White Men Can’t Jump? Peel back the layers….

Alabama Senator William R. King proposed a bill this morning that would require all NBA, Major League Baseball, and NFL teams to lighten up their starting rosters. Senate Bill S.986 stipulates that pro sports teams without white players in positions traditionally dominated by black players interview and consider at least one qualified white player before finalizing their rosters at the start of each regular season and postseason.

Specifically, the bill affects the following leagues as follows:

NBA – All teams without any players in their preliminary Opening Night starting lineup will be required to interview one white member of their roster to determine “suitability for a current or future starting role” on the team. Teams with no white players on the roster must select a white Developmental League player or unsigned free agent to be interviewed. The Boston Celtics are exempted from the rule due to an “established history of proactive racial equality” in its player and coaching personnel.

Dear Senator King: Dude, seriously? 2

Major League Baseball – All teams without any white American starting outfielders, starting infielders, or starting pitchers will be required to interview a candidate from the bullpen, bench, or 40 man roster.

Seriously? 3

NFL – All teams with no defensive starters, or no offensive starters other than at quarterback are required to interview at least one white player for a starting position. Teams with no white defensive players or non-quarterback offensive players may grant a courtesy interview to one of the backup quarterbacks to comply with the law, already dubbed the “King Rule”, clearly not of the Martin Luther variety.

SERIOUSLY?!? 4

King said, “Sports are an integral part of the fabric of our culture in America today. For the good of the future of sports, we cannot afford to lose the interest and patronage of 70% of the population. There are rules and systems in place that have increasingly and systematically excluded the American white man from participating in professional sports.”

He continued, “They’ve already taken over Washington, with Barack Obama and all. There was a time when Washington’s football team didn’t even allow blacks. Now they have another one trying to win a Super Bowl at quarterback. I’m not suggesting we keep them from playing. Just a little representation from the (sic) people who pay their salaries,”

Senator William R. King (Alabama) 1

King’s bill was immediately blasted by Senate Democrats. “This is another example of the overt race baiting politics that a desperate Republican caucus continues to employ to salvage its rapidly shrinking footprint everywhere in this country outside of the Deep South. This serves the interests of the American people in no way except to give recognition to a niche segment of our society that the rest of us would rather ignore or hide from the rest of the world,” said a Democratic Senator who declined to be identified.

The bill is set for debate in the Commerce Committee early next month.

APRIL FOOLS!!!

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The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

1, 3) Image from www.wikipedia.org
2) Image from http://events.mnhs.com
4) Image from http://life.time.com

Note: Senator William R. King (D-AL) served the state of Alabama in the United States Senate back in the 50s, the 1850s. He was Vice President of the United States under President Franklin Pierce in 1853. Obviously, none of the quotes attributed to Senator King are possible as he has been dead for over 150 years. This post is for experimental and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken seriously by anyone with even below-average critical thinking skills.

Special thanks to Josh Innes of the J&R Show on Sportsradio 610 (KILT - Houston) for creative inspiration. 

Why Skip Bayless Is Ruining Sports Culture

I have cracked on ESPN's Skip Bayless a few times during the playoffs due to his irrational on-air hatred of three time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James of the Miami Heat. I worked in radio for a year and I have been running this blog for two years. I understand that the mission is as much grabbing people's attention as it is informing people. That may go double for television. So I take Skip's absurd opinions about James (and others) with a grain of salt.

Still, something simply bothers me about this particular personality. I have not been able to quite put my finger on it. Fortunately, Ashley of Girl Loves Sports (@the_girl_loves) put her finger on it for me. I may be giving away readers, but her blog, at http://www.girllovessports.com/, has a few more bells and whistles than this one and is a quality sports read.

So check it out. You wouldn't have this thought provoking opinion otherwise. The following is edited, primarily for size and content. The original article can be found on The Girl Loves blog.


SKIP THE DEMAGOGUE

Believe it or not there is a pretty sizable faction of Skip Bayless devotees who will consider this post tantamount to sports sac-relig, but then again, that same group probably also thinks Tim Tebow can carry a team to a Superbowl, so forgive me if I don’t value their opinions on matters. For those not in the know Skip is a television personality on the ESPN morning sports debate show ‘First and Ten’. The show on its face value is a decent enough one, as they speak about a myriad of sports topics that make up the day, and Skip is renowned for his brash and unapologetic no holds barred approach in his debates with present and past athletes and different celebrities. Skip has made his brand off being the quintessential know-it-all, and no one likes a know-it-all.

Far be it for me to bash Skip Bayless for taking the polarizing persona he’s created since the show’s inception and laughing all the way to the bank; by all means let the man make his money. What I don’t like is the spin off it's taken; I think it shows a lack of integrity on his part by trying to ‘feed the beast’ of the character he’s become.

But why beat around the bush? I’m just going to come out and say it: Skip Bayless as we know him on ‘First and Ten’ is a fraud; he’s fake, a figment of your imagination–for all intents and purposes he may as well be Santa Clause. He found a niche role and he fed off it. Skip Bayless plays the role of Jekyll; Hyde is for when the cameras turn off and he goes back home to Ernestine. ESPN is smart in how they’ve marketed Skip Bayless, they love his villain-esque role and the fact people feel so strongly about him one way or another it all generates into ratings–I’m talking about him right now, giving ESPN free publicity…see what I mean?

The "real" boss is to Bayless' right. 1

BIG STONES OR JUST A HARDHEAD?

People applaud Skip for his ‘daring’ opinions that go against the status quo; the man dared to challenge the once cherished King James before it became popular. He was conducting the Tebow bandwagon before the rest of mainstream America even knew who he was in the pros…yadda yadda yadda. Since when did saying the first thing that pops into your head, outspoken or not, with pithy (if that) pieces of evidence count as edgy and provocative journalism? So because Skip Bayless uses his powerful platform to condemn Lebron James we’re supposed to sit back in our chairs mouths ajar and go ‘he is so brilliant!’.

Lets be realistic, Skip Bayless isn’t paid a handsome salary to sit and say the same things every other ESPN analysts says; he’s intentionally off the beaten path in his opinions. Skip has now gotten to the point in his popularity where’s he’s milking his claim to fame. He doesn’t even rely on tangible evidence to state his case; he’s turned into a buffoon who beats his fists on a desks and screams his thoughts to actual experts. And when I say actual experts, I mean former and current pro athletes–yeah, real athletes not ones who averaged a point per game off the bench in JV Basketball during High School *wink wink*


THE REAL PROBLEM WITH BAYLESS

The most disturbing thing about Mr. Bayless isn’t even anything he’s necessarily done; it’s the legion of new generation sports fans who latch on his every word, and even seasoned sports fans who are goaded into buying the crap he tries to sell. People are quite simple, sports conversations and debates used to a thing of passion where people brought forth their own ideas to the table and tried to state his or her case.

Now sports debates revolve around ‘well skip said…,’ f__k Skip! Who the hell made him the bastion of All Things Sports? Since when did his opinion become the end all be all when talking sports? What happened to using stats, evidence from the game and general common sense when debating?

I understand the entertainment value that Skip brings, an older white guy going toe to toe with these millionaire black athletes and holding his own is appealing to a point, but take the show and his words with a grain of salt. Skip has put a premium on captivating larger ratings than actually using logic for the basis of his arguments. The success of people like Skip Bayless will only breed more ‘mini skips’ who gravitate to where the money is instead of speaking on behalf of the game itself.

Let Skip open his trap about Bountygate and my New Orleans Saints! 2

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To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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Hat Trick Fam - You Aren't Original

I am talking to the men. You people are becoming SO predictable. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for every reader...every view that I get. Let me tell you about bloggers. Most of us measure success in daily views and most of us measure them with three digit numbers; a few have turned the corner and measure in four digits or more.

Relative to the big writers and further reaching blogs (like Bleacher Report, for example) we are acutely aware of how every minor action affects our levels of readers. So I get up this morning and see that, by 10:00 a.m., I have the number of hits I often have in an entire day this time of year.

I'm feeling good! I'm thinking, "Wow! I am writing things that are interesting and thought provoking." Then I look at the search terms: "Erik Spoelstra wife...Spoelstra girlfriend....Spoelstra girl hot". Hmm...then I look at which posts are getting the views.

You guys are a bunch of pervs and I love you all! I am just disappointed that I thought you wanted to read the articles and instead, came to check out our chick pic from last week featuring Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra's alleged significant other, former Heat dancer Nikki Sapp. Regardless, I am thankful for every one of you.

Now I know how the writers at Playboy and Maxim feel.

Image from www.heat.com via www.blacksportsonline.com

G.O.A.T. (The first edition in a series about greatness in sports)

“G.O.A.T.”….Greatest Of All Time. What does it mean, exactly? What standard should be used in each sport to determine greatness? How much do team success like wins and championships factor into greatness? How much should one era of a sport be credited or discounted over a past or later era of a sport? Should different periods of time even be compared?

This topic reached my wheelhouse this past weekend when a group of college buddies, with whom I regularly discuss all manners of sports, began discussing the legacy of Paul Pierce, in light of Pierce surpassing Larry Bird as the Celtics second all-time leading scorer. This mushroomed, as it often does, into a discussion over the greatest player of all time and who was greater than whom.

This chain of discussions among this circle of friends has taken place for as long as we have all been regularly using email (more than 10 years). The basketball topic always starts some time shortly after the Super Bowl and will drag, sometimes (it feels like) in the same email thread, until after the NBA Finals. What never ceases to amaze me is how distinct, yet predictable, personalities emerge in these discussions.

I am not going to sell you my case for Michael Jordan being the G.O.A.T., not today. In fact, I am not even going to suggest reasons a certain standard, blending multiple measures of achievement. Today, I am going to discuss the lighter side of greatness in sports: the types of people (usually guys) you will inevitably encounter when discussing greatness.


“COUNT THE RINGS” GUY

It is impossible to have a discussion about individual greatness with five or more people without one or more pointing to a player’s skins on the wall as a talking point, if not a closing argument. If you don’t see that guy, it might be you! Count the Rings Guy can be a difficult debate opponent if you disagree with the relative accolades of the person he is promoting. After all, the ultimate goal of playing any competitive sport is to win and, ultimately, win a championship.

This guy has his strengths and weaknesses. Counting championship rings in a sports debate is like using salt or pepper: it can make a meal taste better, but you cannot eat it by itself. If the argument is properly framed, even in a team sport, it can be compelling and difficult to rebut.

Too often, however, this guy falls down the rabbit hole of prefacing and hinging his entire case upon the quantity of championships won by an individual player. If you can trap this guy into that argument, simply counter that reserve center Will Perdue of the Chicago Bulls has three championship rings. If “rings” is all this guy has, the discussion is over.

Bill Russell: G.O.A.T.? 1

“RINGS DON’T COUNT” GUY

This is the antithesis of Ring Guy. He will, correctly, point out that team sports are about more than one individual player. What this guy fails (or refuses) to acknowledge is that great players are the anchors on championship team. Championships won are an output of a great player’s career.

This guy has a strong position when discussing the relative greatness of marginal and role players, guys who were “good” or “key” to winning a championship, but not Hall of Fame players. When discussing true all time greats, particularly those with similar skill sets, winning and losing, particularly in the postseason and especially at the end of the postseason, is one of the few differentiators available to separate one great player’s resume from that of another.

When this guy gets on a roll, ask him who he thinks the five greatest players or coaches are in whatever category you are debating. Only a contrarian could name that many people without any championships, in which case you are talking to a brick wall and should not engage this person. When they name people who won championships, simply press this person to eliminate the championship winners and replace them with non-winners. It is always harder to refute a negative (like championships not mattering) than a positive, but it will throw a speed bump in this guy’s path.

Dan Marino: Zero rings, G.O.A.T.? 2

“HE WOULDN’T SURVIVE IN THE MODERN GAME” GUY (OR “HE WOULDN’T HAVE SURVIVED BACK THEN” GUY)

This is the guy who discounts the accomplishments of great players from the past because their physical dimensions, collectively, are smaller, weaker, and slower than their present-day counterparts. This is a person who will frequently use the words “would, could, and should”. This guy sometimes takes the opposite point of view because, for example, sports were less regulated. But often the bias is one toward the present day. He will argue you in circles if you fall into his trap.

This is one of the weakest debaters. He will not engage you in what actually happened on the field of play but, instead, drown you in hypotheticals of what would have happened. Pointing out that, in professional sports, the talent was more concentrated in the past because there were fewer teams in existence (hence the fraternity of pro athletes was more exclusive) is a waste of time. He will discount any groundbreaking achievements of athletes from the past and ignore the relative dominance of that person at that time. Since there is no real world DeLorean with a Flux Capacitor, which makes time travel possible, the comparison holds no merit because a direct, head-to-head competition between the athletes in question is not possible.

If you are in a debate with several people and this guy does not introduce a different angle, stop acknowledging him and address the talking points of the others. If you are debating this person, one-on-one, just cede the discussion to him or pick a similar era player because you will not get this person to budge, ever.

Jim Brown (Hall of Fame): that bum would be a bust in "the modern game"! 3

“HE WOULD HAVE DOMINATED IF HE PLAYED BACK THEN” GUY (OR “HE WOULD HAVE DOMINATED THESE NEW GUYS” GUY)

This is often the same guy as “He Wouldn’t Survive Today” Guy. If so, point out that if said athlete played back then, that his achievements should be discounted because he wouldn’t have been playing in the modern era. End of discussion. If this person’s bias only runs one way, suggesting that modern athletes would have dominated in the past, take the same approach out lined for “He Wouldn’t Survive Today” Guy. You’ll never win.

Bear Bryant: His legacy spawned off generations of this type of guy in Alabama. 4

“I AM SMARTER THAN YOU” GUY

There is always a guy who has been everywhere and seen everything. Because he has, his opinion is worth more than yours and he will tell you so. If you are debating this guy in an online chat room or fan forum, a simple “fuck you,” followed by moving on to another topic will suffice. If you are debating personal friends and acquaintances, more tact is in order.

Complete tool 6

The best way to handle this guy, should you choose to do so, is to keep him on topic. “I am smarter than you,” is a distraction technique. It’s irrelevant. The topic is sports, not who had the better ACT score. Force his hand and make him defend his statement, if he is so smart.

This guy is abrasive, by the very fact he would suggest he knows more than you (often without knowing what you do or don’t know) and you can expect some tense, heated moments with him. But we are MEN. We usually cannot let a guy earn stripes at our expense in a sports discussion!

There's always one. He knows it all, except how to get a girl! 5

“I AM OLDER THAN YOU” GUY

"Joe Louis was 137 years old!" 7

This is the guy who has a few years on you or the group and his method of propelling his argument and discounting yours is the fact that he saw certain players play and certain events when the activity took place. Like a lot of debating styles, this guy has strengths and weaknesses.

When evaluating a cultural or societal response to an athlete, this person’s opinion, in a vacuum, does hold more weight than a person who did not see and experience a certain performance with comprehension and maturity. This guy, however, thinks that “more weight” means his opinion is the only one that counts. Two-hundred-ten pounds is more than 200 pounds, but it is not a monumental difference. A better informed younger person, for example, is more credible than an ignorant person who watched events unfold without seeing the bigger picture.

Likewise, he thinks that because he saw an athlete from a past era play in person or on live television and you didn’t, he knows more than you about the athlete and any topic involving that athlete as a whole. Again, there is some merit to that point, but it does not give Old Guy carte blanche to dominate the discussion with questionable, stretching-reality opinions. Someone who watched Kiki Wandeweghe play in the 1990s can argue with an 18 year old that Kiki was a better player than LeBron James, but nobody is listening, not even Kiki.

Kiki Vandeweghe: last name, "Ever", first name, "Greatest"? 9

STATS GUY

12

There is always one like this in every discussion. This is often one of the stronger debaters because Stats Guy is backing up his argument with facts. However, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics. This guy, too often, can get caught up in the minutia of numbers while ignoring the eyes test and not analyzing what the numbers are actually telling us.

This guy can be a tough sell. You can talk all day about what “could have” “should have” and “would have” happened until you are blue in the face. The scoreboard is the final arbiter in any athletic contest. This guy, however, often tries to propel a weaker argument by manipulating the numbers and trying to convince the group that the numbers are saying more or less than they really are.

Knowledge is power. The only way to beat this guy is to know some stats of your own and either directly rebut Stats Guy or manipulate some numbers of your own to put him back on his heels. Remember that Daunte Culpepper had the seventh best single season QB rating in NFL history. He will not be fitted for a crème colored jacket or a have a bust in Canton, Ohio one day.

"He whipped Joe Louis' ass!" 8

STATS DON’T COUNT GUY

This is the guy who often doesn’t want to listen to facts or reason if you support your argument with statistics. This is not the antithesis of Stats Guy. Stats Guy goes through analysis paralysis with numbers, but at least is dealing with irrefutable, objective facts. Stats Don’t Count Guy is throwing critical thinking to the wind. His entire position is, often, “That isn’t how I see it.” Try to steer this guy into backing up his claims and comparisons with something of substance. If that does not happen, do not bother engaging this guy. It is his way or the highway.

This guy isn't hearing or seeing your point. 10

“I PLAYED THE GAME” GUY

All Pro? More like, "All JV".  13

This is another example of a person whose life experience does, in fact, add to his credibility. This guy played the sport in question in an organized manner and (presumably) for an extended period of time and (presumably) you did not if he plays the “I played the game,” card. When that card is played, you had better have a strong position, know what you are talking about, and be able to back it up. Because this guy did, in fact, play and you didn’t.

Often, the only weakness this guy exhibits is when he tries to extend his credibility further than he is entitled to. A four year letterman on his high school football team, who did not play in college, probably can spot a flawed fundamental blocking or tackling technique, at any level, that you cannot identify if you never played at that level. He has very little credibility over you in discussing the degree of difficulty of executing a punt return in the NFL. Put this guy in his place when he steps out of place.

The female counterparts to the dudes still reliving their high school glory in sports debates. 11

I’M THAT TYPE OF GUY

I hope you enjoyed this light hearted piece on different kinds of sports debate guys. Chances are you have encountered every last one of these guys and see some of these guy in yourself. Or maybe you said, “Hey…that’s ME he talking about!” The Hat Trick will look into some more angles of evaluating greatness in sports. I hope that this opening salvo lightened the mood before we get into some more meat and potatoes discussion in future editions.

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To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.


1) Image from http://content.usatoday.com
2, 4) Image from www.bleacherreport.com
3) Image from www.cleveland.com
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It's Just a Game

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, I have been told, is one of the most beautiful cities in North America. It has a thriving economy. It is one of the most livable cities in the world according to business publications such as The Economist. And it was home to 100 arrests and 150 injuries* in the wake of riots following the Vancouver Canucks’ 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Finals.


Call me crazy, but I don’t think of rioting as an indicator of livability. I don’t think of property damage as an indicator of livability. I don’t think of looting as an indicator of livability. I certainly do not think of random assaults with injuries as an indicator of livability.

This is "livable"? 1


OUR SPORTS CULTURE

In North America, we love our sports. Billions upon billions of dollars of revenue are generated annually by the attendance, purchase of concessions and services, purchase of memorabilia, corporate sponsorships, and television advertising revenue connected to major league professional sports. I have no specific source, but I am willing to bet that those billions are just a small piece of the pie compared to revenues generated from the same sources in addition to equipment purchases and administration expenditures in college, high school, and recreational sports. Sports are interwoven into our culture.

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoy sports, both as a recreational participant and a spectator. I certainly do not produce this blog to pay for rent. A fun night at the bar once per month...but not the rent. Sports are my favorite recreational activity and therefore an important part of the enjoyment of my life.

I say all of that to say the following: IT’S JUST A GAME!!!

What a bunch of stupid assholes.... 2

Hellooooo! You PLAY to WIN the GAME!

Ultimately the goal of any team sport is to win the game. The main reason we follow, watch, and attend the sporting events of our favorite teams is because we want to watch them win and be entertained in the process. When we have a rooting interest in a team, be it a home team, a favorite franchise, or a team with one of our favorite players, and our teams lose, we are, naturally, disappointed. When a team we connect with, such as our home team, is eliminated from the playoffs, it can feel somewhat personal. Civic pride is one of the many enjoyments that sports offer us. When our team is eliminated in a championship round, the loss can be somewhat painful, as we have to wait another year to have an opportunity to see our team become champions.

You play to win the games. So I would never fault any fan for feeling disappointment when their team loses. Casual sports fans or non sports fans may not experience similar feelings, but should at least understand enough about sports culture to “get it”. However, after the buzzer sounds, the last out is called, or the final gun is fired, the game is over and, win or lose, we all need to transition back to the rest of our lives. We may celebrate in victory or wallow in defeat for several hours, possibly several days. Being a New Orleans native and a lifelong Saints fan, I am not convinced that the city has completely stopped celebrating the Saints’ victory in Super Bowl XLIV: the season before last. All of these feelings and emotions are normal. They make sports engaging. They make life fun.

Herm Edwards: "Helloooooo! You PLAY to WIN the GAME!" 3

MODERATION vs MANIA

The rioting in Vancouver is an example of the bad things that can happen as a result of overemphasis of the importance of sports. It is what happens when a few inebriated knuckleheads take a negative result for the home team in a major sporting event out of the arena and transfer it into negativity on the streets. If Vancouver is one of the most livable cities in the world and masses of its residents are capable of embarrassing the city and inflicting damage on its fellow townspeople…if Vancouver is among the best this continent has to offer and this happens, what does that say for our culture and society?

Wednesday night’s madness is only the latest example. It has almost become a once or twice per year occurrence to see riots result immediately following a major team championship sporting event. I understand fully that the perpetrators of the riots make up a tiny percentage of the residents of the greater Vancouver area. Still, I think that the miscreants on the fringe compel us to view our priorities in the mainstream. I think that, far too often, whether intended or not, society sends out a message, through media and other means, that sports are as large or larger than life. As personal, and dramatic, and unscripted as sports can be, it is still just a means of recreation and entertainment, at the end of the day.

As heavily criticized as NBA star LeBron James was for remarks he made after his Miami Heat were eliminated from the NBA Finals (remarks in which he said the people rooting against him would have to eventually go back to their lives), as insensitive as those remarks may have come across, I thought they were entirely true and were a reflection, and perhaps an indictment, of our priorities in life and our culture of obsession with celebrities.

Sports make for fantastic recreation, entertainment, water cooler discussions, and talk radio. I love sports. Chances are, if you are reading this sports blog, that you enjoy sports, too. However, I think we all have a responsibility, through our words, actions, and attitudes, to, implicitly or explicitly, send a message to those around us, especially those we can influence (such as young people), that there is a line when sports absolutely stops, life continues, and our behaviors should be within the appropriate boundaries.

This is the only time sports should spill out into the street. 4

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*Source: ESPN
1) Image from espn.com
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