Being a Mets fan is a real test of faith
A gentle, nondenominational prayer headed into this weekend’s Mets-Phillies series...
Please give us fans the strength to keep things in perspective.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Our beloved team is in first place, and we’re all in smiles.
Yet some are very nervous as they travel down the Jersey Turnpike.
It’s just 90 miles to play three baseball games.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Some put too much into these games.
Hoping this series purges all the stain of 2009.
But for all our memories of last season.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
And for all those injuries, botched plays, and losses.
We forget how our team was in first place.
40 games into the 2009 season.
When it was May, before the wheels came off.
And all our players dropped one by one.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
For now most of our team has avoided serious injury or assorted boo-boos.
And our team’s name is spelled M-E-T-S, not M*A*S*H.
And we’re playing well again, so we hope it continues.
But we all know what really counts is where we are after all 162.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Let’s take a deep breath and keep things in perspective.
Right now there’s still 140 games more to go.
So let’s just see what happens.
A season is very long.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Go Mets go, kick some Phillies butt, and turn ‘em into pretzels.
But no matter what happens this weekend.
We’re still with our team, win or lose, bumps, bruises, errors and all.
Just do your best, keep healthy and sluggin’ towards October.
It’s just one series, as April becomes May.
Showing posts with label April 2010 postings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label April 2010 postings. Show all posts
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 12, 2010
Welcome to the Jets, Mr. Holmes...
So, Santonio Holmes is coming to New York... So many random thoughts rattled in my head since this trade announcement came late last night, and the list is somewhat growing as more news about Mr. Holmes trickles across the radio, internet and twitter.
First, the trade stunned me and still does. Why did the Steelers want to unload a talented wide receiver, a super bowl MVP two years ago? And for just a FIFTH ROUND draft pick? If that's not a "don't let the door hit you on the way out" message, what is? Second, why were the Jets so willing to jump at the offer?
Now, to paraphrase the late Paul Harvey, we're starting to get the rest of the story. The Steelers wanted to get rid of Holmes and his baggage as quickly as possible, and as we all know from Spirit Air, baggage is no longer free. Unless you follow every single player in the NFL, you tend to forget which ones get busted for drugs, or drunk driving, or domestic violence, or disorderly conduct. Sorry to say, but these rap sheets seem so redundant for too many NFL players over the past years that it all seems a blur to old-timers like me who remember the day when your favorite players sold cars or insurance during the off-season, or even worked as substitute teachers (just remember, Ahmad Rashad taught math, and Vince Papale taught English).
Apparently this drinking glass toss by Holmes was the last straw with the Steelers? No... the last straw may be what was IN the glass, or accompanying the beverage, since Holmes is facing a 4-game suspension for substance violation, and somehow I don't think the straw we're talking about is the one that stirred his drink. So, the Steelers decided enough was enough of whatever enough there was, and now he's OURS?! Hey, er, um, thanks?
Okay, so the reality facing us Jets fans is that our team has obtained a pro-bowl caliber receiver on the cheap for the last 12 games of the 2010 season. If Holmes keeps his nose clean (in more ways than one, dare we ask?) and plays up to his potential, we now have a very potent passing attack with QB Mark Sanchez, RBs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Dustin Keller, and WRs Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, and Holmes. And, let's not forget WR Brad Smith and a healthy Leon Washington.
Hey, this is great. ESPN Radio's Jason Smith, a rabid Jets fan, has already tweeted his "Jets to the Super Bowl" vision, and I'd be hard-pressed not to agree, but as SNY's Chris Carlin, the New York Daily News' Rich Cimini, ESPN's Skip Bayless, Mike Greenberg, and Rachel Nichols, among others, have already noted, this trade has a little dark cloud as well.
Call me crazy, but with all the "characters" head coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum are trying to blend together for a super bowl push, I had a brief flashback to the movie "The Bad News Bears". I'm not talking about a collection of inept kids at baseball here, but what was on the back of their uniforms. Do you remember the late Walter Mathau got a place called Chico's Bail Bonds to sponsor the team so the kids could have uniforms? THIS was my first reaction to the Holmes trade and Jets fans planning their super bowl parties... The Jets uniforms will be sponsored by every bail bond place in New Jersey!
My second reaction was if Holmes and his baggage was okay for the Jets, imagine how bad Brandon Marshall's baggage must really be for the Jets to decline trade talks with Denver!
My third reaction, and I admit that ESPN's Skip Bayless was the first to publicly say it, if the Steelers were that willing to get rid of Holmes, imagine how they're looking for a way to get rid of QB Ben Roethlisberger! As Skip Bayless, Rachel Nichols, and Adam Schefter have already presented, the Holmes trade was a message from Steelers management to their entire team, especially Roethlisberger, that off-field nonsense would no longer be tolerated and either walk right or pack up. The Steelers have always been a proud and conservative franchise. Their founder, the late Art Rooney Sr., had a strong relationship with Pittsburgh's Catholic community, and must be spinning in his grave faster and faster with each news flash involving his beloved team's players. Every person or organization has a breaking point, and the Steelers finally reached theirs.
But the Steelers discard is now our new offensive weapon. Some folks are already wondering if our Jets are slowly becoming the east coast version of the old Oakland Raiders, those men of "Pride and Poise", "Commitment to Excellence", that merry band of misfits and marauders who played by their own rules, took no prisoners, and won often. But even bad boys get old and being bad boys doesn't sustain league dominance as we sadly see on the other coast. And sometimes bad boys lack discipline and composure, and sabotage the grand visions of head coaches and GMs who think they can tame the savages enough to win it all. Besides, can any of you envision Woody Johnson wearing white pants and a black leather jacket like Al Davis?!
As much as I'd love to see our Jets win another super bowl (heck, just make it back first), I don't want to see parole officers sharing the stage with everyone hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February. Not a picture I'd like to cherish, if you know what I mean.
So, Santonio Holmes, welcome to the New York Metropolitan area, and good luck as our Jets' new addition. I hope you'll contribute well on and off the field during your stay. Oh, and try not to complain too much about that tight leash coaches and management will have on you... it's a lot more comfortable than cuffs and an orange jumpsuit.
So, Santonio Holmes is coming to New York... So many random thoughts rattled in my head since this trade announcement came late last night, and the list is somewhat growing as more news about Mr. Holmes trickles across the radio, internet and twitter.
First, the trade stunned me and still does. Why did the Steelers want to unload a talented wide receiver, a super bowl MVP two years ago? And for just a FIFTH ROUND draft pick? If that's not a "don't let the door hit you on the way out" message, what is? Second, why were the Jets so willing to jump at the offer?
Now, to paraphrase the late Paul Harvey, we're starting to get the rest of the story. The Steelers wanted to get rid of Holmes and his baggage as quickly as possible, and as we all know from Spirit Air, baggage is no longer free. Unless you follow every single player in the NFL, you tend to forget which ones get busted for drugs, or drunk driving, or domestic violence, or disorderly conduct. Sorry to say, but these rap sheets seem so redundant for too many NFL players over the past years that it all seems a blur to old-timers like me who remember the day when your favorite players sold cars or insurance during the off-season, or even worked as substitute teachers (just remember, Ahmad Rashad taught math, and Vince Papale taught English).
Apparently this drinking glass toss by Holmes was the last straw with the Steelers? No... the last straw may be what was IN the glass, or accompanying the beverage, since Holmes is facing a 4-game suspension for substance violation, and somehow I don't think the straw we're talking about is the one that stirred his drink. So, the Steelers decided enough was enough of whatever enough there was, and now he's OURS?! Hey, er, um, thanks?
Okay, so the reality facing us Jets fans is that our team has obtained a pro-bowl caliber receiver on the cheap for the last 12 games of the 2010 season. If Holmes keeps his nose clean (in more ways than one, dare we ask?) and plays up to his potential, we now have a very potent passing attack with QB Mark Sanchez, RBs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Dustin Keller, and WRs Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, and Holmes. And, let's not forget WR Brad Smith and a healthy Leon Washington.
Hey, this is great. ESPN Radio's Jason Smith, a rabid Jets fan, has already tweeted his "Jets to the Super Bowl" vision, and I'd be hard-pressed not to agree, but as SNY's Chris Carlin, the New York Daily News' Rich Cimini, ESPN's Skip Bayless, Mike Greenberg, and Rachel Nichols, among others, have already noted, this trade has a little dark cloud as well.
Call me crazy, but with all the "characters" head coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum are trying to blend together for a super bowl push, I had a brief flashback to the movie "The Bad News Bears". I'm not talking about a collection of inept kids at baseball here, but what was on the back of their uniforms. Do you remember the late Walter Mathau got a place called Chico's Bail Bonds to sponsor the team so the kids could have uniforms? THIS was my first reaction to the Holmes trade and Jets fans planning their super bowl parties... The Jets uniforms will be sponsored by every bail bond place in New Jersey!
My second reaction was if Holmes and his baggage was okay for the Jets, imagine how bad Brandon Marshall's baggage must really be for the Jets to decline trade talks with Denver!
My third reaction, and I admit that ESPN's Skip Bayless was the first to publicly say it, if the Steelers were that willing to get rid of Holmes, imagine how they're looking for a way to get rid of QB Ben Roethlisberger! As Skip Bayless, Rachel Nichols, and Adam Schefter have already presented, the Holmes trade was a message from Steelers management to their entire team, especially Roethlisberger, that off-field nonsense would no longer be tolerated and either walk right or pack up. The Steelers have always been a proud and conservative franchise. Their founder, the late Art Rooney Sr., had a strong relationship with Pittsburgh's Catholic community, and must be spinning in his grave faster and faster with each news flash involving his beloved team's players. Every person or organization has a breaking point, and the Steelers finally reached theirs.
But the Steelers discard is now our new offensive weapon. Some folks are already wondering if our Jets are slowly becoming the east coast version of the old Oakland Raiders, those men of "Pride and Poise", "Commitment to Excellence", that merry band of misfits and marauders who played by their own rules, took no prisoners, and won often. But even bad boys get old and being bad boys doesn't sustain league dominance as we sadly see on the other coast. And sometimes bad boys lack discipline and composure, and sabotage the grand visions of head coaches and GMs who think they can tame the savages enough to win it all. Besides, can any of you envision Woody Johnson wearing white pants and a black leather jacket like Al Davis?!
As much as I'd love to see our Jets win another super bowl (heck, just make it back first), I don't want to see parole officers sharing the stage with everyone hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February. Not a picture I'd like to cherish, if you know what I mean.
So, Santonio Holmes, welcome to the New York Metropolitan area, and good luck as our Jets' new addition. I hope you'll contribute well on and off the field during your stay. Oh, and try not to complain too much about that tight leash coaches and management will have on you... it's a lot more comfortable than cuffs and an orange jumpsuit.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 13, 2010
Getting away with something?!
I imagine many of us have been following the Ben Roethlisberger news on TV, radio, blogs, and twitter. Count me among the many, and I await with interest at the outcome of Big Ben's meeting today with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. To be honest, I'm among those who want, and expect, Commissioner Goodell to slap Big Ben with a multi-game suspension to start the 2010 regular season. Suspension for what? Well, for excessive thinking with and misuse of his Little Ben!
Let's face it, once is an accident, twice or more is a trend, and we're hearing just a little too much news about Big Ben's Little Ben for it to be a fluke. This calls for immediate and unequivocal action by Commissioner Goodell, where once and for all, NFL players will finally realize off-field nonsense is no longer tolerated and what the NFL giveth, the NFL can taketh away, punitively.
So the district attorney down in Georgia couldn't present a strong enough case to convince a grand jury to indict, much less a jury of twelve to convict beyond reasonable doubt. But we sure heard enough during the DA's press conference yesterday to tell us Big Ben lucked out from "insufficient" or "incomplete" data. Something definitely went on in that bar bathroom with a 20-year-old girl, but not enough to technically call it rape in the state of Georgia.
One question comes to mind as I kept hearing "20-year-old girl"... what was SHE doing in that bar, and why aren't red flags going up in the DA's head when he tells us Big Ben was BUYING drinks for her, or at least not discouraging her underage drinking?! If Big Ben can't be indicted for rape, couldn't the DA at least try to indict him on getting a minor drunk? C'mon folks, Elliot Ness finally nailed Al Capone on TAX EVASION, for heaven's sake. You mean to tell me a DA couldn't put together a case on Roethlisberger for ANYTHING? I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to see that question come up when this DA runs for re-election some November.
But legalities aside, the fact remains that Ben Roethlisberger is now twice-associated with inappropriate behavior towards women in the span of less than two years, and this is something in need of intervention. If I were Roger Goodell, I'd slap him with at least a 4-game suspension. One of two games won't hit where it hurts or send enough of a message. In fact, if Commissioner Goodell hits him for 8 games, I'd personally come to his Park Avenue office and congratulate him.
As I commented yesterday regarding the Santonio Holmes trade, I imagine the Steelers had a passing thought or two about giving Big Ben a one-way ticket out of Pittsburgh if the price was right. In fact, I tweeted to several folks yesterday that if I were Dan Rooney, Big Ben would be in my office yesterday, and along with head coach Mike Tomlin, I'd inform Big Ben "we just sent one of your top WRs away for a 5th round pick. Don't think we won't do the same to you too." Want to give Big Ben something to think about hard? How does running for his life behind a Swiss-cheese offensive line in Oakland, Kansas City, St. Louis, or Cleveland sound? A 5th, 6th, or 7th-round pick in exchange for that sight would be a sobering vision and a nice carrot-and-stick threat to present to my QB, don't you think? Take it from someone who got cut by a head coach who once threatened his players "If y'all don't get back behind that sideline I'll cut you all or trade you all to Green Bay!" Coaches and owners know where purgatory is, and so do multi-millionaire players!
As I said yesterday, BAGGAGE IS NO LONGER FREE.
Another issue came up over the internet, radio, and twitter waves yesterday... the need for Roger Goodell to make a statement against a WHITE player. Please! I know Commissioner Goodell's new law and order Marshall Dillon practices seem heavy handed towards African-American players, but that's because of numbers and the current statistical data pool, NOT racial hypocrisy. I don't want Roger Goodell to slam Big Ben because a high-profile white player needs to be knocked off his perch. I want Roger Goodell to slam Big Ben upside his head and down, inside and out, through a wall and into next month BECAUSE HE'S STUPID, IMMATURE, AND AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE NFL, MEN, WOMEN, AND AMERICAN SOCIETY!
We're talking about a 28-year-old man who has yet to figure out how to behave in public, with women, and as a professional athlete, and when you're 28 years old you're no longer a kid, and have to be accountable. As I've said before, I'm sick and tired of seeing daily reports about professional athletes getting in trouble, especially NFL players, and this needs to stop no matter a player's ethnicity, position, or contract status.
So... here's Dr. Dave's prescription for how NFL players can stay out of trouble when away from the team facility, be it nighttime or off-season:
1. If you're so much in need for "girlie action", meet a nice woman, go steady with her, fall in love, get married, and then live many years sexually addicted to each other -- and ONLY EACH OTHER -- until you can't remember what sex is.
2. If you're not up for #1, get a goldfish until you're ready.
3. If it's already 10:00 pm on a weeknight and you're still at home, STAY HOME.
4. If you're already out on a weeknight, establish a firm curfew of 1:00 am. As the saying goes, nothing good usually happens after midnight anyway.
5. If you don't know what to do with yourself home alone at night, try doing what normal people do -- read a book, eat ice cream, watch TV, do laundry, play some music, or wash dishes. If you're seeking something more challenging, try cooking, knitting, or crossword puzzles.
6. If you're looking for places to go out to at night, skip the bars and clubs. Go catch a movie or do your grocery shopping. Or go wander around IKEA until closing.
7. If you can't handle any of the above, get counseling and GROW UP.
I imagine many of us have been following the Ben Roethlisberger news on TV, radio, blogs, and twitter. Count me among the many, and I await with interest at the outcome of Big Ben's meeting today with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. To be honest, I'm among those who want, and expect, Commissioner Goodell to slap Big Ben with a multi-game suspension to start the 2010 regular season. Suspension for what? Well, for excessive thinking with and misuse of his Little Ben!
Let's face it, once is an accident, twice or more is a trend, and we're hearing just a little too much news about Big Ben's Little Ben for it to be a fluke. This calls for immediate and unequivocal action by Commissioner Goodell, where once and for all, NFL players will finally realize off-field nonsense is no longer tolerated and what the NFL giveth, the NFL can taketh away, punitively.
So the district attorney down in Georgia couldn't present a strong enough case to convince a grand jury to indict, much less a jury of twelve to convict beyond reasonable doubt. But we sure heard enough during the DA's press conference yesterday to tell us Big Ben lucked out from "insufficient" or "incomplete" data. Something definitely went on in that bar bathroom with a 20-year-old girl, but not enough to technically call it rape in the state of Georgia.
One question comes to mind as I kept hearing "20-year-old girl"... what was SHE doing in that bar, and why aren't red flags going up in the DA's head when he tells us Big Ben was BUYING drinks for her, or at least not discouraging her underage drinking?! If Big Ben can't be indicted for rape, couldn't the DA at least try to indict him on getting a minor drunk? C'mon folks, Elliot Ness finally nailed Al Capone on TAX EVASION, for heaven's sake. You mean to tell me a DA couldn't put together a case on Roethlisberger for ANYTHING? I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to see that question come up when this DA runs for re-election some November.
But legalities aside, the fact remains that Ben Roethlisberger is now twice-associated with inappropriate behavior towards women in the span of less than two years, and this is something in need of intervention. If I were Roger Goodell, I'd slap him with at least a 4-game suspension. One of two games won't hit where it hurts or send enough of a message. In fact, if Commissioner Goodell hits him for 8 games, I'd personally come to his Park Avenue office and congratulate him.
As I commented yesterday regarding the Santonio Holmes trade, I imagine the Steelers had a passing thought or two about giving Big Ben a one-way ticket out of Pittsburgh if the price was right. In fact, I tweeted to several folks yesterday that if I were Dan Rooney, Big Ben would be in my office yesterday, and along with head coach Mike Tomlin, I'd inform Big Ben "we just sent one of your top WRs away for a 5th round pick. Don't think we won't do the same to you too." Want to give Big Ben something to think about hard? How does running for his life behind a Swiss-cheese offensive line in Oakland, Kansas City, St. Louis, or Cleveland sound? A 5th, 6th, or 7th-round pick in exchange for that sight would be a sobering vision and a nice carrot-and-stick threat to present to my QB, don't you think? Take it from someone who got cut by a head coach who once threatened his players "If y'all don't get back behind that sideline I'll cut you all or trade you all to Green Bay!" Coaches and owners know where purgatory is, and so do multi-millionaire players!
As I said yesterday, BAGGAGE IS NO LONGER FREE.
Another issue came up over the internet, radio, and twitter waves yesterday... the need for Roger Goodell to make a statement against a WHITE player. Please! I know Commissioner Goodell's new law and order Marshall Dillon practices seem heavy handed towards African-American players, but that's because of numbers and the current statistical data pool, NOT racial hypocrisy. I don't want Roger Goodell to slam Big Ben because a high-profile white player needs to be knocked off his perch. I want Roger Goodell to slam Big Ben upside his head and down, inside and out, through a wall and into next month BECAUSE HE'S STUPID, IMMATURE, AND AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE NFL, MEN, WOMEN, AND AMERICAN SOCIETY!
We're talking about a 28-year-old man who has yet to figure out how to behave in public, with women, and as a professional athlete, and when you're 28 years old you're no longer a kid, and have to be accountable. As I've said before, I'm sick and tired of seeing daily reports about professional athletes getting in trouble, especially NFL players, and this needs to stop no matter a player's ethnicity, position, or contract status.
So... here's Dr. Dave's prescription for how NFL players can stay out of trouble when away from the team facility, be it nighttime or off-season:
1. If you're so much in need for "girlie action", meet a nice woman, go steady with her, fall in love, get married, and then live many years sexually addicted to each other -- and ONLY EACH OTHER -- until you can't remember what sex is.
2. If you're not up for #1, get a goldfish until you're ready.
3. If it's already 10:00 pm on a weeknight and you're still at home, STAY HOME.
4. If you're already out on a weeknight, establish a firm curfew of 1:00 am. As the saying goes, nothing good usually happens after midnight anyway.
5. If you don't know what to do with yourself home alone at night, try doing what normal people do -- read a book, eat ice cream, watch TV, do laundry, play some music, or wash dishes. If you're seeking something more challenging, try cooking, knitting, or crossword puzzles.
6. If you're looking for places to go out to at night, skip the bars and clubs. Go catch a movie or do your grocery shopping. Or go wander around IKEA until closing.
7. If you can't handle any of the above, get counseling and GROW UP.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 21, 2010
The bell tolls for Big Ben
So, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Ben Roethlisberger for 6 games, possibly reducing that to 4 games for compliance with league-ordered counseling. I, for one, consider this fair and appropriate, even though I would've preferred the unconditional 8-game suspension I've ranted and raved for.
Here was an email I sent to Commissioner Goodell yesterday:
Dear Commissioner Goodell:
I listened to your discussion on this morning’s “Mike & Mike Show”, and especially listened to your insights on Ben Roethlisberger. As a former player who didn’t last long before moving into academia in 1984, I have some very strong opinions on this story, as I’ve tweeted and blogged several times over the past few weeks. While I appreciate and respect your position and reference point, as well as your “Kitchen Cabinet”, these are my thoughts in response to your points, which I hope you will take into consideration and even respond to.
There seems to be a fundamental point lost in the ongoing discussion, especially on radio. There’s too much discussion about race, legal status, and precedent regarding the Player Conduct Policy, and not enough on Mr. Roethlisberger’s pattern of conduct. First, Michael Vick is NOT, and SHOULD NOT, be the reference point for how you determine this penalty. Although both Mr. Vick and Mr. Roethlisberger play quarterback, the similarities stop here. Michael Vick was convicted and served prison time for his crimes, not to mention made an effort to rehabilitate. Roethlisberger hasn't even seen an indictment, stood for a mug shot, or been subjected to any external penalty for his actions.
I have been calling for an unconditional 4 to 8-game suspension, and I'm not backpedaling on this recommendation one iota. Ben Roethlisberger's actions are disgusting, to say the least, and he does need to serve some time as per the NFL's Player Conduct Policy. As a scholar, I have spent many years advocating for gender equity and support of females in the sciences, so this entire episode has not only turned my stomach, but offends me on multiple levels, among them intellectually. In fact, I’ve stated publicly on several occasions this month that if you do issue an 8-game suspension, I will personally come to your Manhattan office and shake your hand. Rest assured, if your office door is open to me, I will honor that offer.
My “ultimate” point is that Mr. Roethlisberger's suspension should not be conditional, it needs to address a disturbing pattern of behavior for a 28-year-old multimillionaire, it needs to send a message to the entire NFL, and applying Michael Vick’s situation is an erroneous analogy.
As I will re-emphasize shortly, I am not coming from the reference point of a white man, or a Jets fan. I would be just as outraged if Mark Sanchez behaved this way, or any other player on any team or of any ethnicity, for that matter. I am simply a middle-aged man, an academic professional who, like you, used to play football and am increasingly disgusted by the ongoing pattern of off-field behavior by each successive generation of players. I agree with you 100 percent that to play in the NFL is a privilege, and like it or not, players, coaches, and all other staff or front-office personnel are role models to fans all over the world, especially kids. These are not Philistines gathered from caves. These are supposedly college-educated men who must coexist in the adult world and everyday society.
In terms of Mr. Roethlisberger’s suspension, the more appropriate analogy is Adam "Pacman" Jones, a prolific troublemaker, apparently never indicted, convicted, or sentenced for any of his repeated offenses, and a well-deserving charter member on your “shit list”.
Michael Vick, Tank Johnson, and Donte Stallworth all served some prison time, and received conditional suspensions of various lengths from you. Whether I completely agree with your decisions is irrelevant. These were your decisions, and they appropriately establish some precedent for your office and NFL players. Some of these suspensions were shortened upon demonstration of rehabilitated actions, but suspensions were still dished out. If any high-profile player will be compared to these three players when you consider any future reinstatement, look at Plaxico Burress, not Ben Roethlisberger. Again, Mr. Burress will be completing an external prison term. Mr. Roethlisberger’s only external challenges will be in civil court, not criminal, and this is unfortunately why the onus falls upon your office.
I agree with you 100 percent that violations of the Player Conduct Policy need to be examined on a case-by-case basis. But this should mean CONTEXT OF MISCONDUCT, and this means independent of player's team or position, contract status, and race.
Ben Roethlisberger needs a suspension that makes unequivocally clear that sexual abuse of women, encouraging underage drinking, and repeated offenses will NOT be tolerated by the NFL. Period, exclamation point. And if any player cannot comprehend the consequences of sexual abuse after your message has been delivered, then these players are sadly too stupid to be part of the NFL, and I’m more than willing to help administer an appropriate assessment to verify their stupidity. I’ve been an educator of post-adolescents too many years and seen too much, whether they be student-athletes or not.
This leads me to a final point that reconnects with past letters I’ve sent your office as well as the Player Development Office. Given the number of players who keep demonstrating a lack of understanding right versus wrong, this suggests a flaw in how the NFL deals with players after their initial indoctrination. A reasonably intelligent and mature adult should get the message on how to conduct oneself after his rookie symposia, but whatever lessons you seek for them to learn aren’t long-lasting. Unless your Office of Player Development wishes to overhaul its entire slate of programs and reconstruct them under the guidance of cognitive scientists, I think it might serve the NFL well to provide annual or semi-annual league-wide video-conferences to every team and every player and organizational member to reinforce the importance of appropriate on-field and off-field conduct. If teachers and other professionals can attend periodic in-service training, so could professional athletes. And you don’t even have to limit yourselves to conduct. You can also hold seminars on injuries and player safety, especially in terms of the spine and brain, a topic very near and dear to me.
Lastly, in all candidness, I don’t know how much longer I will be alive given my progression of neurological decline. Optimistic projections are two years. Realistically, now that I am in the early stages of chronic neurogenic renal failure, my hope is to still be alive and relatively functioning when next year’s rookie symposium and combine takes place. I would love the opportunity to be a guest speaker and provide some perspective to a new group of players before they embark on dreams in the NFL. While I’m not as famous as the people you already employ to make an impression on young athletes, I would like to be a resource and advocate for your ongoing efforts in player safety, player conduct, and continuing education.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my insights.
Views and letter to Commissioner Goodell aside, I have a new insight that I'm still trying to get my head around, and as someone neurologically impaired, thanks for 12 years of playing football during the 1970s and 1980s, I'm surprised this insight didn't occur to me sooner.
Not to brag, but my best friend for the past 30-odd years happens to be a medical doctor (as you get older, this is the BEST best friend to have). His training happens to be in orthopedic surgery and rehabilitative medicine (also handy for ex-football players), and he's SMART (the BEST thing of all). Anyway, yesterday evening, he called just to shoot the breeze for a bit, and we got to talking about Ben Roethlisberger and his behavior track record. Suddenly, my friend asked, "Dave, this guy's had a few head injuries over the years between concussions and that motorcycle accident... has anyone ever bothered to neurologically evaluate him to see if his cognitive processing and judgement are impaired?"
WOW! Why didn't I think of that? You'd think someone like me, in neurological decline, would've thought of that first?! Well, I didn't, but now that my best friend planted the seed in my brain, this doesn't sound particular crazy. And yes, I've tweeted Roger Goodell and other folks connected to the NFL to ask if a neuropsych evaluation is on the books for Ben Roethlisberger, or if it will be done during his suspension. So far no one knows or is responding to me, but I'll keep asking.
Is it any excuse for Roethlisberger's behavior? HELL NO! But it might explain a few more things to folks studying the consequences of football-related brain injuries. And don't laugh, but the list is getting longer and longer of former players behaving very strangely, and their PET Scans showing serious problems.
For myself, I thankfully only sustained one mild concussion playing football, and three brain MRIs since 2003 have shown nothing there... wrong, that is (just wanted to clarify myself). But, the list of other injuries for me is ridiculously long -- broken ribs, cracked clavicle, separated shoulders, broken hand, lost teeth, broken foot, torn knee cartilage, dislocated hip, cracked pelvis... Wait a minute! And I was shocked to need multi-level fusion surgery in my lumbar spine 3 years ago?! Sheesh! It's a wonder I'm still breathing!
My point is that there may be another reason for Big Ben's off-field conduct, and it may not be just due to "I'm Big Ben! Wanna see my Pride and Joy?" If a multimillionaire professional football player perpetually fails to understand, differentiate, and practice right from wrong, I don't think behavioral counseling is all that's needed. Call me crazy, but I think Mr. Roethlisberger may require more than one "head doctor", if you know what I mean.
So, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Ben Roethlisberger for 6 games, possibly reducing that to 4 games for compliance with league-ordered counseling. I, for one, consider this fair and appropriate, even though I would've preferred the unconditional 8-game suspension I've ranted and raved for.
Here was an email I sent to Commissioner Goodell yesterday:
Dear Commissioner Goodell:
I listened to your discussion on this morning’s “Mike & Mike Show”, and especially listened to your insights on Ben Roethlisberger. As a former player who didn’t last long before moving into academia in 1984, I have some very strong opinions on this story, as I’ve tweeted and blogged several times over the past few weeks. While I appreciate and respect your position and reference point, as well as your “Kitchen Cabinet”, these are my thoughts in response to your points, which I hope you will take into consideration and even respond to.
There seems to be a fundamental point lost in the ongoing discussion, especially on radio. There’s too much discussion about race, legal status, and precedent regarding the Player Conduct Policy, and not enough on Mr. Roethlisberger’s pattern of conduct. First, Michael Vick is NOT, and SHOULD NOT, be the reference point for how you determine this penalty. Although both Mr. Vick and Mr. Roethlisberger play quarterback, the similarities stop here. Michael Vick was convicted and served prison time for his crimes, not to mention made an effort to rehabilitate. Roethlisberger hasn't even seen an indictment, stood for a mug shot, or been subjected to any external penalty for his actions.
I have been calling for an unconditional 4 to 8-game suspension, and I'm not backpedaling on this recommendation one iota. Ben Roethlisberger's actions are disgusting, to say the least, and he does need to serve some time as per the NFL's Player Conduct Policy. As a scholar, I have spent many years advocating for gender equity and support of females in the sciences, so this entire episode has not only turned my stomach, but offends me on multiple levels, among them intellectually. In fact, I’ve stated publicly on several occasions this month that if you do issue an 8-game suspension, I will personally come to your Manhattan office and shake your hand. Rest assured, if your office door is open to me, I will honor that offer.
My “ultimate” point is that Mr. Roethlisberger's suspension should not be conditional, it needs to address a disturbing pattern of behavior for a 28-year-old multimillionaire, it needs to send a message to the entire NFL, and applying Michael Vick’s situation is an erroneous analogy.
As I will re-emphasize shortly, I am not coming from the reference point of a white man, or a Jets fan. I would be just as outraged if Mark Sanchez behaved this way, or any other player on any team or of any ethnicity, for that matter. I am simply a middle-aged man, an academic professional who, like you, used to play football and am increasingly disgusted by the ongoing pattern of off-field behavior by each successive generation of players. I agree with you 100 percent that to play in the NFL is a privilege, and like it or not, players, coaches, and all other staff or front-office personnel are role models to fans all over the world, especially kids. These are not Philistines gathered from caves. These are supposedly college-educated men who must coexist in the adult world and everyday society.
In terms of Mr. Roethlisberger’s suspension, the more appropriate analogy is Adam "Pacman" Jones, a prolific troublemaker, apparently never indicted, convicted, or sentenced for any of his repeated offenses, and a well-deserving charter member on your “shit list”.
Michael Vick, Tank Johnson, and Donte Stallworth all served some prison time, and received conditional suspensions of various lengths from you. Whether I completely agree with your decisions is irrelevant. These were your decisions, and they appropriately establish some precedent for your office and NFL players. Some of these suspensions were shortened upon demonstration of rehabilitated actions, but suspensions were still dished out. If any high-profile player will be compared to these three players when you consider any future reinstatement, look at Plaxico Burress, not Ben Roethlisberger. Again, Mr. Burress will be completing an external prison term. Mr. Roethlisberger’s only external challenges will be in civil court, not criminal, and this is unfortunately why the onus falls upon your office.
I agree with you 100 percent that violations of the Player Conduct Policy need to be examined on a case-by-case basis. But this should mean CONTEXT OF MISCONDUCT, and this means independent of player's team or position, contract status, and race.
Ben Roethlisberger needs a suspension that makes unequivocally clear that sexual abuse of women, encouraging underage drinking, and repeated offenses will NOT be tolerated by the NFL. Period, exclamation point. And if any player cannot comprehend the consequences of sexual abuse after your message has been delivered, then these players are sadly too stupid to be part of the NFL, and I’m more than willing to help administer an appropriate assessment to verify their stupidity. I’ve been an educator of post-adolescents too many years and seen too much, whether they be student-athletes or not.
This leads me to a final point that reconnects with past letters I’ve sent your office as well as the Player Development Office. Given the number of players who keep demonstrating a lack of understanding right versus wrong, this suggests a flaw in how the NFL deals with players after their initial indoctrination. A reasonably intelligent and mature adult should get the message on how to conduct oneself after his rookie symposia, but whatever lessons you seek for them to learn aren’t long-lasting. Unless your Office of Player Development wishes to overhaul its entire slate of programs and reconstruct them under the guidance of cognitive scientists, I think it might serve the NFL well to provide annual or semi-annual league-wide video-conferences to every team and every player and organizational member to reinforce the importance of appropriate on-field and off-field conduct. If teachers and other professionals can attend periodic in-service training, so could professional athletes. And you don’t even have to limit yourselves to conduct. You can also hold seminars on injuries and player safety, especially in terms of the spine and brain, a topic very near and dear to me.
Lastly, in all candidness, I don’t know how much longer I will be alive given my progression of neurological decline. Optimistic projections are two years. Realistically, now that I am in the early stages of chronic neurogenic renal failure, my hope is to still be alive and relatively functioning when next year’s rookie symposium and combine takes place. I would love the opportunity to be a guest speaker and provide some perspective to a new group of players before they embark on dreams in the NFL. While I’m not as famous as the people you already employ to make an impression on young athletes, I would like to be a resource and advocate for your ongoing efforts in player safety, player conduct, and continuing education.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my insights.
Views and letter to Commissioner Goodell aside, I have a new insight that I'm still trying to get my head around, and as someone neurologically impaired, thanks for 12 years of playing football during the 1970s and 1980s, I'm surprised this insight didn't occur to me sooner.
Not to brag, but my best friend for the past 30-odd years happens to be a medical doctor (as you get older, this is the BEST best friend to have). His training happens to be in orthopedic surgery and rehabilitative medicine (also handy for ex-football players), and he's SMART (the BEST thing of all). Anyway, yesterday evening, he called just to shoot the breeze for a bit, and we got to talking about Ben Roethlisberger and his behavior track record. Suddenly, my friend asked, "Dave, this guy's had a few head injuries over the years between concussions and that motorcycle accident... has anyone ever bothered to neurologically evaluate him to see if his cognitive processing and judgement are impaired?"
WOW! Why didn't I think of that? You'd think someone like me, in neurological decline, would've thought of that first?! Well, I didn't, but now that my best friend planted the seed in my brain, this doesn't sound particular crazy. And yes, I've tweeted Roger Goodell and other folks connected to the NFL to ask if a neuropsych evaluation is on the books for Ben Roethlisberger, or if it will be done during his suspension. So far no one knows or is responding to me, but I'll keep asking.
Is it any excuse for Roethlisberger's behavior? HELL NO! But it might explain a few more things to folks studying the consequences of football-related brain injuries. And don't laugh, but the list is getting longer and longer of former players behaving very strangely, and their PET Scans showing serious problems.
For myself, I thankfully only sustained one mild concussion playing football, and three brain MRIs since 2003 have shown nothing there... wrong, that is (just wanted to clarify myself). But, the list of other injuries for me is ridiculously long -- broken ribs, cracked clavicle, separated shoulders, broken hand, lost teeth, broken foot, torn knee cartilage, dislocated hip, cracked pelvis... Wait a minute! And I was shocked to need multi-level fusion surgery in my lumbar spine 3 years ago?! Sheesh! It's a wonder I'm still breathing!
My point is that there may be another reason for Big Ben's off-field conduct, and it may not be just due to "I'm Big Ben! Wanna see my Pride and Joy?" If a multimillionaire professional football player perpetually fails to understand, differentiate, and practice right from wrong, I don't think behavioral counseling is all that's needed. Call me crazy, but I think Mr. Roethlisberger may require more than one "head doctor", if you know what I mean.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 23, 2010
Short thoughts...
1. The NFL Draft:
Once in a while, draft picks surprise you and others simply make no sense. First, congratulations to Sam Bradford being the top draft pick and future QB for the St. Louis Rams. My advice? When you negotiate your contract, make sure there are plenty of clauses to compensate you while you get beaten to a pulp behind your Swiss-cheese offensive line. BEG your head coach, Steve Spagnoulo, to get you as much pocket protection as possible, even offer to take a lower salary if the money can be used for upfront beef. Either that, or buy stock in cold compresses and BenGay. Oh, and until you get some O-line protection, your team must bear the new moniker "St. Louis Lamb Chops". Yum yum.
Second, congratulations to the Genius himself, Raiders owner Al Davis. Once again, you show how to go shopping without your list. What do you need another pass rusher for when your team has just as porous an offensive line as the Rams. But you're too crafty for us... obviously you know best how to build a football team for 1967, you former Lord of Flatbush, you (oy gevault...).
Third, to poor Jimmy Clausen... Don't worry, kid. You're gonna end up somewhere. And as soon as some team stops changing draft positions like Pluto's orbit, you'll be the first to know!
Next, to the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings... can you front office guys just GROW A PAIR and make a draft pick already?! Sheesh, it's a first round selection, not the Ebola virus!
And, lastly, Tim Tebow, picked at 25th by the Denver Broncos. Now hear me loud and clear... I WANT TO SEE TIM TEBOW SUCCEED IN THE NFL. However, after listening to Tebow, ESPN's Jon Gruden, and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talk on ESPN last night, it’s clear Tebow was picked for the wrong reasons. He’s not going to be an NFL QB in Denver anytime soon, but he will be a gadget play QB. McDaniels took Tebow as an example of the kind of player he wants on his team, an obedient good-goody who will follow the coach’s commands.
And with all due respect to Josh McDaniels, he's the head coach of a professional football team, not the headmaster of an ultraconservative or military prep school!
Again, don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see the kid succeed, and he's hopefully the kind of player we won't see emulating Ben Roethlisberger, but I simply don’t think he can physically change enough to improve his throwing mechanics. A left-handed QB has a completely different shoulder anatomy than your classic right-hander, and Tim Tebow is simply too muscular in his upper body, and this interferes with the over-the-top motion we expect QBs to be able to throw with. If you get a chance, take a look at some NFL Films highlights of Steve Young and Ken Stabler, two of the best left-handed QBs the NFL has had in the last 40 years. Now take a look at old films of former Chicago Bear QB Bobby Douglas. He was the Michael Vick of 1972, rushing for over 900 yards, but Douglas couldn't throw for beans, and the Bears passing game was a joke.
Tim Tebow, unfortunately, will be closer to Douglas than Young or Stabler, and if he and the Broncos coaching staff can face reality and use wisdom, the consensus should be to move Tebow to H-back and play him in the same role the Jets play Brad Smith. I believe Tebow can have a long and productive career in a better-suited role.
2. Our Mets:
What can I say? Our team just took 3 of 4 at home against the Cubs, and we're actually seeing good starting pitching night after night. Now, let's warm up those bats! Remember, as our team song lyrics specifically state "And the Mets are really hitting that ball. Hitting those home runs over the wall..."
So... Let's go Mets! Get some big hits!
3. Alfonso Soriano:
Is it just me, or does this former Yankee sometime make Milton Bradley seem emotionally stable?
4. No hitters:
I know pitchers are supposed to be ahead of hitters in April, but this is ridiculous. Not counting Colorado's Ulbaldo Jimenez's no-no in Atlanta last Saturday night, have y'all been paying attention to the number of pitchers taking no-hitters into the 7th inning and beyond this month? Don't be shocked if we see one more no-no before May 1.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates:
First Pittsburgh sports fans have to be nauseated by Ben Roethlisberger, then the Pirates lay an all-time egg at home, losing yesterday to the Milwaukee Brewers 20-0. For the entire 3-game series, they were swept by a composite score of 36-1. This is so sad, I'm morally bound not to say anything pithy.
6. Jay Leno's Fat Jokes:
If you're not a fan of Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" monologues, please become one. Yes, I know it's not cool to pile on when we're confronted with a nation-wide obesity epidemic, but at least he's keeping the spotlight on a serious health issue that threatens our nation's young people. And as someone who lost a parent to Type II Diabetes almost 30 years ago, the following joke last night did make me laugh and also reminded me why we need to take proper nutrition and exercise more seriously:
"I tell ya, kids are so fat today, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, they now say 'I want to be a diabetic'!"
Hope your weekends are enjoyable and health-conscious.
1. The NFL Draft:
Once in a while, draft picks surprise you and others simply make no sense. First, congratulations to Sam Bradford being the top draft pick and future QB for the St. Louis Rams. My advice? When you negotiate your contract, make sure there are plenty of clauses to compensate you while you get beaten to a pulp behind your Swiss-cheese offensive line. BEG your head coach, Steve Spagnoulo, to get you as much pocket protection as possible, even offer to take a lower salary if the money can be used for upfront beef. Either that, or buy stock in cold compresses and BenGay. Oh, and until you get some O-line protection, your team must bear the new moniker "St. Louis Lamb Chops". Yum yum.
Second, congratulations to the Genius himself, Raiders owner Al Davis. Once again, you show how to go shopping without your list. What do you need another pass rusher for when your team has just as porous an offensive line as the Rams. But you're too crafty for us... obviously you know best how to build a football team for 1967, you former Lord of Flatbush, you (oy gevault...).
Third, to poor Jimmy Clausen... Don't worry, kid. You're gonna end up somewhere. And as soon as some team stops changing draft positions like Pluto's orbit, you'll be the first to know!
Next, to the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings... can you front office guys just GROW A PAIR and make a draft pick already?! Sheesh, it's a first round selection, not the Ebola virus!
And, lastly, Tim Tebow, picked at 25th by the Denver Broncos. Now hear me loud and clear... I WANT TO SEE TIM TEBOW SUCCEED IN THE NFL. However, after listening to Tebow, ESPN's Jon Gruden, and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talk on ESPN last night, it’s clear Tebow was picked for the wrong reasons. He’s not going to be an NFL QB in Denver anytime soon, but he will be a gadget play QB. McDaniels took Tebow as an example of the kind of player he wants on his team, an obedient good-goody who will follow the coach’s commands.
And with all due respect to Josh McDaniels, he's the head coach of a professional football team, not the headmaster of an ultraconservative or military prep school!
Again, don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see the kid succeed, and he's hopefully the kind of player we won't see emulating Ben Roethlisberger, but I simply don’t think he can physically change enough to improve his throwing mechanics. A left-handed QB has a completely different shoulder anatomy than your classic right-hander, and Tim Tebow is simply too muscular in his upper body, and this interferes with the over-the-top motion we expect QBs to be able to throw with. If you get a chance, take a look at some NFL Films highlights of Steve Young and Ken Stabler, two of the best left-handed QBs the NFL has had in the last 40 years. Now take a look at old films of former Chicago Bear QB Bobby Douglas. He was the Michael Vick of 1972, rushing for over 900 yards, but Douglas couldn't throw for beans, and the Bears passing game was a joke.
Tim Tebow, unfortunately, will be closer to Douglas than Young or Stabler, and if he and the Broncos coaching staff can face reality and use wisdom, the consensus should be to move Tebow to H-back and play him in the same role the Jets play Brad Smith. I believe Tebow can have a long and productive career in a better-suited role.
2. Our Mets:
What can I say? Our team just took 3 of 4 at home against the Cubs, and we're actually seeing good starting pitching night after night. Now, let's warm up those bats! Remember, as our team song lyrics specifically state "And the Mets are really hitting that ball. Hitting those home runs over the wall..."
So... Let's go Mets! Get some big hits!
3. Alfonso Soriano:
Is it just me, or does this former Yankee sometime make Milton Bradley seem emotionally stable?
4. No hitters:
I know pitchers are supposed to be ahead of hitters in April, but this is ridiculous. Not counting Colorado's Ulbaldo Jimenez's no-no in Atlanta last Saturday night, have y'all been paying attention to the number of pitchers taking no-hitters into the 7th inning and beyond this month? Don't be shocked if we see one more no-no before May 1.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates:
First Pittsburgh sports fans have to be nauseated by Ben Roethlisberger, then the Pirates lay an all-time egg at home, losing yesterday to the Milwaukee Brewers 20-0. For the entire 3-game series, they were swept by a composite score of 36-1. This is so sad, I'm morally bound not to say anything pithy.
6. Jay Leno's Fat Jokes:
If you're not a fan of Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" monologues, please become one. Yes, I know it's not cool to pile on when we're confronted with a nation-wide obesity epidemic, but at least he's keeping the spotlight on a serious health issue that threatens our nation's young people. And as someone who lost a parent to Type II Diabetes almost 30 years ago, the following joke last night did make me laugh and also reminded me why we need to take proper nutrition and exercise more seriously:
"I tell ya, kids are so fat today, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, they now say 'I want to be a diabetic'!"
Hope your weekends are enjoyable and health-conscious.
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com -- April 26, 2010
Mets pitching, pitching mounds, and the J-E-T-S...
Happy Monday! It's cloudy and yucky outside here in the New York area, but there's a little warm cheer in the hearts of us Mets fans as our Amazin's completed a sweep of the Atlanta Braves and are riding a 4-game win streak, a 5-1 homestand, and are finally above .500. How are they doing it? Pitching, pitching, and more pitching, with a few timely hits and creative baserunning sprinkled in. How about Mike Pelfrey?! How many more scoreless innings can he keep stringing together? Even Ollie Perez is pitching like Dr. Jeckyl more than Mr. Hyde.
But in case we haven't noticed, the Mets pitching staff as a whole is just as bipolar as a Perez turn in the rotation. Did you know that Mets pitchers lead the majors in both strikeouts AND walks? Can anyone say Nolan Ryan of the 1970s? As impressed and pleased by this little hot streak as I am, I'm dipping into my inner Joe Benigno and momentarily dwelling on my half-empty glass. Shutting out teams night after night is wonderful, but how many more Houdini acts are left among the pitching staff? If I'm manager Jerry Manuel or pitching coach Dan Warthen, I'd start addressing this little quirk of wildness ASAP so our pitchers can be more efficient with their arms, pitch counts, and energy. If not, our pitching staff is going to burn out and break down by Father's Day. But maybe I'm just a little too paranoid after the past couple of seasons...
Okay, this whole A-Rod thing is stupid (like MOST A-Rod things), and I do somewhat fondly remember the days of payback pitches after a home run (my favorite is a brawl at a Mets game at Shea – I can’t specifically remember opponent -- in the late ‘70s after Mike Jorgensen got drilled after a Steve Henderson HR. John Stearns came flying out of the dugout and plowed right into the pitcher while Jorgensen was jawing with him halfway between home and the mound)... A-Rod should’ve known better. He lives in his own little solar system and thinks everything revolves around him and the stats on the back of his bubblegum card. If I was that Oakland pitcher, I would’ve drilled him in the ass as he walked back towards first. Hit him where his brains are. After all, rumor has it A-Rod's thinking mechanism is that anatomical hemisphere, right?
Lastly, I want to thank Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum for "punking" us Jets fans during this weekend's NFL draft. Okay, this is all a joke, right? All we kept hearing about was defense, defense, defense, and after the first-round pick you guys wheel and deal and draft OFFENSIVE players? You CUT Alan Faneca while still having to pay him $5M, and you trade Leon Washington to Seattle? Now I know little makes sense and you guys are consulting a Magic Eight Ball or daily horoscopes before you make personnel decisions. All I hope is that you guys are right with these makeover moves. Speaking as a chemist, you're really juggling too many variables in your beaker, so keep the Bunsen Burner flame low to reduce risk of explosion!
Happy Monday! It's cloudy and yucky outside here in the New York area, but there's a little warm cheer in the hearts of us Mets fans as our Amazin's completed a sweep of the Atlanta Braves and are riding a 4-game win streak, a 5-1 homestand, and are finally above .500. How are they doing it? Pitching, pitching, and more pitching, with a few timely hits and creative baserunning sprinkled in. How about Mike Pelfrey?! How many more scoreless innings can he keep stringing together? Even Ollie Perez is pitching like Dr. Jeckyl more than Mr. Hyde.
But in case we haven't noticed, the Mets pitching staff as a whole is just as bipolar as a Perez turn in the rotation. Did you know that Mets pitchers lead the majors in both strikeouts AND walks? Can anyone say Nolan Ryan of the 1970s? As impressed and pleased by this little hot streak as I am, I'm dipping into my inner Joe Benigno and momentarily dwelling on my half-empty glass. Shutting out teams night after night is wonderful, but how many more Houdini acts are left among the pitching staff? If I'm manager Jerry Manuel or pitching coach Dan Warthen, I'd start addressing this little quirk of wildness ASAP so our pitchers can be more efficient with their arms, pitch counts, and energy. If not, our pitching staff is going to burn out and break down by Father's Day. But maybe I'm just a little too paranoid after the past couple of seasons...
Okay, this whole A-Rod thing is stupid (like MOST A-Rod things), and I do somewhat fondly remember the days of payback pitches after a home run (my favorite is a brawl at a Mets game at Shea – I can’t specifically remember opponent -- in the late ‘70s after Mike Jorgensen got drilled after a Steve Henderson HR. John Stearns came flying out of the dugout and plowed right into the pitcher while Jorgensen was jawing with him halfway between home and the mound)... A-Rod should’ve known better. He lives in his own little solar system and thinks everything revolves around him and the stats on the back of his bubblegum card. If I was that Oakland pitcher, I would’ve drilled him in the ass as he walked back towards first. Hit him where his brains are. After all, rumor has it A-Rod's thinking mechanism is that anatomical hemisphere, right?
Lastly, I want to thank Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum for "punking" us Jets fans during this weekend's NFL draft. Okay, this is all a joke, right? All we kept hearing about was defense, defense, defense, and after the first-round pick you guys wheel and deal and draft OFFENSIVE players? You CUT Alan Faneca while still having to pay him $5M, and you trade Leon Washington to Seattle? Now I know little makes sense and you guys are consulting a Magic Eight Ball or daily horoscopes before you make personnel decisions. All I hope is that you guys are right with these makeover moves. Speaking as a chemist, you're really juggling too many variables in your beaker, so keep the Bunsen Burner flame low to reduce risk of explosion!
Originally posted on www.ThatsSports.com - April 28, 2010
So how did that job interview go?!
It's a shame political incorrectness and basic stupidity have to hang a cloud over the joy of sports and sports discussion. I absolutely agree with Len when he blames the 24-hour culture of news and sports, not to mention entertainment. Everything is "on the air" or "on the Internet." Everybody's an "expert," and the volume gets ratcheted up. Sorting through the noise, intelligent conversation is harder and harder to come by these days. Well, as hyper-verbal as I am, I hope I'm adding a small grain of intelligence to the overall discourse.
As Len wonderfully put, "Can you say anything about anybody? Of course not". But let's break the golden rule and talk a few moments about Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland, and his interview of and apology to Dallas Cowboys top draft pick, wide receiver Dez Bryant. Ireland asked Bryant whether his mother was a prostitute during a pre-draft visit. Unless you think this seems reasonable and all job interview questions are fair game, you're naturally outraged and shocked by such questioning. If not, ask yourself how you would feel if such a question was posed to YOU during a job interview!
Yes, there was lots of discussion among the sports shows over this story, and on ESPN's "Mike & Mike Show" this morning, Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic even chatted about the story with ESPN's Vice-President for Human Resources. My reaction? Initially too mind-boggled, but I'm slowly putting it in perspective, and I'd like to share a few thoughts with you.
As most know, I'm a disabled American, a spinal cord patient who is thankfully ambulatory and still possessing a functional brain and intellect. But since I've become disabled, my professorial life has never been the same because of the ignorance and prejudice I encounter in and out of academia. Because I now require accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, I also run up against the reality of how employers don't want to deal with ADA statutes or employees protected by those statutes.
How do I fight discrimination as a disabled professional? I keep the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission very busy with formal complaints. To date, I have pending EEOC cases against 6 universities, 1 community college, 1 consulting firm, and 2 think tanks. And these are only for cases since November 2009! If I had my current knowledge and courage back in 2007, when I tried to return to academia after 6 months of being in and out of a hospital for major spinal surgery, it's quite likely I'd have at least another 15-20 cases on federal dockets.
Please understand that EEOC is not the same thing as Affirmative Action, even though most US employers are under the EEOC/AA umbrella. Affirmative Action primarily deals with assurances that employers give equal consideration to all qualified applicants regardless of gender or ethnicity, their primary criteria. On the other hand, EEOC addresses discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion, pregnancy, whistle-blowing, disability, or genetic profile. EEOC addresses discrimination for current, past, and prospective employees.
Getting back to the Jeff Ireland and Dez Bryant story, there are two primary concerns most folks are raising:
1. Was the prostitution question illegal in addition to inappropriate, or is anything "fair game' during a job interview when millions of salary dollars are involved for an athlete in the public eye?
2. Does a pre-draft meeting really constitute a "job interview"?
Based on my experiences with EEOC/AA rules, my unofficial answers are:
1. The question was highly inappropriate, but not necessarily illegal, ASSUMING this same question was asked to EVERY prospective draft choice Jeff Ireland met with.
2. YES, it's a job interview if you're meeting with someone who may become an employee (paid or not)!
I don't think we need to debate my second answer, so I will explain my first. Given the umbrella of personal domains the EEOC protects with regards to discrimination in the workplace, the prostitution question falls into very gray territory with regards to racism. One could argue such a question might be asked just as easily to a white, Latino, or Asia football player if his mother had a number of legal issues and criminal raps. If Dez Bryant wanted to make a legal case against the Miami Dolphins, he could make use of the following questions the EEOC asks on their Intake Questionnaire:
1. Of the persons in the same or similar situation as you, who was treated better than you?
2. Of the persons in the same or similar situation as you, who was treated worse than you?
3. Of the persons in the same or similar situation as you, who was treated the same as you?
If Jeff Ireland asked the prostitution question to Dez Bryant because his mother specifically has a criminal record, it could violate EEOC rules. If the question was posed to see how Dez Bryant would react to potential heckling in public, it's tacky (remember the old SNL skit between HR manager Chevy Chase and job applicant Garrett Morris, where racial epitaphs were hurled back and forth during the interview?). Does it violate EEOC rules? Only if Dez Bryant was the only candidate subjected to this mode of questioning.
And there's the rub... If the Miami Dolphins have a policy of antagonizing prospective players according to their personal skeletons, it could very well be legal and non-discriminatory. If it's not a uniform policy and documented protocol, Dez Bryant could very well have a case to make with the EEOC.
Keep that in mind the next time you go on a job interview, and your prospective employer asks about your clothing, place of worship, eating habits, physical appearance, or anything else you might find trivial but odd. You have a legal right to ask your prospective employer if these questions are asked of all the other applicants for that job.
My advice to Mr. Bryant, the next time a general manager asks if your mother's a prostitute, calmly reply, "No, is YOURS?" And to Mr. Ireland, don't you have better things to do than ask "Your mama" questions?
Just my hopefully intelligent thoughts for today...
It's a shame political incorrectness and basic stupidity have to hang a cloud over the joy of sports and sports discussion. I absolutely agree with Len when he blames the 24-hour culture of news and sports, not to mention entertainment. Everything is "on the air" or "on the Internet." Everybody's an "expert," and the volume gets ratcheted up. Sorting through the noise, intelligent conversation is harder and harder to come by these days. Well, as hyper-verbal as I am, I hope I'm adding a small grain of intelligence to the overall discourse.
As Len wonderfully put, "Can you say anything about anybody? Of course not". But let's break the golden rule and talk a few moments about Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland, and his interview of and apology to Dallas Cowboys top draft pick, wide receiver Dez Bryant. Ireland asked Bryant whether his mother was a prostitute during a pre-draft visit. Unless you think this seems reasonable and all job interview questions are fair game, you're naturally outraged and shocked by such questioning. If not, ask yourself how you would feel if such a question was posed to YOU during a job interview!
Yes, there was lots of discussion among the sports shows over this story, and on ESPN's "Mike & Mike Show" this morning, Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic even chatted about the story with ESPN's Vice-President for Human Resources. My reaction? Initially too mind-boggled, but I'm slowly putting it in perspective, and I'd like to share a few thoughts with you.
As most know, I'm a disabled American, a spinal cord patient who is thankfully ambulatory and still possessing a functional brain and intellect. But since I've become disabled, my professorial life has never been the same because of the ignorance and prejudice I encounter in and out of academia. Because I now require accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, I also run up against the reality of how employers don't want to deal with ADA statutes or employees protected by those statutes.
How do I fight discrimination as a disabled professional? I keep the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission very busy with formal complaints. To date, I have pending EEOC cases against 6 universities, 1 community college, 1 consulting firm, and 2 think tanks. And these are only for cases since November 2009! If I had my current knowledge and courage back in 2007, when I tried to return to academia after 6 months of being in and out of a hospital for major spinal surgery, it's quite likely I'd have at least another 15-20 cases on federal dockets.
Please understand that EEOC is not the same thing as Affirmative Action, even though most US employers are under the EEOC/AA umbrella. Affirmative Action primarily deals with assurances that employers give equal consideration to all qualified applicants regardless of gender or ethnicity, their primary criteria. On the other hand, EEOC addresses discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion, pregnancy, whistle-blowing, disability, or genetic profile. EEOC addresses discrimination for current, past, and prospective employees.
Getting back to the Jeff Ireland and Dez Bryant story, there are two primary concerns most folks are raising:
1. Was the prostitution question illegal in addition to inappropriate, or is anything "fair game' during a job interview when millions of salary dollars are involved for an athlete in the public eye?
2. Does a pre-draft meeting really constitute a "job interview"?
Based on my experiences with EEOC/AA rules, my unofficial answers are:
1. The question was highly inappropriate, but not necessarily illegal, ASSUMING this same question was asked to EVERY prospective draft choice Jeff Ireland met with.
2. YES, it's a job interview if you're meeting with someone who may become an employee (paid or not)!
I don't think we need to debate my second answer, so I will explain my first. Given the umbrella of personal domains the EEOC protects with regards to discrimination in the workplace, the prostitution question falls into very gray territory with regards to racism. One could argue such a question might be asked just as easily to a white, Latino, or Asia football player if his mother had a number of legal issues and criminal raps. If Dez Bryant wanted to make a legal case against the Miami Dolphins, he could make use of the following questions the EEOC asks on their Intake Questionnaire:
1. Of the persons in the same or similar situation as you, who was treated better than you?
2. Of the persons in the same or similar situation as you, who was treated worse than you?
3. Of the persons in the same or similar situation as you, who was treated the same as you?
If Jeff Ireland asked the prostitution question to Dez Bryant because his mother specifically has a criminal record, it could violate EEOC rules. If the question was posed to see how Dez Bryant would react to potential heckling in public, it's tacky (remember the old SNL skit between HR manager Chevy Chase and job applicant Garrett Morris, where racial epitaphs were hurled back and forth during the interview?). Does it violate EEOC rules? Only if Dez Bryant was the only candidate subjected to this mode of questioning.
And there's the rub... If the Miami Dolphins have a policy of antagonizing prospective players according to their personal skeletons, it could very well be legal and non-discriminatory. If it's not a uniform policy and documented protocol, Dez Bryant could very well have a case to make with the EEOC.
Keep that in mind the next time you go on a job interview, and your prospective employer asks about your clothing, place of worship, eating habits, physical appearance, or anything else you might find trivial but odd. You have a legal right to ask your prospective employer if these questions are asked of all the other applicants for that job.
My advice to Mr. Bryant, the next time a general manager asks if your mother's a prostitute, calmly reply, "No, is YOURS?" And to Mr. Ireland, don't you have better things to do than ask "Your mama" questions?
Just my hopefully intelligent thoughts for today...
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