re: Should MLB mandate speaking English in interviews for US markets?

quote:

---

So being Latino is akin to having a disability?

---

Nope. Just using a scenario where someone could speak English but may chose to speak/have a translator because they're better understood that way.

quote:

---

NBA has many foreign players. Does Dirk give non-English interviews? How about the Gasol brothers or Tony Parker?

---

Yao Ming had a translator.

quote:

---

Well spanish is pretty much becoming the national language right in front of our eyes.. sad times

---

and they watch MLB too...

You need to realize that Spanish was spoken in New Mexico decades before the English established permanent settlements in Virginia and Massachusetts.

Spanish was the first European language to be spoken in what became the United States of America before English and French was spoken before English also.

Navajo and Ojibwa was also spoken centuries before English in what became the United States.

quote:

---

that would be pretty sad bro

---

I know. :(

No.

When my grandmother had a stroke she reverted to speaking in German. Across Iowa and the Dakotas (and many other places) there were towns that spoke German and printed German newspapers. Same thing happened with the Italians, the Poles, and every other immigrant group. The difference was these earlier immigrants felt it was important to assimilate and become American. They wanted their children to be Americans and, while they retained their heritage, they assimilated to an American way of life, and it was because they wanted to be successful in their new country and the best way to do it was to adopt and adapt to this country.

I don't sense that assimilation is as important to today's immigrant groups.

quote:

---

Formula 1 is like that too

---

And tennis and soccer. It's incredible how many of them put in the effort to communicate effectively in a foreign language when interviewed.

I remember when Manchester City's current manager was hired, he required English be spoken in the dressing room because they were representing an English club. And the manager is Chilean. If a MLB manager mandated that, he would get destroyed.

quote:

---

He makes a valid point IMO

---

not really.

quote:

---

But someone who has been playing here multiple years and making many millions of dollars has no excuse for not learning and being able to conduct interviews in the dominate language of that country.

---

once again, why does this matter when he will always have a translator? I just fail to see the problem

quote:

---

Some could even say it might be prejudiced on part of the foreign player

---

quote:

---

Is a American athlete not expected to conform to the culture and language of the country of the team they are playing for?

---

you think American born players in Japan are expected to understand japanese?

quote:

---

Could you imagine the uproar if AC Milan, Juventus or Roma released Clint Dempsey or Landon Donovan because they couldn't speak Italian?

---

So are you telling me that some American soccer players refuse to communicate to the local media in the tongue of the countries where they work for many years? I honestly do not know.