Raiders fans weigh in on Jon Gruden’s controversial comments

Longtime Raiders instrumentality Darrell Carter didn’t mince immoderate words Sunday erstwhile discussing the demeaning connection Las Vegas manager Jon Gruden utilized successful 2011 successful an email to picture DeMaurice Smith, who is Black and the enforcement manager of the NFL Players Association.

“I though it was really deplorable and inexcusable by Coach Gruden,” said Carter, a 59-year-old Las Vegan who’s cheered the Raiders for much than 30 years. “Coach Gruden needs to marque amends for that, and helium needs to explicate himself not lone to the Raiders’organization and the NFL, but much truthful to his players and much truthful to the fans.”

Gruden didn’t precisely bash that Sunday aft a 20-9 nonaccomplishment to the Bears.

Instead, helium said “I’m not a racist. I can’t archer you however sick I am. … I apologize to Smith. … I had nary radical intentions with those remarks astatine all.

“I’m not similar that all. I don’t privation to support addressing it.”

Fans astatine Allegiant Stadium connected Sunday offered differing opinions astir Gruden and his comments. Carter said “your integrity is based connected who you are erstwhile cipher is looking. And astatine that peculiar time, cipher was looking successful presumption of an email. … Here we are 10 years later. The integrity origin is what’s much important.”

Carter didn’t telephone for Gruden to beryllium suspended oregon for his employment to beryllium terminated. But helium did accidental that Gruden should apologize publically to the instrumentality base.

That didn’t hap Sunday afternoon.

Conversely, Bay Area autochthonal and chap Raiders instrumentality Jayme Sanks said “cancel civilization is simply a happening present and radical request to beryllium held accountable for what they said.” But she doesn’t judge Gruden made his comments successful a racist oregon malicious way.

“He was conscionable talking crap,” said the 44-year-old, who attended a Raiders crippled Sunday for the archetypal clip since 2003. ”It was conscionable like, going astatine the person’s features. Not due to the fact that of the race. Everyone says thing astir people. … I don’t instrumentality it personal.”

Sanks credited Gruden for acknowledging the email: “He didn’t contradict it. It’s saying thing close there. I don’t deliberation helium has a racist bony his body.” She said Gruden shouldn’t beryllium suspended and noted that helium wasn’t coaching astatine the clip helium sent the email.

“I don’t privation to suffer my coach,” Sanks said.

Timoteo Sanchez ventured from Moreno Valley, California, to Allegiant Stadium connected Sunday and said he’s “never 1 to judge” due to the fact that he’s said respective things that he’s regretted.

“I recognize what helium said was insensitive astatine the time. It whitethorn person not been arsenic insensitive arsenic it is now, successful the time and property we unrecorded present with cancel civilization and everything. If helium apologizes successful immoderate mode for what helium said, I’m good with that,” Sanchez said.

“Me, personally, I won’t clasp thing against anybody, what they said successful the past. We’re each guilty,” helium added. “He has to clasp himself to a higher standard. But not each of america are perfect. He made a mistake. As agelong arsenic helium owns up to it, I’m chill with it.”

Sanchez said a suspension would beryllium excessively harsh of a punishment for Gruden, but indicated that helium wouldn’t beryllium amazed if immoderate benignant of subject was levied.

“The league is the league,” said Sanchez, 47. “What’s the motive of digging (through) thing that acold back? The intent is to smear him. To slander the organization. When radical person those benignant of motives, I ever question wherever it’s coming from.”

Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.