Tommy Heinsohn yells "Hey Girlie" at woman ref

[HomerSapien]

Is this the same female ref Chris Paul took issue with?

[indeedproceed]

There is no amount of "I don't care" flavored smoothie that I could drink to quench my thirst for the "I don't care" I have over this particular issue.

[TheTruthFot18]

Hey Tommy, its 2015 and there are women refs and women who are Celtics fans watching the game.  You are the one making the bad call tonight!     I have always been a Tommy fan, but he has spoiled the whole Tommy point thing.

Who cares?

These guys

[GratefulCs]

He's from a different era


R-E-L-A-X

[MarcusStart]

This is the same guy that said that Yao Ming couldn't eat anymore when he broke his "chopsticks" finger. An insult from Tommy is almost guaranteed to be uncensored.

[mainevent]

I called her a lot worse, along with those other 2 clowns.  Worst officiated game of the season!

[Csfan1984]

He couldn't yell, Hey buddy. The ref is female

[jpotter33]

Hey Tommy, its 2015 and there are women refs and women who are Celtics fans watching the game.  You are the one making the bad call tonight!     I have always been a Tommy fan, but he has spoiled the whole Tommy point thing.

So are you saying the female ref should've been treated differently? Tommy is literally ALWAYS on the refs, even the ones he's pretty good friends with. Pretty ridiculous to bring this up given the context.

I know, right?  Equality in this situation means being treated like every other ref.

When Tommy criticizes every other ref, does he refer to their gender?  If so, then whatever.  But I think we all know he doesn't, and therein lies the problem.  His yelling at the ref refers to her gender.  it would be a similar problem if yelling at the ref referred to the ref's race.  Neither race nor gender are relevant to the criticism, so they shouldn't be a part of it.

I love Tommy, but hr messed up, plain and simple.

Since 99% of the other refs are male, that wouldn't make much sense.

[GetLucky]

Tommy: "Hey person! That was a terrible call!"
Someone: "Are you really calling that referee a PERSON! A referee must be recognized for their commendable job, you fiend!"

Tommy: "Hey Ref! That was a terrible call!"
Someone: "Are you suggesting that referees are superior to people with other professions! Other people work hard, too, you crazy man!"

Tommy: "Hey buddy! Terrible call there!"
Someone; "Are you encouraging fraternization with the referees! You clearly have no respect for the game of basketball!"

Tommy; "Hey you, that was a bad call!"
Someone: "Are you only referring to that person in the second person because she is a different gender! All genders are equal and deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated, you old fart!"

Tommy: "Hey girlie! Terrible call!"
Someone: "How dare you reference a person with a third-person pronoun without stating it in a positive light! Women are beautiful and historically persecuted. Don't tell her she's doing poorly, you anti-feminist!"

Tommy: "Hey girlie, great job!"
Someone: "That wasn't a great job. Are you being sarcastic? Do you think women can't deal with criticism? I don't appreciate your backhanded suggestion that women can't deal with honest critique!"

[Beat LA]

This is the same guy that said that Yao Ming couldn't eat anymore when he broke his "chopsticks" finger. An insult from Tommy is almost guaranteed to be uncensored.

Does anyone else remember when big baby had the Mohawk and Tommy said that he, "would be at the casino," or something?  I don't remember the exact wording, but the gist of it was Tommy's association of Mohawks with Native Americans with casinos.  Ugh.  I love Tommy to death, but both comments were hardly his finest hour.  It's strange, too, because he actually loves the much more cerebral style of game that's played in the WNBA.  Sigh.

[revtodd64]

Let me tell you why I started this thread.  Remember when Rick Barry commented on Bill Russell's smile and said he had a big "watermelon grin?"  That was wrong and he was done as a broadcaster after that.  Racist stereotyping has no place in a professional environment.  Shouting "hey girlie" to a ref is no different.  When your daughter or wife go to work, do you think it is OK for their boss to say, "Hey girlie"?  All Tommy had to say was "Hey ref."  Its not complicated.  You don't get a free pass because you are a basketball legend or because you are mad at the refs. 

I thought the refs were missing calls last night too, but that is not an excuse.  I've been a Celtic fan since the early 70s and watched most of the games this year.  The Celtics are trying to build a class organization, and if sexist language from anyone is tolerated on air without reprimand, they have a problem. 

I expected to get a lot of "here comes the PC thought police" commentary.  But ask yourself this.  If that was your wife or daughter out there, would you be upset and speak out?  Or would you tell her to suck it up and laugh it off with a comment like "hey, that's just Tommy'?  What would she want you to say? 

[saltlover]

Hey Tommy, its 2015 and there are women refs and women who are Celtics fans watching the game.  You are the one making the bad call tonight!     I have always been a Tommy fan, but he has spoiled the whole Tommy point thing.

So are you saying the female ref should've been treated differently? Tommy is literally ALWAYS on the refs, even the ones he's pretty good friends with. Pretty ridiculous to bring this up given the context.

I know, right?  Equality in this situation means being treated like every other ref.

When Tommy criticizes every other ref, does he refer to their gender?  If so, then whatever.  But I think we all know he doesn't, and therein lies the problem.  His yelling at the ref refers to her gender.  it would be a similar problem if yelling at the ref referred to the ref's race.  Neither race nor gender are relevant to the criticism, so they shouldn't be a part of it.

I love Tommy, but hr messed up, plain and simple.

Since 99% of the other refs are male, that wouldn't make much sense.

Exactly why saying "Hey girlie", which is clearly meant to be a demeaning reference to her gender, is in fact sexist.  I'm disappointed, but not surprised, at the number of people who think there was nothing wrong.  I dare some of you to say "Hey, girlie" to one of your female coworkers the next time you want her attention.  Report back here and let us know how that interaction goes.  Heck, do it multiple times, since if there's nothing wrong, no one will mind.  I'll bet they all find it endearing.

[GreenFaith1819]

Tommy was wrong in this case, but as long as he apologized then there shouldn't be any issues.

[GreenFaith1819]

Tommy is harmless, but from a different era.

I feel for men raising daughters in this day and age. I've got two boys.

Couldn't even imagine having a daughter nowadays.

[DesertDweller]

I've watched this woman official in other games and she has a lot of work to do before she should have been allowed in pro ball.  it was evident though that she got the memo to lean on Marcus Smart!!!
we're catching a lot of bad calls coming down this last and important stretch for us, IMO!!!