I was sitting in a bar the other night, post-game, sipping on my usual beverage of choice, when an odd thing happened.

Near closing time, one, extremely drunken female, apparently Florida born and bred, and becoming increasingly less attractive with every spoken word, began mouthing off with others in the bar.  It wasn’t long before she spouted out a common racial epithet that begins with the letter ‘N.’  There was no need for it, as if there ever is.  She just decided to openly display her ignorance in sloppy and inebriated fashion.  It was 1 a.m., in a dive bar in Florida, with a scant few remaining in the saloon.  While such language is not necessarily commonplace, it was a setting where one certainly wouldn’t be entirely surprised to hear it.

Suddenly, the gentleman she was jawing with from across the billiards table did something unexpected indeed.  Let me set the scene.  The guy was middle-aged, skinny and white, wearing a camouflage trucker cap, t-shirt and flip flops, tapping his toe to whatever random country song someone had recently requested on the jukebox.  He smoked Marlboros, hadn’t shaved in a while and also spoke with a heavy, Southern accent.  While the rest of the bar collectively rolled its eyes at this woman’s blathering, choosing to ignore her rather than enlighten her, this man opted for the high road.  He spoke up and told her that using that term was not right.

Imagine that.  Now I’ve seen everything!!!

Now don’t get me wrong.  His mini-sermon, no matter how inspirational yet oddly out of place, fell on deaf ears.  This woman was three sheets to the wind at that point and it was doubtful any sense or logic could have penetrated her stupor or demeanor.  Not surprisingly, I also overheard she was on probation.  But when a person, who by appearance, you’d likely expect to USE that term turns around and tells someone else that using that word is WRONG… well, to me, that’s an indication that we as a whole are, at least slowly, taking baby steps along the path to accepting and respecting one another’s differences, whether they’re racial, religious, socioeconomic or whatever else you care to throw in the mix.

This brings us to Willie Randolph.   The collapse of the 2007 New York Mets will live on in infamy.  Last year, on September 12, the Mets held a seven-game lead with 17 games left to play.  In a choke job for the ages, they ended up losing that division to the Philadelphia Phillies and missing the playoffs entirely.  These very same Mets have the third highest payroll in baseball.

After the collapse, Mets manager Willie Randolph was quoted as saying. "When you have the opportunity to seal the deal and you don't capitalize, it can come back to haunt you.”

Well, those words are ringing true and the Mets are still struggling a year later.

In response to his recent struggles, Randolph has played the race card.  He has implied that he’s a victim of extra criticism, not because his team is grossly underachieving, but because of the color of his skin, just as he claims Herman Edwards and Isiah Thomas experienced while also coaching in New York.  He was also careful to point out that Isiah did a poor job with the Knicks.  FYI, Randolph has significantly more talent on his roster relative to what Thomas or Edwards ever had on theirs.

Now, I don’t live in a vacuum and I’m aware that racism still exists and might always.  I’m sure Randolph has experienced bouts of racism throughout his career.  But the last time I checked most fans criticized Isiah Thomas not for the color of his skin, but for his ineptitude as a coach and his decision to sexually harass his employees.

Willie, you were a beloved sports figure with the Yankees.  When the Mets hired you, that move was lauded nationwide.  I know of few Mets fans that were not ecstatic about that hire.  In fact, they still want nothing more than for you to succeed.  Management has given you the tools with which to win and yet, your team struggles.  Had you not recently swept the A-Rodless Yankees, many speculated it might have meant your job.  If you can’t turn things around, it still might.

Inexplicably bringing race into the picture shifts the blame elsewhere when it should ultimately reside with you and what’s wrong within your clubhouse.  The Mets don’t stink because of the color of your skin, coach.  The Mets underachieve because you can’t get them to play together.  Playing the race card probably won’t do the trick.

Look, if Willie can point to something, someone, a journalist, a fan, a member of the organization that has specifically suggested racial overtones, then by all means, let it out and let the court of public opinion crucify this individual for their ignorance.  Until then, his comments smack of desperation and of a man who has lost touch of his ballclub.  Baseball fans expected better which is why we’ve expected his team to succeed.  We’ve held him to a higher standard.

I’m no Mets fan, but best of luck righting that ship.  And if you want to see some real racism, come on down to Florida.  Although you might just be surprised which characters champion the cause.