What Goes Around Comes Around
Hear it here!
If you watch sports long enough you see how the basic way of playing the fundamental game seems to always return. The basics may appear to disappear, but sooner or later the way games were meant to be played come back. There have been new ideas galore on how to win, most of them frankly have added a sense of excitement and added show biz to try to draw bigger audiences, but we’ve witnessed a turn back of the clock.
The latest involves baseball, which has turned me off in recent years. It’s the sport I grew up with. The national pastime and all that. It used to be #1, with the others merely fillers until spring training returned. That all changed. Baseball has had to climb back to compete with the other sports and while they’re not there yet, by a long shot, there is hope.
The NFL, once based on winning in the trenches with a running game that wore the opposition down, a style that set up the passing game, gave way to the spectacular deep passing attack that brought fans out of their seats with long throws, circus catches, and quick scores resulting in high point totals, has calmed down to an extent.
Sure, it’s not a matter of three yards and a cloud of dust, but it’s back to a more fundamental approach.
For teams to win Super Bowls now, you better have a productive running game, not necessarily a great runner, but a running attack that uses several people, and a sturdy offensive line to form openings for those foot soldiers. That plan opens the way for the passes that get chunks of yards to enhance scoring drives.
Oh, and that defense better be real good. You won’t go far without it.
Latest example: the Super Bowl champion Eagles.
The NBA, at one time, all about having the big man underneath, and the ability to work and defend inside, close to the basket, with easier shots, rebounding at both ends, and a pronounced toughness, gave way to the long 3-point basket, the ‘home run’ play that wowed the audience. There was nothing wrong with that shot, which players, including the big guys, learned to hit with consistency. It was always a valuable weapon, but it was a play set up when the big man inside, double-teamed, found the open man outside for the 3-pointer. Now, the game turned into players coming down the court and simply firing away from long range.
Make or miss. Defense took a back seat. High scoring. Fans loved it. Those who watched. But it wasn’t like the game was meant to be played and those who watched got smaller in number.
Oh, and that defense had better be real good. Tough to win without it.
Latest example: the NBA champion Thunder.
I never thought we would have any semblance to what baseball used to be.
But we do. Check out the Toronto Blue Jays. They’re in first place right now in the American League East, a small lead over the Red Sox, and Yankees. Who knows whether it’ll hold up. There’s an eternity left to the season and anything can happen. But the Blue Jays are playing it the way many of us remember. Their manager, John Schneider says, ‘we’ve tried to zig while the league has zagged’.
What he means is, while everyone else in baseball either hit home runs or strike out, the Blue Jays have played it the old fashioned way, they actually try to get the bat on the ball.
We all know how entertaining the home run has become. It all started when ESPN staged a home run hitting contest the day before what was once the sacred All-Star Game. Before long, audiences, particularly the youthful viewers, cared more about the home run derby than they did the actual game. I remember when the All-Star Game was second to only the World Series each year. And not far behind it either.
American League vs. National League. Imagine, Bob Gibson throwing to Mickey Mantle.
Whitey Ford pitching to Willie Mays. I know, that was many ages ago. Who really remembers? But I do. Then, inter-league baseball eliminated the mystery of the two times the two leagues would meet. All-Star Game and World Series.
But the All-Star Game has lost all of its charm. The starters who are voted as the best at their positions, are gone after a brief appearance and the rest of the players on the bloated rosters take over.
This year, with the score tied after nine innings, the game was decided by a home run. Who would be the first to hit it out of the ballpark. No more game. Just hit one out.
A batting practice pitcher served one up and a home run ended it. An exciting end to what was once a special baseball event. Not to me.
With home runs, come strikeouts. The opposite end of excitement. Pitchers, and a lot of them are used every game, throw as hard as they can, (and come down with arm problems) and batters try to hit home runs.
If not, they’re likely to strike out. There are more strikeouts than hits in most games.
But in Toronto, everyone in the lineup tries to make contact with the ball. Put it in play.
Good things happen when you do. Runners advance; fielders must make a play.
The Jays don’t strike out much. They actually try to hit the ball. A novel approach indeed.
One of many things I learned when I broadcast baseball with the Red Sox, and with CBS, TBS, and Fox, was that hitters relished facing pitchers who threw the ball hard. They could time a fastball. What drove them crazy were hurlers who threw off-speed pitches, changed those speeds, and excelled in locating those pitches. They had control, they could get ahead of the count and work the batters.
Look up Greg Maddux, the Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer. That’s what I’m talking about.
The Red Sox star during my time, was Carl Yastrzemski. He collected over 3000 hits and 400 home runs. Also, a Hall of Fame star. He could sit on the fastball from any of the great ones and connect. But if he faced some off-speed pitches, he could be tied in knots like a pretzel.
Baseball is an art. The game is about geometry. The bases are 90 feet apart. The pitching mound, 60 feet 6 inches from home plate. It’s never changed. Home plate has five sides. Latecomers to baseball may not be aware of what a bunt is. It’s a play when the hitters intentionally shorten up with the bat and tap the ball somewhere in the infield to either outrace a throw to first or advance a base runner. It is a potent weapon, although it doesn’t bring out oohs and ahhs from the fans. It’s part of the art of baseball which has been lost.
But the Toronto Blue Jays, contending for a division title and a playoff berth, have brought something back to the game that has been missing. It may or may not carry them far. But maybe other teams will take note.
Kudos to them for their ‘different’ approach.
It’s the baseball I remember. When the sport was considered our National Pastime.
