Should we Boycott the NFL?

Can a moral person continue to watch professional football? I have wrestled with this question of late. The prevalence of brain damage from head injuries is well documented, and with the recent death of Junior Seau linked to brain disease caused from injuries I am forced to admit that my entertainment comes at the expense of the health, well-being, and even life of these players.

I know the obvious reply: They choose to play the game, knowing these risks. If they choose to play it, then it's fine to watch them. But this simply will not do. I am not suggesting that we make football illegal, or censor it on TV, or even that we tell others to stop watching. I am asking myself, and asking my readers to ask themselves, if it is morally appropriate to derive enjoyment from watching others risk so much damage to themselves.

That these players choose to play football knowing the risk, does not mean we are innocent for watching. When a person is objectified, their dignity ignored, their pain made part of our entertainment, we have done something wrong to them, whether they consent to it or not. This is the kind of argument one often hears against going to strip clubs or watching pornography. When one engages in these activities one treats a fellow human being as if they were a mere "thing," and object existing solely for our satisfaction. If that argument applies to exotic dancers and pornographic actors, then it seems to apply to professional athletes just as well. And in this case, we are watching these men play a game that seriously threatens their well-being and health.

On the other hand, every profession and every sport carries risks. Sometimes those risk are severe. These men do know the risk and they apparently think it is worth the sacrifice. Furthermore, every time any person renders us a service we use them as a "thing." I doubt we are seriously meditating on the dignity and passion and rights of our garbage collectors, waiters, and other such persons. We do not and cannot always refrain from such behavior.

But this is not a matter of simple player choice. Most NFL players make a few hundred thousand a year and only play for a few seasons. Few of these players get high paying jobs after they retire and they are not given health care by the NFL. Furthermore, the NFL does not take necessary and relative simple steps to insure player safety.

This means that the NFL itself is exploiting its players for financial benefit. Their bodies are ruined and they are then left discarded and abandoned. All this simply to make a profit for billionaire owners. (returning to the analogy with porn and strip clubs: it is precisely this exploitation of individuals who are often emotionally damaged that is the real objection to pornography, not simply their getting naked and being sexual for the enjoyment of others)

So it is not a matter of simply knowing that these players chose a dangerous sport and they can get hurt. That is a choice one can make, and I see no problem being entertained by a game that makes those choices. But the abandonment of its players by the NFL is unacceptable.

Perhaps morality does require that we stop watching the NFL until the league treats its players as it deserves? On the other hand, the NFL is so wildly popular and so profitable that one can scarcely imagine sufficient outrage to affect a change. Does this mean we should just throw in the moral towel and enjoy the game?

I will be thinking about this very carefully during the off season.

Happy Birthday Mr. Padre

Anthony Keith Gwynn

May 9th, 1960

Tony Gwynn, The Hall of Famer, with 3,141 hits, .338 lifetime batting average, 8 Batting Titles, 5 Gold Gloves, 15 time All-Star and 20 seasons with one team! All amazing accomplishments and now he is turning the big 5-0! Mr. Padre, Tony Gwynn, means a lot to the city of San Diego and a lot to Padres fans. He is certainly the best hitter of his time, and one of the best of all time. (In my opinion second only to Ted Williams). Having grown up a San Diego Padres fan, I wanted nothing more than to meet Tony Gwynn since I was 2 years old. I waited 20 years to meet the man. No matter what, I always seemed to miss him. Then finally, in 2008 I met him. I tell you it was worth the wait. Tony Gwynn is the epitome of class and kindness. We were lucky to have such an amazing player, an amazing person as a part of the Padres, and a part of our lives.

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY MR. PADRE!!!

Post Contributed by my sister: Caitlin Wion

I hope this happens Sunday agains the Jets!

Will the real LT come back for the playoffs? Here's to hope!

Ladainian Tomlinson shines again

I just want to celebrate the fact that the great Chargers running back, Ladainian Tomlinson, still has a little something left.

Perhaps its because he learned just before the game that his wife is preganant and he will be a dad for the first time. Surely something has put fire in his step again:

History of Baseball

Just found this on the web. It's a Charlie Rose 1994 interview with Ken Burns about his 9 part documentary on the history of Baseball.

Very interesting.

My Sister makes Major League Baseball News!

So my sister won a contest that the San Diego Padres offered. Contestants were asked to share their favorite Padres memory, the winner was invited on the field, met the players, got memorabilia, and was featured on the scoreboard during the game and also on the team's web page.

Here is what my sister wrote to win the contest (click here for the story on the web page) :

I've been lucky enough to grow up a Padre fan. I've been there for many memories, like Trevor Hoffman's 500th save and Greg Maddux's 350th career win. But since I was about two years old I have wanted nothing more than to meet Tony Gwynn. If his amazing achievements on the field weren't enough to keep him my number one favorite player, Tony's 2000th and 3000th hits were on August 6th, his mother's birthday which is also my birthday. I've always boasted about sharing a birthday with Tony Gwynn's Mom!

So practically all my life I've wanted to meet Tony Gwynn, but I've always seemed to come so close and then miss the opportunity. If I'd arrive early enough for batting practice, Tony wouldn't be out. If there was an autograph signing, I would find out about it after the fact. It just seemed impossible to meet him.

Finally I heard about a signing at El Cajon Ford, and even though I was there early and Tony signed well past the allotted time, they stopped the signing when I was about ten people away from him. For years it has been a joke in my family how I never get to meet him. I honestly thought that the closest I'd ever get to Tony Gwynn was his statue at Petco Park.

But last year at the 1998 celebration game I was early enough to get in line to meet some of the 1998 players. The lines weren't marked at the time so I just got in the one that was closest to me. After standing around for a while an usher informed me I was in fact in the line for Mr. Padre himself, Tony Gwynn. Well I just about fainted! And then I really started to freak out. I waited and waited and waited. It was only about an hour wait but it felt a lot longer and I was sure I'd be next in line and they would say it was too late. But thankfully I finally got to the autograph table and the usher told me to step up to the table. It was a quick exchange, like most autograph appearances are, but it was the most amazing experience I've had as a Padre fan. After 20 years, I had finally met Tony Gwynn, Mr. Padre!

I returned to my seat and called everyone in my family to tell them the great news. The ball that Tony signed is by far one of my most precious possessions. The only question I have left now that I've met him is: what do I do now?
- Caitlin Wion, 40 Years of Padres Memories Contest Winner

That is a fine memory! And I'm proud to say that my sister has good writing skills as well!

Congrats Caitlin!

Padres acquire Tony Gwynn jr

The San Diego Padres today made a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers get Left-handed outfielder Jody Gerut. The Padres get Tony Gwynn Jr, son of the twenty year Padre and first-ballet hall of famer!

Gwynn jr has yet to prove himself as a major leaguer, but he has some obvious skills. And the Padres, still struggling with a poor record, really have nothing to lose.

The Padres lack a legitimate lead-off man, and Gwynn jr has promise as one. Beside that, of course, is the moral booster of once again having a Gwynn roam the San Diego outfield.

As a native San Diegan and life long Padres fan, it really hits the nostalgia button to have Gwynn jr play for the friars.

I will be watching this move attentively.

I hope Gwynn Jr proves himself and earns a place as a valuable member of the San Diego Padres!

In other news, Trevor Hoffman saved his 11th tonight for the Brewers. He has yet to blow a save or even to allow a run.

The baseball world is bringing me much joy tonight!

Manny Ramirez and the Recession

Manny Ramirez is a great hitter. And I mean it GREAT his numbers are stellar. Just check out his career totals: 507 doubles, 527 homeruns, a .314 career avg. and a .411 career on base percentage. These are not only hall of fame numbers but SUPER hall of fame numbers!

It's no surprise then that the Dodgers are paying Ramirez 45 million over the next two seasons.

The problem here is not simply that Ramirez knew he could get that much and demanded it. Just look at his numbers as a Dodger last year, we all knew he'd get that much.

The problem is how much we pay Baseball players. In short the problem is us, and not Ramirez.

We are fine with paying Manny Ramirez 22.5 million a year (in fairness, lunatic radio personality Rush Limbaugh makes even more than that at 38 million a year) but our unemployment rate is soaring. Not only that, but look at the Salary of an average teacher!

Don't get me wrong, I love Baseball. It is for me "the game of games." But something has gone terribly wrong when we value entertainment to the point that Manny Ramirez can make 22.5 million a year.

We are faced now with the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, perhaps it is high time we as society rethought our priorities.

Note: By the way, The Netherlands beat the Dominican Republic twice this last week in the World Baseball Classic! Now that's an underdog! Go Holland!

Ladainian Tomlinson to stay with the Chargers.

This is off topic for my blog: but I'm a die-hard Chargers fan.

I have been worried about my San Diego teams. Both the Padres and the Chargers have seemed headed in bad directions.

The Padres after all let go of Trevor Hoffman, which disappointed me until I learned that Hoffman signed with The Brewers. Since I now live in Milwaukee - that works for me!

But on that note: the Chargers were seriously thinking of parting ways with L. T. But this just in: Tomlinson is remaining a Charger!

I've hated the direction my Padres have gone, just look at the attemps to deal Cy-young winner Jake Peavy! But the Chargers, at least, seem like they still want to win.

It's good to know L. T. is not leaving the Bolts! I could have only accepted that were he traded to Green Bay - as it would bring him here.

He's not what he once was, but he still is L. T. And besides the man is taking a pay cut to stay with his team and his fans. Classy. And increasingly rare these days.

Just thought I'd share my joy!!!!!!! This is good news for us native San Diegans and Chargers fans everywhere!!!!

Greg Maddux Retires

The game of baseball says goodbye to the career of one of its greatest players today. But not only that. Greg Maddux is a rare player who displays the values of hard work, integrity, and team solidarity.

You are truly Great Greg! See you in Cooperstown in 5 years!