Tag Archives: Sports and sports journalism

Wade met with thunderous applause

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By NICHOLAS BRUENS

At the end of the 2015-16 NBA basketball season, Miami Heat fans were nervous.  Dwyane Wade, the greatest player in franchise history was a free agent.  Fans new Wade was older now but still a “Heat Lifer” in many fans minds.  As nervous as the finds were, they were also just as confident that basketball mastermind, Pat Riley would keep him in South Beach for a few more years and maybe the res of his career.

But on July 16, their worst fear was realized.  The former NBA Finals MVP, Scoring Champ and 12-time All Star signed a contract with the Chicago Bulls. And since that day in July, every heat fan was waiting for Nov. 10.  The day Dwyane returns to the American Airlines Arena to take on the Heat as a Bull.

I was lucky enough to attend this game and I was excited.  There was so much anticipation from the crowd getting to see there former idol again.  But with all storylines going into the game, the news media was unsure of how the crowd would react.  After all, he did leave the city for another team that one could argue is not much better than the situation in Miami.  Also, there was the Riley vs. Wade storyline pitting the two figures against one another.

But despite all the speculation and reason to boo D-Wade, what I witnessed was an act of genuine love by the Miami Heat community toward a man who have 14 years of his life to a franchise and never wavered for those 14 years.  There was not a single person seated in the AAA and all were applauding, cheering, and chanting his name. Even though he left, it is still “Miami-Wade County.”

This great moment was exactly what the media was hoping for and they had a field day.  Multiple tweets, articles and TV spots were put out on the return.  And in every single one he was the local hero coming home to a warm welcome.

Wade ended the night by reminding the fans he still has it when he hit the two free throws that secured the win for Chicago.

For Wade, Miami does it right

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By ZACH STUBBLEFIELD

Dwyane Wade was the face of the Miami Heat for 13 years before he signed with his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, this summer.

He brought Miami its first NBA championship by having one of the greatest finals performances of all time in 2006. He averaged 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game in route to a championship and a finals most valuable player award.

He was also the catalyst that created the big three of Lebron James, Chris Bosh and himself possible in Miami. This was unprecedented at the time when it first happened. Superstars were supposed to stay with the team that drafted them.

Wade convinced James and Bosh to come join him in Miami instead. This move brought another two championships to Miami.

Despite all of these accomplishments for the franchise, Pat Riley, the Miami Heat owner, let Wade walk in free agency this summer. Much to the chagrin of many fans and sports reporters.

Wade played his first game back in Miami last night and he was met with great fanfare. Fans cheered while he was on the court, and his jersey littered the crowd.

This is how a star’s return is supposed to be handled. Instead of boos and jeers. It should be filled with odes and cheers.

Obama welcomes … the Cavaliers

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By AMY TAINTOR

As Donald Trump made his way to the White House this afternoon, so did the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 2016 NBA Champions met with President Obama and the first family in Washington, D.C., today.

The Cavaliers brought back the first professional sports championship to Ohio City since 1964, which is definitely something to celebrate.

President Obama was especially excited to meet Lebron James.

“When you see LeBron James, it is not just his power and his speed and his vertical, it is his unselfishness it is his work ethic, it is his insistence on always making the right play,” said Obama.

In the midst of political history that was made on Tuesday when Trump was elected president, Richard Jefferson, former Cleveland Cavalier, said that no NBA champion team will want to make the trip to the White House while Trump is in office.

That sparks the question of whether or not this will be the last visit to the White House for any sports team for at least the next four years.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

Sports figures avoid election drama

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By DANIEL LLOVERAS

After Donald Trump’s shocking victory over Hillary Clinton in Tuesday’s presidential election, several major sports figures expressed apathy toward the result.

Nick Saban, head football coach of the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, said that he was unaware of the election.

“It was so important to me that I didn’t even know it was happening,” Saban said. “We’re focused on other things here.”

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, a long-time friend of Donald Trump, sent a letter of congratulations to the president-elect, but asserted that the letter was not politically motivated.

“I have multiple friendships that are important to me and that’s what that was about.” Belichick said. “So, it’s not about politics. It’s about football.”

Even San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, an outspoken supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, said that the result of the election was irrelevant to him.

“I’ve been very disconnected from the systematic oppression as a whole,” Kaepernick said. “So, for me, it’s another face that’s going to be the face of that system of oppression.”

Kaepernick, who has received death threats for kneeling during the national anthem, has not shied away from the political spotlight in the past. Kaepernick’s apathy is surprising considering Clinton’s support of Black Lives Matter and Trump’s support of police.

However, athletes and coaches are constantly under intense scrutiny by fans and the sports media, so it makes sense that they would avoid increased criticism for their political opinions.

As the nation recovers from a divisive election season, the sports world will act as both as a distraction and as a unifying tool.

Meet baseball’s bounce back boys

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By AMY TAINTOR

The Cubs seemed destined to lose the World Series going into game five. They were trailing three games to one to the Cleveland Indians. However, they pulled off a miracle.

You may be wondering why you should care about any baseball team other than the Red Sox or Yankees, so let me answer that for you.

It has been a considerable amount of years since the Cubs have won a World Series, 108 to be exact, and, to show you how long ago that was, here are a few things that weren’t around when they last won a World Series. Radio or television, super glue, hula-hoops, bar codes, the state of Alaska, credit cards and diet soda, to name a few.

The Cubs came back in this series winning game five, six, and eventually, seven.

History was made last night as the Cubs and Indians were in a tie game going into the 9th inning. The game was still tied 6-6 as the 9th inning ended, requiring extra innings. However, it wasn’t too long after that the Cubs claimed Victory. The Cubs scored two runs in the top of the 10th and left the Indians just one run short.

The final score of the game was 8-7.

History was made, tears were shed, and Chicago fans everywhere were happy. Unfortunately, the Indians have another year to wait before making history, again.

Miami Heat begin new season

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By MICHAEL FRANCA

The 2016-17 NBA season began this week and with it comes a whole new set of narratives. Perhaps most relevant to the city of Miami, is the expectation for the Heat.

This season symbolizes the first year of life without any of the “Big Three.” With LeBron James winning a title in Cleveland, Dwyane Wade choosing to represent his hometown Chicago Bulls, and Chris Bosh’s career being in doubt due to blood clots, the core of one of the most dominant NBA teams in recent memory has disassembled.

As a result, the Heat is expected to enter a transition period in which they struggle. According to NBA experts in Las Vegas, Miami is expected to win about 36 games — 12 less than last year.

Many pundits and prominent news media members have picked the Heat to miss out on the playoffs entirely. ESPN’s Amin Elhassan, for example, bluntly stated that he believes the team “isn’t very good.” This is in stark contrast with what Elhassan thought of last year’s roster — one he picked to reach the NBA finals.

These are just a few examples of the overwhelming negativity surrounding the team’s prospects for this season. There is, however, one rather distinguished voice backing the Heat to surprise some people.

Notorious Boston Celtics fan and self-proclaimed Miami sports hater Bill Simmons has picked the Heat to not only make the playoffs, but be a six-seed in the East.

Simmons’ endorsement, while surprising, is credible. He points to the team’s core of  Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside and Justise Winslow as an exciting one with incredible potential – especially on the defensive end.

Though there is no way to know which side of the prediction spectrum will be more accurate, Miami natives will be hoping it falls closer to Simmons’ end.

NFL’s television ratings decline

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By ZACH STUBBLEFIELD

The NFL’s ratings have been on the decline for the 2016-17 season. People have blamed this on the ugly on-field product that it has produced this far, the outspokenness of its players and how the league has been handling celebrations.

The Seahawks versus Cardinals game is a perfect example of how the NFL’s on-field product is deteriorating. This game was billed as the game of the week and had a prime-time spot on television to show for it. And what did we get? A sloppy, turnover-filled affair that ended in a 6-6 tie. No touchdowns were even scored. Disappointments like that lead to people not watching NFL games.

The public has also been turned off by the fact that so many of NFL players have decided to protest the national anthem.

People see this and decide not to watch because they do not believe the NFL deserves their money if its players don’t support our country. Broadcasts have stopped focusing on players protesting the anthem and, I am sure, a big reason why is because it is starting to lose money.

The last major thing contributing to the NFL’s ratings plunge is how the league is dealing with touchdown celebrations. The league hands down punishments like it is candy when players are celebrating in the end zone. These are often some of the best parts of the game and replayed on highlight reels all week yet the NFL seeks to discourage them. That is bad for business.

To make matters worse for the NFL, the NBA, the NFL’s cooler, tech savvy cousin, has just started its new season and that will make ratings drop even further as they have to compete with another sport for the rest of the year.

Warriors go from 24-0 start to 0-1

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By ALEX GOLDMAN

In a stark departure from last year, the Golden State Warriors are winless so far this season. A far cry from their record 24-0 start to the 2015-16 NBA season, the Warriors are a dismal 0-…well they’re only 0-1.

As many people know, the Warriors added superstar Kevin Durant to their lineup during the off-season. An off-season that followed Golden State’s record setting 73 regular season wins.

The 2016-17 season started Tuesday night, which saw the Warriors get trounced at home to the San Antonio Spurs, 129-100. It wasn’t exactly the coming out party many expected.

So, how did the news media react to the Warriors blowout loss?

The San Francisco Chronicle‘s new Warriors beat writer, Connor Letourneau, brought up how the Warriors were relatively dreadful offensively outside of Durant, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green. The entire team combined for only 29 points outside of the main trio.

The Bay Area News Group’s Tim Kawakami, one of my favorite sports writers, offered his own unique take on the fizzled-out spectacle that was opening night.

“The lights went on, the curtain raised, and … the new super-team flopped,” Kawakami writes. “Fire everybody! Shut down the show! Let’s all overreact and sound the alarms!”

Already?

“Well, that’s not quite right, of course,” Kawakami reasoned, before going on to remind all of those who were disappointed that the Warriors have only played one game out of 82.

Marcus Thompson II, also of the Bay Area News Group, wrote about the lesson that the Spurs taught to the Warriors. The lesson was twofold, that Durant “isn’t the answer for a suspect front line,” and “not everybody is scared of him or the Warriors,” Thompson wrote.

After collapsing in the NBA Finals when the championship was only one game away, the makeup covering the Warriors mortality began to wash away.

To round up the coverage, ESPN Warriors beat writer Ethan Sherwood Strauss made an appearance on “The Right Time with Bomani Jones” on ESPN radio Wednesday. Strauss also spoke about the Warriors lack of defense. He criticized the play of new center Zaza Pachulia,citing his low rebounding totals, while speaking with host Bomani Jones.

“Andrew Bogut’s MVP campaign is jumping off the page right now,” Strauss said.

Bogut, cut by the Warriors in the offseason to create salary cap space for the signing of Durant, is one of the premier rim-protectors in the association.

The Warriors might struggle to replace his presence in the paint.

At least they have 81 more games to figure it out.

Wentz, Prescott face each other Sunday

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By NICHOLAS BRUENS

One was considered a top prospect in the draft while the most teams slept on the other. One was forced into action by injury while the other’s team traded away a veteran so he could start.  As different as these two quarterbacks are, Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott find themselves in the same place, facing each other in Week 8 of he NFL regular season on Sunday Night Football.

Both rookies led their respective teams to successful seasons as of now.  As a result, these players received much praise from the news media and NFL analysts alike.  Wentz and Prescott have both been hailed as Rookie of the Year candidates and viewed as the future of the quarterback position in the NFL.

These praises have only drawn the news media to do two things, compare the two quarterbacks and discuss who is better and push the prospective rivalry to the public.  Prescott does not like these comparisons and just like to be compared to himself.

“I really don’t measure myself to anybody,” he told reporters at the Cowboys headquarters. “Not any other rookie, not Peyton Manning, not Tony (Romo), not any of those. It’s all about how I can become better each and every day.”

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson says it is the players’ intangibles that draw their comparisons.

“They know how to lead their teams,” Pederson told the media, “Nothing seems to be too big for either one of them. They take it in stride, the ability to protect the football through these first six, seven games like this has been crucial.”

The game’s being on Sunday Night Football only aids the media in their quest to balloon this rivalry before it begins.  Reporters are already saying Wentz and Prescott could produce a rivalry that could equal the rivalry of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

It is clear the media is looking for a new QB rivalry following the recent retirement of Super Bowl 50 champion Peyton Manning.

No politics, ESPN warns Le Batard

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By MICHAEL FRANCA

Miami-based ESPN personality — and University of Miami graduate — Dan Le Batard is no stranger to controversy. He has a history of testing the limits of his employers… and getting suspended for doing so.

For example, he’s been suspended for paying for billboards mocking LeBron James and calling an ESPN film about Bob Knight a “mountain of elephant crap.” He even lost his MLB Hall of Fame vote for allowing Deadspin to cast his ballot one year.

Le Batard, though, has had good reason for each of these actions; whether it be in the name of fun or in protest.

He’s also notorious for hosting a national radio show on ESPN that isn’t necessarily about sports. He focuses on the pop culture and social elements of the sports world and often ventures entirely out of this environment.

So when the footage of Donald Trump’s conversation with Billy Bush leaked and was defended as “locker room talk,” Le Batard suggested that the controversy was right in his show’s wheelhouse.

When he asked the rules surrounding his ability to talk about the subject, his producer told him that he “probably said too much already.” While he said he understood the hesitancy by ESPN to approach anything regarding politics, he was upset that they didn’t trust him enough to cover the subject without taking a political stance.

Le Batard later admitted that he would be suspended if he did end up talking about the Trump tape on air.

While it may be sensible that ESPN try and avoid anything that could result in political stances being taken, Le Batard has a proven track record of handling tricky subjects without displaying any bias.

It’s also interesting that the Colin Kaepernick protest sparked conversations on ESPN airwaves that contained political opinions and no objections were raised. Clearly the issue is taking a stance on an issue involving a candidate running for office.

Johnson’s league suspension upheld

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By NICHOLAS BRUENS

The National Football League has outlawed the performance enhancing drug (PED) use among players for many years. The league also, however, provides an approved list of supplements that players can take.  To our surprise, it seems that players aren’t even safe when it comes to these approved supplements.

Lane Johnson is the starting right tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles and is now serving a 10-game suspension.  Prior to the season start Johnson tested positive for a banned substance.  The interesting part is that Johnson claims it was something in an approved NFL supplement which caused the positive test.

Johnson told Jay Glaser of Fox Sports that he took an amino acid approved by the NFL which caused the positive test.

This provided an difficult decision for the NFL. They do state players should take the substance at their own risk and they still may contain substances that are banned. But they also should consider how misleading that is. They ultimately decided to carry out their initial decision of a 10-game suspension as this has been Johnson’s second run with he PED code.

The news media have covered this story for weeks due to its long timeline. Johnson tested positive prior to the season and has only been officially suspended in the sixth week. During that time it has been a constant stream of stories making if he finally be suspend this week.

The NFL’s drug policy has also come into question by the news media.  Questions have been raised as to whether an approved list should exist if the players may not be allowed to take  the drugs on the list.

Overall, the news media has found that Johnson’s case and suspension will serve as a precedent and scare players from taking any supplement that may or may not cause them to potentially fail drug tests.

Lane Johnson’s attorney has expressed dissatisfaction regarding the NFL’s decision.

“We are disappointed with Arbitrator James Carter’s summary ruling,” Steve Zashin, Johnson’s attorney, wrote in the statement obtained by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “We will wait for his formal written opinion. After we review that decision, we will consider all available legal options.”

Tebow prays to help ill fan

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By AMY TAINTOR

Tim Tebow, former quarterback for the Denver Broncos, prayed over a seizing fan during an autograph session, as they awaited paramedics.

However, the autograph session wasn’t after a football game, it was after a minor league baseball game.

That’s right, Tebow has changed his career path in hopes to play Major League Baseball.

Now, that’s not the point. You may be asking why I care that Tim Tebow was praying over a fan. Lots of athletes are religious and believe in something of a higher power. But Tebow is different.

He has devoted his whole life to the Christian faith. His parents are both Baptists and have spent their life doing missionary work. In fact, Tebow was born in the Philippines while his parents were doing missionary work.

He was home schooled up until college because his parents were worried that the public school system would corrupt his faith.

And now, he’s not only made a name for himself as a star quarterback/ hopeful Major League Baseball player, but also as a devout Christian.

His athletic career has been focused on playing for God and that was no different while he prayed over the fan, while he was having a seizure.

Unreasonable expectations for Leicester

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By MICHAEL FRANCA

Leicester City has enjoyed an unbelievable run of success dating back to their relegation escape two seasons ago and culminating in the hoisting of the Premier League trophy last May. This year, however, their results have been more believable than that reality.

That’s not to say that it’s all bad either. While they may not be flying as high as they did on their way to the title, they’re still clear of the relegation zone and top of their Champions League group.

News media coverage, though, appears to indicate that this season has been a disappointment so far.

While this would seem like fair coverage of a team that went from winning the league to toiling in 12th place, Leicester is no ordinary story.

The team famously overcame 5000/1 odds to win the English Premier League last season. They were even a popular pick to finish last at the start of the season.

With all of this in mind, many supporters of the club will likely be content with their current standing. As a team that isn’t a traditional powerhouse, a repeat of last year shouldn’t have been expected.

Still, pundits across the world have considered their performance thus far to be underwhelming.

Another factor that has largely gone unmentioned is how much time they have to make a push. Just 7 games into a 38-game season, their fate is far from sealed.

A story as special and unprecedented as Leicester’s shouldn’t be tarnished by unreasonable expectations. Hopefully the pressure many have placed on their shoulders will not be too much to bear.

All about hurricanes this week

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By ALEX GOLDMAN

The South Florida region saw the passing of two hurricanes this past week.

Matthew was the name of one, letdown was the name of the other.

Hurricane Matthew did most of its damage in the Caribbean and along Florida’s eastern coast. The Miami Hurricanes football team lost in a much anticipated match-up to the Florida State Seminoles, 20-19. Now that the storms have passed, let’s take a look at how the Miami Herald covered the events.

First up, Mr. Matthew.

The real-life hurricanes claimed the lives of six people in the state of Florida, as described in this informative article. I thought that this was a good post because it included information that probably wasn’t reported on heavily in our area, such as the storm-related deaths (which occurred outside of South Florida); the effects of the storm up the coast in Brevard, Flagler, and Volusia counties; the water levels of Lake Ockeechobee; and why state law enforcement didn’t provide security around Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.

This article reported on the progress of FPL restoring power in South Florida. As of Sunday evening, all but 10 customers had their power restored.

Think that because you haven’t heard about Zika recently the problem has gone away? As this article indicates, you may be hearing more about it in the coming weeks.

On to the Hurricanes. Oh, the ‘Canes…

Herald columnist Greg Cote penned a gem in his post-game story. Great coverage coming from Cote.

Florida State running back Dalvin Cook was cooking in his return home. The Miami native caught fire in the second half, finishing with 209 total yards. Elliot Lapin chronicled the hometown feast.

Not only did he throw a game-changing interception, but Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya came out of the game with a banged up shoulder. And lost a tooth. Susan Miller Degnan provided the coverage in her article.

The best part of the game was seeing the ‘Canes in those new (old) unis

All in all, the Herald continues with its reliable and interesting reporting.

Matthew shakes up college football

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By DANIEL LLOVERAS

As Hurricane Matthew, the longest-lived Atlantic major hurricane since Ivan in 2004, moves through the Bahamas and approaches the southeastern United States, evacuations have been ordered and preparations have been made for the possibly devastating impacts of the storm.

Several major college football programs, including the Miami Hurricanes and the Florida Gators, are scheduled to host games this Saturday which may be impacted by the storm. Hurricane Matthew is forecast to move north along Florida’s east coast on Thursday and Friday.

Depending on Matthew’s track and the associated damage, Miami, Florida and South Carolina may be forced to reschedule or even cancel their respective games against Florida State, Louisiana State and Georgia.

screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-1-00-55-pmAs of Thursday afternoon, no scheduling changes have been made for college football games this Saturday.

However, the impact on preparations for the game cannot be understated.

While most sports media organizations are focusing on the hurricane’s impacts on game scheduling, the most significant effects of Matthew will likely be on transportation and preparation.

The University of Miami has closed its campus on Thursday and Friday, meaning the Hurricanes will be unable to practice before the game. Florida State has delayed its travel plans and will take a bus to Miami on Friday instead of Thursday.

Hurricanes are dangerous and cannot be taken lightly. However, college football games and television deals are valuable and will not be cancelled or postponed unless the safety of fans, players and coaches is threatened.

In this case, the storm will likely be clear of most college football stadiums come Saturday afternoon. With the games almost certain to be played, teams must ensure that the transportation and preparation issues do not negatively impact performance.

October’s chaotic kickoff

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By NYAH TENNELL

This week has been an exciting, yet chaotic week for Miami Hurricane students and staff.

With the game against rival, FSU, this coming Saturday, Hurricane Matthew’s touchdown beginning Wednesday and in the midst of midterms, October is getting off to an interesting, and jam-packed start.

Hurricane Matthew, which has already devastated many areas of the Caribbean, has been declared as a powerful category four, with maximum sustained winds of 130 m.p.h., said the National Hurricane Center.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency on Monday and, according to USA today, he has warned residents to prepare for potential power outages and possible evacuations.

“We are preparing for the worst, hoping for the best and not taking any chances,” Scott said.

According to Fox News, South Carolina also declared a state of emergency on Thursday, which allows federal aid to be dispersed in addition to state and local emergency response teams.

Furthermore, The Pentagon reported that Florida, Georgia and South Carolina state governors mobilized 4,500 National Guardsmen to assist with southern communities’ efforts to weather the storm.

I just hope that Hurricane Matthew brings our Hurricane football team some hurricane-force winds that wipe out Florida State at this Saturday’s game.

 

Chris Bosh’s NBA career likely over

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By MICHAEL FRANCA

Miami Heat superstar forward Chris Bosh failed a physical in an attempt to return to NBA action, meaning that he won’t be cleared to participate in training camp for the new season. He has suffered from blood clots that have put an end to each of his last two seasons.

Since he failed the physical, Bosh has fired his agent and Heat president Pat Riley has conceded that his career with the franchise is likely over. Riley also stated that the team is not actively working towards a return.

Bosh is featuring in a documentary-style series on Uninterrupted.com that details his struggle and aspirations to play again. In the series, he said that he felt Heat doctors were quick to write him off.

This situation has the makings of a dramatic end to a great relationship between player and franchise.

While Bosh understandably is pushing to be able to return to what he says he was “made to do,” there is simply too much risk involved for him to be cleared.

The majority of news media coverage has centered on this brewing controversy. What has been largely overlooked, however, is just how dangerous Bosh’s situation is to his health.

When he was first diagnosed with blood clots one of the most prevalent public narratives was that if he tried to play, it would be plausible that he could die on the court.

In general, athletes are told that playing contact sports while on blood thinners can be risky, as there is the potential for internal bleeding or other complications.

This time around, the news media seem more concerned with what Bosh may do to try and play and what that will mean for the Heat. Although it’s been covered before, it seems as if the gravity of his condition is no longer being emphasized as it should be.

There will only be one Fernandez

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By ALEX GOLDMAN

I’m not the first to write about him. And I won’t be the last.

It seemed like too obvious a choice to write about for this week, yet in the end I couldn’t help myself.

I had to write about Jose Fernandez. Just like many others this week.

The Miami Marlins pitcher was killed in a boating incident early Sunday morning in Miami Beach. The boat hit a rock jetty. Fernandez and two other men were killed. Instantly, I hope.

Coverage of his death on Sunday, tributes made out to him Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and live coverage of his public and family funeral processions Wednesday and Thursday were hot topics.

The uniform blog Uni-Watch covered all sports-related tributes to Fernandez. Among them were the Marlins wearing “Fernandez” jersey’s with his No. 16 for the duration of their Monday game against the New York Mets. Uni-Watch believes this to be the first occasion of a team memorializing a player through uniformly (get it?) dressing the team in that player’s jersey (excluding the league-wide wearing of Jackie Robinson’s “42” for one day of each season).

Local TV stations WPLG 10, WTVJ 6, WSVN 7, and WFOR-TV 4 all aired the funeral procession live, with commentary.

The Miami Herald covered the events of the week extensively. 

The coverage is warranted. Fernandez was an incredibly bright light. He had an infectious smile. He was able to penetrate through to Barry Bonds’ soft side. The courage he displayed through 4 overall attempts to defect from Cuba is immeasurable.

And he was only 24.

We’ll all be left to wonder what more he could have given us.

LeBron to stand for anthem

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By NICHOLAS BRUENS

Colin Kaepernick sparked a major discussion this year when he chose to kneel during the national anthem.  It was done to protest the mistreatment African Americans are facing in the nation.

Kaepernick’s protest has caused many athletes to join his protest. LeBron James, however, will not be one of these athletes. LeBron has stated during the Cleveland Cavaliers’ media day that he will in fact be standing for the national anthem.

“Me standing for the national anthem is something I will do,” James told the news media. “That’s who I am. That’s what I believe in.”

James also made sure to mention that he also does not disagree with Kaepernick’s actions.  The former MVP actually stated that he supports Kaepernick and his right to protest.

“You have the right to voice your opinion, stand for your opinion, and he’s doing it in the most peaceful way I’ve ever seen someone do something,” said James.

LeBron James is arguably the best player in the National Basketball Association. He is probably the most famous athlete in the world and is idolized by millions of people.  When LeBron speaks, people listen.

These words carry a lot of weight because of the one who is saying them.  As a result the media has been all over the statements. Multiple internet articles have been written and his statements have the topic of conversation on TV channels such as ESPN and Fox Sports.

This is very important because LeBron’s message is one that should be heard throughout the country.  Even though he doesn’t share the belief that he should protest, he respects the other athletes enough to recognize that these players have rights and it should be respected.

The news media have recognized this message and are spreading James’ word for the nation to hear.

The tragic death of a rising star

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By AMY TAINTOR

Rising star Jose Fernandez, pitcher for Miami Marlins, died suddenly in a boating accident early Sunday morning.

The 32-foot fishing boat was found around 3 a.m. flipped onto a jetty off the coast near Miami Beach. The boat was going at a high speed at the time of the accident.

It has not been determined if drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident, but there has been no evidence found on the boat. A toxicology exam will be performed.

Reportedly, Fernandez went to blow off steam after having an argument with his pregnant girlfriend. He had asked multiple teammates to join him on the water, but many declined. The two friends that went with him, however, died as well. They have been identified as Eddy Rivero and Emilio Macias.

Fernandez came from Cuba when he was 15-years-old and arrived with his mother. He had many challenges in his life, but he’s the perfect example of living the “American Dream.” He was a first-round pick in 2012, signing a $2 million contract with the Marlins. He was undoubtedly one of the best pitchers in MLB, on his way to great things.

Many fans have mourned the loss of Fernandez and have created a memorial in his name outside of Marlins Park. The team also memorialized him beautifully Monday night in a game against the New York Mets. The whole team wore number 16 jerseys with “Fernandez” written on the back, and huddled around the mound before the game.

This is a huge loss for the Marlins, the city of Miami and all of Major League Baseball. Jose Fernandez will be missed.