For those of you left wing crackpots who "tune out when I talk about sports," (ahem, Helen Wheels) stick with it, I'm going somewhere with this.
One of the reasons it took so long for the Red Sox to win the World Championship is not just because of the "The Curse" but because of Boston's terrible record on integrating the sport. As with the Celtics, Boston was a decade behind on enlisting people of color into their ranks. When they did win, ironically, they won with the Bible Thumper Curt Schilling leading the charge.
Now I am not gonna go into "people of color are better players" thing. Statistically if you limit your team to a small pond of talent, when everyone else gets to chose from an ocean-- you are limiting the talent available to you. It's bad team management. You want to choose from the biggest pool of talent out there.
Now the Colorado Rockies are going public with their preference of "selecting players who have accepted Jesus Christ as their saviour." These people are prefered on the home team of Adolph Coors Field.
This can't be completely philosophical. There is only one NCAA College Football team with a major network deal. Every week, millions tune in to watch Notre Dame. Could it be that Colorado is phishing for the same thing? Ticket sales and beer aren't enough to sustain a franchise. Especially a small market team like the Rockies.
In any case here are some folks that wouldn't cut it at Adolph Coors Field. I start with the Future Hall of Famers.
Helen, the two unlabled ones are Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg. I HIGHLY recommend the documentary "The Life and Times of Hank Greenburg." As a Jew playing in the times he did, little is known about him.
He was a hell of a ball player.
Oh, and there is Billy Beane
7 comments:
AwRIGHT already! Since the "Koufax Awards" which I could not understand, not being a sports-savvy woman, I guess it's gotten to the point I better get a sports-brain (in lieu of a sports-bra) so's I can talk with the more, shall we say, "competitive" types. I did used to follow tennis pretty avidly in the 80's. And I am from Chicago. And have gotten shit-faced at many baseball games.... maybe I can try again. Yes. That's it, Crackpot: Let me try "sports" again! Starting with Sandy Koufax!!!
Billy Beane is awesome. Read "Money Ball"...great book about Billy Beane. Seriously.
I've been meaning to do read that for years. For those who don't know, Billy Beane was the first player to "come out" and for him to maintain a career in the sport is amazing.
That's Billy Bean, without an "e". Billy Beane is the GM for the A's.
Born again baseball? Who knew? I find it funny that Adolph Coors prefers it that way..... will an icy cold Coors go along with that Bible study?
Well what's funny is, all the right wing Christian born-agains ended up on my fucking team!
Curt Schilling, Bill Mueller (agreed, he's gone now in place of Mike Lowell), Trot Nixon, Jason Varitek, Mike Timlin, Tim Wakefield, and I'm sure I'm forgetting others on our roster of God.
The fact is - at least in baseball - you don't have to look too far to find a lot of born again Christians. Same with football, etc.
I was at Fenway Park two years ago during the Yankees game when Kerry threw out the first pitch. About 60% cheers, 40% boos, so I think a lot of the Sox fans up here are Republican as well.
However, our ownership is 100% Democrat - including our GM!
God must have been asleep last night as the Sox lost to a walk-off grand slam by one of the most boring offenses in the American league.
And Greg - we've got money ball's most praised player at first base this year. The Greek God of Walks! Couldn't be happier!
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