The sports world is full of polarizing figures. Cam Newton, LeBron James, Jerry Jones, and Tom Brady are just a few of them. It could be an owner, it could be an executive, it could be a player, or heck, it could even be a group of fans. No matter what, the sports world will always be full of people we love as well as people we hate. One name that has been quickly climbing the list of most polarizing figures lately is Bryce Harper. His talent on the field cannot be argued. He has plenty of that. However, because of things that he has done or said, as well as what others have done or said, Harper has quickly become one of, if not the most, polarizing person in the entire sports world. And what he did this past Monday only added fuel to that fire.
Before I delve deeper into this, let me get this out of the way first. I have never had a problem with celebrations in sports, even if they sometimes go over the top. As long as someone is not blatantly disrespecting an opponent, I have zero problem with people enjoying the games that they love. Cam Newton celebrating all of his success this past season made the game of football more enjoyable to watch. He never blatantly disrespected his opponents, he was just out there having fun. Some people argued that just celebrating in general is denigrating to opponents, but what I have to say to them is simple. If you don't want these guys to celebrate, then stop them. If you don't want Newton dancing after scoring a touchdown, then tackle him. If you don't want Jose Bautista flipping his bat after hitting a memorable home run, then strike him out instead.
Sports are filled with drama, and I have no problem at all with guys who get caught in the moment and show emotion that some might consider over the top. In the final game of their unbelievable season, Leicester City star Jamie Vardy scored on a penalty kick and pointed straight at the opposing goalkeeper before celebrating with his teammates. Was it disrespectful? Maybe a little bit. But like I said, if you don't want him to celebrate, then stop him from scoring. Later in the game, Vardy missed another penalty kick, and the opposing goalkeeper stared straight at him and pumped his fist. Good for him. He may have felt disrespected after Vardy scored the first time, but after Vardy missed the second penalty kick, the keeper was able to celebrate at Vardy's expense.
The same goes for Cam Newton. He celebrated all season as the Carolina Panthers went 15-1, but after losing in the Super Bowl, the Denver Broncos were able to give it right back to him when they beat him. His attitude during the postgame press conference rubbed many people the wrong way, and while I thought he could have been a bit more receptive to the media, I also did not feel bad for him. He wanted to celebrate and dance all year long, so when he lost on the biggest stage, he should not have been offended when the other team beat him and did the exact same thing.
So that brings us to Bryce Harper. Since Harper entered the league, he was always seen as brash and outspoken. In the eyes of some, he might have been seen as controversial. In the eyes of sour old men like Goose Gossage, he was seen as disrespectful. Forgive me for mentioning Gossage, but when he blasted the players of today for showing emotion during the game, I lost a lot of respect for him. Old curmudgeons like Gossage aside though, Harper was definitely a polarizing figure.
On the field, no one can question the talent of this young man. He is a legitimate five-tool superstar, and he is still only scratching the surface of what seems destined to be a very long and very successful career. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2012, and won the MVP in 2015. If he continues to improve and play like we all think he can, I am sure that he will have more MVP awards in his future. Major League Baseball is full of very young and very talented players, but I think Harper is the one leading the way and at the top of that list.
I have never had a problem with Harper. His outspoken manner never rubbed me the wrong way, and his brash attitude never made me overlook his immense talent. However, this past Monday was the first time that I felt different.
Harper was called out on strikes during the game, and was clearly not happy with the call. He voiced his displeasure with home plate umpire Brian Knight as he walked back to the dugout, but that was all. Baseball players let umpires know if they disagree with a call all the time, so I had no problem with Harper doing the exact same thing. I don't know what Harper said, but I'm pretty sure that it was not something that a home plate umpire has never heard before. I get it. You are frustrated and you let your emotions get the best of you. It isn't the first time that has happened, and it isn't the last time it will happen.
Later in the game, Harper's teammate, Danny Espinosa was called out on strikes and seemed a bit unhappy with the call. Harper (as well as a number of other people in Washington's dugout) took this chance to berate Knight again, and despite being held back by multiple people in the Washington dugout, Harper was eventually tossed from the game for continually arguing balls and strikes. Was it the best look for Harper? No, it wasn't. However, it did not exactly help his cause for being seen in a sympathetic way. Once again though, guys have been tossed from games while arguing with an umpire from the dugout, so it was not the worst thing in the world. I still did not have a huge problem with Harper's behavior. What happened after that though is what changed my mind about his game that day.
Not long after Harper was ejected, his teammate Clint Robinson hit a walk off home run to win the game for the Nationals. For the moment, Harper was out of mind and out of sight. That did not last long though.
When a player is ejected from a game, he is not allowed to return to the playing field at all for the rest of the game. After Robinson's game winning homer, Harper ran back on to the field in what seemed like a celebration of the win. Not allowed by rule? Yes. But was it still terribly over the line? No. However, once Harper ran back on to the field, it was clear that his main objective was not to celebrate with his teammates. After yelling a quick congratulations to Robinson, Harper pointed straight at Knight and yelled some words that were definitely not acceptable for national television. This was where I had a problem with what Harper did.
In every sport, players and officials do not always agree. Often times those grudges do not end once the game ends. I know of plenty of grudges between players and officials that have lasted more than just one game. It isn't right, but it is a fact. So I would not have had a problem with Harper holding a grudge against Knight when they crossed paths in the future, as long as it was a respectful grudge. I know the term "respectful grudge" seems to be an oxymoron, but like I said, it happens and no matter what we as outsiders may think is right or wrong, it will continue to happen.
I had a problem with Harper returning to the field after being ejected with a clear intention to search out Knight and curse him out for a third time. Harper's team had just won a game in dramatic fashion, but it was obvious that the only thing Harper had on his mind was letting Knight know how he felt. In my opinion, that is where Harper crossed the line. Getting ejected is ok. It happens many times. But coming back on to the field to get the last word with an umpire does not happen all the time. In fact, I don't recall it ever happening before. So while I do like Harper, when he did that I have to say that I lost a bit of respect for him.
The more talented a player is, the longer the leash is when it comes to their actions both on and off the field. Harper is talented enough to have one of the longer leashes in all of sports. Even so, I think what Harper did on Monday night was unacceptable by any standards. He was suspended today by the league for one game and fined an undisclosed amount of money. In my opinion, that is not enough. Missing one game in a 162 game season is not enough of a deterrent to stop him from acting in the same fashion in the future. Outsiders can say all they want, but I have a hard time believing that the punishment fits the crime here. You can toe the line of acceptable behavior or you can cross it. What Harper did crossed it.
I will never agree with Harper critics who call his overall game and attitude bad for baseball. He is a transcendent player, and his future is about as bright as you could get when it comes to current athletes in any sport. However, I may sound too much like Goose Gossage here, but I cannot overlook what Harper did this past Monday. He is great on the field, but he crossed the line. If this is a one-time incident, then it will pass and no one will remember it, and hopefully it is a one-time incident. There is such a thing as respecting the game though, and despite what I believe as pretty high standards that I have when it comes to disrespecting the game, Harper did exactly that. Hopefully it is just a blip on the radar of what has the potential to be a great career, because if I have learned anything recently, it is that I do not want to agree with Goose Gossage very often. It is my hope that this will be the only time that happens.
Daily Diamondbacks Update: After six straight losses, the team came back to win five in a row but then lost last night to the Colorado Rockies. Arizona currently stands at 17-19, but in a division full of teams that are not exactly flying out of the gate, they are still only one game out of first place. The San Francisco Giants are 18-18 and tied atop the NL West, and they come to Arizona starting tonight. There have been ups and downs, but it is still early, and there is plenty of time for a whole lot of drama to unfold.
Daily Giants Update: We are still four months away from Week 1, but minicamps are now underway and the team will begin to take shape over the next few months. Overall, I liked the Giants' draft, and I am hopeful that the offseason spending spree combined with the incoming rookie class can provide the Giants with a big spark. The NFC East is certainly up for grabs, so there is no reason to expect anything less than a playoff appearance this season.
Daily NHL Update: Once again, the Washington Capitals fell short in the playoffs, and this is definitely not just a few unlucky bounces anymore. Instead it is a legitimate history of coming up short in the playoffs no matter how good they play in the regular season. Pittsburgh will face Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference finals, while St. Louis will face either Nashville or San Jose in the Western Conference finals. Game 7 between the Predators and Sharks is tonight, and I would argue that a Game 7 in the NHL playoffs is the most exciting thing in all of sports. We will know tomorrow who will move on to the conference finals.
Daily NBA Update: The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs will square off in Game 6 tonight, with the winner of the series moving on to face the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Oklahoma City can close out the series at home. If they lose, it is on to Game 7 in San Antonio. In my opinion, if the Spurs somehow win tonight, then they will win Game 7 at home. Even then though, the Cavaliers and Warriors will be sitting at home resting and watching Oklahoma City and San Antonio battle, and at this point, with Stephen Curry seemingly ready to return from injury, I think you have to consider Cleveland and Golden State the favorites to reach the NBA Finals.
