Local Sports Beat...By Cheating

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/hou/images/wallpaper/y2017/1920x1080_earnit.jpg; Words of wisdom - maybe do it right next time?

“…I think that this concentration on such topics as sports makes a certain degree of sense. The way the system is set up, there is virtually nothing people can do anyway, without a degree of organization that's far beyond anything that exists now, to influence the real world. They might as well live in a fantasy world, and that's in fact what they do. I'm sure they are using their common sense and intellectual skills, but in an area which has no meaning and probably thrives because it has no meaning, as a displacement from the serious problems which one cannot influence and affect because the power happens to lie elsewhere.”

-       Noam Chomsky

The following has grown out of reflections on the recent accusations of cheating by the Houston Astros baseball team. My sister and I have followed the team closely this year and while I do like the game, I’m under no illusions that it is run by saints. That said, the amount of attention we as a nation pay to sports in general is disconcerting. On the other hand, sport is such a global industry that the enterprise can alter various landscapes considerably.

Our friend Carlos Machado had commented to my sister that all teams cheat and always will, and that the most winning teams will garner the most hatred and criticism. His comment reminded me why I do lose interest in sports. Sure, everybody does it, under the guise of “getting the edge on the opponent”. Maybe it starts with astute observation from the runner at second base and the edge is passed along with signals like calling someone by their first name. This seems to be almost reasonable. But then, where does it cross the line? Electronic surveillance? Bugging bullpens?

In boxing, the sport was corrupt for decades and may be cleaner, but dirty shots that were borderline were passed over or added as points. Sand on the gloves, heavier weighted gloves, and of course, steroids, and the list can go on.

And sure, we can argue that all sports are similarly compromised. My sister’s example was of the NFL’s scandal-ridden history. Perhaps this is only matched by the MLB in terms of other scandals; mob interference, payola, and so on. When I contemplate this, it reminds me why there’s still a part of me that feels the time we set aside to watch sports could be better spent doing other things. 

For a minute, there’s a fascination with strategy, how the teams meet and play together, the visceral thrill of watching a grand slam or a Hail Mary pass. But it still devolves to a mere spectacle of athleticism and yes, merely competition in the face of immense pay-outs, pressure to perform, and economics tied to the prestige of the franchise city. 

One of the best lines in any sports movie is in Chariots of Fire when Liddell says that when he runs he feels God’s pleasure. That’s lofty and understandable, even. But few are as genuinely humble. In light of this, the humility of Altuve, Bergman, et al, is compromised by “win at any cost”. Maybe they justify it, thinking it’s legitimate offensive strategy. Everybody does it. 

Or put another way, enough do, but the MLB doesn’t move until it hits the press. 

My sense is that if you have to bend rules or resort to covert ops to “gain the edge”, then it calls into question how good your guys really are. And since this is a league-wide issue, then maybe it’s time to recalibrate how the game is played. Imagine removing the edge brought by technology and only relying on observation.

On the other observation, sure, top teams incite jealousy, if not anger, and accusations fly. Perhaps it’s worth revisiting questioning the game and attachment to it from that angle, but also add in, that there is often merit to those accusations. 

In sports, where the integrity is both structural and the naive among us still feel, moral, the repercussions can be farther reaching. The other side f the issue is how much effort, capital, and societal energy has been poured into sports to produce economies of significant scale the collapse of which results in layoffs of significant sizes. 

Did the Astros cheat? Well, it sounds like it. If the investigation finds the allegations are supported, Houston (city and team) is going to take a hit. Jobs will be lost, in some cases, careers ruined. Rebuilding will take years and the stain is unlikely to be removed anytime soon.

If they’re cleared? Maybe it’s time to reflect on the overall benefit of investing so much time to what is, after all, only a game.