Banana thrown at Wayne Simmonds

[joeybee12]

Whoever that fan is, he's a major, four-alarm asshole

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/7007219/fan-throws-banana-philadelphia-flyers-winger-wayne-simmonds

LONDON, Ontario -- Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds, who is black, had a banana thrown at him from the stands on Thursday night during a 4-3 exhibition loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

“I guess it's something I obviously have to deal with -- being a black player playing a predominantly white sport. I've grown a lot playing in this league and throughout my whole life. I'm not going to dwell on that. It's over with now.

As Simmonds took the first shot in the shootout, a banana came flying into his path as he skated in on Detroit goalie Jordan Pearce.

"I don't know if it had anything to do with the fact I'm black," Simmonds, a 23-year-old Toronto native, said. "I certainly hope not. When you're black, you kind of expect (racist) things. You learn to deal with it."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman condemned the act. In a statement from New York on Friday, he said, "We have millions of great fans who show tremendous respect for our players and for the game. The obviously stupid and ignorant action by one individual is in no way representative of our fans or the people of London, Ontario."

Simmonds acknowledged the banana rattled him, and his only thought was to get off a shot -- which went in for the Flyers' only score in the shootout.

[many a good man]

1. Happens in Europe all the time

At soccer games where the opposing team's star is African or a native of African descent.

I'm surprised this happened in Canada. I've always heard blacks are treated much better up north. Canadian white bigots normally reserve their racist scorn for the indigenous.