Should Steve Garvey be in the Baseball Hall of Fame? How about Tommy John? Were the Raiders the greatest team of the 70’s in the NFL? Could today’s Golden State Warriors take down Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls at their peak of play?
I have thought about these arguments — all common, but not limited to sports enthusiasts — the last few days, especially in deference to my colleague Brian Walton’s Thursday piece regarding sour grapes with respect to this year’s All Star Game picks and snubs.
Locally there was significant outrage when Jed Lowrie was left off the roster, but the injury to Gleyber Torres and relative addition of Lowrie seems to have quelled the local furor, but the reality is those protests on behalf of the Oakland second sacker might have been valid. But, well, with a limited number of roster spots, too bad, for that is the way the ball bounces.
The bottom line is we are a species of arguments, differing points of view, and in particular during these days of Twitter and the Net, we are all self-appointed experts.
The bottom line goes a couple of ways, as I see it.
First, for the most part we are — or like to be, as individuals — correct. And, we will often argue our point in the face of stupidity because our egos will simply not permit otherwise.
The second aspect is — and I believe this was true prior to the advent of Twitter, although vehicles such as Twitter and Facebook and the Net facilitate — we are all experts. Period.
So, when someone says publically what a schmuck Rob Manfred is because he must see just how egregious leaving Blake Snell off the All Star roster is. Certainly, if Congress, or at least the D.C. City Council, cannot intervene, at least the Commissioner can.
It is true that there seems to be a preponderance of such irritation among baseball fans during the break, and then again when the Hall of Fame inductees are announced. Not like I am immune, for I am sure Omar Vizquel and Bill Buckner deserve to be in the Hall, along with Jim Kaat. And, pooh on you for daring to think otherwise!
However, let’s face it. When it was between the Donald and HIllary, you simply went one way or the other, assuming those with differing views were dumb and simply don’t know what they are talking about, right (in fact you probably still think that way). But, the reality is this argument is base, with the variables changing, but the self-righteousness remaining the same.
The thing is, this sort of self-righteous posturing seems to be something we human beings like to do for some reason. It is just sometimes — as in the Twitter participant who wanted Manfred’s head for the Snell oversight — people get just a little carried away with their indignance.
I mean, it is the game of baseball we follow. Which is fine. Games are great, but they don’t matter when push comes to shove. In fact most of the names and sports and movies and humans we posture so emphatically about — who should be in the Hall, who should have won the Best Actor award, whether Jesus is better than Moses — are really pretty stupid topics and arguments that mean nothing save we all have an opinion, and we all get to keep them. And, they are all of the same value.
So, as the All Star Game and the break and a little down time arrive, let’s all try to chill just a little, enjoy the game and the sunshine, and get ready for what looks to be a great, exciting, and ideally surprising post-season in Major League Baseball.
BTW, I actually think Rob Manfred is doing a pretty good job, trying to keep the essence of the game and still attract a new generation of fans. That is no easy task.
