She was a worthy adversary to be sure. Prior to posting, we’d discuss potential debate topics and allow each other to choose a side. It was a great exercise in writing and we received enthusiastic support from the blogosphere.
When Danny Ainge pulled off a coup by landing both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the 2007 off-season, Bluegrass and I debated whether that move guaranteed a Celtic title. While I was still (a little) skeptical, Bluegrass chose the side of the C’s. One has to figure that if you took the field against the Celtics pre-season, you’d have to like your chances. Then they tipped off.
The Celtics tore through the regular season, losing only 16 games. When the playoffs hit, they slowly picked up tempo, building up confidence, then absolutely destroyed the Lakers in a Finals that should not have made it to six games.
Looking back at my argument, I felt I had some valid points which the Celtics players, coaching staff and entire operations eventually put to rest to ensure their team hoisted the O’Brien Trophy by season's end.
Point Guard Play: After watching Rajon Rondo throughout his college career at Kentucky, I never questioned his talent. I just questioned whether he’d be able to lead a team to a title in his sophomore year in the league. Not only was Rondo impressive, but he outplayed every point guard that tried to cover him, including Mike Bibby, Delonte West, Chauncey Billups and Derek Fisher, ALL of whom have more playoff experience and years in the league. Rondo was consistently quicker than his defenders and made great decisions on BOTH sides of the ball. He came through with timely steals throughout the playoffs and his assist/turnover ratio was as good as can be expected (over 3:1). Heck, in Game Six, he even took Kobe Bryant off the dribble and drew a foul for a three point play. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have three of the most potent offensive players of this generation to play alongside. The addition of Sam Cassell was also key as Sam I Am came off the bench throughout the playoffs and provided offense, or at least shot attempts, to a sometimes sputtering Celtic offense.
Back Court Defense: While Rondo never had to face the likes of Deron Williams or Chris Paul, he still was effective against opposing point guards. His quickness and instincts forced turnovers, Celtic fast breaks and key swings in momentum. The rest of their backcourt also combined to take Kobe Bryant out of his element, holding him to 40% shooting for the Finals.
Cap Space: Credit Danny Ainge. The old Celtic earned his keep, and a GM of the Year award, by making key acquisitions in PJ Brown and Sam Cassell, veteran presences who provided quality minutes throughout the second season. In fact, the entire Boston bench outplayed the Lakers. The Celtics featured a near perfect blend of starters and subs. There were few players that didn’t make memorable contributions. Each player knew their role and accepted it for the common goal: an NBA Crown.
Age and Health: While the Celtics got more dinged up as the playoffs progressed, their communal will and determination helped them rise above. Doc played the Big Three a fair amount of minutes throughout the regular season. But it’s not like Garnett (32), Allen (32) and Pierce (30) are THAT old. They certainly didn’t play like it when it mattered. In fact, despite their injuries (and questionably staged re-entries) the Celtics’ Big Three looked as energetic and spry as their twenty-two year old point guard. In the end, they would not be denied. No bumps, bruises or nagging injuries would stand in their way.
Coaching: Okay…. here I owe a sincere apology. Remember, Doc Rivers used to coach my Orlando Magic. Before that, he was one of the finest and most articulate TNT announcers to work the mic. When Doc underachieved with the Magic, Orlando fans were bitter. But it was wrong to ever question his smarts, leadership or class. Sure, he had a roster full of talent, but he should be credited for discovering exactly what it took to lead this team to greatness. And he did it with flair. When Ray Allen struggled early, he always backed his man. Heck, most would argue he even out-coached Phil Jackson in the Finals. Case in point, early in Game Six, with the outcome of the game still in question, Doc received a technical for arguing that Kobe Bryant tossed aside Eddie House while moving through a pick. We’re talking about the ninth man off the bench against the biggest name in the league. There was no way House was going to get that call. In fact, it was a great move by Bryant to get around the pick. But for Doc to receive a tech with his season on the line and have the back of his ninth man says something about the man’s character. The Celtics have themselves a great coach and leader, and we can now add his name to a select few that have won a title. One gets the feeling this will not be his last.
Competition: The Celtics may have played down to their opponents on occasion, dropping three to both the Cavaliers and Hawks, but when it mattered most, they got the job done. It is pure speculation to wonder whether they could have made it through the West unscathed, but considering how they dismantled the Lakers, as well as having dominated against the West all-season, it’s safe to assume the Celtics are without question the best team in the league.
If you weren’t moved by watching Kevin Garnett in tears as the confetti fell in the Garden, then you're not a fan of the game and simply don’t have a heart. Anything is possible.
So congratulations to Celtics fans everywhere. I'm glad to stand corrected.
Lady Bluegrass knows her hoops. Heck, she’s from Kentucky. It’s her birthright.
Let this be a lesson to us all. Before you get into a debate with a woman, rest assured you’ll end up on the losing side of the argument.
If you’re fortunate enough among life’s incredible and educational journey, you end up meeting people who are simply special… kind, caring, and exceptional individuals. The advent of the internet has dramatically increased our global reach and very often, we come to know people, become friends with and confide in someone we’ve never even met in person. I have recently shared just such an experience and accordingly, I’d like to dedicate this blog to a very special person, one who’s served as an inspiration to me and many others on this very site.
I, for one, would like to take a moment to congratulate BluegrassLady. I remember back in March 2007 when I wrote a blog blasting the University of Kentucky for courting Florida basketball coach Billy Donovan while his quest for a repeat championship was still ongoing. In that blog, I called out the Kentucky program for being full of itself and a shell of it’s former self (I promised Bluegrass I wouldn’t bring up Gillespie’s 7-8 record since the ‘Cats visit Gainesville this weekend). Well along came this feisty, great-looking brunette from Lexington, a former point guard, who started dishing out the criticism on my blog like she used to distribute the ball on the court. The banter between us never got out of hand or hit below the belt (not our styles) but was rather constructive and positive.
Not long thereafter, Frank Irizarry began hosting his Foxblogger webcast and Bluegrass and I became regulars. I later found out that it was my Donovan post that inspired her to contribute to Foxsports.com. Apparently I ruffled some feathers on Catspause.com. Well, I can tell you, as many of you already know, Bluegrass ended up inspiring me and becoming my partner in several He Said/She Said debates (all her idea). I was flattered to be selected as her partner as she and I ended up debating hot topics including Pete Rose, Bobby Knight, Emmitt vs Barry, the designated hitter rule, the rookie salary cap, cheating in sports, baseball’s all-star game, the projected outcome of the 2007-8 Boston Celtics and whether fans should even watch professional sports. It was all in good fun. I began looking forward to those weekly contributions.
During a period of recent, personal hardship, Bluegrass called me and e-mailed me consistently to see how I was doing. Again, this is a person I’ve never actually met.
Well recently, BluegrassLady, con####uous by her recent absence to the Fox blogosphere, has landed a job writing for the Williamson Daily News and I, for one, couldn’t be more proud of her. She’s once again doing what she loves to do, writing for a living, and I commend her for that. She’s been feeling under the weather lately (nothing to do with the 7-8 record, I’m sure), so I wanted (all of us here) to wish her a speedy recovery and to also let her know she has friends here at Foxsports.com.
So, Pam, we’ve all got nothing but love for you, beautiful. Whether you realize it or not, you’re an inspiration to us all.
In a recent He Said/She Said, BluegrassLady and I decided to flip the script and debate why the other person’s team would win the upcoming Florida-Kentucky game. WHAT WERE WE THINKING??? Well, we’ve come to our senses and with this weekend’s match-up looming large, we’ve decided to once again don our school colors. This week, we have each agreed to post a fictitious dialogue held between the two of us and let you, the readers, determine which would be closer to the actual conversation. Let the games begin.
Brrrrrrring…………brrrrrrrrrrrring…….
Bluegrass: Hello?
Rev: Is Adolph Rupp there?
Bluegrass: Ha ha, very funny, Rev. Are you ready for your third consecutive loss?
Rev: I don’t know, BG, are you ready for your 21st?
Bluegrass: Oh, Rev, that was low. You know we’ve had this date circled on our calendar for some time. The Gators are going down Saturday.
Rev: Well, we all have delusions of grandeur…. er, aspirations for greatness. By the way, congratulations on a fine victory last weekend. You guys did what we should have?
Bluegrass: What’s that? Stay sober for the entire ballgame?
Rev: Are you insinuating that I partook in a few snorts of whiskey while in Baton Rouge?
Bluegrass: Rev, when’s the last time you haven’t?
Rev: Good point. So, let me ask you this, BG. If the Kentucky Wildcats are ranked AHEAD of the Florida Gators in both the BCS and the conference standings, why are the Gators still a seven-point road favorite?
Bluegrass: C’mon, Rev. You know those Vegas lines have more to do with perception and betting patterns than reality. If you didn’t have all those gambling degenerates in Gainesville dropping their college tuition on football games, my ‘Cats would be favored, and rightfully so.
Rev: So what are you doing in preparation for the game? Burning effigies of Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Chris Doering on your lawn? Do you remember that game in the mid-90’s where Wuerffel and Terry Dean combined to throw seven interceptions and still managed to win on the last play of the game? Doering’s got the touchdown! Doering’s got the touchdown!
Bluegrass: La la la la la la. I am not listening to you. Besides, you need to stop living in the past. Your time was last year, Rev. Our time is now. We hear there’s even a conference championship game in Atlanta if we win out. We had no idea.
Rev: Ok, so let me ask you this. When we win this game, which quarterback will get more Heisman play, Tim Tebow or Andre Woodson, and will Jared Lorenzen weigh more than both of them combined?
Bluegrass: Tim who? Rev, smell the litter box. UK is outscoring, out-passing, and out-gaining Florida in total yardage. This is not your traditional Kentucky football team. Woodson already has 21 touchdown passes. If Tebow could throw to himself, you guys might have yourselves a ball club. And uh, at least our players can stay out of the pokey.
Rev: That whole Tony Joiner thing was all a misunderstanding. Besides, whatever happened to chivalry? He was just trying to rescue his girlfriend’s car from the clutches of an evil tow lot. I’d do the same for you if your big blue, jalopy was impounded.
Bluegrass: I bet you would. Hey, Rev, I heard to spark a fire under your team, the coaches actually held a scrimmage against the players this week. At least your team finally found someone they can beat.
Rev: Hmmmm, well I heard the SEC fined the University of Kentucky $50,000 for rushing the field last week after beating LSU. At least you won’t have to worry about that happening again.
Bluegrass: That’s right, Rev. We don’t play LSU this weekend.
Rev: Alrighty, dear. I’ll let you go cook your Gator stew. Promise no crying in the sundress when we bring the KittyCats back to reality.
Bluegrass: And no crying for you when you get your third game in loss column. Do you still want Ron Zook’s phone number?
Bluegrass: Alrighty, Rev, just no throwing your visor when you drop another heartbreaker.
Rev: Deal, love. Same to you. I’d wish you good luck, but I’m afraid I can’t bring myself to do that this week. I’ll be thinking of you when your defensive backs are looking at the back of Percy Harvin’s jersey.
Bluegrass: And I’ll be thinking of you when you guys can’t get a grasp on Woodson. Good luck.
After a short hiatus, He Said She Said returns with a request from one of our fellow bloggers. Hoit suggested Bluegrass and I tackle the age-old question of who was the better overall, NFL running back, Barry Sanders or Emmitt Smith.
This month marks the fifth anniversary of the breaking of one of the NFL’s most hallowed records. On October 27, 2002, Emmitt Smith surpassed Walter Payton as the league’s leading rusher. His record of 18,355 career yards stands to this day and is in no danger of being broken any time soon. Yet despite holding this and several other league records, many often claim Barry Sanders was a better, overall running back. Proponents of Sanders claim Smith had the good fortune of playing with a better team and behind a better offensive line and was thus granted more of an opportunity to thrive. A closer look at Emmitt’s numbers, however, tells an astonishing story of consistency, durability and unrivaled post-season accolades that give him the nod as the better career back.
After leaving the University of Florida as their leading rusher at the time, Smith was drafted in 1990 by the Dallas Cowboys. Emmitt was an integral part of Dallas’ turnaround. The year prior to his arrival, Dallas was 1-15. Within years they were Super Bowl Champions. His presence and consistency in the backfield fueled the Cowboys’ success. Beginning his second year in the league, Emmitt ran off a string of eleven consecutive 1,000 yard rushing seasons, becoming the first back to ever do so. Emmitt Smith tied Jim Brown’s record by starting his career with seven consecutive ten-touchdown seasons. He was Dallas’ workhorse. Accordingly, he is also the league leader in career rushing attempts.
But it was Emmitt Smith’s ability to find the end zone and his post-season play that defined him and solidified his legacy in NFL history. While Sanders racked up rushing yards at a robotic pace, his ability to score lagged well behind Emmitt’s. Within the 1992-95 seasons, Barry Sanders had 30 rushing touchdowns; Emmitt had 74. Within that same period, he also led his team to three Super Bowls, while the Lions lost three consecutive playoff games. Smith ended his career with 175 touchdowns compared to Sanders’ 109. Smith is second in career touchdowns only to the immortal Jerry Rice.
Emmitt’s most impressive season was undoubtedly 1993. Although his numbers that season were not as gaudy as in others, that year Smith became the only back to win a Super Bowl, the NFL MVP, the rushing title and the Super Bowl MVP. The beginning of that season was a contract year for Emmitt. He held out the first two games, both of which Dallas lost, until eventually signing a four-year, $13.6 million deal, making him the highest-paid back in the league at the time. That turned out to be money well spent as the Dallas franchise, with Emmitt back in their lineup, rallied to win 15 of their next 17 games on their way to consecutive Super Bowl victories. While Emmitt was an essential part of Dallas’ success over the years, Detroit may very likely have been just as mediocre without Barry Sanders.
For all his flash and dazzle, Barry Sanders’ post-season career was A-Rodesque at best. In six career playoff games, his Lions were 1-5. Sanders rushed for 386 yards and scored only one post-season touchdown in those six games. Conversely, Emmitt Smith played in 19 post-season games, going 14-5, while scoring 21 touchdowns. Emmitt has scored more Super Bowl touchdowns (5) than any other player in history. Barry also only had one 100-yard rushing game in his post-season career, while Emmitt had seven. Consider that between 1991 and 1996, Emmitt essentially played a whole extra season, by playing in fifteen post-season games, and amassing nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards. Within that time frame, he only missed four games, two of them due to the aforementioned holdout. He was a model of consistency and the driving force behind the 1990s Dallas dynasty.
While Sanders is unquestionably one of the best running backs of all-time, his numbers simply do not live up to those of Emmitt Smith. Sanders was famous for chewing up huge tracks of yardage, but his scoring numbers clearly pale in comparison. While many argue that Emmitt Smith had better players surrounding him, one can also argue that Sanders’ career rushing numbers are inflated as the Lions had no other offensive outlet. What cannot be debated, however, is the difference between these two backs when it mattered most. Year after year, Smith rose to the occasion after the regular season, while Sanders post-season career fluttered. Any such comparison between these two Hall of Fame backs must take those numbers into perspective when determining the better overall back.
In our latest episode of He Said/She Said, Bluegrass and I have decided to put our allegiances aside and play a little role reversal. Kinky! Coming October 20, my beloved Florida Gators face off against traditional SEC East cellar dweller, the Kentucky Wildcats. For this week’s (challenging) assignment, Bluegrass and I have chosen to make a point that the OPPOSING team will come out with a victory. This should be fun, don’t ya’ think?
Not so long ago in a galaxy called the Southeastern Conference, a team clad in orange and blue consistently dominated the inferior teams in its own division. Every so often, a team would sneak up and surprise the team known as the Florida Gators, but over the past two decades, their division record speaks for itself. Florida has won sixteen straight over Vanderbilt. They have won 15 of their last 17 over Georgia. They’ve won 12 of their last 18 against Tennessee. The Gators are 14-1 in their last 15 games against South Carolina. But no SEC East team has bore the brunt of more brutal and humiliating losses than the Kentucky Wildcats. The Florida Gators are currently winners of twenty consecutive games over Big Blue, whose last win over Florida came in 1986, before Emmitt Smith even enrolled in school. Since that period, Florida has beaten Kentucky by scores of 47-15, 73-7, 42-7, 65-0, 55-28, 51-35, 38-10, 59-31, 44-10 and 49-28.
That may all change this year. The Kentucky Wildcats are currently 4-0 and ranked for the first time in 22 years. The school has had four impressive victories so far this season, including two over ranked Arkansas and Louisville. Kentucky’s high-octane offense, led by senior quarterback Andre’ Woodson, has scored no less than 40 points in a game this season.
Beginning in October, Kentucky will get into the heart of its SEC schedule. But don’t fool yourself for one second if you don’t think they have one game earmarked over than any other: the October 20, home match-up against Florida. Prior to that game, the Wildcats will face a difficult stretch, which includes traveling to Columbia to face South Carolina, as well as hosting the #2 LSU Tigers. By the time they host the Gators, however, they’ll be battle-tested, and although a loss to LSU won’t matter as much, victories over both USC and Florida could give Kentucky a strange-hold on the SEC East, resulting in their first possible SEC Championship Game berth. Prior to this year, Kentucky fans were not even aware there was a conference championship game. Rest assured they have their sights set on that goal this year.
While the defending national champions are still undefeated and have looked impressive under the leadership of freshman quarterback Tim Tebow, they are still far from perfect. The Gators are second in the nation in penalties and third in the nation in penalty yards. After giving up two late touchdowns to Ole Miss, their inexperienced secondary is still loaded with question marks. Florida allows over 250 yards/game through the air which ranks 80th in the nation. Their tackling is also suspect.
Despite Tim Tebow’s Heisman-like start, Woodson’s numbers are actually quite similar. Both have already thrown for over 1,000 yards. Both have completed around 65% of their passes. Both have thrown over ten touchdowns with few, if any, interceptions. And most importantly, both have, to date, led their teams to undefeated conference play. Sure, Tebow’s rushing statistics are considerably more impressive, but Woodson has yet to make any mistakes to cost his team. On the contrary, he has the Bluegrass State thinking about something other than basketball.
While Kentucky’s defense is also suspect, their offense boasts a balanced attack. Rafael Little has rushed for over 100 yards in three of his first four games and is averaging over seven yards per carry. Through the air, six different receivers have caught balls for touchdowns. Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson, and Dicky Lyons have each caught touchdown passes of over fifty yards. Of the aforementioned five players, only Lyons is a junior. The rest (Woodson, Little, Burton, Johnson) are all seniors.
If there were ever a year for the Wildcats to knock off the hated Florida Gators, this is the year. This Kentucky team is the best in recent memory. The game is in Lexington. The Wildcats have the edge in experience and home field. The Gators have shown they’re susceptible to road losses under Urban Meyer, i.e., South Carolina in 2005, Auburn in 2006. More than anything, the Wildcats are due! A well-coached and motivated Kentucky team could very likely sneak up and do what nobody in a Wildcat football uniform has done in twenty years… tear down the goalposts in Lexington after defeating the Florida Gators.
I’m a man who likes options. Variety is the ####e of life, I say. Sometimes I like steak for dinner, sometimes I prefer fish. Often I’m in the mood for a comedy, other times it’s a drama or action film.
The same can be said for my sports interests. Sometimes I like a fast-paced, up-tempo game. At other times, I can really sink my teeth into a good, defensive struggle.
That is why keeping the designated hitter in the American League is the right thing to do. Sports is (supposed to be) about the fans and the DH gives fans an option. Those who prefer more high-powered offense can tune in to watch the Red Sox, Yankees, Angels or Detroit. Those who prefer the old school, senior circuit way of manufacturing runs can opt for the National League.
To be perfectly honest, I grew up an American League guy. I’d rather watch paint dry than have to watch most National League pitchers hit. Half the time it looks like they’re batting from the wrong side of the plate! To me, it’s a lull in the game. Call me crazy, but watching Brandon Webb bat .088 is not my idea o####ood time. Sure, it’s impressive when the better hitting pitchers take the mound and still bat for average. But Babe Ruth was an anomaly. For the most part, pitchers are horrific batters.
Eons ago, when I played high school baseball, coaches separated the pitchers from the rest of the team at the beginning of the season. We never saw those guys unless they faced us on the mound. Pitchers practiced separately, had different stretches and workout routines, and rarely, if ever, took batting practice. That’s because their position requires highly specified skills, one of which is NOT being relied upon for offense. Pitchers don’t play every day like offensive players, so it’s much more difficult for them put the bat on the ball with regularity, never mind be relied upon for the occasional RBI. To give you an example, Carlos Zambrano leads the NL with 19 hits in 33 games.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t condone designated hitters being unable to play a defensive position. That puts their team at a disadvantage. For example, if David Ortiz could not play a lick of first base, Terry Francona’s options would be severely limited. Growing up a Red Sox fan, Boston had Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn, Jim Rice and Carl Yastrzemski. As a fan, I wanted to see all those guys in the lineup. One problem… there’s not four outfield positions in baseball.
Major League Baseball originally established the designated hitter in 1973 to cure then struggling American League offenses. The ‘position’ has been in existence ever since. Has it made a difference? Of course. The top five hitting teams in the majors this year are all in the American League. A.L. teams have consistently had higher team batting averages ever since the DH’s inception. But has it dramatically changed the game? Probably not. No true designated hitter has ever won the Most Valuable Player award, although David Ortiz recently came close. And the position has prolonged the careers of Hall of Fame caliber athletes, allowing fans to see more of Bernie Williams, George Brett, Edgar Martinez and Paul Molitor.
The DH debate really breaks down to whether, as a fan, you were raised following a National or American League team. National league fans chastise the designated hitter position, saying it’s not pure. Purists Shmurists! Barry Zito’s batting .140. How pure is that?
Sure, managing a National League ballgame generally requires more creativity, double switches, timely substitutions and decision-making. However, you can’t tell me that in inter-league play or the World Series, National League managers don’t salivate at the opportunity to plug an extra bat into the lineup.
I like scoring. I’m a Red Sox fan. I’m an American League guy. Don’t take a way my DH. Someone once said “baseball is a game of failure.” Why worsen matters by making me watch Ben Sheets hit .067?
National League fans, I’d like to leave you with a few questions and I want you to answer honestly. Do you really enjoy watching pitchers hit? Or are you just opposed to the DH because it’s not tradition? Early in the game, with runners in scoring position and two outs, wouldn’t you rather have a more reliable hitter come to the plate instead of watching your pitcher swing and miss?
Hey, I’m not saying the National League should add the DH. I’m just saying leave things the way they are. There’s nothing wrong with the two leagues being slightly different. I’ll take my David Ortiz, Jim Thome and Gary Sheffield and you can have your Ted Lilly’s .118 lifetime batting average. Enjoy the fireworks.
In this week's edition of He Said/She Said, Bluegrass Lady and I argue whether we would send our kids to play basketball under Bobby Knight. As always, your comments and opinions are welcome.
Bobby Knight’s coaching legacy is undeniable. Last year, he became the winningest coach in college basketball history. He has led three University of Indiana teams to national titles. In 1975-76, he coached the last team to go undefeated for an entire season, an effort that seems more and more unattainable with time. Dating back to his first years coaching at Army in the 1960s, Knight has won an astonishing 71% of the games he has coached. In his over forty years of coaching at the highly competitive college level, the man known as ‘The General’ has won nearly 900 contests and his graduation rate is as high as anyone’s in the NCAA. He is a three-time national coach of the year and at a six-time Big Ten coach of the year. Needless to say, his resume speaks for itself.
Despite these accomplishments, in 2000, Bobby Knight was released from duty at the University of Indiana for his lengthy record of insubordination and physical altercation. The controversy surrounding Knight’s career is as noteworthy as his on-court success. Dating back nearly forty years, Knight has repeatedly been involved in acts of physical violence with police officers, students, players and fans. His tirades are as legendary as his coaching record.
He is probably most famous for his 1985 outburst where he tossed a chair clear across the court during a conference game against in-state rival Purdue. That incident, however, was only the tip of the iceberg. There was his famous 1988 interview with Connie Chung where he stated on-air that if rape were inevitable, why not lay back and enjoy it. In 1993, Knight kicked his son who played on the team. Later that season, he head butted another player during a timeout. In 1999, he was investigated for allegedly choking a man outside a local restaurant. In 2000, the University investigated Knight for choking a former player, Neil Reed. The list of Knight’s indiscretions presents a colorful rap sheet. After former I.U. President Myles Brand imposed a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against Knight, he was ultimately fired for grabbing a student that failed to “show him respect” by addressing him simply as “Knight.”
Knight’s disciplinarian mindset failed to attract local Indiana high school phenoms such as Shawn Kemp and Zach Randolph in a state where playing in Assembly Hall is a childhood dream. Top athletes simply refused to play for a madman and submit themselves to four years of brutality.
In the modern basketball landscape, players do not have to put up with that sort of physical or psychological abuse. Despite his coaching legacy, there are countless other coaches these days that can teach today’s youth the game without leaving strangle marks around their necks. Although Knight has more career victories than any other coach, Tubby Smith, Lute Olson, Bob Huggins, Jim Beoheim, John Calipari, Rick Pitino, Mark Few, Bruce Pearl, Mike Krzyzewski and Thad Matta are all active coaches with higher winning percentages. Billy Donovan and Roy Williams have successfully taught discipline and respect while winning the last three national championships without putting their hands on players or wearing them down mentally. Knight is unquestionably a basketball genius, but he doesn’t hold a monopoly on the wisdom required to reach the sport.
Despite not having coached there for seven years, Bob Knight is still a hero in Indiana. His name is legendary and synonymous with success. It is also, however, synonymous with rage. With the wide range of excellence in the coaching ranks today, it would be awfully hard to justify sending a child to play for a loose cannon like Knight. While the General has preached discipline over his forty years of coaching, it is actually his own lack of restraint that has tarnished his coaching legacy.
In this, the 8th installment of He Said/She Said, my colleague and I debate whether the sports media has become too politically correct.
April 6, 1987 is a day that lives on in sports infamy, but not for any specific athletic achievement on the field. In a live, late-night interview in front of millions of viewers, Ted Koppel, the host of Nightline, asked then Dodger General Manager, Al Campanis, why there were we so few African-Americans managing in major league baseball. Campanis boldly replied that African-Americans didn’t have the “necessities” to become successful field managers or general managers. In that same interview, Campanis also stated blacks are poor swimmers because they lack ‘buoyancy.” Campanis was summarily dismissed from his position as Dodger G.M.
Only a few months afterwards, Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, who had worked as a commentator for CBS’ NFL Today for twelve years, was fired from the network for stating in an interview that ‘blacks were better athletes because they were bred that way.”
More than any other two incidents, these two foolish statements, and the subsequent firings of the men who uttered them, were the driving forces behind our modern obsession with political correctness in the sports world and the medium that reports it.
But the pearls of wisdom don’t stop there. More recently, in October 2003, Rush Limbaugh resigned from his post as contributor to ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown after stating that the liberal sports media wants “black quarterbacks (to) excel and do very well so that their claims that blacks are being denied opportunity can be validated."
This year, Michael Irvin was released from his ESPN post after implying that Tony Romo’s athletic ability must be the result of an African-American heritage. And most recently, Don Imus was fired from MSNBC after referring to the Rutgers women’s basketball team as a bunch of “nappy-headed hoes.”
Some might argue that the sports world has become too politically correct. However, in light of such comments, there appears to be justification for this continuing trend and for the subsequent ramifications for those who violate its code of conduct. Despite being a nation of immigrants, boasting more cultures than any other country in the world, and sporting an increasingly modern and technological society, the majority of Americans are still unfortunately unable to cope with differences in race, gender, culture and sexual orientation. While we have made great strides in the last several decades, racism, both overt and covert, and a misunderstanding, lack of appreciation and often outright hatred for other cultures still plague our society as a whole. Our trend towards political correctness is a direct effort to rectify this malady. Obviously, it’s still not working.
In 2007, we still have athletes like Gary Sheffield openly stating that major league baseball features more Latin ballplayers than black ones because Latinos are more “controllable.” Michael Ray Richardson was suspended from his CBA coaching position for saying he had “big time, crafty Jew lawyers.” Tim Hardaway, in a Miami radio interview with Dan LeBatard, openly claimed he hates homosexuals. To this day, no high-profile male athlete has ever announced he’s homosexual while playing professional team sports for fear of the ramifications.
Many have argued that comedians like Dave Chappelle and Carlos Mencia are perpetuating stereotypes by using racial humor as the foundation for their routines, while others argue, by poking fun at such elements in our society, they are in fact celebrating them and bringing to light the differences between us all.
While groups like the American Civil Liberties Union openly defend our First Amendment rights to free speech, these rights do not apply to words spoken over radio and television media. In America, we are free to say what and how we feel, but we must understand these words may come with repercussions, as seen in the aforementioned cases.
Is the sports world overly obsessed with political correctness? One need only look to the make-up of the current Monday Night Football broadcasting crew to find an African-American commentator, a Jewish broadcaster, a white former NFL player, and a female sideline reporter. But we have brought this on ourselves by failing to appreciate and value people who are in one way or another different from us. While we live in a society that permits us free speech, we still must be protected from that speech. When you openly characterize a group of young, impressionable teenage girls as ugly or nappy-headed or hookers, or if you freely state that you hate a specific group of people because they’re different from you, then you probably need to take a deep look inside your own self and determine what’s so perfect about you that allows you to judge so haphazardly.
If it weren’t for our over-emphasis on political correctness, we might go on thinking it is okay to hate, discriminate or sustain prejudicial beliefs. Political correctness gets a bad rap. It exists for a reason: to protect us from ourselves. It is intended to educate us to respect and understand those different from us for reasons of skin color, background or religion, and to tell us what NOT to say. And until we can learn to ‘just get along,’ it must remain in stern place. People need to be held accountable for their actions and their words. Our rights to free speech should be exercised carefully and not misused. Remember that one day when someone discriminates against you. You might not just like it so much.
I’d like to start this blog by stating a few simple facts, which I’ll return to throughout this argument. The average annual salary for a professional basketball player is $5.25 million. The average salary for a professional baseball player is $3 million. In 2006, the average annual salary for an NFL player was $1.4 million.
Keep that in mind as you read the following.
With Brady Quinn’s recent hold out, the topic of whether the NFL should institute a rookie salary cap more closely resembling that of the NBA became a hot topic of discussion. The Quinn case was unique. While Quinn felt he should have been drafted higher (22nd overall by the Browns), Cleveland wanted to sign him to a lower starting salary based on his actual draft position. Quinn, who again felt his draft position did not represent his actual worth, knew he very likely would be starting for the Browns and held out for a higher salary. Both parties eventually settled on a $20.2 million, five year contract, loaded with incentives.
Rookie hold outs among high-profile NFL draft picks are common when neither a player nor the team that selects him is unable to agree upon a starting salary. For example, Oakland’s top draft pick JaMarcus Russell remains unsigned. For many future NFLers, expectations placed upon them are extremely high, almost unreasonable. For example, Quinn and Russell are eventually expected to become saviors for their respective franchises, both of which have fielded awful teams recently. These expectations are unrealistic and with below average offensive lines, rookie quarterbacks that get any playing time at all can expect to spend much it on their backside.
I think we can all agree that the NFL is without question the most physically and mentally grueling of the three major sports. While the average lifespan in the United States is 75 years, the average lifespan for the professional football player is only 55!! The average career length of a professional football player is only 3.5 years, and the post-career injuries for NFLers as compared to baseball and football are unquestionably more severe. Once again, keep in mind, the professional football player, on average, is the lowest paid professional athlete of the three major sports. Yet fans continue to complain when the likes of Quinn and their agents try to battle for every last cent they can get their hands on.
The NBA no longer has an issue with rookie hold-outs. In 1994, top draft pick Glenn Robinson threatened to hold out until he was offered a $100 million contract. He eventually signed for $68 million. That following year, the NBA instituted a rookie salary cap which meant future draft picks would be signed on a sliding scale as determined by their actual draft position. For example, for 2007-2008, the highly touted, top pick Greg Oden can sign for no more than 120% of the base rookie salary ($3,885,000). Similarly, all top drafted rookies can sign for no more than 20% above, or 20% below, that base figure. Such a system has all but removed the hold out problem in the NBA.
The NFL can not have a rookie cap structure such as this because there are more players on an NFL team and the positions in football are more specialized. However, before debating whether or not the NFL should have a rookie salary cap, let’s be clear on one thing. The NFL does, in fact, have a rookie salary cap in place. It is, however, considerably different than the cap that exists in the NBA.
In 1993, NFL owners and players agreed to set a Rookie Cap in that year’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. At that point, a ceiling was established to set a maximum dollar figure a team could offer all recently drafted athletes and rookie free agents. However, the NFL rookie cap does not set a ceiling on what a team can pay any one individual player, but rather what a franchise can pay to sign its rookies collectively. So, for example, whatever the Browns signed Quinn to will count against what they can pay their other draft picks. Like the NBA, rookie salaries in the NFL are generally determined by where the player was drafted. So although there is a rookie cap in the NFL, there is still considerably more leverage for rookies to negotiate their starting salary than in the NBA.
That being said… remember, the average length of an NFL career is about three and a half seasons, giving a player limited chances to make his mark financially. Don’t be disillusioned by the numbers Brady Quinn signed for. The minimum salary for NFL rookie in 2006 was $275,000. While that may sound like a lot to many of us, would you put your life or physical well-being on the line for that amount? In football, careers are cut short due to injury much more so than in baseball or basketball. The NFL is the only major sport to have created its own concussion management program. The NFL Players’ Association continues to study the after-affects of injuries on its former athletes. One study showed the majority of NFL players have suffered permanent injuries. Another study showed over 60% of the players polled suffered at least one concussion during their career, with many reporting as many as three or more. The NBA doesn’t hold concussion studies among its former athletes. Neither does baseball. At 42 years of age, Reggie Miller is currently contemplating a comeback. Roger Clemens is still pitching at 45. Julio Franco just turned 49 and was re
