# Dolphins linebacker compares officiating to Anne Frank **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 8, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885 "2010-11-08T07:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/1 "2010-11-08T07:57:00Z")
[Story here.](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5777860) Okay, I have no idea what happened. I understand that spitting is a pretty serious insult, especially in an occupation as macho as football. I understand that pretty much every level of a professional sports league rags on the officiating on a regular basis. That said…_Anne Frank??_ Okay, I’m kinda willing to forgive that conservative hack who blasted “Roger Moore” for Farenheit 9/11. Roger Moore is a famous actor, and Michael did have a film titled Roger And Me (although it was made several years earlier), so it’s not inconceivable that an emotionally-charged right winger would make a slipup like that. But how on earth does anyone equate a sensitive girl who hid from the Nazis and chronicled the experience in a famous diary with a blown call? Maybe he should have said Ann _Coulter_. Y’know, because she’s completely off base on nearly evertyhing, but she’s rich so she doesn’t care. And…I probably shouldn’t open that can of worms on MPSIMS. Sorry. “They see injustice all around them but don’t do a damn thing about it!” Eh, I got nuthin’… ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/2 "2010-11-08T08:01:41Z")
This is funny: > [@](#): > > Asked what the Anne Frank reference meant, Crowder said "Who was that? Is that the blind girl? Helen Keller … I don’t know who the f— Anne Frank is. I’m mad right now. F— it. I’m not as swift as I usually am. Strikes me that he genuinely misspoke - dredged up a random name that he associated with something negative. But not Ann Coulter - he was aiming for “famous blind people”. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/3 "2010-11-08T08:04:00Z")
The article goes on to say that, when asked about the Anne Frank reference, he seemed not to know who she was, and suggested that he really meant Helen Keller. In other words, he intended to accuse the officials of being blind and deaf, but referred to the wrong person in doing so. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/4 "2010-11-08T12:28:13Z")
It’s easier if you just think of professional football as an employment program for large, dumb guys who like to slam into each other, but who are too ugly for gay porn. It sounds like this fellow barely has the brains to sign his paycheck. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/5 "2010-11-08T14:38:05Z")
He probably saw _The Miracle Worker_ as a kid and subconsciously mixed up Anne Frank with Anne Sullivan, and then let the name association game go from there. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/6 "2010-11-08T14:38:52Z")
Well, there was “Anne Sullivan” (sp?), Keller’s teacher, also blind. ETA: Scooped on preview. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/7 "2010-11-08T14:44:18Z")
I’m actually impressed that he’s ever _heard_ of Anne Frank. And Helen Keller too. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/8 "2010-11-08T14:56:13Z")
I think I’m going to put this discussion in the Game Room; if the mods there don’t think it belongs, they can feel free to send it back to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/9 "2010-11-08T15:03:24Z")
First thing I thought of was Helen Keller when I saw this thread title. The two are kind of in the same box for me of “young girls from long long ago who had something bad happen to them.” ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/10 "2010-11-08T15:16:02Z")
Was Anne Frank well known for spitting at people? The dutch language does lend itself to increased expectoration… all those difficult vowel combinations. ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/11 "2010-11-08T15:21:16Z")
He might be a Fark reader. One of the memes on [Fark.com](http://Fark.com) is mixing up Anne Frank and Helen Keller. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/12 "2010-11-08T15:30:25Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > …so it’s not inconceivable that an emotionally-charged right winger would make a slipup like that. At least you make the point that it was a right winger - I thought for a moment you might be about to suggest that anyone could misspeak. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/13 "2010-11-08T16:51:31Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > He might be a Fark reader. One of the memes on [Fark.com](http://Fark.com) is mixing up Anne Frank and Helen Keller. What I came in to say. 4chan, too. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/14 "2010-11-08T18:01:25Z")
Maybe, but this is the guy who a couple of years ago said this, "“I couldn’t find London on a map if they didn’t have the names of the countries. I swear to God. I don’t know what nothing is. I know Italy looks like a boot. I learned that.” That’s good to know. “I know (Washington Redskins linebacker) London Fletcher. We did a football camp together. So I know him. That’s the closest thing I know to London. He’s black, so I’m sure he’s not from London. I’m sure that’s a coincidental name.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/15 "2010-11-08T21:30:39Z")
Maybe he’s a Kevin Smith fan. > [@](#): > > Dante Hicks: Have you become so embittered that you now feel the need to attack the handicapped? > Randal Graves: What handicap? They guy’s just in a wheelchair, it’s not like he’s Anne Frank or something. > Dante Hicks: Anne Frank? > Randal Graves: Yeah, Anne Frank. The chick that was all duhhh, till the miracle worker showed up and knocked some smarts into her. > Dante Hicks: You’re talking about Helen Keller. > Randal Graves: No I’m not, I’m talking about Anne Frank. She was deaf, dumb and blind. > Dante Hicks: No she wasn’t. Helen Keller was deaf, dumb and blind. > Randal Graves: Are you sure? > Dante Hicks: Yup. > Randal Graves: Then who the fuck’s Anne Frank? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/16 "2010-11-11T06:32:42Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > … He’s black, so I’m sure he’s not from London. I’m sure that’s a coincidental name." Oh wow. That is one very silly man who is in for a surprise if he ever goes to London. Idiot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/17 "2010-11-11T08:11:14Z")
Channing Crowder is a talker. My favorite public war of words involving him was with Jets coach Rex Ryan. Channing either said or implied that he could or would kick Ryan’s ass, to which Ryan replied: “Channing Crowder? I’ve stepped over guys tougher than him on the way to a fight.” I love that quote. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/18 "2010-11-11T09:13:50Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > It’s easier if you just think of professional football as an employment program for large, dumb guys… Hey, most of those guys are college graduates. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/19 "2010-11-12T06:56:10Z")
Xema - Trust me, I doubt any prominent left wingers were too critical of Farenheit 9/11. (Okay, Roger Ebert pointed out a couple flaws, but _he_ certainly would never credit it to Roger Moore. I mean, c’mon.) Gangster Octopus - Ah. Hell, in light of _that_, maybe we should be grateful he got Stevie Wonder right. I could very easily see him citing the singer for Aerosmith. Or Fleetwood Mac. They’re both classic. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885/20 "2010-11-12T15:51:23Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > Oh wow. That is one very silly man who is in for a surprise if he ever goes to London. Idiot. 😃 He did go, and presumably _was_ surprised. Weirdly, the idea that there are no black people in Britain is apparently common among the African-American community. I’ve been asked a dozen times if I knew any black people before moving to the US. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolphins-linebacker-compares-officiating-to-anne-frank/559885.md?page=2)