Kaepernick
There are a lot of folks who do not like Stephen A. Smith. He’s loud, over the top and the face of the arguing sports broadcast that fills a lot of the platforms of today.
Smith is really good at his gig in my view. One of the best in fact, especially when you considering the amount of hot takes he offers in his five hours of air time per weekday.
And one of the things that we appreciate about Smith is that he takes a hard stand on his view. Popular or not, expected or not, dude is set.
Here’s the latest example in which Smith rightly is offended by any comparisons between Colin Kaepernick and Jackie Robinson.
Well-said Stephen A. Well-bleepin’-said.
Man, this Kaepernick in a Kunta Kinte T-shirt last week now tweeting Robinson’s quote on not standing for the flag who is advising the former NFL quarterback? Seriously?
What a terrible optic. Robinson, who was celebrated Sunday by the MLB on the 71st anniversary of his debut that broke the color line in the national pastime, which back then really was the national pastime, was an all-time American hero. Period. End of discussion.
And comparing anything of today’s society to that which Robinson faced after he returned from World War II is comical, ill-advised, offensive and just plain stupid.
In truth, all Kaepernick did was tweet the quote, and a lot of other folks are trying to connect the terms in their stance and their protests, but man, what a reach of epic purport ions.
And as Stephen A. said, if it was just a simple reminder of Sunday’s meaning, well, that’s his right and a good message. But again, who is advising him because a much better message would have been Kaep using Kaep’s words and saying, “Happy Jackie Robinson Day A reminder of a man who made so much possible for so many and left a great legacy to follow” or something of that ilk.
Keep’s Tweet may not have been used to compare himself to Robinson, but it certainly looks like he is trying to compare the stance and the situations. And that’s simply ludicrous.
Again, here’s Stephen A’s words: “For those out there who are trying to martyr him to the point where you think for one second you think he needs to be mentioned in the same breath as Jackie Robinson, you need to pump the damn brakes.”
In this April 8, 2013, file photo, Louisville players and head coach Rick Pitino celebrate after defeating Michigan 82-76 in the championship of the Final Four in the NCAA college basketball tournament in Atlanta. Louisville must vacate its 2013 men’s basketball title following an NCAA appeals panel’s decision to uphold sanctions against the men’s program for violations committed in a sex scandal. The Cardinals will have to vacate 123 victories including the championship, and return millions in postseason revenue. The decision announced on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, by the governing body’s Infraction Appeals Committee ruled that the NCAA has the authority to take away championships for what it considers major rule violations. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, File)Siena and Pitino?
Yes, the question mark is there, but the original reports claimed that Rick Pitino was interested in the Siena job over the weekend.
The Saints were 8-24 – the most losses in program history – and their coach resigned last Friday.
Then friends of Pitino (if he has any that is maybe colleagues is better) told reporters that Pitino would,
a) Love to coach the Saints;
b) Love to sit down and talk with the Saints;
c) Expects to coach again at some level.
Pitino denied the report – texting the word “Nope” to a Louisville Courier-Journal reporter when asked if he was interested – but here’s a belief that if Siena offered, Pitino would jump at that offer in 15 seconds.
This leaves us with a few questions.
Should Pitino get a chance at another college job that falls under the NCAA umbrella?
There’s no possible way with his baggage any high school could hire him right? Because if you say yes, imagine The Baylor School running out of the hallway with Pitino leading the charge.
If he wants to coach, is the best path back to the bench being an NBA assistant?
If Siena did hire him, do you think, he’d have the Saints in the tournament in two seasons?
Luke List watches his shot from the 17th tee during the first round of the Honda Classic golf tournament Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)Golf shots
First, kudos to Luke List continuing his climb, we discussed it some Monday, but another top-five finish (his third this season) moved him to 11th in the Fed Ex Points. (As a reminder if he could continue the run, winning the Fed Ex title is worth $10 million.) Here’s TFP all-around ace David Paschall’s latest update on List.
Then there are the shots Patrick Reed is taking for wearing his green jacket. Everywhere. Someone on social media asked if this was like the guy who graduated three years ago wearing his letter jacket to the high school parties.
In truth, no, this is what Masters champs do. Sergio wore his to Wimbledon. Mickelson wore his to Krispy Kreme and reportedly kept it at times in his golf bag in case he needed the intimidation factor in a big-money game.
Reed is getting heat because Reed is not a really likable champ. And you know what?
That could be great for the game of golf. A true villain. Maybe he could refuse to play in the Ryder Cup and show up supporting the Euro team. True wrestling heel type stuff. Because since fan is the root of fanatic, a strong rooting interest – positive or negative – is a great thing for every sport. Anyone who gives the casual fan a rooting interest is a gift whether it’s cheers to hisses, because rooting against someone can be every bit as strong as rooting for someone. (Ask a Johnny Vols Football Fan if they spent more energy cheering against Alabama than they did cheering for UT in the last seven years or so.)
And then there’s the death shot, golf version. Here’s a story on Kelly Kraft missing the cut at the Heritage by a shot after taking a double bogey on Friday when his ball struck a bird in flight. On Friday the 13th. (Insert creepy whistle here.)
Kraft brings up a fair point that if he had hit a power line, he could have re-teed, but the rules of golf say that if it’s God made – seriously – then you have to keep playing. (Wonder if Kraft could have proved that the bird may have been genetically cloned?)
And since PETA has to do PETA things, they told Kraft to practice more in order to protect birds everywhere.
PUH-lease. This is such a freaky incident that telling Kraft to work on his game is like telling that lady at the Mapco if she practiced at picking lottery numbers maybe she wouldn’t waste all her money.
This and that
– Former Braves pitcher Blaine Boyer helped the Royals team bus driver after ice broke the windshield and cut the driver’s face. The real news here is Boyer is still in the big leagues at 36 after making the K.C. roster out of spring training. His 23.14 ERA in 4.2 innings means he’s ben more productive in the front row of the buss than with his toe on the rubber.
– Bryce Harper hit a 406-foot homer – his MLB-leading eighth – on Monday. Well, Harper homers are not exactly “Man bites dog” type of stories. This one cleared the right-center-field fence on a swing that also broke Harper’s bat. Amazing power. And while we love the Ohtani story, Harper’s monster start in a contract year that could net him a $400 million deal is another great storyline to follow. With eight homers in 54 at-bats, Harper’s on a pace according to ESPN, to clock 76 homers and drive in 162 runs and amazingly walk 200 times.
– We know I’m a LeBron homer, right? Well, you have to wonder if Team LeBron is wondering is “The Shop” – the barber shop setting for a talk show featuring LeBron – is worth it. It’s on the interwebs and there has been two episodes. Now, after James and Co. were sued by a company that was edited from the final version of the production, there have also been two lawsuits in regard to the project. Maybe it’s time to just ‘cut’ this whole idea. Could ‘shave’ some money. Thoughts?
– Speaking of the NBA playoffs, when asked what got into him on Monday, Dwyane Wade told the ESPN sideline reporter, “Kevin Hart.” Hart, the diminutive and trash-talking actor was courtside in 76ers gear, obviously heckling Wade. Wade responded with 28 points in 26 minutes off the bench as the Heat toppled Philly to even the series at 1.
– Here’s an update on Doug Adler, the ESPN tennis commentator who was fired for his controversial assessment of Venus Williams’ style of tennis.
– And from the files of do what I say and not what I do, Hugh Freeze will return to Tampa in the coming weeks to speak to a Christian conference on manhood. Tampa, of course, was the locale of the escort service that Freeze called several times. Maybe that speech on manhood is not exactly what the conference is expecting after all. Wonder if Hugh is going to bring visual aides. Maybe a power point?
– Want to know the depths to which the ESPN vehicle “Get Up!” has fallen in the first two weeks? Buckle up and know this: The show, which has almost $15 million in salary for its three hosts, averaged fewer than 300,000 viewers in the first two weeks. ESPN’s coverage of the recent WNBA draft averaged 303,000 viewers for that broadcast. Egad.
Today’s question
It’s a Tuesday.
True or false, the NCAA should issue a 10-year show cause on Rick Pitino.
True or false, if you were Sienna and completely forgettable as an athletic program, you would be intrigued by hiring Rick Pitino.
True or false Colin Kaepernick will take another NFL snap.
As for birthdays, Jennifer Garner (46) and Victoria Beckham (45) celebrate today.
Benjamin Franklin died on this day in 1790.
Let’s go there. Rushmore of most influential Americans who were never president.
Go.