A Brief Note on a Local Matter

The Superintendent of a small school district just up the road from us is in hot water. In response to the ending of a recent Texans loss, he posted a comment, thinking it was private, but instead putting it out there for all to see. Despite a quick deletion, the damage had already been done.

Here’s a link to the story from the Houston Chronicle website: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Onalaska-ISD-superintendent-apologizes-for-13236285.php

Now, I confess that I am not a fan of the media and the way they jump to call into question every comment from anyone with whom they disagree. (Especially with those who have a different political opinion.) But this time, let me say up front, I agree with the general assessment of this particular statement. It is a blatantly racist comment and more troubling, it reveals a deeply racist mindset.

From a purely personal standpoint, I am old enough to remember when NFL quarterbacks were all white. When that began to change, I can clearly recall the ugly comments and insults openly expressed about guys like Doug Williams, Warren Moon, Steve McNair, and countless others. Honestly, I never considered that a man’s skin color would have any effect on his ability to play any particular position on the field. But I know that many people boldly, and ignorantly, proclaimed such things.

I had a different take on the subject. I was always more of the opinion that college quarterbacks who ran the triple option (Yes, I know, I’m showing my age!) were ill-prepared to succeed in the NFL. Running quarterbacks, of any color, always seemed to have major problems adjusting to the pro game. (For example, Tim Tebow) In the current league, coaches are much more willing to adapt their offenses to the strengths of their quarterback. And college coaches are more willing to run pro-style offenses themselves, but there are still many factors that influence how well a college player will do in the NFL.

Let’s get back to the comments from Lynn Redden, superintendent of Onalaska ISD. As a general rule, I am not in favor of people losing their jobs, careers, reputations, livelihoods, etc. based on nothing more than their words. The school board has already quickly announced plans to hold a special meeting to discuss the situation. I will leave it to them to decide what they feel is best for their district.

BUT, here are my thoughts. I actually worked with Mr. Redden for a single school year in Coldspring-Oakhurst ISD. We did not part on good terms. (I’ve spent the last few decades wondering what the hell was taking Karma so long to find the man, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.) Anyway, back to my thoughts.

Timing matters

I still have a problem with someone dredging up some questionable, vaguely remembered statement from forty years ago, but this is different. If you chased down anybody who would admit to going to school with me back in the sixties, you could probably nail me for telling some off-color joke or making some crude or sexist remark, but would that really tell you more about my character than the life I’ve lived since then? Or would it just show how immature I was as a kid? On the other hand, what you say today matters.

Words reveal the content of the heart and mind

There are slips of the tongue, and times when something comes out totally different than you meant, and I would never presume to make a judgment on someone’s character based on a single isolated comment, but by and large, what people say, out loud, is often very revealing. In Matthew, Jesus puts it this way, “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart.” (Matt. 15:18a, NIV)

An excuse isn’t the same as an apology

Mr. Redden has offered two relatively weak explanations for his comments. First, he thought he was sending a private message and didn’t realize his comments were public. His “apology” was basically that he regretted that the comments were posted. He doesn’t even think his words were racist (although he says he could understand how someone might interpret them that way.) I’ve yet to see an apology for what he actually said. Secondly, he claims that numbers support his position, citing the “statistical success of black quarterbacks in the NFL.” I won’t get into a debate about that because I honestly do think statistics can be skewed to support any number of faulty conclusions. Suffice it to say that whatever factors contribute to the success or failure of any given professional athlete, I would say that the amount of melanin in the skin cells probably doesn’t have much of an impact.

So, how are we to respond to this kind of thing? I’ve seen many angry responses. And anger is understandable. The problem is that anger is just not very productive. Attacking a whole bunch of folks who had nothing to do with any of this does nothing to help. All white people don’t think this way, nor all conservatives/liberals, nor all Republicans/Democrats, nor all Trump supporters/haters, nor all Texans, nor all Polk county residents. Just Saying! If you want to be angry, please try to limit your anger to the one person who actually made the comment.

On the other hand, maybe we should follow the example set by Deshaun Watson himself. His classy response may be seen here: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/deshaun-watson-gives-classy-response-to-superintendents-black-quarterback-comments/285-596227829

Let me conclude by saying that whatever happens with the school board, this is more than just some idle comment that can be brushed away. If I were the parent of a minority child in this district, I would have serious concerns about my superintendent’s views on race and its correlation to intellect or decision making abilities. Let’s all pray for wisdom as they decide how to move forward.

Update!

And before I could even get this posted, Mr. Redden has resigned as the superintendent of Onalaska ISD. In his written letter, he does finally give a true apology and acknowledges the inappropriateness of his words. Here’s the full story: https://www.chron.com/houston/article/Onalaska-ISD-superintendent-resigns-after-13249845.php

Serena Williams and the US Open Meltdown

Congratulations to Naomi Osaka, the 2018 US Open Champion! I wanted to state that up front, because unfortunately, despite her amazing performance, she has been deprived in large measure of the recognition she so richly deserves for her victory. Instead of celebrating her first Grand Slam title, all our attention is being directed toward the runner-up and the umpire. And that’s just not fair.

Anyone who ever saw me play tennis as a teenager can attest that I have NO right to pass judgment on the recent outburst of Serena Williams at the US Open. I threw tantrums (and rackets) and used a lot of profanity, and yes, I’ve even smashed a racket or two, although I don’t think I ever did it on the court during an actual match. So, I understand the frustrations of the sport.

(On a personal note, I seriously mellowed with age, had a bit of success (strictly amateur!), and eventually retired after multiple wrist injuries. My payback to the sport was to teach and coach numerous players, none of whom ever displayed the kind of outbursts of which I had been guilty.)

Having said all that, Serena Williams is possibly the best tennis player of all time, and I find it sad to see a player of her caliber react so poorly on the world stage. In my opinion, she is guilty of an incredible lack of professionalism, both during the match and then afterward. Let’s start with the on-court stuff. (If you haven’t seen the highlights, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx9iT1OQMl0 for a quick recap.)

Her first violation was clear. Her own coach admitted it. The second was even more clear. That’s a racket that will never work again! And the third, in my opinion was also clear. You’ve already suffered two violations and you’re going to scream insults at the umpire and demand an apology? And then call him a thief? At some point, you have to just shut up and play. Again, I’ve been there, done that. And lost because of it. (Maybe McEnroe could lose his whole mind and still play incredible tennis, but I never could.)

Up to this point, I can’t be too hard on Serena. Losing your temper, losing control of your emotions and the match, saying and doing stupid things in the heat of the moment. Many of us have found ourselves in the same situation. Now, maybe a professional athlete should be held to a higher standard, but again, before we get too judgmental, remember “to err is human” and Serena Williams is a human being like the rest of us.

I give her a lot of credit for her words during the trophy presentation. She did her best to defuse the anger of the crowd and what she said was sincere and honest. She made every effort to show good sportsmanship and I applaud her for that. Her display of class at that point is why I am so disappointed in her comments since then.

By the next day, Serena was blaming everyone but herself and claiming to be a victim of sexism and racism. So much for the good sportsmanship! Let’s take a look at her excuses.

Even though her coach admitted he was guilty of coaching from the stands, and even though it a clear violation of the rules, we’re supposed to think the umpire was unfair, because everybody does it. Did he have to penalize her? No. Did he have every right to do so? Yes. Same with the next two violations. He’s the umpire. His job is to make those kinds of judgment calls and maintain order. You don’t want penalties, don’t break the rules. If you break the rules, don’t whine and complain if the umpire holds you accountable.

And now for the real crap. Did the umpire pick on poor Serena because she was a woman? Or because she is African-American? Our society has become so Politically Correct, the ugly appearance of these accusations was a no-brainer. If Serena herself hadn’t gone there, someone else would have, probably within days. But for the best tennis player in the world to claim she was treated unfairly because of her sex or race. Just sad.

Chair Umpire Carlos Ramos has been made a villain for no other reason than for doing his job. And doing it well. He is generally considered to be an excellent and well respected umpire. He plays by the rules. His reputation is that he is tough and doesn’t put up with players who fail to follow the rules. There is no evidence that he is biased toward women or minorities.

Serena claims that men routinely behave much worse than she did and don’t get punished. True? A recently published article shows that over the last twenty years in Grand Slam tournaments, it is the men who have been penalized (and fined) much more frequently than the women. And the numbers aren’t even close! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-6165593/Carlos-Ramos-appears-receive-apology-Katrina.html

And racism? A quick look at Ramos’ history shows that he has consistently issued code violations and penalties (even in Grand Slam events) to many high profile players of all races, including US Open men’s champion Novak Djokovic. (Last time I looked he was male and white.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ramos_(umpire)

After 35 years in the field of education, I can tell you the weakest excuse you’ll ever get for poor behavior is when the perpetrator goes into victim mode and claims “everybody does it” or “such and such did it and didn’t get punished” or “that mean teacher is just picking on me.” It’s a poor excuse. Sometimes you just need to suck it up, admit you messed up, and apologize. Serena.

Nike: Just Do It, or Not

Well, Colin Kaepernick has found a way to gather another 15 minutes of fame this past week. Nike has decided to use him in their newest Just Do It advertising campaign despite the fact that he is no longer active in the NFL. His current claim to fame is that he started a movement that has created a public relations nightmare for the league and caused tons of ill will across the country. So now, once again we have to devote our time and attention to this former NFL player, glamorizing him beyond his merits, with his sanctimonious quote about sacrificing everything. Remind me again, what exactly has he sacrificed?

In the bitter grapes department, Kaepernick is currently suing the NFL for “colluding” to keep him out of the organization. Sorry, I’m not buying that argument. He choose to leave the 49ers (after failing to hold on to the starting job), he allegedly turned down an offer from the Ravens (again presumably because he wanted a starting spot or at least a contract befitting a starter), and he failed to land an offer despite several tryouts with various teams. Honestly, he had a decent career in the NFL, but the idea that he is being blackballed because he won’t stand for the flag is ridiculous.

Sorry, Colin, the truth hurts. You just don’t have the goods anymore. Following multiple injuries culminating in surgery on his throwing shoulder, he has never been the same. Look at his stats and see for yourself. There is a noticeable decline each year between 2011 and 2016 and his latest numbers don’t exactly scream NFL starter. And his refusal to settle for a backup position or backup salary is the real reason he is no longer in the league. The fact that he would be a huge distraction to any team that signed him is just an added incentive to avoid him, but seriously, if any team thought he would help them win more games, they would sign him in a heartbeat. Seriously. Look at some of the outlaws and felons on current rosters.

(Here are two very good articles about his on-the-field issues: https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/colin-kaepernick-49ers-start-chip-kelly-nfl-buffalo-stats-career-highlights-fantasy-101116 and https://www.si.com/mmqb/2017/06/07/colin-kaepernick-backup-quarterbacks.)

My personal opinion is that Kaepernick, the so-called “social justice warrior,” is just a frustrated player who found a way to turn the spotlight back on himself after going from Super Bowl starting quarterback to second string benchwarmer.

All that aside, let’s be honest. Nike did this to make money. After forty years in business, they were looking for a way to regain their reputation as the edgy, cool company. Apparently, they are perfectly willing to cast off all us old guys who have been buying their products for decades, in favor of the Millennials who have a completely different perspective on Colin Kaepernick and his stand (or lack thereof) on the issues. Whatever business Nike loses in the short term, they will eventually make up in the long run.

As for boycotts, honestly, I’m not a big fan. I would never try to tell someone else how to spend their money. For me, I’m not a big buyer of Nike products these days anyway because I just don’t want to pay that much for the brand (or anybody else’s). I’m too old to worry about looking cool or edgy.

Let me be clear about one more thing. Colin Kaepernick and anybody else in the NFL or elsewhere can protest anytime they want. We live in a FREE country and the right to protest is a fundamental aspect of the right to free speech. I think most people are missing the point. In my honest opinion, HOW you protest and WHEN you protest are REALLY, REALLY important. If your method and your timing interfere with your message, I just think you should rethink your plan. If this really has nothing to do with the flag or the anthem, then stop staging your protest during the anthem.  A lot of people think that’s disrespectful. And they have a right to express themselves freely as well.

At the Drive-In: Small Town Tales - Coming Soon!

I am getting closer to releasing my third book and although the editing/revising can be tedious, I am excited. As with most writers, I go through stages of hating everything I’ve written and wanting to throw it all in the trash and never look at it again. This past week has been like that! Other times, I really enjoy reading parts of my work and thinking it’s pretty good stuff. I have had a few days of that as well.

One of the more difficult aspects of this novel has been developing a cover. The one above is my latest effort. Although I like the graphic and it has the right feel, it doesn’t match the image in my head of what the drive-in looks like. At the suggestion of those I have allowed to peek, I tweaked the fonts a bit. I’m still searching for the perfect photo, but I don’t know if I’ll ever find it! Frustrating!

Here’s an early book description from a previous blog post of mine:

Set in the fictional town of Eastlake, Texas, the book consists of a series of short stories spanning six decades. Central to the book are James and Ellie Sullivan who own and operate the drive-in which is prominently featured throughout the novel. As the local hangout, Sully’s Drive-In serves as a backdrop for stories about the local schools, churches, and citizens. Several overlapping characters appear in multiple tales that show them at different stages of their lives dealing with a variety of trying circumstances.

Cole Bradford comes to Eastlake as a young, single coach and returns later as the embattled principal of the intermediate school. Ron Copeland is the veteran administrator who has spent over half his life as the principal of Eastlake High School until he encounters a new superintendent with whom he immediately finds conflict. Evan Peters is the football coach and later Athletic Director with character issues aplenty. Cora, his wife, has her own set of problems. Christopher Manning is the pastor at the First Baptist Church, although we first meet him in Eastlake in the role of youth minister. Brent Griffen, Ty Mills, and the Holder family also live and work in the community. Come to Eastlake and spend some time enjoying the slow pace of life and getting to know the locals.

Although based on true events, these are entirely fictional tales. The characters are sometimes autobiographical, and other times based on a combination of people with whom I have worked over the years. Most of the events actually happened and often they happened to me. In all honesty, in many of the stories, I have changed the endings to reflect what should have happened instead of what did. Hindsight and all. My way of re-writing history, saying all the clever things I wish I had said at the time. I think anyone who has ever lived in a small town will appreciate these behind-the-scenes tales of comedy/drama/tragedy which shed insight into the day to day experiences of ordinary people doing their best to survive and hopefully find some love and acceptance along the way.

Let me know what you think of the new cover and start saving your nickels and dimes! Hopefully, the book will be ready to publish by October 1.