Friday, June 18, 2010
Joy in Spartanville
Tom Izzo is staying as basketball coach at Michigan State University. Another Final Four in the making? Maybe another national championship? The universe is as it should be.
The Importance of Being Unctuous
We should be happy we have such political leaders as Joe L. Barton of Texas. Who else would be willing to take on President Barack Obama or would have the foresight to apologize to Tony Hayward, the embattled and one hopes soon to be unemployed chief executive of BP? No one, except Barton, the oil industries $1.4 million man in the U.S. House of Representatives. Barton's comments during Thursday’s hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee make one proud to be a Democrat.
“I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday (Wednesday),” Barton said, referring to Obama’s announcement of a $20 billion liability fund that would be used for clean up of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as for restitution to those who have been financially harmed by the spill. “I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case, a $20 billion shakedown.”
That nearly everyone agrees that BP should pay for the clean up and make restitution is lost on Barton. His desire to attack the President has overwhelmed his sense of fair play and justice. Even Republicans assailed his comments, with Rep. John A. Boehner of Ohio threatening to remove Barton from the committee if he did not retract his statement.
Barton, who the Center for Responsive Politics says received more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from oil and gas interests in 2009, eventually retracted his apology to BP, but it was too late. He had already provided a distraction from what should have been the issue of the day -- Hayward's explanation of what went wrong and what BP is doing to correct the problem.
Instead, politics became the story. Alabama Republican Parker Griffith decided to equate the spill to smoking. Griffith said that "if we're going to talk about the environment" then he would "like to remind the committee that the greatest environmental disaster in America has been cigarettes."
Rep. John Sullivan, the Oklahoma Republican who received $65,250 in campaign contributions from oil and gas interests according to the center, said the Obama administration is "focused on the politics of putting the oil and gas industry out of business."
Meanwhile, Mike Ross, an Arkansas Democrat, noted that 112,000 gallons of oil had flowed into the Gulf of Mexico in just the first few hours of Thursday's committee hearing. (New government estimates say about 60,000 barrels, or 2.5 million gallons, of oil are spewing into the Gulf each day.)
As Congressional Republicans and Democrats attack each other over the spill rather than join together to address the tragedy, Gulf coast fishermen, hoteliers and, yes, even oil workers on other off-shore rigs are losing their livelihoods. In addition, we still don't know why the Deepwater Horizon blew up, how to stop this leak or what will be the long term impact.
But at least we know that such leaders as Joe L. Barton are willing to apologize to corporate polluters so America won't lose face among the world's capitalists and multinational corporations.
“I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday (Wednesday),” Barton said, referring to Obama’s announcement of a $20 billion liability fund that would be used for clean up of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as for restitution to those who have been financially harmed by the spill. “I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case, a $20 billion shakedown.”
That nearly everyone agrees that BP should pay for the clean up and make restitution is lost on Barton. His desire to attack the President has overwhelmed his sense of fair play and justice. Even Republicans assailed his comments, with Rep. John A. Boehner of Ohio threatening to remove Barton from the committee if he did not retract his statement.
Barton, who the Center for Responsive Politics says received more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from oil and gas interests in 2009, eventually retracted his apology to BP, but it was too late. He had already provided a distraction from what should have been the issue of the day -- Hayward's explanation of what went wrong and what BP is doing to correct the problem.
Instead, politics became the story. Alabama Republican Parker Griffith decided to equate the spill to smoking. Griffith said that "if we're going to talk about the environment" then he would "like to remind the committee that the greatest environmental disaster in America has been cigarettes."
Rep. John Sullivan, the Oklahoma Republican who received $65,250 in campaign contributions from oil and gas interests according to the center, said the Obama administration is "focused on the politics of putting the oil and gas industry out of business."
Meanwhile, Mike Ross, an Arkansas Democrat, noted that 112,000 gallons of oil had flowed into the Gulf of Mexico in just the first few hours of Thursday's committee hearing. (New government estimates say about 60,000 barrels, or 2.5 million gallons, of oil are spewing into the Gulf each day.)
As Congressional Republicans and Democrats attack each other over the spill rather than join together to address the tragedy, Gulf coast fishermen, hoteliers and, yes, even oil workers on other off-shore rigs are losing their livelihoods. In addition, we still don't know why the Deepwater Horizon blew up, how to stop this leak or what will be the long term impact.
But at least we know that such leaders as Joe L. Barton are willing to apologize to corporate polluters so America won't lose face among the world's capitalists and multinational corporations.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Just Say "No" Tom Izzo
Every year, as head coaches bite the dust in the National Basketball Association, Tom Izzo's name pops up at the top of most general managers short lists. Each year, like many Michigan State University fans, I brush off the overtures, reminding my friends and others of Izzo's loyalty to MSU, his love of his players and his ties to the state of Michigan.
Not this year. Not when one of the teams said to be courting the Master of the Green and White is the Cleveland Cavaliers. The reasons are many fold, but the two biggest reasons for my fear are LeBron and James. Add to that combo the relationship that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has with the state of Michigan and Michigan State University and the situation becomes more troublesome.
Gilbert, who also owns Quicken Loans and is an MSU alumni, is willing to spend big bucks to lure talent to his team. While Izzo has said that he wants to win another national title before leaving MSU, working for Gilbert and with James might be too tempting. Izzo is currently one of the better coaches in the college game. Granted he is no John Wooden, but Izzo has made six NCAA final fours during his 15 years at Michigan State, including the last two. With Izzo still in charge, MSU would have to be considered a top contender for the NCAA title this year. Without Izzo... that's another question.
Published reports so far say that Gilbert has offered Izzo a $30 million, five-year deal. Izzo has spoken with Gilbert, signaling that the talks are serious. About 10 years ago, Izzo narrowly rejected an offer to coach the Atlanta Hawks. One can understand his reluctance to take on that team. But how can one who loves to coach turn away from coaching possibly one of the best players in pro basketball?
It's a tough decision and may depend on whether Izzo hears six simple words: LeBron James is staying in Cleveland.
Not this year. Not when one of the teams said to be courting the Master of the Green and White is the Cleveland Cavaliers. The reasons are many fold, but the two biggest reasons for my fear are LeBron and James. Add to that combo the relationship that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has with the state of Michigan and Michigan State University and the situation becomes more troublesome.
Gilbert, who also owns Quicken Loans and is an MSU alumni, is willing to spend big bucks to lure talent to his team. While Izzo has said that he wants to win another national title before leaving MSU, working for Gilbert and with James might be too tempting. Izzo is currently one of the better coaches in the college game. Granted he is no John Wooden, but Izzo has made six NCAA final fours during his 15 years at Michigan State, including the last two. With Izzo still in charge, MSU would have to be considered a top contender for the NCAA title this year. Without Izzo... that's another question.
Published reports so far say that Gilbert has offered Izzo a $30 million, five-year deal. Izzo has spoken with Gilbert, signaling that the talks are serious. About 10 years ago, Izzo narrowly rejected an offer to coach the Atlanta Hawks. One can understand his reluctance to take on that team. But how can one who loves to coach turn away from coaching possibly one of the best players in pro basketball?
It's a tough decision and may depend on whether Izzo hears six simple words: LeBron James is staying in Cleveland.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Life's Tapestry
Death has a way of bringing back memories, some fond, others not so fond. In the last few weeks those memories have flooded me with greater force. It started with Ernie Harwell’s death on May 4, when nostalgia sent me spinning back to the 1960s when my grandfather and I would sit on the porch in Detroit listening to Harwell announce Tiger games.
It didn’t stop there. Since 1995, Memorial Day weekend has been extremely tough. Not only because of those we honor for sacrificing their lives in wars, but because that was when my mother died. The recent deaths of Lena Horne (May 9); Gary Coleman (May 28); Dennis Hopper (May 29), and Rue McClanahan (June 3) added to those memories. How often did those four entertain us, turning separate days, weeks, months and years into a rich tapestry of life? Do you remember how Dennis Hopper stole “True Romance” with his Sicilians are black screed? How often did you laugh and mumble “slut” when Blanche made some sexually outrageous comment on “Golden Girls?” Did every photo of Lena Horne stir up “Stormy Weather” in your mind?
“What’choo talkin ’bout, Willis?” Coleman would say, his cheeks puffed for extra emphasis.
The year is not half over yet, and the deaths already seem overwhelming. Dorothy Height (April 20); Benjamin Hooks (April 15); Dixie Carter (April 10); John Forsythe (April 1); Robert Culp (March 24); Fess Parker (March 18); Merlin Olsen (March 11); Pernell Roberts (Jan. 24); Teddy Pendergrass (Jan. 13), and Art Linkletter (May 26). There have been many others of note, but each of these reminds me of a different part of my life, a different thread. Parker as Daniel Boone when I was a little boy enraptured with cowboy movies. Culp in “I Spy” as I was trying to learn what it meant to be cool. Forsythe on “Charlie’s Angels” when I thought I was cool. And Pendergrass at basement parties where teenage bodies sought in the dance what could not be found so easily in the world.
Indeed, death does have a way of reminding us of so much.
It didn’t stop there. Since 1995, Memorial Day weekend has been extremely tough. Not only because of those we honor for sacrificing their lives in wars, but because that was when my mother died. The recent deaths of Lena Horne (May 9); Gary Coleman (May 28); Dennis Hopper (May 29), and Rue McClanahan (June 3) added to those memories. How often did those four entertain us, turning separate days, weeks, months and years into a rich tapestry of life? Do you remember how Dennis Hopper stole “True Romance” with his Sicilians are black screed? How often did you laugh and mumble “slut” when Blanche made some sexually outrageous comment on “Golden Girls?” Did every photo of Lena Horne stir up “Stormy Weather” in your mind?
“What’choo talkin ’bout, Willis?” Coleman would say, his cheeks puffed for extra emphasis.
The year is not half over yet, and the deaths already seem overwhelming. Dorothy Height (April 20); Benjamin Hooks (April 15); Dixie Carter (April 10); John Forsythe (April 1); Robert Culp (March 24); Fess Parker (March 18); Merlin Olsen (March 11); Pernell Roberts (Jan. 24); Teddy Pendergrass (Jan. 13), and Art Linkletter (May 26). There have been many others of note, but each of these reminds me of a different part of my life, a different thread. Parker as Daniel Boone when I was a little boy enraptured with cowboy movies. Culp in “I Spy” as I was trying to learn what it meant to be cool. Forsythe on “Charlie’s Angels” when I thought I was cool. And Pendergrass at basement parties where teenage bodies sought in the dance what could not be found so easily in the world.
Indeed, death does have a way of reminding us of so much.
The Eyes of Men
Wednesday night should have been Detroit's shining moment, a chance to bask in the afterglow of accomplishment, something the city and its residents have not been able to do in quite some time. Instead, it was a night of disbelief and anger, a night filled with threats to a woman and her children.
By now everyone -- baseball fans and nonfans alike -- have heard about the botched call in Wednesday's Tigers-Indians game at Comerica Park in Detroit. Pitcher Armando Galarraga, the Tigers and Detroit stood on the edge of history. Galarraga was one out from throwing the 21st perfect game in baseball history and the first ever by a Tiger. But Jim Joyce, a good umpire by most accounts, missed the call at first base, signaling the runner safe and snatching perfection from a career 20-18 pitcher who had recently been called up from the minors.
Detroit could have exploded, which seemed quite likely when Tiger players and coaches rushed Joyce after the game. In the umpire's clubhouse, Joyce realized his error and he apologized. Then he made the lonely drive down Interstate 75 to his home in Toledo, Ohio, where his wife and children had already fielded threats. On Thursday, baseball commissioner Bud Selig announced that the call would stand. Meanwhile, Detroit, the Tigers and the umpire had a love fest, a group hug, the shining moment that had escaped the night before. Galarraga took the lineup card to home plate. A misty-eyed Joyce accepted it. Each man gave the other a pat on the back. After Thursday's game, Joyce, Tiger manager Jim Leyland and others choked up as they talked about Wednesday's debacle and Thursday's redemption. The eyes of men, which a day earlier seemed to betray, welled with tears. A cleansing.
The disbelief and hatred spewed in the Wednesday night air had dissipated in the warmth of a Thursday afternoon sun. All seemed right again. The world had been set back upon its axis. And the performances of Galarraga and Joyce were recorded in our hearts, not the record books.
By now everyone -- baseball fans and nonfans alike -- have heard about the botched call in Wednesday's Tigers-Indians game at Comerica Park in Detroit. Pitcher Armando Galarraga, the Tigers and Detroit stood on the edge of history. Galarraga was one out from throwing the 21st perfect game in baseball history and the first ever by a Tiger. But Jim Joyce, a good umpire by most accounts, missed the call at first base, signaling the runner safe and snatching perfection from a career 20-18 pitcher who had recently been called up from the minors.
Detroit could have exploded, which seemed quite likely when Tiger players and coaches rushed Joyce after the game. In the umpire's clubhouse, Joyce realized his error and he apologized. Then he made the lonely drive down Interstate 75 to his home in Toledo, Ohio, where his wife and children had already fielded threats. On Thursday, baseball commissioner Bud Selig announced that the call would stand. Meanwhile, Detroit, the Tigers and the umpire had a love fest, a group hug, the shining moment that had escaped the night before. Galarraga took the lineup card to home plate. A misty-eyed Joyce accepted it. Each man gave the other a pat on the back. After Thursday's game, Joyce, Tiger manager Jim Leyland and others choked up as they talked about Wednesday's debacle and Thursday's redemption. The eyes of men, which a day earlier seemed to betray, welled with tears. A cleansing.
The disbelief and hatred spewed in the Wednesday night air had dissipated in the warmth of a Thursday afternoon sun. All seemed right again. The world had been set back upon its axis. And the performances of Galarraga and Joyce were recorded in our hearts, not the record books.
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