You're well up on your psychology, as am I, and if you were correct in your analysis of my underlying motivation and displacement propensities, I'd agree with you. But you're not. It makes me wonder if you're not perhaps projecting your own issues into the fold here. Your sidetrack into lecture about forgiveness is one such clue. I have not posted here long enough for you to get accurate guage on my dysfunctions nor determine my capacity to forgive. Milledge gets every ounce of my support if he's open to personal accountability. Apparently he is – and time will tell – but he's already making inroads by admitting things publicly about his lack of responsibility and maturity last season. He's not in denial and hopefully you're no longer either. I would think by now you've read his quotes. I, for one, would love for him to turn over new leaf and live his greatest potential and get out of his own way. The firestorm about his behavior turns out to be good given he seems to have gotten the message and hopefully now embarks upon new beginning.

I'm not sweeping Lastings' past under the rug. I'm just tired of hearing something being made out of nothing. Like he's a bad boy for not being in camp a week early. I'm not trying to make this 'issue' go away because there is no issue.

It's funny how often people project their own unresolved issues onto somebody else so they don't have to look at their own negative side. As long as there's someone to blame/dispise they don't have to look at how much they really blame/dispise themselves for things they've done in the past.

You can go on scape-goating others to help sweep your own stuff under the rug, or you can take a good hard look at yourself and learn from those things that feel uncomfortable and grow from them. The second option is approximate to fogiveness. When you forgive yourself, all that need to blame/dispise others just melts away.

"There will always be bigots in this world, just as there will always be those who interpret every slight against someone in their own group as being an act of bigotry even when it isn’t."

I'm not interested in proving bigotry where none exists. I'm concerned that all people have the opportunity to be treated with fairness and respect. I don't think that taking cheap shots at Milledge is fair or respectful, and it tells me more about those doing the assaulting than it does about the victim of those assaults.

Let me add this. Lo Duca got a lot of bad press over what came to light last seson. I for one, think it hurt his image.

Regarding Castro, his signing and pleading no contest and accepting probtion did get a little mention but basically fell under the radar given he wasn't well known and Omar quietly signed him as backup catcher. I was comletely against signing this guy given the circumstances.

A lot of Milledge's issues that irk some fans directly relate to his actions on the field and in the clubhouse. I suspect that if he cleans up his actions in these areas, what transpired when he was a teen will be dead and buried. Top prospects are going to get scrutinized for their behavior on and off the field when they do things that are problematic. It happens to plenty others of whatever skin color, not just Milledge who happens to be African American.

I hear you and understand where you're coming from. I have, in fact, been very outspoken about the others elsewhere on the web in the past except for DeFelice which I was unaware…

The the topic here was about Milledge and I chimed in about that.

In today's Journal News I found this interesting:

"Randolph was pleased that David Wright and Jose Reyes were already in camp.

"They are part of the core foundation of our team," Randolph said. "It's nice they do not have to be told what to do."

Specifically about Milledge, Randolph said he didn't care as long as Milledge comes in on time.

a few other mets and their moments of shine:

Ramon Castro, pleaded no contest to sexual assault charges that he raped a woman in a hotel room. lastings has never been charged with sexual assault.

Mike Defilice, arrested and charged w assault for punching a car valet outside a club after being ejected for groping a woman, burning her ass with a lighter then punching her friend in the face. lastings has never been charged with assault.

Paul Lo Duca, bad gambling habits and cheating on his wife with a woman 1/2 his age.
lastings has no reportable gambling problem or has cheated on his wife (cheap one i know!)

no one really cares too much about Defilice so i cant say it for him but Castro and LoDuca are LOVED by everyone. image problems for them? NOT AT ALL. but lastings, oh no he's got an image problem. despite the boy was never charged with anything in his life.

think about it….

Surely there are others posting here who are of minority group status of whatever sort and deal with bigotry or the potential for it on a daily basis. I am one of them. That being the case, I am surely sensitive to the plight of others in whatever group who experience it.

Milledge came to Shea with a lot of support. There will always be bigots in this world, just as there will always be those who interpret every slight against someone in their own group as being an act of bigotry even when it isn't. Milledge is the author of his own future, and how that goes is up to him. For me personally, I judge people on the content of their character and actions, and their openness to grow and become better people where need be.

Your responses are not very different than Lasting's.

Acting out doesn't resolve an issue…but sure exposes a lot of stuff that needs fixing.

For the record, I've been a diehard Mets fan for nearly 40 years and have been around the block more than a few times to recognize a problem when I see one. You can agree or disagree, but the issues don't go away when people opt to ignore them or sweep them under the rug.

As Mets fans, we want every player on our favorite team to succeed. Milledge won't if he continues on a self-sabatoging path. Mets brass recognize the problem, but some of you do not. I was thrilled at Milledge's arrival, but his lack of accountabilty turns me off. He's young and will hopefully mature, but he's not a teen anymore and needs to start acting like an adult rather than a pampered child.

Insults others when they turn their back
you say grow up and get a life
however, your opinion is
2 days and 5 dollars short

I respect Delco's opinion
He took this all in stride
Before sending your message
you should of typed abort
Insult on the internet
you big strong dude

It's time to face reality
I guess we disagree
The Public trashing of Lastings Millege
goes on for all to see

Pickles

New rule, a Baseball player should NEVER EVER be compared to a football player. No matter how bad we may consider some baseball players to be or how much of "jerks" they are, none of them are criminals.

The Mets organization and their teammates let those guys down. They did not help them get on the right path in life. The ignored all the early signs.

That makes me even more sensitive to issues like Lastings is having. It makes me think these things have to be nipped in the bud, while there is still time. They can't be ignored and swept under the rug, and people like Willie and Omar know that.

Pickles

"Fortunately today, people are not so easily fooled."

To:

"Fortunately today, most people are not so easily fooled."

But, seriously, thanks for clearing the air, E.L. We "enablers" simply didn't understand the issue until you set us straight with your brusque but ultimately lovably mature take on the world. Some people may say your intolerance of diffrering opinions, your hard-line demands for excellence on the baseball diamond, and your moral hectoring on message boards is laughable, but not me. The world needs more ethical vigilantes like you. And also, thanks for being so courageous to go straight to the top and take on such a seemingly unassailable figure like Lastings Milledge. I mean, it's like everyone gives him a pass for everything! I wish more people like you would go out of their way to criticize the young (but not young enough) man.

Now excuse me while I go tend to my 14 year old daughter and make sure she breaks up with her 16 year old boyfriend (unless he has a chance to make millions by signing in the first round of the amateur draft, in which case we might be able to get something out of him).

See? It's really easy to judge.