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Those complaining about Cleveland's baseball team replacing its offensive nickname back in 2022 are welcome to continue whining about it, according to Cincinnati Reds manager Terry 'Tito' Francona.
The two-time World Series winner was managing the Cleveland Indians in 2022 when the team opted to change its name to the 'Guardians' following years of protests from Native American groups.
Francona supported the decision at the time and President Donald Trump's recent criticism of the move has done nothing to change his opinion.
'Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen,' Trump claimed, adding: 'OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!'
Trump then attacked Guardians owner Paul Dolan's brother, Matt, misidentifying him as the team owner and the driving force behind the move.
But Francona stood firm with reporters this week, crediting Paul Dolan for the decision and telling critics that the debate is effectively over.
Those complaining about the decision of Cleveland's baseball team to replace an offensive nickname are welcome to continue whining about it, according to Tito Francona
A Cleveland Guardians fan wears a Chief Wahoo shirt prior to Game Five of the ALCS against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field on October 19, 2024
'I wasn't the one that had to kind of have the [fortitude] to do it,' Francona said this week before his Reds faced the Washington nationals. 'Paul Dolan ultimately was the one that had to pull the trigger.
'I was really proud of him, because I don't think it was real popular with a segment of probably the older fans that kind of, I guess like Trump: 'Why can't it be like it used to be?'
'And I guess my retort would be: 'There's probably a lot of people in this country who don't want it like it used to be.' And if you're white, [you're] probably just fine.'
Francona was coming off a pair of World Series wins in Boston when he took the Cleveland job in 2012.
At the time, he explained this week, the team's name wasn't an issue in his mind.
'I didn't even care what they made the name in Cleveland,' he said. 'I really didn't. I just know how I was in on those conversations, and we were trying to be respectful. And for that, I gave those guys a lot of credit.'
Francona admitted that 'not everybody's gonna be happy,' but the long-time manager knows 'that's never gonna be the case.'
'I think as long as what you're trying to do is respectful, you can go ahead and let people complain,' said Francona, who is in his first season managing the Reds.
