NPR: Sports...and Freedom

Sports...and Freedom

Sometimes you talk about things you want to talk about (sports), and sometimes you talk about things you think you have to talk about (the whithering of the civil rights movement)...and the happy surprise comes when the thing you thought you had to talk about challenges your thinking in unexpected ways.

I'm talking about our conversation with Marc Morial, of the Urban League, and John Trasvina of MALDEF, about what direction the civil rights movement should take.

I learned some things: John Trasvina's comments about how the group is taking on more at the state and local levels was news to me. Marc Morial's remarks that each group has to educate its members about why it can't be all things to all people was also interesting to hear.

And sports...

The home run chase is ON. Where do you stand on Barry Bonds?
Do you care if he gets the record?
Do you want him to get the record?
Why, why, why does anything involving a spherical object cause us to have opinions?

And...from earlier in the week, my convo with WNBA president Donna Orender caused me to pull out my high school yearbook. I'm going to see if Lee dares print my team pictures. (figure I'll "out" myself here before someone else does!)

Can't find any pics from college. I must have burned that yearbook...

Have a great weekend.

Michel Martin

7:53 PM ET | 07-13-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

I'm an Avid Sports Fan; and though baseball is not my favorite sport I do keep abreast of some baseball news especially Barry Bond's run for the hallowed home-run record. My first thoughts when the watch started last year was "who cares, records are made to be broken." But when I thought of who was going to be accomplishing such a feat, my lukewarm approach turned a bit hot. I thought of how I'll have to stomach the fact that an alleged cheat with the devil may care attitude in Barry Bonds was going to break a record held by one (Hank Aaron)who did it with dignity amidst horrific racism in this country. It just didn't seem fair. But then again, life isn't fair. And I can't put all the blame on Bonds; the Baseball league, and may be the fans all shared a part during the 90s steroid age. Baseball (the whole league)looked the other way as some noted players bulked up into human machines and the popularity of the sport soared. Fans ate it up as well as Mark Mcguire and Sammy Sosa battled it up during the late 90s of who would be crowned the Home Run King. The same fans who voted for Bonds in droves during the last All-Star game have the nerve to cry foul as Bonds approaches the sacred home run record and you wonder why Bonds walks around with a chip on his shoulder.

Like I said before, records were made to be broken but isn't it a shame it has to broken this way?

Sent by Moji | 1:19 PM ET | 07-16-2007

Why are African Americans give the impression to be limited to biped only type sports and singing and dancing.

Sent by cuniverse | 11:34 AM ET | 07-24-2007

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