>Willie Watch: Willie's Comments On The Comments

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I must be in a good mood. I kinda want to let this drop and get back to wins and losses (and heading for two losses as I write, always a long week when Maine loses) – but I don’t know why this was brought up at all. The fans just want to win, that’s it. I don’t think this is going to go away, and will be the beginning of the end. With no heir apparent, ownership may turn to a fan favorite to shut us all up – and I may just get my Lee Mazzilli wish.

Here’s Willie in his own words from today:

“I wasn’t trying to bring race into it.” “Obviously, I should have thought more about what I was trying to say.”

“This really boils back down to wins and losses, it really does. When you’re in an environment like this, where expectations are high, and we don’t play up to our capabilities, there’s going to be a lot of talk.

“It does seem like it’s piling on after a bit. But, I understand it. I think I mentioned feeling `almost racial.’ That was a tongue-in-cheek kind of reaction to what I’ve been feeling. Not that this is racial. The Wilpons hired me not because I am black, but because they feel I can do a good job for them. They trusted me and hired me because I can do a job and not the color of my skin.”

“Maybe I didn’t say it right, the way I was feeling. But I didn’t call anyone a racist.”