Rick Reilly sold his soul to the devil.
That was the first thought that entered countless readers' minds earlier this week when it was announced that the veteran Sports Illustrated columnist had given the finger to SI and was leaving for a gig with ESPN.
Reilly's move was unexpected, but thanks to the rumored 10 million reasons he was given by ESPN, the respected sports journalist is now cashing in his morals and teaming up with a network that couldn't find the word journalism if it was written on its teleprompters.
As a columnist, Reilly represented everything ESPN was not and he campaigned against the devolution of sports journalism that ESPN has epitomized in recent years. Sports had taken a backseat to entertainment, with the airwaves filled with pundits screaming at each other in split screen, reporters who had biased relationships with athletes and an overall lacks substance. While it remains the No. 1 source of sports news, their in-depth coverage of sports has given way to non-stop self-promotion of nearly all of the network's personalities.
Whereas ESPN dominated sports coverage with sound bites and trivial viewpoints, Reilly managed to maintain the gravitas of sports without blowing it out of proportion. To Reilly, sports wasn't the biggest thing in the world, but he understood the times when it needed to seem that way. He didn't write about sports, he wrote about people, which appealed to the casual and die-hard fan alike.
Now he's joined the worldwide leader in the bastardization of sports coverage.
ESPN's daily agenda is obvious every time you tune in to SportsCenter: appealing to the lowest common denominator in the biggest U.S. markets. If something doesn't appeal to the big-time cities, it doesn't appeal to ESPN. Reilly has now put himself in a position where his columns on the sports everyman will face one of two scenarios: Either they'll be exploited for cheap tears and laughs, or altered to fit better within coverage of New York and Los Angeles.
Reilly knows this better than most: He's seen his material ripped off by ESPN for its own promotion a number of times. Yet, the sound of those millions tend to drown out any ethical thoughts.
The track record of how ESPN handles big-time writers is insulting, with journalists being turned into talking heads with any unique viewpoints being dummed down. Just look at Scoop Jackson, whose formerly uncensored and thought-provoking stance on sports, race and culture has been curtailed to the point of near non-importance. This is a terrible insult to a writer of his caliber.
Now, how long will it be before we see Reilly's columns pigeon-holed into topics and peppered with inside jokes and self-promotion? Reilly knows exactly what he is getting into, and while we can hope that he breaks the mold and makes changes at ESPN, the network has a way of homogenizing the views it expresses.
In his book "Hate Mail from Cheerleaders," Reilly commented about a harsh column he wrote criticizing Mark McGwire and expressed his dissatisfaction with the ESPN approach.
"Real journalism, as opposed to the I-can't-rip-him-he-plays-in-my-golf-tournament kind perpetrated by certain ESPN anchors, can't protect friends when they screw up," Reilly wrote.
But standards can take a backseat when the price is right, eh Rick?
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
Cellar-dwellers keep crashing October's party
You've got to hand it to Major League Baseball: Every October they give us new reasons to watch.
In each postseason for the past six years, baseball fans have been fortunate enough to witness something out of the ordinary. And it has all culminated this year as - I never thought I'd write this sentence - the Colorado Rockies are in the World Series.
The same Rockies who finished fourth or lower in the NL West division 10 times in their first 15 seasons? The same Rockies that have an overall franchise win percentage of .471? The same Rockies that finished with only 76 wins a year ago?
Yes, those Rockies.
Once the butt of countless jokes throughout baseball circles, the Rockies' undefeated run through the playoffs has them finally in the Fall Classic, with a realistic chance of bringing a title to Denver.
The great thing about the Rockies is that they're unknown. Honestly, besides Todd Helton, name me five players on Colorado's roster . . . unless you're from Denver, it can't be done. Let's face it, even people in Colorado didn't like the Rockies as of two years ago, and yet fans can't help but jump on the bandwagon. They're a team of nobodies on the verge of a championship, which is exactly what fans love about a baseball underdog.
Of course, the Rockies are the latest example of the lovable-losers-turned-unlikely-winners-scenario that has kept baseball fun these past few years. White Sox, Red Sox, Tigers, Marlins and Astros - none of these teams was ever associated with championships, yet they continue to reignite every postseason. Even when the dark cloud of steroids continues to cast a shadow over America's pastime, these teams come along and exude that underdog quality, capturing the support of baseball fans everywhere.
The Arizona Diamondbacks won a title in just their fourth year of existence in 2001, taking down the mighty New York Yankees. The Florida Marlins beat the Yankees in 2003 after starting that season 19-29. In both cases, the World Series winner was an expansion team from the 1990s, just like a certain team from Colorado. I'm just saying.
More than simply the expansion franchises, teams with a history of losing are getting in on the October action. The Detroit Tigers, who lost 119 games in 2003, went to the World Series in 2006. With so many teams making the World Series whose legacies consisted solely of losing before, all we need now are Devil Rays/Brewers and Royals/Pirates matchups in the next two Series for the 2000 decade to truly be the Loser-Takes-All Era!
One thing you can't accuse the MLB of being is stale. With all the talk about how big-market teams are hoarding the best talent, spending money that small-market teams don't have, you would think that the New Yorks of the league have had a monopoly on success, and any sense of parity had gone out the window. And yet, look at the teams that have been left standing each of the past six Octobers: not only have the majority been the underdogs or small- to mid-market teams, there's been a different champion every year since 2000.
Everyone loves an underdog, but it is what the Rockies aren't that continues to make them so appealing. They're not overpaid superstars, they're not household names, and they aren't the typical hyped-up championship team. Above all, what matters most to fans is that they're fun to root for.
That's what October baseball is all about.
In each postseason for the past six years, baseball fans have been fortunate enough to witness something out of the ordinary. And it has all culminated this year as - I never thought I'd write this sentence - the Colorado Rockies are in the World Series.
The same Rockies who finished fourth or lower in the NL West division 10 times in their first 15 seasons? The same Rockies that have an overall franchise win percentage of .471? The same Rockies that finished with only 76 wins a year ago?
Yes, those Rockies.
Once the butt of countless jokes throughout baseball circles, the Rockies' undefeated run through the playoffs has them finally in the Fall Classic, with a realistic chance of bringing a title to Denver.
The great thing about the Rockies is that they're unknown. Honestly, besides Todd Helton, name me five players on Colorado's roster . . . unless you're from Denver, it can't be done. Let's face it, even people in Colorado didn't like the Rockies as of two years ago, and yet fans can't help but jump on the bandwagon. They're a team of nobodies on the verge of a championship, which is exactly what fans love about a baseball underdog.
Of course, the Rockies are the latest example of the lovable-losers-turned-unlikely-winners-scenario that has kept baseball fun these past few years. White Sox, Red Sox, Tigers, Marlins and Astros - none of these teams was ever associated with championships, yet they continue to reignite every postseason. Even when the dark cloud of steroids continues to cast a shadow over America's pastime, these teams come along and exude that underdog quality, capturing the support of baseball fans everywhere.
The Arizona Diamondbacks won a title in just their fourth year of existence in 2001, taking down the mighty New York Yankees. The Florida Marlins beat the Yankees in 2003 after starting that season 19-29. In both cases, the World Series winner was an expansion team from the 1990s, just like a certain team from Colorado. I'm just saying.
More than simply the expansion franchises, teams with a history of losing are getting in on the October action. The Detroit Tigers, who lost 119 games in 2003, went to the World Series in 2006. With so many teams making the World Series whose legacies consisted solely of losing before, all we need now are Devil Rays/Brewers and Royals/Pirates matchups in the next two Series for the 2000 decade to truly be the Loser-Takes-All Era!
One thing you can't accuse the MLB of being is stale. With all the talk about how big-market teams are hoarding the best talent, spending money that small-market teams don't have, you would think that the New Yorks of the league have had a monopoly on success, and any sense of parity had gone out the window. And yet, look at the teams that have been left standing each of the past six Octobers: not only have the majority been the underdogs or small- to mid-market teams, there's been a different champion every year since 2000.
Everyone loves an underdog, but it is what the Rockies aren't that continues to make them so appealing. They're not overpaid superstars, they're not household names, and they aren't the typical hyped-up championship team. Above all, what matters most to fans is that they're fun to root for.
That's what October baseball is all about.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Dickau keeps the faith
He's been from Phoenix, Arizona, all the way to Tacoma; from Dallas to Atlanta to LA.
He's been to northern California, where the reception was anything but warm, and had a successful yet all-too-brief stint in New Orleans.
Meet the epitome of the word "journeyman," former Zag Dan Dickau.
Early last week, Dickau's contract was bought out by the New York Knicks, whom he had been traded to this past June as part of the Zach Randolph deal. This is the latest step in Dickau's career which began on draft night 2002, when he was traded from Sacramento and began an up-and-down career in which he's been traded eight times in his first five years.
And yet, Dan Dickau feels ... blessed?
"I'm blessed to do what I do," Dickau said. "It just so happens that I play a sport that God has blessed me with ability for."
This doesn't seem like the typical reaction of a man who's played for as many teams as Dickau has in his short career. He's been on the roster for three teams for which he never played a minute (Sacramento, Golden State, New York). He played just four games in Dallas. He was traded after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Boston. He's even been traded twice by Portland, his hometown team.
This constant rejection should have completely killed Dickau's confidence, right?
"No. I'm in the NBA for a reason, and I get my confidence through God, not through some coach telling me I'm going to play or not play that night," he said. "It gets frustrating at times, but it's never taken away my confidence."
This guy's been a throw-in more times than a towel, having been nothing more than salary cap balance in trades for Rasheed Wallace, Nick Van Exel, Erick Dampier and Randolph. And yet still, he holds no grudges?
"Professional sports is a business," he said. "I've been included in trades because of my salary, but it's never personal, it's just what a front office believes needs to happen for a team to get better."
With an attitude like that, you begin to believe that Dickau really is blessed.
Despite all of the uncertainty of where he'll lace 'em up next, the improbability of getting significant minutes - one thing you can't say about Dan Dickau is that he is a quitter. He has always kept his head up, and no matter what circumstances surround him, the man always has a job.
Dickau has never once been out of the league. Never once has he been demoted to the D-League, never had to travel overseas and has never once been without an NBA home. As soon as his time with one NBA team ends, a new team comes knocking on his door, something he attributes to hard work and faith.
"As a rookie you come in with goals of being an all-star, but there are only a few all-stars in this league," he said. "But you have to keep setting your goals super high in order to become a better player in the league."
He could have given up, complained about his situation, or taken an easier road, but it hasn't happened. Dickau remains set on his goal of playing in the NBA and even though his path has not been as easy as he might have thought, he has remained a consummate professional.
"I'm at the point where I want to have a role and help a team, and I want to be on a team that has a chance to win a championship," he said.
And in the end, there's always a payoff. In fact, a day after being released by the Knicks, Dickau signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
See? Persistence pays off. You may just have to take a few knocks to truly appreciate it.
He's been to northern California, where the reception was anything but warm, and had a successful yet all-too-brief stint in New Orleans.
Meet the epitome of the word "journeyman," former Zag Dan Dickau.
Early last week, Dickau's contract was bought out by the New York Knicks, whom he had been traded to this past June as part of the Zach Randolph deal. This is the latest step in Dickau's career which began on draft night 2002, when he was traded from Sacramento and began an up-and-down career in which he's been traded eight times in his first five years.
And yet, Dan Dickau feels ... blessed?
"I'm blessed to do what I do," Dickau said. "It just so happens that I play a sport that God has blessed me with ability for."
This doesn't seem like the typical reaction of a man who's played for as many teams as Dickau has in his short career. He's been on the roster for three teams for which he never played a minute (Sacramento, Golden State, New York). He played just four games in Dallas. He was traded after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Boston. He's even been traded twice by Portland, his hometown team.
This constant rejection should have completely killed Dickau's confidence, right?
"No. I'm in the NBA for a reason, and I get my confidence through God, not through some coach telling me I'm going to play or not play that night," he said. "It gets frustrating at times, but it's never taken away my confidence."
This guy's been a throw-in more times than a towel, having been nothing more than salary cap balance in trades for Rasheed Wallace, Nick Van Exel, Erick Dampier and Randolph. And yet still, he holds no grudges?
"Professional sports is a business," he said. "I've been included in trades because of my salary, but it's never personal, it's just what a front office believes needs to happen for a team to get better."
With an attitude like that, you begin to believe that Dickau really is blessed.
Despite all of the uncertainty of where he'll lace 'em up next, the improbability of getting significant minutes - one thing you can't say about Dan Dickau is that he is a quitter. He has always kept his head up, and no matter what circumstances surround him, the man always has a job.
Dickau has never once been out of the league. Never once has he been demoted to the D-League, never had to travel overseas and has never once been without an NBA home. As soon as his time with one NBA team ends, a new team comes knocking on his door, something he attributes to hard work and faith.
"As a rookie you come in with goals of being an all-star, but there are only a few all-stars in this league," he said. "But you have to keep setting your goals super high in order to become a better player in the league."
He could have given up, complained about his situation, or taken an easier road, but it hasn't happened. Dickau remains set on his goal of playing in the NBA and even though his path has not been as easy as he might have thought, he has remained a consummate professional.
"I'm at the point where I want to have a role and help a team, and I want to be on a team that has a chance to win a championship," he said.
And in the end, there's always a payoff. In fact, a day after being released by the Knicks, Dickau signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
See? Persistence pays off. You may just have to take a few knocks to truly appreciate it.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
God, curses, and our teams
This column was going to be an open letter to God, asking him why he has continued to afflict my favorite sports teams with various ailments as of late.
I was going to plead to let up on all the punishment, from Greg Oden's season-ending knee surgery, to the mysterious return of Brandon Roy's misaligned talus bone, to the Chicago Cubs' strange fascination with swinging at pitches in the dirt during this NLDS.
Then, as I attempting to check the word count on it, the text suddenly vanished, nowhere to be found. Try as I might, I couldn't track down a single line of my letter blaming God for everything wrong with my teams.
Apparently, God doesn't take too kindly to defamation.
It made me realize something, and that's that God doesn't care who wins or loses. If he did, the Saint would be Super Bowl champs, the Devils would be in the cellar of the NHL, and Michael Jordan would never have suited up for the Wizards.
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to root for a winning team. When it comes right down to it, it seems that some people have predisposition from birth to root for teams that are downright unlucky.
It takes a true fan to stand by these teams. Look at the Portland Trail Blazers; it seems that ever since the championship of 1977, everything has gone wrong. The injury-plague that derailed the title defense; Sam Bowie, the Jail Blazers, Greg Oden's knee. Even the years with Clyde Drexler and the gang were filled with the frustration of being unable to come away with a title for three straight years.
I'm not even going to mention the perils of Cubs fans, but lets just say that even with the nearly century-long title drought, every opportunity to erase that has been thwarted by poor pitching and lack of offense.
But there are no curses.
None.
Curses are what we desperate fans make up. We put so much love into our teams, that years of futility or missed opportunities are blamed on a higher power. It's always easier to blame something bigger than the team, like God, goats, or gimpy knees, rather than admit that the team you devote your heart and soul into simply isn't up to snuff.
But as the years go by, sometimes it seems that no matter what your team does, no matter what changes are made or what circumstances surround that season, the end result is always the same: Loss. Pain. Doubt. It's hard not to think that someone upstairs has something out for your team and finds new and more excruciating ways to torment their supporters.
It is the belief and buying into these curses that ultimately dooms the teams and its fans. When a curse becomes part of the identity of the team, then every moment thereafter is shrouded in doubt. Fans are trapped in a constant state of anomie; forever feeling helpless and eventually jaded toward the team.
God does not hate our teams. This realization is the only consolation to a haunted fanbase, and while year after year may bring still more suffering, fans need to hold on to that realization.
Faith in our teams is all we have. While the light of success at the end of the tunnel may still not be visible, you need to hold on to the faith that someday you'll see it. Because once you buy into the belief that the fate of your teams will only be that of failure, you will lose that faith.
And once that is gone, and a curse surrounds your perception of your team, you may never see your team the same again.
I was going to plead to let up on all the punishment, from Greg Oden's season-ending knee surgery, to the mysterious return of Brandon Roy's misaligned talus bone, to the Chicago Cubs' strange fascination with swinging at pitches in the dirt during this NLDS.
Then, as I attempting to check the word count on it, the text suddenly vanished, nowhere to be found. Try as I might, I couldn't track down a single line of my letter blaming God for everything wrong with my teams.
Apparently, God doesn't take too kindly to defamation.
It made me realize something, and that's that God doesn't care who wins or loses. If he did, the Saint would be Super Bowl champs, the Devils would be in the cellar of the NHL, and Michael Jordan would never have suited up for the Wizards.
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to root for a winning team. When it comes right down to it, it seems that some people have predisposition from birth to root for teams that are downright unlucky.
It takes a true fan to stand by these teams. Look at the Portland Trail Blazers; it seems that ever since the championship of 1977, everything has gone wrong. The injury-plague that derailed the title defense; Sam Bowie, the Jail Blazers, Greg Oden's knee. Even the years with Clyde Drexler and the gang were filled with the frustration of being unable to come away with a title for three straight years.
I'm not even going to mention the perils of Cubs fans, but lets just say that even with the nearly century-long title drought, every opportunity to erase that has been thwarted by poor pitching and lack of offense.
But there are no curses.
None.
Curses are what we desperate fans make up. We put so much love into our teams, that years of futility or missed opportunities are blamed on a higher power. It's always easier to blame something bigger than the team, like God, goats, or gimpy knees, rather than admit that the team you devote your heart and soul into simply isn't up to snuff.
But as the years go by, sometimes it seems that no matter what your team does, no matter what changes are made or what circumstances surround that season, the end result is always the same: Loss. Pain. Doubt. It's hard not to think that someone upstairs has something out for your team and finds new and more excruciating ways to torment their supporters.
It is the belief and buying into these curses that ultimately dooms the teams and its fans. When a curse becomes part of the identity of the team, then every moment thereafter is shrouded in doubt. Fans are trapped in a constant state of anomie; forever feeling helpless and eventually jaded toward the team.
God does not hate our teams. This realization is the only consolation to a haunted fanbase, and while year after year may bring still more suffering, fans need to hold on to that realization.
Faith in our teams is all we have. While the light of success at the end of the tunnel may still not be visible, you need to hold on to the faith that someday you'll see it. Because once you buy into the belief that the fate of your teams will only be that of failure, you will lose that faith.
And once that is gone, and a curse surrounds your perception of your team, you may never see your team the same again.
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