I was trying hard to stay out of the Angel Reese / Caitlin Clark debate. For some reason “old men” are the group supposedly outraged by Reese’s unsportsmanlike behavior. Yesterday Dan Patrick discussed the debate with Holly Rowe. Last night I pecked out some thoughts on my phone.
Why is everyone else right, and us old white men wrong? Why are we so offended by the complete lack of sportsmanship demonstrated by Ms. Reese? Is it wrong that we were raised to exhibit respect for a worthy opponent, especially in victory? To not kick a rival when they are down. Instead to savor the fleeting moment with teammates. Sorry, but that’s the way I was raised.
Dan Patrick rightly pointed out the difference between gamesmanship and poor sportsmanship / taunting. Holly Rowe didn’t seem to want to hear an opposing viewpoint.
Sure sports are different today than they were back in my time. That doesn’t mean that our way is invalid, unworthy. So many great champions won with class: Bobby Jones. Nicklaus. Palmer. Mickey Mantle. Hank Aaron. Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods exhibited gamesmanship but never ridiculed defeated opponents. Neither did Kobe or Lebron or Tom Brady.
Even in the days after the final, who has comported themself most like a champion – Reese or Clark? Angel is a beautiful young woman, but taunting Clark wasn’t her best moment. Even Holly Rowe admitted that.
Left work Monday about 5:30. Hit up Taco Bell on the way to small group. John and Robert were no shows, but it was good to sit and chat with my other friend Reid. Made it home by 8:45 and to bed an hour later.
My throat had been feeling bad since I cut the grass Friday evening, so Tuesday morning I just walked at the gym (usually I run on the treadmill on Mondays, but due to the cough I lifted weights). Actually now my throat and chest feel better than yesterday. Less of a cough.
Then I met Gee for breakfast at the East Cobb La Madaliene. Gee and his wife are in our Sunday School class. He is about to retire after 31 years at Siemens. We both had a quiche.
A&C returned from their honeymoon yesterday - and drove straight to Taqueria.
I left work shortly after five. Stopped by Dollar Tree. Supper was leftover chili and pizza. Watched some Masters coverage, Jeopardy, and The Voice.
Went to bed before ten. Before I put away my phone I came across a cheap pair of black Puma RSX Emojis on Poshmark, and I bought them. Grizzlies colors? Just what I need: another pair of Pumas. Didn't I decide to get Space Hippies? That's an old man for you.
https://www.kicksonfire.com/app/puma-rs-x-emoji/
Means next weekend I absolutely have to sell several pairs of sneakers: some Nike high tops, two other pairs of black Pumas, my plastic Pumas, black Vans high tops, white Nikes, some black adidas I never wear, and maybe some black New Balance. Beforehand I need to take another group photo of all my black sneakers: currently at least 9 pairs. Gonna sell five of them.
I am still fighting a cough. So rare for me. Thought about running this morning but lifted weights instead. Speaking of sneakers, I need to wear my orange Nike KD7’s to the gym.
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler still drives his 2012 SUV with over 200,000 miles on it. Now I don't feel so bad. Today there was an old man at work wearing his second Masters shirt of the week. No one has offered him tickets. Mack did pass out Chickfila biscuits this morning. Yesterday I passed on Jessica’s gourmet doughnuts.
Another old man, JIM DENISON, wrote: in our “post-truth” culture, a majority of Americans embrace relativism for themselves. Yet they are reluctant to extend it to those with whom they disagree. Why? In How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom for 5 Modern Crises, Spencer Klavan warns of the “reality crisis” we face: “Words are used as political weapons rather than as good-faith attempts to describe reality. Moral truth can be inconvenient for factions trying to shape political and media narratives. This seems unappealing, inconvenient, or naïve to believe some things are more real than others. Is truth independent of the authority of ‘experts’ and of majority opinion?
JOE DiMAGGIO [SABR Bio] was Reggie Jackson’s first hitting coach in Oakland. DiMaggio’s last seasons in uniform as a major leaguer were as the Oakland A’s hitting coach 1968 & 1969, the team’s first two years on the West Coast. Oakland sits less than 30 miles from the city of Martinez where DiMaggio was born. Joe trails only Yogi Berra in the number of World Series championship teams he played on, in 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1950 & 1951. Joe was the last pre-expansion right-handed batter to have a qualifying batting average of more than .380 in a season in the American League. In 1939, DiMaggio won the first of his 2 batting titles, leading the AL with .381.
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