Bullet in the Chamber

     Hello, everyone. I am currently off the grid, at least temporarily, as I am on a road trip to my new cousins’ baptisms in the eternally flat hellhole known as St. Louis. That fact, however, will not prevent me from indulging in a little ranting, a little raging, and maybe-if we are lucky-some semi-coherent thought. As a rule, there will be more than a few typos because I don’t proofread these-this is strictly for the blog and for you guys-not for the school newspaper.

     Oscar Pistorius was a hero. More than a man, more than a myth, hell, more than a legend, his journey from a double-amputee to a shining example of the resiliency of the human spirit is well chronicled. Only now did we realize that the dashing South African was actually a deeply flawed man…just like the rest of us. He made a horrible mistake, and he will ultimately pay for it, and the fame he labored to achieve has only made his swift fall from grace that much more painful. He’s successfully escaped legal punishments before, and it’s a damn shame all these are coming to light now when it matters most rather than as they occurred. We all simply covered our ears and sang to ourselves to keep the mythology of the Blade Runner alive, purposefully forgetting his less than perfect attributes. We failed to listen to the whispers of imperfection after he crashed his speedboat into a pier and ultimately ended up needing facial reconstruction surgery and over 100 stitches. Bottles of liquor were found on board. We failed to listen when he brought a loaded gun into a crowded restaurant, and accidentally shot it. He asked his mere mortal of a friend to quite literally take the PR bullet. We failed to recognize his dangerous and speed-centric lifestyle. He loved fast cars, firearms, and the fairer sex-he seemed, as one friend said, to desire to be known as “a man’s man.” Perhaps he was trying to compensate for his legs, or lack thereof? We can never be sure, but that guess is as good as anyone else’s at the moment.

    The severity of Pistorius’ crime is unarguable, but we must take partial responsibility for being surprised that the man was human and therefore intrinsically fallible. We are at fault here too. But the runner is the one on trial, and we must examine the facts and figures surrounding the death of one Reeva Steenkamp before coming to a verdict. Pistorius had a history of jealousy and a bit of an inferiority complex, facts that lead me to my hypothesis mentioned in the prior paragraph. Ultimately, however much we perpetuate the man’s flaws, they are not particularly relevant to this case. Sorry ladies, this isn’t a domestic violence case, and I thank God it’s not. Those who say it is are sadly mistaken. This crime was gender-neutral, as Pistorius never actually know the gender of the person behind the bathroom door. What’s more, is that he stayed at the scene of the crime rather than running away, as is common in domestic disputes, called the police, and tried to resuscitate his spouse. His actions indicate this was not an argument gone tragically awry and also that Pistorius willingly submit himself to police investigation. Chance cannot be sexist. Furthermore, Steenkamp was a strong woman, and was a champion of women’s movement in South Africa. Those close to her said she would have left any relationship she felt was unhealthy.  And now she is gone. A memory. Another innocent life taken by poor judgment and molten lead. But this case isn’t a public referendum on gun control either-thank God for that as well. Pistorius needed weapons for protection anyways-without legs he is essentially defenseless, in a situation eerily similar to that of the Black Knight in Monty Python. 

     The facts show that this was clearly an accidental homicide, but a murder nonetheless. The facts also show that astronomical crime rate in South Africa makes Pistorius’ story that he believed himself to be shooting at an intruder plausible. But what the facts cannot ever show is what truly happened that night, or what was going through the Olympian’s mind when he pulled the trigger. Were his actions merely reflex stemming from countless hours spent at the shooting range? Did he have a valid fear for his safety? Did Oscar Pistorius fire those bullets with intent to kill, or to defend himself? Ballistic tests show that he did not have his prosthetics on at the time of the shooting, and only put them on to kick the bathroom door through which he shot down, after all. I do not believe this to be premeditated, and find the runner’s actions to be made valid fear, but I also find it to be a punishable crime and a murder. I believe Pistorius is truly sorry for his actions, though such regrets cannot bring back Reeva Steenkamp. But if the court rules that Pistorius had an intent to kill without a reasonable claim of self-defense, regardless of whom he was shooting at, as his statements unfortunately and unintentionally express, then he will be found guilty of murder in the first degree, his life all but over.

     The Blade Runner, as we all know, is human. He crashed back to Earth after living in the clouds amongst the gods. We all know he is a good man with a compassionate heart, and deeply regrets his actions, or at least pretends to be. Likewise, we realize this is not the first time he has been in trouble with the law. We are at fault here as well. We worshiped him and his story. We made the man a legend beyond flaw and it took a tragedy to recognize he is like us. When the verdict comes in this case over the summer, I hope the courts show mercy to a man who made a mistake, but punish him to the full extent of his crime. I hope we can learn something from this as well. I hope we can learn to avoid making myths out of men, immortals out of mortals heroes out of humans, and gods from earthly greatness. 

Images Retrieved From: www.couriermail.com.au and www.washingtonpost.com

Ignorance Was Bliss

Greatness, it seems, always comes at a cost, and no individual embodies such a mantra better than Lance Armstrong. His was the perfect story, the man returning from a near-fatal bout with cancer to win seven Tour de France titles. However, on January 18, 2013, the legendary cyclist’s world and athletic career came crashing down, but the good he has done , intentionally or not, can never be undone. 

     Armstrong was an inspiration. To millions of cancer survivors, he was walking proof that anything was possible. To others, he was a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit. He was on episodes of Arthur, wrote two books, and made millions through endorsements. A poster of him once hung in Mr. Zimmerman’s classroom, a reminder to us that we could succeed in a class that, at times, seemed impossible. The man started his charity, Livestrong, to aid cancer research and averages nearly $30,000 in donations every day. Despite all his achievements, Armstrong was, quite literally, half the man he used to be, yet still proceeded to dominate his sport with reckless abandon. It seemed too good to be true. In retrospect, we now know that his story actually was. In this case, ignorance was indeed bliss. He is now seen as the great pretender, a liar, a mere mortal, human, a man determined to propagate falsehood, all without recognizing the largely positive impact Lance Armstrong has had on the world. Despite his obvious shortcomings, the careers he has ruined, and the hearts he has broken, any objective code of morality Armstrong has sinned against by doping, any kind of wrong he has done because of it, not by the ensuing lying, is far outweighed by the good he has done. 

    One of Armstrong’s autobiographies is titled It’s Not About the Bike. No statement could better define the man’s legacy. His achievements were not confined to what he did on the bike, what he did off of it was and still is far more important. The hope he instilled in the masses can be withered, but never taken away. The seven yellow jerseys he won were the lights at the end of the tunnel, and he was showing us the way. At least we hoped he was. Ultimately, the cyclist’s narrative raises the question judging the merits of telling a beautiful lie rather than the ugly truth. However, sometimes the truth isn't good enough, sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded, regardless of the truth. Armstrong’s ultimate sin in doping is not in the act itself, it is in the deception. But looking back at the good that has come from it, is that necessarily a sin? Destroying careers and tarnishing the reputations of innocent men cannot be forgiven, but I believe that his cheating can be.

     Lance Armstrong’s greatness came at a price-his soul. However, if we look at his entire existence, not just his career as a competitor, we see that he was a man who put his reputation and  life on the line to inspire the masses, whether that was his intention or not. His greatness is not defined by his achievements or failures, but what he has done for the benefit of humanity. Some may say that choosing to cheat was selfish and for monetary gain, and rightfully so, though he donated winnings and endorsement money to research, but if we see that he risked the totality of his being by doping to breathe life to the dying, it is obvious that such actions were not selfish, but selfless. The poster that hung in my classroom may be gone, but the impact the cyclist had can never be taken away. In the televised interview, Oprah said that “the truth will set you free,” but in all honesty, sometimes the truth isn’t good enough. Sometimes we deserve more. At the time, we deserved more than the truth. We needed a hero. Lance Armstrong gave us one, at least for a while.   

 Images retrieved from: abcnews.go.com, si.com,

Dodgy Moves

Before I begin, I would like to thank you for your continual support and views despite my lack of posting. This was a piece done for my school newspaper The Blueprint. 

   On December 11, 2012, the Los Angeles Dodgers ruined Major League Baseball. The ownership’s free spending attitude and overall disdain for homegrown talent has dramatically changed baseball’s landscape from one of patience, persistence, and, save for a few teams, frugality, to one where the teams who have money dominate the ones who do not. When the storied franchise signed right hander Zack Greinke to a six year deal worth nearly $150,000,000, it dramatically increased the already inflated value of good pitching to a record high. 

     From a business perspective, such a move is crucial to establishing credibility to an ownership group lacking experience. Signing Greinke gives the impression that the team now has two top of the rotation starters, the other being Clayton Kershaw, and will generate more revenue for a team in dire need of it. While the Dodgers shocked the league by accepting the brunt of some of the most disgusting contracts in baseball history in a trade with the Red Sox, giving such a large contract to such an average player signified the final blow to the baseball establishment. Maybe I’m overreacting. It’s a distinct possibility when sports are involved. The Dodgers merely took advantage of their large market surroundings and played to their strength-money, and to an extent that’s true, but the team’s blatant disregard for the salary cap and ensuing luxury tax sent a message-that mere fines are no deterrent, and championships can and will be bought in the near future, and that parity as we know it is dead. Baseball doesn’t need any more organizations like the Yankees. It needs more like the Reds, Cardinals, and Athletics, teams that actually have a budget. 

     Only from a performance perspective does this deal show signs of backfiring. Besides the inevitable issue of a decline in production towards the end of the deal, Greinke will get paid $26,000,000 at age 34, it is important to note that he is hardly better than Homer Bailey. The man is talented, no doubt, but statistically, he is only slightly above average. His career ERA is 3.77, far from meriting title of ‘ace,’ or a contract worth five times the GDP of Tuvalu. He also only wins three more games, on average, than a league average, replacement level player, making his very expensive impact negligible. While Greinke had an exceptional season in 2009 that won him the AL Cy Young award, his performance as of late has shown such a feat to be unrepeatable. Furthermore, his off the field issues may prevent the right hander from having any productive years at all. He has been diagnosed with severe Social Anxiety Disorder, and putting him in the spot light of Los Angeles is unfortunately a disaster waiting to happen.  

     Greinke’s contract exposes a growing problem in baseball. The decision to sign a league average pitcher to the richest contract at his position in history is absurd in principle, but in terms of simple economics, justifiable. There is always a large demand for quality pitching, but this year, there were very few pitchers who fit the profile. High scarcity and even higher demand makes for dramatically inflated prices, regardless of how much the item in question, in this case starting pitching, is actually worth. The fact that the Dodgers were willing to put themselves far into the luxury tax to have an average pitcher creates a bubble that will never burst-just get bigger, unless something is done to change it. Maybe I’m overreacting. But I do not find it fair. Something has to be done, one option being a ‘harder’ salary cap and a more harsh system of fines and draft pick compensations. However, December 11, 2012 will forever be known as the day that the Los Angeles Dodgers ruined baseball.  

Image Retrieved From: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NLW-LAD-Insignia.png

The Game of Politics

     Throughout this election season, we have seen too many endorsements by celebrities in an attempt to bring the brains and/or beauty to the candidate’s ticket, using fame rather than facts for political gain. But who brings the brawn to the ticket? Whose endorsement will, in all honesty, draw men to a ticket? Athletes may let their play do the talking; however, they are often unafraid to voice their opinions with their money and platforms.

     Recently, two of the most influential people in the NFL, Broncos Vice President and legendary quarterback John Elway and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson have come out in support of Mitt Romney, both donating to his cause. Romney, interestingly, is named after a 1920s football player, perhaps that is why he has a lead over Barack Obama in NFL-related fundraising and donations! Among NFL owners, the Republican challenger and his party receive roughly 58% of all NFL political donations, most of it coming from Houston Texans owner Robert McNair Sr., the aforementioned Johnson, and the Chargers’ Alex Spanos. Among supporters of the President is Steelers Owner Dan Rooney. Rooney was actually an ardent conservative, until he, true to devious Steelers form, was offered a position as the Ambassador to Ireland-suddenly prompting a massive, Romney-esque, shift across the political spectrum. Among players however, it is important to note that the incumbent has an advantage. Despite that, many of the most talented players in the league have come out to support the GOP. Quarterback Tom Brady is believed to sympathize with the political right, and his rival, Peyton Manning, has actually donated to Republicans running for office in the past and may continue to do so. However, while the GOP, true to the stereotype, receives most of their football donations from the uber-rich, the sport leans right nonetheless.

     The NBA, on the other hand, leans farther right than any other major sports league in the United States of America. Barack Obama, who has been known to play basketball with NBA players on a court in the White House, reaps the benefit of the donations from the likes of future Hall of Famers LeBron James and Chris Paul; even playing with James midway through his term. The president also has supporters in the NBA’s administration, with commissioner David Stern among his biggest donators. Stern, despite his far-left beliefs, was surprisingly tough against the union during last year’s labor negotiations, and made waves intervening into the trade market in a way some may say Obama has with the private sector, striking down a trade sending Chris Paul to the Lakers. Obama even attended some of the US Olympic team’s games. However, among the owners, the Republican Party has received the lion’s share of contributions, though the total amount is dramatically smaller than the NFL’s. Mark Cuban, never a stranger to controversy, commented that the US was better off than it was four years ago and voted for the President in 2008, despite his admiration for conservative hero Ayn Rand. 

 

     Major League Baseball, like the NFL, leans to the right of the political spectrum. While both candidates are fans of their hometown teams, the Obama prefers the White Sox, and Romney the Red Sox, the bulk of funds the two receive are from other organizations. The Yankees, Giants, Rangers, Reds, Braves, and Tigers are all among most generous to politicians, and they all give at least 75% of their total donations to Republicans. Teams like the Cardinals and the Oakland Athletics embody the GOP ideals of doing more with less and efficiency as well. Taking low-cost yet effective teams to the playoffs despite claims of claims that ‘you didn’t build that,’ the Cardinals and Athletics give 98% and 74% of all donations to Republicans respectively. It is also interesting to note that the teams that lean right are also the teams that go deep in the playoffs, while the teams on the left, get knocked out early. 

     This election is likely to be the closest in decades. In a nation where conformity is key, one man’s, or woman’s, endorsement may be the key to victory. Neither candidate is a stranger to athletics; Romney ran the 2002 Winter Olympics and, true to form, turned a deficit into a surplus, and even held a football game between his staff and media reporters, while the President plays basketball with supporters and was photographed holding a baseball bat while talking to members of the Turkish Government. Romney heads into November 6, 2012 with the support from the NFL and MLB, and fittingly, the PGA, a league in which personal responsibility and honesty are key. Obama is popular among the ranks of the NBA, and even a Chicago ping-pong company. This election will be a turning point for the nation, and athletes are among the most popular and scrutinized supporters, but ultimately, their vote is no more important than anyone else’s, and we can only hope that they, and the citizens of the United States of America make the right choice this year.