Two Travesties Today

The WNBA is a fiasco; it simply cannot be taken seriously.  Yes, the product on TV has improved over the past several seasons to the point where I can watch a half of a game without flipping channels.  However, the demands of the players and the league officials to be taken seriously as a key component of the US sporting landscape are preposterous.

There was a social media posting – – since taken down to be sure – – showing two of the more prominent WNBA players making a $400 bet on a game their two teams were going to play.  The league says that the video posting “missed the mark” but that that the two players would not be punished.  And I am supposed to take the WNBA seriously…?

Here is the statement from the WNBA about how this is handled:

“While the social media post was intended to be lighthearted, WNBA players are well aware of the league’s policies prohibiting betting on WNBA games and receive training every year reinforcing those policies.  We recognized tat the post missed the mark, removed it shortly after it was published and addressed the matter internally.

“We will use this as an opportunity to reemphasize with the players involved that conversations about wagering on WNBA games even when intended as a joke can have negative consequences.”

That’s it; the league will use this as a teachable moment.  Oh, by the way, this behavior by two of the league’s stars does not speak highly of the effectiveness of the training that players get “every year reinforcing [the league’s gambling] policies.

The Phillies play the Nats tonight in Philly; imagine if there were a video of the two starting pitchers making a bet on the outcome of tonight’s game before it began and that the video was posted on any of the myriad social media sites.  What might be the reaction of MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred?  Probably something a bit more stern than an assessment that the video “missed the mark”.

I have no objection to gambling on sporting events; I have been known to do so on more than one occasion.  I also have no objection to symbolic wagers of trivial value made by team owners or the mayors of competing cities.  I do have a serious objection to players betting on games in which they will participate.  And no; that serious objection is not mitigated by the fact that both players bet on their teams to win.

This is the same league where in the past a team had a serious flight delay and did not get into the city where they were scheduled to play until the early morning hours.  Not good; but not nearly fatal.  That team simply did a “no-show” for the game and left the fans who had gone to see that game high and dry.  No punishment there either.

• Memo to the WNBA:  If you want to be taken seriously – – as seriously as the NBA is taken in the sports universe – – you must behave seriously and you must punish improper behavior.
• Until then, you are consigned to the kiddies’ table.

And speaking of sports entities that might not be worthy of serious consideration, let me move on to a report about the Akron Zips football team which is part of the MAC.  Based on a random drawing of season ticket holders – – MAC teams have such people? – – one lucky fanboy will get to be the “Offensive Coordinator of the Game”.  Seriously …

The winner will get to work with the coaches, and he/she will script the opening drive in Akron’s home opening game on September 12^th against Robert Morris.  Here is part of the official announcement of this brainstorm:

“The selected fan will work directly with Zips’ football head coach Joe Moorhead to help design the plays that open the game — a first-of-its-kind experience for the Akron program.
‘We’re always looking for new ways to bring our fans closer to the program,’ said Dr. Andrew T. Goodrich, Director of Athletics. ‘This is about giving one of our most loyal supporters a seat at the table, right alongside our coaching staff, on the biggest night of the season.’”

And I am supposed to take MAC football seriously …?

Finally, this observation by Albert Camus seems apropos as a close for today:

“Basically, at the very bottom of life, which seduces us all, there is only absurdity, and more absurdity. And maybe that’s what gives us our joy for living, because the only thing that can defeat absurdity is lucidity.”

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