GM Mike Rizzo Makes up for Nationals' Useless Initial Statement With Poignant Words on George Floyd and BLM

Not only is the MLB engulfed in a financial row with the players' union regarding negotiations to begin the 2020 season, but the league is now catching some extended (and much more severe) flak from fans, media, and other critics for its delayed responses following the death of George Floyd.

The Washington Nationals have caught their share of this criticism for their disturbingly vague statement that failed to acknowledge racist police brutality directly, which is very much the impetus of these nationwide, worldwide protests.

In response to the backlash the Nationals have received across the last 24 hours, general manager Mike Rizzo, who doesn't use social media, took it upon himself to release his own statement about Floyd's murder and the "Black Lives Matter" movement as a whole. He didn't lean away.

"There is no place in this world for racism," said Rizzo. "We have a responsibility to speak out against police brutality and discrimination against African Americans everywhere."

This is only a portion of the 59-year-old's heartfelt statement, and it's significantly more moving than the garbage the Nationals put together on Wednesday.

Take notes, Nats organization, because this is how it's done. The Nats ough to regret not asking Rizzo's counsel in drafting their initial statement, which lacked a semblance of emotion and oozed public relations jargon to the point that it wasn't even clear what it intended to accomplish.

This wasn't a lengthy statement from Rizzo, and it didn't need to be. He spoke from the heart, whereas the team's official response was three meaningless paragraphs long and, for some reason, referenced their World Series title from last season.

Washington should be thanking its lucky stars that Rizzo swooped in to save the day.