Question for the Day…
August 27, 2008
The LPGA is requiring its players to speak English by the end of the 2009 season. Of the 121 international players from 26 countries on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour 45 of the women on the Tour are South Korean. It appears the policy-mandat is aimed directly at them. Tour officials said it will suspend players who can’t pass an English oral exam after two years on tour.
Is this fair?
Why Jericho Scott Can’t Pitch for Your Son’s BaseballTeam
August 27, 2008
Nine-year old Jericho Scott won’t be playing any more baseball this year. The young black boy, a pitcher, was banned from the Youth Baseball League of New Haven (Connecticut). Why?
Because league officials deemed that ‘he throws too hard.”
Scott throws a 40 mile per hour fastball. His team was headed to the playoffs. Officials for the three-year old league fired Wilfred Vidro - Scott’s coach - because he refused to banish Scott and split the players up among the other eight teams in the league. They even attempted to manipulate the press, saying Vidro resigned rather than telling the truth.
U.S. Open Tennis: Days 1 and 2
August 26, 2008
The first two days of the U.S. Open produced few surprises. Rafael Nadal began play as the world’s number one with a tough straight set win over qualifier Bjorn Phau, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 7-6 (7-4). Nadal was up to his usual antics, switching rackets just before an important Phau service game in the first set and later call for the trainer to attend to an “overly hot foot” - not blisters - during a changeover before Phau served. “Raffa” was obviously a bit shaken by the play of Phau and the fact that the New York crowd was squarely behind the qualifier. Nadal served for the match at 5-4 in the third set, hit some nervous shots, and was broken. But Nadal came through in the tie-breaker.
Number nine seed James Blake barely escaped a first rouynd upset as he staved off #99-ranked Donald Young. After taking the first set 6-1 in 18 minuted blake seemed to let up just a bit and Young took advantage, winning the second, 6-3. Blake then got into the type of groove where he can beat anyone in the world and demolished Young 6-1 in the third set and lead 2-0 in the fourth.
At that point Young dug in, held his serve after facing a break point, then played a long game where he had seven chances to break Blake’s serve before finally converting on the eighth break point opportunity. Young continued to surge and the level of play from both players picked mup considerably.
2008 Olympics: Racism 101 in Black and White
August 25, 2008
If this article is posted Monday morning, we can safely say the sporting press is generally racist. We can also say that certain black sportswriters and columnists are little more than shuffling, scuffling, buffoons; house slaves who love “Massa” more than they love themselves. You see Thursday evening just after 10:30 p.m. EST defending 400-meter gold medalist Jeremy Wariner finished a disappointing second in his event to fellow American LaShawn Merritt. Wariner, in fact, trailed Merritt, who posted a personal best time of 43.75 seconds, by nearly a full second (44.74) at the finish line.
But that was not the entire story of the Men’s 400-meter event in Beijing.
Not even close.
The real story was Wariner’s pitiful finish. With only 20 meters remaining in the race Wariner looked to his left and saw Merritt ahead of him. Instead of pushing himself to the end, Wariner, realizing there was not enough track left in the race to come back against his countryman, gave up.
Jeremy Wariner, the gold medal favorite in the 400-meter dash, gave up on his primary Olympic event before the finish line. He jogged to the tape and nearly cost himself a silver medal.
But as despicable as Wariner’s lack of effort was, that is only part of the story.
2008 Olympics: Redeem What Exactly?
August 24, 2008
(I couldn’t help myself … I had to write this)
It appears a battle is raging … and it is a battle for your mind. Early last week Jemele Hill appeared on ESPN’s 1st and 10 portion of its morning show, First Take. On 1st and 10 Hill talked about the “Redeem Team’s efforts and her belief that a gold medal would be some sort of pride-boost for that great monolith, “The African-American Community.” Dana Jacobson, the segment host indicated that Hill had written a piece about that very topic to be posted on ESPN.com later that day.Well, the shoe did not drop until Saturday (when it is all but assured that the US Men’s Team will win the gold) … and drop it did:
But considering how, until recently, Team USA has been vilified for being selfish, noncompetitive and fundamentally inept, it doesn’t surprise me that African-Americans view the gold medal as a special vindication.
The previous failures of the national team brought a strong sense of embarrassment to both African-American fans and players.
Wrong. Vindication for what, exactly? Vindication for malfeasant acts by the press and shock jocks, including those of ESPN Radio, who used the losses of the 2004 US Men’s National Team in Athens as their personal race-bait pulpit?
Hoping A Shoe Drops
August 23, 2008
I have a post written Thursday night readied for Monday. The event that took place that evening has not been touched upon by any media, mainstream or otherwise, though it was televised globally. However, I am giving everyone, mainstream or otherwise, ample opportuinity to discuss the happenings of that night before dropping my article.
The televised event was clearly shown at the time and there was no mistaking the acts. That it has, predicably, escaped perusal by those who would normally create ceaseless “programming” segments around it illustrates that racism is prevalent in our society, that it is prevalent within sportswriting, and that racist reporting equal profits. And unfortunately the lack of writing about “the event” shows that black reporters and columnists suffer from myriad ills that allow them to miss what should be obvious to the journalist’s eyes.
See you Monday.
Tiki Busted Using the “C” Word On National TV
August 21, 2008
Damn, he did!… more tomorrow.
Gene Upshaw Dead at 63
August 21, 2008
Gene Upshaw, Hall of Fame offensive lineman with the Oakland Raiders and Executive Director of the NFL Player’s Association for the past 25 years, is dead:
In 1983, he became executive director of the players’ association and guided it through the 1987 strike that led to replacement football. By 1989, the players had a limited form of freedom, called Plan B, and in 1993, free agency and a salary cap were instituted.
Since then, the players have prospered so much that NFL owners recently opted out of the latest labor contract, which was negotiated two years ago by Upshaw and then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
Upshaw was criticized by some for not being tough enough in negotiations with Tagliabue, a close friend of the union head. He also was blamed by many older veterans for not dealing sufficiently with their health concerns.
Time for a Little NCAA Football Talk: Teams 6-10
August 21, 2008
It’s time for numbers six through 10 in the preseason poll. Three of these teams have a legitimate shot at BCS a final game. The others? Let’s see where they stand.
The second five:
Missouri
LSU
West Virginia
Clemson
Auburn
-Missouri has Chase Daniels and your team doesn’t. The quarterback that was too small for Texas head coach Mack Brown to recruit is now the bane of Big 12 defenses and one of the best college QBs in the country. With Daniels and a schedule that has them playing no team ranked higher than No. 11 (Texas), Missouri has an opportunity to atone for its late-season collapse last year and not only win the Big 12 North but meet and beat likely Big 12 South champion Oklahoma Big 12 championship game.
But.
Daniels and crew starts off the season against dangerous 20th-ranked Illinois. The game is in the “other Columbia” - Mizzou’s home city - which should give the Tigers the edge they need to this tough season opener.
The next time Missouri faces a ranked team will be October 18 when they play in Austin against Texas. Mack Brown’s Longhorn are talenbted but inexperienced at many positions and in fact may be overrated. Additionally, the Tigers have the luxury of getting Texas the week following their rivalry game against Oklahoma. If there is any time to play the “Horns at home it is that week.
Time For a Little NCAA Football Talk
August 20, 2008
Ten days. Ten days until the NCAA football season begins. Ten days until the play on the field starts and the talk ends.
It’s also time to briefly discuss how the preseason rankings will change by the beginning of November …
The SI preseason top 10 looks like this:
Georgia
USC
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Florida
Missouri
LSU
West Virginia
Clemson
Auburn
-The Georgia Bulldogs’ Third game of the season will be at Columbia where they play South Carolina. Steve Spurrier still does not have the recruits he needs to make an SEC championship run but his teams are always dangerous. This matchup is great preparation for a three-game stretch at Arizona St. (#15), 24th-ranked Alabama (home game), and No. 18 Tennessee, which is also a home game. The ‘Dogs get a one game rest at home against Vanderbilt before they travel to Baton Rouge to play #7 LSU and then return home to meet #5 Florida.
