Category: Sports

After Fidel

Administration after administration has perceived Cuba as an irritant inside our hemispheric shell and coated it with layer after layer of economic and political nacre, which unlike Fidel 1959mother-of-pearl, has not created value. In fact, U.S. policy has rendered Cuba nearly irrelevant.

Fidel, of course, has been the focus of our sedimentary relationship, one that has hardened into clay, unmoving through ten U.S. presidencies. But with the announcement that Castro is stepping down after nearly 50 years, turning stewardship over to his brother Raul, the U.S. has an opportunity. Will the next president step out of the clay and back into the mud where things are sticky, sloppy, murky, but once again movable? Continue reading “After Fidel”

“Running to Win!” in Iowa

Grinnell logoThe Grinnell College men’s basketball team once scored 149 points in a game…and lost.

Last night, however, with the temperature in Grinnell, IA (pop. ~10,000), well below zero, the team’s nearly unique playing style heated up the crowd as the Pioneers trounced the Knox College (IL) Prairie Fire 100-80, bringing their record to 15-7. John Grotberg, Grinnell’s leading scorer, had 37 points, giving him a career total of 2,014, and his junior year isn’t over yet. (I watched the game live on a streaming internet feed.) Continue reading ““Running to Win!” in Iowa”

Does a Curveball Break Left or Right?

MLB logoRoger Clemens testifies before Congress, and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform grills him about use of steroids and human growth hormone. He denies everything.mlb

This tabloid shocker is getting far more press than real disasters in Darfur or the Iraq situation (can’t call it a war, because only Congress can declare war…and it hasn’t). This is audience-grabbing, pop culture drama, but in the long view, who really cares if this particular pitcher juiced his body?

One aspect of the hearings, however, is very important: the surprising and unexpected partisanship. Why did the Democrats on the Committee uniformly ask Clemens questions that assumed his guilt, while the Republicans’ queries clearly indicated their belief that Clemens’ accuser Brian McNamee was the liar? Could it be that Major League Baseball has inherently progressive and conservative sides? Is it left field vs. right field?

Conspiracy windup: Bush was once part owner of the Texas Rangers. Roger Clemens is well known to be a friend of the Bush family.

Conspiracy pitch: Clemens will be found guilty, and Bush will pardon him. And if this Global War on Baseball looks like it’s going to drag out past Inauguration ’09, look for a pre-pardon like Ford gave Nixon.

Such goofy partisanship is one of the flaws of our two-potty system: you march with the party (no matter how silly you look) or forget about getting any support for your pet projects.