Cheap Seats

Sensitivity 101

A referee blew the call when he stopped a 13-year-old Sikh boy from competing in a soccer match in New Jersey because he was wearing a turban.

Raj Thapar of West Orange had played all season with a patka covering his hair as prescribed by the Sikh religion. The patka is smaller than the traditional turban and is preferred by athletes.

But when Raj attempted to play in the season finale, referee Al Scarmato said the patka was unacceptable.

“To my knowledge, there is nothing to be worn on the head whatsoever,” Scarmato said. “The only exception that I know of is the goalkeeper.”

But Vincent Mauro, who oversees 85,000 soccer officials throughout the country, said rules allow “those bound by religious law to wear those head coverings, usually a turban or a yarmulke.”

“I was humiliated, insulted,” Raj said. “I couldn’t play just because I’m a certain religion, and that’s wrong. No other ref had any problems or objections. No coach, no player.”

Sensitivity 201

In sickness and in health, Jason Isringhausen’s judgment still leaves something to be desired. One month after he broke his right wrist by angrily slamming his hand against a dugout trash can, he concluded a conference call with reporters by calling Mets public relations director Jay Horwitz “Jew boy.”

Isringhausen apparently believed he made the comment in private. But Horwitz had not yet disconnected a speakerphone.

Isringhausen later insisted he intended no disrespect.

“We all talk to Jay like that,” Isringhausen said. “Jay’s almost like my brother. He is to everybody. That’s stupid to think anybody would think anything bad about Jay.”

Isringhausen had just concluded a 10-minute update on his broken wrist and suspected case of tuberculosis when he addressed Horwitz. He said good-bye to reporters, but Horwitz beseeched him to stay on the line, saying “Izzy … Jason, Jason,” while trying to disconnect the speaker. Isringhausen shot back, “Yes, Jew boy.”

“I wasn’t offended,” Horwitz said. “It was just a name. We kid each other with different names. He didn’t mean anything by it. It wasn’t malicious.

“It was meant for my ears alone. Unfortunately I didn’t get the phone down quickly enough.”

Now that’s a PR guy - apologizing for being called “Jew boy.”

Sensitivity 301

Golfweek online reports that Bo Redman, husband and caddie for LPGA player Susie Redman, dumped her bag in the middle of the ninth fairway after a disagreement during a recent tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. A friend came out of the gallery and carried the bag the rest of the round.

Psych 101 (for those who flunked Sensitivity)

Albert Belle isn’t talking to the media, so White Sox manager Terry Bevington was asked about it.

“I can’t make him talk,” Bevington said. “I mean, he talks to me, and I talk to him, but we’ve never talked about him not talking to you. Now, how (owner Jerry) Reinsdorf feels about that, I have no idea, because I haven’t talked to him.”

The last word …

“I didn’t say the rumors were all bad. I just said they aren’t true.”

- Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, on reports he’s dating model Tyra Banks

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo