Month: April 2020

When the NBA shut down, along with the rest of the sports world, many questioned whether we’d actually see the NBA back in action. And while I still question whether such a return to play is possible, the NBA certainly seems to think so.

In fact, the NBA recently announced a plan to return to the court and finish the 2019-2020 season, stating that the Association has not considered cancelling the season, reiterating the suspension of play was simply that, a suspension. How that will happen, or what the league will look like in that return is unknown at this time.

What we are sure of is that the league is struggling financially. You may remember just a few years ago, as many as 14 franchises were said to have lost money, for the non-math majors among us, that’s nearly half the league. Granted the Lakers and the Celtics are rolling in dough, but much like Major League Baseball, it’s the small market teams that struggle to remain competitive as large market teams hoard cash and talent to remain more competitive, even in down years. The NFL for its part has used the salary cap in a much more efficient way to spread those labor costs and the broadcast money coming amongst these teams with traditionally smaller fanbases and therefore possible revenue sources, though small market teams like the Green Bay Packers have national fanbases. 

But the NBA has no such parity. There are no Bucks fans outside of Milwaukee, no Thunder fans outside OKC. If you do happen to be in Nashville and see someone rocking a Bucks jersey, dollars to donuts, it’s a Giannis fan, meaning a fan of the player, not the team. Silver, who spoke to reporters on a conference call following the NBA’s board of governors discussion last Friday, said the league hasn’t considered canceling the remainder of the year, as it looks to salvage some of its lost revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Commissioner Adam Silver stated in a conference call, “Our revenue, in essence, has dropped to zero. That’s having a huge financial impact on the team business and the arena business.”

So it was rather big news just this week, the NBA announced they would be delaying opening team facilities in preparation of continuing the current season. Considering these economic pressures, it seems as if the NBA is taking a rather strong stance on valuing player safety, a refreshing change from what we have seen from other institutions and entities. They could simply ignore the experts and pretend everything is back to normal, I mean, they have bills to pay right?  Restaurants and bars are opening, why not the NBA? 

Do I selfishly hope NBA basketball returns sometime soon? Absolutely. Do I want that to happen at players’ expense? Absolutely not. If the NBA were to do so, I would be first in line with a quickly written blog criticizing them for doing so.

But if the owners are dedicated to returning to play without sacrificing games, that means the 2020-2021 regular season is most assuredly pushed back as well, leaving in doubt an 82-game season to follow, what with the Summer Olympics in Tokyo postponed to next summer as well.

Whatever the league does decide to do, let’s hope they keep player safety and health at the forefront, and if they don’t, we as fans and the media must make sure we hold them accountable.

If you were like a lot of people in a day and time with no sports to speak of, any sports coverage at all is welcome. Even water skiing squirrels on the Ocho. 

ESPN for its part has delved into its massive library of film, reshowing title games and classic events once relegated to its forgotten sub-channel ESPN Classic. Without the usual bevy of sports programming, the company has struggled with maintaining viewership and ultimately the bottom line. How long these struggles for the network continue rely completely on the mitigation citizens adopt to stem the tide of the pandemic. Our track record on handling it thus far is far from promising.

One of the few buzz-worthy bright spots for ESPN has been the critically acclaimed miniseries The Last Dance, documenting (in sometimes painfully intricate detail) the career of Michael Jordan, with particular attention and focus on Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls in 1997-1998. 

Amazingly, the film crew had an all-access pass to much of the Bulls, from practices to off the court issues, much of it is laid bare, in sometimes unflattering light. But for most of the series, it ranks as a love letter to what most consider the greatest of all time. I admit I am no Jordan fan, I think his callous arrogance chafed my sensibilities about what a celebrity athlete should be. He’ll never be as classy as Peyton Manning, or as genuine as Magic Johnson, and certainly not as charitable as LeBron James.

With two episodes on Sunday, Jordan fans and content-starved sports fans had plenty to watch and discuss. But one thing in particular stuck out to me. Jordan is famous for his competitive nature, arguably one of the fiercest trash talkers of all time, and admittedly will do anything to win. But have you ever seen an athlete at his level be so petty and so bitter?

The man should sit back and enjoy his success. The Last Dance should be a celebration of that, allowing fans and non-fans alike to appreciate the man’s career and his legendary accomplishments. But just like he did in his HOF acceptance speech, here’s Michael Jordan settling old scores in the most trifling and pedantic way possible.

Everyone knows of the heated rivalry between the Bulls and the Pistons. It was a bitter feud, one that saw the Pistons refuse to shake the Bulls hands after the decisive game in the 1991 Eastern Conference finals. And here’s Jordan, nearly 30 years later, still bitter about it. “I hated them,. That hate carries over even to this day.”

What a pretentious spoiled child. Greatest player ever, but surely the sorest winner. It’s been 30 years, Mike. Let it go. But he won’t. He’ll harbor that disdain and anger until the day he dies, as a shriveled shell of a once glorious athlete, emaciated by the bitter petty pills he swallowed.

Maybe that’s why Jordan has failed at everything else other than basketball? Failed at marriage. Failed at social justice. Failed as a team owner. Hate is too strong a word, and too heavy to carry, and perhaps that bitterness and jealousy that drove him for his career is also what haunts him today.

So again… let it go Mike. For goodness sake, let it go.

As we continue in our efforts to flatten the curve during the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall numbers of infections appears to trend down, and the death rate seems to falling, giving us the faintest glimmer of hope. Though, my faith in the American conviction is tenuous at best. (Only three quarters?)

But conditions continue to claim victims, and sadly, the XFL announced they have ceased operations Friday. As I’ve written about here before, I really enjoyed the XFL, and not simply because it was an alternative two the NFL, (though that helped) and not because it was just football in Spring (who doesn’t love free football?).

But the product was thoroughly enjoyable. It wasn’t Arena League ridiculous, and while fun, that league was never about serious football, it was about the gimmicks. It wasn’t just awful footballlike the AAF, a pro league dressed up in Div. II cosplay. And it wasn’t a USFL terribly run $#*%show. There was great football in that league, but it was doomed from the start by mismanagement.

No, the XFL’s ownership structure and league financing were solid and the league was doing well. They had major broadcast partners, a legitimate investment in the league, and most importantly, there were butts in seats. Fans were actually excited about the product.

Really bummed about this. I got to go to a single @XFLDragons game and it was so, so much fun. Spent the game drinking beer in the stands talking with everyone around me about how we can’t afford to go to NFL games. Sad day. #XFL @xfl2020 https://t.co/bsEu54GZGm— Aubrey Scott (@aubreydscott7) April 10, 2020

Though most teams were the second choice in NFL markets, save St. Louis which is ecstatic to have a team again, most football fans are so desperate for action, they’re coming out and tuning in to a subpar product. The TV ratings were not outstanding by any means, but attendance was good and there was a definite buzz about the product.

But the reality of the pandemic was just too much to bear. Vince McMahon had a huge financial stake in the league, he sold millions in WWE stock to finance it. But the fact is, with no product on the field, no timetable to return, and guarantees made to broadcast partners, something had to give.

And as we’ve seen the major leagues enter an indeterminate hiatus, it was unfortunately just a matter of time for the XFL to fold. Bootstrapped on a tight budget as they were, more than any other league, the XFL needed to be on air and playing in front of crowds. Maybe the NBA and NHL can pause their seasons, or eventually come back without fans, but a brand new league with no marketshare to speak of and no salience of year-to-year regularity?

Not a chance.

I hope that everyone involved, from the quarterbacks, (except that one guy) to the PR flacks in the front office, to the popcorn vendors is able to find a way to survive during these uncertain times. The vendors especially, the non salaried hourly workers are often working two jobs, working nights and weekends as event security guards and concession workers just to make ends meet, are especially vulnerable. While I’m put out by the lack of football, I’m more put out that a safety net is not in place for many of these people.

I will mourn selfishly for the loss of entertaining end zone celebration, but I will mourn for these folks even more.

I am not a sports journalist. Although I teach the subject and I have experience both scholastically and professionally as a sports journalist, I am squarely in the punditry side in the field of the sports broadcasting.

I am avowed Detroit Tigers fan.

I make no apologies for this, and as I have just explained, as a blogger/columnist, I am free to advocate for whomever my rooting interest lies. Now, admittedly, I try not to have my educated positions colored by my rooting bias.

But for today? All of that is out the window. Monday April 6 was a devastating day for Tigers fans everywhere as “Mr. Tiger” Al Kaline passed away at the ripe old age of 85. Now, 85 is nothing to sneeze at, what with life expectancy in the United States for men to be 78.6 years, though it has dropped for the last three years in a row. 

There has been no player recognizable with a franchise through thick and thin years after his playing days as Al Kaline was with the Tigers. Maybe Ernie Banks with the Cubs, maybe Tony Gwynn with Padres. Mr. Red and Mr. Met don’t count. C’mon, they’re mascots. 

But Al Kaline was beloved by the Tiger Faithful. Not just because he was in the Hall of Fame, he was one of those first ballot league of his own type players. There were 10 other future Hall of Famers up for the Hall that year, and Kaline was still on 88% of the ballots.

Kaline was generational talent: ten Gold Glove Awards in right field; 18 All-Star Games, including 12 straight from 1955 to 1967; all while putting up incredible numbers even by today’s hitter friendly game. 

• 622 runs
• 3007 hits
• 399 home runs
• 1582 RBIs
• 498 doubles

I wasn’t alive to see Kaline play, other innumerable clips and a few views on ESPN Classic of the Tigers 1968 World Series win over the Cardinals in seven games. He was incredible philanthropist, and donated hundreds of hours and tens of thousands of dollars to charity. But for me, it was Kaline’s warm and inviting voice on color commentary that made my childhood. The man was genuinely joyful at the wonderful life he built. He played the game he loved for 22 years. Immediately after retiring, he transitioned to the broadcast booth for another 28 years. He then worked in the front office until the day he died.

So yes, I am devastated that one of the greatest players in the history of a franchise I grew up rooting for passed away in the fustercluck of year 2020 has been. But I’m also happy that I lived on the same planet at the same time as him.

Al Kaline lived as perfect of life as a human could. He lived a loved life and was loved in return. If ever a man lived a legendary life, it was Mr. Tiger. 

The coronavirus has been remarkable in its efficiency in killing American citizens, with just over 10,000 as of today. This is not a virus that is just going to go away. At least not until it takes thousands of American lives with it.

But it’s not just lives, careers and relationships that COVID-19 is destroying, but chalk up another organization ceasing operation due to the pandemic. Old Dominion University eliminated its wrestling program citing COVID-19 to blame.

The university says it will save $1 million after axing the program from the athletic program, but I’m here to tell you that’s a lie. COVID-19 has given ODU convenient cover to eliminate a men’s non-revenue sport in favor of a women’s non-revenue sport, the tragic consequence of the misapplication of Title IX.

I am a fan of Title IX. It his a worthy and substantial law that has changed the lives of millions of women in this country. It led the establishment of collegiate women’s sports. A greater inclusion of women in the Olympics. And in reality, the WNBA and other professional sports leagues for women. These advances for women’s athletics are nothing to be minimized nor taken for advantage.

What I bristle at is the way universities and colleges apply the law, which declaratively comes at the loss of men’s non revenue sports. It’s not fault of these men’s programs, nor the inclusion of women’s volleyball, gymnastics, or any number of non-revenue women’s sports, These are difficult choices, and I don’t envy those ADs and university presidents who make these decision.

But instead of trimming the head men’s basketball a couple hundred thousand or knocking a few scholarships off the football team, the smaller non-revenue men’s sports like wrestling, swimming and doing, and cross-country get whacked like a guest star on an episode of The Sopranos. The gorilla quite figuratively and literally in the room is football, with its 85 scholarships, economic largesse, and less than stellar reputation as a money maker for departments.

And now the pandemic has given these misallocatiions cover with which to avoid complaint and scrutiny. In the past 20 years as these decisions have increasingly come under fire for disenfranchising male athletes; universities now have a ready-made excuse to affix blame: “It was the pandemic!” Meanwhile, a successful program, established in the 1950s, is now defunct with 32 wrestlers forced to end their careers or transfer to a new school and continue their pursuit of the sport they love.

It’s rather insidious, and in a sense, takes away from the real danger that these college athletes are in. I fear that more administrations will take the coward’s way out in this regard and choose to take advantage of a national tragedy to exact cost cutting measures at the expense of college athletes.

It’s not fair. It’s not right. And now it’s worse as these kids lose their opportunity presented as a lie.

Is it weird that one of my favorite sporting events is the NFL Draft? It’s not really a sporting event in the traditional sense, there’s no real competition. No one is really competing to have Mel Kiper’s best draft grade. Certainly not Bill Tobin. Though it could be argued that Patriots coach Bill Belichick is always trying to collect the most draft picks in some sort of Hungry Hungry Hipposkind of way, snatching as many late rounders as he can, hoping he can foment another “steal of the draft” in the sixth round. 

The NFL for its part has learned that its annual event at creating newly wealthy millionaires is less about the product, and more about the show. Like most televised sports, it’s about getting eyeballson the screen and buzz the web talking about each pick ad nauseum, and whether this pick will make an impact, will this runningback from the Big Ten be great, or will the Bears ever find a true superstar QB. (The answer is no by the way.)

For me and other sports fans and amateur GMs across the country, we get to second guess their picks, flout our superior intellect in knowing who is actually a difference-maker, and spend the following days at the water cooler asking ourselves “What were they thinking?” I’m looking at you, Raiders. 

But this year, as with everything has been as this pandemic has raged unabated across the country, is completely different as to the sleek corporatized product the NFL has been wont to show on ESPN and their own network.

Truth be told, I really like seeing these kids walk across the stage, give a so-awkward-it’s-painful man-hug to the Commissioner Roger Goodell. At that precise moment, their childhood dreams are literally coming true and it’s impossible not to appreciate that, even with the kid who brought his grandmother’s portrait on stage, expletives included. 

This year, we suffered through the buffering of webcams placed in prospect’s homes as each family sat around waiting for their progeny become richer than they could ever imagine. Well, unless you’re a Manning or a Matthews, where NFL stardom seems more like a birthright than a privilege. 

I admit I loved seeing the real emotion on these kids’ faces at that moment. Their cell phone rings, they answer it anxiously, their hand on their brow at the shock of hearing good news, and a girlfriend or momma sits nearby hugging their arm so tight it break. Pride and financial security intermix in strange ways.

As an academic, it was difficult not to notice the disparity in income and wealth in these settings. I wondered how many families met at a location other than their home, in an effort to make for good television, posing in a nice house than the two bedroom apartment they actually live in. 

It was also nerve wracking as some of these draft parties looked to be a bit too large considering the current outbreaks around the country. Most experts suggest keeping family functions and meetings under 10 people hoping to stem the tide of infections, but alas, it’s difficult to temper excitement at such massive news, and now because of the pandemic, the opportunity to appear on television as the athlete’s favorite uncle, friend, or neighbor who lives upstairs.

Part of me cheered inside a little every time I saw people in masks and shuddered when they were in too large a group. 

Sad part is, I doubt we get to a point where any draft returns to the normality of the bright lights and huge pressure of Radio City Music Hall or MSG every again.

With so little going on in the sports world, you might think there’d be so very little to talk about, especially in a twice weekly blog, but alas, how wrong you’d be. In fact, I believe this gives us much clearer opportunities to write about substantive issues moving beyond the daily goings on of sports scores and analysis.

If anything, it allows those outside of sports to the freedom to to voice their opinion regarding the ills of society that sports often became the reactive forum for. How many times have we seen issues of social justice play out on the platform that is sports; be it the power fist of the the Olympic games of the 60s, or Magic and the AIDS crisis of the 90s. No matter how many times political hacks decry athletes utilizing these platforms to address these concerns. Remember shut up and dribble? 

Just a few weeks ago, everything went to crap. The Big Dance was canceled. The event was killed by the pandemic, and though the teams and athletes face an uncertain future, the hourly workers cleaning the facilities, taking tickets, and selling food and souvenirs in host cities around the country are far more certain.

As so often happens in times of economic crisis and societal upheaval, it is the lower caste that suffers the most. The billionaire owners and wealthy executives will land o their feet just fine. I have no doubts Dallas Renegades Bob Stoops will be just fine. Not only is he most likely financially secure, He was making $5.55M in his last season in Norman in 2016. I’m gonna guess he didn’t blow through that five milly in just four short years. Plus he was raking in another $325K a year as the “Special Assistant to the Athletic Director” at OU, in what I can only assume was a largely ceremonial position, glad-handing donors and greasing plasma for the Sooner athletic department.

But an MP in the UK took the fight for the oppressed straight to one of the richest and most powerful leagues in the world, the English Premier League. MP Julian Knight, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, blasted the league, teams, and especially the players, whom he derided as living in a “moral vacuum.“

Most of the players in the top-flight league have still retained their full salaries, while most staff and stadium personnel find themselves with a definitive 20% paycut. In fact, the most may of them can make per month is capped just £2500 or roughly $3200. Trust me on this when I write that $3200 does not take you very far in the bustling metropolis of London and her surrounding cities. Housing alone will eat up and average of 70% of that in ole Londontown.

So when Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, joins Knight in his criticism, you should listen. In an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live, Khan argued “My view is always that those who are the least well-off should get the most help.”

Agreed, Mr. Khan. Hopefully, we will listen.