By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
LANDOVER, Md. – NFL action – or at least the facsimile known as exhibition football – returned to FedEx Field Thursday for the first time since December, when Philadelphia laid a 24-0 whupping on the Washington Redskins.
Philadelphia
will be the opponent in three weeks, when the regular season begins and
everything matters. By then, the details of preseason game No. 2 will be long
forgotten, as will roughly three dozen players who suited up in the ‘Skins 23-13
loss against Cincinnati.
But
there is one memory worth savoring, a treat that made attendance worthwhile,
Members of the sparse crowd have bragging rights for life.
Facing
3rd-and-8 from his own 45-yard line, rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins took a
shotgun snap shortly before halftime and dropped back. Pressure came pouring in
from his blind side, with a pair of Bengals rushers blazing past either side of
left tackle Geron Christian Sr.
Christian
picked up the blitzing cornerback, which gave linebacker Germaine Pratt a clear
lane to the passer. Haskins was being enveloped in a bear hug around the waist
as he cocked his right arm. But the rookie hung in, stood tall, and delivered a
beautiful strike, hitting Robert Davis in stride at the 20-yard line.
Davis
had beat his man by several strides and pranced into the end zone untouched. It
was Haskins’ first NFL touchdown and he reacted as such, skipping to the end
zone for a celebration and congratulations.
“It
was exhilarating,” Haskins said. “It was fun. I will never forget it.”
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
“That was a very patriotic thing (Colin Kaepernick) did.” – USA Basketball coach Gregg Popovich on Tuesday.
“Frankly, I’d love to see Kaepernick come in, if he’s good enough.” – President Donald Trump on Aug. 9.
“Without question, our data tells us fans do not want us to cover politics.” – ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro, March 2018.
Pitaro
and many fans might want ESPN to avert its glance when sports and politics
intersect. On the surface, that seems like a perfectly reasonable stance. Syndicated
columnist Norman Chad recently wrote that the position is analogous to Disney Channel
and its fans not wanting commentary on news, just “magical kingdoms, fairy-tale
stories and a fantasy world of delight.”
That
works well when the content is based on Snow White, Mickey Mouse and fictitious
characters in sitcoms and movies. But real-life human beings like Kaepernick, Popovich
and Trump – and now, U.S. fencer Race Imboden and hammer thrower Gwen Berry – have
a way of slipping reality into our discussions about fun & games.
When
that happens, it’s news, not make-believe. And credible news organizations should
cover it as such.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Despite its torrents of revenue spouting like geysers, and its massive footprint on our socio-cultural landscape, the sports-industrial complex has seen better days.
Even
as the Little League World Series gears for its 66th year of national TV
coverage and MLB postseason contenders jockey for position, cracks in the sports
universe have surfaced. Even as NFL teams prepare for their next exhibition game
and college football teams study playbooks in fall camp, signs of wear are apparent.
Even as NBA and NCAA hoopers enjoy their last few weeks of vacation, there is evidence
of decline.
Concern
exists on the front end – those who participate – and more on the back end –
those who spectate.
Residents
of the D.C. metro area are examples of the latter. 24/7 Wall Street, in a
recent study based on attendance date from ESPN, identified 12 pro teams that are
“running out of fans.” The Washington Redskins ranked fifth on that list, having
experienced a 31.1% decline in home attendance from 2008-20018, and being the
lone team to fill less than three-quarters of its venue last season (74.4%).
Of
course, sluggish turnstiles are not unique to FedEx Field. For an idea of the
problem’s scope, scroll through the Empty Seats Galore account on Twitter. There
you will find photos of increasingly half-full and near-empty stadiums, ranging
across all sports and levels.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Not
content with its present system of exploitation the NCAA has devised a new racket.
Instead of merely keeping college athletes’ pockets empty, it wants to dip into
prospective player agents’ bank accounts.
This
cartel makes the Sopranos look like the Partridge Family.
In
the latest move to protect its own interests and trample everyone in its way, the NCAA has issued new requirements for
agents who want to represent basketball players testing the NBA draft waters.
Such players will lose their eligibility unless their agent: has a bachelor’s
degree; has been certified by the National Basketball Players Association for
three years; and passes an in-person exam administered at NCAA headquarters in
Indianapolis.
A
minimum for income level and investment portfolio is the only thing missing.
If
your first thought is, “Oh, they’re just looking out for college athletes,” remember
who we’re talking about.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Watching
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sweat and squirm on a witness stand would be
highly entertaining under most circumstances. However, as enjoyable as the
spectacle promises to be, we need to draw the line somewhere.
Put
him under oath for queries about the wildly inconsistent rulings on personal-conduct
suspensions? Sign me up. Ask him about the league’s historical resistance to
brain science and concussion studies? Make some popcorn. Administer truth serum
– or at least a lie detector test – to grill him on Colin Kaepernick’s lengthy unemployment?
I’m all for it.
But
force Goodell (and game officials!) to answer questions about a blown call in January’s
NFC title game? That’s going way too far.
Unless
you’re a Louisiana judge and, presumably, a New Orleans Saints fan.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Serious question: What’s
the difference between the Reds-Pirates ninth-inning brawl Tuesday, and the June
15 brawl between adults at a youth baseball game in Colorado?
Give
it some thought.
I
suppose money is the first thing that comes to mind. Participants in the MLB brouhaha
rake six-, seven- or eight-figure annual salaries for their time. Combatants in
the latter incident were mere spectators, parents and/or coaches whose livelihoods
don’t rest on the exploits of 7-year-old players.
The
level of dedication is another easy distinction.
As
per usual when benches clear in the majors, the vast majority of uniformed
personnel Tuesday were in peacemaker mode. For every player who charged – Cincinnati’s
Amir Garrett and Yasiel Puig, in particular – roughly 5.5 players tried to hold
them back.
Conversely,
video of the fracas in Lakewood shows more than a dozen folks throwing punches with
bad intentions, relentlessly beating and tackling one another. Multiple people were injured, including one
who reportedly suffered facial and back injuries and several broken ribs.
But
even with the dissimilarities in paychecks and haymakers, the melees have
plenty in common.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
At
least drug tests are unambiguous, offering definitive pass/fail grades for the
most part, either checking the box or not.
For
instance, New York Giants receiver Golden Tate has been suspended four games
for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy. He blames his
positive test on a fertility plan after he and his wife visited a specialist in
April. “I started the treatment prescribed to me and just days later I
discovered it contained an ingredient that is on the league’s banned substance
list,” he said Saturday in a statement.
“I
immediately discontinued use, I reported the situation to the Independent
Administrator of the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances, and I
spoke with my coaches and general manager. I did all of this well before a
failed test was even confirmed.”
Great.
Sounds like he was very forthright after making an honest mistake … and he can
bet on losing his appeal.
The
league doesn’t care whether he hooked up an IV bag of steroids, or unknowingly
ingested gummy bears laced with a banned drug. Former Indianapolis Colts
linebacker Robert Mathis offered the same fertility-drug defense in 2014 and
his four-game suspension was upheld.
Tate
should’ve determined the contents before started the fertility plan, especially
since similar treatments have led to a suspension. Players are responsible for
whatever they ingest. The NFL doesn’t want to wade through explanations, tasked
with separating veracity from duplicity. Family planning might be popular in
lots of locker rooms under those circumstances.
Making
suspensions for banned substances cut-and-dried is actually a reasonable
position.
Conversely,
the policy on suspensions for personal conduct makes less sense than playing Russian
roulette.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Training camp is upon the Washington Redskins, a perfect time to check off some items on my “TIDU List” – Things I Don’t Understand:
*I don’t understand how Trent Williams merits a new deal.
The
All-Pro tackle signed a five-year extension in 2015, becoming the NFL’s
highest-paid offensive lineman. He has held up his end as multiple O-linemen
passed him in salary, but that’s not the Skins’ fault (unlike their medical
care). At 31, with mounting injuries and two years left on his contract,
Williams is compensated fairly.
But
he knows how leverage works and he’s positioned to apply it.
*I don’t understand why Mason Foster’s agent is upset.
Blake
Baratz accused the Skins of having “zero good faith” because they cut his
client the day before camp opened. “I expect more from @nfl and certain
organizations in particular, we can be better,” Baratz wrote on Twitter. Is he
high? NFL teams are notoriously ruthless in their personnel decisions, routinely
releasing players before, during and after training camp.
July
23 beats Aug. 31 (final cuts) if the axe is coming anyway.
*I don’t understand how Adrian Peterson is totally blameless.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Having
taken nearly four months to find a replacement for Ernie Grunfeld, Washington
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis proved he wasn’t following the traditional path.
Now,
with the announcement of several new hires and roles within the organization, the
extent of Leonsis’ unconventional thinking is clear: He didn’t just want a new builder
to lead the front office.
He
wanted a totally new blueprint for the front office.
In
Brooklyn, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and other outposts, NBA fans are excited about
big-time players acquired via free agency, trades or the draft. They’re envisioning
how the additions fit into new starting lineups. They’re contemplating how the revamped
rotations might look.
In
D.C., we’re left to digest the Wizards’ new org chart.
That’s
not nearly as flashy or appealing, but it’s a start. At least Leonsis has taken
the first step (second if you start with dumping Grunfeld) in the however-long
journey toward title contention.
In
removing the interim tag from general manager Tommy Sheppard, while hiring former
Cleveland Browns executive Sashi Brown, former Georgetown coach John Thompson
III and former Philadelphia Sixers/FC Barcelona team physician Daniel Medina,
Leonsis wasn’t thinking outside the box.
He
was thinking far outside the four walls surrounding the box.
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Wizards
first-round pick Rui Hachimura doesn’t come close to teammate John Wall’s
social media presence, trailing the injured guard by nearly 1.8 million Twitter
followers.
Hachimura
isn’t tops among his draft class, either. That honor belongs to No.1 overall
selection Zion Williamson, who has 388,000 Twitter followers to Hachimura’s
113,000.
But,
internationally speaking, Hachimura is arguably the NBA’s most popular rookie and
already one of the league’s most popular players regardless of experience. His adherents include about 127 million
people, the entire population of Japan.
“Rui
is huge right now,” Kyodo News reporter Akiko Yamawaki tells ESPN’s The
Undefeated. “He has television cameras following him everywhere. He’s just not
on the sport news, but he is even on the news in Japan during the daytime at 2
o’clock or 3 o’clock when only housewives are watching TV. I think most of
Japan knows who he is.
“When
you open the newspaper in Japan, he is there all the time now. Before, only
sports fans knew of him. Everybody knows (MLB superstars) Ichiro and Ohtani.
Now Hachimura, everybody knows.”
Earning
recognition domestically will be a much slower, more drawn-out process. But the
6-foot-8 Japan native took a step Monday when he was named to the All-NBA
Summer League Second Team. In his three
games, Hachimura averaged 19 points and seven rebounds.
Perhaps
not coincidentally, the Wizards were 2-1 with him and 0-2 without him.
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