Kent: Absurd to paint me as a racist

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THERE used to be a time when we didn't know who was a racist. Now we don't know what is a racist.

According to social media, it seems if you don't want to watch a football game it now makes you a racist.

It started Tuesday when the great Manly winger Jorge Taufua posted this:

Poor Jorge, who can never be accused of overthinking, was comparing me to Donald Sterling. That is the LA Clippers owner banned for life on Wednesday for, among other sins, ordering his girlfriend to delete her Facebook photos with black athletes and telling her she cannot hang around them.

STERLING EXPECTED TO FIGHT NBA BAN

What surprised me was just six weeks ago poor Jorge stood next to me in a radio box doing an interview and didn't let on a word, and I now realise how lucky I was.

Clearly he was nervous and his mouth a little dry, which I assume was the only thing that stopped him from spitting on me like he did to a policeman last year, when he was later given a four-month suspended jail sentence.

So Jorge and his supporters labelled me a racist, totally demeaning the term in the process, and many are demanding an apology.

Well you're not going to get it.

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I never said anything as abhorrent as Sterling's comments.

Here, for the sake of context, is what I said on Fox Sports News in its entirety:

"I tell you, the NRL needs to go away and look at their scheduling again, because what did we do?

TWITTER BLOWS UP AT KENT COMMENTS

"We had a poor start to the year with poor crowds. We finally get going with a terrific Easter weekend that rolled straight into a great Anzac weekend. Then what do we do?

"We put a halt on things for rep weekend.

Jorge Taufua took offence at Paul Kent's dismissal of the Samoa v Fiji game. Source: Getty Images

"I couldn't care two hoots about Samoa and Fiji. Who wants to really sit down and watch that game?"

Now, clearly underestimating the stupidity of some, I then attempted to clear this the following night on NRL360:

"I think we need the Test football, I think we need rep football. My criticism of it is that we halt the NRL competition, just as we're starting to gain some momentum in the competition, to put this on.

"I was asked about the Fiji-Samoa Test, and I don't really care for this game. There's been a backlash, people have said I'm racist because I don't like Samoa and Fiji, which is complete rubbish.

"My point is this. I don't want to have to stop watching NRL and be told I have to watch this game — this Fiji-Samoa Test.

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"Of the 34 players who will run around, on Saturday evening, 11 of them — just one third of them — played NRL last week.

"All the rest are either playing NSW Cup or got pulled out of even lower than that. It's not a high quality football game.

10 REASONS TO WATCH FIJI V SAMOA

"All the criticism that rained on the NRL after round one when the crowds were where they were and the TV ratings were where they were, and everyone was saying what's wrong with rugby league.

"We come into the Easter weekend and get 40,000 and 50,000 crowds, we then roll that into Anzac Day where we again get crowds up in the 40,000s.

"Just as we get momentum, we're going to say, 'Oh, we're going to pull it off now.'

Semi Radradra and Lote Tuqiri will both star for Fiji. Source: News Corp Australia

"I think there is a place for Samoa-Fiji but not as a stand-alone, main event game.

"It's a nice prelim game — put it on before we play Australia-New Zealand."

There are no racist words there. Just a lack of interest for a game between two developing nations.

What would their reaction be if the criticism was about Ireland versus United Arab Emirates in next year's cricket World Cup? How many of you, so proud to watch Samoa-Fiji tonight, don't want to watch that game?

Does your lack of interest make you racist?

Firstly, somebody get this man spellcheck.

Secondly, if Channel Nine suspended an Ashes Test, like its NRL competition now, to broadcast a one-dayer between World Cup teams Afghanistan and Scotland, would we be asking where's our cricket?

Not everyone on Twitter is a dope.

Finally some common sense.

Which was only short-lived ...

Counting down to Friday night's match between the women's All Stars and Indigenous women's All Stars, hardly anyone spoke about it.

Misogynists?

Hey Deckhead, almost got it right.

Nothing like a homophobic slur to justify your anger towards (alleged) racism.

Digby, the former Wallaby and occasional nightclub pugilist, must think I'm another nightclub patron.

If this was about growing and promoting international football, why isn't it played in Fiji or Samoa instead of western Sydney?

Or is it really about claiming the western Sydney market while servicing broadcast rights, where it fails on the second count.

Sacked for words that were never said?

Unless it goes in their scrapbook.

Well said, Bek. You stay defiant.

The sadness here is that real racism, true racism, exists around the world and in my view these attempts to link my comments to the fight against that racism trivialise that fight.

It diminishes their voices of those fighting that fight, making them get lost amid the white noise of absurd comments.

So there is no apology. There never will be, because there was no sin.

I actually like this. While plagiarised from Billy Birmingham, who greets me always with "You Paul Kent", it takes on new meaning when you apply the Kiwi accent.

Whoa! Can I say Kiwi?

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CHILL PILLS

Gillon McLachlan, has already made a smooth impression to the AFL's top job, suggesting his tenure compared to his predecessors will be much like the ocean. Always changing, always the same.

ANGRY PILLS

While coaches don't take rep round seriously, with as many as 27 players, ahem, "unavailable" this weekend, the NRL will suffer a backlash over whether the public should take it seriously.

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A GOOD WEEK FOR

IT took the rebirth of Michael Clarke to spark the rebirth of Australian cricket, and Clarke was duly rewarded this week when the Aussies were elevated to the world's No. 1 Test nation. Regarded as a leader since his first step onto the Test arena, the Aussies finally made good only when Clarke became the leader he was predicted to be, and not what he thought he had to be. The difference, was all the difference.

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A ROUGH WEEK FOR

THE most telling quotes of the week belong to injured Tiger Simon Dwyer, who put the love and halos surrounding the NRL and Rugby League Players' Association's concern for Alex McKinnon in perspective when he said: "I've never been contacted by anyone at the NRL," and then added, on the absent RLPA: "I'm not even sure what they do." Dwyer was permanently injured playing the game, and deserves support, too.

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DON'T MISS

MICHAEL Cheika gloves up for the Waratahs match against Wellington Hurricanes on Saturday night (Fox Sports 2, 7.20pm), just days after copping a suspended sentence for abusing a cameraman. Cheika's tough-guy persona has finally put some steel into the Waratahs, and he has promised he won't change his ways. Good thing, too. And as long as he doesn't change his fullback, Israel Folau, everything will continue to be all right.

Shinji Ono has had a huge impact during the Wanderers first two seasons. Source: News Corp Australia

JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION: SHINJI ONO

Western Sydney Wanderers' Player of the Year plays in Sunday's A-League grand final (Fox Sports 2, 4pm).

PK: You were named the club's Player of the Year this week, but it won't be complete without the title, right?

SO: Definitely not. Last year we made the Grand Final but did not win. This year we have made it again and I will do everything I can for the team to win. I am proud that my team voted me for Player of the Year. I think we are more than a team, we are a family.

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PK: You and Alessandro Del Piero leave at the same time, is that leaving the A League light on for superstars?

SO: I think so, maybe. ADP is a different level. He is a superstar but I think the league is very good with many good players and getting better every year. I believe the players have something special. If the A-League keeps getting good players then it will continue to get bigger and bigger.

PK: Is it true you're leaving just as you started to feel comfortable with the language?

SO: Please repeat the question … No, I still feel very uncomfortable with the language. But I will keep learning so when I visit next I will be improving.

PK: Best Japanese restaurant in Sydney?

SO: There are some good Japanese restaurants in the city and in the Rocks. My favourite one is in Surry Hills called Yachiyo.

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PK: What have you enjoyed most about living in Australia?

SO: The many friends I have made here.

PK: Which is the better game, NRL or AFL?

SO: Both equal, football is best.

PK: Is there any part of Australia you are taking home with you?

SO: I wish I could take the weather with me.

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