Cagewriter - UFC

Cagewriter

Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

ESPN.com describes Silva as an ape

By Steve Cofield

After all the flack last month about use of inappropriate language in the MMA, it was odd to see ESPN MMA blogger Jake Rossen say that Wanderlei Silva was looking "fittingly simian." as he entered the cage at UFC 99 against Rich Franklin.

GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) stepped up, and rightly so, to call Dana White on the carpet for his use of a gay slur during his infamous Ultimate Fight Night 18 vlog (1:56 and 2:50 marks; warning: heavy use of coarse language). NOW (National Organization for Women) did nothing in defense of the female blogger that White referred to derogatorily. Who will defend Silva and state the obvious that using a racially charged word like "simian" is out of line?

digg delicious
more

45 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. digby
    1. Posted by digby Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:29 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Cofield is the last person I would look to as MMA's moral compass.
  2. mike5o
    2. Posted by mike5o Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    oh jeeez, we're kidding right? let Wandi sort this out, if he cares! SECOND
  3. Shaun T
    3. Posted by Shaun T Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:33 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Is it racism if the guy really looks like a monkey? And isn't even black?
  4. rwl060
    4. Posted by rwl060 Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:37 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Could you imagine if he WAS black? ESPN would be shut down and its heads charged with hate crimes.
  5. xmptd
    5. Posted by xmptd Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:39 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    what offends me more is the complete one sided reporting of the Yahoo sports staff... i.e. dana's personal lackeys kevin iole and steve cofield
  6. rwl060
    6. Posted by rwl060 Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    By the way, how many people on here and elsewhere refer to Brock Lesnar as a "white gorilla"? Who cares? No one ever brings this stuff up unless there's some sort of racial controversy to be had.
  7. me
    7. Posted by me Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ok so lets put this to a vote. Post "R" if you think it was a racist comment. Post "M" if you think he just looks a lot like a monkey.
  8. me
    8. Posted by me Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    M
  9. yep thats me
    9. Posted by yep thats me Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:55 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    He does look like an ape, I've always thought that, but I dont think it warrants an entire blog. Seems to me this is a typical media propaganda tactic, the media are blood sucking scumbags, everyone knows this.
  10. Caligulus
    10. Posted by Caligulus Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:59 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    It's not really racist, just kind of mean.
  11. Adam S
    11. Posted by Adam S Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:01 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    M.
    Maybe I'm naive, but I have also never heard the term used in a racial tone. Deraugatory, yes: I'm sure Wanderlei isn't pleased upon hearing he was compared to an ape (or maybe he is, who knows). But I can't imagine it's racially charged.
  12. yep thats me
    12. Posted by yep thats me Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:05 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Also Cofield I hardly see that as racial slander. If i was to call you a douche bag (which you clearly are) does that mean that you are going to get the company that makes Kotex after me in court? Oh gee I hope not. If it offended Silva let him take care of it, hes a big boy and can take care of himself and I'm sure that if it never bothered him, it might now because all of the parasite media are going to blow it out of context. Also if he does need someone to defend against this for him, maybe he could call someone from the parks and wildlife to help him out. Then again they might put him in a zoo for looking "fittingly simian".
  13. Paden B
    13. Posted by Paden B Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    HE does look like a monkey why is this racist. I joke that u should have a shot of silva and forrest in a match and pormote it as " so easy a caveman can do it" geico would kill!!
  14. Tim D
    14. Posted by Tim D Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    WOW... WHO THE HELL CARES... I would be honored to be compared to an ape. man a few months ago a chimp ripped a womans face off in ct.
  15. DaveC
    15. Posted by DaveC Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Who cares. Silva is fugly. Thats not changing. The picture that they have had up on Yahoo sports does wonders for the chimp comparison.
    Its not a racial slur. Its a "that dude is fuggin ugly" slur.
  16. Rob R
    16. Posted by Rob R Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:16 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Jake Rossen's problem is that he can't get through a sentence without trying to sound witty. It's like a Bill Simmons column meets Chris Berman's 2 Minute Drill.
    When you try that hard to make everything funny, you're bound to eventually say something that offends somebody.
  17. Tim D
    17. Posted by Tim D Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Oh and
    M(onkey)
  18. rwl060
    18. Posted by rwl060 Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:23 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I also can't believe that people (Cofield) are still bringing up the b%^ch controversy as well ... Did people really expect NOW to jump all over that? It didn't occur to anyone that maybe they had more pressing issues to devote their attention to? Damn. I mean, in some circles, men call each other b^&ches.
  19. mike5o
    19. Posted by mike5o Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    If I'm black, does it count if I vote M ? Or would I be racist ??
  20. Peter B
    20. Posted by Peter B Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Coefield quit acting like a 5th grader
    "well he said that and got in trouble and then he said that and nothing happen"
    you sound like a tw at.........for crying out loud grow some im sure dana " nutsack" white will still let you azz suck him if you dont stick up for him !
    dana "nutsack " white seems like a big boy and can take care of himself ( with the brothers money)
  21. Peter B
    21. Posted by Peter B Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    maybe you should be happy espn even writes storys about MMA.
  22. rwl060
    22. Posted by rwl060 Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:50 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Agree with nutcracker's view of said last paragraph. Cofield's probably just angry that he's not that witty and incisive. Truly ... Its an interesting catch, Steve, but is it a real news story? Get Silva on here to give his take. If he resists your invite, put him in a room with a few boxes to stack and a banana hanging from the ceiling.
    P.S. -- I am a Silva fan ... Even if the comparison between his punches and swinging a mace is 100% accurate.
  23. me
    23. Posted by me Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:03 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I agree rwl060. I'm a Silva fan too. But that guys skills suck pretty bad for the most part. He is all about running strait in there and killing someone, or getting killed in the process due to his lack of defence. Thats what makes him fun to watch. His face does look ape-like, and now that I think about it, so does his fighting style.
  24. The Truth
    24. Posted by The Truth Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:07 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    His face is very chimp like as is many fighters in MMA and boxing has many many that are almost identical so it's no big deal. I see people act worse than silverbacks all the time and smell a lot worse.
  25. The Truth
    25. Posted by The Truth Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I forgot to give an example for boxing with the one I know comes to most who love boxing---- drum roll please..................... Smoking Joe........... Now tell me when you see a picture of Joe you don't think silverback?

Cagewriter

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Steve Cofield

Cagewriter is an MMA blog edited by Steve Cofield. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Contributors:
Maggie Hendricks, Zak Jensen,

Related Photo Gallery

More MMA Photos »

Y! Sports Blogs

Cagewriter Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)