But no, that's not the story.
The NHL called the act of tossing a banana at Wayne Simmonds of the Flyers "stupid and ignorant". The toss happened as Simmonds was taking a shootout shot during an exhibition game against the Detroit Red Wings. The game was being played in London, Ontario (not England).
Oh, and Simmonds is black.
The banana toss is being attributed to a racial hate act.
"We have millions of great fans who show tremendous respect for our players and for the game," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement Friday. "The obviously stupid and ignorant action by one individual is in no way representative of our fans or the people of London, Ontario."
"It shocked me and I knew I had to keep going and get a shot off," said Simmonds, who is from Toronto. "It was certainly unusual."
"I don't know if it had anything to do with the fact I'm black," he added. "I certainly hope not. When you're black, you kind of expect (racist) things. You learn to deal with it."
Norton Sports, a California sports management group that does not manage Simmonds, offered a $500 reward for the identity of the banana thrower. The Twitter offer quickly drew others promising to add to the reward.
Kevin Weekes, a former NHL goaltender and current CBC commentator who is black, expressed his disgust on Twitter.
"For those that asked: I'm extremely disappointed with what happened to Wayne Simmonds tonight in London Ont," he posted. "We've taken HUGE steps to grow the game of hockey,as I speak Willie O'Ree and I are in D.C attending the Black Congressional Caucus on behalf of the NHL & ironically this takes place."
San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture, who grew up near London, posted: "Wayne Simmonds is a good friend of mine. To hear what happened tonight to him in my hometown is awful. No need for this in sports, or life."
I'm generally not so quick to cry racism, but this does appear to be a racist act.
Normally (and with this very article) my immediate assumption is that no racism has happened. I feel many people use the racist card to further their own agendas (cough, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, cough). It's an easy card to pull too. All it takes is a victim of another race than the perpitrator.
It's sad too. I can't be the only person that kinda rolls their eyes when they see one of those "preachers" on TV talking about racism. They use the word so much that it has lost its sting. Don't get me wrong, racism is bad, horrible, ignorant, and the rest; but not every incident is racist and calling so many things racists lowers my sense of caring when I hear the word to the point I assume it probably isn't. It's the guys who cried wolf. Now, I don't listen for the most part.
But this case is different.
First of all, you don't have any of the normal wolf-cryers speaking up on the issue. You also have the NHL Commissioner and several former and current players remarking about it. I don't think they would have really said anything if, say, a beer or something were tossed on the ice in Simmonds direction, especially given the circumstance.
This took place with the Flyers as the away team in a heavy Red Wing fan area. And the Red Wings were up 3-2 with less than a minute to go in the third and final period when Simmonds scored the game tying goal sending it to the overtime and eventually the shootout. So, there was some hate being felt towards Simmonds on a purely hockey side. While throwing things on the ice at players is extrodinarily rare, it is somewhat understandable given the circumstance.
What is not understandable is a banana unless it is for symbolic reasons. The John Labatt Centre (where the game was played) does not have bananas available as a concession option. So the fan had to bring it to the game.
Now, take a look at when it happened. The shootout. That's a long time to hold on to a banana if you brought it in intending to eat it. If you still have a banana at the end of the game, I'm betting you had other plans.
Granted, the thrower didn't know that it would reach a shootout and he would have the "ideal" way to send a message, but they may have just wanted to wait till the end of the game to toss, thinking that would still send the message. But the opportunity presented itself, so they couldn't pass it up.
Again, to toss that item at that player just seems too coincidental not to be premeditated. And if you're premeditating an object to toss, why a banana? It certainly has racist tones that one should pick up on in the decision making process. And to direct it at that player means there must be some correlation between the item tossed and the player. If he had waited until the end of the game and tossed it on the ice, some may have seen it as a symbol towards the Flyers as a whole (and who knows what that could have meant), and that didn't drive the point home for the tosser. Or he may have wanted to run down and throw it directly at Simmonds as he came off the ice. Or maybe if he had been one of the three stars of the game.
No. I think those would have been last resort options. And they weren't needed because of the shootout. The thrower had all game to toss the banana if he had wanted to make a statement about the Flyers. And with the game less than a minute from being over (as far as anyone could tell), he missed his chance unless he was going the post-game toss route.
But to time it then and there with that object to that player is a prethoughout action. And the only logical conclusion is racism, in my opinion.
If they had a different message (like Simmonds doesn't get enough potassium, or he's a clutz, or hope you get traded to Nashville where they wear yellow jerseys just like this banana), then the tosser is an incredible idiot and should have choosen something with less racial overtones.
Wow, that was a lengthy way to say that I agree, it appears racist. Sorry. Rereading it, I'm not sure it even makes sense. But you get my point.
BTW, Simmonds still scored on the shootout attempt when the banana was tossed.
TTFN
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