Yeah, it's off topic, but it's still sports. This is one point I have to bring up because I can't believe the backlash Mayweather is getting in the media. For those who don't already know, Mayweather is being called a racist for calling out Manny Pacquiao and referring to him as a "midget", and stating Mayweather would make Manny "cook him a sushi roll and some rice". So far I've seen the Mayweather hate skyrocket everywhere, but to call him a racist and expand his comments to him as a person I believe is a bit too far given the situation.
These two men were scheduled to draw a fight contract up creating possibly the greatest fight card in the last decade. The he said/he said fallout over steroids accusations and money, led to the talks breaking down, and some bad blood between the two. However, THIS IS BOXING! This is how the sport has been since it's inception. Does anyone want to see a fight where the opponents are hugging and sharing ice cream sundaes over walks on the beach? No, the greatest fights and the fights we yearn to see are those that have been filled with dislike between the fighters. Maybe it was all show or maybe it was real, but we loved the fact that it seemed real and put something more on the line than just a Title Belt. Think after this there isn't going to be that much more interest in the fight taking place? This is what boxers do, this is why we watch.
As for the racism, people tend to have short memories. I remember everyone's favorite boxer the GOAT, Muhammed Ali once referring to Joe Frazier an "Uncle Tom". Remember him holding a small gorilla puppet and punching it? Given today's standards of political correctness, Ali would have been called to task on this. But we look back on it and say he was a great showman, boxer, and ambassador to the sport. Nothing has changed here. I didn't hear Mayweather say any race specific slurs or anything personal about Pacquiao's family or heritage. It doesn't make his comments right or acceptable, but I don't think they make him racist. As Pacquiao responded, Mayweather's comments are "uneducated" (Apparently Filipino's make Sushi) but to call him racist may go a bit too far. I do see where the comments can be taken that way, and anyone who wishes to take them in that regard have a right to. However, the comments were not made as a generality to all Filipino people as an insult. He was trying to degrade a fellow boxer, hopefully chiding him into a fight, but insulting a race is another matter completely.
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