Posts Tagged ‘All’s Fair in Sports and War’

Careers in Jeopardy – Who Controls That?

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

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by B. Austin

 

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Tolerance in sports is directly correlated to the cost of production and the return a franchise or club receives. Meyers Leonard commands about $10,000,000 per season for 6 ppg, 4rpg, and I’m not sure what his defensive production looks like.  He shoots over 36% from three, which gives him a slight bump in value.  But, at $10 million he becomes expendable.  Can’t tolerate the market/masses’ response for that production, at that cost.  Kyrie Irving IS a superstar.  At $15,000,000 per season, Kyrie will have 20 teams interested.  Kyrie, by talent and on court ability is looking for a max deal that would go from 4-years/$192,000,000 to 5-years/$240,000,000.  Based on who feels insulted, Willie becomes correct because Kyrie, based on pride, ability, and talent, won’t consider playing for much less than a max deal, considering the production he is putting out.  And the group he insulted are woven into the fabric of American sports, media, and banking.  If Kyrie won’t accept a number underneath $20,000,000 per season (maybe less), he won’t get a job.  Their power is that they control and manipulate the institutional power structures – they perceive that you insult them, your net worth can go from $6 billion to $400 million in a week.
I believe said community is well-positioned within American business and financial infrastructure.  I say that with no malice or hatred.  I say that being completely open to dialog and discourse on whether or not that is factual or fallacy.  As a black person, an African diaspora – a descendant of slaves, I am well aware of the impact of racism, bigotry, and the derogatory words that come with that.  Hell, I am insulted by the Star-Spangled Banner when it plays.  I am insulted by a system that can rob a man of a job based on him kneeling as a sign of protest against systemic racism.  If the Semitic community has the ability to lead the charge and punish people who they feel insult, demean, or harm them – using the tools afforded them – I am not mad.  I wish Black people in America had that power to exercise that retribution in tandem with reparations.
Personally, I feel as though Kyrie’s post was irresponsible and without context surrounding the specific thoughts and feelings he had on the content posted.  The backlash received is understandable.  A messenger is responsible for clear, effective, efficient articulation – or, suffer consequences.
Meyers Leonard used a racial epithet.  The consequences are, whether he is a bigot, racist, or “innocently” using a derogatory term, the consequences of his actions are his NBA career is in jeopardy.  Kyrie, may be in the same boat, as far as his career is concerned.  Not for using a slur, but posting something that he didn’t take the time to provide context on, research, or ask questions about.

I have not yet watched the movie or read the book.  If it denies the Holocaust, celebrates a certain German dictator, or quotes KKK members, then at best it is historically inaccurate and demeaning.  At worst it IS perpetuating something hurtful.  I will also say this; Because something “HAS SOME TRUTH to it”, doesn’t make it right or righteous as a whole.  Three or four drops of mercury contaminates a million gallons of water.

 

B. Austin, of War Room Sports

Lions Don’t Lose Sleep Over the Opinions of Gazelles, Zebras, and Certainly not Sheep

Wednesday, September 8th, 2021

by B. Austin

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In the UEFA European Championships, these four young men missed penalty shots that would have advanced England’s Men’s Senior National Futbol Team, the Three Lions.  Terrible mistake on their part…horrible…and they deserve criticism.  However, it took a dark and nefarious turn when 100’s of thousands, if not millions on social media, turned to racist banter and hateful speech towards them.  It got ugly.  None of these dudes are over 25 years of age.  They are all TOP players in the world as young men.  But what stood out to me was Bukayo Saka.  He is, or was, a 19 year-old, Nigerian-born superstar (20 years old, as of the release of this article), left back and midfielder for Arsenal, and is 6 years older than my 13 year-old son, who I post way too much on Al Gore’s internet.  The grace, poise, and maturity with which he has handled interviews and the racist trolls on the internet is utterly amazing.  They ALL have handled it with amazing grace, composure, and dignity.  But this dude Saka was a teenager at the time.  All of this lends to my question: What should athletes do in the face of such vitriol?  Is playing for these countries (of birth, youth, or migration) in your best interest, especially when you can trace your lineage to a place that isn’t going to dehumanize, disrespect, or hate you?

Missing a penalty is a terrible thing for a footballer.  It shows a lack of focus and preparation.  However, Pele, Messi, Ronaldo (both of ’em), Ronaldinho, Neymar, Zidane, Henry…hell, many players have missed throughout their careers.  Jordan, Kobe, (Lord knows) Lebron, Steph, Dame Dolla, all have missed free throws.  So we know in the grand scheme of things it has nothing to do with where their careers end up.  These misses will be an anomaly and erased in history, as these players continue their ascension to the pantheon of greats.  And who knows, maybe a seat at the “Table of Gawds” awaits them.  But you know what isn’t an anomaly?  You know what isn’t going anywhere?  You know what will be around 20, 30, 50, 100 years from now?  Racism.  Racist abuse.  Racism in sports.  These young men will face this for the remainder of their careers, whenever they mess up or make a mistake…or…just whenever fans feel like taunting.

 

B. Austin, of War Room Sports
#Futbol #BlackPower #EndRacism #RacisminFutbol #raheemsterling #marcusrashford #JadonSancho #BukayoSaka #Soccer

#FutbolBeenBlack #SoccerBeenBlack #UEFA #europeanchampionship #EURO2020 #FourLions

Patriotism

Monday, April 27th, 2020

by B. Austin

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So…interesting thing I observed:

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The New England Patriots took very talented Kicker Justin Rohrwasser (Marshall University) in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As is his right, he has expressed himself via tattoo with the markings of a neoconservative, right-wing, militia group co-founded by the late Michael Brian Vanderboegh, called The 3 Percenters (referring back to the three percent of people who took up arms against the British during the American Revolution).

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His tattoo is prevalent on his left arm, I believe. And now…he is being pressured to cover it up or remove it. This is SOOOOOOO wrong to me. He chose to tattoo this on his body and express himself. Why do we force people to hide who and what they are? We create a place for dishonesty, disingenuousness, and ambiguity to fester. People can hide in plain sight and not have to own what they claim to stand for. A HUGE part of the history and legacy of this nation is what these neoconservative, right-wing, white organizations stand for and believe in. It makes us uncomfortable to see and know this truth. It is unhealthy for us to force it “underground”. Allow this young man the opportunity to keep his tattoos intact. Allow Nick Bosa to continue sharing his thoughts and commentary. Don’t hide who and what you are!

 

B. Austin of War Room Sports

(Shout Out To Kyree, WRS Operation Battle Rap)

The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl Champions!!!

Monday, February 3rd, 2020
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is doused on the sideline during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is doused on the sideline during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

For Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LIV gear, click HERE or click the link below.
Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Championship Gear

The Most Overhyped Award in Sports

Thursday, December 19th, 2019

by Gus Griffin

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LSU QB Joe Burrow is the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner.

WHO CARES!

For years, I have felt that the college football Heisman Trophy award is the most overhyped award in sports for many reasons, to include the following:

IT ISN’T REALLY FOR THE BEST PLAYER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

It’s the best quarterback or running back in college football. Tim Brown and Desmond Howard won as primarily receivers. Charles Woodson, who also was a return man, is the only primary defensive player to ever win the award. How can we take any award seriously that espouses that the best player in college football has never been an offensive or defensive lineman, or a linebacker? I realize that there are various awards for various positions. The others are appropriately named. The Bednarik award goes to the best defensive player. The Outland award goes to the best lineman. They are what they purport to be. The only one of these awards that purports to be something it clearly is not on all too many occasions is the Heisman. This is a serious insult to defensive players, and especially lineman on either side of the ball. If games are won and loss in the trenches, why aren’t the players in those trenches considered to be the best?

HOW CAN THE BEST COLLEGE PLAYER AWARD BE SUCH AN UNPREDICTABLE GAUGE OF NFL SUCCESS?

Over 95% of NFL players come from the American College ranks. And yet, since the first Black Heisman winner in 1961, only 56% of its winners have been able to produce an NFL career of any note. That 56% does not include the only 2-time winner, which is Archie Griffin. That is to say that they either were a Pro-Bowl selection or won Rookie of the Year…something to say that the award was warranted as a predictor of NFL success. This is not mere hindsight analysis. At the time of many awards, clear superior players have been omitted in favor of the winner. In 1992, anyone with the slightest football acumen knew that Miami QB Gino Torretta was not better than Nebraska offensive lineman Will Shields. History barred that out as Torretta was a mere footnote in NFL history while Shields was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Florida QB Danny Wuerffel wins in 1996 instead of the great Ohio State Tackle Orlando Pace. Pace is a Hall of Famer while Wuerffel was a hood ornament on the Steve Spurrier (another Heisman winner that amounted to nothing in the NFL) football Cadillac. Finally, Ohio State QB Troy Smith wins in 2006 instead of the great Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas. Thomas will be in the Hall of Fame soon. Smith will not, nor ever had a case to be. Maybe history will validate that Burrow is better than Defensive End Chase Young, his former teammate at Ohio State. But who among us can say you are convinced of that today?

This is not to say that the award has always been a wild card for NFL success. Its golden era in this regard were the winners from 1977 (Tony Dorsett) through 1988 (Barry Sanders). Others in this group included Marcus Allen, Billy Sims, Earl Campbell, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, and Tim Brown. To show that white winners did not have the market cornered on being flops, it was Andre Ware in 1989 that stopped the streak of greatness.

GATH 1/88:  Football player Paul Hornung poses with the Heisman Trophy, December 1956. GNEG Heisman notebook (no number)

GATH 1/88: Football player Paul Hornung poses with the Heisman Trophy, December 1956.
GNEG Heisman notebook (no number)

Speaking of race, THE 3RD PROBLEMATIC ASPECT OF THE HEISMAN IS ITS HISTORY ROOTED IN JIM CROW SEGREGATION. The late great sports writer Dick Schapp gave up his Heisman vote in protest of the committee refusing to recognize the obvious best player in the country in 1956. The winner was Notre Dame QB Paul Hornung.

It was not because of how good Notre Dame was that year. They were 2-8.

It wasn’t because of his individual stats: He threw 3 TD passes against 13 interceptions.

It was because Schapp’s all white colleagues refused to vote for the “other guy”, who was a running back at Syracuse named Jim Brown.

In this case, Hornung would go on to be a Hall of Famer with the Packers and league MVP in 1960. The issue is that the racist attitudes of the times gave him a public relations head start, via winning a Heisman that he never should have won.

Why is any of this important? Within the context of sports, if independent thinking is not relevant to you, perhaps it is not. Both within and beyond sports, the “prestige” of the Heisman Trophy is yet another example of how all too often, folks in America are told what to think and value rather than engaging in the process of coming to conclusions for themselves. There is an intellectual herd mentality that too many follow for one of two reasons: either they are too lazy to actually do the work to vet the ideas being promoted as “gospel”, or they actually know that they are being fed BS, but simply don’t care to pay the price for calling it what it is.

I do not subscribe to the notion that the enjoyment of sports requires blind acceptance of traditional ideas. After all, tradition merely for the sake of tradition is often propaganda. To that end, I cannot think of a better place to intertwine the critical second guessing of traditions in sports than the prestige of the Heisman Trophy.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

The Coach and the Police Chief

Thursday, December 5th, 2019

by Gus Griffin

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The Washington football team has now won two in a row and yet a co-worker and die-hard life-long fan of the team is furious!

Understanding her thought process can be very useful beyond sports.

Her thinking is something like this: such glimmers of better football are sure to be exploited by the team’s CEO, Bruce Allen, to convince the owner Dan Snyder that he need not make the radical changes that she is convinced must happen before the team can return to its glory days as a model franchise. Allen, of course, has a vested interest in selling such snake oil, since most fans, like her, are convinced that his head should be the first to roll in an organizational shake-up.  In other words, short-range success would add credence to the delusion that mere reform around the edges is all that is needed.

One of the primary aspects of the delusion is that it makes no distinction between possibility and probability. In this case, the NFC East is so bad that Washington, at 3-9, can still “possibly” win the division. This possibility is bolstered by the fact that Dallas hasn’t beaten a winning team and Philadelphia just lost to Miami. So as of today, if Dallas and Philadelphia go a collective 1-7, with the one win being Philadelphia beating Dallas, and Washington wins its last 4 games, it would win the division. On top of that, it would be the number 4 seed in the NFC, ahead of either Seattle or San Francisco, and host a playoff game.

A win this Sunday in Green Bay over a 9-3 Packers team would be the weekly lotto ticket hitting for $50. That is to say it would be just enough reinforcement to convince many to stay the course.

It is mathematically “possible”.

If you believe it is probable, you likely also believe in Santa Claus.

The delusional grasp at straws in a desperate attempt to either maintain a status quo or rationalize an aspiration.

My friend and co-worker has no such delusions, nor did she about the former coach Jay Gruden.

Washington finally gave the arrogant Gruden his walking papers earlier this year. He absolutely deserved to be fired. He was 35-49-1, with no playoff wins. As if one needed more reason, this genius deactivated future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson, who at 34 years old, was still arguably their most dependable offensive weapon.

And yet as justified as Gruden’s dismissal was and as justified as Allen’s dismissal would be, non-delusional Washington fans understand that there will be no significant difference until the entire organization is changed.

When I said that there are lessons beyond sports, I especially had in mind the police chief in my and the Washington football team’s home of Prince George’s County.

There is a grassroots effort to remove Chief Stawinski as the police chief and the case is solid:

 

  • Citizen filed complaints about excessive force are increasing under his tenure, with little to no accountability;
  • Stawinski opposes the immediate release of all video footage audio and other recorded evidence of police misconduct;
  • Black and Latino Prince George’s police are currently suing the department for discrimination;
Chief Hank Stawinski

Chief Hank Stawinski

I am confident that eventually, the chief will be forced out. The value of that would be a win for those more interested in justice, rather than maintaining cozy relationships with the establishment. The foreseeable response to his ouster would be for the Prince George’s Black leadership to appoint a Black or Latino replacement as police chief… possibly even a female to appease the masses. He or she will be better at the PR aspects of being a police chief than Stawinski. However, the fundamental systemic factors that shield Prince George’s County Police from accountability will not change one bit. One such factor is the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights (LEBOR). A version of this exists in every state, in some form or another, all over the country, and essentially provides police with an additional layer of due process rights that you and I simply do not have. As a result, it makes holding police accountable much less likely and is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, which is the only organized labor faction supported by the Republican party. LEBOR needs to be abolished in its entirety.

The hope for both Washington football fans and Prince George’s County residents is that we have seen this story before and are wising up. The fans were as dissatisfied with CEO Vinny Serrato and coach Jim Zorn as they are with the current and most recent CEO and coach. Police brutality in Prince George’s County goes back decades and even as Black folks have pierced the county’s power structure, the outcomes have not significantly changed. The only rational conclusion that one can arrive at in both situations is that the primary issue is not the coach or the police chief. The primary issue is the organization and system. Until that is addressed, there is no reason to expect any meaningful change in the results.

Both factions see this and know, even if justified, that the removal of a coach, police chief, or even a president, will not be enough. Only the radical transformation of both entities will bring about the change needed.

So, in an odd way, the best thing for Washington football fans would be for the Cowboys to win tonight or for the team to lose to Green Bay, 57-4, to erase any illusions that the team is “close” to being a viable competitor. The phoenix bird rises from ashes. What is inescapable is that at some point, it had to be burned. No less will do for the entities of NFL Washington football or Prince George’s County Police.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

Browns/Steelers: A Perspective

Thursday, November 21st, 2019

by Gus Griffin

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On August 22, 1965 the hated Los Angeles Dodgers were in San Francisco to play my Giants. As was often the case during this era, these were the two best teams in the National League. At that time, there was no wild card or even division winners to qualify for the playoffs. In fact, there were no playoffs. A team had to finish first in the league to advance to the World Series. It is against this backdrop and within the context of the heated rivalry between the two teams when it happened. According to the great Giants Hall of Fame pitcher, Juan Marichal, the Dodgers catcher John Roseboro was throwing close to his head when returning pitches, while Marichal was at bat.

JMHis reaction: he hit Roseboro in the head with his bat and thus what many consider the ugliest brawl in baseball history was ignited!

Marichal was suspended for 8 games, which in that era, meant he would miss 2 starts. My Giants would win 95 games that year, largely on the power of Marichal’s 22 wins and a league leading 10 complete game shutouts, and Willie May’s league-leading 52 homers and 2nd MVP season. And yet, a team with 6 future Hall of Famers would finish 2 games behind the Dodgers, in second place. The Dodgers would go on to win the World Series.

Juan Marichal was arguably the most stylish pitcher of all time. His elegant high-leg kick, reminiscent of a matador, and pinpoint control was legendary. He, not Bob Gibson and not Sandy Koufax, won the most games in baseball during the 1960s. I am a die-hard Giants fan and consider Marichal to be the most underappreciated Hall of Fame pitcher.

And yet he was dead wrong!

On June 28, 1997, Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson had a rematch for the heavyweight championship of the world. Less than a year earlier, in the first match, Holyfield upset Tyson, whom manyMT considered to be “the baddest man on the planet”. Holyfield also had a boxing-wide reputation for using head butts as a deliberate tactic. Intentional or not, he certainly used this against the shorter Tyson in the rematch.

Most of you know how Tyson reacted: he bit Holyfield’s ear to the point of drawing blood.

Tyson was banned from boxing for 15 months and was never the same as a fighter.

I always liked Mike Tyson.

And yet he was dead wrong!

Fast forward to last week, November 14, 2019. Everyone reading this knows by now what happened in the Browns/Steelers game and thus repeating it here is not necessary.  I do believe the backdrop of this “rivalry” can be useful for understanding. I say rivalry in quotations because to call it that over the past 30 years from a competitive standpoint is beyond a stretch. I could not remember the last time that the Browns were actually favored to beat the Steelers, as was the case last week. You literally may have to go back to the Bernie Kosar era, which is 30 years ago. The Browns had lost 8 straight to my Steelers since 2014.

Think of the Browns like the weak kid who has been bullied year after year. He finally goes into the gym to bulk up in the way of getting Odell Beckham Jr, Baker Mayfield, and of course, Myles Garrett.

Think of my Steelers like the bully who has been smacking the Browns around whenever bored and takes their lunch money.

Last week, the Browns had finally had enough. They became the bully, opening a can of whoop-ass on my Steelers.

But apparently that gym work the Brown’s engaged in included something that drove them over the edge.

What is interesting to me are those who are equating the provocation with the retaliation.

In all three of these incidents, one can cite and validate the provocation. Roseboro later in life in his biography admitted to intentionally throwing near Marichal’s head, which surprised no one. That is how the Giants and Dodgers roll.

But all provocation and retaliation is not created equal.

MGOnce Garrett had Steelers QB Mason Rudolph’s helmet, dispatching it and a simple Floyd Mayweather combination would have been sufficient to put the unwise charging QB down.

Garrett chose the nuclear option! As a result, an outstanding player drafted 1st overall in 2017, who had 10 sacks through 10 games, and was going to be a viable Defensive Player of the Year candidate is gone for the season, without pay.

There has been a significant focus on the fact that all of the players suspended from the Browns/Steelers brawl were Black, and Rudolph, who is white, was not suspended.

He too should have been suspended. But some want to point to this as an example to prove that there are racial disparities in how the NFL and America meets out discipline.

To them I say that water is wet and there are so many more relevant samples that have already confirmed this reality.

In addition, this assessment fosters a selective analysis of what actually happened. To say that Rudolph initiated the whole thing is subjective and assumes knowing what Garrett was thinking when he took Rudolph down. No one, including myself, has a clue what Garrett was thinking at any point in the melee. What we do know is that Rudolph escalated the situation beyond what he could handle.

But some are sounding too much like the child on the playground after the fight, declaring, “He started it”.

If one demands proportionate discipline, I’m with you.

If your demand in this situation is for equal discipline, I can only say to you: don’t be that guy.

That guy who defends the road-rager who runs a motorist off the highway in retaliation for getting the middle finger.

Don’t be that guy who defends an occupying military force that levels an entire city because a few teenagers, who actually have a right to be there, threw rocks at the soldiers.

And don’t be that guy who says “when you play with fire you get burned”. Fire does not have the capacity for self-constraint. People do…and the more we rationalize the failure to exercise that constraint, the more we invite others to bypass the capacity altogether.

Having said all of that, I can’t wait until December 1st when the Browns come to Pittsburgh!

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

Beware: The 5 Traits of a Sports Troll

Thursday, November 7th, 2019

by Gus Griffin

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Photo courtesy of Comic Vine

Photo courtesy of Comic Vine

 

Sports trolling is on the rise!

Like another certain element of society, lately these people, like cockroaches, are coming out of the woodworks more than ever. The usual suspect of Social Media is only part of the reason why. The simple thing is to dismiss them. That can be done at one’s own peril, which is why the word “beware” precedes my thoughts on this matter. But first, we need to be able to recognize the traits of these people, so in no particular order, here they are:

 

  • THE INVOLUNTARILY CELIBATE: This is the sanitized trendy way of saying, “they ain’t getting none”. People who have the company and intimacy of a significant other to look forward to do not spend their time lurking in the weeds of cyberspace for the specific purpose of arguing. Only those with a significant void in their lives would engage in such activity;
  • THE GOD AGREES WITH ME MENTALITY: Being right is not merely preferred, after all, we all want to be right, it is life and death to the sports troll. Therefore, it is the ultimate validation of one’s position. The ironic thing about this trait is that one need not be religious. In fact, I know several atheists who cling to this mentality as well as or stronger than so-called believers. The common trait is not religious ideology but being obsessively argumentative for the objective of being right. Coming to a better collective understanding is not a sought-after objective;
  • ATTACK TO DISTRACT: A very common tactic by these types. If one does not recognize when it is happening, you can end up being put on the defensive for something that the troll himself is guilty of. He also is prone to dismiss or trivialize the issue with false equivalencies expressed as, “that happens on both sides”;
  • BAIT POST SPECIALIST: A ridiculous and provocative post is made…in some cases one that even the troll himself doesn’t believe, just to get your goat; and
  • SOCIAL MISFITS: This type often struggles in basic human relations and is therefore often emboldened behind a laptop via the internet. Simply put, he will engage in ways in these venues that he never would consider face to face.

Another irony of the sports troll is that he really is not even a core sports fan. He merely uses the sports platform to promote larger society ideas, much like the comedian and drunk does. In either scenario, one can default to “I was just joking” or “I was drunk” or “it’s just sports”.

While I have used only the “he” pronoun, by no means are these types restricted to the male gender. There are a number of women with deep-seeded anger and mistrust of men, likely a result of traumatic experiences at the hands of men, who lie in wait to debate as well. Then there is the drama addict element, which has no gender boundaries.

How best is it to deal with a sports troll? That can be tricky, so first let’s discuss what does not work.

Engaging them with the objective of having a rational discussion is a complete waste of time and even somewhat hubris to think that you are going to make any headway. The sports troll has little to no interest in facts or truth.

There is a reason I used the term “beware”.

These people are not well.

This does not necessarily mean from a mental health standpoint, which has become the default explanation to dismiss the obviously increasing level of toxicity in society.

It does mean that there is an imbalance in their humanity, be it psychological, spiritual, or emotional. They lack the minimal emotional maturity to effectively engage people as adults. They closely overlap personality types that resort to the most extreme actions when the world does not stop to revolve around them or whenever anyone has the audacity to disagree with them. Therefore, our reactions to them should certainly not exacerbate those tendencies.

This personality type is easily identified beyond the sports world. It is highly likely to endorse misogynistic, homophobic, xenophobic, and/or racist attitudes. It is equally as likely to engage in class bashing.

I wish I had suggestions for how best to deal with such types, short of the unsustainable tactic of merely validating their ego and delusional notions of themselves and the world.

But I don’t.

In the larger scheme of things, the only effective response that comes to mind is to give some serious thought to the root toxicity in the world that produces such types.

They are not created overnight, and thus, nor will a remedy for their ailment.

In the meantime, until we can establish a “Troll Patrol” to summon, the next time you find yourself confronted by this type, I can only come up with two suggestions, both totally counter to our instincts in the sports debate culture: Either ignore them or respond with a smile to whatever they propose with a simple: “You are right!” :-)

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

The Redemption of Stephen Strasburg…and Dave Martinez

Saturday, November 2nd, 2019

by Gus Griffin

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Redemption stories in sports are like the biblical prodigal son.

The Washington Nationals winning the World Series gives us several from which to draw. Howie Kendrick as the journeyman who actually was the last out as a Dodger two years ago in the World Series against the same Astros. This year he was NLCS MVP and drove in the winning run in Game 7 of the World Series.

Then there is Gerardo Parra, who after being released by my Giants signed with the Nats at their lowest point, and by all accounts immediately became the spirit booster in the Nats clubhouse. His enthusiasm spread to the fanbase with the Baby Shark tune, which has become an anthem among some international protest movements. He supplemented that by being their most reliable bat off the bench.

There is Ryan Zimmerman, the Dean of the Nats, and the Washington franchise’s first ever draft pick in 2005. He was once compared to Brooks Robinson as a 3rd basemen. Then the injuries and throwing hiccups came, and while the bat has always remained formidable, his place as a potential all-time great was missed.

All good stories but for me the two that resonate most are those of Stephen Strasburg and Manager Dave Martinez.

Oct 29, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws a pitch against the Houston Astros  in the first inning in game six of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Oct 29, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws a pitch against the Houston Astros in the first inning in game six of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

I can remember the night of Strasburg’s debut in 2010. He was hailed as the franchise savior and lived up to every expectation that night, striking out 14 Pirates over 7 innings of work. It doesn’t always work out this way. For every Tiger Woods or LeBron James, both of whom met and exceeded their expectations, there are about a dozen Michelle Wie’s. While Strasburg clearly succeeded more than Wie, the narrative always seemed to be about what he wasn’t. That was compounded when the Nats shut him down in 2012, short of the postseason, and then a monumental collapse of pitching against the Cardinals led to their elimination. It was compounded when he would suffer the very arm trouble the team was trying to protect him from a few years later. Even I had added to the narrative by saying he just wasn’t mean enough. By that I mean to say that the power pitcher must be intimidating to maximize his capacity. Strasburg has a greater arsenal than Nolan Ryan ever had and the command of Roger Clemens. What he did not have was the intimidating presence of either. Ryan and Clemens were feared by hitters. Strasburg was not because he simply did not pitch inside enough. The intent need not be to hit batters but the thought that he might is in of itself a weapon and an advantage to the pitcher.

In 2017 he turned down a postseason start against the Cubs due to illness and the narrative about his “heart” ratcheted up yet again. Even tossing 7 shutout innings in his eventual start in Chicago in an elimination game to send the series back to Washington did not quiet the whispers.

Today, as the Washington Nationals prepare to take to the streets of our nation’s capital for their World Series victory parade, there are no more whispers and the narrative is clear and without dispute or subjective to interpretation: Stephen Strasburg is the World Series MVP and one of the greatest postseason pitchers ever. His 1.46 earned run average is top 5 for pitchers with at least 7 starts. When you are on any pitching list with Sandy Koufax, you no longer need to explain yourself to anyone. He is the evolution of the hype.

DMartI am as happy for manager Dave Martinez. For years, I have been playing softball with a group of rabid baseball fans, several of whom root for the Nats. A Sunday could not pass without second guessing his handling of the bullpen or bench. I might add that they had the same criticisms of previous managers Dusty Baker, Matt Williams, and Davey Johnson. Two of those 3 I believe have Hall of Fame cases. The point is that even though the managing changed, the results were still the same. So clearly managing was not the central problem.

The second guessing of managing and coaching is baked into the sports talk culture. Given that there are 162 games plus the postseason, its understandable that it be even more so in baseball. The two most common flaws in the criticism of managers or coaches are, 1) the assumption of knowing all the factors in the decision made, and 2) an analysis of choices without an analysis of options. The latter was precisely the burden of Martinez. For most of the year, the Nats had the worst bullpen in baseball. Doolittle was hurt and Hudson was in Toronto. Those were their only two consistently reliable relievers. Even when the team was 19-31, Craig Kimbrel, one of the best closers over the past 10 years, who played that role on the 2018 World Champion Boston Red Sox, was waiting for a call. Instead, the Nats chose Fernando Rodney. No disrespect to Rodney, who has led the league in saves and has been a 3-time All-Star, but he is 42.

Martinez stayed the course with what he had. He even endured a heart health scare. The bottom line is that if Martinez’ management of the team were as much of a liability as so many claimed, the team would have never won the title.

His critics should admit that they were wrong.

I won’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen. I will say that the best response to one’s critics in sports is to win, and being the 2019 World Series Champions is something that no one can ever take from either Strasburg or Martinez.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

Football and Imperialism

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2019

by Gus Griffin

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San Francisco Forty Niners Defensive End Nick Bosa has come up with a thing that is sure to catch on with football fans. During the team’s “conquering” of the Cleveland Browns, he symbolized planting a flag after sacking QB Baker Mayfield. He described it as payback for what Mayfield had done in college when the Oklahoma Sooners went into Columbus to beat Bosa’s Ohio State Buckeyes.

Speaking of college football, one of its fastest growing media components in popularity is something called “College Football Imperialism”. It began in 2017 and almost overnight became one of the most anticipated sports-related posts on the internet. The rules for the “Imperialism” map are pretty simple: each team is given the counties that they are closest to at the beginning of the season. If a team beats a team who was on the map the previous week, they take over all land that the team owned on the previous map.

Make no mistake about it, we football fans love the concept of Imperialism. This has long made me ponder a question that I am not sure many other sports fans consider:

Can a nation as obsessed with football as America ever reject its Imperialist foreign policies?

To ensure understanding, let’s look at the definition of Imperialism:

Imperialism is a policy or ideology of extending a country’s rule over foreign nations, often by military force or by gaining political and economic control of other areas.

Football versions of this would be anytime a team wins on the other team’s home turf. One such very memorable example was in 1983. Washington was the defending Super Bowl champions and opened the season on Monday Night Football against their long-time hated rival, the Dallas Cowboys. Washington jumped out to a 23-3 halftime lead, only to eventually lose the game 31-30.

The Cowboys had planted a flag at RFK Stadium.

Later that season in December, Washington traveled to Dallas with many of the players literally dressed in military fatigues to symbolize the pending war. The game was essentially for first place in the NFC East and likely the top seed in the playoffs. Washington crushed Dallas 31-10 and the baton for conference supremacy was officially passed from Dallas to Washington.

Washington had planted a flag in Dallas.

Washington Hall of Fame offensive lineman Russ Grimm best summarizes the idea of football domination in his Hall of Fame acceptance speech when he said, “there is no greater feeling than to be able to move a man from point A to point B, against his will”. He made this statement with the familiar intoxicating aura of power, and rightfully so, because Grimm and that whole era of Washington football, like Imperialism, was all about power.

America’s history, particularly since World War II, is riddled with examples of Imperialism. When the former Soviet Union collapsed in 1989, it marked the end of the only viable military check on US hegemony. As a result, Imperialist policy was accelerated, usually with a pretext of “spreading democracy” or “confronting terrorism” or “defending human rights”, and of course, disarming “weapons of mass destruction”. Long before World War II and the fall of the Soviet Union, the U.S. drew from the Monroe Doctrine, which essentially declared all of the Western Hemisphere to be the domain of the United States. Since the two aforementioned events, this mindset of American Exceptionalism has been extended all around the word. If that history does not convince you, consider that the U.S. maintains over 800 military bases in over 70 foreign countries and/or territories…the latter being a term in and of itself that derives from Imperialism.

One can learn as much from the fate of those who have resisted Imperialism, be it Haiti, North Korea, the Congo, Vietnam, Cuba, Iran, Grenada, Nicaragua, and this list is by no means complete. The best current example is Venezuela.

Some of you may be asking why is what happens in a foreign country important to me here? A good friend of mine suggested, with good reason, that people largely have an ALAINIMBY (as long as it’s not in my back yard) attitude toward such issues. That is the precise attitude toward the environment that has led to global warming and today’s crisis. The fact is that the current immigration issues at the U.S. border cannot be correctly understood without understanding U.S. foreign policy and its underlying corporate business interests in the country of origin of the migrants. Specifically, in Mexico and Central America, a direct line can be drawn between NAFTA, adopted in the 1990s, and today’s immigration from those regions.

Martin Luther King came to ponder the same question about U.S. Imperialism. He concluded resources being used to try to suppress the self-determination of the Vietnamese people was taking away from what could be used to combat poverty in the U.S. That was the selfish truth. The broader humanity truth is as he said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.

Today, even though a critical mass of the American public has been convinced and “outraged” about Soviet interference in the 2016 elections, there is not anywhere near as much outrage over continued U.S. Imperialistic policies abroad. Even if one believes completely in the Soviet interference narrative, can you honestly say it wasn’t anything that the U.S. has not done all over the world on a routine basis?

Why use football as the platform to discuss this? Because the best way to engage people is to tap into that for which they already have passionate vestige. It is a huge part of how the current occupant of the White House got to where he is. If we can raise awareness about such issues, then we would have a chance to convince fans to invest a fraction of their passion for football toward informed critical thinking about our imperialist foreign policy. At that point, there is at least the chance of making some positive changes for the betterment of the world collective.

Another reason to compare and contrast football with imperialism is football’s built in anti-imperialist policy skewed toward the less developed team called the draft. The weakest teams get to pick first because they have the greatest needs. It is the polar opposite under Imperialism, where greed takes priority over need. The rich get richer, the strong get stronger, under a might makes right anti-humane endorsement of Darwinism.

To embrace America’s Imperialist foreign policy is like proposing that the New England Patriots should get the first 10 picks in the NFL Draft.

So, can American football fans reject the nation’s Imperialist foreign policy? The answer is yes.

The following two things can start the process:

  • Commit to constant independent education about world matters and the source for such education cannot be corporate media; and
  • Join an organization committed to pushing back against Imperialistic policies and pro-Imperial narratives

The wonderful part about this, is that it is not an either/or proposition. I am going to be giddy when my Steelers roll into Baltimore in December and plant a flag at M&T Bank Stadium. No one will die, nor will the human right to self-determination of those who live in the Baltimore area be usurped. In football, a visiting team can conquer with none of the real-life collateral damage of Imperialism. In world affairs, this is not the case. Our humanity moves forward when we can recognize the similarities and differences and take action accordingly.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports