Rob Manfred is the new commissioner of Major League Baseball, and he understands what is at stake with respect to the future of baseball. “We have to reach out to the youth of America and get them more involved in the game,” Manfred said.
Most would agree that baseball, while enjoying incredible revenue streams and solid local TV ratings, has a problem on the national level. National TV ratings continue to sag, and baseball’s fan base is aging compared to some other sports. The typical baseball fan is now averaging 53 years of age, and it has the second-highest white participation short of ice hockey. The NBA fan base’s average age is now 33 and has significant diversity that does not only include African Americans.
If baseball wants to trend younger, it may not be a bad idea to have its players, both black (if you can find any) and white, get more involved with the game off the field – aside from players’ foundations, which have become very popular and, in some cases, quite helpful to worthy causes. Baseball needs to evolve soon, or it will become America’s past pastime.
LeBron vs. Warriors
The NBA Finals begin tonight and, yes, LeBron James is back, only with a new team and cast of players. Cleveland will face the Golden State Warriors, led by this year’s MVP Stephen Curry, who is one of the league’s most exciting players.
Unlike James, Curry has a tremendous supporting cast. They can guard, and they have a deep bench that may be harder to play against than any team in the league. The Warriors even feature a St. Louisan in Chaminade’s David Lee. Lee may be the key to the series, as he will pose a challenge to the opposition at both ends of the floor.
Then there is LeBron. He makes any team markedly better and, with the post-season experience he brings to this party, they will not go away quietly.
With no Lakers, Spurs, Celtics or Heat in the Finals this year, this event will be good for the game. It features the best player in the game facing one of the best teams the game has seen in a while.
Pay no attention to the locals who will poo-poo the Finals with the same old, lame statement that “no one really cares about the NBA in St. Louis.” Yes, people watch the NBA Finals in St. Louis more than the Stanley Cup Finals – in city that has a hockey team.
FIFA dumb
I was amused last week when it was announced that the U.S. government was going after FIFA (the world’s governing body for soccer). It is comical, coming after all these years of graft, extortion, bribery and other heinous acts that were accepted by the soccer world, including this country. Suddenly, the United States has decided to go after one of the most notoriously corrupt organizations in the world.
The government said that FIFA can be tied to at least $150 million in bribes sent their way over the last 24 years to get certain soccer events for certain countries that were willing to pay.
I have never been a fan of international soccer, because it has been a fraud on and off the field. The diving and faking of injuries on the field makes it nearly unwatchable, and yet this foolishness is accepted, much like the bribes and racism.
Mad in Minnesota
By now you have heard all about Adrian Peterson and his off-field plight. Peterson was hauled in to court about the alleged abuse of his child, whom he reportedly beat with a switch. The league suspended him for the season, and now this.
Peterson and his agent have been trying to get out of Minnesota, where they claim that he was thrown under the bus by the Vikings during the ordeal. Peterson has been very busy on Twitter lately, as he was mad at the world about a number of things. Not happy with the Vikings. His contract was not right. He threatened to boycott the team’s offseason training activities. He said that NFL players should have their contracts guaranteed.
Peterson and his brethren should look in the mirror to find out why there is a problem. Until Peterson realized that he has few options on where he will play football next season, he was clueless about how the NFL worked. He was clueless to the fact that his contract is too heavy, because of salary cap issues, for any other team to take on
If he really wants out of Minnesota, he has two options. He can take a pay cut so his cap number would be more trade-friendly. Or he can also sit at home and miss out on making the remaining $40 million he is due. He is opposed to both, so guess where it looks like he will be playing? You guessed it, Minnesota.
No guarantee
The idea that players’ contracts should be guaranteed is something Peterson never thought about until now. You would think players with the shortest shelf life professionally, along with the greatest health risk during and after careers, would have some sort of financial security, with their contracts guaranteed like their counterparts in baseball, basketball and hockey. Yet Peterson and his colleagues have just accepted business as usual.
The players union has accepted it. Former union head in Gene Upshaw and current Executive Director Demaurice Smith have done thousands of players a disservice, as they never dug in and fought for it. The players and owners have had labor issues that have seen walk outs and lock outs, and yet the players never moved on this issue. Peterson and his peers have no one to blame but themselves.
Hitchcock should clean house
It was announced that Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock was returning for one more season. My only regret is it is just one year.
With Hitchcock returning, it should mean the end of the road for a few players who have not lived up to the expectations of the organization. Let’s hope that there is a housecleaning for the Blues, as there are players who have been around long enough to see at least three coaches get fired because of their play on the ice.
