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big rons sovereign

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It's a reference to his hair type, I don't see spongeheaded is different from calling nappyheaded or something like that.

I'll get someone coming in here and saying "what about gingers?" or something I expect.
Everybody knows gingers have no soul. Ed shearan is living proof of that.
 

renandstimpyfan83

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Agree completely. It's reference to his hair. Bastard kids in my secondary school would use the same and similar to refer black kids who had afros. Some teachers would make reference to their hair in derogatory fashion too.
Fair enough, I wouldn’t have made the connection at all. My immediate thought was that “sponge head” was basically calling him soft in the head.

Weird that neither Robbie or Ty seemed to react to it then.
 

Inigo Montoya

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Fair enough, I wouldn’t have made the connection at all. My immediate thought was that “sponge head” was basically calling him soft in the head.

Weird that neither Robbie or Ty seemed to react to it then.
Fans like this are part of a collective; the group mentality kicks in. When you’re in there you let a lot more go than you should. I’ve been in that environment where casual racism is tolerated.

I find it hypocritical of Robbie to bare his soul on National tv talking about racism in football while letting it go on his channel. Hey but it’s banter innit?
 

Tragically Hip

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Lee Judges needs to be promoted to the front row beside DT. Also, hasn't Claude served his (imposed) penance; this season is designed for that man.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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Fans like this are part of a collective; the group mentality kicks in. When you’re in there you let a lot more go than you should. I’ve been in that environment where casual racism is tolerated.

I find it hypocritical of Robbie to bare his soul on National tv talking about racism in football while letting it go on his channel. Hey but it’s banter innit?
At least I am not alone, well said.
 

Fridge chutney

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Yes, that's what you're doing. These "rules of engagement" you're trying to impose are rules that are normally reserved for the mentally handicapped and the like, the people you shouldn't make fun of or comment on. To put non-whites in the same category is first and foremost deeply racist. Secondly, it's disingenuous, because it's only meant to make yourself look good (which btw it doesn't). Anyone who can't be made fun of, or whose appearance can't be the target of banter, isn't really a full-worthy member of society. You haven't thought this through at all. I get that you don't like DT (who does?), but you're watering out the term "racism" here only to have a go and make ourself look good.
This is nonsense. Making fun of someone's characteristics that are racial in nature is questionable at best, and racist at worst. It's very shaky ground.

@InLevyITrust was absolutely right to voice his/her opinion on it and question it.
 

Sandikan

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Somebody's got a have to explain how calling somebody spongeheaded is racist. Would it be racist if Willian called the toothy one a bald cnut?
All races can go bald.
Not all races tend to have afros!

Sponge head = afro hair in DT's eyes.

A strange insult and probably one anyone with sense would steer well clear from.
 

Sandikan

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DT is a complete bellend for sure, but there is nothing racist about that remark. People need to stop acting as if anyone who isn't white needs to be treated as if they're mentally handicapped. It's ridiculous, disingenuous and pretty darn racist in itself.
You've got to be a firm contender for stupidist post of 2020 with this utter garbage.
 

big rons sovereign

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All races can go bald.
Not all races tend to have afros!

Sponge head = afro hair in DT's eyes.

A strange insult and probably one anyone with sense would steer well clear from.
I'm white and my hair is borderline afro.
Honestly, this is a mountain from a molehill.
How about fellaini? His hair was commented on plenty, never once pointed to as racist.
It's merely a throw away comment on his choice of hairstyle rather than ethnicity.
Willian is a man with a shit afro who just happens to be black.
Any situation in everyday life can be twisted into a racial issue.
 

Sandikan

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I'm white and my hair is borderline afro.
Honestly, this is a mountain from a molehill.
How about fellaini? His hair was commented on plenty, never once pointed to as racist.
It's merely a throw away comment on his choice of hairstyle rather than ethnicity.
Willian is a man with a shit afro who just happens to be black.
Any situation in everyday life can be twisted into a racial issue.
You know Fellaini has African descent don't you?
And his hair wasn't referred to in a derogatory way. It was complimented on as unique.

But these days I bet very few would dare comment on the hair anyway. There's been sweeping changes pal. I don't know if you've noticed.
Go and call someone "sponge head" at work an see what happens if you doubt it.

Don't get me wrong - i'm not particularly bothered - but a whole lot of this racism stuff is white people telling non whites what they shouldn't be offended by.
 

InfiniteBoredom

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And his hair wasn't referred to in a derogatory way. It was complimented on as unique.
‘Toilet brush’ didn’t sound particularly complimentary.

Could there be some sort of subconscious negative bias there about the hairstyle and the racial descent it’s most often associated with? Sure. But I’d posit that it’s more likely that when you want to vent your dislike of someone, your mind instantly focus on their most striking physical feature e.g ‘bald cnut’, ‘ginger cnut’, ‘toothy cnut’, ‘fat cnut’, ‘slab-headed cnut’, all frequently used on this forum.
 

Sandikan

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‘Toilet brush’ didn’t sound particularly complimentary.

Could there be some sort of subconscious negative bias there about the hairstyle and the racial descent it’s most often associated with? Sure. But I’d posit that it’s more likely that when you want to vent your dislike of someone, your mind instantly focus on their most striking physical feature e.g ‘bald cnut’, ‘ginger cnut’, ‘toothy cnut’, ‘fat cnut’, ‘slab-headed cnut’, all frequently used on this forum.
The easiest failsafe is not to abuse anyone.
Support your own team :)
 

TheMagicFoolBus

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Genuine question, is sponge-headed a reference to hair? I assumed it was a reference to having lots of holes in your brain, a la Creutzfeldt–Jakob / mad cow disease.
 

InfiniteBoredom

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The easiest failsafe is not to abuse anyone.
Support your own team :)
Yes, but it isn’t what is being discussed. We can all agree that DT is a petulant man child and a plonker of the highest order, but to condemn him as a racist for referring to Willian as sponge head in the heat of the moment is IMO reactionary. Troopz did the same on his post match interview calling him a walking bush.
 

big rons sovereign

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You know Fellaini has African descent don't you?
And his hair wasn't referred to in a derogatory way. It was complimented on as unique.

But these days I bet very few would dare comment on the hair anyway. There's been sweeping changes pal. I don't know if you've noticed.
Go and call someone "sponge head" at work an see what happens if you doubt it.

Don't get me wrong - i'm not particularly bothered - but a whole lot of this racism stuff is white people telling non whites what they shouldn't be offended by.
Seems to me the one acting most offended is a spurs fan about an arsenal fan. I don't think for a second that DT, as much of a colossal bellend he is, was making a racial slur towards Willian. Just saying the first thing that came to mind, his hair.
It would probably explain why neither of the black people took offence to it.
Of course I realise fellaini is of African descent, and plenty derogatory was said about his hair.
 

Sandikan

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Yes, but it isn’t what is being discussed. We can all agree that DT is a petulant man child and a plonker of the highest order, but to condemn him as a racist for referring to Willian as sponge head in the heat of the moment is IMO reactionary. Troopz did the same on his post match interview calling him a walking bush.
Troopz got away with saying Kane got away with stuff cos he's white without even a whisper of any comeback.
 

Sandikan

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Seems to me the one acting most offended is a spurs fan about an arsenal fan. I don't think for a second that DT, as much of a colossal bellend he is, was making a racial slur towards Willian. Just saying the first thing that came to mind, his hair.
It would probably explain why neither of the black people took offence to it.
Of course I realise fellaini is of African descent, and plenty derogatory was said about his hair.
Yep there's a difference between being racist and saying something that can be construed as racist.
I think most people are capable of the second - but luckily most aren't the former!

The whole format is a minefield.

Anger - like booze takes you out of your control. When you're out of control you're prone to reckless stuff.
It's surprising they've not got into more crap than they have so far.
 

paulscholes18

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Troopz got away with saying Kane got away with stuff cos he's white without even a whisper of any comeback.
TBF to Robbie he did talk to people at kick it about that Troopz comment, rightly or wrongly they gave the comment the all clear
 

InfiniteBoredom

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Troopz got away with saying Kane got away with stuff cos he's white without even a whisper of any comeback.
Yes, it was a much dodgier instance and probably qualifies as racist, but unless you are saying that Troopz is racist about his own race, I don’t see how him jabbing at Willian’s hairstyle is racist.

Now just to make myself clear, I don’t doubt that there are people of African descent with Afro hair who have suffered discrimination and have that characteristic about them made fun of in order to hurt them. That’s not on. However, context is important in determining what is and isn’t racist, and in this specific case I don’t see DT, or Troopz’s comment for that matter, as racially motivated.
 

Sandikan

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Yes, it was a much dodgier instance and probably qualifies as racist, but unless you are saying that Troopz is racist about his own race, I don’t see how him jabbing at Willian’s hairstyle is racist.

Now just to make myself clear, I don’t doubt that there are people of African descent with Afro hair who have suffered discrimination and have that characteristic about them made fun of in order to hurt them. That’s not on. However, context is important in determining what is and isn’t racist, and in this specific case I don’t see DT, or Troopz’s comment for that matter, as racially motivated.
There's racist comments and being racist. Two things that can be separate.
You wouldn't focus on other stereotype racial features so commenting on an afro in derogatory language just isn't allowed these days.

You mention about context and that explains why Troopz can use such a phrase and a white man can't really.
 

Tyrion

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Lee Judges needs to be promoted to the front row beside DT. Also, hasn't Claude served his (imposed) penance; this season is designed for that man.
Every time I think they've burnt out their main ranter, they produce another. First Claude and Ty, then Troopz and DT and now Judges and 'White Yardie' (I think that's what he's called). They're like the All Blacks of football rants; they just keep producing greats and building the squad depth.

That said, I don't get why Claude has been kept off. Most of what they say is incredibly vitriolic.

:eek:
Really?
Damn, did not know that. Now, my life makes sense to me.
Haven't you noticed that automatic doors don't open for you?
 

Chief123

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Ty simply isn't capable of criticizing anything about Arsenal. His brain is wired to blame anything and everything else possible before saying anything negative about the team he loves.
His best one about the Everton game was that it was excusable because it was raining, so it was difficult game :lol:
 

Tarrou

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I reckon a lot of these lads only started supporting Arsenal because they were great twenty years ago, and got stuck supporting them

probably grew up supporting other local teams and jumped ship when Arsenal were cool

their entire relationship as a fan is built around them being successful, but they've been shit for 15 years and it's melted their little pea-brains

you can see it in some of our fans too, it's an unhealthy way to support a club
 

MayosNoun

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The worse Arsenal become, the more views these guys receive. They will make an absolute fortune personally on views alone if Arsenal are anywhere near a relegation battle.
 

Loon

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I reckon a lot of these lads only started supporting Arsenal because they were great twenty years ago, and got stuck supporting them

probably grew up supporting other local teams and jumped ship when Arsenal were cool

their entire relationship as a fan is built around them being successful, but they've been shit for 15 years and it's melted their little pea-brains

you can see it in some of our fans too, it's an unhealthy way to support a club
As much as I dislike him, that's not the case with Luton (I love the way Arse fans qualify Luton as a reason to support them because Arse train(ed) there) lad DT. He was talking about remembering his father and the Terry Neill sacking (which I also remember as we beat them on the way to two cup finals.), so he has been an Arsenal fan before Wenger.
 

sglowrider

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I reckon a lot of these lads only started supporting Arsenal because they were great twenty years ago, and got stuck supporting them probably grew up supporting other local teams and jumped ship when Arsenal were cool
their entire relationship as a fan is built around them being successful, but they've been shit for 15 years and it's melted their little pea-brains
you can see it in some of our fans too, it's an unhealthy way to support a club
100% I hate the phrase that United fans use -- We are United. We expect better. We have let our standards drop!

They don't realise that United really should be seen as a phoenix that has risen from the ashes and this is dependent on how old you are or a big cup side. Or the Fergie era fans.

I have seen United as a cup side for a long time until our recent successes. So there is no sense of entitlement or expectation in where I need to see United should be. And having seen the Fergie re-building process when he got many things wrong including wasted financial resources on crap transfers.... Birtles I see you.
 
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Loon

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100% I hate the phrase that United fans use -- We are United. We expect better. We have let our standards drop!

They don't realise that United really should be seen as a phoenix that has risen from the ashes and this is dependent on how old you are or a big cup side. Or the Fergie era fans.

I have seen United as a cup side for a long time until our recent successes. So there is no sense of entitlement or expectation in where I need to see United should be. And having seen the Fergie re-building process when he got many things wrong including wasted financial resources on crap transfers.... Birtles I see you.
Birtles was a Sexton-era signing, but Fergie bought some tutt.
 

sglowrider

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Birtles was a Sexton-era signing, but Fergie bought some tutt.
My bad. Things are starting to blur a bit!

I am still shell shocked and trying to get over the Trevor Francis £1M transfer, thinking back then... who the hell is worth that much! The world's gone mad!
 

Loon

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My bad. Things are starting to blur a bit!

I am still shell shocked and trying to get over the Trevor Francis £1M transfer, thinking back then... who the hell is worth that much! The world's gone mad!
You were probably singing, "Ralphie, Ralphie, Ralphie..." back then with me.
 

Maluco

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If you don’t think “sponge headed prick” is racist, then you haven’t met anyone who felt that they shouldn’t or couldn’t grow their hair out because of a racial stereotype or because people would judge you a certain way because of it.

I think it’s great players like Willian have let their hair grow out and are proud of having hair like it. I know many younger people, especially women, who have given up using products to keep their hair a certain way. It’s a recent development in their lives and it was a big deal to them.

They feel good enough to let it be natural now. It’s all part of the process of being accepted for who we are.

People shouldn’t speak about things they haven’t experienced. We don’t get to decide what is racist and it sounds so arrogant and misplaced when we think we can have a baseless opinion and declare it as fact.
 

sglowrider

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You were probably singing, "Ralphie, Ralphie, Ralphie..." back then with me.
:nervous::nervous:

And people are bitching about how bad we are now!! We have always been a big club -- but not always a title-winning club. That's what people need to remember. The sleeping giant.

As soon as they can accept that, then they will have moderated their expectations and developed their patience in seeing what Ole is trying to do. And its never a straight line; unlike their corrupted memories of the Fergie Era where they only remember massive successes and wins and not the difficult early years.
 
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One Night Only

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Don't get me wrong - i'm not particularly bothered - but a whole lot of this racism stuff is white people telling non whites what they shouldn't be offended by.
A lot of it is also whites telling other races what they should be offended by and being offended on someone else's behalf who couldn't give a feck.

I'd call that popular bowling fella spongeheaded, it's quite a good description of an afro tbh.

Speaking of afros, as a baldy, I've always thought they must feel proper weird to run with, even walk about with. Is it heavy? Is it aerodynamic? Does it slow your top speed down?
 

RAVred

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Lee judges seems like a proper nutter. I feel like the others are actors but he genuinely snaps often on camera and I think he will have a proper legendary rant after their next match or so
 

Loon

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Lee judges seems like a proper nutter. I feel like the others are actors but he genuinely snaps often on camera and I think he will have a proper legendary rant after their next match or so
The clip of him having a pop at his phone is immense.
 

PoTMS

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A lot of it is also whites telling other races what they should be offended by and being offended on someone else's behalf who couldn't give a feck.

I'd call that popular bowling fella spongeheaded, it's quite a good description of an afro tbh.

Speaking of afros, as a baldy, I've always thought they must feel proper weird to run with, even walk about with. Is it heavy? Is it aerodynamic? Does it slow your top speed down?
Couldn't have put it better myself. I'm a person of colour who has wavy afro style hair and I couldn't give a shit about that comment. As someone who has truly experienced racism in this country, I am certainly not offended by it and in no way would I see it as racist if someone was to say it about me. Not that I'm saying any POC would feel the same way, I'm sure many do, but please don't speak for us and state it as fact that it's racist.
 

EngimaMK

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Couldn't have put it better myself. I'm a person of colour who has wavy afro style hair and I couldn't give a shit about that comment. As someone who has truly experienced racism in this country, I am certainly not offended by it and in no way would I see it as racist if someone was to say it about me. Not that I'm saying any POC would feel the same way, I'm sure many do, but please don't speak for us and state it as fact that it's racist.
The worst, possibly racist, thing is that these people speak as if all black people are one monolithic block. That all black people have the same experiences, opinions and things they are offended by. That all black people have more in common with each other than they ever could with a white person. Trump is an absulolute arsehole and I'm pleased he lost the last election. But people need to ask why his minority black and Hispanic vote increased significantly. Why? I suspect these minorities are tired of always being told they're victims and are sick of people telling them what they should be offended by.
 

Castia

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I reckon a lot of these lads only started supporting Arsenal because they were great twenty years ago, and got stuck supporting them

probably grew up supporting other local teams and jumped ship when Arsenal were cool

their entire relationship as a fan is built around them being successful, but they've been shit for 15 years and it's melted their little pea-brains

you can see it in some of our fans too, it's an unhealthy way to support a club
To be fair the AFTV lot go home and away both in the Prem and Europe
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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The worst, possibly racist, thing is that these people speak as if all black people are one monolithic block. That all black people have the same experiences, opinions and things they are offended by. That all black people have more in common with each other than they ever could with a white person. Trump is an absulolute arsehole and I'm pleased he lost the last election. But people need to ask why his minority black and Hispanic vote increased significantly. Why? I suspect these minorities are tired of always being told they're victims and are sick of people telling them what they should be offended by.
Id say its more to do with he brought jobs and an income to a lot of improvised areas of American.