Finneran: From the World of Sports

Friday, November 08, 2019

Tom Finneran, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

PHOTO: Keith Allison/Wikipedia

A few thoughts on the world of sports:

*From Gary Washburn’s “Basketball” column in last Sunday’s Globe:

“The subject that will hover over the team this season is Antetokounmpo’s contract status. He will be a free agent after the 2020-21 season, but the Bucks intend to offer him the super-max extension of five years and $ 250 million dollars this summer. Antetokounmpo is worth the money……………..”

Young Giannis is a fabulous basketball player and no one should begrudge him his due. But this--$ 250 million over five years--- is evidence of a greatly confused society. The neurosurgeon who saves your life probably cannot dunk a basketball like Lebron or fire a slapshot like Ovechkin. But what’s he worth to the society at large? The doctor’s life, your life, or your child’s life seems somewhat more important than Giannis and his points per game. Your children’s teachers are more important too.

*Also in last Sunday’s Globe, there appeared an appalling story about high school referees giving up their duties based upon the vitriol of hostile parents. Abusive parents and hyped up coaches are not good role models for young student-athletes. The referees bear the brunt of frustrated wanna-be parents who see their little Johnny as Division 1 scholarship material.

The Globe reports that “longtime game officials trace the problem to the coarsening of public discourse, and a culture that increasingly tolerates cursing in public settings and makes sport of character attacks.” As noted, we are a very confused society with badly misplaced values. Screaming parents impart no lessons in sportsmanship. They can ruin practices, games, and a kid’s life itself in pursuit of some elusive and fleeting glory days. We’re talking about kids playing games and having fun……….can’t the parents just cheer?

With regard to the coarsening of public discourse, the Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy recently reminisced about the good old days, when the word “sucks” was never uttered in public or in mixed company. Dan is old school and so am I. I hate that word and the grandchildren get Papa’s death stare if they use it.

*From Peter Abraham’s “Baseball” column in last Sunday’s Globe we get this revelation:

“An Astros staffer asked Gerrit Cole (star pitcher) if he would speak to reporters after Game 7 of the World Series. “I’m not employed by the team,” said Cole, who became a free agent when the season ended. Cole grudgingly agreed to the interview but first put on a cap with the logo his agent, Scott Boras, uses for his company……………

Wow, what a loyal guy! Such a thoughtful and considerate response. Astros fans have paid his enormous and soon-to-grow salary. Little kids have bought his jerseys. He seems utterly indifferent to all of that. Obnoxious too. What a jerk.

Why fans get caught up in “their” team and “their” stars is bewildering. One can certainly admire the skills on display, but one should always remember that it’s all about the money, nothing more and nothing less. As Abraham noted, all 30 teams would take Cole in a second.

Take a walk, rake the leaves, and keep the world of sports in perspective.

Tom Finneran is the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, served as the head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and was a longstanding radio voice in Boston radio.