[Tom4784]

Bomani Jones, who co-hosts ESPN’s “Highly Questionable,” has a knack for inciting debates on social media with his opinions, both spoken and tweeted. But his choice of a controversial T-shirt dominated the conversation Thursday.

On his day off, Jones swung by ESPN’s “Mike & Mike,” sporting a dark blue shirt with the words “Caucasians” in a similar font and color scheme as that of the Cleveland Indians jerseys and merchandise. The team has come under fire for still using the Chief Wahoo logo — a depiction of a red-faced Native American — which the franchise says it’s phasing out as mascot. Jones’s shirt had a wide-smiling white male with a dollar sign where the feather would be on Chief Wahoo.

TMZ first reported that ESPN had “freaked out” over Jones’s shirt and asked him to cover it up. Sources at ESPN confirmed to The Post that Jones was indeed asked to cover up the shirt throughout the course of his appearance.


An ESPN spokesperson provided the following official statement to The Post Thursday afternoon:

“We felt Bomani made his point and had openly discussed why he was wearing the shirt, and we wanted to keep the focus to the topics of the day.”

When asked to provide a comment on the matter, Jones,who was sitting in for Mike Golic on Thursday, responded with a video of the two-minute interview with Qerim regarding the shirt, which can be viewed below.


Qerim took a moment to ask Jones about the shirt, which had taken off as a topic of conversation on social media. Jones initially joked about why he chose to wear the shirt, telling Qerim, “It was clean.”

But the ESPN on-air personality went on to say that he “really” likes the shirt because it’s the same as an Indians jersey, apart from the change in race of the displayed mascot. He went on to say that the Indians’ continued use of Chief Wahoo and other Native American-themed mascots is, for the most part, motivated by money.

“The reason they won’t get rid of Chief Wahoo, which is completely indefensible, is ’cause they can still sell stuff with it,” he said. “They can say they are going to de-emphasize it, but they’re not going to set money on fire.”

Sources at ESPN told The Post that while the network was supportive of Jones’s decision to wear the shirt and bring the conversation to the forefront, they confirmed that as the interview moved forward, Jones was indeed asked to cover up in order for the show to maintain its focus on the other topics slated to be discussed, as indicated in the above statement. They also noted that while ESPN did ask Jones to obscure the article of clothing, the company and the show-runners also initially allowed him to wear the shirt on the show and engaged him about it.

Some online commentators have supported Jones and derided ESPN for making him cover the shirt, while others have derided Jones. One of the most common anti-shirt responses has been along the lines of, “What would happen if Mike Greenberg wore an ‘African-Americans’ shirt on-air?”

Here's a picture of the shirt in question.

Spoiler:

And here's a example of the Cleveland Indian's logo.

Spoiler:

I think it's a brilliant shirt, these same people who are complaining are perfectly fine with reducing an ethnicity to a mascot and having teams named after a derogatory term to describe said ethnicity yet they'll act like they're the victims of some great injustice (which they're fine with when it's affecting any other ethnicity bar their own) when someone parodies that attitude with a shirt design.

[Smithy]

A mess,

[LeatherTrumpet]

probs better to focus on the whole gun thing than a logo

his choice

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

probs better to focus on the whole gun thing than a logo

his choice

There's nothing anyone will be able to do about the US's gun laws. There's too much money in it and few politicians will willingly piss off the NRA. Plus people can care about more than one issue at once.

There's more he can do about this issue by highlighting it.

[arista]

Yes debated alot on the Daily Show
ComedyHD

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

There's nothing anyone will be able to do about the US's gun laws. There's too much money in it and few politicians will willingly piss off the NRA. Plus people can care about more than one issue at once.

There's more he can do about this issue by highlighting it.

He was booked on a show for another reason, i cant be bothered with folk like him high jacking tv to run their own agenda.

[Toy Soldier]

One of the most common anti-shirt responses has been along the lines of, “What would happen if Mike Greenberg wore an ‘African-Americans’ shirt on-air?”

Wow, talk about missing the point.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

He was booked on a show for another reason, i cant be bothered with folk like him high jacking tv to run their own agenda.

Every Celeb in the world hijacks Media outlets with their own agendas, it can be on TV Shows, Video Games, Movies, Theatre, News, you name it Celebs will do it, and some of it you will agree with, others you won't.

I personally think that maybe the word Indians should be trying to get a different meaning amongst the Native Americans, like how black people are doing it with the N word so that one day our future generations can use these words without thinking back to these days of where the words are seen as prejudiced.

Btw I honestly don't get why people are moaning about him pointing out that the name and logo is a bit dodgy? Imo the team should either change the logo, or change it's name.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

One of the most common anti-shirt responses has been along the lines of, “What would happen if Mike Greenberg wore an ‘African-Americans’ shirt on-air?”

Wow, talk about missing the point.

A typical African-american reply TS.

From Mystic Honkey

[kirklancaster]

Can someone please enlighten this numbnuts as to just WTF this thread is about?

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

Can someone please enlighten this numbnuts as to just WTF this thread is about?

Finely vintaged cheddar.

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Finely vintaged cheddar.

Ahhh... NOW it makes sense. Thank you T.S.

[Kizzy]

They asked him to remove the shirt and he refused, when asked about the shirt once and he replied 'it was clean' why didn't they then leave it alone? if they didn't want it to be the focus of the interview why press him on it further?
I feel his reasoning is justified.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

Every Celeb in the world hijacks Media outlets with their own agendas, it can be on TV Shows, Video Games, Movies, Theatre, News, you name it Celebs will do it, and some of it you will agree with, others you won't.

I personally think that maybe the word Indians should be trying to get a different meaning amongst the Native Americans, like how black people are doing it with the N word so that one day our future generations can use these words without thinking back to these days of where the words are seen as prejudiced.

Btw I honestly don't get why people are moaning about him pointing out that the name and logo is a bit dodgy? Imo the team should either change the logo, or change it's name.

Not really Mock, they trade their appearance with plugs for what they are selling. Its a trade. He just did not play the game. If he feels so strongly then run for politics or contact his senator. He is just being an uppity twat imo

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Not really Mock, they trade their appearance with plugs for what they are selling. Its a trade. He just did not play the game. If he feels so strongly then run for politics or contact his senator. He is just being an uppity twat imo

How would that help anything? It's a corporate issue, not a political one. He can't just get elected and tell the team to change their logo. He can only highlight the issue and hope that pressure builds on the team to make the logo a thing of the past. You don't need a political career to do that.

Why can't people make a statement without being elected? There are many more platforms than just politics to make a stand about something and he's got the right to do it whether you like it or not.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

How would that help anything? It's a corporate issue, not a political one. He can't just get elected and tell the team to change their logo. He can only highlight the issue and hope that pressure builds on the team to make the logo a thing of the past. You don't need a political career to do that.

Why can't people make a statement without being elected? There are many more platforms than just politics to make a stand about something and he's got the right to do it whether you like it or not.

I am sure the team do not care about this guy and his shirt and some mild twitter tutting

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

I am sure the team do not care about this guy and his shirt and some mild twitter tutting

Then what's the issue he wishes to make his opinion known, the station gave him a platform to do it ...what's the problem?

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Then what's the issue he wishes to make his opinion known, the station gave him a platform to do it ...what's the problem?

they didnt

[Kizzy]

Well obviously they did...hence this thread.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Well obviously they did...hence this thread.

no he hijacked their hospitality

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

no he hijacked their hospitality

It was their choice to air the interview, nobody had a gun to their heads did they?

[LeatherTrumpet]

to be honest it was a pathetic bid to sell the shirts and inevitably thats is what they did to mug punters

[Ninastar]

idgi, does 'Caucasians' mean something other than white people?

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Ninastar

idgi, does 'Caucasians' mean something other than white people?

americans are race obsessed so probably

[Ninastar]

tbh, it looks like a small jab at white people to me... but it's just a shirt and its been designed to cause controversy and i just dont really care that much when nothing will happen about it anyway