Of course, that is the famous line from the movie, Gladiator, where Russell Crowe asks the crowd about his latest battle in the arena. SU wonders how Yankee fans, or baseball fans in general, would answer that question in 2021? I am a lifelong fan and historically, can sit through a 9-inning Yankee game with no issues. But this is a new era and it is officially a struggle. You know the reasons but it’s good to put them down in writing:
- Lack of offense. I mean, this team just cannot hit. And you can’t blame it on the injuries. Aaron Hicks was already awful before having his wrist surgery – he was the poster child. They don’t grind out at bats like past teams. 7 hits is an offensive outburst. Clint Frazier just passed the 10-rbi mark and he plays almost every day. It’s June 3rd.
- Ignoring the shifts. You have to assume that the coaches are telling them to hit through the shifts. If you see a game in person, there are huge swaths of open infield just crying out for some attention. It is insane what the hitters are doing. And unwatchable.
- Fielding an all right-handed line-up. Right now, there is Brett Gardner (who should have retired in 2020) and Odor (who swings so, so hard and is never cheated. All good for a .190 average). Oh, and Tyler Wade. How is this a winning formula and what GM strives for this? (Scratch head and move on).
- Strikeouts are no longer a bad thing. Last night was another 14 – stirkeout effort and the team regularly fans up and down the lineup.
- Zero strategy. Last night, Odor comes up against a left-handed pitcher with 1st and 2nd, no one out. Shift is in place. He can barely hit left-handed pitchers. You are up 4-3, 7th inning. BUNT! Nope. Is it the analytics that say you never bunt? He ultimately flied out to center which was considered a victory and Urshela ran himself off the bases before Torres was picked off first base. It’s like watching rec ball or Little League.
- Pace of play. Last night’s game was just under 4 hours and there were few exciting plays or suspenseful innings. SU says it has become unwatchable. Sure, you get the win but as a fan, you want to be inspired and entertained. This is neither.
- Regular season records don’t matter. For the Yankees, they may still win 100 games this year but who cares and who will remember that? Memories come from the post-season and they will just strike themselves out of the playoffs as they have in recent years. SU does not buy the rationale that a play here and there in past playoffs would have resulted in them advancing. Who on the team gives you confidence that they will come through in a tight spot? Not LeMahieu – at least not yet – as maybe he is comfortable with the new contract? SU feels he is about to get untracked though. Never Judge and never Stanton. Maybe Urshela and Torres. Sigh.
Bottom line: SU has no favorite Yankee player. I cannot recall that ever being the case. Cashman needs to make a rash of moves. Bring back Didi, bring back Torreyes who is hitting .317 for the Phillies, bring in any left-handed hitter (except Jay Bruce). Please, please, please. Or bring up some youngsters. The Red Sox come in this weekend and they can score runs. No way the Yankees can keep pace if the score goes higher than 2-2.
Knick fans need to step back and appreciate the full body of work for this season. They dramatically over-achieved and the future is bright. There is a good management team in place and the youngsters will only get better. No shame in losing to the Hawks. Move on.
The Nets/Bucks series will be great. Games in the 120s. Too bad it’s not a Conference Finals series.
Did you catch Damion Lillard the other night? 19 straight points in the 4th quarter and OT for the Blazers. SU says every kid in America (and the world) needs to learn the step back jump shot. It is unstoppable. Steph Curry can do it and Lillard can do it from 40 feet. It’s a great shot.
Finally, the Naomi Osaka default from the French Open is interesting. Clearly, she is struggling with some mental health issues and with COVID, so are most people. It’s just a grind for everyone. SU is sympathetic but athletes get the sponsorships, endorsements and long-term deals by being exposed by the media to the fans. That is how it works. I know the athletes want to control the messaging directly to their fans (see The Players Tribune) but the media is important. SU recognizes that some of the questions are annoying (and redundant) and it’s hard right after a game or competition to be up there. But for SU, it’s part of the deal and it only enhances the size of the deal for the athletes. I hope she can figure it out as she is fun to watch and at the top of her sport.
OK, I am done. Feel free to comment. All are welcome.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
I was surprised in your response to Osaka’s mental issues. Though the fans and sponsor’s want to hear from these players not everybody can sand up to these off-the-court pressures. Seeing so many sports people in many sports defend Osaka’s actions says something and should be strongly considered before fining her or anyone until the facts are gathered. My only hope is that these athletes don’t take advantage of that. I can easily picture a star not wanting to talk to the Press after playing miserably or their team loses a heart breaker or a series and tells everyone he is mentally upset or loosely uses the term “depressed” which in its own right might give him/.her a pass on being interviewed.
Yes, our world has become more complexed and there are fewer and fewer black and white scenarios anymore except when it comes to the NY Yankees… a strike out or a home run. Baseball deserves to be on the decline with that type of agenda.
And you want to know why college sports is climbing in popularity…Its a much more genuine game with everyone working collectively more as a TEAM. Just watch U Conn women’s basketball. I’ll watch that over the Knicks unless its a blowout.
Andy, I have sympathy for Osaka and I am sure that her mental health issues are real. Over the years, she has been painfully shy in her media sessions – that is true. She is also the highest paid female athlete in the world and the face of the upcoming (maybe) Tokyo Olympics. All of that comes with (and from) media exposure and access. I am sure the Grand Slam tournaments will figure something out for her going forward – perhaps she can provide her answers in writing to various questions. But in fairness to other players, they need to all be treated on a level playing field. But no harm in assessing how these sessions are run and maybe some changes are in order. Certainly social media has changed how high profile people communicate with their fans – just look at Trump.
I have respect for Osaka because she made a decision and stood by it by withdrawing. Too often athletes will make some broad pronouncement and claim they are taking the high ground but then ultimately abandon it and come back for their check.
It’s a tough position for the sports organizations to be in as well. While it is somewhat questionable to force someone with a legit disorder into a bad situation, as Andrew adeptly calls out, there will be a tendency for everyone who misses a game winning free throw, strikes out, or fumbles away a game to claim an instant mental ailment to avoid the media. Its a hard thing to prove and be consistent about.
PS – The Knicks should hold their heads high. They overachieved this season and gave the fans a good ride for the first time in what seems like decades.
Some great comments today. So much going on in sports to talk about.
The Knicks were a let down but they should hold their heads high for over achieving this year. Kudos to the entire management staff and especially Randle and Rose for giving us something to root for. A great point from Mark Melusus yesterday on WFAN. The Knicks gave 110% in the regular season. They had nothing left to step it up in the playoffs like most other teams do. They can build on this and let’s hope for continued growth from the youngster like Quickly, Barret and Robinson (who was greatly missed). The future looks bright.
The Yankees play boring baseball and when you include their announcers in the equation the product is almost unwatchable. A rebuild on the fly is in order. They have lots of talent but the whole is less than the sum of the parts. The opposite of what it means to be a team.
On the flip side, the NY Islanders continue to defy expectations! Boston(and previously Pittsburgh) clearly have more fire power yet the Islanders continue to win. They have a balanced attack that emphasizes a disciplined defensive system backed by outstanding goal tending. If you have not been watching make sure to tune in tonight at 7:30 for the most exciting fan experience in sports. There is nothing else like playoff hockey. The old Barn will be rocking!
Finally, on Osaka. It is a sad story but I am glad that she pulled out if feeling ill. Mentally or physically, she needs to take care of herself. I agree with you 100% that speaking to the press is part of the job and does promote both the personal brand and brand of the sport. Top performers have responsibilities, be it an actor promoting a movie on a talk show or a public company CEO having a quarterly financial update. Let’s also not forget that Osaka mentioned that her treatment at the US Open a few years ago was a major traumatic experience. There are many things that have made Serena Williams one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Being a self indulgent bully however has not made her a great person. She is much more of a Ty Cobb than a Lou Gehrig!
LFGM!
Jeff
Sorry, but just not feeling it for Osaka:
1. It’s possible that there is more to the story than has been publicly reported, but what I read is that she unilaterally announced that she wouldn’t be doing any post-match pressers at the tournament rather than engaging first with French Open officials to work something out. This has all the earmarks of today’s coddled athlete and obviously was the wrong approach.
2. Clearly depression is a disease which requires treatment, but that is distinguishable from your head being in a bad place as a result of questions being asked at the press conference. For example, I think her sister tweeted that having to respond repeatedly to questions like “why aren’t you any good on clay?” negatively affects her confidence and that’s why she doesn’t want to attend. Well, too bad- that’s part of the gig and it’s not that hard to come up with a non-answer answer like “we’re working really hard to improve my game on clay and hope for better results in the future” and she can certainly afford to hire coaches to school her in those kinds of responses.
3. Didn’t she fire her long term coach right after she won her first major?
Maybe eliminating that security blanket had an adverse effect on her mental state.
4. As Mary Carillo pointed out, Osaka is a media darling and they tend to fawn all over her rather than grill her with tough questions. Dealing with the public is part of being a public figure.
Tough way for the Knicks season to end but the journey was certainly fun to watch (for a change). Think that putting Rose in the starting lineup was a bad idea as he thrived playing against other teams’ second units and was the alternative playmaker when Randle was on the bench.