Diamond83 on Twitter reminded me today of a comment former UCLA Coach Bob Toledo made upon the occasion of UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero’s hiring.

(Guess that didn’t go over too well after all)

From UCLA’s DAILY BRUIN:

Next for the UCLA athletic department is a month-long effort to secure a smooth transition from the Dalis to the Guerrero era.

Toledo even suggested a way to break the ice.

“We’ll make tacos together,” he said, with a laugh.

Toledo and Guerrero are both Latino.

Bob Griese made a similar connection to Latinos and tacos on ESPN yesterday, and was reprimanded and forced to publicly apologize. Twice.

Toledo says something similar and everyone has a laugh because he’s Latino. Reminds me of how some (not all) black people say that it’s okay to use the n-word if you’re black, but not if you’re of another race. Obviously the n-word is a long way from referring to Latinos and tacos, but you get my point.

With Toledo a Latino, his comment is socially accceptable, not advisable.

Like Griese, Toledo grew up in a time when ethnic stereotypes were a staple of everyday conservation. Their comments were more reflexive response than pre-meditated insult. Bu as a Latino, Toledo gets a pass.

Not saying that’s fair. Just the way life works.