Mondoweiss

Pariah No More--the Political Lessons of 'The Masters'

The Masters golf tournament was, as usual, exciting this year; and it offered a political lesson. Trevor Immelman, a 28-year-old from South Africa, won by staving off the amazing Tiger Woods at Augusta (Georgia) National Golf Club. The ridiculous ceremony  in which last year's winner, Zack Johnson, presented Immelman with a green jacket, signifying his victory was broadcast by CBS last night with traditional piety from Augusta's "Butler Cabin."

I had to reflect: Not long ago Immelman lived in a pariah country, South Africa. And Augusta National was for a little while a pariah club, because of its racist admissions policies. And of course 50 years ago Tiger Woods, who is half black, wouldn't have been allowed anywhere near Augusta. He would have been pariah, too. All those places and folks are O.K. now because policies changed profoundly and the world reaccepted them. No one on the broadcast yesterday said a word about race, segregation, or apartheid.

That acceptance came about in large part because U.S. opinion, maybe the most important current in the world, turned against the moral opprobrium of South Africa and Augusta with full force. U.S. opinion isn't turning against Israel because our media won't talk about the moral opprobrium of Hebron, and our politicians won't talk about Hebron. When they do, it will be to Israel's benefit. It will force that country to change, and allow its citizens to one day take part in world events without anyone noticing a thing.

Why I Don't Believe Roger Clemens

It seems like most people aren't buying Roger Clemens's defense of steroid charges. Here's why I doubt him:

He's always been an asshole. That's made him a great pitcher, though also a sonofabitch (Piazza's broken bat incident in W.S. with Mets). Right now he's in complete belligerent asshole mode; and it's not appropriate. It feels like too much, like he thinks he can win thru intimidation, rather than thru the accumulation of facts. "He doth protest too much."

He says all he cares about is his body and health. Well if that's all he cared about, why did he inject so many legal substances into it, as he claims? He was constantly taking nostrums and pain relievers and injections, he has admitted. I know why: because he loves to win more than he loves his body. Doesn't add up. This guy would do anything to win. He says he never pitched for fame. Ok, maybe. And that he doesn't give a "rat's ass" about the Hall of Fame now. I think that's B.S. If he didn't care about reputation, he wouldn't be going all out right now, when his career is no longer at stake, being all but over.

At his press conference he played the phone conversation with the former trainer who dimed him out. It made no sense to me, other than that the former trainer is hangdog and weird. It felt like Clemens just wanted to crush his character. It didn't speak to the charges. Altogether Clemens is angry, brittle and defensive. The most revealing moment in Mike Wallace's "60 Minutes" interview was when he kept dodging the idea of taking a lie detector test. I don't think they work either, but I wouldn't keep insisting on that point if my reputation was on the line over a lie. If someone was lying about me, I'd take the test in a second.

What Does It Mean that Levine Is Yankees' Prez, and Shapiro and Epstein Are Gen'l Managers of Indians, Red Sox?

Jews are principals in U.S. society. Antisemitism here is dead...

Find Out What Manny Is Smoking and Send a Lid to the Other Players

Yesterday Manny Ramirez said it wasn't the end of the world if the Red Sox don't beat Cleveland. Shocking. Tucker Carlson said on his show that he thinks Manny is smoking pot. Last night Ramirez went two for four (though he was boneheaded on the basepaths) and once again demonstrated what an amazing hitter he is. I remember what Lincoln supposedly said when they told him U.S. Grant had a drinking problem. "Find out what brand he drinks and send a case to the other generals..."

The D-Backs Have One Too Many Logos

I'm not the only one with an identity crisis. Watching the NLCS last night, I noticed that the Diamondbacks have two logos. The first is the wavy D formed by a snake on their caps. The second is a more abstract snake head formed by a lower case d and b put together like this: db. It's on their uniform shoulders. They're both cool logos but they should choose one. 'Course they're going down anyway. No one can stop the Rockies!

Poetic Justice for Matsui, and the Mets

One of the pleasures of last night's wild-card playoff game was Kaz Matsui's fine performance. He started the Rockies' rally in the bottom of the 13th, getting a double off Trevor Hoffman. A couple years ago, Matsui was run out of New York on a rail. Maybe deservedly. He was a showboat when he came to the Mets. Now he's chastened, and a pro. Meanwhile the Mets played like spoiled, entitled jerks. Poetic justice that he's going to the post-season, and not his former team. (Though personally I was pulling for former Met Mike Cameron, and the Padres...)

The View From the South Side of Chicago. Go, Bartman!

In order to torture my friend Dan Swanson, I called him this morning and chanted, "Cub-bies, Cub-bies." He's from the south side of Chicago, and White Sox fans hate the Cubs. But the Cubs are in the Playoffs, representing the Central Division!

"I'm not worried," Dan said. "All over the South Side, [Arizona] Diamondbacks paraphernalia is being purchased, to be worn to the bars. And Bartman is getting ready. He's oiling up his glove. He's taking
flies. He's got his tickets."

A wicked reference to the grandiose Cubs fan Steve Bartman, who spoiled the Cubs' hopes four years ago by battling Moises Alou for a foul ball late in Game 6, thereby allowing the Marlins to come back from the dead. Will the Cubs let Bartman anywhere near Wrigley?

Let Michael Vick Play Football Again (And Stop Criminalizing Black Youth)

Commenters on my favorite channel (ESPN) keep saying that Michael Vick may never play football again. Why? Because he committed heinous acts? It sure looks like he is going to be punished for them, and that he will apologize. I'm sick of criminalizing black youth. Once he's out, Vick should be allowed to play again. That's America. We believe in renewal, redemption, and paying your price. Also talent. Vick is a gifted athlete. Let's see him back on the field, after he does time.

And anyway: the cruelty of dogfighting is not that many steps removed from the violence of NFL football, one of my hobbyhorses, which the New York Times has done such a wonderful job of documenting in the last year. Did you notice how many concussions and injuries there were in the Giants' latest exhibition game?

The Meaning of Tough: Eddie Murray

When Cal Ripken Jr. was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame a few weeks back, he thanked his teammate Eddie Murray ahead of a lot of others, and Murray, seated on the Cooperstown stage because he entered the Hall four years ago, merely gave a little nod. "Wow is he tough," I thought. Murray has never been fulsome; and when cameras are on, Murray goes sullen.

I'm an Orioles fan. Murray has always been an enigma. He wasn't made for the media age. Incredibly consistent as a run-producer, he shut out the press, and got a negative reputation for it. Fans like me always wondered about racism. Murray was one of a dozen kids and grew up in Watts.

The other day on the Yankees broadcast, former Oriole Ken Singleton (one of my favorite announcers) offered an insight into Murray's personality. He said that one day when the Orioles were playing the Angels and Nolan Ryan was pitching, Eddie Murray kept calling out to Ryan, "Throw it harder." Ryan was about the hardest thrower the game's ever seen, and he hit a lot of batters. He looked over at the Orioles bench in anger. Singleton was so afraid Ryan would think he was saying it that he ran away from Murray in the dugout. Now that's tough.

Baseball Honors 'Innocent Till Proven Guilty.' NFL Trashes It.

When Bonds caught Aaron yesterday, Commissioner Bud Selig said he or another baseball official would attend the Giants' next few games "out of respect for the tradition of the game, the magnitude of the record and the fact that all citizens in this country are innocent until proven guilty."

Innocent until proven guilty. Nice words. A principle the NFL has trashed by cashiering Michael Vick before he has been tried on dog-fighting charges. Yes, dogfighting is terrible, and, unlike Bonds's supposed infraction, not everybody does it. But doesn't everybody deserve a hearing?