Punishment – – But Where’s the Crime?

Recent reports say that the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver are “nearing the end” of the investigation into what all happened regarding Ja Morant and his second gun-waving incident, but the Commish says he does not want to disrespect the two teams in the NBA Finals by breaking news that would take attention away from those Finals’ combatants. If that were really the case, Adam Silver would not have even said what he did because what he said took attention away from the NBA Finals.

The NY Post quoted Silver saying the following prior to the tip-off in Game 1 of the NBA Finals:

“We’ve uncovered a fair amount of additional information.  We probably could have brought it to a head now, but we’ve made the decision that it would be unfair to these players and these teams to announce that decision in the middle of this series.”

Maybe I am too dumb to grasp the significance here, but I have no idea what sort of investigation is so important here.  Since the police have not charged Morant with possession of an unregistered handgun – – which is sort of obvious in both of his “flashing incidents” captured on cell phone video – – I must assume that he is licensed to own the gun and to carry it on his person.  If that assumption is correct, then Ja Morant has not broken any laws, nor has he done anything other than demonstrate that he is an immature young man who appears to lack self-control.

So, how does an investigation into that sort of stuff lead the Commissioner to say:

“I don’t think we yet know what it will take to change his [Morant’s] behavior,”

Adam Silver is an adult who ought to realize that he is not going to change Ja Morant’s behavior until and unless Ja Morant is open to having his behavior changed.  Silver can suspend him and not allow him to participate in any NBA activities thereby taking away Morant’s source of income.  Maybe that would convince Morant to be open to changing his behavior; maybe not.  But I wonder why Adam Silver seems to think that it is his responsibility to change Ja Morant’s behavior and why he thinks he might succeed in that endeavor once he tries.  Meanwhile:

• Memo to Ja Morant:  When you are out and about with your entourage, collect everyone’s cell phone and put them in your pocket so they cannot take videos of you.
• And do not video yourself.
• You’re welcome!

Moving on …  Tom Brady is in the process of seeking NFL approval to buy a minority interest in the Las Vegas Raiders and that has created speculation that he might be the QB for the Raiders starting in September.  Brady continues to deny this and there would be hurdles he would have to cross to get approval to be an owner/player, but those hurdles are not insurmountable.  Brady continues to assert that he is “retired for good” and that he is not interested in another “unretirement”.  Here is what he had to say on that matter:

“But I’m looking forward to my broadcasting job at Fox next year.  I’m looking forward to the opportunity ahead with the Raiders and we’re in the process of that along with the other different things that I’m a part of professionally and in my personal life.”

And …

“Just spending as much time with my kids as I can and seeing them grow up and support the different things that they have going on, and that’s a very important job. And I take them all pretty seriously.”

I am on record saying that I do not believe that Tom Brady will be a great color analyst for NFL games on TV.  Obviously, he knows the game extremely well and he is clearly bright and articulate; those are fundamental elements that go into being a great color analyst.  However, I think there are two factors that work against him and the second of those factors is reflected in his statements above:

1. Tom Brady has been in hundreds of press events after games and proximal to training camp activities.  As I have watched many of them, I never got the impression that Brady was enjoying himself.  Some folks love being on camera and behind a microphone; Tom Brady does not look like one of those sorts of folks to me.
2. More importantly, Tom Brady says he wants to be with his kids as much of the time as possible.  Well, NFL color analysts don’t get a lot of “home games” where they can spend multiple weekdays at home with their families.  Moreover, NFL color analysts do not just “helicopter in” for the broadcast(s) on Sundays; the preparation and production meetings often begin on Thursdays meaning he will be away from his kids most of the week from around Labor Day until late January of the next year.

I think that is a tough exacta to deal with.  I don’t think he will be doing something he loves to do, and I think that something will take him away from his kids more than just a little bit.  As that “exacta” begins to manifest itself, it would not be shocking if Tom Brady came to the personal realization that TV was not his calling in life.  And if that happens, his performance will deteriorate simply because people rarely do well when they do not like what they are doing.  This is not a knock on Tom Brady; this is simply not the way human beings are wired.

Finally, I woke up this morning with this quotation in my mind for no apparent reason.  So, let me close with it even though it has nothing to do with anything above.  It is from General George S. Patton:

“Now, I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country.  He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………