Colorado Rockies Readdress ‘N-Word’ Nontroversy, Leave Something Rather Important Out

We reported Monday on the embarrassing rush to judgment involving the Colorado Rockies, Major League Baseball, as well as a number of sports “journalists”, columnists, commentators, etc. over an incident involving what was initially described as a fan using the “n-word” during the Sunday game between the Rockies and the Florida Marlins, which was played at Coors Field in Denver.

To recap: While it’s unclear who first made the accusation, USA Today MLB sports columnist Bob Nightengale helped lead the charge to get the fan all but castrated for what was allegedly uttered:

And put him in jail without the right to ever attend a sporting event, let alone anything else. https://t.co/cZIXfGgQK5

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 9, 2021

The Rockies, too, were quick to condemn what was originally said to have happened without reviewing the incident first, as was the Major League Baseball Players Association:

A statement from the Colorado Rockies regarding the racial slur incident at the end of today's game: pic.twitter.com/85uN3f1pFZ

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 9, 2021

The problem with all the knee-jerk reactions, as Bonchie noted in his write-up, is that the fan did not say the “n-word” at all. He was calling out for “Dinger,” which is the name of the Rockies’ mascot. The review the Rockies conducted into the matter (which included hearing from nearby fans) confirmed this is what the man in question was actually saying as Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson, who is black, was up to bat:

It sounds like the fellow in Denver may have been yelling “Dinger,” not what folks originally heard, at least to many who listen. MLB has been looking into it but so far no one nearby said they heard a racial epithet. So that may actually be positive news. https://t.co/VQyQYp7hg3

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 9, 2021

The Rockies have confirmed the man was yelling at Dinger, the team mascot. We really need the Curb music with this. pic.twitter.com/jrSreQE3tr

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 9, 2021

Remarkably, after all the investigations and Zaprudering of the video and audio confirmed the fan – who is now probably on the receiving end of doxxing efforts and death threats – wasn’t using a racial slur, this was the Rockies’ official follow-up response:

An update from the Colorado Rockies regarding the incident at the end of yesterday's game: pic.twitter.com/4cCS8peKnU

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 9, 2021

Notice anything missing? The words “we’re sorry” or “we apologize.” They did retweet this from an MLB reporter, who said that “apologies come from the club,” but nowhere in any official statement did the team actually say they were sorry for being quick to jump to conclusions:

I have talked to the #Rockies, who investigated the incident, tracked the fan, talked to #Markins Lewis Brinson. And as many of you and #9NEWS has reported, the fan was yelling for mascot "Dinger." Apologies come from the club, which also thought it hears the insult. And from…

— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) August 9, 2021

Local reporter Steve Staeger said the fan, who he spoke to, was “devastated” that so many people believed he said the “n-word” and was now “nervous about what happens next.”

Clearly, the man is concerned for his safety and that of his family after social media mobs including a Major League Baseball team and the league itself rushed to condemn him without first knowing the facts. Would it have really been so hard for the Rockies to say they were sorry?

Further, wouldn’t it have been smarter, wiser for them to treat the initial reporting as though it was an allegation to be looked into rather than immediately assuming it was true and running to the Twitter machine to engage in some self-righteous virtue signaling?

An apology, quite frankly, is the least they can offer this guy. If he does end up getting doxxed (because there are plenty of people who aren’t buying that he was calling out for Dinger), it wouldn’t surprise me if he files a lawsuit, as he should. So many supposed “adults” handled this situation very badly, but the worst offenders of the bunch, IMO, were the Rockies.