joke” because he should know better. McDowell told Quinn that he should tell the 3 hecklers to not say anything if he was so offended and Quinn said back “where are they?” as if he never even heard the heckling himself which would be outrageous since everyone in the bleachers heard the hecklers. Not once did Quinn look like he feared of getting harmed since he was the one that called McDowell over to him plus the fact that Quinn was in the bleachers and at least 5 ft higher than McDowell. Quinn instigated the whole thing.

Yes, McDowell was wrong doing that stuff but this guy Quinn is crying wolf about being a victim when he instigated the whole confrontation. And getting Allred to represent him and calling a press conference is a complete joke.”

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I want to see McDowell’s birth certificate

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Thanks Rick your the post. Bringing some balance to this story.

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Holding a press conference b/c someone said the F bomb in front of your 9 year old(s) is definitely something someone from San Fransisco would do. I am sure the kids will probably survive this “catastrophic” event in their lives. EFF’ing liberals.

Seriously doubt this guy feared for his safety IN THE STANDS because a pitching coach talked mess with a bat FROM ON THE FIELD.

Doesn’t excuse RM’s actions, but have heard numerous reports of constant hazing the San Fran fans did all series. Example: All over Brooks during BP each game.

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Notewise — dumb comment. Read Rick’s post at 12:45…. that says it all. The FANS WERE THE INSTIGATORS AND CAUSED THE PROBLEM. Yeah, maybe Roger could have reacted better, but I blame the FANS FIRST.

And don’t feed me this crap about San Fran fans being SO classy… these are the same dolts who supported Barry Bonds even though it was OBVIOUS he was a roided-up A-hole. And I’ve been to games against the Giants, and their fans (even when they come to Atlanta) are CRUDE.

I don’t like San Fran a bit, and I’m glad we beat their a** out their last weekend. They can take their tainted Bonds legacy and their pothead pitcher Lincecum and they can go jump in the bay, for all I care.

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BL — well-said. Great comments.

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nemov: You are right, we must get the facts first. However, McDowell must have done something to warrant his initial apology. The bigger issues are whether or not he 1) threatened the dad; and 2) whether he made the comment using the f-bomb about kids not being at a ballpark. The other thing that seems terribly wrong is the “press conference” with Allred and the family – among other things, why would the parents allow their nine year olds to be subjected to that?

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There are two sides to every story and I am not sure that either are the full truth. I have had the good fortune to observe Roger’s interaction with kids and fans in stadiums outside Atlanta, he has always been cheerful and friendly, and typically is giving away ball after ball…I know, he signed one for my in Boston.

There may be much more to this than is being said.

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Also the term redneck is racist.If you do you should be fired.

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Gay Braves’ fan April 28th, 2011 12:56 pm the comments on this forum only reinforce the stereotypes Southerners face around the country. I’m ashamed.

GBF: I’m ashamed most times I find myself wasting time reading the majority of these blogs.

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Thanks Rick. That make a whole lot more sense. Especially the part about the kids being at the park. No way would a current or former ballplayer would say kids dont belong in the park. That part didnt add up.

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If the “sexual” gesture with the bat was so offensive to the kids, why did Gloria repeat it in front of them for the press conference?

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He should not be fired for this. Suspend him for 5 games.

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Mike April 28th, 2011 1:02 pm If the “sexual” gesture with the bat was so offensive to the kids, why did Gloria repeat it in front of them for the press conference?

Mike: Spot on!

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Players and officials should never respond to the crowd. The participants can only lose. If McDowell cursed in fromnt of the children intentionally and if he did make an obscene jesture with a bat then he has to go. If he did not make an obscene jesture a fine or suspension should do. Am I the only one who thought the family picture looked like a davinci copy of the last supper?

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I always wondered why the Braves didn’t offer Leo the job after the Baltimore debacle. Roger had been here just a year, the pitching got worse, Leo seemed to be pining for a job. I always thought it was some bad blood between he and Bobby. Now this, I think we fans are thinking one thing: Bring back Mazzone. How cool would that be? Get rid of a hater, bring on a rocker.

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Everyone is focusing too much on the gay comments because 98% of every article on this story “gay slurs” in the headline. IMHO, the real problems that may get him fired, are: 1) “how much are your teeth worth” while holding a bat, and 2) Kids don’t f’n belong in the ballpark.

For those of you defending McDowell, please defend him on these two points.

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LOL @ Brave New World.

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I am sure its not the first time.If its true there should be others witness that hear the remarks. The kid remark ,and the sex act demo will be the things that hurt him the most. The braves gotto act they just got to figure out how harsh.

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Isn’t San Fran known for their homosexuality? He was just speaking the truth. Can’t fault him for that.

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@Andy K: you must work at a different company than I do. I would be walked out the door immediately.

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Mike makes a great point. Why don’t the headlines say, “McDowell threatens children”? The whole focus is on the gay thing. It’s ok to threaten kids but it is not ok to be politically incorrect.

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If these allegations are true, I don’t know any way that he can keep his job. His value as a pitching coach will not outweigh the potential distraction and negative attention the club will get this season if he keeps his job. That being said, lets wait to see exactly what information comes out from the current investigation before we condemn this guy.

Also, regarding possible replacements, I’ve only skimmed through the other posts but I don’t believe anyone has mentioned who I believe to be the most logical candidate, who is already under the Braves employ. That man being Thomas Michael Glavine.

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New pitching coach?
How about Linebrink or Sherrill?
Hey, it’ll keep them off the mound.

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Where are other witnesses????

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This is the same guy that spit on Kramer after Mets game a few years back. He tried to blame it on Keith Hernandez

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Thanks Jimmy. They know Gloria Alred better than we do. To them once she came into the story it de-legitimized the story.

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The Braves violated bylaw M, article N-Y, item 8.6: “One should never knowingly associate with any member of the ‘86 Mets.”

This incident with Roger is just nature’s way of correcting the error the Braves made by bringing in a member of such a fabled bunch of saints.

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I agree with a lot of the sentiment on the blog. It was a poor reaction that he will be fined and/or suspended for, rightfully or not. Personally, I think it is stupid that is is such a big deal. Language? Unfortunately, kids are going to hear it no matter what. I guarantee the kids have already heard the words either uttered by a parent, on a movie, or even seen a player say it on TV during the game. It isn’t hard to read lips when players drop F-bombs all the time.

I have heard way worse stuff than that hurled at Braves players in our own stadium than what Roger said. For instance, to quote a Phillies fan yelling at Frenchie back in 2007, “Your wife’s a good f**k, you f**king f*gg*ot”. That was the first time that I saw a player react to something a fan said. At which point, Francoeur yells back “I’ll come up there and kick your ass.” According to some people, Francoeur should be ashamed of himself and is classless by making a “threat” on the fans that were heckling him (We did get those Philly fans kicked out, because they started threatening to throw their bats (Brian McCann bat day) at Francoeur. Give me a break, I don’t care what Roger said… as long as he didn’t them or try to hit them. I side with the players/coaches. They can dish it, but they can’t take it.

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Once a Met, always a Met.

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I’m going to wait for all the facts to come out but, at the very least, he should be suspended and fined. I’m not sure if I would fire him over an isolated incident since there aren’t, to my knowledge, other grievances against him. What about this situation people don’t understand? He is not only an employee of the Braves but he’s in a managerial position. He is supposed to set an example for the 20-something year old pitchers he has in the pen not be the lead douche. Any type of conduct that embarrasses the company is grounds for disciplinary action, including termination.

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“The people he mixed it up with are called CUSTOMERS. If anyone on this blog was witnessed verbally harassing and threatening their customers, human resources would march your butt out the SAME DAY!!!! Bye Roger.”

Very few companies tolerate their customers verbally abusing their employees, either.

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Inconclusive reports are inconclusive. Nastier things are said in the stands directed towards players and other fans. You are extremely stupid if you expect well-behaved fans at any sports venue…i’m talking about youth leagues too. Roger shouldn’t have said nothin’, but I know the Giants fans were giving Brooks a real f*****G hard time. Seriously though, fans need to know their place. I would love to see fans get whooped on by players. Stupid fans can’t handle being fans.

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nagoyabrave, Leo is not the answer.
He’s not the highly thought of guy you think he is.
The Braves would want no part of him.
Leo is the ultimate polititian.

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Fans are such a bunch of babies.

Just read this blog when the Braves are losing and you get all the examples you need.

p.s. I also like to cry by blog when we’re losing….it’s a great stress relief to blast Nate. OH wait, that was last year! I meant, blast Uggla!

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UGGlaUglies – Good blog, I liked it. Speaking of Jeff/Frenchy, he is hitting .330BA, with 5HRS and 20RBI’s in 25 games so far and has thrown out a couple guys from RF at the plate. I was one of those who did not want him to leave, players have bad years occasionally but they seem to bounced back. KC got him in a steal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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No class, Roger. No class.

The one thing for which the Braves have shown NO patience over the years isa lack of class. Dieon Sanders, David Justice, Kenny Lofton, Tom Glavine…eventually they will get rid of the bad apples.

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I would never wear differnt patterns together……..I mean……CLASH!

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“EG” wrote: “I won’t be going back to a Braves game until this jerk is fired.”

Hey, “EG,” is your support for the Braves that shallow? Whatever McDowell said or didn’t say–you won’t be going back?? And, to call McDowell a “jerk”??? I think the only jerk on here is you to making statements like that. Go ahead. Stay home. The Braves (or anyone else) don’t need you.

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I was at that game. I was near the bullpen when JJ was throwing and Roger was behind him. I was there watching for 45 minutes.

I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE WHAT IS BEING REPORTED.

THOSE GIANT FANS ARE LYING. I WAS THERE AND NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THESE THINGS BEING SAID. ONLY NASTY THINGS BY GIANT FANS

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Fans don’t lie…they just demand changes to the batting order!

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I think McDowell got it all wrong! HE IS THE ONE THAT DOES NOT BELONG AT A BALLPARK…NOT KIDS

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leave the man alone…. Whatever happened to freedom of speech?

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Reports are coming out (yeah, I know – a SF term) that the three gay hecklers have been identified and are being interviewed. Someone had taken a photo of them.
They are Carl Ravitch (pink shorts,a Hawaiian shirt and a Philly hat on), a drunk John Kruk (with tight shorts oddly bunched to one side) and Buster Olney (exposing a recently shaved chest with “P” nipple ring).

They were all yelling that the Braves will never catch the Fightin’ Phillies.

At least, that is what I’m told.

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Fire Roger only if the heckling fans are banned from SF BB games for the next 5 years. Call the Cochran Law Firm for Roger and he is guranteed to win any case against him. Uhnn, he didn’t kill anyone did he?

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If this didn’t happen in the gay capital of America it would be a nonissue. He called a guy gay…he was probably right. The idiot that overheard him should’ve minded his own damn business, but this being the Land of the Lawsuit, he went and got a sleezy lawyer to extort money from the Braves. I hate this country sometimes…

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Celebrity Lawyer?? No doubt McDoweel probably said what he said to the people with the bat, and No Doubt the father probably asked McDoweel to wath his language.
Celebrity Lawyer? Sounds like the rest of the stuff is just trumped up BS in order to get a monetary settlement. What BB player or Manager would ever say kid’s don’t belong at Ball park? Seriously!?!
Can’t Gloria get work defending Lohan, Brooks, or Sheen?

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damngooddawg, from someone raising two sons in San Francisco (and was at the game Sunday with both watching my Braves finish the sweep) I’d like to applaud your desire to stay away from my fair city. Our class and average IQ won’t be reduced and you won’t have to leave your tiny comfort zone and grow as a person, so its a win for everybody involved. I grew up in Georgia and some, not all, of the commentors on this story remind me of a big part of why I left.

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Jeff–Don’t think my comment was a dumb one at all. It may be true that the fans instigated this confrontation, but Roger is a “professional” in that situation and capacity in a Braves uniform at the ballpark and is supposed to react in that manner or not at all.

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If you are McDowell even if the fan was obnoxious you cannot point that out in response to his allegations. You just have to take your medicine even if you were baited into a confrontation. Hiring a lawyer sounds like somebody who wants to make some money.

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Roger was just trying to make a funny…

Come on, we’ve all dropped a slur and thought……oops……maybe that dudes gay? Who can honestly say they haven’t picked up a baseball bat and hammered the air?

Ugh…….i’m gonna go back to work now……….

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He was in SF – gay capital of the US. I think asking if it was a gay couple or a threesome was a good question given where he was. Last time I checked GAY isn’t a protected class. No rules about NOT hiring someone because they’re gay like there are for race, sex, nationality, disabled, etc.

Threatening to knock someones teeth out, gay or otherwise, is another thing entirely.

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We just have to take it as the lesson it is.

I for one will NEVER make a gay slur in San Fran while being the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves. I can promise you that!

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When you are on your employer’s time, you represent your employer. Freedom of speech is fine, on your own time.

Roger, your actions reflect on your employer, coworkers & organization.

Prepare for unemployment !

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It doesn’t matter what the hecklers said. He is a professional and a member of Braves coaching management. He is charged with comporting himself accordingly. It’s plain even in his vapid “apology” that he accepts no responsibility, choosing instead to blame hecklers for inciting him. What a fool.

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Stinky pete, the pitching coach says the word ‘gay’ and you can’t be a fan of the team anymore? If I were that sensitive about my religious convictions (I am a Christian), I wouldn’t be able to be a fan of any team with all the language that is used. Now, if the entire team chanted/yelled/sang about how much they hated gay people… then I think you would be right in “disowning” your fandom of the Braves. Don’t base it on one word that our pitching coach said.

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Two words tell the entire story here, or at least MOST of it: Gloria Allred. In my opinion, very little else needs to be said.

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No, Larvell, it was explicit. It was a clear and direct theat.

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Old Jaxs,
Leo can barely sober up for his 6am radio show, he doesn’t need to be on a baseball field.

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To Ben at 12:54 — you said “No it wasn’t appropriate for those gentlemen to simulate a sex act with a bat around anyone, let alone two girls, but no one expects, tacitly or otherwise,those two to mentor on behalf of an organization.”

Your sentence should have stopped with “No it wasn’t appropriate for those gentleman to simulate a sex act with a bat around anyone.” PERIOD. End of story. THOSE are the guys responsible for this huge mess. And I’m ashamed that some decent, moral San Francisco fan didn’t stand up in front of those guys, get in their face and say “Listen you jagoffs, this is not a frat party or a porn convention for a bedroom. For God’s sake, there are children around. Take your drunken, perverted butts out of this stadium before I call security to throw your ases out. Now sit down and shut up and act like a decent human being for cryin’ out loud.”

If somebody had the NUTS to do THAT, Ben — meaning that if somebody in the public had the nads to stand up for a STANDARD OF DECENT AND ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR, then messes like this could be averted.

Don’t stand behind the “Well, stuff goes on all the time, there’s nothing you can do about it” argument. WRONG. There ARE things you can do — it just takes guts, courage, and the willingness to be ridiculed for not being PC.

Stand up for your values, people. If everyone did that, we’d see where we all stand, and I think we’d be surprised as to how many people actually DO believe in upstanding, decent, moral behavior. But very few people have the courage to stand AGAINST those who practice immature, unacceptable, perverse behavior, both in language and deeds.

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stinky pete – you surely are a loon, no? How can you be sure of anything other than your granny feeding you?

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You PPL don’t get it,this is not about the gay slur..i could care less about that..A coaches job is too keep his players from doin crapp like this, not the coach..!this is about a threating comment,if true an the cursing and obscene gestures he made in front of this mans family an KIDS..hes A** should be fired end of story if this proven that he did so…
Please hire Tom Glavin as our new P C ……

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I have to wonder about anyone who picks Gloria Allred as a lawyer.

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@ Jeff, others: For the record, it was McDowell, not heckling fans, who allegedly made the sexual gestures. The AJC article was misleading because it was ambiguously worded, but here is the AP article.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-bravescoach-fan

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you must be retarded if you think Roger has done nothing as a pitching coach…
umm does Derek Lowe ring a bell??
firing him would be stupid

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why did that jackass fan start things if he was with his kids in the first place? is he not man enough at home that he has to prove he has balls??

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god damn hippies

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Where are the heckler that McDowell originally sparred with? I dont hear them speaking up! total BS story.

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Wow Carroll real baseball news!! I almost forgot about a Baseball world outside of this craziness! THANK YOU!!!

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This political correctness has gone WAY TO FAR. Get over it.

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There are witnesses to say Quinn started his dialogue with Roger. Frankly, if the original 3 hecklers didn’t take offense (and probably laughed it off), the whole “gay slur” thing should go away. Second, if Quinn’s kids wanted to know what those gestures meant, he should be man enough to tell them it was none of their business or explain in an appropriate manner.

San Francisco is one of my favorite cities – have been 5 or 6 times and even spent part of my honeymoon in San Fran. But in the last few years, the attitude of people out there is really disturbing.

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WHAT IS IT WITH THE FANS IN CALI? IF WE ARE GOING TO FIRE ROGER, THEN THOSE FANS SHOULD GET BAND FROM GOING TO GAME AT THAT PARK.

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What happened to due process? Let the league and Braves investigate. These are allegations, and if true then McDowell should be punished for his actions. I think its poor judgement on McDowell part to get suckered into a confrontation with fans because fans heckle all the time and its part of the game. To say kids are not to be at a game is illogical and stupid. Even if gays were at the game, they are supporting McDowell’s and MLB salaries and their sexuality has nothing to do with baseball or is McDowell’s business.

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I like Roger…But dumb dumb dumb…… for lack of brain cells. He will lose his job.. too bad. I hate it.. but someone that gets his money from those of us that come to the game..what was he thinking.. I say for poor…poor… judgement he will be released.

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Not sure which is more offensive…….Roger’s response to the fans or the hiring of a celebrity lawyer to profit off the situation.

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This is exactly why pro athletes should not be viewed as heroes! Just because you can pitch, catch or hit a ball does not mean your a good human being. In real life these so called heroes are really just jerks. I have met a handful of athletes in my lifetime and all of them were jerks with the exception of Dale Murphy (surprise, surprise). We (Society) treats them like God’s and they are just human. Many of them uneducated because they did not get schooling because they were playing a game.

Roger……you are fixing to learn a lesson the hardway. For the family in SF get over it…….Teach your kids that athletes in real life are normally jerks. Oh, and your an idiot for hiring Gloria Alred!

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The Good Doctor 2:16 – “No, Larvell, it was explicit. It was a clear and direct theat.”

As Inigo Montoya says, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

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I support coach McDowell, and anybody who tells some snotty, liberal trash San Francisco fan exactly what he deserves to hear. That city is a disgrace to the greatest country on earth. San Francisco? What a joke. Those parents need to know that they are at a sporting event, and teach their kids what’s right or wrong. Also wtf is Gloria Allred doing with this. She almost makes me as sick as that sea hag Nancy pelosi. I’m sick of all this political correctness that everyone seems to demand these days. What happened to if someone heckles you, you can stick up for yourself? Kudos to you coach McDowell and anyone else who says what they think, and sticks up for themselves.

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According to reports the incident took place during pregame batting practice along the left field fence. Apparently three fans were giving McDowell the business when he responded with some vulgarities. As most parents would do, another fan complained to McDowell about his choice of language in front of his kids who were there to hopefully retrieve a ball hit over the fence.

A complaint to the Giants front office and a request for a follow up ought to have sufficed, bringing in an attorney was over kill.

That McDowell failed to give a wave and a “sorry about that” to dad and his kids is disheartening, imagine if he had tossed them a couple of balls. A simple gesture would have changed all this.

When Tommy Lasorda was tossed out of games at Candlestick he had to walk down the right field line to reach the Visitors clubhouse. All the way he would blow kisses and wave to the jeering fans. And they loved him for it.

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I guess Redneck Topics Forums’ site was down today:
#1. If Roger felt the fans were too rough on him, he can call security.
#2. The fans pay Rogers salary.
#3. I agree with the Birther; nothing good has come out of California( Reagan)
#4. “kids don’t belong at the ball park”. really?
#5. There are probably about a 100 witnesses; guess what the home fans will say.
#6. Roger; you are toast……………………….

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Notice how “open minded” people are only open minded to things they agree with? Fine him , sit him for a week and move on to more important things. If as a fan you are willing to stop rooting for the Braves because of a non-issue like this then your skin is too thin to make your opinion have aby merit at all. Thought policing ,whiny, self important weenies are trying to turn us into a nation of wussies……. Go have a mocha latte and STFU.

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i think you guys missed the part where it says “alleged” “accused” dont write his name on the grave yet…

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I first would like to say that Roger is a good pitching coach (from what I see from stats and when I watch a game.) I hope he didn’t say the stuff hes excused of but even if he did say it some of it I still think its a publicity stunt. It seems like the whole truth hasn’t been told yet but I hope punishment is not met into everyone involved has there say.

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to all of you saying well I wonder what made Rodger respond that why and never getting both sides of the story….WHO CARES! His job is to uphold the logo of the MLB and he didnt. Unacceptable.

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Conspiracy Theory: Mel Gibson wearing a Braves cap poses as Roger McDowell and sets unruly Giants fans straight last Saturday.

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The only way to respond to this is to FIRST consider how you would have reacted if reading about A Mets pitching coach doing this at Turner Field?If you would feel the same way then yourcomments either way are valid.

No need to call in a lawyer, and Roger apologized and lastly I will say IF you are over the age of 25 and can’t verbally outman a Major League Baseball player, you need some remedial schooling. I wonder every once in awhile who the gay Major League players currently are who must listen to this stuff in quiet anger.

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theres no gay baseball players… unless you spot someone playing with the balls a little too much, lol.

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Nick B, You are correct in not stopping support for Braves as a result of this.You would only stop supporting them if you believed this attitude permeated the players wearing a Braves’ uniform.i don’t think it does.

I have a saying that I can’t root for the name on the front of the unifrorm IF I would not want the name on the back inside my house.Except for Rocker i have never felt that way about a baseball player.It almost became impossible to root for the Dolphins when Brian Cox played for them.

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Roger, you know you will be heckled at every ball park from now on… you should have just puked on the little girls.

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This is a real “Golden Rule”moment and gets to your true feelings. IF you were the father in this situation what would your reaction have been and how would you feel about Roger McDowell? I hope I would have told him to just walk away and avoid farther problem. The only way i would have become angry is if he would have turned it on me or a family member–and I’m sure all you guys feel the same even if you are a 46 year Braves fan.

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To change the subject, I guess it’s almost time!!
April

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

May

Eureka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Dispose of the matter soon…team doesn’t need the distraction….give big Roger a break!!!

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lol

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“Continue to investigate” ?! What in the world is that ….. folks, this ain’t Watergate or Iran Contra

Call the man into an office with one or two management officials, and maybe a Commissioner’s representative if that is called for; and ask him what happened? Geez. Don’t let this turn into an ongoings, summer-long Michael Jackson’s physciain type of a circus..

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This is plain ridiculous. why should professional athletes be held to a higher standard than the average person. If you stood in line to get into a bar, and abused the bouncer – a professional in the industry, would you still expect to be allowed into a bar. And people saying if I responded like that in my job I would be fired……if you are abused over the phone, you can just hang up, but if someone was constantly annoying and abusing you in any environment you should be able to stand up for yourself. Roger McDowell said something that out of context is offensive. If indeed the three men were gay then it was offensive. If they were not gay then he was actually using their own prejudices to insult them as otherwise why should a hetrosexual man be upset about being called gay? Roger McDowell has been in this position for 6 years and this is the first reported incident. I know who I back in this. And I really do not believe that he would have said children dont belong at the ballpark……I really do believe that the biggest issue that needs to be addressed is actually fan behaviour. I have been at games where fans have leant accross me and 2 other people to chant $%£” the opposition team (ie$%£” red sox in new york, $%£” dodgers in San Fran) just to abuse the opposing teams fans. On one occasion this was to abuse opposition fans consisting of a mother and 2 children under 10. totally classless, but apprently in most ballparks, totally acceptable. Lastly, it should be remembered that in all likelihood, Roger McDowell responded to abusive behaviour from fans. Why is this turkey and his family so worried about what McDowell said yet not complaining about the language of the original hecklers…..this is just a scam to make money. And by the way, and this applies to all involved in this farcical incident…..sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.

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heckling is not a crime, threatening to hit someone with a bat is.
thems da facts

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And how innocent must Mr Quinn be to be offended by this. His outrage suggests that he has never sworn in front of children, never used a derogatory term for a homosexual, african american, a jew, arab, asian etc. I really hope someone who knows him comes out with examples of when he used inappropriate language that people may have found offensive.

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dc = threatening a 10 yr old’s father with a baseball bat, in front of said 10 yr old, is a crime !

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Threatening his life would be a crime, this didn’t come to blows even

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Pfffft…dude says through his lawyer that he demands an apology. Apologize DEEZ!!!

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I would love to know how threatening this act was……did he jump the fence and go into the stands???? I have not heard one report that says this. Waving a bat in a bullpen is hardly threatening a family with injury. If he goes into the stands with the bat against a defenceless family, then put him in prison as this is indeed a crime. If he hits someone with the bat then put him in prison……..but I have not heard anything that suggests that any fan was in danger from anything more severe that a few insults

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So Jerry…..why does the Man have to be fired. real life is not the Boy Scouts. People make mistakes. Only if you have a repeat offender or long record of bad behavior does anyone have the right to suggest someone be fired! NOT the case here.

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[...] was even surprised at the tone of the message board responses accompanying the McDowell story at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution site. The majority of commenters there condemned the coach, even though he was one of theirs, and lived [...]

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I just wanted to repost this from another blog, it’s good stuff about Roger McDowell.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jerry Pritikin aka The Bleacher Preacher:

I just read about Roger McDowell, and his bad choice of antics for any fans, especially Giant Fans. And that McDonnell apologized for his poor choice of actions.

However, I known Roger as one of, if not the best fan friendly players I had the pleasure to watch and know for his many years as a Met,Philly and Dodger pitcher. I first met him in 1984, during a pennant chase… he with the Mets and I was a Super cubs fan. He played Frisbee prior to important games in September. From that time on when ever he came to town, he would always come out to the bleachers and ask” Got your Frisbee?” In September of 1987 on a drizzling rainy day… he came out and asked the question…

there were few fans in the bleachers and no chance of batting practice. As I took my Frisbee out a rookie usher said if i threw it… i would get kicked out of the park. I threw it and sure enough my 75 game streak for that season came to an end. As it turned out…

it made the Chicago Sun-Times and even Sports Illustrated. However, for the next 10 years… when ever he was in town… he came out to say hello, or play catch with a ball or Frisbee. The fans in the cheap seats loved him. Often, people would throw him their cheap cameras… and he would take pictures of them from the field, of his teammates and of himself making funny faces.

On hot days, before a game he would pull out the hose from under the bleachers and cool down the fans. That earned him a “Gunga Din” Award from me. When he was with the Dodgers, he and Orel Hershiser would take a clean garbage can, put a new Dodger jacket, a Bat a signed ball and a hundred dollar bill into it and then had fans from throughout the bleachers trying to make a basket with a baseball. It gave fans a chance, and when someone one won… they got a standing ovation from their fellow bleacherites, and Roger and Orel.

Once, when his team had a traveling day, he stayed behind and sat with us in the bleachers, and he walked over to the fans in wheel chairs, and signed their scorecard or gave them a ball. This went on for years… and never once did I see him mistreat a fan or make unkind gestures.

So when I heard of this story tonight, I wanted to let Brave fans and all baseball fans know that Roger McDowell is a good guy, who made a few bad choices on this one day in a career as a player and coach for over 25 years. I urge the Braves and Giant Fans fans to accept his apology, and maybe Roger can make a donation to a good gay cause.(San Francisco and Atlanta’s Gay Community Centers). I happen to be gay, and spoke OUT against Cubs Pitcher Julian Taverez in 2001 when he made anti-gay remarks, as well as John Rocker. But both those guys had a history of being hot headed and anti-gay. My best wishes to him for all those great years he entertained fans in Chicago and elsewhere.
Cheers and Good Sportsmanship Always,

Jerry Pritikin aka The Bleacher Preacher.

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This is terrible. I will say, that just last week I took my little cousin (10 years old) to a game at Turner Field and we watched BP from next to the Braves bullpen. Roger threw her a baseball as he was walking into the bullpen and even signed it for her. He was very nice. Maybe he only acts this way at other ballparks? Maybe it was isolated? Who knows, just saying all my experiences with him have been pleasant.

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I dont know if anyone on this blog remembers that soon to be Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven is said to have given the middle finger, to crowds that were booing him as he was leaving a game on two occasions. I dont remember what action, if any was taken against Mr Blyleven for those incidents.

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FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME YOUR THOUGHTS KEEP THEM SHORT. DKMO10 AT HOTMAIL

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Regardless of what did happen, I think the Braves are going to have to think long and hard about bringing in a new pitching coach at this point in the season. The pitching has been fantastic, especially this last week (minus Asencio of course), and the Braves have to consider whether changing pitching coaches now would have a negative effect on the pitching staff. Do we really want to mess around with how the starters have thrown?

I’m predicting fine and maybe suspension for McDowell now, but potentially not being brought back for next season, when changing pitching coaches wouldn’t really interrupt anything.

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I agree with Roger. I hate those queers in San Fagcisco too.

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Audible Sigh—-So substitutand have you be the father of the twins with exactly the same circunstancese Atlanta for San Francisco, have the Mets pitching coach involved, and have all other circumstances the same–how do you react????

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I would be interested if he could make a reason under the freedom of speech . This should be interesting to say the least . I know of millions of people that have said rude stuff to me . But I never pay attention . its just something that I have always had to deal with . people call me names for no reason

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First post all year. Like what I see so far, especially the pitching. I’ve question some of the moves by Fredi G but still it’s only April. As far as McDowell is concerned, we don’t know the full story. In my opinion he has done a good and sometimes great work with the pitching staffs over the past six years. I agree with NJ Choppin that the only thing we know for sure is that this guy Quinn is exploiting his own children for whatever reasons. If the Braves even consider firing McDowell I would be furious. Caving in to pressure coming from the likes of Gloria Allred is unthinkable. Worst case scenario? The Braves fire McDowell and subsequently acquiece to Allred’s demand that they hire Richard Simmons as his replacement.

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No, I don’t need the other side of the story, thank you. Hecklers are part of McDowell’s job and he should learn how to handle them professionally. (1) His words were unacceptable, (2) His homophobic gestures were even worse, and (3) His “teeth” threat at a FAN while holding a bat is just that: a serious threat.

Hey LIBERTY MEDIA: Let’s see how many of your revenue dollars come from the wallets of homosexuals? Further, let’s see how many of your revenue dollars come from the parents of kids who, according to one of your own coaches, don’t belong at the game.

Yeah, this isn’t over….by a longshot.

I certainly you have clearly thought out what to say to the public tomorrow. YOUR REVENUES DEPEND ON IT.

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Hecklers to sports are like STD’s are to sex. You don’t like them but every once in a while you come across them. I am a professional and attend sporting events and I don’t pay good money to attend and feel I should have to listen to sexual insults, family threats, family insults, rude comments, cuss words hurled at players with children within earshot.

Hecklers are worse than STD’s

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He will be fired on Friday.

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He’s already cleaned out his office, gone.
Buck

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This is retarded… Roger is a valuable asset to the Braves organization. All of you bashing him act like you’ve never made a mistake in your life. You know how much crap he has to put up with because of people like you? Let him pay his fine and move on..
This dude is trying to look tough in front of his wife and to daughters… If he was a Braves fan, he wouldn’t have complained…Let him have his week of fame, and then get him back to the trailerpark.

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Let Roger pay his fine and get over it. He’s done a great job with our pitching staff. ……as for Leo, his time has come and gone.

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HISTORY

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I’m deeply offended on what they did and said at the press conference! I want social services to take those kids away from their parents for doing what they did and talking about what they did!!!!

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NJ Choppin, you’re so right dude. I have a 9 mo old son. I can’t imagine a situation in which I would subject him to ANY media scrutiny. This dude is up to something and it’s not cool using your children as an instrument of personal gain. He is pr0stituting his children.

Bottom-line here, just about everyone on this blog, pro- or anti-McDowell has at one point used the term f@g, h0m0, or likely something worse. It’s not right and it’s hurtful. But, it unfortunately become a part of our culture several years ago. It has no place professionally; but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. I’ve never lost my job for saying something like that. I don’t think he should either.

Anyone of you who think he should be fired, stop and think if you’ve ever made fun of someone at work who was fat, gangly, afeminite, macho, short, geeky, slow, or just plain not cool. Feel free to submit your own resignation with your claims that he should be fired.

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Roger McDowell made a mistake(according to today’s societal norms). However, I detest the fact that some are referring to his remarks as “homophobic”. I detest that term entirely. It is defined as one who is afraid of, or fears homosexuals(who choose to live that way). I personally do not condone the homosexual lifestyle. But I do not fear them. It is ridiculous.

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Well Rocker was traded. People miss the fact that he threatened a fan and his family. Taking a baseball bat and threatening to knock out his teeth especially in front of his children. His children were horrified . for Mcd also to state that kids don’t belong in a baseball game is ridiculous and scary to them. Simulation of the sex act in front of children, wow what a moron mcd is. If the braves don’t fire him he should be vilified by fans in every ball park.

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As Handel on the law says “No harm, No foul” I think a lot of Gay people are getting on this blog for the first time because this is becoming a battleground for them.

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Funny, aren’t you innocent until proven guilty? Oh wait, no one knows what this guy said but were jumping all over Roger when some guy is ALLEGING he made threating comments. To the people who said heckling is part of the game. It is to a point. Let someone come to your office or place of business and heckle you. See how you react. Who knows if this guy went over board. When I was playing pro ball, I used to tell hecklers that I don’t care what you say but if you go to far I will let you know or have you thrown out. I’ve had people try to pick fights with me. curse me, do research and find out what my parents and siblings names are and say hateful things about them. So once again, who knows what this guy said to induce a confrontation with McDowell.

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Roger McDumb needs to learn how to McSpell……….

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This was written by a guy who claims to have been right next to Quinn when it happened. This was in the comments section accompanying an article on the S.F. Chronicle’s site.

I was there and was about 2 people away from this guy with the complaint. He was actually the one being the instigator. It all started with McDowell and David Ross being heckled by 3 guys in the bleachers because they wouldn’t throw batting practice balls into the stands. McDowell had a bat with him and was hitting the BP balls back to the infield. McDowell then turned to them and asked if they were a “gay couple” or a “threesome”. He then took the bat and made stroking motions with it and thrusting his hips and he asked the 3 hecklers if that was what they were going to do to each other later that night. Everybody in the stands were laughing. Then a few minutes later, this Quinn guy yells “hey coach, my kids want to know what that means”. Then he was saying that McDowell shouldn’t be doing that stuff in front of kids. Then Quinn yelled out “come over here and say it to me”. That is when McDowell started walking over to the wall. Quinn’s family then started to pull at him and told him to stop. Quinn then turned to his wife and said “what’s he going to do? come up here?”. Then McDowell was telling him that if he didn’t want his kids hearing stuff like that hen he should have said something to the 3 hecklers that started the whole thing. Quinn just kept going on and calling McDowell a “joke” because he should know better. McDowell told Quinn that he should tell the 3 hecklers to not say anything if he was so offended and Quinn said back “where are they?” as if he never even heard the heckling himself which would be outrageous since everyone in the bleachers heard the hecklers. Not once did Quinn look like he feared of getting harmed since he was the one that called McDowell over to him plus the fact that Quinn was in the bleachers and at least 5 ft higher than McDowell. Quinn instigated the whole thing.

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Oh no! What is with all of these MLB players drinking and driving???? You make a ton of money! There is NO excuse for this behavior! Call a cab or limo or a friend!

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If you’ve never said something you should’nt have. Speak up, otherwise shutup. That family is obviosly looking for a payday. With the foulmouth drunks at games anymore, kids don’t belong there.

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Braves need to stand up for their own people once in a while

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Bye Roger. Leo is in town.

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Interesting comments from the s.f. chronicle(if true). I favor fining r.m. and banning Quinn and his lawyer from mlb games for 1 year. Rubbish on both sides. Play Ball. Ball Player get’s drunk-OMG;Drives-stupid,record of same? BIG fine, like the rest of us,community service and AA.
Braves vs.Cardinals,now there’s a discussion worth having……

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Ok Braves – that’s enough. If anyone else gets sued/arrested/whatever I’ll probably stop watching you all. The Braves have always prided themselves on being a good team with good people, but your recent antics are starting to prove otherwise. Tighten up the belt Fredi before you start losing fans.

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