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Understanding Serena’s Supporters…and the Flaw in Their Defense of Her

Sunday, September 16th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

SW

This is not going to be an apologist piece for Serena Williams in the wake of her epic meltdown during last Saturday’s US Open final loss to Naomi Osaka. She does not need that or anything else from me. Nor will I be pontificating about sportsmanship, a concept that I have long felt is grossly overrated on the professional level.

For me, I am usually more interested in coming to a better collective understanding than being right. To that end, we should be clear about the position of Serena’s supporters. For them (us as I am one of them), she is not just a great tennis player. We vicariously live through her as she represents triumph in a white and male dominated world, that has NEVER fully embraced her. It is an easy case to make:

 For years she stopped playing at Indian Wells due to racists jeers and treatment from the fans;

 Despite dominating Maria Sharapova on the court and winning more than 4 times as many major tournaments, she has helplessly watched Wall Street send more endorsements to Sharapova;

 A rare foot fault was called on her against Kim Clijsters at a US Open, which essentially ended the match;

 She has apparently been overly tested for performance enhancing drugs, which reinforces the blatantly racist narrative comparing her to an animal;

 She has had her outfits restricted by a French Open official (I suppose her learning and being fluent in the language does not gain her admittance to the club); and finally…

 Both Andy Roddick, a former US Open champion, and James Blake, once ranked number 4 in the world, concur that they have said much worst to officials and has never been sanctioned as Williams was last Saturday

The case that Serena has been treated unfairly by the tennis world is beyond dispute and every additional example simply reinforces the resolve of her supporters to defend her. I get it!

The flaw in their defense is the fact that none of the things cited here, even though all true, were the primary root cause of her frustration Saturday. The primary cause of her frustration was the beatdown she was taking at the hands of 20-year-old Naomi Osaka. Whether Osaka summoned a Japanese Samurai Warrior or the great Haitian Revolutionary General Toussaint L’Oveture, it was clear who the better player was that day. She knew it, anyone that actually watched the match knew it, and even Serena knew it. To deny this reality, and cite Serena’s history and current unjust treatment as the reason that she lost is to be disingenuous.

Serena has a champion’s edge. It is no different from what Michael Jordan had. He once punched teammate Steve Kerr when the second stringers beat Jordan and the first stringers in a practice scrimmage. It is no different from what Tom Brady has, who when sacked, acts as if defensive players, by rule, are not allowed to touch him. What do all three and many other elite champions have in common? They are accustomed to imposing their will on opponents to get their way, and when they cannot, graciousness will rarely be what we see. Giving a quarter is not in their DNA and if you want their throne, you must come and take it from them.

For the entire decade of the 1960s, Wilt Chamberlain was the dominant big man in the NBA. Do not give me Bill Russell. He was simply on a better team. Then in the early 1970s, along came Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt’s place on the top was over. He did not graciously cede to Kareem and till the day he died, never recognized Jabbar for the talent he became.

When John McEnroe finally learned how to beat the great Swede Bjorn Borg in major Tournaments, Borg retired at 26 years old. He will never admit to this, but I have always believed that Borg knew his days beating McEnroe were over.

Champions are not good losers. If they were, there is a good chance that they would not be the champions that they are. Oh, some are good at faking it, such as Peyton Manning.

Don’t drink the kool-aid.

Change anything in the makeup of Michael Jordan and I do not believe he is a five-time MVP, nor a six-time NBA Finals MVP and champion. Nor would Tom Brady have five Super Bowl rings and all his other accolades. If Serena Williams were any different from what and who she is today, I doubt she has 23 majors.

The late Hall of Fame baseball manager Leo Durocher was right when he wrote the book, “Nice Guys Finish Last”. The only caveat would be, “Nice Guys and Ladies finish last”. Serena is not always nice when the going gets tough, and given the results, I would not have her any other way.

If her haters would like her to be all nice and cuddly, go get a dog. To her supporters, the out of line official was not the root of her frustration or defeat. It compounded her frustration and perhaps hastened her defeat. Acknowledging such does not make one a hater. It just means you are not willing to be a blind loyalist or cult follower in the making.

For all of the above reasons, in the end, the greatness of Serena Williams has not been modified one bit. We were simply reminded of the inevitable, which is that she will have to make room for the greatness of others…whether she wants to or not!

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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The One Thing the Umpire Couldn’t Take from Serena

Wednesday, September 12th, 2018

by Jaesun D. Campbell

JC

 

 

 

 

 

 

SW

I’ve not said shit about what happened to Serena at the U.S. Open, but let me be clear. The warning, point, and game penalty are all legitimate tennis “fouls”, and were correctly applied in the order in which they’re supposed to be applied… *takes deep breath*

HOWEVER, after 20+ years of playing, it’s notoriously known that Serena doesn’t and hasn’t ever got on-court coaching, even when it’s allowed and she’s losing. Never.

You’ve got to keep in mind that this is the woman who was so blatantly cheated in a 2004 U.S. Open quarterfinal, that the umpire was dismissed, and they were forced to implement a system to challenge the line calls.

This is no exaggeration. I’ve watched tennis for the past 18 years or so, like clockwork. No exaggeration… I’ve watched in class, church, school, clubs, parties, gatherings, probates, the shower (don’t ask), and even at work; and I’ve NEVER seen a player go from a warning to point penalty to game penalty in a matter of games, let alone the same set.

Sound judgment was not applied here. It’s a Grand Slam Final and a player is going for an all-time record in her sport, and you chose to apply the rules THAT tough? The officiating was horrid. Never once did Carlos Ramos attempt to explain what a coaching violation entails (remember, she’s never gotten one). Also, after Serena tells him she’s never cheated, he nodded her off as if they were squared away but then assessed her a point for the racquet smash, and still didn’t explain how or why he did it. Communication is paramount but even NBA Refs take the time to fully explain a call to a player or coach if/when need be.

Am I about to play the “but this player did that…” game? Yes, yes I am.

Novak Djokovic is notoriously known for yelling at his player’s box and at ball kids, however no name-calling or mockeries are hurled at him.

Karolina Pliskova lost a match after getting a bad call on a clay court and at the end of the match she and the umpire did not shake hands, and she proceeds to whack the chair the umpire is sitting in 3 times with her racquet, frightening her opponent. No suspension or outcries for bad behavior.

Rafael Nadal threatened to have the same umpire from Saturday removed from his matches and said some not-so-nice Spanish words. No penalty, no warning.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” – Novak Djokovic, as he waves his racquet (not finger) in his direction, to the same man who took such offense to Serena calling him a “thief”, that he gave her a game penalty.

Was Serena out of line? Perhaps… but for the last 20+ years, her skills have been belittled to brute strength instead of IQ and strategizing, and rumors of steroids. She’s been called “a man”, “tranny”, “hermaphrodite”, as well as being told to play on the men’s tour, mocked for her body, called racial slurs, disrespected by peers, coaches, and commentators alike; yet, regardless of it all, they’ve never been able to question the legitimacy of her incredible win/loss record, and how she’s solved many puzzles.

What you saw on Saturday wasn’t a meltdown or a simple overreaction. It was a Black woman holding on to the one piece of her reputation that has never been questioned. If you’ve never faced persecution for things beyond your control (upbringing, body type, skin tone, etc…), save me the self-righteousness regarding Serena Williams.

The very thing that’s made Serena Williams, Serena Williams, is how many times she’s been on the brink of defeat and found ways to win. Yes, she was losing when this debacle took place, but the umpire inserting himself the way he did took away from Osaka’s win or potentially one of the most special comebacks in Serena’s career. One thing he couldn’t take was Serena Williams’ desire to stand up for herself, and she did exactly that.

Jaesun D. Campbell, for War Room Sports

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It’s Just About Selling Shoes, Folks

Thursday, September 6th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

CK

I am happy for Colin Kaepernick. He has clearly been blackballed from the NFL, even if there is no smoking gun paper trail to prove such in a court. So, if he can recoup some of the money he has lost for taking a principled stand, good for him. He has earned every dime.

I am also happy that his many detractors are mad. Of all the things that actually warrant a protest, they choose this? To them I say, go ahead and burn your already paid for property.

I am not happy about the narrative some are painting of Nike becoming some corporate ally of social justice. It makes about as much sense as believing that Exxon is going to be a partner in combating climate change.

How do I know? You are what your record says you are and Nike’s record is the polar opposite of a corporation interested in social and economic justice.

For years, it oversaw what amounted to sweat shops and facilitated, or at the very least, ignored child slave labor. Nike was the posterchild for international corporate exploitation of populations that had little other choice but to participate in their own oppression. So bad was Nike that at one point, reporters pressed Michael Jordan about the issues.

Reportedly, it has improved its wages and working conditions, but it is hard to tell by how much. About 80% of its production factories are in Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Some of the workers are paid as little as $102 per month. Do the math on a 40-hour week (though many routinely work more), and it amounts to 63 cents an hour. Regardless of context or where it operates in the world, I am not patting a multi-billion-dollar corporation on the back for raising its wages for workers to 63 cents an hour, and I damn sure will not be hoodwinked into thinking it is in anyway an ally for social justice.

For those who contend that Nike has changed, as recently as July of this year, it raised the wages of about ten percent of its employees. There is a catch. Most view this as a sort of internal settlement for widespread workplace misconduct and discrimination against women.

It is not that Nike cannot afford to care. The corporation that is paying some of its workers in Asia 63 cents an hour reported 2017 revenues in the range of $34.4 billion dollars up 8%.

There are a few things that Nike could do to become an ally:

  • Pay all employees worldwide a living wage, not minimum wage, but a living wage, plus full benefits;
  • Allow its employees to organize and collectively bargain around wages, working conditions, etc.;
  • Build a factory in the top 10 urban areas of America, which are where the majority of police brutality takes place, and give residential credit in the application process for jobs;
  • Finance the renovation and (where needed) rebuilding of athletic facilities at the high schools in those same areas

If they did any of the above, it would put some substance behind the symbolism of endorsing Kaepernick. Of course, they will not do any of them because it is not what Nike is about.

When in a battle, it is important to understand how to make a distinction between a “ride or die” ally and an opportunist. Nike is an opportunist.

So let us keep everything in perspective. Nike could not care less about the cause that Kaepernick has championed. For Nike, it is just about selling shoes, folks.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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The Cesspool of CREAM called College Football

Tuesday, August 28th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

UM

The investigation about the domestic abuse of Courtney Smith by her then husband, a receivers coach, institutional bystander behavior and attempts to cover up both at Ohio State is complete. As disturbing as the actual findings are, is the fact that the outcomes and “sanctions” or lack thereof, were so foreseeable?

The simple explanation for what did and did not happen is C.R.E.A.M., the acronym many of you know to mean, “Cash Rules Everything Around Me!”

To that end, the fact that there were 115 deaths statewide due to domestic violence in Ohio in 2017 played little to no role in the decisions about accountability. The fact that the football program generates about $90 million per year and is deemed by the Wall Street Journal to be worth about $1 billion if up for sale on the open market, is seemingly all that mattered. Simply put, short of Aaron Hernandez-like murder charges, there was NEVER a time when Coach Urban Meyer was in danger of losing his job. A 73-8 record with a National Title in College football is the equivalent of Teflon.
Speaking of the late convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez, Meyer actually coached him at Florida, where Hernandez was one of 31 different players arrested during Meyer’s tenure…a tenure that included two national titles. Therefore, it is safe to say that at two different venues, Urban Meyer has presided over a football culture that would seem to be relatively permissive at best.

It is hard to know where to start with this episode of ‘The Cesspool of CREAM called College Football’, but for contextual understanding, let us talk about Title 9. It was established in 1972 and largely deals with the issue of gender equity on college campuses. It has been instrumental in expanding athletic opportunities for women. Study after study has shown that women who participate in sports tend to have higher self-esteem and are less likely to find themselves in abusive relationships. It also charges a college to provide a safe and abuse-free environment by requiring any college employee to report instances of alleged abuse to the college’s compliance office. There are exceptions to this requirement called confidential reporters, which typically are counselors, health care professionals, attorneys, and their staff.

No coach or athletic director ever falls under that umbrella, and both Meyer and Athletic Director Gene Smith knew this.

As for the “punishment” of a three-game suspension for Meyer, think of it this way: when former Ohio State QB Terrell Pryor and several of his teammates traded memorabilia for tattoos, they were suspended for five games. But in a state where nearly 20 people a month die from domestic abuse, the University saw fit to sanction an enabler of such abuse with a three game suspension?

Let that sink in for a moment.

There are at least two things that Ohio State and other such programs can do about this issue immediately; 1) in the hiring process, never ignore the red flags of an abuser. Human behavior is relatively predictable IF we review the history and resist cherry picking or denying information. While there are exceptions to every rule, abusers largely do not change. Meyer knew more than enough about this assistant when he was with him at Florida, to know the risk, and even if he didn’t, a program with a $109 million budget can surely do a thorough background check…if it wants to; and 2) immediately began a college-wide ‘Bringing in the Bystander’ training sessions, which show bystanders how to effectively intervene in cases of intimate partner abuse. I am proud to say that my employer, Montgomery College, conducts these trainings for all incoming athletes and as many other students as our volunteer resources allow. But the reality is that Montgomery Community College is not generating $90 million a year through its athletics, which bring us back to the primary culprit: the Cesspool of CREAM.

In some ways, big-time college sports, like mega religious institutions, have the best of both worlds in that they can generate enormous amounts of money without being accountable in the ways commercial for-profit entities are. They pay no taxes. Short of a ‘death penalty’, such as what was endured by Southern Methodist University in the 1980’s, I do not see any deterrent or incentive for big-time college football programs that will counter the profit motive. This challenge is beyond sports and manifests itself on all levels of society, from Wall Street to Health Care. There are two kinds of verifiable power in America: organized money and organized people. Ohio State and other big college football programs are a part of organized money. It is our responsibility, be we sports fans or not, to organize as people to counter organized money interests by insuring, among other things, that the provisions of Title 9 are adhered to within the college setting. Otherwise, who will intervene on behalf of the Courtney Smiths of the world?

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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What to Make of Maryland’s Mea Culpa

Friday, August 17th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

UMD

In the wake of learning more about the circumstances that led up to the tragic death of Maryland
offensive lineman Jordan McNair from heat stroke related exhaustion, I was ready to write a column
that defined exactly what toxic culture is and why it should be called out and resisted at every turn.

After all, a 19-year old young man is dead.

Not hurt: one assumes the risk of injuries when playing football. The game cannot be made safe.

Not paralysis: one assumes the risk of that as well, though it is tragic when it happens.

But surely no player or parents can reasonably be expected to accept death as a likely or probable
outcome from playing football, and for this to happened would seem to lend credence that only a
toxic culture would be permissible enough to allow.

Basic factors of the neglect such as not cooling the body down at the first signs of heat stroke or
waiting an entire hour after a seizure before calling the paramedics support the notion as well.
The family of McNair, with good reason, has hired superstar attorney Billy Murphy, in preparation for
a wrongful death suit against the University. Anyone that knows Maryland, will tell you that Murphy
is the closest thing in the area to Johnny Cochran. He is a mover and shaker and feared by both
police and corporate entities. Murphy has already called for Maryland coach DJ Durken to be shown
the door following the primary culprit, strength coach Rick Court.

So the stage is set for the typical corporate/organizational reaction, which goes about as described
thus far. Then denials of any wrong doing by the university, which then only attracts more external
scrutiny, that demands a pound of flesh…as it should.

You see the typical response to such happenings, be they of an institution or individual, is to go into
CYA mode, straight from the Scandal 101 playbook. It’s next to never about finding truth. It’s about
damage control over the damage itself. Because it is not about a finding of truth, what typically
happens is that a few mid-management folks are thrown under the bus, regardless of their culpability
(in this case, I can’t see a plausible defense for Durken). A few reforms of protocol will be put in
place, which usually do more to simply push the cultural toxicity underground than to uproot it, and
the institution proceeds over time to “just get past it”.

One of the best and yet pathetic examples of such institutional behavior is the Catholic Church.
Its latest is currently unfolding in Pennsylvania, where the behavioral pattern of abusing children and
then covering it up is on display. Insult to injury is the fact that if a priest abuses children, he is
transferred and unlikely to be held criminally accountable. But if a priest steals from the church, he
will go directly to jail! PROFIT OVER PEOPLE prevails yet again!

But a funny thing happened on the way to the standard script:

The University of Maryland refused to play its part.

In a press conference, University President Wallace D. Loh not only apologized to the family but took
moral and legal responsibility for McNair’s death. Of course this was the right thing to do, but it next
to never happens.

This was the equivalent of a vehicular manslaughter suspect admitting that he was driving the car
intoxicated. To do so is to make his own conviction a slam dunk and make himself liable for both criminal and civil
consequences. As a result, human nature being what it is, very rarely does an institution or
individual actually do this….even if they know full well that they are indeed responsible.

There are two primary reasons people and institutions are reluctant to admit when they are wrong;
one is ego, which is more prevalent among individuals. The other is liability, which is more common
among institutions.

Maryland’s actions will not save it from liability, nor should they. So why the change in script?
Some will contend that Maryland’s mea culpa was a desperate attempt by the president and athletic
director to save their jobs. Still others might say their admission was aimed at mitigating possible
NCAA sanctions, in the hopes of avoiding a Penn State-like fate.

As cynical as those reasons may sound, they are possible.

I would like to believe that this one time, a powerful American organizational entity is doing the right
thing, regardless of the price, simply because it is the right thing to do and in doing so, can possibly
reverse a sorry trend by its contemporaries, such as the Catholic Church.

Simply put, when such tragedies occur, you don’t need Olivia Pope to do the right thing. An honest
process of candid self-assessment, though difficult and expensive, will serve the aggrieved family,
the institution, and society in general, much better.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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The Trouble with Dak Prescott

Friday, August 10th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

DP3

When Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doubled down on his total disregard for player protest and specifically Black Lives in general, he was simply being who he is; a “good ole boy” who takes a great deal of pride in his role as a modern-day plantation overseer. Jones declared that anyone that does not come out for the anthem and stand will be cut. I hardly think that anyone was surprised.

The team’s African American QB from Louisiana and Mississippi, Dak Prescott, essentially agreed with his owner. The phrase many of us Black folks use to describe his behavior would be “cooning”. For those who don’t know, it is a phrase Black people use to describe other Black folks who are obsessed with staying in the good graces of whites.

This is the most troubling quote:

“I never protest during the anthem. I don’t think that is the time or venue to do that.”

Are you f$%%#@%* serious?

Is that all you got?

It’s a good thing that one cannot be sued for plagiarizing the thoughts of others because Dak would be in big legal trouble if it were possible. He may as well have said to Jerry Jones, “You tell em massa”.

DP2

The issue is not that he refuses to kneel during the anthem. I actually believe that form of protest has about exhausted its effectiveness. I have 4 basic issues with the position:

  • Zero creativity: This is a classic case of someone simply repeating a narrative that they heard someone else say, without any critical independent thought of his own. If you are going to shovel BS, at least make sure it has a unique aroma;
  • Pitifully elusive: Whenever someone says it’s not the right time or place for resistance to injustice, you can be sure that for that person, there is NEVER a right time or place;
  • Stockholm Syndrome: is a condition that causes hostages to develop a psychological alliance with their captors, as a survival strategy during captivity. Dak’s position clearly sides with his oppressor….I mean boss.
  • Illusion of separation: one gets the impression from this comment that Dak thinks he is above that which has stung Black America. It’s as if he feels his status would have saved him from the terrorist that went into a Black church in South Carolina and shot nine people to death simply because of the color of their skin.

I could go on and on about how problematic his position is on so many levels, but at the core is simply that the statement is not true. If it were, that would be tantamount to saying that all those prior, who used the athletic venue as a platform to advance the struggle for social justice to include Muhammed Ali, John Carlos, Tommie Smith, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, and yes, Colin Kaepernick, were all wrong. If that were true, there is no way that Dak would be the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.

The most hopeful thing to do is just assume that Dak is young and not fully conscious of how treasoness his position is to those whose lives are at risk every day.  After all, even the great Jackie DPRobinson stained his reputation with public criticisms of both Paul Robeson and Ali. To his credit, before he died, he came to realize the error of his ways and by the late 1960’s was supportive of the many student-athlete protests around the country. Maybe Dak will develop in a similar way and let’s hope it’s sooner than later. Right now, he is clearly in a “sunken place”.

This weekend, White Supremacist will be descending on Washington, DC on the anniversary of them literally killing Heather Heyer. She was the social justice activist killed when she joined many others to confront the Nazis at the University of Virginia. She was not a celebrity or of great wealth. She, nevertheless, chose to risk her life and ultimately gave her life to stand up for what is right. Oh, and Heather Heyer was White. That is relevant because she could have chosen the path of many whites and simply ignore the reality of racism, since it does not have the immediate impact on her that it does on Black people. For that reason alone, she should always be remembered and revered.

Dak Prescott, on the other hand, does have celebrity and wealth. Oh, and he is Black…..whether he knows it or not. If Heyer saw the need to take a stand, what possible excuse could he have?

It is for these reasons, with this backdrop why Prescott’s pitiful declaration of where the struggle should not take place is so shameful.

Dak Prescott is the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, “America’s Team”. With that title comes the capacity to represent what America has been and is, or what America should be and can be. The choice is his but no choice is not an option. It’s the price of the party.

Just as frustrating about Prescott’s failure to take a stand is the fact that he is one of two players that could cross Jerry Jones’ line in the sand and not be cut (the other being Ezekiel Elliot). As much as Jones detests non-compliance, he loves to win even more. There is no way that he would cut either. There is precedence. Before the 1993 season, Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith held out fresh off the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl. Jones refused to budge……..until the Cowboys started the season 0-2. Emmitt was back for the 3rd game and the Boys would go on to repeat and win again after the 1995 season. If the “stars” take a stand, Jerry will stand down.

It’s fourth and goal in the red zone of America, Mr. Prescott. You do not get to sit this play out.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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Why Sports and Loyalty Don’t Mix

Monday, July 30th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

DD

What do Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Patrick Ewing all have in common? They were first ballot Hall of Famers who were kicked to the curb by their signature teams once they felt that they could do better without them. What I have never quite understood is why fans are so much more critical of the player who rejects loyalty while giving teams a pass for the same behavior?

While I do not contend either DeMar DeRozan or Kawhi Leonard are on the level of the players previously mentioned, I was reminded of such players this past week when the two were traded for one another. Especially noteworthy was DeRozen’s shock and dumbfounded reaction.

DeRozan seemed to feel that since he has indeed been among the 3-4 best shooting guards in the NBA over the past 10 years, it would account for something. He thought that because he had embraced the Toronto community and life, like no other Raptor before him, to include the significant additional tax burden, that he was above his current fate. DeRozan evidently thought that because management did not imply in any way that he was indeed expendable, which he wasn’t. He thought because he never considered leaving via free agency a few years ago that his demonstrated loyalty to the team would be reciprocated.

There is a phrase that best summarizes the only response to DeRozan’s disappointment:

“Wake up and smell the coffee.”

DeRozan made one fatal flaw that is not uncommon for loyalists; he thought that the loyalty he extended would have been reciprocated.  He was wrong.

I am not making light of how he feels nor the impact of an involuntary move on an NBA player and his family…even a multimillionaire. It is no small or simple thing to have to uproot one’s family and literally move them to another country. The children must change schools, etc. I even agree with DeRozan that at the very least the “humane” thing for the Raptors to do would have been to alert him that they would consider moving him.

But professional sports is often not humane. It is the descendent of the gladiator world of ancient Rome, and when you cannot entertain the fans or provide the labor your team wants, you will be discarded as easily as a piece of meat for the hungry lions.

This callousness is by no means limited to sports. Look at the raid on public employee pension plans. Or the austerity approach to public debt while simultaneously giving tax breaks to the rich (of which admittedly DeRozan is a part of). Or dare I say, the reneging on contractually agreed upon raises for community college professors. Time and time again, those who ultimately control the capital have demonstrated that their use for those of us who are labor only extends to the degree that they can profit from our labor. There is nothing loyal or humane about this.

Now more than a few fans will dismiss DeRozan’s lament on the exclusive basis of “he makes a lot of money”. To those I refer you the late-great baseball all-star and free agency trailblazer Curt Flood. In 1969, AFTER his contract with the Cardinals had expired, they traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies. Up until this point, baseball and all other sports could do this under something referred to as the “Reserve Clause”, which essentially determined that a player’s rights, even if no longer under contract belong to a team until that team decided to either cut the player or trade him. The only problem was that Flood refused the trade under the notion that he was not a piece of chattel or property. When he alluded to chattel, that outraged many in that he seemed to be comparing himself to a slave. When asked by the iconic Howard Cosell about the appropriateness of the analogy given that he was paid a salary of over $100,000 at that time, Flood responded “a well-paid slave is a slave nonetheless”.

What happened to DeRozan is but more proof that there is neither loyalty in sports nor the larger American society. Furthermore, it is a prime example why I NEVER dispute a player’s attempt to get every dime he can from owners in the short run. In the long run, we must decide what kind of society we want, both inside and outside sports. Do we want one with no sense of reciprocal obligations to humanity? Or one that validates “dog eat dog” parasitic behavior under the notion of “it’s just business”?

Clearly DeRozan was under the wrong impression which of these two societies he currently resides.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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Home Runs, Credit, and Sex

Thursday, July 19th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

HR

As I watched this week’s MLB Home Run Derby and All-Star game, I could not help but marvel at the evolution of the home run.

However, I am not sure if that evolution is for the better of the game.

There is no question that home runs are up, even in the so-called “Post-Steroid Era”.  Consider that the per game rate in 2014 was .86. That rose to 1.01 in 2015, 1.16 in 2016, and 1.26 in 20017. This was topped off by both single-season and World Series all-time records for homers in 2017, and then this week, a record for All-Star Game home runs.

Even scientists hired by MLB to explain the home run surge could not, other than citing less wind resistance. They stopped short of saying global warming and so will I.

Why does the increase in home runs concern me? Because when one of the game’s most exciting aspects loses its rarity, so too does it lose some of its value. If there were a Big Foot citing every few hours, no one would give a damn. The rarity of it is a part of its value.

This brings us to credit.

I am a child of the 60’s and fiscally conservative parents…by necessity. They were working-class and had mouths to feed, and thus frivolous spending was not an option.  Going through our father’s records upon his death in 1991, I remember coming across a credit card statement with a limit of $5000.

He owed a grand total of about $400.

He was of a generation that generally used credit for big-ticket items and unexpected needs. Vacations did not qualify.

Somewhere along the line, predatory creditors learned that there was profit in exploiting the desire of working class and middle class Americans to indulge their Walter Mitty aspirations to live beyond their means. As a result, credit was made a lot easier to attain and the outcome was the near financial collapse of about 10 years ago.

This brings us to the only reason some of you are reading this column: SEX!

Back in the day, you had to date a girl 3 times just to get a kiss. Not anymore and as a result, appreciation for one of life and nature’s greatest activities has dropped to an all-time low. Ok, I have absolutely no research to support this assertion….but I know it to be true and so do you. As that great philosopher Dave Chappelle once said,
“If p…… was a stock, that shit would be plummeting right now, because you flooded the market with it. You give it away too easy.”

We could add the 3-point shot in basketball and two-minute touchdown drives in football in this same category.  What do they all have in common: they are examples that it is human nature to take for granted that which comes easily and in the process, it is devalued.

Therefore, I say that we would appreciate baseball more if there were fewer home runs.

We would have less debt if credit were not so easy to get.

We would have a greater appreciation for sex, if we had it in less quantity.

Well, maybe I got a little carried away with that last one. Appreciation can be overrated! Ha!

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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10 Reasons Why LeBron and the Lakers Make Sense

Tuesday, July 10th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

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Now that the “wow” and dust has settled, let’s look at last week’s biggest sports story: my Lakers’ signing of LeBron James.

There are legitimate basketball-based reasons for the Lakers to have not signed “The King”, such as, why hamstring your roster and salary cap with any one player when he won’t be enough to win the title?; or 2) Why increase the temptation to give up young, promising talent for another piece, such as Kawhi Leonard, when even if at his best, still likely will not be enough to beat the “Beast by the Bay?”; or 3) Previous Laker teams that acquired superstars were better than this group and thus the acquisition got them closer to a title.

Those, among others, are perfectly rational reasons.

But I have been a card-carrying member of Laker Nation since 1972 and rational thinking has no place in this column.

So, I give you the 10 reasons why LeBron and the Lakers make sense:

REASON 10: “The Apostle.” Pau Gasol

Does anyone believe my Lakers make it to 3 straight Finals from 2008-10 and win two titles without the acquisition of Gasol from Memphis? While he is not in the class of the next three I’ll name, he may be the most underappreciated Laker of any of the title teams.

REASON 9: Wilt Chamberlain

Getting Chamberlain before the 1969 season kept an aging team (Both West and Baylor were 10 years into the league) as a powerhouse without a rebuilding period. My Lakers made the Finals in 69, 70, 72, and 73, winning it all in 1972 with what was then a single-season record of 69-13, that also included a 33-game winning streak over the 71 and 72 seasons.

REASON 8: “Shaq”

He was acquired via free agency from the Magic. Once Kobe matured, Shaq led my Lakers to the NBA’s last 3-peat, 2000-02. He was Finals MVP all three times.

REASON 7: Kareem the Supreme

Already a proven winner, leading the Bucks to the 1971 title and reaching the Finals again in 1974, the case can be made that Jabbar’s acquisition was the most beneficial of any superstar in integrated sports history.  He was the leading scorer on 3 of the 5 title teams of the 80s.

REASON 6: Putting down the Daddyball factor

I, for one, never understood why so many overreacted to LaVar Ball’s fine-line walk between buffoonery and marketing brilliance. Regardless, LeBron’s presence alone will push this issue to where it always belonged, which is the back page of the tabloid section. The other benefit is that it takes any undue pressure off Lonzo and allows him to develop with less of the scrutiny of those who wanted him to fail, to clam up pop.

REASON 5: Attractive to free agents again

Other than Kyrie Irving, who has had a big problem playing with LeBron, this move makes the Lakers an attractive destination for free agents again….maybe even for a discount.

REASON 4: Reclaiming L.A.

You know your team has sunk to an all-time low when folks would rather see the Clippers. Those days are over!

REASON 3: The Warriors can’t keep everyone

Klay Thompson comes up for free agency soon.  Boogie Cousins returning to form is far from a sure thing, given the history of Achilles injuries (I for one believe our own Black Mamba might still be playing were it not for this injury so late in his career).

REASON 2: The Herm Edwards factor

“YOU PLAY…TO WIN….THE GAME!”  How can getting the best player in the league via free agency undermine that goal? No, it does not put us on par with that Beast By the Bay. Some of you state this as if you are announcing a cure for cancer. But it does make you a better team.

And the number 1 reason LeBron and the Lakers make sense is…………….

…….drumroll……

WE ARE THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND YOU ARE NOT!

This would be highly questionable for any other franchise.

We are not any other franchise.

We are the mighty Los Angeles Lakers, draped in the majestic purple and gold, which is to say WE ARE SPORTS ROYALTY, and that is why we are suited for a King.  Feel fortunate that we even condescend to speak to mere mortal fans such as those of the Kings or Wizards. No other organization in sports history has proven to be better equipped to accommodate a superstar than the Lakers.

So ,Laker haters prepare to resume your hate because weather you like it or not, we matter once again!

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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The World Cup, Africa, and Why I Wish Serena Would Not Bow

Saturday, June 30th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

Super-Eagles-Celebrate

Even as a casual soccer fan, it is hard for me to watch the World Cup, the most popular sporting event worldwide, without wondering what could be for African Nations. Despite African-born or heritage players on many teams, especially European teams, no nation from Africa has ever won the cup. Despite the events’ widely acknowledged greatest player in its History, Brazil’s Pele, being himself of African descent and forecasting that an African nation would win the cup by 2000, none have even made it to the semi-finals.

But why?

Some will cite a structural reason that is clearly biased toward Europe.  There are 54 countries in Africa and yet it is only allocated five slots in the World Cup tournament. Conversely, Europe has 50 countries and gets 13 slots.

Still, others will cite the same ole dog whistle analysis to explain why African countries have not succeeded to the level of its enormous talent and resources; bad governance, undisciplined players…blah, blah, blah. I do not contend that none of those are factors. I actually would agree that bad governance compounds the issue. I only argue that they are not at the root. At the root are the same factors responsible for the continent’s underdevelopment in general and that is the exploitation by foreign interests, especially Europe.

For a point of reference, look at how U.S. baseball pillages Latin American baseball talent…compound that worldwide and that is what you have with European countries and the African soccer players.

To be fair, European countries are not the only culprits. Qatar has recently indulged as well, under the guise of humanitarian motivations with its Aspire Academy, which recruits young African soccer players to their country in their effort to build a World Cup contender.

However, my primary focus is Europe, due to its wider history of exploiting Africa for both human and material resources, and the wealth it accumulated as a result.

SWThat brings us to Serena Williams and the pending Wimbledon Tennis tournament. She has won this tournament seven times, and each time before being crowned is “required” by tradition to do some curtsy to the Queen of England. It strikes me as bowing and I have always had a serious problem with that practice.

The Industrial Revolution would have been impossible without the wealth generated by slave labor. Britain’s major ports, cities, and canals were built on invested slave money. Several banks, to include Barclays, as well the Church of England built their wealth on the slave trade of African free labor. In other words, the ancestors of Serena Williams.

Indeed, as the great scholar Eric Williams illustrates clearly in “Capitalism and Slavery”, you cannot speak of one without speaking of the other.

Please save the tired apologist responses such as, “We cannot rewrite history”. Rewriting history is not the issue. Collecting on the debt is. We validate this right for the decedents and survivors of the Holocaust, as well we should. However, when it comes to African people, we adapt the “let bygones be bygones” approach. This mindset was on blatant display when the British offered to “lend” Nigerian art back to Nigeria…art it stole during the colonial era.

Let that sink in for a moment.

That is like a crackhead carjacking you and then offering to lend you your own car.

I know that Serena refusing to bow to the Queen of England will not address the massive debt owed to African people by England. I just want the issue raised in the consciousness of the world and she would have the platform to do just that.

My thinking on this issue was greatly influenced by a dear friend and mentor who passed away last Saturday. Macheo Shabaka introduced me to the concept of Pan Africanism, which insist that we of African descent, regardless of where we were born, are still Africans, and obliged to act on her and her people’s behalf. If we don’t, who will? Were he still alive, he would agree with me when I say that Serena Williams should not bow to the Queen of England. In fact, the Queen and all of England should bow to her and all of Africa and her peoples.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

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