When you imply Tim Thomas is a racist on Twitter, people are going to get upset

Jason Brough

Jan 26, 2012, 1:46 PM EDT

48 Comments

TSN host and reporter Dave Hodge stirred up some controversy Monday with a tweet that tacitly linked Boston goalie Tim Thomas to the Ku Klux Klan. Which 100 out of 100 times is bound to happen.

Hodge’s tweet, you’ve no doubt figured out for yourself, came after Thomas declined an invitation to the White House to protest what he believes is an “out of control” federal government.

Of course, the anti-big government message is the same one that’s promoted by the Tea Party, which has frequently been accused of racism.

Hodge addressed the issue Tuesday, once again taking to Twitter: “To clarify, yesterday’s tweet was simply a satirical, tongue-in-cheek observation meant to be humourous and not intended to be offensive.”

Because, hey, who would be offended by something as harmless as implying a guy was such a staunch bigot that he named his kids after the most notorious racist organization in American history?

The Globe and Mail’s Bruce Dowbiggin dug into this topic for today’s column, reaching out to TSN president Stewart Johnston for a comment.

“Just to be clear, yesterday we corroborated Dave’s follow-up tweets that clarified his intention was not to offend, and be humorous,” Johnston told the Globe in an e-mail. “While I believe 100% in the sincerity of Dave’s intent, I also believe the tweet was in poor taste. We have discussed the matter at length with Dave. Beyond that, this is an internal matter and will be dealt with as such.”

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48 Comments (Feed for Comments)

buffalomafia - Jan 26, 2012 at 1:53 PM

What does someones race have to do with hockey?
vshehane - Jan 26, 2012 at 1:55 PM

What a a total idiot you are, Dave Hoge.
finfan88shark - Jan 26, 2012 at 1:59 PM

Why would the guy be a racist? Because he disagrees with the government? Where does race come in? Like someone else mentioned in a previous posting, you can bet top dollar that if George Bush was in the White House and this happened, every media outlet in the USA would be calling Thomas a Hero. What hypocrites.
- jpelle82 - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:17 PM
  
  if you disagree with anything obama related, you are racist…get with the program…typical left lunacy….duh
solador78 - Jan 26, 2012 at 2:07 PM

Tim Thomas would rather have dinner with Glen Beck, whose following “anti-racist” message is pretty clear:

“Obama has repeatedly shown a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture.”
- drewsylvania - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:30 PM
  
  Yes, because we all agree with 100% of what we watch.
- drewsylvania - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:32 PM
  
  Look, it definitely looks bad that he watches Glenn Beck. But saying that he hates blacks because he watches Glenn Beck? There’s a jump there.
  - solador78 - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:42 PM
    
    It definitely looks bad when Pete Townsend watches kids on the internet. But saying that he’s a pedophile… well, that’s not much of a jump at all.
    
    Glen Beck = porn for Tea Baggers.
ruddigervancity - Jan 26, 2012 at 2:10 PM

If you assign numerical values to the letters D-A-V-E and divide them by the numerical values in H-O-D-G-E, you end up with 9 / 11. Just saying….
- hockinj25 - Jan 26, 2012 at 5:36 PM
  
  no it doesn’t
stebutt - Jan 26, 2012 at 2:12 PM

Although it is surely true to say that giving your 3 children names that start with the same letter, whichever letter you choose, is just totally lame and unimaginitive.
- solador78 - Jan 26, 2012 at 2:31 PM
  
  You mean like Timmy’s initials: TJ-TJ?
  - Ralphie - Jan 26, 2012 at 2:44 PM
    
    No, like your initials: DB
  - solador78 - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:28 PM
    
    Lolz… go back to sleep…
- drewsylvania - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:34 PM
  
  Could be worse. He could be George Foreman.
obamablowz - Jan 26, 2012 at 2:16 PM

Right, because racism is funny right? Idiot, I dislike obama for his stance on politics, not his race. Complete idiot and should be sued for posting such a terrible thing about another person.
- hockinj25 - Jan 26, 2012 at 5:40 PM
  
  sued for something he put on twitter. you are an idiot
creasemasta41 - Jan 26, 2012 at 2:26 PM

God enough with Thomas. You’re beating a dead horse. A man stands up and states what he believes in and he gets vilified. Not only as a racist but a bad teammate and everything inbetween. Lets hear more VALID stories about hockey instead of this load of shit
- bigkniht37 - Jan 26, 2012 at 4:45 PM
  
  The dead horse has been beaten, over and over. Jason Brough just has nothing better to do than post about the bruins and what goons and horrible people they are. Thomas stood up for what he believed in and got crucified, GET OVER IT. let’s get some real hockey stories on here, this site is turning into espn with all this speculation and trying to investigate player’s opinions and lives.
cowboys282 - Jan 26, 2012 at 2:43 PM

It’s amazing the double standard that exists.

If Dave Hodge tweeted something racist about someone he would be fired.

But tweeting something accusing someone with no proof to be a racist is alright?

Being racist and falsely accusing someone to be a racist are both just as hurtful. If you get fired or suspended for one then the same should go for the other.
stangz11 - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:12 PM

“To clarify, yesterday’s tweet was simply a satirical, tongue-in-cheek observation meant to be humourous and not intended to be offensive.”

Give me a freaking break. What the hell did you assume people were going to think when you wrote that? It’s such a shame that in today’s America the first amendment no longer applies. Every time you speak up for yourself and what you believe you’re automatically one of the following:

A racist
A bigot
A “retard”

If he doesn’t lose his job over this then I don’t know what’s wrong with TSN. Accusing him of being racist was bad enough, but bringing the KKK into it? And then saying it’s not “offensive”, but “humorous”? Please.
bcisleman - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:27 PM

Interesting. Tim’s defenders were all spouting off about HIS right to express his views. Apparently Dave Hodge doesn’t have the same rights.
- pens919209 - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:37 PM
  
  It’s one thing to state your opinion. It’s another to make a low-brow joke by dragging someone’s kids into it. People can praise or hate Tim Thomas all they want, but no one needs to mention his kids.
  
  Pretty classless move on Hodge’s part.
  - bcisleman - Jan 27, 2012 at 12:12 AM
    
    You’re worried because Hodge mentioned Thomas’ kids names?! Thomas’ hero Beck has repeatedly and brutally mocked Sasha and Malia Obama ON THE AIR!!! Haven’t heard Thomas shoot his yap off about that so I assume he approves. In any event, Thomas not going to the WH was pretty classless IMHO.
- drewsylvania - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:40 PM
  
  Hodge’s insinuation is specifically damaging to Thomas’ reputation. He has the right to say it, but we also have the right to tell him what we think of him for saying it.
  - solador78 - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:44 PM
    
    Does that look like a rash to you??
    
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EzRAgj1gg5c/TX0wB8NLT1I/AAAAAAAABmI/LL72C4va-Js/s1600/thomas1.jpg
  - drewsylvania - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:46 PM
    
    Bad shaving job?
  - solador78 - Jan 26, 2012 at 4:30 PM
    
    It matches his white hat.
  - bcisleman - Jan 27, 2012 at 12:13 AM
    
    Thomas’ behavior has damaged his rep far more than anything Hodge tweeted.
iluvwikileaks - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:39 PM

I’ll say it. Thomas, like the Tea Party, is a racist. And, he hates his country. I’ve challenged this coward to a street fight numberous times on this board and haven’t heard back once from this piece of white trash.
- drewsylvania - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:41 PM
  
  Do you really think he gives a fuck who you are? Or even pays attention to this site?
  
  Get over yourself.
  - iluvwikileaks - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:45 PM
    
    He’s afraid of me. He’s a wimp.
  - bigtganks - Jan 26, 2012 at 4:22 PM
    
    LOL, touché Drew. As if Thomas really reads this site and if he did, takes a keyboard warrior up on a fight.
    
    iluvwikileaks – if you wanna fight him, go to B’s game, hop on the ice, and have at him. LOL
  - bigtganks - Jan 26, 2012 at 4:26 PM
    
    btw, first ever THUMBS UP by me on one of your posts Drew. Wonders will never cease. First this, now what? Chara picking the Sedin’s tonight? lol
fcs34 - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:47 PM

He named his girls that so he could remember their names. He is a goalie after all.
drewsylvania - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:48 PM

You have the right, within certain legal limits (such as criminal threatening), to say whatever you like. Doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to say it, though.
charlutes - Jan 26, 2012 at 3:55 PM

Congrats Hodge…you have no filter, well done…..idiot.
tmjm621 - Jan 26, 2012 at 4:00 PM

I wudnt be the least bit surprised if he was racist. Hes from some hick ass town in east bumfuck, i grew in places like that and thats exactly what the people are like. They swing around the confederate flag, declare themselves rednecks, and go after the minorities in their towns. Im hispanic and thats exactly what its like. Tim thomas is prolly jus another faggot ass hillbilly. Deny it all you want and whine about bringing race in but if its true its true.
- hockinj25 - Jan 26, 2012 at 5:42 PM
  
  He’s from Flint, Michigan. Definitely not a hillbilly town. And they actually teach spelling and grammar there
pchow - Jan 26, 2012 at 4:34 PM

Get over it. I read it, laughed, and moved on. People make jokes every day. Let’s start condemning every comedian to ever make a racist/colour joke about any athlete (not to say Hodge is a comedian, but it was a JOKE). Get off your high horses, you’re just as bad as Hodge for taking it so personally.
blkeskimo1785 - Jan 26, 2012 at 6:56 PM

Can we PLEASE stop with these Tim Thomas articles? For shit’s sake. He’s an American and he exercised his right to be an American. End of story.
surly1n1nd1anapol1s - Jan 26, 2012 at 7:55 PM

I don’t recall this obsession from the bloggers at Hardball Talk when Ozzie Guillen refused a visit to the Bush White House.

And I believe this blogger is claiming that Tea Party members are racist?
cliverush - Jan 26, 2012 at 9:16 PM

What a shame that the media of today has become so brainwashed and never take the time to report in an objective manner. It is destroying the ability of the next generation to put life affairs into true perspective. The truth is not allowed in a PC community. This tweet stuff is going to continue to get people in trouble.
xphase - Jan 26, 2012 at 10:01 PM

Boo whoo Tim Thomas dissed the commy, figures the entire liberal media would spaz out for Thomas snubbing their boy. aka big miserable failure as a president.
blomfeld - Jan 26, 2012 at 10:28 PM

ANYONE WHO HATES OBAMA HATES BOTH WHITE & BLACK PEOPLE !

The last time I checked, Barack Obama was racially 50% Caucasian and 50% African. He’s therefore neither a black man or a white man. Rather he’s “both” and as such he’s the perfect answer for all of this racist garbage, which continues to still be an issue today. Regardless, anyone can see that Tim Thomas’s beef is the spiraling US deficit, not race relations .. and in that vane, he does have a point. The current “accepted” formula of spending more than you make is simply not sustainable. Probably sooner now than later, the wheels “will” come off the tracks and we all know that. Yet it’s not just the US government who is guilty of this behavior. Individuals, corporations and governments everywhere, are all guilty of this same mindless spending.
- imleftcoast - Jan 27, 2012 at 5:32 PM
  
  Your mama loves Obama.
lionsmark09 - Jan 27, 2012 at 7:09 PM

I wish I could say whatever I want and just say “I was kidding”. This guys was out of line.
lordstanley716 - Jan 29, 2012 at 8:31 AM

I’d say this guy needs to go. Old men bringing up this garbage is absolutely bonkers!!!

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