I caught the end of "Outside The Lines" this afternoon on ESPN, and the topic of discussion for the day was the nickname of an NFL team that plays its games in Washington, D.C. The Washington Redskins won the NFC East this past season, and were led by one of the most dynamic young stars in the league, Robert Griffin III. Was the discussion about how the team might improve this offseason and whether or not they could make a deeper run in the 2013-2014 season? No. The topic of the conversation was the origin of the "Redskins" name, and whether or not such a name was acceptable for a professional sports franchise.
Professional sports nicknames are in many cases the equivalent of religion for some people. While there are some generic nicknames that are shared by many franchises and/or universities (Tigers, Giants, Bears), there are some nicknames that are very unique, and unquestionably identify one franchise. The Packers. The Lakers. The Maple Leafs. Any casual sports fan instantly knows the sport and the city being talked about when those nicknames are mentioned. Green Bay, Los Angeles, and Toronto cling to their unique nicknames and dearly love their teams. The Redskins are another franchise that holds a place in the class of unique and distinctive nicknames. Why the Redskins' name is unique just depends on how you view the situation.
Despite what many people might think (myself included), sports is not a way of life. Sports always has been, and always will be, entertainment. It is closer to reality than the movie business or the music business, but it is still more entertainment than reality. Even though many people might invest more time and money into following sports, the fact is, if the NFL ceased to exist, the world would still go on (as tough as that might be for me to swallow). It is because of this, that we have to realize there is a line between entertainment and reality that will never be blurred. Sports only exists as a close facsimile of reality because we, as consumers, demand for it to be that way.
If no one wanted to buy tickets to NFL games or watch them on TV, football would disappear. However, if no one wanted to vote in elections or watch CNN, we would still have a government. This is why I cannot stand when people over analyze each and every iota of the sports world as if it were the most important part of American culture. Could the term "redskin" be interpreted in a racist way? Sure. But, when it's 3rd & 10 in the fourth quarter of a tie game, are fans at FedEx Field thinking about that? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
This topic only seems to come up when games are not being played, and there is a reason for that. In the midst of Washington's run to the postseason in 2012, no one ever thought to mention whether or not the nickname of the team was in any way offensive or inappropriate, and there is a reason for that. The name simply ISN'T offensive or inappropriate in the eyes of about 99% of people out there. Does the city of Washington, D.C. have a history of challenging the nickname of its NFL team? No. It has a history of hailing players like Sonny Jurgensen and Art Monk and Robert Griffin III. The city and its fans aren't doing that to spite Native Americans who might be offended by the nickname of the team, and if anyone thinks differently, then they have no clue what they are talking about.
The city of Washington, D.C. loves its Redskins for what they do on the field. I have yet to find anyone who claims to be a Redskins fan simply because they despise Native Americans, and cheer for the team because of a "racist" nickname. Are the 2013 Redskins a team with a lot of young talent that is ready to take the next step toward Super Bowl contention? Or are they a franchise making money off of racism with a black quarterback and white coach who will never be able to co-exist because of the color of their skin and the deep-seeded racism that has been embedded within their franchise for decades?
Come on, people. Is that really a question? Stop being offended at the drop of a hat, and realize that the Redskins are a team on the rise, and they are not a franchise in need of a serious look in the mirror.
Daily Rangers Update: A shootout loss last night in Ottawa was not exactly fun to watch. Right now, the Rangers are sitting on the brink of playoff elimination, and the season has not gone nearly as well as I had anticipated. There is still plenty of time left, but I have been greatly disappointed by the play of the team thus far.
Daily Nets Update: Back-to-back wins against the Bucks got the second half of the year off to a great start, and the Nets are only one game out of the second spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rockets come to Brooklyn tonight in an interesting matchup featuring two very good teams that don't see each other very often. The Heat seem to clearly be the best team in the East, but by the end of the season, the Nets might have a chance to be the second best team in the conference.
Daily Giants Update: The combine is underway, and that means the draft is not far behind. There is still a whole lot to be done between now and the beginning of Training Camp, but Jerry Reese has earned my respect and loyalty, so I expect the right moves to be made. In Jerry We Trust.
Daily Diamondbacks Update: Spring training games? Yes! They are just about to begin. Tyler Skaggs will take the mound tomorrow, and the battle for the final spots in our rotation will begin right away. I am super excited about the start of the baseball season (for many reasons), so there will be plenty of baseball posts in the weeks to come.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Can't we all just be friends?
Now that the NFL season has come to a close, much of the national sports spotlight has shifted to the hardwood. March Madness is getting closer and closer, but until then, the NBA has been leading most sports shows on both the radio and the television. Therefore, as should be the case, we are hearing a lot about guys like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant. There are different reasons that these names are in the news, but for right now, I want to focus on James and Durant.
Tonight is the final night of the "first half" of the NBA season, with two prime time games before the All-Star festivities get underway this weekend. The "first half" (I put that in parentheses because we are technically past the halfway point in the schedule, but the All-Star break is usually loosely referred to as the halfway point of the season) will go out with a bang, with James and the Miami Heat playing Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight, followed by a battle of Los Angeles between the Lakers and the Clippers. Both of these are intriguing games. Miami and Oklahoma City is a rematch of last year's NBA Finals teams, and both teams seem like they could be on a path right back to another Finals showdown this season. It isn't exactly a rivalry, but it will be a game pitting two of the best teams in the league against one another, and those two teams are led by two of the best players in the game, in James and Durant. So, it sounds like it should be an exciting night of basketball that we should all be looking forward to seeing, right? Well, that depends on who you ask.
Often times, in all sports, we hear the terms "old school" and "new school." There are "old school" teams, players, coaches, fans, strategies, etc. Then, there are "new school" diametrics to match. An example of an "old school" player might be Bob Gibson or Kevin Garnett. An "old school" strategy might be the use of a fullback or the sacrifice bunt. There are countless things in the sports world that we can characterize as "old school" or "new school." However, one of the "old school" thought processes that I absolutely loathe is one that seemingly is mentioned a lot when it comes to the NBA these days, and especially when it comes time for the Heat to play the Thunder.
Proponents of "old school" basketball hang on to their belief that the best way for a team or an individual to be successful is to despise everyone and everything around them. These people say that the true competitor should have an unmitigated feeling of hatred they can direct towards each opponent. Not only should you want to win a game or an individual matchup, but you should want to embarrass and humiliate anyone who might stand in your way. "Old school" NBA fans point to teams like the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons, with players like Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn, who would not only want to beat you, they would want to hurt you (both mentally and physically) at the same time. These same people will tell you that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were such great rivals because they hated each other. Michael Jordan was so great because he hated the teams and players that he went up against. Now, I'm not going to try to dispute the fact that this "hate" (whether it was true or just imagined) may have played a role in helping guys like Bird and Jordan be great players, but it was not the main reason for their success.
"Old school" basketball fans cannot stand the fact that LeBron James and Kevin Durant are friends off the court. They think that just because James and Durant are the two best players in the game, and their teams have competed against each other for a title, that the two of them should be sworn enemies. Why? Because it will make them better basketball players? In my opinion, that way of thinking is laughable. LeBron James is in the midst of the prime of his career, and he is probably already a surefire Hall of Famer. Kevin Durant has already won multiple scoring titles, and is not even 25 years old yet. Will these guys improve on the court if they start acting like intolerable bastards who would rather give opponents an elbow to the rib cage than a respectful handshake? Of course not. If LeBron James goes up for a jump shot over Durant tonight, should Durant take out James' legs and figure that the best way to beat Miami is to injure their star players? Absolutely not. I hate when people say that in order for athletes to be competitive, they have to be driven by hate.
James and Durant are somewhat of an irregularity because not only are they good friends off the court, but they are also the two best players in their game on the court. During the offseasons, James and Durant often work out together. Do they do this because they are friends? Sure, but that isn't the only reason. These are two athletes at the top of their profession. They work out together because no one else in the league is able to train at the level they are accustomed to training. James and Durant are two extremely gifted and talented players. Their work ethics are equaled by only a very small amount of other players in the NBA. The two work out together in the offseason simply because it is impossible to find any other players with the same work ethic.
However, it is still impossible for some people to believe that James and Durant can work together off the court, yet still face each other on the court and compete head-to-head at the highest level. It was as if once Oklahoma City and Miami both reached the NBA Finals last season that James and Durant had already won. Since one of them would win the title, they would both win. Really? Is this a romance novel or is it the NBA? James didn't seem to feel like letting up as he was on his way to winning Finals MVP just because he felt bad that his friend on the other team was losing. And if the roles had been reversed, Durant would not have let up out of sympathy for James.
We live in a time now in which people can connect to one another through countless different means of communication. It's not as if this is the 1920's, and sports teams are traveling via steam locomotive from city to city without any communication with the outside world. That just isn't the way the world works anymore. Athletes have more free time and can easily keep in touch with fellow athletes in a variety of ways. And, despite what some people might think, that is a good thing. It is All-Star Weekend in the NBA starting tomorrow, and I always felt that All Star games and festivities (in all sports) were great examples of just how much we as fans don't get to see in terms of the co mingling of players. Whether it is the Slam Dunk Contest, the Home Run Derby, or whatever other kind of event we might get to see during All Star weekend, fans and players alike will both usually say that their favorite part of these events is just the gathering of so much talent in one place.
If all of the top players in the sport hated each other, then we would be in for a weekend full of fights and arguments. But that isn't what is going to happen. We are going to get a weekend of entertainment and enjoyment provided by the best basketball players in the world. On Monday, we will be looking back at the weekend and remembering the fun we had watching and the fun the players had participating. Then, it will be back to business as usual in the NBA. Friends or not, LeBron James and Kevin Durant will be faced with the unfathomable task of having to actually compete against one another, despite the fact that they are actually friends. Can they defy all of the odds and actually do it? It might be really tough to comprehend for some, but I think they'll both be able to do just fine.
Daily Rangers Update: Well, this game against the Islanders got off to a great start, but a 2-0 lead after one period has turned into a 3-2 deficit halfway through the second period. There is still plenty of time left though, so hopefully the Rangers can win again and continue to climb up the standings after a slow start to the season.
Daily Nets Update: After a bit of a slump, Brooklyn was able to finish the first half of the season strong, and they go into the All Star break in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. There is still a lot of basketball to be played though, and there are a lot of teams battling for the top four spots in the conference. The Nets open up the second half with two games against the Milwaukee Bucks, who are currently in the eighth spot in the East, so they will be fighting for their playoff lives. 29 games left to play, and every one of them is important.
Daily Diamondback Update: Pitchers and catchers have reported, and spring is officially in the air (at least in Arizona). I'm sure I will be writing about baseball a lot in the near future, so I won't get into it too much here. It's official though, baseball season is about to begin!
Daily Giants Update: This is the time of the year when fans get to question what the heck their front office is doing, as rosters are being trimmed and re-shaped. It is still far too early in the offseason to draw any real conclusions about what the team will look like next season though, so Giants fans just have to sit back and let GM Jerry Reese do what he does.
Tonight is the final night of the "first half" of the NBA season, with two prime time games before the All-Star festivities get underway this weekend. The "first half" (I put that in parentheses because we are technically past the halfway point in the schedule, but the All-Star break is usually loosely referred to as the halfway point of the season) will go out with a bang, with James and the Miami Heat playing Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight, followed by a battle of Los Angeles between the Lakers and the Clippers. Both of these are intriguing games. Miami and Oklahoma City is a rematch of last year's NBA Finals teams, and both teams seem like they could be on a path right back to another Finals showdown this season. It isn't exactly a rivalry, but it will be a game pitting two of the best teams in the league against one another, and those two teams are led by two of the best players in the game, in James and Durant. So, it sounds like it should be an exciting night of basketball that we should all be looking forward to seeing, right? Well, that depends on who you ask.
Often times, in all sports, we hear the terms "old school" and "new school." There are "old school" teams, players, coaches, fans, strategies, etc. Then, there are "new school" diametrics to match. An example of an "old school" player might be Bob Gibson or Kevin Garnett. An "old school" strategy might be the use of a fullback or the sacrifice bunt. There are countless things in the sports world that we can characterize as "old school" or "new school." However, one of the "old school" thought processes that I absolutely loathe is one that seemingly is mentioned a lot when it comes to the NBA these days, and especially when it comes time for the Heat to play the Thunder.
Proponents of "old school" basketball hang on to their belief that the best way for a team or an individual to be successful is to despise everyone and everything around them. These people say that the true competitor should have an unmitigated feeling of hatred they can direct towards each opponent. Not only should you want to win a game or an individual matchup, but you should want to embarrass and humiliate anyone who might stand in your way. "Old school" NBA fans point to teams like the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons, with players like Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn, who would not only want to beat you, they would want to hurt you (both mentally and physically) at the same time. These same people will tell you that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were such great rivals because they hated each other. Michael Jordan was so great because he hated the teams and players that he went up against. Now, I'm not going to try to dispute the fact that this "hate" (whether it was true or just imagined) may have played a role in helping guys like Bird and Jordan be great players, but it was not the main reason for their success.
"Old school" basketball fans cannot stand the fact that LeBron James and Kevin Durant are friends off the court. They think that just because James and Durant are the two best players in the game, and their teams have competed against each other for a title, that the two of them should be sworn enemies. Why? Because it will make them better basketball players? In my opinion, that way of thinking is laughable. LeBron James is in the midst of the prime of his career, and he is probably already a surefire Hall of Famer. Kevin Durant has already won multiple scoring titles, and is not even 25 years old yet. Will these guys improve on the court if they start acting like intolerable bastards who would rather give opponents an elbow to the rib cage than a respectful handshake? Of course not. If LeBron James goes up for a jump shot over Durant tonight, should Durant take out James' legs and figure that the best way to beat Miami is to injure their star players? Absolutely not. I hate when people say that in order for athletes to be competitive, they have to be driven by hate.
James and Durant are somewhat of an irregularity because not only are they good friends off the court, but they are also the two best players in their game on the court. During the offseasons, James and Durant often work out together. Do they do this because they are friends? Sure, but that isn't the only reason. These are two athletes at the top of their profession. They work out together because no one else in the league is able to train at the level they are accustomed to training. James and Durant are two extremely gifted and talented players. Their work ethics are equaled by only a very small amount of other players in the NBA. The two work out together in the offseason simply because it is impossible to find any other players with the same work ethic.
However, it is still impossible for some people to believe that James and Durant can work together off the court, yet still face each other on the court and compete head-to-head at the highest level. It was as if once Oklahoma City and Miami both reached the NBA Finals last season that James and Durant had already won. Since one of them would win the title, they would both win. Really? Is this a romance novel or is it the NBA? James didn't seem to feel like letting up as he was on his way to winning Finals MVP just because he felt bad that his friend on the other team was losing. And if the roles had been reversed, Durant would not have let up out of sympathy for James.
We live in a time now in which people can connect to one another through countless different means of communication. It's not as if this is the 1920's, and sports teams are traveling via steam locomotive from city to city without any communication with the outside world. That just isn't the way the world works anymore. Athletes have more free time and can easily keep in touch with fellow athletes in a variety of ways. And, despite what some people might think, that is a good thing. It is All-Star Weekend in the NBA starting tomorrow, and I always felt that All Star games and festivities (in all sports) were great examples of just how much we as fans don't get to see in terms of the co mingling of players. Whether it is the Slam Dunk Contest, the Home Run Derby, or whatever other kind of event we might get to see during All Star weekend, fans and players alike will both usually say that their favorite part of these events is just the gathering of so much talent in one place.
If all of the top players in the sport hated each other, then we would be in for a weekend full of fights and arguments. But that isn't what is going to happen. We are going to get a weekend of entertainment and enjoyment provided by the best basketball players in the world. On Monday, we will be looking back at the weekend and remembering the fun we had watching and the fun the players had participating. Then, it will be back to business as usual in the NBA. Friends or not, LeBron James and Kevin Durant will be faced with the unfathomable task of having to actually compete against one another, despite the fact that they are actually friends. Can they defy all of the odds and actually do it? It might be really tough to comprehend for some, but I think they'll both be able to do just fine.
Daily Rangers Update: Well, this game against the Islanders got off to a great start, but a 2-0 lead after one period has turned into a 3-2 deficit halfway through the second period. There is still plenty of time left though, so hopefully the Rangers can win again and continue to climb up the standings after a slow start to the season.
Daily Nets Update: After a bit of a slump, Brooklyn was able to finish the first half of the season strong, and they go into the All Star break in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. There is still a lot of basketball to be played though, and there are a lot of teams battling for the top four spots in the conference. The Nets open up the second half with two games against the Milwaukee Bucks, who are currently in the eighth spot in the East, so they will be fighting for their playoff lives. 29 games left to play, and every one of them is important.
Daily Diamondback Update: Pitchers and catchers have reported, and spring is officially in the air (at least in Arizona). I'm sure I will be writing about baseball a lot in the near future, so I won't get into it too much here. It's official though, baseball season is about to begin!
Daily Giants Update: This is the time of the year when fans get to question what the heck their front office is doing, as rosters are being trimmed and re-shaped. It is still far too early in the offseason to draw any real conclusions about what the team will look like next season though, so Giants fans just have to sit back and let GM Jerry Reese do what he does.
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