I didn’t write about the 60-day suspension of Smackdown head writer and former wrestling star Michael Hayes when it was made public a couple weeks ago because I wanted to hear some more details before I commented.

As just about everyone knows by now, Hayes was suspended for using a racial slur when talking with Mark Henry at a WrestleMania after party.

The Wrestling Observer reported that MVP, who is friends with Hayes, jokingly told him, "You're more [N-word] than I am." Later, apparently after drinking at the party, Hayes supposedly was trying to explain to Henry that if he showed more personality, he would get over better. "I'm more [N-word] than you are," Hayes reportedly said to Henry.

Henry complained to management about it, and WWE chairman Vince McMahon made the call to suspend Hayes. WWE subsequently reported on its Web site that Hayes will have to undergo an evaluation before he will be allowed to return once his suspension is over.

There are some in wrestling circles who believe that Hayes should have been fired, while others think he shouldn't have even been suspended. Personally, I think the 60-day suspension was the appropriate action.

In a traditional workplace, what Hayes reportedly said certainly is a fire-able offense. Working behind the curtain in WWE is anything but a traditional workplace, however. There is somewhat of a frat house mentality, and ribbing, hazing and various sorts of politically incorrect behavior -- including racial jokes -- are prevalent. I’m not saying that I condone any of that, but that culture has existed in professional wrestling for a long time.

I have met Hayes a few times in passing, but I certainly don't know him well enough to say with any certainty whether he had any malicious intent. If I had to guess, however, I would say that Hayes probably views racial jokes as just boys being boys in a male-dominated, macho industry. According to The Wrestling Observer, this is far from the first time that Hayes has used racially offensive language in a joking manner.

If he and MVP have the kind of relationship in which they can joke with each other in that way, then so be it. It still has no business in the workplace, but, again, WWE isn’t a traditional work environment. Obviously, Hayes does not have the same kind of relationship with Henry that he does with MVP.

The reality is that Hayes, the former leader of the Fabulous Freebirds who wrestled in the South during the territorial days in the late 1970s and early ’80s, has to accept that it’s a different world in 2008 then it was in 1978. No matter what his intent was in saying such an inflammatory word, he should have used better judgment, especially because he is in a prominent position (he has vice president status) in the company.

WWE is a publicly traded company, and its employees – especially those in management – should be held to a high standard. As I said, however, I don’t believe that Hayes should be fired, because it seems as though he said what he said with no malice, and I think that does matter. Most likely, alcohol played a part in this incident, as Hayes has a reputation for saying offensive things when he's drunk. That problem also needs to be addressed, and Hayes and anyone else in the company who engages in inappropriate behavior needs to be put on alert that it no longer will be tolerated.

I believe in second chances, and I think Hayes deserves one. If he slips up again, however, I don’t think he should get a third.