“One Man’s Opinion” By Gordon Curvey

I am getting sick and tired of the negative talk on local sports radio here in Seattle regarding Mariner Chone Figgins. It has got out of hand. It really has.

He is taking the blame for the Mariners terrible record. It is like he is the only player on the field. It is terrible and yes racist in my opinion.

Let me make one thing clear. Chone Figgins is getting paid a lot of money to produce on the field. He is not producing what so ever for the Seattle Mariners. Again, he is not producing. But if you listen to 710 ESPN and sports radio KJR here in Seattle, he is the MAIN reason the Mariners are a pathetic team again this year.

YES when ever I can I am going to let the readers here on “Sports Inner City Online” know that here in Seattle on sports radio their are ZERO African Americans on the air on a regular basis. ZERO!! On KJR they have been on the air for twenty years and in those twenty years they have NEVER had a black man on the air with his or her’s own program. 710 ESPN started a few years ago and yes……they have zero black folks on the air with his or her’s own program.

It is the “good ole boy network” in hiring when it comes to jobs on sports radio in Seattle. So because of that, African Americans like Chone Figgins is called a “common criminal” over the air by motor mouth host Dave “Softy” Mahler”

KJR management tried to cover his comment up BUT Mahler admitted to me he made the comment. That comment by Mahler was the worst comment I have heard on a black person on sports radio. It is worst than the word “thug”. A word white hosts use ONLY on African Americans and people of color. It is a “code” word instead of the “N” word readers.

Here is a point readers. Chone Figgins IS A LEAD OFF HITTER!!! He HAS NOT hit lead off since he has been with the Mariners. When he was with the Angels, HE WAS A LEAD OFF HITTER!!! He was a good lead off  hitter with the Angels.

BUT because of the icon Ichiro, he has not hit lead off with the Mariners. A few weeks ago, the Mariners manager sat Ichiro down for a game or so. Guess who hit lead off? It was Chone Figgins. One game he went 2 for 4. And Mariner announcers like Dave Sims said he look relaxed at the plate hitting where is used to hitting, LEAD OFF.

But the local sports media in this town is not bringing up this point like they should. But I am. CHONE FIGGINS IS A LEAD OFF HITTER!! Hell why not move Ichiro down in the lineup NOW! Try Figgins at lead off for awhile and let’s see how he does.

Local sports radio hosts say the Mariners have tried everything. NO THEY HAVE NOT!! Bat Figgins in the lead off position. Why not right now?