This edition of the Double Standard Alert has nothing to do with MLB. It is instead about the media. You see, in all of the Olympic hype, nobody wants to mention Michael Phelps' DUI arrest.
We aren't saying that Phelps should be prevented from swimming in the Olympics - he made a mistake and he served 18 months probation. The man paid his dues and he is a fantastic swimmer. Good for him. He deserves the medals and the accolades that go along with them.
What we are saying is that Michael Phelps got a second chance and Wally Backman is still blackballed from Major League Baseball. Whenever Backman's name comes up in a news story, the reporter always brings up Backman's DUI arrest from 1999. It serves as an explanation to why he was fired by the Diamondbacks and a warning to any teams that dare consider Backman as their next manager.
Meanwhile, the media (especially NBC) is doing countless profiles on Phelps and they rarely mention the DUI. When the DUI is mentioned, it is framed as some sort of obstacle that needed to be overcome - like a pulled hamstring or a case of the flu.
In short, the media wants you to believe that Backman is unfit to represent a Major League ballclub. Meanwhile, Michael Phelps is representing the United States of America and the following corporations:
AT&T
Visa
Omega watches
Power Bar and
Speedo
Visa
What is interesting is that most of these companies were sponsoring Phelps before his 2004 arrest. During and after the legal problems, they stood by Phelps. That is commendable.
2 comments:
Interesting point, but very different situations. Didn't Backman have multiple legal problems, beyond the DUI? And there's a higher standard expected of a manager--who needs to set a model of professionalism for a couple dozen young guys--and a 21-year-old swimmer who's only responsible to himself.
Not saying it's right, but it's understandable.
I understand what you are saying, but we think representing the country is much more important than representing a baseball team. And we don't think a DUI should prevent someone from doing either - if they paid their dues to society.
The 'higher standard' argument is kind of irrelevant when you consider Tony LaRussa's situation.
We are just raising the issue for discussion. Backman's DUI was in 1999. At what point is someone deserving of a second chance?
Thanks for stoppin' by.
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