Is this fair?

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.

According to ESPN Mike and Mike in the Morning’s Mike Golic, and opposing coach complained that he “wanted to win” and apparently when his players face Scott they have no chance of winning.

But Scott appears not to be the only person negatively impacted by the decision:

… Vidro says he didn’t quit and the team refuses to disband. Players and parents held a protest at the league’s field on Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch.

“He’s never hurt any one,” Vidro said. “He’s on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?”

The controversy bothers Jericho, who says he misses pitching.

“I feel sad,” he said. “I feel like it’s all my fault nobody could play.”

Jericho’s mother, Nicole Scott, tells the human side of this unfathomable decision:

“I think it’s discouraging when you’re telling a 9-year-old you’re too good at something,” said his mother, Nicole Scott. “The whole objective in life is to find something you’re good at and stick with it. I’d rather he spend all his time on the baseball field than idolizing someone standing on the street corner.”

Apparently, league attorney Peter Noble doesn’t give a damn about the boy’s welfare, nor does he give a damn about fairness in competition:

“He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower,” Noble said. “There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport.”

Noble acknowledged that Jericho had not beaned any batters in the co-ed league of 8- to 10-year-olds but said parents expressed safety concerns.

“Facing that kind of speed” is frightening for beginning players, Noble said.

Whatever. Noble also pulled the “angry card” to give the impression that his decision was sound because of the acts of Nicole Scott:

League officials say Jericho’s mother became irate, threatening them and vowing to get the league shut down.

“I have never seen behavior of a parent like the behavior Jericho’s mother exhibited Wednesday night,” Noble said.

Scott denies threatening anyone but said she did call the police.

Noble’s argument and the hackneyed blaming the victim, borders on the ridiculous. Whether color has something to do with Noble and his ludicrous choice is unknown (the league appears to be Hispanic oriented as officials passed out t-shirts reading, “Liga Juvenil De Baseball De New Haven,” or “Juvenile Baseball League of New Haven”). But there might be some “get back” involved in Noble’s act:

Jericho’s coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league’s administrators.

Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching.

About 50 years ago Ronald Reagan recorded an public service announcement about the portent of a national health care system (no this thought did not begin with Hillary Clinton). Reagan said national health care was a step toward Soviet-style socialism.

Banning a little boy from pitching because he is too good is a more meaningful step toward Reagan’s fanciful-fright vision of socialism than a national health care system ever could be,

To teach children that in order for “everyone to win” rules will be created at the end of a season to weed out players who are better than others sets a dangerous precedent for young children. The creation the hive mind based on the other as dangerous is a damn good step toward socialism - or fascism for that matter.

And America is said by many people to be far closer to a socialistic or fascist society than it is a democratic republic.

The thought that “different” is somehow evil is crucial to spreading racism among the masses; same with misogyny, same with spreading the notion that someone or some group acting outside of what is said to be “conventional” is evil.

In this case Noble and the parents who joined his cause are not only teaching their children that different is to be equated with evil but they are teaching their children to accept mediocrity.

These lessons will stay with the children. As they grow the separation between them from other children will become more pronounced. If Jericho Scott becomes a star high school pitcher these same children will be, like good sheep, cheering madly for him - as long as he continues to win games.

But should he lose?

Chances are they will revert back to their childhood-learned hive mind mentality and treat Jericho like a pariah.

They will do this because when they were nine, Jericho Scott became an outcast, a dangerous “other.” He was a little boy who could throw a baseball so hard that their parents had to exclude him from their games - all under the guise of looking out for their physical well-being. So to these children, Jericho Scott is already a non-conformist freak.

Just think of the ramifications if he holds different opinions than they do?

Addendum:

More quotes and news on this story …

As the controversy swirled around him, Jericho has received lots of attention. He and his parents, Leroy and Nicole Scott, are scheduled to appear on the “The Today Show” this morning and also received calls from representatives for David Letterman, Jay Leno and Ellen DeGeneres.

At the press conference, Noble handed out a typed chronology of events. Jericho’s first game was Aug. 9, meaning he joined the league just a few weeks ago. He pitched five innings that day, three innings Aug. 10, five innings Aug. 13 and not at all on Aug. 16.

The latter game was the only one where the other team came close. The score was 13-11, and Carlos Lugo, a coach and father of a player, said that game was the most fun because no one had to worry about batting against Jericho.

“We don’t have someone like Jericho to pitch,” Lugo said. “I played when I was little, and I wanted to win.”

Peter Noble gets dirty and comes clean:

He [Noble] said the “speed and velocity” of Jericho’s pitches caused fear in the children, and on Aug. 20, “Things escalated to a very, very ugly point.’”

Noble said Tuesday that Jericho’s mom has made threats, and Tuesday passed out a sheet with some of those alleged comments in big bold letters, including, “When I’m finished with my lawyer, this will be the last year of the league.” Nicole Scott couldn’t be reached Tuesday night.

Noble said Tuesday Vidro has been removed from his position after declining to resign.

An overreacting parent:

Coach and parent Roberto Melendez said he’s been a coach for three years, and this was the first time he’s ever seen a problem in the league.

“We want everyone to support the league,” he said. “We didn’t want a kid to get hit by a ball. Imagine a kid like mine, at 7, getting hit by a 60 mph ball. He was out of control.”

Scott has never hit a batter and is said to have good control.

And another parent tells what she feels is the behind the scenes story:

Valerie Tanner, whose son Kaymar, 10, is on Jericho’s team, said Tuesday, “It’s all about politics” and other adults not wanting Jericho to pitch because his team is bound to win the playoffs.

And what of the other children on Jericho’s tream?

Jericho plays on the more advanced Dom Aitro Pony League all-star team as well, and when playing at that higher level is only an average or slightly above average pitcher for his age, said Steve Fertig, a coach in that league. But in the developmental league, Jericho is a star, he said.

Jericho and his teammates have been reassigned to other teams, and Vidro was ousted for refusing to comply with the league’s directive. But many of the boys, including Jericho, have declined reassignment.

Finally, one child and his grand father have a competitive attitude:

Arthur Helland, whose grandson, Frankie Scallo, plays in the league, said he was “scared to death” of Jericho’s pitches when Frankie arrived from T-ball. But Frankie loved the challenge, so Helland said he doesn’t object to Jericho pitching in the league.

“I think it’s all been blown out of proportion,” Helland said. “He’s an average pitcher who pitches fast.”

More articles on this subject:

No one is Winning this Blame Game

Baseball brouhaha goes into extra innings

Parents take legal action

Kathryn Bertine: I definitely felt more connected to these Olympics than any of the past Games I’ve watched. There was never a feeling of bitterness or remorse because I couldn’t be there myself, in fact it was just the opposite… I was so excited to watch all the sports which I now have a personal connection to! It was amazing to watch the cycling road race and time trial and see the girls I’d raced with in Asia and South America. Not only cycling, but the other sports I tried as well. I watched pentathlon and triathlon and racewalking and it was so amazing to be sitting in my living room, staring at the TV and say “Hey, I know her!”

As for the “I could have done that” moment, I prefer to put that statement in the present tense as in “London 2012, I can do that.”

MC: If team handball was the most impressive team, who was the most impressive athlete you met while competing?

KB: I’m a multisport athlete, so can I pick three? Ok. This is very hard to narrow down. I’m going to go with Kristin Armstrong, who kicked my butt at nationals in cycling and then went on to grab the gold medal in the time trial in Beijing. I didn’t meet her as much as smile and nod hello, but I’m going to count her anyway. Margaux Isaksen, the 16 year old modern pentathlete (who held my hand through my whole pentathlon experience) really impressed me.

Imagine being 16 and being so proficient in 5 sports that you make the Olympic team on your first attempt? Wow!

And finally, I’m going to go with Reggie Douglas, the national triathlon champion of St. Kitts and Nevis. He embodies such a love of sport and such a great outlook on life. Ok, one more…Marianne Vos, the current world champ in cycling. She was an amazing competitor and really humble athlete, a real team player. It was an honor to race and learn from her. Also, one athlete I really wanted to meet but didn’t get the chance: Sheila Taormina, the 4x Olympian who has made history by representing the us in three separate Olympic sports; swimming, triathlon, and modern pentathlon. She is simply amazing and inspiring.

Kathryn in green helmet, black sport beans kit, battling it out with Brazilians in Venezuela (Photo by Amanda Chavez)
MC: What is the mindset of the elite athletes? Training can take a terrible toll on health, romantic relationships, family, and work/school; how do they do it?

KB: Well, I can only speak for my bizarre mindset, but yes, there are definitely physical, mental and emotional prices to pay in reaching for high-level athletic dreams. The good news is that if an athlete has a healthy mindset, everything is worth it. Training smart will reduce any negative toll on health/muscles, athletes can learn to balance a family and training, and the demands of school and work can be worked into any schedule with the right prioritization. If an athlete truly loves their sport, they can make it work. As for relationships, believe it or not, this isn’t as complicated as one might think. We’re just gluttons for drama, but it can usually be avoided. Here’s my golden rule: If your dreams “cause” the end of a relationship, then it isn’t the right relationship.

MC: What’s the oddest souvenir you picked up on your athletic journeys?

KB: I ate a chicken foot in China. Well, not some much ate as quickly swallowed. That was unique! I definitely picked up a bad case of wanderlust. This project brought me to five continents, and I only want to see more.

MC: How do I get my very own Wonder Minion?

Kathryn and the jokingly named WonderMinion, courtesy of Kathryn Bertine
KB: Alas, there is only one WonderMinion! WonderMinion’s real name is Amanda Chavez, she’s a cycling friend of mine from Tucson. One day we were at a friend’s house for dinner and she said something like “Kathryn, do you need a minion to help carry your crap when you go race overseas?” Heck yeah, I did! Cyclists travel with some major baggage (literally and mentally). Not only that, but she’s fluent in Spanish and she saved me on more than one occasion when I raced in Venezuela, Uruguay and El Salvador. All hail the WonderMinion! Without Amanda, I’d be lying by the side of an El Salvadoran volcano right now. Or probably in it.

MC: One thing that impressed me is how you kept a good sense of humor despite all the complications in reaching your goals. When did you come the closest to quitting, and how did you keep going?

KB:
If I’ve learned one thing in life, it is the necessity of humor. There is a lot of great stuff in this world and there is a lot of bad stuff, and if you can learn to thwart the bad stuff with humor, then everything flows a lot easier.

Trying to get to the Olympics in less than two years (with cycling, I had less than eighteen months) was pretty much a guarantee that nothing was going to be smooth or easy. Besides, at the end of the day, I truly understood how lucky I was to have such an incredible opportunity. Even the worst days were nothing short of awesome in the long run. I never considered quitting, though there was one day in El Salvador in the middle of an 11-day stage race where I came down with a fever and some intestinal issues. My body really wanted to throw in the towel that day, but my mind talked my body out of it. I still don’t know what my mind said or why my body bought into it, but I thank them both.

MC: Is there a difference in mental preparation for the contact/non-contact sports?

KB: Considering my aversion to contact sports, it took a lot more mental power to go up against the handball girls than it did to get on a bike for six hours. Then again, I’ve been in some full contact situations on the bike, too. I think both sports share the same mental preparation in the end; be ready for anything.

A rare moment when Kathryn isn’t training (Courtesy of Kathryn Bertine)

MC: Now that you’ve done it, how do you feel about dual citizenship arrangements at the Olympics? Were there any countries that you would have felt uncomfortable with their citizenship, or does sport transcend national lines?

KB: I think dual citizenship situations are terrific and yes, sport definitely transcends national lines. In Beijing, it was pretty clear to me just how many countries have a variety of diverse/ethnic citizens competing for them. Including the USA. Personally, I don’t care how any athlete comes to compete for any country if they represent that country with pride and honor. Sports are a wonderfully contagious entity…if an athlete can help a country to breed a sports legacy in any given field, I see that as a great attribute to that nation.

We Americans get so caught up in patriotism that we often lose its true meaning. Patriotism doesn’t mean “America first” or “America only”. True patriots look to help not only their country but other countries as well.

When I had the opportunity to obtain dual citizenship with St. Kitts and Nevis, I saw it as “America and.” I’m very proud to race for St. Kitts and Nevis. It’s okay to love two countries at once. Doesn’t hurt anyone, you know?

MC: How do you feel about female athletes posing for men’s magazines such as Maxim?

KB: Personally, I don’t have a problem with it at all. I think female athletes should be on the cover of every men’s and women’s magazine, whether clothed or unclothed. We don’t necessarily need to show these athletes with their mouths hanging open while slithering over sudsy, expensive cars–that’s a little too glam rock for me–but I have no problem with an athlete showing off her hard-earned, beautiful body in any manner she deems appropriate. What I do have a problem with is our nation’s concept of beauty. I look forward to the day when semi-clothed or naked athletes replace the airbrushed, anorexic, pill popping, mammary inflated, intelligence deflated “models” with droopy size 0 clothes that somehow grace 80% of our magazine covers. That is where the controversy ought to be.

MC: Final thoughts about your experience and your upcoming book?

KB: I’m really excited for my book to come out. There are a lot of chapters and experiences and sports that did not make it into my online column for ESPN, due to space/time, etc. The book will definitely be the unabridged version! This is actually my second book. My first one, All the Sundays Yet to Come, is a memoir from my professional figure skating days. It came out in 2003. Maybe when I write my own personal Da Vinci Code they will finally release All the Sundays… in paperback. I won’t hold my breath. Anyway, I am looking forward to ESPN publishing my Olympic journey in March 2009. I’ll be sure to keep you posted! Thanks for the interview, MCBias!

MC: And thank you, Kathryn! Whet your appetite for the book by reading a partial account of her adventures here. The links are a little tricky, so here’s the last one in the series as well. Her book comes out in 2009 from ESPN Books, and judging from her sense of humor and adventures in the ESPN.com series, you will definitely want to pick up a copy then.

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.

Young took the fourth set 6-4. The two battled hard throughout the fifth set but it appeared Young tired just a bit late in the fifth and was broken by Blake at 4-4. Blake then served out the match to complete a 6-1 3-6 6-1 4-6 6-4 victory in a bit more than three hours.

Roger Federer easily finished off Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina in straight sets 6-3 6-0 6-3.

There were two upsets on the men’s side. Sam Querry easily defeated #22 Tomas Berdych 6-3 6-1 6-2 and Tommy Haas defeated #12-seed Richard Gasquet 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 5-7 7-5 6-2.

On the women’s side world’s number one Ana Ivanovic played a nervous match and barely escaped with a 6-1 4-6 6-4 win over Vera Dushevina. Ivanovic was leading 6-1 and was up a break in the second set and had a break point to go up two breaks. She began to guide her forehands rather than swing through them and lost control of her game and for a set and a half, the match. However, the thought of defeating Ivanovic was too much for Dushevina and she succumbed playing two atrocious games to lose the match.

Serena Williams, ranked #4 brushed aside Kateryna Bondarenko, 6-1 6-4. Serena’s sister Venus had an equally easy time with Samantha Stosur, winning 6-2 6-3. Stosur was ranked as high as #27 last year but contracted Lyme’s disease and is working her way back into playing form. Venus looked very good in defeating the tough Stosur, giving the Australian little chance to use her net game and ability to run down shots. Williams constantly beat Stosur to the net using her deep groundstrokes to set up forays to the net. And Stosur found herself constantly wrong-footed by Venus during baeline rallies.

Daniela Hantuchova was upset by Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-4 6-2 and Ekatrina Makarova upset Anna Chavetadze, 1-6 6-2 6-3.

BIGOTED WHITE VOTERS ARE NOT BARACK OBAMA’S CHARACTER FLAW!!! 

Racism is AMERICA’S PROBLEM, not Obama’s. Let’s stop talking about how something is wrong with Obama because he can’t reach these racists. Here is an idea? Let’s have pundits call all these voters out on their bullshit when they make up the most non-sensical excuses (e.g., “he is elitest”, “we don’t know him well enough”, etc.) on why they won’t vote for Obama. Why not call out that woman who is pro-choice and favors universal health care, but says she will vote for McCain? Why not expose these voters for exactly what they are, and maybe even educate them a little…

8 - 9:15: Very unimpressed — not sure what Howard Dean is doing here with a parade of regular people — none of which communicate very well. I could only guess that he is shooting to get rid of that ridiculous “elitist” tag. Also, speakers like Kansas Governor, Kathleeen Sebelius just has to come stronger. Most valuable contribution might have been Jim Whitaker, Mayor of Fairbanks Alaska. He is a republican endorsing Obama, because “he is an American first”.

9:15: Things don’t really start unto Fedrico Pena Former Mayor of Denver, and then Brooklyn Rep. Nydia Velazquez are the first two speakers to have some passion in their voices. “More of the same” is the common message of the convention.

9:20 - 10:10: Swing-State Speakers Tour

– Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania gets the audience into it. “He votes with George Bush 90% of the time, that’s not a maverick – that’s a sidekick.” “Not four more years, four more months!” catches on.

– Mark Warner, Former Governor of Virginia: “John McCain will continue spending 10 billion dollars a month in Iraq.” 

– Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio: “It’s time for a president who will bring our jobs back and bring our troops home. For the change we need, it’s time for Barack Obama.”

Also, Lindy LedBetter, was the first speaker that I’ve heard to bring up the Supreme Court appointee issue which has gotten little attention. There are a couple of really old folks on the courts and too many 5-4 votes as it is.

10:10: Deval Patrick Governor of Massachusetts Comes Strong: 

Patrick is best speaker of the night thus far by marrying substance, clarity, and conviction. Three pieces stood out for me. 1) He reminded folks the myth of the Republican party as “fiscal conservatives” as Republican administrations continually outspend Democratic ones by incredible proportions. 2) John McCain wants to privatize social security — not good.; 3) The Bush administration did not only abandon americans during Katrina — but after it as well.

10:20: Governor Brian Schweitzer Montana: So far he is coming strong and getting the audience into it while exposing just how much John McCain is in bed with big oil including wanting to give 4 billion dollars in tax breaks to oil companies.

Senator Hillary Clinton:

“The time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines. This is a fight for the future and a fight we must win together.”

“No way, no how, no Mccain.”

“Barack Obama is my candidate, and he must be our president.” 

“Those are the reasons I ran for President, and those are the reasons why I support Barack Obama”

GRADE: Okay, I have some complaints with some lines here, some omissions there, and another missed teachable moment to put the historic barriers of gender and race in their proper perspective. Even so, Hillary did more than I anticipated – perhaps a commentary on my low expectations. I feared an “F” speech, I expected a “C” speech, and she gave a “B” speech. Politically speaking, had she personalized it far more with more specific references toward Obama (and Michelle), it could have been an “A”. She asks her supporters: “Were you just in this for me?”

As long as Hillary seemed only in it for Hillary, the answer for many was “yes”. Now the updated answer may very well decide this election… Either way, this “Hillary issue” should be put to rest by the media who must be reminded who actually won the Democratic primary… 

1) Howard Dean kicked it off and then there was an opening prayer (not Dean) with multiple Jesus citations. Okay, I know that Republicans have hijacked the religious vote putting anti-gay rhetoric over feeding the poor, but this one surprised me a bit. Definitely going for some of those those evangelicals…

2) I also saw a news update of John McCain standing with freakin’ Daddy Yankee. McCain even dropped a reference about Gasolina. Firstly, do you think McCain listens to Daddy Yankee? (BTW, will Daddy Yankee get some reggaeton version of “Dixie-Chicked”?)

Okay, Dems touting Jesus? McCain shaking his old ass to Daddy Yankee? What the fuck is going on here? Its going to be strange week…

3) 8:30 pm: Nancy Pelosi’s speech was very wooden. I wasn’t expecting MLK or anything, but she could have practiced that shit in the mirror a couple of times. Pelosis is followed by Barack Obama’s sister…

4) In a video Jimmy Carter reminds folks that the aftermath of Katrina has not gone away… maybe we could siphon that Iraq money to something that might be productive. Later on, in an interview on PBS with Jimmy Carter, he is refreshingly candid about the role race plays in this campaign amongst many white voters.

5) 8:45 Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is the first speaker to liven things up. Nothing too special here, Jackson Jr. should have been the first speaker…

6) Caroline Kennedy-Schlossberg pays tribute to Senator Ted Kennedy and Obama. Yeah, she also seems pretty wooden. She makes the analogy to the hope and inspiration that her father JFK once brought and Obama today. Then she introduces a video tribute to her “uncle Teddy”.  

7) 9:33 Ted Kennedy gets out of his hospital bed and pulls the cancer version of a Willis Reed! TK promises that he will make it to January to see Obama sworn in. After championing universal health-care and the ideals of Obama, he ends with “The work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on.”  Read closer and the buzzwords of “begins anew”, “hope” and “dream” channel JFK, Obama, and MLK. Maybe just a coincidence…

10:10: Jim Leach — a former Republican congressman — talks about America’s terrible standing around the world. TV cuts away.

9) 10:20 - Senator Claire McCaskill from Missouri champions policies of Obama. She was a great choice for no other reason that Senator McCaskill looks just like the stereotypical midwestern “white mom”. Perhaps many of those former Hillary supporters who just can’t seem to let go might be moved because McCaskill looks like them. This is a stupid statement on the surface — but people are stupid — and racist too…

10) After a video retrospective on Michelle Obama, she is introduced by her brother Craig Robinson who is the coach of the Oregon State men’s basketball team. At Michelle’s request Robinson once assessed Barack’s character from viewing his game on the basketball court. The result? ”confident, but not cocky”, “a team player”, and “won’t back down from any challenge”.

11) Michelle Obama clearly gives best speech of the night. Given the comparison to other “first lady” speeches, I thought she has done extremely well. After the first couple of minutes she seemed very comfortable (Pelosi should take notes). The title of the speech was called:

“Convincing Bitter Older White Female Hillary Supporters that Feminism Applies to Black Women too”

Some notes:

– She discusses her father’s medical bouts with MS.

– She said Barack knows “the world as it is”, but knows how “it should be”.

– She referenced the 88th anniversery of women winning the right to vote, and the 45th anniversary of MLK’s speech on the 1963 March on Washington speech. The references were clearly defining not only unity, but times that preceded her opportunities as a black woman.

– She pays homage to Hillary Clinton and the “18 million cracks in that glass ceiling.”

– She expresses ”why I love this country.”

– She also expresses how she has “given back” to the country including that she left a job at a law firm for a career in public service.

– “Barack Obama I know today is the same man I fell in love with 19 years ago.”

– “We committed ourselves to building the world as it should be.”

– A very strong closing was followed by a videotape greeting by Barack.

Summary of Night: Most of it was pretty weak, but Ted Kennedy’s Willis Reed moment, and Michelle Obama’s speech made it a successful night. Of course, we are grading on a curve here that takes into account “convention standards” which are little more than pandering rah-rah events. 

Finally, if media could stop talking about this Barack/Hillary divide for at least 5 minutes, it would be nice…

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.

Act two in the Wariner saga was his post-race interview. He was asked about a critical coaching change he made in January – Clyde Hart, his coach of five years was replaced by Baylor University assistant track coach, Michael Ford - of this year in the crucial months leading to these Olympics. He snubbed the NBC reporter saying there was nothing to the change as he stalked off out of camera view.

Not only had Wariner committed the cardinal sin of quitting during an event but he compounded his crime by acting childish and surly, and bailing on his on-track, post race interview as soon as the first tough question was tossed his way.

But even that is not the entire story.

Act three for Wariner came when gold medal winner Merritt and fellow U.S. 400-meter runner David Neville were interviewed on air a scant minute after Wariner. Merritt talked of maintaining the confidence he gained by defeating Wariner in the U.S. Olympic Trials, despite losing to Wariner twice after the Trials. Neville improbably finished third when he literally dived across the finish line barely ahead of Christopher Brown of the Bahamas. Neville appeared to injury his knee but spoke after the race of doing whatever it took to to give the U.S. a medal sweep in the event:

“I’m coming down the homestretch and I don’t know where I am. But I know I have what it takes in my heart to finish well.

“And no matter what obstacles are ahead of you, are to the side of you, if you keep your eye on the prize, your eye on the goal, you’ll get what you need.

“Sometimes you have to make a last-ditch effort. And that’s why I have this medal around my neck right now.”

Both runners had American flags draped around their shoulders.

But for the first time in an American 1-2-3 finish in Beijing all three members of the sweep did not appear on camera celebrating together.

Wariner had sulked away and did not return to share in the vibe of the medal sweep with his teammates.

But.

There is more to this dismal tale. And it is the press’ refusal to traduce Wariner as they had Usain Bolt and as they have other Amercan track and field stars who underachieved. This, from Josh Peter of Yahoo! Sports:

Disappointing: Veronica Campbell-Brown won the 200 meters, completing a Jamaican sweep of the gold medals in the men’s 100 and 200 and the women’s 100 and 200.

Disastrous: In a preliminary heat of the 4×100 relay, the American men dropped the baton and did not finish.

Downright embarrassing Thirty minutes after watching the men drop the baton, the U.S. women’s 4×100 team did the same thing …

The men and women sprinters lost every marquee race to the Jamaicans, and anyone who thinks performance-enhancing drugs fueled the Jamaican’s success has to find a new excuse to explain the Americans’ Keystone Kops routine in the relays. It almost looked as if they they’d practiced the botched baton pass based on the eerily similar mishaps.

The team’s headliners – Gay, Allyson Felix, Jeremy Wariner, Sanya Richards and Lolo Jones – all have failed to win gold. Instead, the Americans have been saved by the likes of Stephanie Brown Trafton, who became the first American woman since 1932 to win the gold in the discus; Dawn Harper, who won the 100 hurdles after Jones hit the next-to-last hurdle; LaShawn Merritt, who trounced Wariner in the men’s 400; and Angelo Taylor in the 400 hurdles. Only four more medals and the track team will match Michael Phelps’ gold haul.

Though Wariner was interviewed immediately after his race by an NBC reporter, here is the Peacock Channel’s Alan Abrahamson’s desciption of Wariner, post-race:

Wariner faded. No one could remember seeing Jeremy Wariner fade so stunningly. He crossed in 44.74.

“It’s all about when it counts,” Merritt said.

Wariner offered no immediate comment.

No comment? Abrahamson flat-out lied. He had to have seen the post race interview. It was there on the very network for which he works. If he missed it live, surely he could have procured a video of Wariner’s brief back-and-forth with the NBA trackside reporter.

Meantime, ESPN.com News Services was busy covering for Wariner by providing a report that directly conflicts with that of Abrahamson’s:

Merritt and two-time world champion Wariner have dominated the 400 meters this year and clocked 11 of the fastest times in the world before the Olympics.

Merritt already beat Wariner twice this year, including at the U.S. Olympic trials, but Wariner was still considered the favorite after a superb European campaign in July.

“I didn’t have anything left,” Wariner said. “I don’t know what to say. I ran the best I could.”

The portions of the interview that were omitted from the ESPN.com report dealt with Wariner saying he had no idea what happened; that he had to “look at the race.” And, of course Wariner’s brusque reply to the question about his coaching change was nowhere to be found.

But.

That’s not all from the press, not is it all from the International Olympic Committee. The Associated Press reported that IOC president Jacques Rogge criticized Bolt Thursday for:

… showing a lack of respect to other competitors after his record-breaking gold-medal performances in the 100 and 200 meters.

“That’s not the way we perceive being a champion,” Rogge said.

The AP, known for its horrific reportage of black athletes was, with plenty of aid from Rogge, in fine form:

Bolt made little effort to congratulate the other runners as he wrapped himself in a Jamaican flag and set off on a solo victory lap. Swaying to the reggae music on the stadium loudspeakers, he walked barefoot around the track, putting his face inches from a TV camera, raising an index finger and yelling, “I am No. 1! I am No. 1!”

“He still has to mature,” Rogge said. “I would love him to show more respect for his competitors. That’s not the way we perceive being a champion. But he will learn in time. He should shake hands with his competitors and not ignore them. He’ll learn that sooner or later. But [he’s] a great athlete, of course.”

But when whichever AP reporter sought out American athletes for confirmation of Bolt’s celebration they were met with these words from Shawn Crawford, who finished fourth in the 200-meters:

“I guess there’s mixed feelings among athletes,” he said. “To me, I don’t feel like he’s being disrespectful. If this guy has worked his tail off, every day, on his knees throwing up like I was in practice, he deserves to dance.”

Rogge, apparently did not see Emma Snowsill celebrate the last 400 meters, or so, of her triathlon triumph as she ran to the finish with an Australian flag draped around her shoulders, smiling and mugging for the cameras while her opponents struggled, giving every ounce of energy they had into finishing the event with an aplomb of which Rogge would be proud.

Apparently, Rogge failed to witness Wariner’s quitting during a race when he realized that he could not win a gold medal.

I wonder if Friday morning during its First Take program, will ESPN designate a 1st and 10 topic to Wariner as they did Bolt’s celebration? I wonder if, as Jemele Hill did to Bolt earlier this week, will the black reporter opposite Skip Bayless, excoriate Wariner? Or will Hill manage to squeeze out an extra column on Wariner as she did August 15 when her editors posted her history-challenged article proclaiming Michael Phelps as the greatest athlete ever (ever try to play basketball in smoke-filled arenas for 13 or so years; play season after season and playoff series after playoff series in old school Chuck Taylors; travel to games in propeller planes and in trains — and win ELEVEN championships in those 13 years, including one as a player-coach? Phelps the greatest athlete ever - are you serious? Or how about Bryan Clay of the U.S. winning gold in the decathlon, an event - competing in 10 events in two days - that has direct ties to ancient Olympiads? Michael Phelps, endurance? Ancient Olympics? Wow …).

Will equal time be given to Wariner?

If celebrating with too much exuberance is in bad spirit of the Games, then what is tanking while an event is on-going?

To Rogge and the “Big Box” mainstream sports media outlets and their writers apparently nothing - nothing at all.

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Update:

The only post race video of Wariner shown by NBC was with his teammates in their jackets, long after the race and gold medal presentation. The three draped flags around them. And while Merritt and Neville smiled broadly for the cameras, Jeremy Wariner barely grinned …

It is in the lack of reaction to Wariner’s quitting and immature post race attitude by Rogge, Bob Costas, and every other reporter in America that illustrates clearly the disparity in treatment of black and white athletes. Whether it is racism or blind spots in perception due to perceived privilege, had Usain Bolt failed as did Jeremy Wariner and reacted in a manner similar to that of the 400-meter runner, Rogge and the U.S. press would not have missed a beat in condemning Bolt’s actions.

But this was Jeremy Wariner, white track star, not Usain Bolt or LaShawn Merritt. For Merritt, rather than laud the upset by Merritt and wax eloquent about an U.S. sweep in the event, the American press chose to concentrate on the woes of Wariner and the men’s and women’s relay teams that dropped batons during their relays:

Wariner’s usual effortless style had been transformed into one of shoulder-straining, teeth-gritting frustration. As he confessed, it just wasn’t there.

Bravely, he went to the interview room after the race, because this is what the silver medal winners are urged to do. And sitting there, with his 400-meter teammates, who won the gold and the bronze, Jeremy Wariner was forced to admit that he can be as human as the rest.

All of his humbled admissions aside, Wariner had to be miserable on the inside.

But on this night, misery had plenty of U.S. company.

And rather than be jubilant for winning the 4 X 400-meter relay race a day later, Wariner was still sulking when interviewd after that race:

Relay teammate LaShawn Merritt beat him in the open 400 on Thursday, but Wariner said redemption doesn’t enter his mind.

“No redemption,” Wariner said, rather emphatically. “I don’t use things as redemption. Especially when we come together as a relay - we’re out there as one. I’m not out there as an individual. I’m out there with three other men that were going to run their hearts out.

“…Unfortunately my open race wasn’t what I wanted, but I’ve got to look past that. I got a long career ahead of me.”

While the blame net was cast wide around the U.S. men and women who failed in their various sprints and relays, we are expected to feel sorry for Jeremy Wariner. …

And when the U.S. Men’s Basketball team won the gold medal, the on court celebration was shown. NBC then cut to a commercial. When the program returned to the air Jim Lampley told the nation it was time for an Olympic retrospective, a look back at how ———

Michael Phelps won his eight gold medals.

This, my friends, is racism 101 …

… in black and white.

• Rudy Fernandez’s dunk on Dwight Howard is going in my Youtube favorites as soon as I find a copy. That was deliciously brutal.
• How about Chris Bosh’s play in the game? Dwight Howard wasn’t quite the force he normally is in the NBA, but Bosh helped stabilize that front line just enough for the win. Now, to be honest, the big guys let us down today, as the Gasol brothers and Navarro should have paid rent for all the time they spent in the paint. But they did enough for us to win.
• Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant. Yes, he was forcing many of those plays in the fourth quarter–but (dare I say it) just like MJ, he can get away with it. A tremendous finish to the excellent start Dwyane Wade gave Team USA.
• Team USA’s 3-point shooting was incredibly clutch. They made 13 3’s to Spain’s 8. Who would have thought a US team would have won the gold medal via the 3-pointer? It’s a nice statement to the strength of this team.
• I want to shoot floaters like Juan Carlos Navarro when I grow up.
• I am really happy the US won…but before we get overconfident, let’s remember we played Australia without Bogut, Argentina without Ginobili, and Spain without Calderon for much of all three games. The world has caught up–it’s no longer up for debate.
• I’m not quite ready to buy stock in Ricky Rubio Inc. until he acquires a jumper, but that ball-handling and height makes me think there’s something to the hype.
• It was great to see the enthusiasm from Kobe, Dwyane, and Lebron about the win. Yes, they are rich, and yes, they knew that playing in China meant more shoe dollars. But they love the game, they love their country, and they love to win. I hope some of the constant second-guessing NBA stars are subjected to will die down after seeing the passion displayed in this win.

It appears a battle is raging … and it is a battle for your mind. Early last week Jemele Hill appeared on ESPN’s 1^st and 10 portion of its morning show, First Take. On 1^st 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?

And even then black people, as a whole, are not looking on the gold medal win by the 2008 team as some sort of reason to puff out our chests and tell white people about how much better we can execute basketball plays than the rest of the world.

It is not as if the very real prospect of a black president (not half-black, either) existed. Now that might be something to get all puffy about. But 12 NBA players nicknamed “The Redeem Team?”

Naawwww.

The monolithic black thing is bad enough, but unfortunately that overly-simplistic thinking allows for other gross mischaracterizations to flair up when applied to peripheral thoughts used to substantiate the piece’s basic premise:

The situation put black basketball players in this country under attack. Their style of play somehow became inferior to the international game, a style lauded for its teamwork, commitment and skill. Foreigners became in vogue in the NBA, and black players were characterized as having too much ‘tude and being too tattooed. The insinuation seemed to be that our players weren’t smart enough to cope with the international game and the lack of U.S. success was used to denigrate urban basketball, its culture and its players.

Wrong again. Euro-cats were in vogue before what would have been the 2005 NBA Draft. Just take a look around the NBA and look at the years of service the Euro-and world players have in the NBA (from 2007-08 NBA rosters):

Zaza Pachulia - drafted 2003; Andres Nocioni - 2004; Viktor Kryapa - 2004; Thabo Sefolosha -2006; Walter Herrmann - 2006 (pursued by NBA teams since 2001); Zydrunas Ilgaiskas - 1996; Sasha Pavlovic - 2003; Anderson Varejao - 2004; Dirk Nowitzki - 1998; DeSagana Diop - 2001 (fr. Senegal, Oak Hill Academy grad); Linas Kleiza - 2005; Nene Hilario - 2002; Primoz Brezec - 2000; Cheik Samb - 2006; Andris Biedrins - 2004; Mikael Pietrus - 2003; Marco Bellinelli - 2007; Didier Mbenga - 2004; Kosta Perovic - 2006; Yao Ming - 2002; Luis Scola - 2002; Sasha Vujacic - 2004; Vladomir Radmanovic - 2001; Pau Gasol - 2001; Juan Carlos Navarro - 2002; Darko Milicic - 2003; Andrew Bogut - 2005; Yi Jinlian - 2007; Marko Jaric - 2000; Bostjan Nachbar - 2002; Nenad Krstic - 2002; Peja Stojakovic - 1996; Marcus Vinicius - 2006; Hedo Turkoglu - 2000; Marcin Gortat - 2007; Gordan Giricek - 1999; Leandro Barbosa - 2003; Boris Diaw - 2003; Sergio Rodriguez - 2006; Beno Udrih - 2004; Manu Ginobili - 1999; Tony Parker - 2001; Fabricio Oberto - 2005 (pursued by NBA teams since 2001); Ian Mahinmi - 2005; Johan Petro - 2005; Mickael  Gelebale - 2005; Mouhamed Sene - 2006; Jose Calderon - 2005; Andrea Bargnani - 2006; Carlos Delfino - 2003; Rasho Nesterovic - 1998; Jorge Garbajosa - 2007 (pursued since 2002); Mehmet Okur - 2001; Andrei Kirilenko - 1999; Kyrylo Fesenko - 2007; Oleksiy Pecherov - 2006.

As you can see, only 19 out of 56 were drafted in 2005 or later (not including the two players drafted after 2005 who were pursued long before the 2005 draft - both are at least 30 years of age). NBA teams hardly ran headlong to Europe and began wholesale drafting of players outside of the U.S. after the 2004 Olympic team failed to win the gold medal.

But then Hill went into ridiculous territory mentioning Andrew Bogut’s remarks made a year ago and stripped them of their overall context, which was using NBA players to make a statement about all Americans:

“The public’s image of NBA players is true. A lot of them get caught up in the hype and do video clips with rappers and all that crap. They want bling bling all over themselves and drive fast cars. But that’s just the way the culture is in America — if you’ve got it flaunt it and if you don’t, you can’t.

“I’m not into jewelry. I’ve got some earrings but they’re not too expensive. There are guys who drop a hundred grand for a chain. The public’s got it right — a lot of NBA stars are arrogant and like to spend lots of money and have lots of girlfriends and all that.”

For the discerning, notice Bogut said “a lot” when talking about NBA players, not all. But notice did not afford America the same nicety: “But that’s just the way the culture is in America — if you’ve got it flaunt it and if you don’t, you can’t.”

Hill also conveniently omitted this final Bogut statement:

The smarter guys don’t do that. They like to live a regular life and want to retire and be set up. About 80 per cent of them go broke by the time they retire or come close to it”

For better or worse, by February of 2008 Bogut’s remarks were substantiated by an NBA study into the financial affairs of NBA players:

According to a statistic cited at an NBA Player’s Association meeting, some 60% on NBA players are broke within five years of receiving their final paycheck from the league …

Additionally, players get scammed by failing to perform due diligence checks on those with whom they might enter into business dealings. But the main reason most players go broke is exorbitant, unchecked spending on frivolous items:

“Sixty per cent is a ballpark. But we’ve seen a lot of guys who’ve really come into hard times five years after they leave the league,” said Roy Hinson, the former NBA forward who’s a representative for the players’ association. “The problems are, for a lot of guys, they have a lot of cars, they have multiple houses, they’re taking care of their parents. They’re taking care of a whole host of issues. And the cheques aren’t coming in anymore.”

It’s not just the spending, it’s the scamming. Hinson – who, as it happens, said he knows of a current NBA player who owns 15 cars – said unwitting athletes have been charged as much as $5,000 a month for bill-paying services and as much as a $100,000 to have their taxes prepared by unscrupulous agents and business managers.

“If you never check up on someone,” said Raptors guard Darrick Martin, “you become a target.”

Public stories of NBAers in financial trouble occasionally make headlines. Back in October, Jason Caffey, who made an estimated $29 million during his eight-year NBA career, was in bankruptcy court seeking protection from his creditors, among them the seven women with whom he fathered eight children. And late last year Latrell Sprewell, who famously turned up his nose at a $21 million contract offer – “I’ve got to feed my family,” was the money quote – had a yacht worth more than $1 million repossessed.

Hinson said the problems go far deeper than the headlines. The players’ association has long recommended a financial firm that offers players free second opinions on their financial particulars, but getting players to act is a challenge.

“Sometimes you can stop the bleeding, and other times you can’t stop the bleeding,” said Hinson, who added that many players associate with “too many `yes’ people.”

As you can see, once you slip on the slope, well you slide most precipitously. And Hill cannot stop:

Although you could argue Bogut was crucifying American culture in general, it was hard not to view his comments as an indictment of the NBA and black culture.

The NBA is still viewed by some as the “thug” league, so there was pressure on this U.S. team to show the world that the NBA is more than just a nonstop Lil’ Wayne video, full of spoiled millionaires with an insatiable appetite for groupies and Bentleys.

Well, yes Bogut was crucifying American culture using the people in America he knows best for context - his peers in the NBA.

But an indictment of black culture? Perhaps Ms. Hill would be better served asking Bogut if he feels any of the many black NBA reporters he runs across during the season have girlfriends everywhere and garage a fleet of Bentley’s.

I’d wager to guess his answer would be an incredulous, “No.” If you know him well enough he might even chuckle at the thought.

Then, to compound what already reads like an article from pre-Civil Rights days, Hill does not credit players such as Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James for their personal growth from 2004 to now, she credits white men for steering the players in the right direction:

Team USA national director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski deserve a lot of credit for not only picking the best possible players and getting them to accept a multi-year commitment, but making them see the value of the Olympic ideal. Four years ago, we didn’t see camera shots of LeBron cheering on Michael Phelps.

Now if that isn’t something from the assimilated negro of the 1950s, I don’t know what is. Besides, four years ago players like Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant begged off the Olympic team fearing their personal safety; 9-11 was why Colangelo and Brown could not procure the commitment of the NBA’s best American players, not some pap about trumped-up, jingoistic ideals. in 2006 the dynamic white duo of Colangelo and Krzyzewski took the US team to a veteran’s hospital to visit troops who had been maimed in the Iraq War. That visit and K’s many national pride speeches did nothing for the team’s morale - they still lost.

The problem was the makeup of the 2004 team. The problem wasn’t tattoos or cornrows, but a team of position misfits with too many young players at or near the top of the food chain.

Finally, four years ago Team USA national director Jerry Colangelo and head coach Larry Brown allowed the players to stay on a yacht, far from the hustle and bustle of, and the potential danger presented by ephemeral terrorists who might prey on the Olympic Village. I don’t see any “Olympic ideal” in being housed on a yacht.

So, if I’m getting all this straight, we are to believe that the black community was devastated by the US Men’s basketball losses of 2004 and haven’t recovered since. Maybe we can be blamed for the downturn of the US economy. After all, we’ve been so busy grieving over our lost sense of collective pride since 2004 that we have not been able to show face and shop till we drop like good little consumers. After all, when 13 % of your population is doing nothing but working and hitting the Mickey Dees drive-thru for the family dinner and immersed in a Diaspora-wide self-imposed exile from the local strip mall, what happens to the rest of the country?

Thank god for white people taking up the slack for us and going into ever-deepening debt for us and by doing so, showing us the American ideal, huh?

I finit curious that all these black people Hill spoke with find their sense of self worth tied to a basketball team. Neither I nor any black person I know or speak with on any regular basis derives any feeling of special pride in the US Men’s National team winning the gold medal. And the team’s losing would cause us no particular personal angst,

Now, we might be angry at the depiction of the team as presented by the mainstream press and those who would follow their lead on the Internet.

But personal anger or angst?

No.

But in those two distinctly different outlooks lies a measure of revealing. Perhaps some of us still live shackled by our pre-civil rights collective selves; the selves that were glued to the radio listening to Joe Louis fights. The selves who, when Louis won, would walk proudly down the street the following day. But when he was beaten, we bowed and cowered in public like puling puppies. The selves who gave “the white man” praise for our good behavior as we castigated our own people when they did anything other than bow their heads and trot around the bases so fast it looked like they were scared they’d get whipped after a home run. The selves that cannot see the context for the trees and therefore cannot see the fallacy of the world around them.

It’s a good thing there are different selves today unafraid of personal expression.

—————————

Addendum:

The USA just won the gold medal. Whoo-hoo! As a black person in America, I feel vindicated! …

Not.

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.