# Blue Jay's Kevin Pillar says a bad word, gets crucified.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [May 19, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999 "2017-05-19T15:13:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/1 "2017-05-19T15:13:33Z")
> **['Ashamed' Pillar suspended 2 games by Jays for homophobic slur | CBC Sports](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/kevin-pillar-blue-jays-1.4121088)**
>
> Outfielder Kevin Pillar, whom the Blue Jays have suspended two games, took to Twitter earlier Thursday to apologize to the Atlanta Braves, their fans and LGBTQ community for his "lack of respect" for using what's been interpreted as a homophobic slur...
So one of the Blue Jay’s best players has a brain-to-mouth glitch, says a bad word, is apologetic and contrite, apologizes personally to the other person, and apparently that’s not enough.
I’m not pitting my favourite player here, because he immediately owned up to his mistake, apologized profusely to the pitcher and to the world in general, and genuinely feels terrible about what he said.
I read some comments on Facebook under the statement that The Blue Jays released about the incident and many were supportive of Pillar, saying “what happens on the field should stay on the field” and berating the organization for not standing behind their player.
We all make mistakes and say things when upset that we regret. I don’t believe for one minute that he meant that insult in the horrific way that people are taking it, and I think that as grown-ass adults people should accept his sincere apologies and get back to letting him do his job.
What are your thoughts?
Actual gay people: are you personally offended? Does one guy playing a game affect your personal self-worth that much?
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### Author:  [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/2 "2017-05-19T15:22:33Z")
Two game suspension seems fair to me. If he didn’t own up to his mistake, apology profusely and genuinely feel terrible, I’d give him a five day suspension.
It’s not like they banned him for life or anything. I think he can handle two days on the bench.
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### Author:  [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/3 "2017-05-19T15:31:33Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#):
>
> Actual gay people: are you personally offended? Does one guy playing a game affect your personal self-worth that much?
Well, clearly you want me to answer no, so I guess no.
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### Author:  [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/4 "2017-05-19T15:34:05Z")
If a 2-day suspension constitutes crucifixion, where do we go with the torture-and-execution metaphor if we consider what would happen to me if I did this at my job? Drawing and quartering? That thing with the pigs from _Hannibal_?
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### Author:  [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/5 "2017-05-19T15:43:27Z")
It’s a private business and they do this to protect profits. Most families and fans don’t want to hear this kind of thing from the teams that they support. This looks like they’re doing something about it.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/6 "2017-05-19T15:44:08Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#):
>
> If a 2-day suspension constitutes crucifixion
Don’t forget that he’s also donating six grand to charity out of his half-million dollar salary.
Truly he is a modern-day Job.
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### Author:  [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/7 "2017-05-19T15:45:09Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#):
>
> If a 2-day suspension constitutes crucifixion, where do we go with the torture-and-execution metaphor if we consider what would happen to me if I did this at my job? Drawing and quartering? That thing with the pigs from _Hannibal_?
Yes I’m being overdramatic. I mean how he’s being raked over the coals in the media:
> **[Simmons: No place in sports — in life — for what Blue Jays' Pillar said](https://torontosun.com/2017/05/18/simmons-no-place-anywhere-for-what-blue-jays-pillar-said)**
>
> By almost any sporting definition, Kevin Pillar seems like a man worth cheering for.
> [@](#):
>
> The next time a little kid walks out of the ballpark and asks his dad about Kevin Pillar and Superman, I wonder, what will the father say?
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/8 "2017-05-19T15:46:28Z")
As much as I too love the Jays, and Pillar, what he said is reprehensible in society today.
The team suspended him for two games, not MLB, and I think that sends a clear message to the rest of the team that this kind of talk is unprofessional and won’t be tolerated.
If the same actions were taken if he called the pitcher an asshole, I would agree that they went too far, but he didn’t; he called him a faggot. Not cool.
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### Author:  [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/9 "2017-05-19T15:49:28Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#):
>
> Well, clearly you want me to answer no, so I guess no.
Didn’t think so. I don’t see how one guy’s lack of judgement in the heat of the game could affect an entire population of people.
> [@Procrustus](#):
>
> Two game suspension seems fair to me. If he didn’t own up to his mistake, apology profusely and genuinely feel terrible, I’d give him a five day suspension.
>
> It’s not like they banned him for life or anything. I think he can handle two days on the bench.
I do agree with this. There has to be repercussions, especially in this politically correct day & age. It’s the implications of how this will affect his reputation going forward that bother me.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/10 "2017-05-19T15:51:19Z")
A two-game suspension seems reasonable.
I should note that the linked article does not really support the notion that Pillar has been getting an excess of grief from fans or MLB over this incident. Are there widespread calls for his firing, or what?
Note: posted before I saw the OP’s followup.
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### Author:  [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/11 "2017-05-19T15:53:01Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#):
>
> Didn’t think so. I don’t see how one guy’s lack of judgement in the heat of the game could affect an entire population of people.
>
> I do agree with this. There has to be repercussions, especially in this politically correct day & age. It’s the implications of how this will affect his reputation going forward that bother me.
If this is an example of “political correctness” then it’s a positive example. There should be repercussions because what he did _deserves_ repercussions, not because it’s needed for good PR. (although that’s part of it, of course). I don’t know the guy, but while I approve of this mild sanction, I’m not going to hold this against him going forward.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/12 "2017-05-19T15:57:00Z")
BTW, not a negative word about Jose Bautista flipping the bat after homering in the eighth? Are there no standards at all any more?
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### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/13 "2017-05-19T16:02:05Z")
You mean to say a steroid-infused professional sports player is not the brightest or most sensitive crayon in the hammer drawer ? How could I possibly live with this new and devastating information ?!
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### Author:  [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/14 "2017-05-19T16:02:46Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#):
>
> BTW, not a negative word about Jose Bautista flipping the bat after homering in the eighth? Are there no standards at all any more?
Hell, there might have even been a skip in his step! I’m waiting for him to be beaned within the next couple games.
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### Author:  [@DeepLiquid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeepLiquid)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/15 "2017-05-19T16:03:30Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#):
>
> Didn’t think so. I don’t see how one guy’s lack of judgement in the heat of the game could affect an entire population of people.
It continues the idea that gay people are “less than”, that makes it significant. In the heat of the moment the worst thing he could think of to call another man was faggot, because in his mind it is the worst thing you can be. So yeah, it impacts a population of people.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/16 "2017-05-19T16:12:20Z")
I’m a baseball fan and a straight person and I think this worked out fairly. Pillar’s apology was sincere, and will serve as a reminder to all players to “get woke” and not use such derogatory language - in jest, in anger or in regular speech.
I’m down with the sanctions from MLB. It shows modernity and cultural awareness on their part. [Something they unfortunately can not impose on the fans.](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/05/01/orioles-adam-jones-berated-racist-taunts-fenway-park-peanuts/101187172/)
I would be wholly for such sanctions on any one of the players on my team, as well.
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### Author:  [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/17 "2017-05-19T16:13:47Z")
If one views this as though what the player did was “say a bad word”, then of course crucifixion is an over reaction. If one possesses a small amount of empathy and compassion, one can see that the player did not merely “say a bad word”.
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/18 "2017-05-19T16:15:50Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#):
>
> What are your thoughts?
>
> Actual gay people: are you personally offended? Does one guy playing a game affect your personal self-worth that much?
Why don’t you just come out and say directly, “Get over it, gay people. It’s really not a big deal”? Because that’s clearly how you feel about the whole thing.
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#):
>
> It’s the implications of how this will affect his reputation going forward that bother me.
Why do you care how this will affect his reputation? He’s not going to lose his job over this. He can still be your favorite player.
If the idea that a guy who you’ve never met, and who plays a game for a living, might suffer a drop in reputation bothers you this much, then I’m not sure why you are surprised that some people might be bothered by anti-gay epithets.
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### Author:  [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/19 "2017-05-19T16:17:27Z")
That didn’t seem like a quick pitch to me. WTF is he upset about?
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-jays-kevin-pillar-says-a-bad-word-gets-crucified/786999/20 "2017-05-19T16:38:43Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#):
>
> ['Ashamed' Pillar suspended 2 games by Jays for homophobic slur | CBC Sports](http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/kevin-pillar-blue-jays-1.4121088)
>
> So one of the Blue Jay’s best players has a brain-to-mouth glitch, says a bad word, is apologetic and contrite, apologizes personally to the other person, and apparently that’s not enough.
And that really should be enough. If someone is apologetic and contrite, that really is the best that can be hoped for. Anyone looking for more is an asshole.
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