John Rocker needs help, not just with his attitude, but with his "denial." He states that one outburst doesn't make him a racist. Sorry, but yes it does! One rape makes you a rapist; one burglary makes you a thief; one racist remark makes you a racist. In his interview with Gammons, he also stated that some of the attitudes attributed to him never cross his mind! Well, they do cross his mind, which is why he said them! I think he should be taken to the woodshed and caned.

Christopher Dunn
Chicago, IL

I think everyone should just drop the issue. He made some remarks that may offend some people and I feel he has a right to say whatever he feels and it should be nobody's business.

D.L. Wyatt
Marietta, Ga.

"I'm not making excuses but...". How many times did he use these type of phrases? Rocker never seemed really sorry. This was clearly a PR move that failed miserably.

John Morgan
Huntington, W.V.

I just think it is kind of ironic that John is being ridiculed for saying out loud most of the things we as a society think in our minds. Whether we are white, black or whatever nationality, there is prejudice and there always will be.

Janice Godfrey
Hendersonville, Tenn.

I think that John Rocker is the worst liar I have ever seen. When you "blurt out" something it is usually just a word or a sentence, not a whole entire paragraph or stanza. The thing he said about his teammate was ludicrous, too. If he always joked around like that with his teammate, then how come the teammate took it so literal? I think that some other kind of action should be taken to keep this man off the field for at least a year to teach him a lesson, and make him realize the severity of what he's done.

Todd Singer
Cresskill, N.J.

Why can't people let go of this? He did nothing illegal. (He) just ran his mouth a little. He did not attempt to strangle his coach (yet Latrell Sprewell is still playing), has not been arrested for drugs (Leon Lett and Darryl Strawberry are still playing). Seems to me this is a case of reverse discrimination, and if the Braves do anything to punish Rocker, I will never go to another Braves game again.

Lee Harrison
Atlanta, Ga.

Hey, if Pete Rose was banned for life on inconclusive gambling charges, then Rocker should get a little more than a slap on the wrist for disgracing himself and MLB for his biggotry.

Kevin Willis
Hamilton, Ohio

My opinion has not changed. Rocker is still a moron and a bigot. It's pretty stupid to make such remarks to a reporter for a national magazine and not expect fallout.

Ray Hodgkiss
Bloomington, Ind.

The interview did change my opinion of Rocker's comments. I think the press blew it way out of proportion (as usual). I agree with Rocker's comments on the New York crowd. That is about the only place you see truly rude, crude, and disrespectful fans.

Heidi Romans
Minneapolis, Minn.

I think everyone needs to drop this issue. The man spoke out and did not think about what he was saying and now he is paying for it. He actually did not say anything that some others have said in the past and they did not catch as much "heat" as he has. He only said what most Americans think.

Chris Young
Louisville, Colo.

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's a duck.
Eric Jensen
Philadelphia, Pa.

Rocker's smart aleck smirk during the interview leads me to believe that his apologies are disingenuous. It is clear that his racist comments are his true beliefs, not the canned written statement or this public relations attempt at rehabilitation. His punishment will lie with being treated as a pariah by his teammates and others in the league. Justice will be served when he goes the way of Mitch Williams, Mark Davis, Mark Wohlers and other flash-in-the-pan relievers -- into obscurity.

Andrew Wong
New York, N.Y.

Any man proud to be a redneck should not be taken seriously when he denies being a racist.

Steve Perrotta
San Diego, Calif.

John Rocker will forever be branded a racist. And the smirking, excuses-filled interview with Peter Gammons won't do anything to change that.

Chris Belford
Chicago, Ill.

Is Rocker's behavior worse than an athlete assaulting a referee? Spitting on an official? Maligning a referee's character to the media? The officials represent not only people -- human beings like the rest of us -- but authority figures. Why should immature testosterone-ridden comments of a pitcher cause such a stir in light of other more heinous displays by athletes?

Joe
Detroit, Mich.