Controversial stats or flawed basis
OK, in a society state in which politics has overlapped almost every aspect and avenue of interest, we have tried to keep this space relatively free of the fray.
One of the ways we try to do that is to connect the stories of the day to the sports world more times than not. Still, we do not think athletes should "shut up and dribble" and we think sports journalists carry an important perspective on an array of social issues.
This is one of the times for the latter.
The New York Times came out with a stats-based story that blacks in the Big Apple are being arrested eight times more frequently than whites on low-level marijuana charges.
The Times explored and refuted the reasoning offered by New York police representatives. OK.
Here is another theory that could help explain the disparity, and this has been told to me by at least a half dozen former high-level athletes who also happened to be black:
Young black men view pot the way young white men view beer. One is legal, one is still illegal in most states.
These conversations with college and pro athletes came after they failed drug tests. And while some folks may have viewed them as excuses, we always remembered that line of thinking.
Wish someone had raised that idea to the New York Times. Heck, maybe the numbers are completely true and there is a Big Blue conspiracy to arrest every black man in NYC.
Still, the thought of usage rates rather than stereotypes is not as clear as a pie chart or power point. And that's somewhat disappointing and potentially damaging.
Because the allegations or the insinuations of racism that could ring hollow truly devalue real cases and situations of racism.
FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 25, 2017, file photo, the Dallas Cowboys, led by owner Jerry Jones, center, take a knee prior to the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz. What began more than a year ago with a lone NFL quarterback protesting police brutality against minorities by kneeling silently during the national anthem before games has grown into a roar with hundreds of players sitting, kneeling, locking arms or remaining in locker rooms, their reasons for demonstrating as varied as their methods. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)NFL decision
And here we are. After floating the worst possible "solution" late Tuesday night, the NFL voted to implement fines on teams and clubs for players who protest during the national anthem.
The NFL said the vote was unanimous from all representatives. That sounds tidy, but after the announced policy change the New York Jets Johnson-in-charge said the team would pay the players' fines.
Let's start there. If one team is paying the players' fines, how long before most of the teams are ponying up the protest penalties? (Think the "support" of the Jets will be lost among players or free agents? Neither do I.)
The entire scenario is puzzling, and as we mentioned Wednesday, screams of terrible leadership and mismanagement on an organizational level.
How did no one think of this:
Hey, guys, we are the NFL. Most popular game in the nation. We have a few issues we need to address. Of all of them, the anthem thing should be first and if handled right, an easy win.
Let's start by contacting the players association. They are our partners in revenue sharing, and the protests are hurting the bottom line today and, if they continue, will hurt the bottom line even more in years to come when the TV deals come open to renegotiation.
Presented properly, the NFLPA certainly has to understand the importance of properly handling this, right? The league and the teams donated almost $100 million to charitable organizations to help with the perpetual search for equality.
And imagine how much more powerful the imagine of Goodell announcing the changes in policy with players on the podium?
The NFL needed to address this. And we all have workplace rules and requirements that somehow limit or infringe on our inherit freedoms. (Granted not all of us work in places with unions and work-place details that are collectively bargained.)
Still, the staggering thing about all of this - and the actual definition and depiction of how mismanaged this was - is that this solution actually frustrates and angers both sides of the debate.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James sits on the scorer's table during a timeout in the first half in Game 2 of the team's NBA basketball Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics, Tuesday, May 15, 2018, in Boston. At left is teammate JR Smith. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) LeBron let down
Yes, as a bona fide LeBron fan boy, we were hoping for more.
For more of a competitive game.
For more of a dramatic final five minutes, in which the outcome matched the pregame stakes.
For more from every Cavs player wearing any number other than 23.
And for more from LeBron.
We'll start with the last one, and this is very high praise, but if any dude in any playoff game anywhere went 26-10-5 and scored more points than his teams other starters combined, we'd be talking about his strong game.
With James, we're wondering what went wrong. That's the level of excellence James has set and maintained. And fair or not, 26-10-5 - and yes, Stewwie, the six turnovers (many of them sloppy) and the awful plus/minus - from James will mean almost certain defeat with these Cavs.
While James will be the talking point for a lot of folks, the youthful Celtics have become very tough at home. Jayson Tatum looked the part of a guy who could be the best player on an NBA champion.
And that friends, regardless of whether the Celtics get to the Finals or not, is the biggest takeaway for those who love the Green.
How many players in today's NBA out there are guys we know are A-level players on a championship team.
James. Durant. Curry. Those three have done it.
I think Anthony Davis is one of those guys.
I think Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo could be that guy.
Who else? Not many. Kyrie and James Harden are defensive liabilities, but we could see someone making the case for those guys.
Kawhi Leonard maybe? Russell Westbrook? Don't think so.
Tatum has that look. Dude is 20 and was a killer last night. He was the best player on the floor and LeBron James was on the same floor.
In the end though, the Celtics were better. And tougher.
And they are one win away the Finals - something that appears to be a common occurrence for the foreseeable future with talents like Tatum on the roster.
This and that
- Braves played. Braves lost. It happens. It's baseball
- So Stewwie's pick that the home teams sweep Game 5 is half way home. Golden State at Houston tonight. More pressure on which team?
- Cox News announced that it was closing the websites under the SEC Country umbrella. Tough blow for those folks. Tough time to be in the media BID-ness.
- Washington got to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history with a Game 7 win at Tampa Bay on Wednesday night. It's been more than 15,000 days since the Capitals played their first game in October 1974, The Caps will play Las Vegas, which has been a franchise for 229 days and will make its Stanley Cup debut.
Today's question
Game 5 tonight. Who has the most pressure, team and player?
As for today, May 24, let's look.
In 1830, "Mary Had a Little Lamb" was first published.
In 1844, Samuel Morse wrote the first message - "What hath God wrought" - in the first telegraph message ever sent. It was written in some form of code.
John C. Reilly is 53. Joe Dumars is 55. Gary (Radar from M*A*S*H) Burgoff is 75. Bob Dylan is 77 today. If we did a Rushmore of "How in then world are they still alive, Dylan is right behind Keith Richards, right?
Who makes that Rushmore? (And remember the mailbag.)