BSM Writers
The Fall Sports Blitz: Might It Decide The Election?
“As if ignoring our national disarray, sports in general — and the start of the NFL season in particular — defiantly carry on, so vital to millions that President Trump thinks the good vibes should win him four more years.”
Sports will do what sports wants to do. It’s an unspoken prerogative of the American way, as shown through time by athletic entitlement and too many catch-me-if-you-can scandals, and the modus operandi is no different with summer turning to fall in the damndest year of our lives.
We are venturing into a new phase of the unknown — still vice-gripped by the pandemic, still one more George Floyd asphyxiation or Jacob Blake shooting from the possibility of mass violence. Yet sports carries on in its TV-revenue-sealed Bubble, figuratively and literally, floating above societal dishevelment and medical helplessness by dribbling, swinging, checking, racing, putting, punching, linesperson-whacking and, come Thursday night in Kansas City, tackling and spitting and bleeding and breathing in the face of all infectious disease logic.
The games and events come at us so quickly now — morning, afternoon and night — that we’ve almost grown used to the virtual big-headed fans, cardboard cutouts and canyon-esque echoes. And rather than talk about the weirdness, we’re once again talking about sports. Why did Novak Djokovic lose his cool, blast a ball that inadvertently struck a line judge in the throat and perhaps botch his ultimate place in tennis history? Have we misjudged the pedigree of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who might just limp away from Milwaukee as another postseason charlatan? Is that what I think it is on Pico Boulevard: a large billboard featuring Tom Brady and Drew Brees, hailing the start of Fox Sports’ live NFL coverage outside the network studios in Los Angeles? Are Bill Belichick and Cam Newton really having a lovefest in New England, and isn’t it being done to tick off Brady? And did Washington’s Mike Rizzo, maskless, become the first general manager ever to be ejected from a luxury suite for yelling at umpires?
“If it was Donald Trump, I’d eject him, too,’’ veteran crew chief Joe West told the Associated Press. “But I’d still vote for him.’’
Students can’t attend classes. Employees can’t report to workplaces. A big night is Netflix without the chill. Traveling beyond your street corner is all but verboten. Colossal cities have been ghosted. The coronavirus still sickens people of all ages, many on COVID-iot-infested college campuses, and still hospitalizes and kills in daily bulk. And Trump vs. Joe Biden? It reminds me of those gory MTV claymation brawls, where blood is copiously spilled and body parts are grossly ripped away — and neither one wins.
Yet inside Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs and Houston Texans will emerge like immune superheroes from the toxic haze — facial shields and masks optional — to entertain millions of NFL diehards, serious gamblers, fantasy players and casual onlookers while 16,000 spectators expectorate in the stands. This weekend, fans in three of college football’s Power Five conferences are itching to do the same in larger numbers. The feeling is exactly what one expects from an alpha-dog sport of machismo and self-assumed invincibility: All associated parties think their seasons will be completed in full, regardless of racial unrest and COVID-19, regardless of the Election From Hell and regardless of how the virus has derailed much of the Major League Baseball season in a sport that plays — like football — outside a restrictive environment and relies on athletes to obey protocols at home and on road trips.
“We are confident we’re going to be able to play, not just the start of our season but through the remainder of our season to the Super Bowl,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.
Does any of this make sense?
It does if you understand America, or what is left of it.
Unlike any other collective endeavor, football continues to move us, define us, unite us in big and small locales alike. It shouldn’t be that way — too violent, too much brain trauma, too many old men in charge — and it certainly shouldn’t be that way now, with the virus linked to heart issues and other health risks posing possible long-term consequences for young athletes. But if those who view football as a wholeness equation of religion, community and identity haven’t let concussions interfere with their fun to date, why would the virus dent one’s conscience? In their minds, the virus has yet to kill a prominent athlete or coach, which is more miraculous than any testament to the leagues outthinking science. So, they ask, why not play? Only the Big Ten and Pac-12, the two major football entities without footholds in the Deep South, chose health over wealth and safety over lifestyle. Which is why the sport, in a disturbing reflection about our nation, could have substantially more impact than merely providing appointment TV for homebound souls lacking the usual original programming options.
Football, and sports, might play a major role in who wins the election.
It was President Trump, remember, who arranged the conference call with the industry’s power brokers and urged them to play their seasons. And with the country dialed into sports in surprising numbers, a recent trend about to be fortified by sizable NFL ratings, Trump now is positioned to tell the American people that he pushed hard for the games to return and created a happier vibe. Never mind that the virus is capable of outbreaks at any time in any sport, Bubble-ized or otherwise, with football and baseball still most vulnerable. Or that the game boycotts staged after the Blake shooting could happen again, namely in the NFL, where Jerry Jones and other owners might balk if hundreds of players kneel during the national anthem for the entire season. Does Jones sound like a man who wants to see Cowboys players protesting, even as quarterback Dak Prescott says they have the freedom to decide for themselves? Will he allow a kneeling display on Sunday in L.A., then return to his hard-line stance?
“We all do understand where I stand relative to the national anthem and the flag. On the other hand, I really do recognize the time we’re in,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “I will assure you: Our players, they are sensitive to and can respect what America is as it relates to the flag. And I would hope that our fans, which I think that they will, will understand that our players have issues that they need help on. And they need help along with the majority of America. They need help.’’
Countered Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford: “We definitely have the green light on all that. But also just try to find something that is going to make a boom and not just something people look at one time and kinda just swipe by. We want to do something that makes a boom and people remember and actually create some change.”
A boom. That’s exactly what Colin Kaepernick created, a movement that Jones and the league eventually quashed. If the NFL tries again to subdue the protests, yes, players could boycott games, a shutdown that could lead to athletes in other leagues doing the same, as seen last month. All while dangerous political lines are being drawn by clashing social ideologies, creating an election pressure cooker unlike any seen in this country.
So much could go wrong in the coming weeks. But if sports maintains a savvy equilibrium and continues to handle the challenges of racial injustice and the pandemic, the country could hum to the unprecedented rhythm of major champions being crowned across the landscape from now through mid-November — COVID-19 permitting, of course. Already, Trump has curried the favor of key Midwestern swing states by pushing hard for Big Ten football to return.
“On the one-yard line!’’ he tweeted after trying to petition Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren.
So imagine when he pops up on Twitter after every mega-event and hypothetically congratulates, in chronological order: trainer Bob Baffert for winning his sixth Kentucky Derby, Serena Williams for winning her 24th tennis Grand Slam, Dustin Johnson for winning golf’s U.S. Open, the Tampa Bay Lightning for winning a Stanley Cup, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat for winning the NBA title and the Los Angeles Dodgers for finally winning a World Series, while dropping the names of Brady and Dabo Swinney along the way. In Trump’s mind, that’s a recipe for re-election. And if that’s how it shakes down, we all should look for a one-way ride to Mars, because sports should have no impact on the most important vote in this nation’s history. Even more surreal: Many of the athletes the President would trumpet are urging Americans to vote — which is code for voting against Trump.
But with all previous normalcy seemingly gone forever, sports has been the one consistently familiar element of American life, even with no fans and canned noise. The NBA’s ratings have caught fire in the Disney World Bubble during an engaging postseason, with LeBron James in attack mode again and the East about to produce a surprise finalist. The coronavirus hasn’t been a factor so far, with family members joining players the past week, and there’s a good chance a championship will be decided in a few weeks — a scientific leap in time for commissioner Adam Silver and Disney Company chief Bob Iger. The NHL, too, has had a virus-free tournament in two Canadian sites. It’s the leagues not playing inside Bubbles, as the NFL and college football should note, that haven’t fared well.
The baseball season has been waylaid by positive virus tests. The latest team to have games postponed, the Oakland A’s, have no idea how pitcher Daniel Mengden contracted the coronavirus. “There was no breaking of protocols,” general manager David Forst said. “That’s frankly what’s scary about this virus.’’ At the chaotic U.S. Open in New York, the disqualification of Djokovic came after other players were sent home, having been exposed to COVID-19 during a card game at the players’ hotel. UFC and its virus-ignorant frontman, Dana White, staged a program with only seven fights because of the virus, its skimpiest card since 2005. And in college football, the Tennessee Volunteers, who expect 25,000 fans in Neyland Stadium for their home opener, canceled a scrimmage because 44 players were out — many sidelined by positive tests and contract tracing.
“I’m really glad we’re not playing today,’’ coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “We’d have had a hard time beating anybody.’’
Or, um, fielding a team.
Is anyone noticing the problems? Not really. In that vein, sports mirrors the attitude of Trump, who never has taken the virus seriously, botched America’s medical response, encouraged untold millions not to wear masks and, thus, gave much hope to the Democrats. If this sounds hypocritical — a sports world that turns around and protests Trump when players kneel and boycott games, leagues that protest Trump when they support those players — well, the double standard shouldn’t surprise you. Sports wants it both ways, ripping Trump when racial inequality is the issue and embracing Trump when he greases the political skids for sport’s grand resumption of 2020. And when influential media companies hold major financial stakes in the pickup of the sports economy, they strategically downplay coverage of COVID-19’s impact and emphasize regular sports coverage — whetting the appetites of fans and gamblers. ESPN was much more interested in the Eagles’ move of Jason Peters back to left tackle than why Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward left a game feeling lightheaded and short of breath.
So what if 6.3 million Americans have contracted the virus and close to 200,000 have died from it? Just bury that COVID-19 stuff, say the bosses. It’s not good for business or the bottom line. Tell them how the L.A. Rams are opening a $6 billion stadium and that Patrick Mahomes signed a $503 million contract.
Which also is known as lying to the readers. I must have missed the semester in journalism school when they taught Deception For Business Purposes 401.
In a supply-and-demand industry, the TV ratings show that people have missed live games. But if they’re watching more basketball, less baseball, some hockey and golf and almost no tennis, they certainly will watch the NFL in droves. And the league will keep telling us that few players, if any, are testing positive for the coronavirus, which will lead to questions about transparency. The owners have 17 billion reasons to downplay COVID-19 outbreaks, while hiding behind privacy laws that protect infected parties, and when we saw a disproportionate number of injuries during secretive training camps, I was left to ask how many involved positive tests. The same suspicions surround college football, where Penn State’s team doctor said one-third of Big Ten athletes who’ve contracted the virus have had symptoms associated with myocarditis, a heart condition that could endanger long-term health.
The games go on anyway, bulldozing through the American muck in a parallel universe, reminding us often that there have been no virus-related casualties. Those delusions mirror those of the President, meaning sports and Trump are bedfellows, dependent on each other as a country hunkers down for football. If we’re sitting here on Nov. 1 — and sports somehow has staged seasons without tumult, as millions of entertained Americans whoop and holler — is it possible enough segments of our divided and battered republic will like the glow just enough to think about re-electing the incumbent? Just the same, if COVID-19 outbreaks and racial protests shut down sports, will it be the final avalanche that buries Trump and rewards Biden?
In a year when everything has happened, isn’t anything still possible?
Jay Mariotti, called “the most impacting Chicago sportswriter of the past quarter-century,’’ writes a weekly media column for Barrett Sports Media and regular sports columns for Substack while appearing on some of the 1,678,498 podcasts in production today. He’s an accomplished columnist, TV panelist and radio talk host. Living in Los Angeles, he gravitated by osmosis to film projects. Compensation for this column is donated to the Chicago Sun-Times Charity Trust.
BSM Writers
Is There Still a Place for Baseball Talk on National Sports Shows?
“Its struggle has been the same since the beginning of television. There is too much baseball for any regular season baseball game or story to have national significance.”
Demetri Ravanos is the Assistant Content Director for Barrett Sports Media. He hosts the Chewing Clock and Media Noise podcasts. He occasionally fills in on stations across the Carolinas. Previous stops include WAVH and WZEW in Mobile, AL, WBPT in Birmingham, AL and WBBB, WPTK and WDNC in Raleigh, NC. You can find him on Twitter @DemetriRavanos and reach him by email at DemetriTheGreek@gmail.com.
BSM Writers
Who Can Sports Fans Trust Once Twitter Ditches Legacy Verified Blue Checks?
The potential for Twitter chaos after April 1 is looming.
As of April 1, Twitter will finally make a dreaded change that many will view as an April Fools’ prank. Unfortunately, it won’t be a joke to any user who cares about legitimacy and truth.
Last week, Twitter officially announced that verified blue checkmarks will be removed from accounts that have not signed up for a Twitter Blue subscription. Previously, accounts whose identity had been verified were allowed to keep their blue checks when Twitter Blue was implemented.
But shortly after Elon Musk purchased Twitter and became the social media company’s CEO, he stated his intention to use verification as a revenue source. Users would have to pay $8 per month (or $84 annually) for a Twitter Blue subscription and blue checkmark verification. Paying for blue checks immediately set off red flags among users who learned to depend on verified accounts for accredited identities and trusted information.
The entire concept of verification and blue checks was simple and effective. Users and accounts bearing the blue checkmark were legitimate. These people and organizations were who they said they were.
As an example, ESPN’s Adam Schefter has faced criticism for how he framed domestic violence and sexual misconduct involving star NFL players, and deservedly so. But fans and media know Schefter’s tweets are really coming from him because his account is verified.
Furthermore, Twitter took the additional step of clarifying that accounts such as Schefter’s were verified before Twitter Blue was implemented. He didn’t pay eight dollars for that blue checkmark.
The need for verification is never more vital than when fake accounts are created to deceive users. Such accounts will put “Adam Schefter” as their Twitter name, even if their handle is something like “@TuaNeedsHelp.” Or worse, some fake accounts will create a handle with letters that look similar. So “@AdarnSchefter” with an “rn” in place of the “m,” fools some people, especially at a quick glance when people are trying to push news out as fast as possible.
Plenty of baseball fans have been duped over the years by fake accounts using a zero instead of an “o” or a capital “I” instead of a lowercase “l” to resemble Fox Sports and The Athletic reporter Ken Rosenthal. That trick didn’t get me. But when I covered Major League Baseball for Bleacher Report 10 years ago, I did fall for a fake Jim Salisbury account that reported the Philadelphia Phillies traded Hunter Pence to the San Francisco Giants. Capital “I,” not lowercase “l” in “Salisbury.” Pence was, in fact, traded to the Giants two days later, but that didn’t make my goof any less embarrassing. I should’ve looked for the blue checkmark!
But after April 1, that signifier won’t matter. Legacy blue checkmarks will be removed from accounts that haven’t paid for Twitter Blue. Some accounts that were previously verified might purchase a subscription to maintain that blue check. But those that were deemed legitimate prior to Musk taking over Twitter likely won’t. (There are also rumors that Twitter is considering a feature that would allow Twitter Blue subscribers to hide their blue check and avoid revealing that purchase.)
That could be even more true for media organizations, which are being told to pay $1000 per month for verification. Do you think ESPN, the New York Times, or the Washington Post will pay $12,000 for a blue check?
We’ve already seen the problems that paying for verification can cause. Shortly after Twitter Blue launched, accounts pretending to be legacy verified users could be created. A fake Adam Schefter account tweeted that the Las Vegas Raiders had fired head coach Josh McDaniels. Users who saw the “Adam Schefter” Twitter name went with the news without looking more closely at the “@AdamSchefterNOT” handle. But there was a blue checkmark next to the name this time!
The same thing occurred with a fake LeBron James account tweeting that the NBA superstar had requested a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers. There was a “@KINGJamez” handle, but a “LeBron James” Twitter name with a blue check next to it.
Whether it’s because fans and media have become more discerning or Twitter has done good work cracking down on such fake accounts, there haven’t been many outrageous examples of deliberate deception since last November. But the potential for Twitter chaos after April 1 is looming.
If that seems like an overstatement, it’s a very real possibility that there will be an erosion of trust among Twitter users. Media and fans may have to take a breath before quickly tweeting and retweeting news from accounts that may or may not be credible. False news and phony statements could spread quickly and go viral across social media.
Even worse, Musk has announced that only verified Twitter Blue accounts will be seen in your “For You” timeline as of April 15. (He can’t claim it’s an April Fools’ Day joke on that date.)
Obviously, that carries far more serious real-world implications beyond sports. Forget about a fake Shams Charania account tweeting that Luka Dončić wants to be traded to the Lakers. It’s not difficult to imagine a fake Joe Biden account declaring war on Russia and some people believing it’s true because of the blue checkmark.
We may be nearing the end of Twitter being a reliable news-gathering tool. If the accounts tweeting out news can’t be trusted, where’s the value? Reporters and newsmakers may end up going to other social media platforms to break stories and carry the viability of verification.
When Fox Sports’ website infamously pivoted to video in 2017, Ken Rosenthal posted his MLB reporting on Facebook prior to joining The Athletic. Hello, Instagram. Will someone take their following and reputation to a fledgling platform like Mastodon, Post, Spoutible, or BlueSky, even if it means a lesser outlet?
If and when that happens, Twitter could still be a community but not nearly as much fun. Not when it becomes a matter of trust that breaks up the party.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
BSM Writers
There’s a Lesson For Us All in Florida Atlantic’s Elite 8 Broadcast Struggle
“It is a ton of faith our industry has been forced to place in a single mode of delivery.”
Ryan Brown is a columnist for Barrett Sports Media, and a co-host of the popular sports audio/video show ‘The Next Round’ formerly known as JOX Roundtable, which previously aired on WJOX in Birmingham. You can find him on Twitter @RyanBrownLive and follow his show @NextRoundLive.