Why the Olympics Shouldn’t be in Chicago

This whole Olympic prospective is stirring. My wife and I have family in Chicago and Chicago-land as well as a great number of friends in the city. On the exterior, having the Olympics in Chicago would be my obvious desire, but there is perhaps something more.

Madrid and Tokyo are disqualified in my mind. Tokyo already hosted the Olympic games in 1964 and Spain got its turn with Barcelona in 1992. Neither Japan nor Spain really needs to host the Olympics again – at least not yet.  Chicago is a GREAT city. Hosting the Olympics would expose the world to the beauty of the Chi and boost Chicago economically – though I wonder if the needy will actually receive much.  However, didn’t the U.S. just host the Olympics in 1996? Now we are not like Spain, our country is considerable larger in size and in population, but still do we as Americans need to host the games again, so soon? I ask why can’t we share the honor of having the Olympics?

I personally, favor Rio. The Olympics have never been in Brazil and have never been hosted in South America. Beyond that Rio is beautiful – it is on the list of “places I wish to go, but probably won’t”.  I can’t imagine a nicer climate, nicer scenery etc. Plus, the culture of Rio is incredibly rich.

As far as capability, Rio recently hosted the Pan American Games and in 2016 Rio will be coming off an experience being one of the host cities for the World Cup.

But perhaps my biggest reason for wanting Rio to get the nod – beyond the fact South America hasn’t hosted and all the other countries in the final four have hosted – is that Rio is a dichotomous place. There is great difference between the rich and the poor in Rio. As a result there is a high crime rate – especially violent crime. As you read this, you would think that these are reasons NOT to host the Olympics, but perhaps three things will happen.

First, the government of Rio will realize it needs to clean up some neighborhoods and take care of the poor in order to be a proper host.

Second, the increased revenue from the Olympics will be a financial opportunity for some lower class folks – construction, vending, hosting, hotels, etc.

Third, the poverty and injustice of Rio will be greater exposed to the world – specifically to Christians – and we will begin to do something about it.

I am not going to complain if Chicago gets the Olympics.  Honestly, I will probably buy tickets to various events – especially if we end up living in Chicago or in Chicagoland.  But thinking justly; Rio should host.

But I am not making decisions, that will happen in a couple hours . . . who will it be?

USA Soccer – NOW WHAT?!?!

USA -2, Spain – 0

The U.S. shocked top-ranked Spain 2-0 on Wednesday in the semifinals of the Confederations Cup, ending the Spaniards’ record-tying 35-match unbeaten streak. Spain had won 15 straight matches and had not conceded a goal in 451 minutes.

The Americans advanced to their first-ever FIFA tournament final. Miami Herald

I had to post this, I just had to. I know it isn’t typical commentary, but  I can’t tell you how excited I am – though I am disappointed at Spain because they did not trade jerseys after the game, a customary action.

This win doesn’t mean we are a world soccer power, far from it.  We have another match to play before we  even when this tourney and we still have plenty of kinks to work out as a national team.

All and all this was incredible because it was an upset. But, I think it does let people know what USA has a good soccer team (not football club, I’m ok with not trying to be like Europe). I love and respect this quotation from Spain’s coach, “We faced a team that played with good energy, was good in attack and was fast . . . we were surprised. The entire team was very dangerous.”

Yes, the USA plays the game differently – we have always done so, we did so when we beat England in 1950 – , but the way we play gritter, rougher, slower, and more athletic than mainstream football is apart of who we are. It is our style and honestly refining that style and playing it well is perhaps the best option we have to be continuously competitive. I hope that we begin to accept that and stop trying to play the European game.

Either way we are in a FIFA final, I hope this encourages American soccer players, quiets some of the cultural critiques of soccer, gives us more credibility on the world stage, and brings out more Americans who are willing to support their soccer team – not just say “we aren’t good”.

I could talk about some of the details of the game, but really the best thing to say is. . .

Well done red, white and blue; well done.

Here is video of the two American goals and other highlights.

Satchel Paige – American Legend

NPR recently did a wonderful piece on Satchel Paige. I am not a huge baseball fan. In fact, I quit the sport as a young boy, choosing futbol (soccer) instead – despite the fact my brothers were extraordinary baseball players. However, I do love to attend ball games games, there is a certain American ambiance and sense of history that isn’t present at American Football or Basketball games.

Though I wouldn’t call myself a fan of baseball, the significance of Satchel Paige has long been with me.  I remember hearing stories from my grandfather and other older African-American men. None of them knew Satchel, but they knew what Satchel meant to baseball and they knew the inspirational and entertaining impact Satchel Paige had on the African American community.

Here is an excerpt from Larry Tye’s new book Satchel

Satchel would get his first shot at seeing the world beyond Alabama and playing in a real baseball league. Alex Herman would get a tale to recite for the rest of his life. Driving his children by a weed-infested sandlot on the South Side of Mobile he would say, “That’s where Satchel Paige used to pitch. That’s where I discovered him.” There was a fire in Satchel’s belly even then, to hear Herman tell it, and the manager vowed to stoke it. So he swept the boyish ballplayer away from the city of his birth and brought him to Tennessee. Herman would say that, then stop, knowing his listeners knew that was where Satchel’s story takes off. Read More

Many argue – I tend to agree – that despite his short MLB career, which was due to segregation, Paige was the best pitcher in baseball’s history. Scores of his contemporaries both in the Negro Leagues and MLB marveled at how incredible he was. An interesting element of Paige’s story is the fact he was passed up for the major league in favor of Jackie Robinson – who was radiatively new to professional baseball. Jackie got the call because took less money and was not as strong a personality a Paige. The MLB feared that integrating the MLB with an already self-established star would cause too much dissension.

But what perhaps most impresses me about Paige is not his incredible record or the John Henry-like tales told of his expertise and showmanship, but his insistence to be treated as a human. Paige did not play for white folks if his team could not stay in town or be treated as men – though of course overt racism did occur. Paige refused to live by Jim Crow laws and he was good enough and entertaining enough that he could pull it off.  Although we give great credit to Jackie for “breaking the color barrier”, a difficult task regardless of whom it is, it is really Paige – and Josh Gibson -  who should be thanked for transforming the game. Paige’s skills and interaction with MLB players opened the game up and revealed the secret mastery of the Negro Leagues, thus enabling integration to occur.

Here is a video of Larry Tye speaking about Paige. The story at the end really celebrates how amazing this man was.

Playing for the other team

While I was reading the paper today I thumbed through the sports section to see what was interesting. Usually this is a boring time in American sports for me. I don’t keep up with baseball, the circular nature of racing makes me nauseous, and soccer (futbol) gets horrible coverage in the U.S. – even the American League MLS. After sorting through I found an article about WNBA star Becky Hammon who is playing for the Russian Olympic Team.

 

So is anything wrong with this? Why are people upset about this athlete competing for another country? The U.S. rejoices when we have foreign coaches or athletes play for the United States. The response Americans are having seem to touch on the ethnocentrism and cultural superiority of the U.S. since everyone wants to be America, of course we will welcome foreign athletes, However when the coin if flipped we feel betrayed, treated unfairly and perhaps put down on too level of a playing field with those other countries.

 

What are your thoughts? Should Becky Hammon be allowed to play for Russia? Does it make a difference? Is this an example of American ethnocentrism or is it something else?