Ozzie Guillen May Be Stupid, But So Are We

"I love Fidel Castro...I respect Fidel Castro.  You know why?  A lot of people have been trying to kill Fidel Castro for the last sixty years, but that (expletive) is still here"


This quote was given to Time Magazine by Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen, which has set off a shit storm in south Florida that is still raging.  Guillen has been suspended 5 games for these remarks and numerous people and organizations are threatening to boycott the Marlins until he is fired.  Is what Guillen said stupid and unthoughtful?  Absolutely.  But the reaction to these comments says more about America and our archaic view on Cuba and Castro then Guillen himself.

To truly understand the outrage you must first look at the circumstances surrounding these comments.  Miami has a large Cuban population that drives the city and state.  Many have defected or have close relatives who have suffered under Castro's regime and rightly feel pure hatred for the man.  The Marlins, trying to tap into this community, chose to build their new stadium in the Little Havana section of Miami.  To further make inroads with the Latin population they chose to hire Guillen, a Venezuelan who is bilingual, as their manager.

Guillen is no stranger to offhanded remarks and controversy.  During his time with the Chicago White Sox he calling a reporter a homophobic slur, he's stated that Major League Baseball treats its Japanese players better then its Hispanic players, and that America couldn't survive without illegal immigrants.  Within the past few weeks he's told a radio station that he has sacrificed live animals as part of Santeria rituals, and regularly gets drunk after games.  The point is, we aren't dealing with a scholar here.  But the Marlins knew exactly what they were getting; an outspoken latin manager who makes entertaining, and sometimes off color remarks who happens to have a World Series ring (2005 with the White Sox).

When Guillen's comments were released it angered the Cuban community who immediately were up and arms, voicing their outrage and calling for the Marlins to take action.  Guillen, clearly feeling the heat, made public apology after public apology, all seemingly heartfelt.  The Marlins, knowing that something had to be done to stem the tide, chose to suspend Guillen for 5 games, to which MLB commissioner Bud Selig concurred.

Stupid, but sincere

But what did Guillen actually say?  "I love Fidel Castro" - Stupid and oblivious.  How do you say something like that when you work in LITTLE HAVANA?!?!  A lot of people have been trying to kill Fidel Castro for the last sixty years, but that (expletive) is still here" - This statement is absolutely true. Castro has survived numerous attempts on his life (many by our government) and has survived for 60 years.

Since Castro came into power our foreign policy toward Cuba, and some of our domestic policy as well, has been shaped by this group of Cuban expatriates.  But the embargo this country has against Cuba is laughable.  The Helms-Burton Act has been ignored and condemned by such hated countries as England, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, along with the EU and humanitarian groups.  Hell, we are doing business with China and Vietnam, but Cuba remains persona non grata, even though they are of no threat to us and have a leader on his deathbed.  So why can we repair relations with other countries around the world but refuse to even come to a sensible policy in regards to a small island country?

The answer can be found in the well organized, politically active Cuban community, which happens to reside in a swing state with 27 electoral votes, and is bitterly against anything Castro.  This is why it remains in every politicians best interest to continue to kowtow to their wants and needs.  But how long can this last?  The majority of people who feel this way are the older generation with first hand experiences of the atrocities perpitrated by Castro.  But as the generations pass, the younger Cuban Americans don't hold the same grudge and disdain for an old man who just refuses to die.  They seem to be moving into the present rather than being trapped in the past.

What will they "boicot" next?

Unfortunately this is how our country operates.  There are certain political taboo's that just can't be approached from any other angle than the one society approves.  Talking about Cuba or Castro in any other light other than the negative brings an outcry like no other.  It would be nice if we could have an open dialog regarding such topics as Cuba or Israel and debate them respectfully and intelligently.  But that's not the way it is in this country anymore.  People look at things in black and white, right and wrong, to which the cable news channels, in a constant hunt for ratings, are glad to perpetuate.  But this is not the way a caring and respectful country opperates.  We welcome different views.  We allow people to think and feel what they choose.  It may be incorrect and off base, but that is what makes America such a wonderful place.  We are free to express ourselves, no matter how ignorant.

What Ozzie Guillen said was stupid and insensitive, and he should have been smarter under the circumstances (however it can be argued that this is what makes Ozzie Ozzie).  The Marlins clearly saw this as a publicity nightmare and acted in order to save face (5 games out of 162 is just that).  But it has reminded us of the knee jerk reactions our country has to certain issues, and no matter the context or even the accuracy of the statement, it will be blindly vilified till the end.

Viva America!

Kentucky Wins While Basketball Loses

Last night the NCAA men's basketball season came to an end, with the Kentucky Wildcats winning their 8th national championship.  This isn't surprising to anyone who's followed college basketball, as the team Kentucky put together was truly better than any other team this year.  Nor is it surprising, in today's NCAA, that you will never see this specific team again.  That is because the Wildcats will lose 3-5 players to the NBA before graduating in what has become an annual springtime tradition like warmer weather and daylight savings.  This is not a new phenomenon, as players have been leaving early for quite some time.  But what the NCAA and NBA have created is a minor league system that masquerades as college athletics and these players as "student-athletes".  This is a ridiculous setup that belittles educational institutions, alienates fans and prevents young adults from earning a living.

There was a time when very few players chose to leave college after one year, instead choosing to stay, mature, and receive an education.  This all changed in the mid 90's when high school players started skipping college all together to go straight to the NBA.  The success of such players as Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant increased those electing to go straight to the league.  However, the majority of these players faltered greatly under the NBA spotlight, and in response the NBA instituted a rule stating that only a player who had been out of high school for one year and 19 years of age could enter the league.  It is this rule that has created the current atmosphere of college basketball.

Kentucky's coach John Calapari has mastered this "one and done" system.  He has realized that to win now with these parameters in place, it is to his benefit to recruit players who are using college as a stop over to NBA stardom.  He has always been a coach to walk right up to the line (and sometimes crossing it, as this was technically his first final four after his two previous trips, one with UMass in 1996, one with Memphis in 2008, were vacated due to rules violations) but he is honest about his recruiting strategy.  While some may see this as a coach using players to achieve his goal of a national championship, these players are also using him.  Since they can not enter the NBA they use the college forum as a way to gain notoriety and fame, boosting their draft stock and potential for a financial windfall.  While I don't like Calapari in any regard, I find it silly that this past week he has been criticized for his recruiting philosophy while the players and the league that created it get a free pass.  And let's not forget these academic institutions who make millions off of these young men, not giving them a cent, while turing a blind eye to their academics.  They are fully aware of the agreement they enter into with these athletes when they are given scholarships.  You go on the court, perform and bring us money and publicity, and we'll excuse your poor academic performance.  After all, most of these players stop going to class after the basketball season since eligibility isn't an issue, and if you were guaranteed millions in a few months, would you waste your time going to class?

Celebrating the end of college basketball as we know it

Unfortunately this isn't an isolated issue with Calapari and Kentucky, as much as the media would have you believe.  Other storied programs are dealing with this same problem and big name coaches who have been on the job for decades are forced to adjust their recruiting strategies accordingly.  Just this past week we learned that 3 players from North Carolina are leaving early, along with players from Duke, and I'm sure many more in the weeks to come.  While coaches used to recruit for the future, taking players they could develop and build a team they could mold and gel together after numerous seasons, they now have to constantly be looking for the next freshman to step in.  It makes their jobs tremendously more difficult, especially since they never know what player will decide to make the jump, and when.

There is no clearer example than what is happening at UCLA.  UCLA is one of the most storied programs in college athletics, and the most successful mens basketball program in history.  They own 11 national championships, 10 led by the legendary John Wooden, who preached togetherness and build not only strong players, but strong men over the years they played for him.  Ben Howland, the current UCLA head coach, revered Wooden, and matched his style of recruiting and coaching.  In his 8 years as coach he has taken the Bruins to the Tournament 6 times, reaching the Final Four 3 straight years from 2006-2008.  But since then he program has fallen on hard times.  A few months ago Sports Illustrated has a cover story on the problems plaguing the team under Howland.  Certain players were allowed to party, skip practice, injure teammates, and even piss on others clothing while not being held accountable by Howland.  Growing up in Los Angeles and growing up a huge Bruins fan, this clearly is not UCLA basketball.  But what this is is a microcosm of college basketball in the "one and done" era.  In order to compete Howland is forced to recruit knuckleheads like Reeves Nelson and tolerate their bullshit in order to win games.  And in college sports you keep your job by winning games.  He is not able to build a team for the future because the coaches who embrace the one and doners are running ruff-shot over everyone else.  You can't compete in the NCAA these days without recruiting the best players, and in some instances kowtowing to their wants in order to either get them to your school or keep them in your program.  It is a double edged sword; take on these players who are using you as a stepping stone and win, or reject them, try to build a strong team for years and a top notch program of student athletes and lose your job.

Coaches are now forced to recruit thugs like Reeves Nelson in order to stay competitive

The NBA is not fault free in this current situation.  Instituting this rule of being out of high school for a year is a knee jerk reaction and one that is utterly ridiculous.  Putting aside what it does to the college game, they are willfully preventing these adults, and these kids are adults at 18, from earning a living.  If an NBA team wants to take a chance on a high schooler and pay him millions they should be allowed to do so.  These athletes have every right to pursue a living with basketball if they are offered the chance, and for the NBA to prevent and essentially force them into college is absurd.  Does David Stern actually believe that these players are going to embrace the college experience and go to class to further their education?  While some might, the majority are just trying to pass the time before draft day and could care less about class other than doing the minimum to stay eligible.  If a team takes a flyer on a young player and it doesn't work out it's the teams fault.  If a player enters the draft out of high school forgoing collegiate eligibility and isn't drafted, the fault lies with them.  But for an entire league to regulate entry of adults is just wrong.

So what's the solution?  It's actually quite simple, as a system is already in place that has been working just fine, so much so that you may not even realize it exists.  In baseball a player can come right out of high school and declare for the MLB draft.  If they are selected they may have to work their way up through the minor leagues and if everything goes right eventually get to the majors.  However, if a player decides to enter college, they are making a three year commitment to that program and will not be eligible for the MLB draft until after that third year.  This not only gives these athletes the freedom to decide their future, but gives security to a college program that they will have this player to build around for at least three years.  It also gives players that are on the border time to mature and hone their skills to eventually make that jump to the majors, rather than going straight to the draft and fizzle out in the minors.  The NBA does have a minor league, the D-League, so there is really no reason why they couldn't implement the same system.  It's a win-win-win for all parties involved, however the likelihood of the NCAA and NBA coming to an agreement similar to this are next to nothing.  Money drives everything in college athletics, and the millions that are raked in by the NCAA, universities, and the NBA due to the existing system are not going to be rejected for a more logical and moral setup.

It took the likes of Kwame Brown and others to come to the NBA from high school and fail so enormously that caused the NBA to institute it's current rule.  It most likely will take a number of one and doners to fail just as grandly before this rule is altered.  Until that time we are forced to deal and adjust to what we have; a broken system that uses academic institutions as a glorified AAU league and a season long pro day.

The pyramid of success is going the route of the ancient pyramids

So congratulations Kentucky.  You not only won the national championship but have ushered in and solidified the current state of college basketball for years to come.  I'm just glad John Wooden isn't around to see it.