Mike Babcock called out Devin Setoguchi for perceived diving. The exact quote:
"It’s a penalty, but don’t dive and embellish it. If you’re from Western Canada, don’t do that."
Translation? "I expect that kind of pussy play from womanly European players, like Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, but you're from Western Canada! You're better then these assholes over here!"
Look, I know there is a history of European hockey players flopping a little bit more or whatever, but this comment is kind of out-of-line. It's weird because he's showing that he has a POSITIVE stereotype about Western Canadian players that Setoguchi isn't living up to, but the quote also implies that he thinks negatively about Eastern Canadian, European, American, and South African hockey players.
He may try to explain it away, but it's clear. Imagine a situation where somebody told you the following:
"Don't be so lazy, you're (INSERT RACE OR NATIONAL ORIGIN HERE). We're not like that."
Sure it's intended as a positive motivation, but it carries with it an insult to everyone else that isn't part of that highlighted non-lazy group.
In conclusion, Mike Babcock is not technically as bad as the KKK, but it's a photo finish.
For shame, Babcock.
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