Yankees Hall of Famer Goose Gossage Defends Curt Schilling and Blasts Colin Kaepernick and Black Lives Matter
Curt Schilling has never shied away from offering his opinion, dating all the way back to his playing days. Many times those remarks resulted in conflict with players, team management, or the media. In recent years and his playing days long behind him, Schilling has continued to make headlines for his comments often centered around political issues.
New York Yankees legend and Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson recently blasted Schilling for his rhetoric and said it’s going to cost him a chance at induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Now Jackson’s former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Goose Gossage has thrown a curve and come out in defense of Schilling while criticizing Colin Kaepernick and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Curt Schilling’s comments have hurt his Hall of Fame chances
While Curt Schilling recorded numbers in his career that are better than some Hall of Fame pitchers, he’s still on the outside looking in. Most attribute his failure for entrance into Cooperstown as a result of his often inflammatory rhetoric.
In 2015, ESPN suspended the baseball analyst after he posted anti-Muslim comments on Twitter. A year later, the Worldwide Leader outright fired him when he made insensitive remarks directed at the transgender community.
While his remarks ultimately cost him his job, Curt Schilling hasn’t toned down his language since he left. In fact, he’s done just the opposite, as evidenced by his most recent comments about the riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
“You cowards sat on your hands, did nothing while liberal trash looted rioted and burned for air Jordan’s and big screens,” Schilling tweeted. “sit back [shut up] and watch folks start a confrontation for [sh–] that matters like rights, democracy and the end of [government] corruption. #itshappening.”
Reggie Jackson rips Curt Schilling
Not surprisingly, Curt Schilling’s comments have received substantial pushback through the years. This week, with Schilling being denied entry to the Hall yet again, legendary Yankees slugger and Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson said the former pitcher only has himself to blame.
“I would say to Curt, ‘Look at what you did. You took yourself out of the Hall of Fame because of what you say and how to express yourself and how you think,'” Jackson told NJ.com. “Freedom of speech is great, but we can’t have a country with white supremacy, Nazis, Black Panthers, racist stuff, and anti-Semitics. We can’t have people wearing swastikas because it’s a freedom of expression. Come on!”
Jackson said Curt Schilling is always claiming that his freedom of speech is being infringed upon, and it’s that same liberty that’s going to cost him a spot in Cooperstown.
“Freedom of speech got you freed out of the Hall of Fame,” Jackson said. “Freedom of speech got your ass out of Cooperstown, bro!”
Goose Gossage defends Schilling and blasts Black Lives Matter
While Reggie Jackson had harsh words for Curt Schilling, Jackson’s Yankees teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Goose Gossage staunchly defended the former six-time All-Star pitcher.
“He’s a bit of a blowhard, but I don’t have a problem with freedom of speech. Everybody wants to be this counterculture now where you can’t even have an opinion,” Gossage told NJ.com. “With Schilling, you shake your head, but at least it’s America. You used to be able to say what the hell was on your mind. I think a lot of writers play games with the voting politically. I just don’t understand a lot of the voting. Not only is Schilling kind of confused by this. I’ve been confused.”
When asked how he envisioned a Hall of Fame acceptance speech by Schilling, Gossage offered an interesting response.
“It depends on what he had to say. I never thought that politics and sports mix. Look what they’ve done. Taking a knee. Black Life Matter. What a bunch of crap. Go out on a street corner for a real cause. They take the fans down with them to have to look at this crap. I’m not saying there aren’t causes that we shouldn’t stand up for at all. Not on the field,” Gossage said.
Curt Schilling takes a lot of heat for his positions and comments. They will likely cost him a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He can take solace in knowing one Hall of Fame pitcher has his back.
