Sports, In An Un-pure Form
The month of January reminded me of why sports were ever sports in the first place, and what sports aren’t supposed to be about.
During January, odds that a random story a. was negative; or b. was sensationalized were better than the odds that the state of Massachusetts gets a title in some way, shape or form in 2008.
There was Kelly Tilghman, the Golf Channel anchor who used the word “lynch” in a description of Woods’ dominance on the tour. No one argues that Tilghman’s choice of words is beyond sensitive, but the over-reporting and overwhelming attempt to create a stir across the widest stretch of humanity is, well, a reflection of how sports have changed.
To bring Jim Brown onto ESPN to discuss Tilghman’s error is almost like bringing an archbishop onto the show to talk about Rick Majerus’ pro-choice views. The criticism from Brown was not only directed at Tilghman but at Woods, who dismissed the anchor’s words by saying that it’s a “non-issue.” ESPN searched for an individual that would create an issue out of well, a non-issue.
OK, if Woods had taken offense, fine, permission granted to milk the story for what it’s worth. Nonetheless, ESPN and media outlets across the country kept going, and going, and going–to the point that they began to question Woods’ “non-involvement” in social issues.
Sports are no longer about matchups, preparation, hard work, athlete vs. athlete. In this case, it’s no longer about Woods as a golfer. It’s not about Woods’ incredible talent, it’s about what he’s not doing–participating in social issue discussion–simply because he dismissed some sensitive words as a non- issue. Woods gets it. It’s about golf. It’s about striving to improve and be the very best that he can be, even though he happens to be the best in the world at what he does. Woods was criticized for neglecting his responsibility as a black athlete. Woods’ responsibility is to play golf. Our responsibility is to admire him. Nothing more, nothing less.
Then there’s Rick Majerus, as mentioned above, head coach at St. Louis University who was spotted at a Hillary Clinton–who, gasp, supports pro-choice–rally. The jesuit school takes issue, and as soon as this story broke, some in fact very good investigative reporting by Sports Illustrated’s S.L. Price was revealed: a Majerus that frequently was naked in front of his team, that had a foul mouth, that was perhaps mentally ill but consumed with the game of basketball.
I have no issue with knowing the facts about either (Woods or Majerus), but my greatest fear is that these types of stories take precedent (or sell) over the true beauty of sport. Sure, part of the increased exposure to these types of stories is the so-called “new media” and widespread availability of such ready-made content, but again, it’s not so much about the game anymore, it’s about who spotted who bumping into who after practice. It’s a he said, she said battle to see what “reporter” can attempt to prove the unprovable.
There is nothing wrong with a debate between sports enthusiasts–in fact, that’s a big part of why these games were ever games in the first place–but I hope, that one day, we can argue about Ted Williams’s .406 season compared to Joe Dimaggio’s 56-game hitting streak and banter about which one is better, and do so without being reminded that T.O. missed practice and will be fined. Or if we fast forward, how about comparing this year’s Patriots to the great Celtics teams of all-time … not a debate by any means revolutionary, but one that should be talked about much more frequently but isn’t because of our current landscape.
It really is ironic how one word spoken on air–for two seconds–provoked such quality, deep, earth-shattering revelations. And the time that networks, talk-show hosts devote to such matters … perhaps you forgot that the Super Bowl is this weekend.
The season finale of Spygate is finally upon us. Belichick is a cheater, if you hadn’t already heard.