Eagles WR Riley Cooper Racist?

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

They had a team meeting without him... This is deviding a lockeroom...

[cyberbolt]

I only had 3 black teammates and heard it more often than I would have cared to.

I think it's overblown as well, but to be fair there is a big difference between "you my nigga" and "I'll hop that fence and beat every nigger here". A lot of black people use the word with each other, but neither blacks or whites should use the word at all.
And I absolutely agree that the idea of him "getting help" for dropping n-bombs is fucking dumb.

[Savage Lizard]

If the guy said it (even intoxicated), there's probably a lot more to it than not. Sounds like a racist to me.

Yep. If I was drunk and pissed off I'd probably say "I'll fight all those assholes." The word's already got to be in your mind to get thrown out like that.

[Boltdog]

There are no KKK rallies on the freeway in the south. Not since I've been alive. Racism in the south is so freaking exaggerated. Gets old.

I don't believe you can speak for the entire South when you say this. I lived in Georgia and Alabama for 7 years during the 90s, and visited north Florida, Miss., and rural Tenn. often enough to know how those folks think too, to include law enforcement. I go back there on occasion. The rural areas and small towns are the most "traditional"--You still have sundowner laws being practiced in white areas of town where blacks are automatically assumed to be up to no good if they are in the area after dark. It's a joke how predominantly black schools match up to mostly white schools in smaller Georgia and Alabama towns. I also can still remember my history professor at Troy University telling me how blacks never knew how good they had it as slaves during the 1800s. And you can tell me that Forsythe County in GA, most any interior rural town in North FL and Cajun Country are fully tolerant of races other than lily white?

I will say that Netherlands and Italy have them beat when it comes to overt racism. I hardly ever see blacks at major soccer events in NL--Yesterday I witnessed Ajax fans (top fanbase in Holland) on an Amsterdam train I was on refuse to allow black men on the same train with them. These white guys were in their 30s-50s and not just blue collar types. Most all Dutch still call blacks Negroes here, period. In Italy, legislators and citizens alike have been calling one of their black cabinet ministers a "monkey" and worse for the past few months, and of course make fun of any black player on the soccer pitch. So USA is not as far behind as what I have seen in Europe past few years, but events like with Cooper sure bring up what it used to be like in the States when no one hardly blinked at using that word in public...

[Boltdog]

IMO, this is a little overblown. This man plays with over 50 other teammates, some of whom no doubt say the N word frequently, so I am sure he heard it a lot. I only had 3 black teammates and heard it more often than I would have cared to.

The only context I can find to his mistake was he almost fought a man at that concert (I would assume before as thry seemed to be walking to the venue in daylight), so With that being the only contaxt I can assume he was still upset about it. Now, being that the man he almost fought was white and that being the only other context known to the public, would it not be safe to assume that he was more than likely using the word not as a racial slur, but simply because he had been drinking and hears the word used all the time? At least the woman next to him sounded surprised that he had used the word: if he was really racist, don't you think she would have sounded less surprised.

Of course he shouldn't have said the word, but IMO this whole ordeal with 'getting professional help' is dumb.

I think we all know the arguments here--How blacks take it differently when a white man uses the word, and how many black leaders also do not endorse it when blacks use the word with one another. But since the NFL is made up largely of African-Americans who grew up poor and experienced racism first hand, this guy will not just get a pass on what he said.

That's the reality and Cooper is likely not going to have many black "friends" in the league from this point on. I agree with others that his agent is probably more worried about his career and endorsement potential, than any real concern about what he was caught saying. Sure he should be forgiven for what we have all thought at one time or another, but he is a public figure and should have known better...

[Guest]

I agree with others that his agent is probably more worried about his career and endorsement potential

If I was his agent, I'd be more worried about the hits and cheap shots he'll be taking from here on out.

[Vermstyr]

I remember having a small get together with a few friends at my place a couple of years ago to have a few drinks and play some beer pong. One of my childhood friends was there, and as he was already drunk, still drinking, and playing pong, whenever he got a cup he went "Yeeaahhhhh niggggggaaaaaa". A couple of times he said it it had that hard r sound to it at the end too.

I have known this kid for an extremely long time, and if he is a closet racist it sure doesn't show until he is drunk.

It is almost similar to the word "***got". So many kids began using it in my class that it became a common word even though the original context was hateful, and with few homosexuals to openly get upset about it (if they cared anyways, most I met do not) the meaning of the word was changed through context and regular usage.

If People can hear that word enough times with non-hateful context all the time could it not happen that way with the N word and those who say it with non-hateful context?

[Den60]

I always struggle with apologies when someone gets caught. Especially in regards to racial comments. This guy seems pretty comfortable using the N word.

Eagles WR Riley Cooper has admitted to using a racial slur, and issued a lengthy apology.
"I am so ashamed and disgusted with myself," Cooper began. "I have apologized to my coach, to (owner) Jeffrey Lurie, to (GM) Howie Roseman and to my teammates. ... I am so ashamed, but there are no excuses. What I did was wrong and I will accept the consequences." It's unclear if Cooper will face league discipline, either in the form of a fine or suspension, but we would guess yes. Punishments tend to be harsh when the league is in the midst of a rash of negative publicity, which the NFL has been all summer. It's unlikely to affect Cooper's status with the Eagles, but we wouldn't rule it out. The biggest effect may be the chilling one it has on Cooper's relationship with his teammates.

Sounds to me like he used an "er" rather than an "a" at the end so that means it is racist.

[kets]

I will say that Netherlands and Italy have them beat when it comes to overt racism. I hardly ever see blacks at major soccer events in NL--Yesterday I witnessed Ajax fans (top fanbase in Holland) on an Amsterdam train I was on refuse to allow black men on the same train with them. These white guys were in their 30s-50s and not just blue collar types. Most all Dutch still call blacks Negroes here, period.

Different language. You cannot just translate a word directly and assume it has the same negative connotation. That said, that train episode sounds pretty bad - that is terrible. Needless to say that soccer does attract some scum.

I am Dutch BTW.

[Mister Hoarse]

Wow. Wish I had been there when that happened. Would have been a great way to take out 5-6 of them at once.

That's racist.