Chasing the Blues

Obama's Beer Blast Leaves Flat Taste

Of course, I wish President Obama well, but the beer party with Henry Louis Gates and Sgt. Crowley, along with Joe Biden, struck me as inane. The leader of the free world is having an afternoon beer blast to settle a local police matter? I have nothing against guys getting together to drink beer, but the president of the United States doing it?  This is really small beer.

...Since I've gone this far, I suppose I must weigh in on the matter - I side with Gates. As Christopher Hitchens said, an American shouldn't be arrested at his own home for saying something to a cop, no matter how vile. It's a freedom of speech issue. And all of this happened in the region of the Boston Tea Party.

 ...Afghanistan is quickly turning into a quagmire. And what is our vital interest there? To find Bin Laden? To stop the Taliban from overthrowing our corrupt clients in Kabul? To stop future terrorist attacks? Obama's war is as shaky as Bush's in Iraq

 ...Another return to downtown Atlanta. Walking through Underground toward the Five Points MARTA station, I enjoyed the urban street energy, despite being accosted, politely, by several street people asking for money. But the memory of a recent visit to San Francisco left me decrying how far Atlanta falls short of true urban buzz. Buried deep inside the New York Times was an interesting story on how small businesses in New Orleans are forming organizations to promote themselves and are joining in cooperatives, etc. I was skeptical, considering New Orleans' poverty, crime and other woes, but I also applauded such innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, which seems to have lagged in Atlanta in recent years, just as the population booms and folks return to the inner city. It often feels as if whatever happens in the city occurs spontaneously, without any direction from the mayor or other leaders, or significant ideas or innovations to promote economic growth. I've heard a lot of plans and so forth, but very litle follow through. And, initiatives like those in New Orleans are in short supply. Shirley Franklin's once promising administration is ending with huge disappointment. Well, at least we'll have the beltline, in 30 years or so, if we're not totally dry by then. And many Atlantans, such as me, will probably be long gone by then.

The Wind Wasn't Even Blowing Out at Wrigley Field

Like many others, I love watching games from Wrigley Field on Chicago's WGN. Day games are better, since night games seem to last an eternity, more exhausting than thrilling.

Last night, I caught a strange game in which my Houston Astros at last bested the Cubs, by 11-6. The wind wasn't even blowing out, and the contest turned into one of those crazy Wrigley offensive shows. As I said, such contests are better during the day than at night, especially since Chicago's on central time and the games linger on toward midnight here in the East. Roy Oswalt left early with a back injury, as seems to happen everytime I've watched him pitch the past few years. Then the Astros had to bring in a reliever, who one inning had five walks, and on and on. 

While watching the Cubs, I kept switching back and forth to catch the Braves battle the Marlins in the Marlins' makeshift ball park, now called Land Shark Field for some reason. I kept wondering why the Braves' Bobby Cox wore a catcher's mitt throughout the game. At last the announcers explained that the dugout is very close to the batter's box, leading to the risk of buzzing foul balls, and that many dugouts now have some kind of protective screen. Whatever, Bobby looked strange standing there with his catcher's mitt.

Switching back and forth between the two games, I kept just missing home runs, but unfortunately, I caught the last one, off the Braves' usual reliable closer Soriano, which gave the Marlins a win. One other nugget of news: it's 193 days until the Marlins get a new stadium, hopefully one that will not be such a hazard to opposing teams, and they will then be called the Miami Marlins. A bit too many M sounds for my taste, but I hope the ballpark attracts more fans. The Braves announcer said first baseman Casey Kochman might have lost a grounder in the lights, and I said, "huh?" and then the announcer explained that Land Shark Field has odd lights, designed for football. I suppose this is old Joe Robbie stadum. Anyway, the lights make the field look spooky, even in HD, and the half-filled seats make the stadium cavernous. 

Of course, we all liked the old days better, in the heyday of Harry Carey and Jimmy Piersall, who actually began doing White Sox games. (I remember hearing Harry doing St. Louis Cardinals games on the radio, and watching the nutty Piersall play). Following Harry's tradition, the Cubs now bring out some celebrity of sorts to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the seventh inning stretch. Now, along with the avuncular and weirdly cheerful Bob Brenley, the Cubs have some play-by-play man with the generic voice that proliferates across the major leagues. In fact, he's pretty indistinguishable from the locquacious person who does Braves games now. Now, I know how it feels to experience double Carey nostalgia, for Harry and his son Skip. Nothing made a warm dog days night in Atlanta come alive more than switching on a Braves game on the rado, and hearing Skip's world weary voice. Now, I can't even remember the Braves' announcer's name, nor do I know that of the guy with the Cubs, though they sound the same, generic.   

Cultural Notes as the Dog Days Slink Toward Us

Elisabeth Rosenthal's piece in last Saturday's New York Times on how global warming is destroying the lives of indigenous people showed the classic virtues of old-style global journalism. The Times is one of the last newspapers or magazines left that go into remote corners of the world to show how a different culture is relevant to our lives.

The piece showed how a primitive tribe's existence is threatened by the loss of fish in the Amazon basin. Some of the details were a bit hazy: the tribe apparently lives on Amazon tributaries where the amount of fish has declined because of deforestation and global warming. The precise location of these rivers remained unclear. Also, the piece doesn't give details about how the loss of fish occurred. Did the fish migrate to cooler Amazon areas? Were there massive fish kills? Or did the tribe's catches left too few fish, which couldn't replenish themselves? The story also jumps to indigenous Eskimos near the Arctic whose traditional hunting, fishing and trading are threatened by the melting of rivers that served as frozen roads. But the piece doesn't make clear whether Rosenthal also reported on the Eskimos, or if another reporter did that part of the story.

But overall, the piece points to the reality of global warming. The indigenous people, like the proverbial canary in the coalmine, are an early warning indicator that global warming endangers the entire world. Those global warming deniers would ignore such striking evidence. Meanwhile, leaders of the United States and the rest of the world continue to dither and delay taking meaningful action to stop global warming. An orchestra of Neros makes discordant music while the world burns.

...I picked up the Atlantic's special fiction issue, giving whatever support I can to the preservation of mainstream fiction. I found distasteful the magazine's self-promotion about how the fiction issue shows the Atlantic's support of the short story. By not publishing fiction on a regular basis, and publishing just a few stories once a year, the magazine's statement is that the short story is a museum piece, not a vibrant, vital part of our culture. ...The magazine also hails Michael Curtis, the magazine's fiction editor for 50 years. Mr. Curtis is the embodiment of literary culture, and is rightly lauded. Unfortunately, I didn't find his story selections for the special issue compelling. The stories seemed to me contrived, artificial, overwrought. Placing a few stories in one issue makes their deficiencies more glaring, and limits the number of writers having their work in print. Curtis mainly chooses from many of the usual suspects of American writing. Tim O'Brien contributes a bizarre essay on the moldy subject of imagination in fiction. But hey, fiction lovers, don't let me stop you from plucking down a few bucks to support the Atlantic's annual fiction horn-tooting.

...This summer, I am enjoying Joe Queenan's memoir, "Closing Time." Queenan's look back on growing up poor in Philadelphia with a mean, alcoholic father paints a memorable picture of Irish-Catholic culture beset by change and conflict in the late '50s and early '60s. The heartbreak and despair are lifted by tributes to the small triumphs of the human spirit. The book is very funny, but the laughter brings me close to tears.

...I've become hung on "Hung." Before the new HBO series began, I thought the premise dubious, but the stories and the fine acting, led by Thomas Jane and Jane Adams, have captivated me. The series gives a refreshing view of Detroit, focusing on a struggling white middle class. ...I've also liked the new "Entourage" series, as it's built momentum after a slow start. But I'm still refusing to join the "True Blood" cult as even some of my most reliable friends and family members have succumbed to the vampire's bite.

...Mark Buerhle's recent perfect game had me looking back at others in major league history. One stood out: thrown by Sandy Koufax in September 1965. In the 1-0 Los Angeles Dodgers victory, Cubs pitcher Ray Handley threw a one-hitter, but the Dodgers' one hit didn't figure in the outcome. The Dodgers run was unearned, coming off a walk, a sacrifice bunt, a steal of third, and an error. The two base runners for the entire game set a major league record. Such games led to the lowering of the pitcher's mound, but it must have been something to see.

Buehrle Reaches Perfection

As I listened to the usual Fox News pundit blah, blah, blah, I saw the crawler beneath the screen: a perfect game for the White Sox' Mark Buehrle. The news of Buehrle's feat lifted my spirits: a perfect game is one of those sports moments that inspire wonder and admiration. Immediately, one looks to see who the other team was. A team like the Royals would make it less impressive, but Buerhrle pulled it off against the outstanding Rays.

The no-hit, no-run, no-error, no-walk, no reached on a missed third strike game reiterates one reason why baseball is special: does any other sport have a measure of perfection? I suppose one could have a perfect football game, in which a defense would stop an offense for no yards on every play, but that would never happen in the real world. Golf has par, but that's a median score. In baseball, perfection is possible. Of course, even that measure is imperfect, for a pitcher generally has to rely on good plays by his fielders to achieve a perfect game, as happened with Buehrle. The true perfect game would be 27 straight strikeouts, but even that would rely on the catcher nabbing every third strike. 

Baseball even has a standard for offensive perfection: hitting for the cycle, but that happens quite often compared with a pitcher's perfect game. Buehrle's feat has only been done 18 times out of the millions of major league games played.  But even that small number shows that in baseball, perfection is not a hypothetical, unreachable standard. In baseball, perfection is possible. 

SEC Football Towers Over All

Southeastern Conference football boasted of its rich TV contracts in kicking off another season with media days. With billions from ESPN, CBS and others, the SEC struts, the king of the nation.

While the sports pages are packed with nuggets highlighting the SEC's gaudy wealth, the news pages (yes, I still read the papers) are stocked with news of budget shortfalls, furloughs of teachers and other state workers, and Southern states' dismal performance in health, education and social well-being.

As a longtime SEC football fan, I don't begrudge the league's success. But the league's riches jarringly contrast with the region's poverty. As millions suffer across Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi, at least they can watch another season of bands, cheerleaders, big crowds, garish colors, and topflight flootball, if they can afford an increasingly exorbitant ticket or a HD TV.  In the South, nothing eases the pain like football.

Obama Can Get on Course

The Obama administration is already hitting the shoals. The continued bad economy, with scarce jobs, saps the great outpouring of hope after his election victory and inauguration. Now the toxic cloud of misinformation, fear and scare tactics and bloviating weighs down the health care reform.

The health care plan shows that the Congress/administration can no longer reach bipartisan agreement on an issue. I remember a time, perhaps the last time the Nixon administration, when both parties could get together and pass significant legislation, such as creation of the EPA. Obama early in his administration attempted to reach out to the GOP, but his efforts faltered.

The administration does appear hampered by a lack of follow through. The stimulus plan's promise has slowly dissipated in laggard spending and lack of focus. Now issues are muddled with health care.

One thing that has hurt the health care plan is the lack of a strong, recognized advocate. Tom Daschle would have been a good point man, but his nomination to the post was scuttled. Ted Kennedy is on the sidelines. Perhaps Hillary would have taken up the mantle, had she remained in the Senate, although her identification with the failed Clinton plan might have been too much baggage. Nancy Pelosi has championed the House plan, but she's such an ideological lightning rod that anything she promotes instantly draws reactive fire.

An improved economy would of course boost Obama tremendously. Perhaps the stimulus will start firing through the fall. A strong health reform law would also help.

Through thick and thin, Obama keeps up his relentless schedule of media appearances. He is undoubtedly overextending himself. More lasered focus and targeted scheduling will allow the adminstration to get on track. And avoid any speeches suggesting the country's malaise.

Watson Shines at British Open

Tom Watson's gallant British Open effort joins the great golf stories. Following the example of Jack Nicklaus' grace when Nicklaus lost to Watson in the 1977 "duel in the sun" at Turnberry, the 59-year-old Watson exemplified the game's competiveness and sportsmanship. I felt the pain of Watson's coming so close, but was glad to see Stewart Cink take a major. ...It was a relief not to have Tiger Woods around. The tournament proved that the game is bigger than Tiger, who gave a disappointing display of bad sportsmanship in missing the cut. On the ninth tee, he slammed his driver into the ground, leaving a big gash, then flung the driver against his bag. Tiger may end up winning more majors than anyone, but he will never be as great a champion as Nicklaus and Watson unless he can develop more class...I used to like Rick Reilly's Sports Ilustrated columns, but his "essays" for ABC-ESPN are grating, overwrought and cliche-ridden. On Saturday, he dredged up the old howler of comparing Watson to Huck Finn. At least I give him credit for pointing out Woods' bad sportsmanship...Curtis Strange's hyberbolic comments and Mike Tirico's bland, uninspired commentary also annoyed. If anything, Strange and Paul Azinger showed how good NBC's Johnny Miller is. But, I didn't miss CBS' Nick Faldo.  

Public Universities Under the Gun

Like other college football fans, I'm excited about the opening of training camps in about two weeks. As the anticipation grows for a new season, though, I'm concerned about major budget cuts at big state schools.

The University of California, Louisiana State and Florida are among football powers whose academic programs have been severely cut because of state budget shortages. I'm sure other state schools have had to lay off staff, close departments, reduce the number of professors, accept fewer graduate students and so on. 

College football programs have also faced cutbacks from the recession, I'm sure. I know the demand for season tickets has fallen off at the University of Georgia. And I'm too much of a college football fan to harumph about the tail wagging the dog. But I do think the country ought to worry about a serious decline in our public education system.

Elementary and secondary education have long lagged, but the public universities, along with our strong private schools, have been the best in the world. Our universities attract the best talent from around the world, and have been the strongest engines of state economies. Governors and legislators love to show up at football games and pal around with coaches, but then quickly cut university academic budgets. This short-sighted attitude will lead to further economic and cultural decline for our country.

President O'Bama in calling for his economic stimulus package emphasized aid to elementary and secondary schools, which is badly needed. He should also look at boosting federal aid to our public universities, long the pride of America and the envy of the world.

The Midsummer Classic An Extrav-Obama

Another all-star game comes and goes. Once again, I fall asleep before the game is over, although later I learn the contest actually finished in two hours. ... Waking up Wednesday morning, I was thrilled that my AJC sports section had the wrapup of the game, another American League victory... I'm always thrilled to see the all-stars standing along the third- and first-base foul lines, and the starters trotting out when their names are announced. However, I'm now unfamiliar with many of the players.

 The other day, the Major League Baseball network broadcast the 1971 all-star game from old Tiger Stadium in Detroit, and I knew virtually every player. Back then, the National League was dominant, and the guys wore their pants high above their stirrups, which is how is should be. Last night, when the guys were running out, I noticed that everyone had his pants down over the shoes. ...One thrill from that 1971 game - seeing Roberto Clemente smash a home run. They showed Clemente's shot on instant replay, and color man Tony Kubek commented on how he hit it off his front foot. At contact, the right-handed Clemente had lifted his back foot off the ground, and all of his weight was on his front, left, foot, and he got much of his power from his arms and wrists, lashing Mickey Lolich's pitch into the upper right field deck. Kubek pointed out that Hank Aaron hit like that too....Harmon Killebrew also had a homer.

 ...As I was watching the 1971 all-star game, I kept switching over the the NFL Network, showing the 1979 Super Bowl game. Both were called by NBC star Curt Gowdy. I liked Curt all right, but he had some curious gaps in his calling of both games. On one sequence, the Pittsburgh Steelers called a running play, but then were inexplicably penalized. All these years later, I heard the whistle blow, but Gowdy apparently didn't. At last he said, "Pittsburgh penalized for delay of game," with no further explanation about why or how. It made no difference since Franco Harris scored on the next play on a 25-yard burst. Gowdy's voice hardly changed register.

 ...Back to the 2009 game, I thought the Obama appearance was curious. First, in the lockerroom meeting the players, Obama seemed to enjoy twisting the knife a little, pointing out to Derek Jeter how he was now one of the oldest players in the room, and razzing Albert Pujols for losing the home run contest to Prince Fielder. I was surprised the players didn't ask him about how much they are going to be taxed in the health plan, since they are undoubtedly among the highest earners in America, outside of the Goldman Sachs infield. Perhaps that's why Obama appeared a bit nervous ...I first thought Obama did a good job throwing out the first pitch, but each replay I see he looks wimpier. With his jeans and White Sox jacket, he looked like a high school kid, and his big lollipop to Pujols barely reached the plate...I guess he threw like a community organizer ... I'd love to see Michelle Obama throw one - I bet she has a good heater...For that matter, Sarah Palin could probably uncork a wild one also...And then, in the interview with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, Buck asked him if he could stay another half-inning. Obama turned and said his aides were giving him the wrap up sign. The most powerful man in the world can't stay for another half inning? Obviously, he's not as big a baseball fan as he was trying to make himself out to be, or he was uncomfortable even with Buck and McCarver's softball questions. In contrast, they couldn't get George W. Bush to shut up when he went to a game late in his adminstration and showed up in the press box. I remember him staying on and on, chattering about baseball and Little League games on the White House lawn and so forth. ...In the interview, Obama tried to forestall any criticism of his girlish throw by pointing out he never played organized baseball as a kid. Basketball guys do look awkward throwing a baseball, as Bob Ryan pointed out on PTI before the game.

...I enjoyed seeing Stan Musial, who looked alert and healthy at age 88. Musial, one of the great stars of the game from the late '40s through the early '60s, has been neglected,  with more attention paid to guys like Joe DiMaggio, Aaron, Ted Williams Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, although Musial can stand with anyone as a hitter...  One of my prized possessions is an autographed photo of "Stan the Man," and I saw him play in my first major league series. My father (a Cardinals fan dating back to the Gas House Gang of Dizzy Dean and Pepper Martin), grandfather and a neighbor and I drove to Houston from Baton Rouge to see the St. Louis Cardinals play the then Houston Colt .45s, who played in an unbearably hot outdoor stadium. That happened before I-10 was completed, so we made much of our trip along old U.S. 1, going through the notorious Opelousas, La., birthplace of Jim Bowie and the roost of famed sheriff Cat Doucet. As the ice in our soft drinks melted and we sweltered in the temporary stadium, which had no shade-making awnings, we could see the skeleton of the Astrodome rising next door...A few years ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that that rainbow-hued stadium and been dissassembled and sent to Mexico, reassembled for a minor league team there ...A young and emerging Bob Gibson pitched on that stifling summer afternoon. Then we returned for the night half of a twi-night double header to see Stan the Man, with his curious corkscrew stance. I remember seeing him, as moths and mosquitos buzzed around lights, uncoil and rip a line drive... Gibson, along with Bruce Sutter, Lou Brock and Red Schoendist, were other old-time Cardinals who made an appearance at the all-star game. The greatest franchise in the game outside of the Yankees, and perhaps the Dodgers, the Cardinals could come up with many other stars. It's too bad that St. Louis has been in decline for about 100 years, although the old river city looked pretty good last night, at least in those overhead blimp shots....But hey, St. Louis' vaunted fans didn't rise in my estimation when they booed the lone Chicago Cubs representative. Rivalries are one thing, but why boo a guy who's achieved such an honor? Red Sox fans booing Yankee all-stars and Yankee fans booing Boston all-stars began this bush-league tradition. I always thought St. Louis fans were the knowledgeable type who would applaud an outstanding performance by an opposing pitcher, or clap for an all-star from a brother National League team.

  

McNair's Death Shows NFL Costs

The tragic and shocking death of Steve McNair raises the voices of denial. He was a good family man, they say. Active in the community. A leader.

The NFL enjoys congratulating itself on the emergence of the black quarterback. But McNair's death is another example of the terrible cost of the media and fan adulation. McNair, a good man and a stellar player, is another exhibit of how black athletes succumb to violence and criminality. Michael Vick's rise to stardom was wrecked by his dog fighting conviction. Now, Vince Young, who plays for McNair's Tennessee Titans, appears troubled by mental problems. A few years ago, Donavan McNabb talked about the pressures faced by black quarterbacks.With McNabb in the twilight of his career, the ascent of the black quarterback in the NFL appears clouded. Jamarcus Russell possesses immense talents, and liabilities. Jason Campbell, Tavarious Jackson and Byron Leftwich struggle. 

Not only black quarterbacks are haunted by violence. Black NFL players in a variety of glamor positions fall victim to the gun, sex, fast-times culture. PacMan Jones. Plaxico Burriss. So many others. Perhaps the NFL should look at young men who rise from poverty to quick fame and huge amounts of money. Commissioner Roger Goodell is known for quick and stern punishment. Should the league take action earlier, develop a stronger counseling program, look for early trouble signs?

White players also face temptations of the NFL lifestyle. But Tom Brady, Marc Sanchez, Tony Romo, et al, draw smirks and winks with their relationships with lovely women and good times. Guns, violence and death don't appear part of the formula, as they so often are with black players. Isn't it time to stop the chorus of denial after shocking incidents and to start looking at causes?