I’m not a big fan of conspiracy theories. I mean, I loved X-Files back in the day, but that’s really the extent of it.
However, after watching what has transpired with the Philadelphia Eagles the past two weeks, I have a conspiracy theory of my own.
In the last offseason, the Eagles traded Donovan McNabb, an all-time great quarterback and possible Hall of Famer, to their hated division rivals, the Washington Redskins.
At the time, the organization said that young Kevin Kolb was their QB of the future and the future was now. A statement like that is exhilerating and frightening all at once – trading your present to clear way for your future.
Michael Vick, the former face of the league just one year removed from a prison term for dogfighting (discussed on this blog here, here, here and here) was named the backup, with no training camp competition.
That’s a STRONG statement, with the unproven kid given the keys to the proverbial kingdom and a long leash.
Just 10 passes into the season, Kolb sustained a concussion and Vick filled in admirably. When symptoms forced Kolb out of their Week 2 game, Vick got the start and performed very well.
A few days later, Eagles coach Andy Reid, known as one of the most stubborn coaches in the league, pulled an about-face and announced Vick as the permanent starting QB from here on out.
Say WHAT?
If Kolb was the reason you traded your franchise QB, you let him play as long as he’s healthy.
Which got me thinking: Was Michael Vick ALWAYS the #1 QB on this team?
Was Kevin Kolb a PR smokescreen from the beginning? Was he set up to fail, allowing Reid to insert Vick into the starting lineup, PR fiasco-free?
Eagles fans would be clamoring for Vick after Kolb didn’t perform. And nothing Kolb has ever done would lean one to believe he WOULD perform.
So, the question is: Do you think an NFL head coach would not put out his best players for one week in order to start a convicted felon? Do you think this was a shrewd PR move?
While no formal complaint has been filed by TV Azteca’s Ines Sainz, reports of “cat-calling” and “hooting and hollering” have surfaced, provoking reaction from around the league.
Hall of Famer John Riggins delivered a monologue on his radio show in Washington, DC, basically saying she asked for it by being hot. Redskins running back Clinton Portis apologized for similar comments made on a separate radio interview, as well.
Sainz, a former Miss Universe contestant (representing Spain in 1997), has not yet released a statement, amid the ongoing NFL investigation.
To summarize:
Beauty queen reporter goes inside locker room, get’s cat-called and feels her treatment was inappropriate.
So, here is my analysis:
NFL players and team officials need to grow up. Bottom line. If a physically attractive woman comes into the workplace and you can’t function like an adult, you don’t belong in the league.
In no way, as Riggins and Portis suggested, was she “asking for it.” Perhaps she was dressed provocatively, but, dudes, keep it in your pants. Treat her like a professional there to do her job.
It’s time for the “boys will be boys” sentiment to go away. Yes, it’s harder work, but we aren’t living in caves and recent data shows the gender pay gap is closer than ever.
The old way of thinking needs to go – boozing, womanizing, drugs, guns – this era of non-accountability needs to end.
I mean, take a look at how a living legend of the gridiron represented the NFL and their players and alumni just a few years ago:
Not a flattering picture.
And now, as more and more women are covering teams inside and outside the locker room, and as the NFL is garnering record TV ratings, it is more important than ever that the “good ol’ boys club” mindset evaporates, stat. In the Sainz situation, people defending the players claim animal instincts. Sorry, but that excuse doesn’t fly in 2010 for ANYONE, let alone multi-millionaires.
We live in an age of equality, and it’s time for the players in the most successful professional league in the nation to wake up to that fact.
What is your take on the Jets-Sainz situation? Who do you feel is to blame?
Not from blogging! Yeesh, that would be a really short career!
No, I’m retiring from Fantasy Sports.
Here is the letter I just submitted:
Dear Fantasy Sports,
It has been no secret that our relationship has been somewhat rocky of the past few years.
Do you remember those years, where I played football, baseball, basketball (college and pro), hockey, golf and even NASCAR?? We had some great times, didn’t we?
You gave me the greatest hobby a high school/college/young professional kid could ever have: you allowed me to follow sports closer than I already did! I don’t think I can ever thank you enough for the enjoyment you brought me.
I look back fondly on late nights of live-drafts with friends, debating over two players who would be PERFECT for my bench, comparing their previous season, but ultimately deciding on who had the better bye week.
I look back fondly on the days where I would follow 14 MLB games every night, just to make sure my 4th relief pitcher had a low WHIP.
I look back fondly over the hockey drafts where I literally knew 10 players in the entire league. Now, because of you, I think I know 25. Because of you, I enjoy hockey THAT much more.
My fondest memory, of course, was when a young Daunte Culpepper (right) led my team to the Columbia Fantasy Football League points championship. Everyone laughed at me when I took Culpepper in the first round, and he was the best performer in the league that year. Suck it, fellas.
Oh, we had some battles over the years.
Yao Ming and Richie Sexon never repaid my loyalty. And I will NEVER forget that. Ever.
There were so many weeks where I scored the 2nd-most points in the league…and lost to the highest scorer.
So many gambles never paid off. And bad drafting position rendered the season moot.
Over the years, I pared down the schedule, focusing on a few sports and a few leagues. As I got older, setting a fantasy sports lineup moved lower and lower down my list of priorities, until this year, the desire has just vanished.
I never thought I would say this, but, Fantasy Sports, I don’t love you anymore. And if I don’t love you, I can’t put the time in to follow every team in every league, dissect box scores and statpacks, and actually root for players opposing my favorite (real life) teams.
So, it is with nearly 15 years of happy memories, a few electronic trophies in my Yahoo! Sports case and a tinge of sadness, that I submit my retirement from Fantasy Sports.
I’m moving on to other challenges and amusements in my life.
Will I ever return? Never say never, but you won’t be seeing me anytime soon.
I wish you all the best in your future endeavors,
Mike
P.S. NCAA Basketball Tournament Pools are NOT considered Fantasy Sports. For the record.
Last week, when NBA superstar LeBron James decided to bolt Cleveland to join the Miami Heat, I, along with many others, compared it to Hulk Hogan turning evil and joining the NWO.
That got me thinking about other notable “heel turns.” In wrestling terms, when a good guy goes EVIL, it’s called a heel turn, referencing inside labels for good guys (babyfaces) and bad guys (heels).
So what constitutes a turn?
Well, it’s usually easy to pinpoint the moment where the person does something heinous or a revelation about them emerges which drastically changes our perception of them. Someone that has always been controversial or had wide-spread negative perceptions surrounding them doesn’t qualify. Basically, lifelong jerks don’t count. A heel turn is a fall from grace that is difficult to ever recover from.
With that said, I present to you the Top 5 Real Life Sports “Heel Turns:”
Honorable Mentions: Jack McDowell flipping the bird to Yankee Stadium, Lance Armstrong splitting with Sheryl Crow during her cancer treatment (I mean…REALLY?????), Roberto Alomar spitting on umpire John Hirschbeck
#5 – Michael Vick Bankrolls Dogfighting Operation: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick
was arguable the most electrifying player in the NFL. His unorthodox style kept fans on the edge of their seat – would he throw a touchdown or get sacked for a 30-yard loss? Both outcomes happened quite often, but everyone wanted to watch. He played the position like millions of video game players manipulated their controllers.
He was the face of his franchise, one of the most marketable players in the league. Under his direction, the Falcons became a premiere team in the league. Their signature win came on January 1, 2003, when Vick and the birds upset heavily-favored Green Bay at storied Lambeau Field in the playoffs, the Packers’ first home playoff loss ever.
While his demeanor soured slowly as the team struggled, the summer of 2007 was when he went full-blown heel. That summer, evidence of Vick bankrolling a large dogfighting ring, with harsh imagery from rape stands to drownings to hangings, blew up…and so did his career. Vick went to jail, and while he has returned to the league, his reputation is irreparable. (Note: I previously discussed Michael Vick here)
#4 – Rafael Palmeiro Wags His Guilty Finger: There are several ways to get into a sport’s
Hall of Fame. Be GREAT…or be REALLY GOOD for a long time. Baseball star Rafael Palmeiro, sitting on nearly two decades of REALLY GOOD, was finishing out his career, with a ticket seemingly punched for Cooperstown, NY.
There are, however, ways to block your own induction to the Hall of Fame. Embarrassing yourself and your sport in front of Congress is pretty decent way to do just that.
Testifying under oath on March 17, 2005, Palmeiro swore to Congress he had never done steroids, famously wagging his finger at them, almost shaming them for even considering that fact.
That August, Palmeiro tested positive for the steroid stanozolol. He was immediately suspended for 10 games. While he was reinstated after serving his time, the one-time champion of goodness became a poster boy for all that was wrong with the game at the time. The Congressional nature of his case brings his lying to a higher level. Now, the only way he will see the Hall of Fame is with a ticket…if they even let him in.
#3 – Ray Lewis, Murder and Redemption: By January 31, 2000, Baltimore Ravens linebacker
Ray Lewis was entering the prime of his career. He had already been named to two All Pro Team, led the NFL in tackles and was seen as an emerging leader of the premier defense in the league. His popularity became national, as his hard, aggressive style of play endeared himself to all gridiron fans.
However, that night, everything changed. While the exact events remain a mystery, here is what we know: Lewis was involved in a back alley fight, which led to the stabbing deaths of two men on the opposite side. Lewis was charged with murder, and the image of a top athlete sitting in his trial every day wearing prison jumpsuits was prevalent.
At the end of the day, Lewis agreed to take a lesser charge to testify against his co-defendants. The NFL fined Lewis $250,000 and his image was in tatters.
I included Lewis in this list because of how shocking the image was: one of the most popular players in his league charged with murder.
However, also to be mentioned is how Lewis found redemption. A decade of distance from the murder, Lewis has shown remorse for his involvement, dedicated himself to community service and mentoring young players in the league, trying to make sure nobody makes the mistakes he did.
He has become a “spiritual leader” of the Ravens and the NFL – a weathered warrior who has seen the worst and emerged from it a better man. So while his heel turn was shocking, his return to good graces has been inspiring.
#2 – Tiger Woods Likes The Ladies: LeBron James wants to be a global brand…Tiger Woods
IS. He dominated with PGA Tour for more than a decade, taking the game to greater popularity than ever before. A man bred to win at golf, Tiger’s focus, fitness and precision were legendary. Part marketing play and part psychological ploy, if you saw Tiger wearing red on Sunday, you knew he was winning.
He endorsed top-flight brands and products and it all made sense – he was top-flight. He was a family man, living the perfect life.
On November 25, 2009, a report came out of Tiger being in a single-car crash late at night in his gated community in Florida. Which led to a report of a mistress. Which opened the floodgates.
Women upon women upon women came forward claiming to have had sexual relationships with Tiger Woods. And he didn’t deny it! Because there wasn’t anything to deny.
And it was over. His run at the top of the sport – as it’s best player, biggest star and most popular competitor, the scads of rich endorsement contracts, the life people dream of…all of it, gone. Tiger walked away from golf for several months, a tense time of supposed rehab for his addiction and trying to repair his marriage.
While he has returned to golf and kept some sponsorships, he is no longer THE golfer. His life is in shambles and the man who cherished his privacy is forced to see the world watch it.
#1 – OJ Simpson and The White Bronco: Hall of Famer football player and successful actor
and commentator OJ Simpson did it right. After an illustrious playing career, he successfully moved on to other arenas. He was not a national treasure (like, say, Mike Ditka or Betty White), but he was respected and recognized everywhere.
His ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend Ron Goldman, were found dead at their home on June 12, 1994. Five days later, Simpson, the prime suspect, was involved an in infamous low-speed car chase. Police chased a white Bronco SUV for hours around Los Angeles. The footage interrupted the NBA championship and began a national obsession with the case.
Finally apprehended, Simpson’s trial gripped people coast-to-coast. The former Heisman Trophy winner’s court battle touched a nerve with people, headlines, ratings, dinner-table discussions and workplace arguments.
The announcement of the verdict sits as one of those “you always remember where you were” moments, along with 9/11 and JFK’s assassination. And despite his acquittal, Simpson remains a villain in pop culture…and the legal system. He is currently serving nearly a decade of jail time on numerous felonies, including armed robbery and kidnapping.
What other real life sports heel turns would you include?
Box office numbers and award nominations don’t lie. My guess is that you probably saw “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” in the theaters a few years back. Terrific adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald (he wrote “The Great Gatsby!”) short story, featuring Brad Pitt as a man born old and progressively gets younger throughout his life.
The concept is astounding – someone living life in reverse…getting younger by the day, and acting like it.
Unlike Button who had a valid reason to regress, Pittsburgh Steeleers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has none.
Roethlisberger starred at Miami University in Ohio, the hometown hero leading his team to victory each week. Despite limited playing time at the position in high school, Roethlisberger went on to set every meaningful career and single-season passing record for the RedHawks.
He was rewarded for his efforts by being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the premier franchises in the National Football League. The Steelers signed him to a lavish multi-million dollar contract before ever stepped onto an NFL field. Touted as their “QB of the future,” Roethlisberger started his career at the bottom of the depth chart, giving him the time needed to learn the game from veterans Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch.
However, when both of his mentors fell to injury, Roethlisberger was pressed into action. Showing his talent and leadership from Day One, he started 13 regular season games as a rookie – and the Steelers won them all. With Roethlisberger at the helm, Pittsburgh made a deep run into the postseason in 2004-05. The following year, they won the Super Bowl. The futre was now for the Steelers.
However, following the Super Bowl victory, things started to “Button-up” for the franchise quarterback.
In June 2006, Roethlisberger crashed his motorcycle. Because he wasn’t wearing a helmet, his injuries were immense. He underwent hours of surgeries to reconstruct his literally shattered face.
Three years later, he was the target of a civil suit in an alleged sexual assault in Lake Tahoe. While this case never amounted to anything, mostly due to the accuser ruining her own case, the court of public opinion noted the event and moved on to football.
This past March, however, a salacious new scandal broke out in Millidgeville, GA. Local police announced they were investigating Roethlisberger for an alleged sexual assault of a 20-year old college student in a club bathroom. No charges were filed, but the quarterback’s name has been dragged through the mud. One version of the story of that night in Georgia says that off-duty Pennsylvania police, acting as security, knowingly allowed the sexual conduct and kept the accuser’s friends away from her.
Over the past decade, Big Ben has gone from hometown QB hero to rookie phenom to Super Bowl champion to a knucklehead riding a motorcycle without a helmet to being investigated from alleged sexual assault. Quite a career arc, no? And now he will be suspended by the NFL for his conduct, with a formal announcement coming early this week.
So, PR experts, how can Ben Roethlisberger turn his image around before he continues to regress into an infant? Leave your answers in the comments section!
RT @colinokeefe: @mikeschaffer There’s ‘buzz’ but idk if there’s anything concrete. Even having played hockey 10+ years, no interest in NHL. #sportsprchat
RT @colinokeefe: @mikeschaffer Better question. Are MMA athletes all that good if other sports’ athletes can waltz in after previous career? #sportsprchat
