Posted on August 6th, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
There’s no room for old habits in a new day.
The impulse to dismiss allegations of domestic abuse and sexual assault long has been standard operating procedure for those in power. Victims, fully aware that that forces were aligned against them, often wouldn’t bother to speak up. The brave souls who stepped forward could be summarily dismissed, victimizing them a second time.
College campuses have been prime breeding grounds for such indifference, deflection and rationalization. That’s how rape culture developed at places like Baylor while Michigan State harbored a monster like Larry Nassar. That’s how fanboy police officers and sympathetic prosecutors lean toward athletes, coaches and universities, instead of shaken young women who bring complaints.
Granted, these issues aren’t restricted to institutions of higher education. Violence against women is a deep-rooted societal concern that until recently wasn’t considered a full-fledged problem, because it barely affected men.
But, now, men are paying attention; their careers and seven-figure contracts are at risk.
Read more…
Posted on August 2nd, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
We can evolve over the course of our lives.
The Apostle Paul became a bedrock of the Christian faith after zealously persecuting Christians when he was known as Saul of Tarsus. Rosa Parks was a law-abiding seamstress who sat where she was told before demonstrating defiance that helped spark the Civil Rights Movement. Jeffrey Wigand willing accepted a tobacco company’s paychecks until his conscience led him to be a famous whistleblower.
George Bernard Shaw wrote that “progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” Our society was built on a series of faulty belief systems regarding race, gender and sexual orientation, and we haven’t fully dismantled them yet.
So old tweets shouldn’t be the concern. The Twitterverse contains an abundance of current content that’s still racist, still misogynistic and still homophobic.
Nationals shortstop Trea Turner – like Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb, Brewers pitcher Josh Hader, Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Bucks rookie Donte DiVencenzo before him – said his wrongheaded social media posts from the past don’t reflect him in the present.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had those views that people are saying about me,” Turner told reporters Tuesday.
For argument’s sake, let’s say the 25-year-old Turner actually held hateful views about women, homosexuals and people of color. Let’s say Hader was a genuine KKK sympathizer and DiVencenzo was an honest-to-goodness homophobe. Let’s say these athletes were one hundred percent authentic every time they sounded like hatemongers.
If that’s the case and their beliefs truly have evolved, we should be thankful.
But they need to pitch in and help transform group members left behind. Especially those who are suffering misshaped views in their formative years.
Hader attended high school in nearby Anne Arundel County, where the NAACP says black students at another school suffered daily abuse and humiliation this year. Jezebel.com noted that some of the vilest and virulent racist tweets following President Obama’s reelection came from teenagers.
Their accounts often featured imagery of their high schools’ sports teams.
Youthful ignorance and indiscretion account only for a portion. Some become grown-up bigots, evidenced by the surge in hate groups since November 2016. For every Turner, Hader and Allen who say they support racial equality and social justice, a number avowed supremacists spew invective, epithets and violent imagery.
For teenagers who think it’s a joke, perhaps athletes like Turner can convince them otherwise. Hateful words can cause hurt and pain, literally when they spur action.
“I think going forward I can do a lot more things,” Turner said. “I just need to assess what’s important to me, what can make the biggest difference.”
Speaking up is a great place to start.
Athletes shouldn’t stop at campaigns against domestic violence and bullying. They can support more than military veterans, animal rights and cancer research. Some of society’s most-pressing issues surface almost daily via Twitter or cellphone videos.
Flare-ups should be snuffed as quickly as they appear.
Cubs pitcher Jon Lester tweeted Monday that athletes should “scrub your account of anything you wouldn’t want plastered next to your face on the front of a newspaper. Better yet, don’t say stupid things in the first place. Too many young guys getting burned.”
Nationals reliever Sean Doolittle said social media can be great for athletes, helping them share their personalities and connect with community. He said the content of posts is more important than the dates it was posted. But aged content that doesn’t mesh with your current thought process should be deleted.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for personal growth in baseball,” Doolittle tweeted. “It’s entirely possible that those old posts no longer reflect that person’s views. But actions will speak louder than words.”
Silence speaks loudly, too.
Athletes like Turner and Hader shouldn’t wait until ancient social media posts are unearthed before declaring which side they’re on. Instead of being defined by old tweets, join the fight against real-time affronts all around us.
That means keeping the vileness off your steam, but also objecting when it comes into view through the news cycle or other people’s posts. That’s how athletes should use their platform, even though some fans prefer shut mouths (on certain issues). Doolittle wants to be heard on the matter.
“It’s a privilege to play in the major league and we have an obligation to leave the game better than we found it,” he tweeted. “There’s no place for racism, insensitive language or even causal homophobia.”
If you used to be that way but changed, say something when you see something.
Help enlighten someone else who’s still in the dark.
— Brooklyn-born and Howard-educated, Deron Snyder writes his award-winning column for The Washington Times on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Follow him on Twitter @DeronSnyder.
Posted on July 30th, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
The heart says no.
Don’t give up on the Nationals’ core. Resist the urge to be sellers as the MLB trade deadline approaches. If you must go down, do so fighting in possibly your last season with Bryce Harper.
The head says … I don’t know.
General manager Mike Rizzo has good reasons to listen as playoff-bound teams call him. He’s usually the person reaching out to also-rans, sniffing for their players who could make an immediate impact in Washington. Being on the receiving end of such inquiries must be difficult, especially when the Nats were considered World Series contenders entering the season.
This team was built to win, not surrender. It was supposed to capture its fifth NL East title in seven years and advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time. Rookie manager Dave Martinez was supposed to be an upgrade over Dusty Baker as the Nats de-emphasized gut decisions.
But what does the gut say about this?
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Posted on July 25th, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Imagine if your wife asked a younger, sexier, better-looking version of you to move into the basement.
That’s how starting quarterback Joe Flacco probably felt when the Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson, wondering how long before the rookie replaces him in the master bedroom.
The question is when, not if. But early reports suggest Flacco’s performance will improve, allowing him to retain his position one more season.
Read more…
Posted on July 23rd, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in the Washington Times)
Did you hear the one about the Florida man playing music in his garage? Police responded to a noise complaint and killed him – shooting through his closed garage door. A federal jury last month awarded the family $4 for its pain and suffering.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said the shooter “was placed in a very difficult situation, and like so many fellow law enforcement officers must do every day, he made the best decision he could for the safety of his partner, himself and the public given the circumstances he faced.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans heard about the case over the weekend and contributed $11,000 to a GoFundMe campaign for Gregory Hill’s family, including the three now-fatherless children.
Sadly, gross injustices such as Hill’s death don’t rile up folks nearly as much as NFL players’ symbolic gestures during the national anthem.
I understand if you’re tired of the ongoing debate on proper posture and policies during pregame proceedings. But the cause should be more tiresome and troubling than the effect. The same energy used to protest players who protest, should be directed at our nation’s systematic inequality.
Read more…
Posted on July 19th, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Terrell Owens is one of the greatest NFL receivers ever, period.
He’s also one of the strangest NFL players ever, period.
The latter has no bearing on the former, or at least it shouldn’t. But Owens continually proves he’s in a class by himself, which will be the case during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Aug. 4.
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Posted on July 12th, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
At least Damon Evans knew what he was getting into when he became Maryland’s new athletic director. He was elevated to the permanent position a couple of weeks ago, having spent the previous eight months in the role on an interim basis.
He wasn’t naïve about the challenges ahead and wasn’t blindsided by repercussions from the past. But events that transpired shortly before and after his promotion probably gave him more gray hair than existed when former AD Kevin Anderson stepped away in October.
Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jordan McNair experienced a health challenge during conditioning drills in late May and died on June 13. Evans had to address the tragedy then and he addressed it again during his introductory new conference.
“It has been a trying time,” he said. “When you deal with something as significant as a student-athlete passing away, it’s something that you just never imagine or expect to happen at your institution.”
Read more…
Posted on July 4th, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Once again, it’s time to check off some items on my “TIDU List” – Things I Don’t Understand:
*HOW OTHER NBA TEAMS CAN EMULATE GOLDEN STATE.
The Warriors embrace Gordon Gekko’s philosophy: “Greed is good.” The record for victories in a season and a championship the next year wasn’t enough. Adding a league MVP (Kevin Durant) didn’t suffice, either. Now, after back-to-back titles, the Warriors have bolstered their portfolio with All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. Here’s a message to envious opponents, amid complaints that Golden State is ruining the league:
Develop three home-grown All-NBA players and then we’ll listen.
*WHY THE NATIONALS CAN’T CATCH A BREAK.
Considered a virtual lock to win a third consecutive NL East title, the Nationals could miss the second wild card at this rate. Injuries and slumps keep arising at the most inopportune moments. The former caused starter Erick Fedde to exit Wednesday’s game in the second inning; the latter has led to a 6-18 record since the Capitals won the Stanley Cup.
Maybe DC’s sports curse hasn’t given up the ghost yet.
*HOW MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL CAN IGNORE ITS DOLDRUMS.
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Posted on July 2nd, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
You can’t say the NBA was hurting with LeBron James in Cleveland.
Nearly every measure was up last season, including attendance, TV ratings, merchandise, and streaming. The league dominates social media like none other. And the average franchise value is at an all-time high.
James apparently could’ve played in Memphis or Salt Lake City without losing any personal wattage or reducing his marketing value to the NBA. Lesser stars can do quite well on both counts in markets smaller than Cleveland, like Anthony Davis in New Orleans and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.
We’re long past the time when high profiles and national appeal were constricted outside of major metropolitan areas, particularly New York and Los Angeles. Oakland and Oklahoma City are home to some of basketball’s biggest personalities. San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard could be on that list, too, if he ever opened his mouth.
But despite the league’s ability to market players in any city, and players’ ability to promote themselves via the Internet, nothing really compares to luminaries joining the Lakers.
Hollywood has a knack for drawing the brightest stars and James is just the latest.
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Posted on June 28th, 2018
By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
Imagine you’re Doc Rivers arriving home Tuesday night.
“Hi honey, how was work?” asks your wife, Kristen.
“Fine,” you say. “Nothing out of the ordinary … except we traded Austin.”
The Rivers’ next family reunion might be a little awkward when dad bumps into the son he coached with the Los Angeles Clippers. But the business of pro sports respects no bonds, blood or otherwise.
“We experienced a lot of success with Austin and are grateful for his contributions during his four seasons with the club,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “The Clippers wish Brittany and Austin all the best in Washington.
The first father-son, coach-player relationship in NBA history has ended, highlighting the fact that Doc Rivers no longer calls the shots for the Clippers. He was relieved of those duties last summer.
Meanwhile, Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld continues at the helm in D.C., and the Austin Rivers trade joins a long list of moves that follow the same pattern: Misstep. Misstep. Recover. Repeat.
Acquiring Rivers falls between the gaps. The combo guard undeniably creates greater flexibility for a constipated roster that included Marcin Gortat, Ian Mahinmi and Jason Smith. Sending Gortat to the Clippers was a much-needed movement, but the other two blockages remain.
Unfortunately, neither Mahinmi nor Smith can adequately fill the hole at starting center; they’re borderline as effective backups.
Read more…
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