A Boing Boing/Common Dreams Joint

The International Olympic Committee – long a swirling cesspool of corruption, censorship, and reputation-laundering for repressive regimes – has attained a new low, issuing guidance to athletes competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that no political protests will be tolerated, specifically banning kneeling or raising fists.

Protests by Olympians – particularly Black Americans – have made political history, from the raised fists of John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Mexico City Games (with Peter Norman standing in solidarity) to Jesse Owens’ thwarting of Hitler’s propaganda dreams for the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

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Posted on January 14, 2020

By Roger Wallenstein

We called him Pickles, although I never knew why. It might have been his last name. He was a kind old gentleman, positioned behind home plate shielded by one of those balloon chest protectors. He worked alone, calling not only balls and strikes but also the bases for Little and Pony League games of my youth.
One evening there was a close play at second base that challenged the eyesight of Pickles, who never strayed much from his post behind the plate. Before making a decision, he meticulously strolled toward the center of the diamond to summon the baserunner and the second baseman.
The infielder claimed he put the tag on the kid before he reached the base. Turning to the runner, Pickles inquired about the veracity of this initial testimony. In that age of innocence, and because Pickles was an adult whom kids respected, the youngster reported that he was, indeed, out. He jogged toward the bench with a clean conscience without even a whisper of protest from coaches or parents in the stands.

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Posted on January 14, 2020

By Jim Coffman

All sport has is its rules.
When disputes arise, and I had the delightful responsibility to try to adjudicate arguments about rules in a number of tricky situations when I was president of the Welles Park Parent Association youth baseball and softball leagues, you go to your rules and hope desperately that they show a clear path forward.

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Posted on January 14, 2020

By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes

News, views and blues. Including: It’s Already Too Late For The Cubs; The Bullhawks; Coach Likes That; The Vegas Bowl; The Ryan Pace Bowl; Sox’s Steves; Repulsive Rickettses; Red Star Fiancee; and The Disastrous Chicago Fire.

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Posted on January 10, 2020

By Steve Rhodes

One in an occasional series tracking the movements of former Cubs.
1. Darwin Barney.
Boy did former Cub Factor writer Marty Gangler used to hate Darwin Barney. He once wrote that Barney “should never be starting on a major league roster.”
True, the following week he begrudgingly acknowledged that “Darwin Barney Is Adequate,” but I’m not sure he ever really thought that.
(Perhaps my favorite line of Marty’s about Darwin, circa April 2012: “So yeah, I have no illusions of this even being a .500 team this year, but I do know that I’d be up for a beer with Mr. LaHair. Heck, I wouldn’t even have an issue if Darwin Barney tagged along – he’ll always run to the bar to get the next round because he sure doesn’t walk much.”

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Posted on January 8, 2020

By Jim Coffman

Immature male specimens of our delightful species love to mock people when they are down.
The pathetic schoolyard taunts become high school heckling. One of the keys to enjoying a college sporting event is for it to be consistently loud because if it isn’t, you run the risk of hearing some of the profane crap the young fellas in attendance are spewing about their teams’ foes.
Some fans never move on from this phase. There are plenty of middle-aged guys taking in games who never miss a chance to give it to opposing players who are seen as weak and/or vulnerable. Heck, many players never move on either.
Every once in a while, though, the guy on the other end of the taunts has his day. I give you Minnesota Viking Kirk Cousins’ initial, brief postgame comments from Sunday:

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Posted on January 6, 2020

By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes

They’re in the front office. Plus: Ravens Over Saints; Don Hahn; Maddon’s Post Deleted; Bulls Still Suck; Blackhawks Still Suck; Bears Beat Beard In Bowl; DePaul Dropped By The Hall; Loyola Vexes Valpo; and The Illini Who Couldn’t Shoot Straight.

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Posted on January 3, 2020