Kris Shannon’s World of Sport Dummies’ guide to the baseball season
There’s nothing quite like the anticipation of this time of year when the baseball season is about to start
Spring is in full bloom, the days are getting longer and summer is just around the corner. Providing, that is, you’re living vicariously in the United States. Which is naturally the situation at World of Sport, eagerly anticipating the start of the new Major League Baseball season on Monday. Unsure about those seasonal shenanigans? Unclear about whom to root for, what storylines to watch? Well, prepare to be convinced. I’m so glad you asked. Almost exactly 150 days ago, we were treated to one of the five greatest baseball games in history, as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in game seven of the World Series to claim their first title in 108 years. Which is a sentence that does no justice to the game itself. You know it’s a memorable occasion when what turned out to be a meaningless home run — by Cleveland’s Rajai Davis to tie the game in the eighth inning — still sends shivers up the spine. Seriously, just Google it. Santa Maria! No. The Cubs, as is often the case with reigning champions, have possibly the best team in the majors, and are a safe bet to repeat. Filled with youngsters and fuelled by an unstoppable offence, the faithful at Wrigley Field may soon fly the ‘ W’ banner again. Not exactly, given baseball is the most difficult team sport in which to predict the eventual victor. Thirty teams play 162 games each across six months to determine the lucky eight who qualify for the post- season proper . . . and then the competition becomes a complete crapshoot. Ahuh. Which equals a regular season of 2430 total games. Hell, teams have just completed a hectic pre- season schedule that saw some play as many as 32 warm- up fixtures, a greater number than most sports save to determine their winner. The everyday nature of baseball is one of its best and worst qualities. On one hand, what’s the value in a single game, when it’s worth less than a percentage point? On the other, there’s baseball on every day. It’s so great. Who wouldn’t? Playing a kids’ game while being handsomely remunerated is one thing. But consider for a minute what playing every day really means: that’s right, no practice. It can be an understandably alluring lifestyle. Just ask Ichiro Suzuki, the 43- year- old who, counting the Japanese league, has amassed more hits than anyone in history. Ichiro is entering his 17th MLB season, having spent nine in his native Japan, and by the sounds of this Miami Herald interview, isn’t quite ready for the end. “When you retire from baseball, you have until the day you die to rest,” Ichiro said. And when the day finally comes to retire? “I think I’ll just die.” Less than other American sports, given baseball is overwhelmingly white and the clubhouse is teeming with players who reside in red states. hired by the Spurs to become the first full- time, salaried female coach in NBA history.
The 40- year- old has, in Gregg Popovich, been working under one of the greatest coaches of all time — and certainly the most enlightened when it comes to social issues — so seems the obvious choice to be the long- awaited invitee to the old boys’ club.
And, again, why shouldn’t she be? What could men possibly know about basketball that Hammon hasn’t already learned? It’s almost as if ignoring hiring such a qualified candidate would be less about coaching ability and more about misguided and misogynistic ideas on gender.
Which is exactly what Silver, to his credit, wants to avoid, pledging to become more than a passive observer in this potential social change.
“There are things that the league can and should be doing to accelerate the move towards a woman being a head coach,” the commissioner said. “We have begun a training programme here in the league office, so we can bring in women who have been around the game of basketball — some of them are former players, or some just have a passion for the game. Not too much dissent there about the continuing US descent into autocracy. But there was still one notable storyline ahead of Opening Day. President Trump has opted to break a century- long tradition and eschew the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ first game, citing a scheduling conflict. As a keen political observer on Twitter explained, “[ Trump] has ‘ not getting
“They begin becoming part of the network of team personnel so that, when these assistant coaching jobs become available, they are in the pipeline.”
It’s a start, and other sports would be wise to follow. There will of course be resistance from players and especially fans, but there’s little doubting the dissenters will eventually prove on the wrong side of history.
Once we’re all enlightened enough to judge a coach’s credentials on their ability, instead of any physiological factors, sport will be better for it. Major League Soccer is currently exploring the idea of adding an expansion team.
Wow, that’s a boring sentence. I apologise for having foisted that upon you, dear reader.
But this does get better. The backers of one proposed new franchise, you see, have been attempting to generate interest among the citizens of San Diego, hoping to get the fans on their side and convince the league their bid should be granted entry.
And what better way to engage supporters than to run an open poll about the new team’s potential new booed by thousands of people’ scheduled for the same time”. After minutes of study, I have the Indians over the Red Sox in the American League and the Nationals over the Cubs in the National League, with Cleveland to avenge last year’s heartbreaking loss and win their first World Series since 1948. name. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, absolutely nothing if we judge by the team currently sitting in second place in voting: the San Diego Surf. Entirely appropriate, given the city’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean, and entirely reasonable, considering the saboteurs that usually populate internet polls.
Those saboteurs, though? They might have something to do with the suggestion occupying third place: the San Diego Bad Hombres. Again, kind of appropriate, given San Diego’s proximity to the border and President Trump’s infamous description of those who head north across that border, but perhaps less reasonable for a football team.
Which brings us to the team that are currently streaking clear in the vote: the San Diego Footy McFooty Face. Hmm. Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue.
A variation of this name, of course, is destined to appear in online polls for the rest of time, after the Natural Environment Research Council in Great Britain canvassed for a potential moniker for their new vessel, only to deny the overwhelmingly popular choice of Boaty McBoat Face.
Let’s hope the MLS and city of San Diego see more sense. Could Bastian Schweinsteiger one day become a two- time World Cup winner, despite this week moving to the MLS, despite looking at 32 like his legs have gone, despite having last year retired from international football? No, he could not. But that didn’t stop the topic from being raised at the German’s unveiling with the Chicago Fire, with one intrepid reporter not afraid to ask Schweinsteiger the tough questions. “Is winning the World Cup goal for Chicago Fire was a realistic expectation?” queried the journalist, demonstrating both an appalling knowledge of football and sentence construction, and single- handedly setting back soccer in the United States decades. Unfortunately, a club official interjected before a clearly bemused Schweinsteiger could respond. Still, despite being denied a reply, the question takes its place among the worst asked at sporting press conferences. . .
A terrible cliche at the best of times, that inquiry is slightly superfluous when the game being referenced is the freaking Super Bowl. But that’s what was asked of Denver Broncos defensive end Shaun Phillips before the Super Bowl in 2014. Phillips clearly didn’t get the message, however, with the Broncos eventually being crushed by the Seattle Seahawks.
Knowing the result of the match you’re covering seems like a prerequisite in sports journalism. But one reporter forgot that golden rule at the 2014 French Open, congratulating Nicolas Mahut after a first- round defeat. The praise wasn’t all that well- received and Mahut asked if the reporter had even watched the match. Clearly not, as the reporter illustrated while continuing to dig. At least it’s original. That pickle was posed to Shaquille O'Neal before game one of the 2006 NBA finals, a question made all the more memorable by Shaq’s reply: “No, but I would with your wife.”