Here at the sports section of the Voice we try and stay as far away from politics as possible. And most of the time, it’s with good reason. Sports serve as distractions from the seriousness life usually has to offer.
For soldiers in the Middle East, where life is relentlessly serious, soldiers that are former high school and college athletes play in ultra-competitive flag football and basketball leagues to take their minds off of their day jobs.
They read Bill Simmons columns on ESPN.com to laugh at descriptions of The Peyton Manning Face, and Air Force grads will surely be glued to March Madness during their limited Internet time with the hopes of seeing the box score of a colossal upset over The Fighting Illini.
We’re coming up on three years since the invasion of Iraq, and a lot has happened in three short years regarding these American distractions of ours.
Idiots dispelled an 86-year-old curse.
Kobe Bryant went from friendly NBA superstar who does McDonald’s commercials with youngsters, to hated potential rapist, to unlikely potential passer.
Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield and Johnny Damon have all joined George Steinbrenner’s Evil Empire. Yet, the force has not been with them. They haven’t won a ring in five years.
LeBron James went from dominating high school and driving a Hummer, to dominating the NBA and being driven in a stretch Hummer.
Syracuse was led to a post-season championship not by senior stud Gerry McNamara, but by freshman tikes Gerry McNamara and Carmelo Anthony.
Home runs went from being praised to being biologically tested. Barry Bonds went from homerun champ and greatest hitter of all-time, to jealous ‘roided bully, ready to be run out of the league.
Terrell Owens went from talented, loud-mouth receiver to team-less, nationwide annoyance.
Ron Artest was the league’s best defender, and then was left off of Team USA on account of being the world’s biggest liability to cause international crisis.
The NHL left and came back. And no one noticed.
GM Theo Epstein left the Red Sox and came back. Boston had an ulcer.
The black athlete continues to drive the multi-billion dollar organizations of major league sports. But, George W. Bush is still the first president since before Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers not to address the NAACP. Not exactly changing with the times.
And two years after Pat Tillman died, leaving the NFL and millions of dollars on the table to fight for his country, college teammate Jeremy Staat, formerly of Pittsburg Steelers and St. Louis Rams, went from part of the distraction to part of the defense. He followed in his courageous friend’s footsteps by graduating from the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot last week.
His bravery that may have gone unnoticed on the playing field by the common fan, should now be praised for making his most recent patriotic decision. Something that fans, no matter how mad March gets, should not be distracted from.
