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At the Intersection of Sports and Culture

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Jim Riggleman and the Absence of Accountablilty in Washington

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Before we delve deep into the weekend sports menu, a few words on the lack of leadership in our Nation’s Capital. And no, for once I am not referring to Democrats and Republicans.

In A League of Their Own Tom Hanks famously said, “There’s no crying in baseball”. And while this is true, perhaps what he really should have said to the teary eyed Rockford Peach is that there is also no “quitting” in baseball either. It’s a lesson now former Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman clearly did not listen to when he decided to walk out on his team yesterday afternoon.

I understand wanting job security, and I get how difficult it can be to work for a boss who lacks communication skills. We’ve all been there. However, if you’re Jim Riggleman, how in the world do you give your GM an ultimatum at 1230p, manage your team to an exciting 1-0 early afternoon walkoff victory over the Seattle Mariners, and then, following the game when your GM doesn’t immediately offer to pick up your contract option for next year, you quit? What about your players in the locker room? For the first time in their young history, the Washington Nationals were actually playing some pretty good baseball – above .500 in the NL East with an outside chance at the wild card.

This morning, baseball writers are talking about how Jim Riggleman has been a good, respected baseball man who has now done permanent damage to his career in baseball. In the future, will Riggleman be able to stand before a clubhouse and espouse the virtues of accountability, commitment, and honesty? Players will not trust a man who abandoned his previous team over seemingly petulant financial reasons. We expect this behavior from professional athletes who are prone to hold out and demand respect via the restructured contract. But coaches, as leaders, must model the type discipline it takes to maintain a high level of focus and determination that a successful athlete, person must embody. With this decision to walk away from his team midseason, Jim Riggleman has failed on all accounts.

Rant over, on to a rather skimpy slate of weekend sports watching

Wimbledon, Sat: ESPN2 7a, NBC 1p Sun: NBC 2p (tape delayed)

In this the day and age of live streaming, if you’re a major network why would you ever choose to air a tape delayed sporting event? Anyone who cares is already going to know the result of the game/match that you are broadcasting. Are ratings that bad in the AM that you can’t show these matches live?

NHL Draft, Fri: Versus 7p

Speaking of poor programming choices, Friday night? Versus? See you there.

College Baseball, Fri: ESPN 7p, Sat: ESPN 2p & ESPN2 7p

This could be my choice right here. Have yet to watch much of the CWS so far, but with a lack of other solid options, feel like this could be the best bet for the weekend. Although, without a horse in this race I’ll have to choose a favorite team soon. What’s the best story remaining the in CWS? Vandy’s first ever appearance in Omaha or perhaps a Gamecock repeat?

 

view from Nationals Park courtesy of @thatmichael

Monday Morning Musings

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There is this one house on my running route that has been uninhabited/up for sale for quite some time yet the owners/real estate agents haven’t canceled their New York Times subscription. Since the Times has recently gone pay for access, a copy of the Sunday edition has turned into a very valuable commodity. Consequently, I am left with a moral conundrum: to steal or not to steal a copy of the New York Times.

Understand that I haven’t stolen anything since I was 7 years old and I swiped a tootsie pop from my next door neighbor. At the time I was so guilt ridden that I returned the half eaten lollipop to my neighbors kitchen and vowed never to steal again. But isn’t a free copy of the Sunday Times too good to pass up? I wouldn’t even be contemplating this idea if I thought anyone was actually going to read these copies because as it stands now there are a weeks worth of papers stacked up in the abandoned driveway. For the sake of neighborhood resale values, and pretentious intellectuals worldwide, don’t I have a moral obligation to keep our streets clean?

A Quick Trip Around the Bases

1B – Do the Florida Marlins really figure that a new stadium, and name – Miami, will help resolve their attendance issues? As a Baltimore Orioles fan I am probably not the person to talk about empty seats in stadiums but it’s clear from the attached view that nobody is going to these Marlins games in Sun Life Stadium. Granted they were playing the Nationals but still, there must have been only 3K in attendance to see Anibal Sanchez carry a no-hitter into the 7th inning.

2B – Speaking of no-hitters, first Francisco Liriano on Tuesday and then Justin Verlander Saturday. For Verlander this was no no number 2 and many are now speculating that he has the stuff to potentially match Sandy Koufax for second place on the career no-hitter list with 4. (Nobody is going to catch up to Nolan Ryan’s astounding 7 no-hitters.)

3B – Derek Jeter busted out of his season long slump on Sunday going 4 for 6 with 2 HR’s in the Yankees 12-5 win over the Texas Rangers. It’s just one game but judging from New York sports talk radio this morning, all is forgiven between Jeter and the Yankees fans who for weeks were calling for manager Joe Girardi to either drop him down to 8 or 9 in the order or have him banished to the island of Elba. Now after yesterday’s performance, Jeter gets to stay in the leadoff spot for at least one more game and Mike Francesa has the creative license to talk exclusively about two things this afternoon: the Jeter “resurgence” and the incredibly uninspiring Kentucky Derby. If you want to talk about the Mets are anything else having to do with New York sports you can all but forget about it. Tunnel vision. 6 Diet Cokes deep and I say Mike is still going on about Uncle Mo and the owner who invented Vitamin Water.

HR – And while we’re on the subject of hitting streaks, Andre Either had his come to a smashing halt at 30 games this Saturday..by the Mets. The Mets may finish last in the NL East but at least they can say they ended the longest hitting streak of the season to date. Of course, this is probably not much solace for a franchise on the verge of trading their 2 most productive players, Reyes and Beltran, while rumors continue to circulate that the team is up for sale. It’s enough to tire out even the most ardent Mets supporters like say Keith Hernandez.

view from Sun Life Stadium courtesy of @Neuman85