So Neil makes extremely dumb and rascist remarks about Marcus Smith on an Irish Independent linked podcast hosted by Luke Fitzgerald and is only fired after the un-edited version is made public.
https://www.the42.ie/neil-francis-comments-marcus-smith-5504172-Jul2021/
Surely this raises major questions about Luke Fitzgerald also, who saw nothing wrong with the comments at the time. Going by one of Luke's tweets he seems to think some sports people are there for his "enjoyment"
think his firing is more to do with the change of owners then wokeness
Think his firing has more to do with his racism and homophobia than change of owners
Think his firing has more to do with a consistent well established ignorance and lack of understanding towards fellow human beings than anything else.
No there isn’t
I listened to the left wing the evening it came out and wondered who this guy Smith was. I hadn't heard of him. I presumed NF was having a pop at the Gavin Henson legacy of fake tans. Anybody in rugby grounds around that time will remember the stick Henson got for the Beckham type nonsense he brought to the game.
Discovering Smith is mixed race suddenly upped the stakes of NF s comments. Listening to the podcast did I think NF was deliberately being racist, certainly not. Should he apologise, yes. Did he, yes. So we can move on unless you are the permanently outraged type.
Like the op I guess, who is on very slippy ground inferring something else about Luke Fitzgerald. Are you calling LF a racist in that first post? Spell out ur logic and call him on it or retract it.
Mods should check that first post here as it's really nothing to do with NF. If I was LF I'd certainly get somebody in...
Slagging someone for their tan and haircut is racism only to those looking to be offended, good point about Gavin Henson Madeoface, Mathew Tait would have a good shout today for discrimination when Henson made him his handbag, he had no right to pick him up and carry him like that.
Anybody know any Filipinos? They’re just like us
Smith has lighter skin than me. At home in cork friends say I’m mahoga when I get a bit of sun, should I call them racist?
Of course its nothing to do with ethnicity but that doesnt matter.
The woke mob must have their pound of flesh.
I've always associated the term Oompa Loompa as someone being caked in makeup or cheap fake tan and having an orange look like the characters in the Willie Wonka film.
It only applies to white people so I fail to see how it can be racist.
A white man justifying racism by saying the target's skin is actually lighter than them is racist in itself.
Trump was described as Oompa Loompa and tangoed, are megalomaniacs claiming discrimination?
Does trump wear fake tan?
Does Marcus Smith?
If you don't see the difference you are ignorant to racism
Alot of the people that did so are ironically the ones up in arms about Francis on this thread .
Virtue signallers.
But NF did not know that MS was of Filipino extraction. He assumed that he was either tanned or sallow skinned. When he realized his mistake he apologised. But now if you make a mistake the woke brigade will put you on the cross and are out with the hammer and nails to crucify you.
It the same as happened to Derek Daly in the US over some thing he said when he went to the US over 30 years ago was used to describe him as racist.
What Francis said was stupid but down to lack of research primarily.
It did not have racist intent.
Intent is quite important normally in any justice system.
I think that a lot just have it in for him for what he wrote about the Munster, Leinster or Ireland team in the past or about maybe some player or coach and now are seeking to delight in a man losing his job and how he so deserves it.
Duplicitous motives and fake virtue signallers in abundance.
Francis probably thought the guy was white, but it was really crass to comment on someone's skin colour without even being sure what ethnicity he was.
Maybe the people who should be offended are those who like to have a tan. Looking at Smith’s photographs (I posted two links earlier, before and after tanning) he’s not particularly dark skinned. You are just looking to be offended and throwing out the race card. That’s the woke culture that exists today.
It really isn’t. It is highlighting the absurdity of this situation.
The word "racism" is like ketchup nowadays.
It can be put on practically anything — and demanding evidence makes you a "racist."
Francis obviously thought that the player was white and using fake tan.
He didnt do his research properly.
He is a smug gobshite but racist no I dont belive so.
I'd be pretty certain that his audience wasn't in Ulster, Connacht or Munster. And yet he was making a living.
I could swear the independent is a national publication.....
But hey, maybe your red glasses renders it invisible on the newspaper stand
You really are doing yourself no favours here.
It's completely different talking about a fella who uses fake tan or the beds compared to someone whose skin is actually that colour.
But you've nailed your colours to the racist mast by claiming your skin is darker than his based on two light-heavy photographs.
Quite sad that you're choosing Neil Francis as the hill to die on and claiming other people are offended and upset when you're the only one showcasing either of those.
Careful now, the woke in those three provinces may take offence if we are excluded.
Based on your previous post I wouldn't be deferring to you as an arbiter of logic.
You're convinced Francis knew Mr Smith was dark skinned naturally rather than trying to be 'clever' with a "funny comment" which was the more logical (if not suited to those ready and waiting to be offended by proxy) answer. But no, 'That's Waaacist!'
Some clowns after drifting in from the wider community I see. On an issue relating to race no less, funny coincidence that.
Have said it elsewhere, but I think it's far, far more likely that Francis was just being a jerk - dismissing Smiths talents due to perceived notions about his appearance.
It shows a total lack of awareness and preparedness but I don't think he was outing himself as racist, just reconfirming that he's a bit of a pr*ck.
There is no woke mob here, the reaction of the player, the Lions and Harlequins was Justified and Francis deserved to be jettisoned for being completely amateur and embarrassing his employer.
His history ensured that he wouldn't get the benefit of the doubt, but in this instance his long running joke about the vanity of backs (he made the same exact remarks about Henson for years) was hugely out of order and resulted in his sacking.
It was never funny to begin with and his silly notions about the game don't deserve column inches. Good riddance.
in fairness, that's rubbish about his
"his long running joke about the vanity of backs (he made the same exact remarks about Henson for years) was hugely out of order and resulted in his sacking"
he was sacked for the supposed "racism" angle due to the mention of skin colour which was certainly uninformed and stupid but not intended, not for any supposed use of vanity tanning products by said player.
If he said that Marcus Smith shaved his legs and balls because he was vain Francis would not have been sacked.
What specifically is rubbish?
He was sacked because he attempted to make a joke about vanity (as he has done countless times before), but stupidly made the remark about someone of mixed race, opening himself up to accusations of racism.
As I said, I think it's far more likely that he was trying to call Smith soft and vain rather than attempting to denigrate him on racial grounds. It was a stupid, childish and jouvenile remark in and of itself, more so given he had no clue of the players background, but I really don't think he was making a comment about race.
I'm not inclined to defend Neil Francis and racism should always be called out, I just think this was a different type of ignorance at play.
why did this blow up (and eventually got him sacked) - the "oompa loompa" / skin colour aspect, not the vanity bit
trying to pretend otherwise is .... at best ..... disingenuous
I don't know where you are getting this from. It's blown up, of course, because Smith is mixed race and I'm not suggesting otherwise. I'm merely saying that Francis, in my opinion, was commenting purely on the vanity aspect, in ignorance of Smith's background.
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