This is how we now roll: We roll over and play dead.
Once upon a time, a combination of good things worked to save our sports and their fans and patrons from hideous greed and all other forms of abuse and bad faith. These joined to form a protective layer. They were:
1) The sports’ authorities — commissioners and presidents — assigned and relied upon to place common sense, common decency and fair play above all.
2) The overwhelming, active sense that you never take for granted or otherwise mess with the mother’s milk of sports, the ticket-purchasing public.
3) The reliance on a news media to police, protect the public’s best interests, and, by extension, sports’ best long-term interests as sports. Exposing and shaming the transgressors was the media’s duty.
All three not only have flown the coop, but they’re long gone. What was once out of the question — too repugnant and ridiculous to be possible — has become both standard and quietly indulged.
Case in point: This past Sunday’s Yankees-Orioles game.
First, it was scheduled at a preposterous time — 8:05 p.m. — as per MLB’s mandate that in chasing TV money, in this case ESPN’s, everything and everyone else can go to hell.
Second, it was preposterously scheduled as the last game before the All-Star break, meaning at its conclusion, All-Stars from both teams, including game honoree Derek Jeter, would be among the last to trudge into Minnesota, more prepared for sleep than play.
If ever there were an ESPN Sunday nighter that demanded a West Coast game — thus a three-hour earlier start local time — this was it.
Thirdly, had the Yankees-O’s been played at a logical Sunday time — 1 p.m. — the game would have been played to its conclusion and would have ended in daylight, not begun at nightfall.
But the game, at nearly 10 p.m. and in the fifth inning with the Orioles leading, 3-1, was stopped by a storm that the forecast indicated would not end until deep into the next morning.
Then, as if that weren’t enough, ESPN, very likely to try to hold what audience remained, dubiously reported the rain was soon expected to stop.
After a two-hour, 22-minute delay, the game was called. That’s right, what remained of the ticket-purchasing public, which likely would have packed Camden Yards for a 1 p.m. start, was expected to stick around until after midnight in anticipation of the game’s restart early Monday morning.
And so, with the O’s and Yankees fighting for first, Baltimore was declared the winner, 3-1, in 4½ innings.
Later that morning, well after sunup, Bud Selig, who very likely slept through the previous night’s fiasco — even if he knew about it he certainly wouldn’t have cared — was on ESPN Radio, proudly speaking of his success in the only terms in which he measures his tenure: Total revenue, money.
He was in a snug harbor to say such a thing. It’s not as if Selig were going to be asked to explain or even comment on the farce that concluded nine hours earlier, a collision of needless, senseless MLB- and ESPN-certified circumstances.
By later Monday, with the hype for the Home Run Derby having begun (Is there an event better suited for Chris Berman?), what occurred Sunday night and early Monday in the name of unmitigated, unfiltered greed, was abandoned, if it was reported as a worthy issue at all.
Roll over, play dead.
A Cup cutaway inspires a Darke response
ESPN’s lead World Cup play-by-play man, Ian Darke, saved his best for the end. In the 51st minute of the Argentina-Germany final, and with play on in a 0-0 game, the international feed chose to focus on a shot of the sun as it silhouetted Rio’s mountaintop statue of Jesus.
Finally, Darke could no longer sustain his stiff upper British lip: “It’s a nice shot, but the game’s going on.”
Darke scored again, sarcastically adding, “As we return to the game, it’s 2-nil.”
♦ As for other World Cup matters, it’s fascinating the giant steps ESPN takes to win the contempt of viewers.
We heard from a bunch of infuriated folks who missed the first half of Sunday’s final because they had become conditioned over the four weeks of Cup play to know ESPN’s claims of 3 p.m. game starts were a one-hour, bait-and-switch lie. The games began at 4 p.m.
Thus, when the World Cup final actually did begin at 3 p.m. …
♦ Any stat, any time: Germany didn’t end “a 24-year World Cup drought” — as if it’s played every year! It just hadn’t won any of the previous five.
♦ Mayor Bill de Blasio’s claim that Cablevision/Garden heir Jimmy Dolan is “anti-union” is unfair. Dolan’s anti-people.
♦ Reader Mike Natale suggests there’s no better “Vegas lounge act” name than Buddy Carlyle, the Mets’ Las Vegas-New York-Las Vegas-New York reliever. So that’s why he brings a tip jar to the mound!
Diss of late Red Klotz a blot on hoops hall
The death of Red Klotz on Saturday at 93 re-aggravated those who long advocated his inclusion in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
As a sharp-shooting, 5-foot-7 NBA player, then a coach/mentor and team owner — his Washington Generals beautifully and dutifully played their roles as the victims of the Harlem Globetrotters — Klotz gave 75 years to all things basketball.
“He was special, did so much to promote the game,” Marv Albert said. “A tremendous character, too. He devoted his life to throwing games.”
Yet the Hall of Fame, which two years ago inducted Nike Premier Phil Knight (Follow the money!), had no room for Louis “Red” Klotz.
♦ It seems TNT will soon announce Grant Hill will replace Steve Kerr on NBA telecasts.
♦ ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt could have plainly, clearly said Thursday that Rory McIlroy “didn’t have a bogey” in his first round at the British Open. Instead, he went with McIlroy finished “with no blemishes on the card.”
♦ Reader Marc Aronin, as per the Mets’ $28 tickets to honor No. 28, Daniel Murphy: “With all the tack-on charges, the Mets will have to change his number to 38.95.”
♦ All-Star Game, bottom of the first inning. Derek Jeter doubles, runs hard the entire way. Next, Mike Trout triples, runs hard the entire way. Robinson Cano up next. But dang it, he strikes out.
♦ Reader G. Cornell: “Did you notice that when Jeter came out of the game, Bud Selig was seen just watching until he saw he was on camera, then began to applaud?”
Dunno, GC, perhaps Selig was applauding a large purchase at a nearby beer stand.