Sports Mélange

Several topics have piqued my interest this week. A couple are bits of media fueled sensationalist mindlessness, deserving of little attention. One item could be construed as important to baseball fans; one is not if you are a student of the game. One is important to sports fans who hang out in bars, another is important to everyone who has ever hung out in a bar, or been behind them. They are all thought provoking to some extent. I will try to do justice to all four tidbits without putting you to sleep, though the topics themselves may.
Francisco Rodriguez, New York Met, and closer par excellence, was recently taken to task by no less an authority on pitcher’s mound decorum, than the illustrious Brian Bruney, set-up relief pitcher for the New York Yankees. Bruney publicly declared that the histrionic displays of Rodriguez are “a tired act.” This is coming from a man who has thirteen career saves to Rodriguez’ two-hundred and twenty-five, though they are only one month apart in age. You may say that Bruney is not a closer; hence the difference in career saves. Maybe Bruney was being groomed as a closer to replace an aging Mariano Rivera, but lacked the talent. Now Bruney is judged by the relatively new statistic “holds.” Well, hold this.
Bruney was in college gaining an education and honing his skills while Rodriguez was making a name for himself during the Los Angeles Angels post season run to the World Championship. Since that was the case, Bruney with his infinite intelligence, should reserve his commentary just by his sheer wisdom should know better. In the unlikelihood Bruney should reach the level of ability Rodriguez seems to possess, his criticism would hold a little more validity. But to disparage a man who has been to the mountaintop of his profession, and yet still has the same passion, and youthful exuberance for the game after eight years, is an absolute waste of four years in college. You should ask for your money back. You say you learned to play the game differently? You hail from the quaint city that Kindergarden Cop was filmed in.Where did you learn the game of baseball? In the suburbs, in an organized youth program, at some well maintained city park facility? Maybe Rodriguez learned the game in some garbage strew vacant lot, with only a milk carton for a glove, a sock wound with tape for a ball, with the well being of his entire family at stake, depending on his success. And with each professional success he is grateful for his unbelievable good fortune. Bruney says he doesn’t know Rodriguez personally; well maybe he should get to know him before he pops off. Didn’t they teach you that in college?
It has been reported Sammy Sosa tested positive for steroids in 2003. So what, that was six years ago. I’m currently reading Ball Four by Jim Bouton for the twenty-something time. Bouton states that baseball players will take anything. To paraphrase, “If there was a pill that guaranteed a pitcher twenty wins, but took five years off their life, they’d take it.” These words were published in 1971. Nothing has changed. Why can’t anyone get over that? Recently, many Olympians, as well as Danika Patrick, were offered a similar scenario, and they too agreed that if it meant winning a race, or a gold medal, they’d take the pill. That’s what competitiveness will do to young people who don’t have an eye on fifty years down the road. Why can’t anyone get over that either?
With Roger Federer winning the French Open in tennis, Kobe Bryant garnering his forth NBA Championship, and Tiger Woods playing in the U.S. Open this week in his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ eighteen Major Championship record; sportswriter Greg Cote, of the Miami Herald, thought it would be appropriate for him to offer his list of all-time greatest athletes. This topic has been debated for years, and will continue to be debated ad nauseum. It’s always fun, but there should be some ground rules first.
Is the athlete just the best because of his accomplishments in his sport, or is he to be considered against other athletes? Cote decided to match all athletes against each other based on their accomplishments in their particular sport. Cote considers Michael Jordan to be the best athlete of all-time. Very good but the only sport he played with any success was basketball. That makes him a greater athlete than Jim Thorpe who was an accomplished professional football player, professional baseball player, and Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon and pentathlon? Are you kidding me?
Nobody asked me but the criteria should be more specific. Shouldn’t sheer athletic ability be measured? Like athletes who have gained a certain amount of success at more than one sport should be considered. What of the athlete who has participated at the professional level, considering the difficulty in achieving that goal? Dave Winfield is a great athlete. He played basketball at the University of Minnesota. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL before settling on baseball, where he attained Hall of Fame status. Ron Reed and Dave DeBusschere played both pro basketball and baseball, with Reed opting to stay in baseball, and DeBusschere basketball. Bo Jackson was a track star at Auburn before he went on to win the Most Valuable Player awards in both the Major League and Pro Bowl all-star games; in the same season mind you. Deion Sanders achieved all-star status in professional football and baseball also. Frank Thomas was an honorable mention All-American tight end before making baseball his career. More recently Julius Peppers excelled for the nationally ranked Tar Heel basketball team, but decided that pro football is where his true talents lay. Michael Jordan failed miserably at professional baseball, and not even at the Major League level at that. Is he the greatest athlete ever? Greatest basketball player, I would agree, greatest athlete no. If you want to include did an athlete change the way their sport was played, did they make their teammates better, did they excel at all aspects of the game; all these things need to be considered. Was Muhammad Ali the greatest fighter ever? Statistics say he wasn’t. Did he revolutionize the sport? Not really, Sugar Ray Robinson was doing what Ali did much earlier. Did Ali change the face of boxing? Absolutely. Does that make him on of the greatest athletes ever, no. You get my point. Save this for a barroom, not a column in a newspaper.
Lastly, there is the DUI manslaughter plea by Donte Stallworth. Before you scream he got off easy consider this. Stallworth has cooperated with authorities from the onset. He passed his roadside sobriety test, but failed the later blood test. He killed a man who was jaywalking across a major eight lane thoroughfare that was divided by a concrete median. Had Stallworth been of the mind to take his case to trial, with a good attorney, the outcome could have been more surprising than the sentence he received. Stallworth, believe or not, did the right thing in the eyes of the court. He reached a quick financial resolution with the family of the deceased. Almost immediately, he then entered a guilty plea to the charge of DUI vehicular manslaughter. He was truly remorseful when sentence was handed down. He will go and serve his thirty days in jail, and be out before the start of training camp. He will suffer emotionally for the rest of his life. He will be on probation for nine years. He will have community service to do. He has lost his license for the rest of his life. The shame will be immeasurable. How do I know what goes through a person’s mind after this sort of tragedy? Two of my friends have experienced the same thing, DUI manslaughter. One had to do time in jail, the other didn’t. Both were equally traumatized, and the memory follows them forever. It is very painful indeed to hear them share what they feel. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Jim Leyritz should be following the Stallworth case closely, but I don’t think he is.
He is too concerned about establishing his innocence, and clearing his name. Leyritz is intent on showing in a court of law that it was the dead individual, who was also drunk, was at fault, and not he. Leyritz admits to being intoxicated, but it was the drunken woman who’s to blame. In my opinion, this is not the way to go. There are other circumstances surrounding Leyritz that cast a pall over this case as well. Since the only place to gather this information is through news sources, it’s best I not pass judgment yet. But, Leyritz could be taking a pro-active approach to the situation to enhance his chances in court, so far he is not. That’s too bad. I’ll venture a guess if he does not win his case, not only will his name remain tarnished, he’ll do a helluva lot more than thirty days in jail. That’s too bad. I’ve met him. He seems like a really nice guy who does lots of good stuff for kids. Maybe those very same kids will learn something else besides baseball due to his current predicament. I hope I haven’t bored you with all this brain clutter.