The Chris Moeller Archives

ML King Jr. and other topics

Martin Luther King Jr. had this to say about political bravery and conscience in 1967: "On some positions a coward has asked the question is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question, is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular but he must take it because conscience tells him that he is right?

Lost in our recollections of Dr. King is that his message of hope, to borrow a popular phrase, had as much to do with economic justice as it did with racial tolerance.

In today's climate, there's only one political attribute that has currency, and that's courage.

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I'm glad the Packers lost on Sunday. Football was not meant to be played in such ridiculous conditions (wind-chill 28 degrees below zero?). Football is best played indoors. Yes, that's right. Not the purist angle? Perhaps not, but football wasn't meant to be played during the winter either. Check the turn of the 20th Century collegiate records. Football was meant to be a six week campaign enjoyed from early September to mid-October, wrapping up just two weeks or so after the longer lasting and more important baseball season concludes.

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On the "Late Show" website Friday, home office contributor Mike McIntee, rather tongue-in-cheek, cited the ineptitude of the Chicago Cubs as the reason that television executives are today allowed to dictate starting times for all sporting events.

It was 1984. The baseball Chicago Cubs won the NL East. They were playing the San Diego Padres in the playoffs. Cub fans were filled with joy in hopes of winning a World Series for the first time since the Model T. What was happening on the field was full of hope and happiness for the Chicago Cub fan. But what was happening behind the scenes? Back in 1984, Wrigley Field was still without lights, the only major league stadium without. But Major League Baseball had a contract with the television networks to televise the World Series games at night. How could baseball be played at night at Wrigley Field if Wrigley Field did not have lights? The baseball commissioner at the time, Peter Ueberroth, said recently:
“The Cubs were in postseason play. And we were under contract to have the World Series at night or we'd lose millions and millions of dollars. Plus, we would have violated our contract. If they (the Cubs) had won, I had made the decision privately that we'd move to Comiskey Park. People in Chicago would not have been really happy with that.”

That’s right. If the Cubs had gone on to play in the World Series (they lost to the San Diego Padres in the playoffs), the Cub home games would have been played at Chicago’s Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox, and not at the friendly confines of Wrigley. The outrage from Cub fans, and baseball fans in general across the country, would have been overwhelming. The Cub joy of winning the National League title would have been turned upside down when the announcement was made that the home games would be played at the hated home of the ChiSox. And why the change of venue? Because of television! And if this occurred, the public’s reaction to the influence held by television over our sporting games would have been riotous. The public would not let this ever happen again. They would have let sport owners know that it would be unacceptable for television to dictate when a game would be played. Moving it even 15 minutes later in the day would have been met with protest. Every move team owners made in regards to television would be scrutinized.

Alas, now baseball playoff games have scheduled starts as late as 11pm eastern time and football playoff games played in arctic conditions kick off in the darkness of evening.

posted by CM @ 8:37 PM