Wednesday, April 30, 2014

You have to start somewhere!

There has been an enormous outcry since the ugly remarks by Clippers Owner, Donald Sterling were released to the press.  There has equally been an enormous celebration on behalf of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for his swift action that goes beyond a slap on the hand in my humble opinion.  I have partaken whole-heartedly in both the jeers and cheers described.  I don't apologize for either of my reactions nor should anyone else.

I am well aware that Donald Sterling is not alone in his ignorance especially not as a member of professional team ownership.  As a former colleague of mine, ESPN's Jemele Hill, pointed out, if you think he was the lone bandit in his thinking as owner of the Clippers these past 30 years.... you are indeed naive.  You don't hold true to beliefs of that nature at the top of the food chain without it permeating and perpetuating into your organization and well beyond.  That said, I also do not believe this is how ALL professional team owners feel.

I have been engaging in a back and forth with individuals who say Adam Silver's actions were nothing more than a PR move.  That "the plantation is still safe".  I get where this frustration comes from, but I say, you have to start somewhere.  Adam Silver has been Commissioner for what, an hour (exaggeration of course) and he's made a major move.  He has established himself as not status quo and has required his league to take a stand as well.  A stand that if not unanimous could destroy the league all together.  I have read of the past racial missteps by Mr. Sterling, I even heard individuals personally commenting about how Mr. Sterling was one of the last people on the planet they would ever want to play for, so his latest transgression was far from surprising.  But until his transgressions reach a proportion of this magnitude not a whole lot can be done.

Now here's the other issue, another misdeed was done to make this misdeed standout, Ms. Stiviano will have to deal with her own situation with the release of an illegal recording, but I want to stick to one topic as not lose sight of the discussion.  Back to Mr. Sterling.

Just because some people know of an ugliness, doesn't mean ALL people know of an ugliness and even when people in a position to act know of an ugliness, you still have to have a cause within your own ranks to do something about it.  I don't know what Mr. Silver knew of Mr. Sterling prior to this incident.  I don't know what Mr. Silver felt about Mr. Sterling prior to this incident, what I do know, is that PRIOR to this incident, Mr. Silver WAS NOT in a position to do what he did Tuesday, April 29, 2014.

Mr. Silver assumed his role as Commissioner on February 1, 2014... Less than three months ago if you are doing the math.  Three months in, Mr.  Silver issued a lifetime ban on a bigoted owner and put an ENORMOUS amount of pressure on his league to take a stand for justice.  For now, Mr. Silver has at the very least caused the remaining NBA individuals of ignorant thinking to take cover.  They will not speak as boldly and will toe the company line.  Perhaps the next owner/owners of the Clippers will also do a little housekeeping of their own and clear the cupboards of Sterling thinking remains.  Does this mean that others who share Mr. Sterling's beliefs will up and change their tune, of course not.  The Civil Rights Acts weren't passed until 1964, that was some 288 years AFTER the constitution so don't expect everything to be fixed on tuesday.  Racism will take hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years to be removed from our consciousness, but it has to start somewhere.

People thought the election and subsequent re-election of the nations FIRST black President meant race issues were solved; again, that belief is naive.  This nation, this world has a long way to go, but every little effort that says racism is NOT OK, is a step in the right direction and those steps need to be recognized, celebrated and repeated.  I am a proud black woman and I am proud of Mr. Adam Silver's denouncement of racism Tuesday, April 29, 2014.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Bless their hearts.

So I am scouring Yahoo! and come across a story about Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy.  It seems there is a reason I don't necessarily partake in listening to some of the morning sports radio talk shows, if I had, then I likely would have heard the barrage of criticism Mr. Murphy has received because instead of being on the field for games 1 & 2 of the 162 GAME MLB SEASON, he chose to be home with his wife following the birth of their first born child.

I know what you are going to say.... the AUDACITY OF DANIEL MURPHY!  How dare he take fatherhood to actually mean..... FATHERHOOD!

When I first read this story, I must admit, my blood started to boil.  I felt like I was reading comments from the 1950's.  But no, not my imagination at all.  They were hard and true comments made April 2, 2014.  Thing is, I thought maybe April 1st, was actually a day late, because surely, these were April Fool's Day cracks, right..... wrong.  The words, "get your ass back to the team" c/o Craig Carton, "this is what makes our money" c/o Boomer Esiason, "I frankly don't get it" c/o Mike Francesa and one from a fun fan.... "I've never heard of something so ludicrous [paternity leave for a baseball player]".  Hey fella's, did the sky just fall and somehow I, as a former athlete and still a sports fan missed it?  Baseball plays 162 LOOOOOOOOOOONG games, Daniel Murphy missing games 1 & 2 is really irrelevant.

Daniel Murphy knows what his career means, but you know what else, he knows what his family means and for that I say, BRAVO.  Why is this MAN's character being decimated because he took what truly is the most INSIGNIFICANT time during the baseball season to be with his wife and newborn, first born, child?  Why do we do that?  So basically as voices on the radio, the only way to make yourself seem, what more manly, is to attack someone for being a DAD first?

Look, I know what the field means to the pro athlete, I get the responsibilities he has to his team and to the contract he has signed.  But do those two game days really mean he is less committed to his team, his responsibilities than you are or were?  Do you feel that bragging that you would tell your wife to schedule the cesarean section because it works best for your schedule, makes you more of a man?  I ask that you look to yourself, and I mean really look to yourself; Ask yourself, not just the part that consistently agrees with your every word, but the true inner part, ask that part, was ripping this man necessary?  To me, it felt like the bully that starts in on a kid and then everyone just jumps on trying to one up the next guy.  I remember those kids too, because I was a target, but that's another post....

I applaud Daniel Murphy.  When I had my son, while I was happy my mom and dad were there... the one person I ABSOLUTELY WANTED AND NEEDED by my side those first few days, was MY HUSBAND.  No, he wasn't breast feeding our son, but he was helping to keep me calm.  You see he is my team, my parents are my parents, they love me, support me and were thrilled be with me during that time, but my husband is "MY TEAM".  He is what gets me through pretty much any and everything in my world, him and my FAITH of course.  He is the other half of that phenomenal creation that leaves me in awe on a daily basis.  The bulk of the work post birth of course falls on mom, but the little that he did... WAS HUGE and I am certain Daniel Murphy's wife felt that same way.

Daniel Murphy didn't miss the first game of JUST 16 in the NFL, he didn't miss the deciding game for a playoff spot, he didn't miss a playoff game.  BUT even if he did.... is he still less of a man, I think not.  We go through this life making decisions that affect more than ourselves in ways we couldn't possibly understand, we need to think about that before we decide to rip into a person for making a decision that benefitted his personal family before his baseball family.  Mr. Murphy, congratulations on becoming a father and for standing tall to be a man!