Raptors lost some class as result of Bernier incident: DiManno

In politically incorrect language, Jonathan Bernier may very well be the sports version of an idiot savant.

Brilliant at the thing he does but obtuse oblivious about stuff thats widely known to everybody else.

This is an affliction not uncommon among elite athletes, who grow up so intently focused on themselves the drive to succeed, where 99.9 per cent fail that the rest of the world slides right by. Its a kind of blinkered detachment. Many live in a bubble un-penetrated by matters of substance.

That said, Bernier is a nice guy, a kind person from what Ive seen in the dressing room, soft-spoken and still not entirely adept in English.

What the Toronto Raptors did to him over the weekend however inadvertently was just plain rotten.

His blunder on the red carpet last Friday was cringe-inducing, yet spontaneous.

Their role in the affair was careless.

The No. 1 Maple Leaf goalie has been absolutely roasted in recent days for obviously not knowing who Nelson Mandela was. Thats shocking, given that Madiba was arguably the most famous prisoner on the planet and global icon for human rights, a lifetime spent fighting against the apartheid horrors of South Africa before becoming its president, and a beloved statesman until his death a year ago.

The anniversary of Mandelas passing was beautifully marked by the Raptors in The Giant of Africa tribute incorporated into their game against the Cavaliers. Mandela was himself an athlete a boxer in his younger days who believed passionately in the power of sport to transform society. The event drew luminaries such as Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley to the Air Canada Centre to celebrate the man and his legacy.

Bernier and several teammates were among those in attendance. He was also, I dare say, the only person there who evidently had never heard of Mandela.

Visit link:
Raptors lost some class as result of Bernier incident: DiManno