Brady under fire for calling Josh a "spaz" on Sunday's broadcast...

[CincyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

No, from the chat in the GDT and the SB I get it, it doesn't have the same baggage in the US as it does in the UK. But you have to remember the NFL is beamed round the world now. To anyone watching on Sunday night on this side of the pond that word was a "wow did he just say THAT?" moment and so the fact it has caused some fire I don't think is surprising. I'm sure Tom wasn't intending to offend anybody, probably didn't even realise the word has different cultural meanings in other places. 

 

Interestingly I used a term on this forum recently, that is perfectly harmless in the UK and a long standing member PM'd me and alerted me to a cultural sensitivity it has in the US. I was grateful to them for doing so. 

Again, setting a very high bar for which words offend is the way to go.  Context in these situations is everything.  

[Pecos Bills]

19 minutes ago, Pasaluki said:

Oh come on. 

 

He should have been aware not to call someone a nimrod because the descendant of Babylon object....

Just because you guys aren't aware of the term's negative impact to people even here in America, doesn't mean it isn't offensive to anyone: I certainly am aware that people have been perturbed by the term (there's articles from way back in 2006 about Tiger Woods apologizing for using it about himself).

 

A person going into a national broadcasting role should know how words are going to be perceived by the public broadly.  Even as just slang, it sounds dumb and unprofessional coming from a #1 broadcasting team.

 

On a related note, enjoy this classic SNL sketch, "Geek, Dweeb, or Spazz" 

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhl09y

 

Edited 19 hours ago by Pecos Bills

[GunnerBill]

Just now, CincyBillsFan said:

Again, setting a very high bar for which words offend is the way to go.  Context in these situations is everything.  

 

I agree with the context part. It's pretty clear that Tom did not mean it to be offensive. I don't have a particularly high bar for offensive words when the intention behind them is to offend, particularly vulnerable groups.

[K D]

I'm waiting for the news to tell me if I should be offended or not. Please standby

[Goin Breakdown]

This is new to me. I always thought it meant. Going nuts, Hyper, and so on. 

[Herc11]

48 minutes ago, Gunvald's Husse said:

How about not ones that mock people with disabilities and diseases such as Cerebral Palsy or Multiple Sclerosis?

 

Spaz is short for Spastic (in the UK at least) as, as @GunnerBill said, is a definite no-no on this side of the pond (now, at least. When I was at school back in the middle ages, it was, unfortunately, much used)

 

It's almost like different cultures have different views on word usage. Come on over to the US and ask someone for a *****. 🤣 Well I guess the forum censorship helped prove my point. I used the word you guys use for a cigarette.

Edited 19 hours ago by Herc11

[teef]

i'm just glad most people are getting comfortable with my nudity.

[GunnerBill]

45 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Aren’t cigarettes called fags in the UK?

 

Do you know what that term means in the US?

 

It means that in the UK too. It's normally pretty clear which version of the word someone is using. 

[CincyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I agree with the context part. It's pretty clear that Tom did not mean it to be offensive. I don't have a particularly high bar for offensive words when the intention behind them is to offend, particularly vulnerable groups.

I have a very high bar even for words intended to offend.  Whether the groups are "vulnerable" or not is irrelevant to me as long as they're adults.

 

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree when it comes to the concept of free speech.

 

 

[US Egg]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

“If Brady steps foot in England, hold him down and burn him with fags!”

Damn! There's no comeback for that.

 

1 hour ago, GottaRun said:

On the other hand I can visit the UK and call you a cu** in public without most people batting an eye lid,

Was in a museum in The London Tower, English bloke was loudly C-Bombing the U.S. over a display trying to wrankle me. I'm thinking stay classy chap.

Edited 18 hours ago by US Egg

[Royale with Cheese]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It means that in the UK too. It's normally pretty clear which version of the word someone is using. 

 

Same thing for the word spaz.

[Pasaluki]

14 minutes ago, Cray51 said:

If the NFL wants to be a global sport (and break into the UK market in a meaningful way) then I understand why he is being critiqued let's say.

 

 

That's true but the weird thing is the NFL has absolutely no need to do that outside of greed. I want the NFL to be accessible to the world but not be OF the world if that makes sense. The NBA sold its soul to get the Chinese market. You worry that the game would culturally devolve if it keeps making all of these commitments to other countries.

 

Stylistically I think Germany is the European country that I think deserves more investment in if any because NFL Europe was completely carried by Germany and they developed a real appreciation/enthusiasm for the game.  

 

It has gotten better but the games in England appeared to be more novelties for the populace like an LA Rams or Chargers game. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Context as others say is everything. 

 

A person with mental disabilities is never called ######ed anymore though it was commonly used in the past. 

 

However calling an idea or a proposal ######ed is perfectly reasonable today. 

[JohnBonhamRocks]

TIL

[CincyBillsFan]

Just now, Pasaluki said:

 

That's true but the weird thing is the NFL has absolutely no need to do that outside of greed. I want the NFL to be accessible to the world but not be OF the world if that makes sense.

 

It makes perfect sense. 

 

Various European soccer league games are broadcast in the US and the last thing I would expect is for them to change what they do for a US audience. 

 

And for the record, before Goodell and the Billionaires boys club set out to squeeze every dime out of the world they should focus on fixing the awful officiating that we're seeing at NFL games. 

[MattM]

I was not aware of the derogatory nature of the term in the UK—it sounds like it’s akin there to “R” word here, a word that immediately tells me the speaker using it is a jerk. 
 

I grew up in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s—back then it was slightly derogatory, but not offensively so.

 

All that said, Brady has actually done lots and lots of charity work for years with the mentally and physically handicapped (it’s one of the few things I’ve admired him for) and I’m sure meant nothing derogatory by it. He’d probably be mortified that it could be taken this way.
 

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little having to defend Tom Brady…..

Edited 19 hours ago by MattM

[Nephilim17]

If people are upset, apologize, don't do it again, and move on.

Saying something wrong with ignorance is not right but not the same as saying something wrong with intention.

[ScotSHO]

I was more offended about the wet ball talk.  Pearls were clutched.

 

But the PC devil on my shoulder did say "you can't say that" when we heard the spaz comment.  Yes, I have multiple personalities but mostly depicted by the angel & devil on each shoulder Tom & Jerry style.

 

Shoot - I think I offended someone by referencing T & J now.

 

Darn it - I think I offended someone by saying "shoot".

[The 9 Isles]

1 hour ago, ToGoGo said:

Haha that’s the game. 
 

It’s not about keeping people happy, it’s about keeping you on eggshells. 

Exactly, f——- em’

[MJS]

I applaud Brady for using the term. What bravery.