Out of Touch or Out of Mind?

By TERRY LYONS @terrylyons

BOSTON - When someone works in the sports industry, we’re often asked by our friends and relatives, ‘Is (insert name of athlete) nice,’ or ‘What’s (insert name) REALLY like?”

For some reason, Charles Barkley comes right to mind, as so many people have a very strong impression and opinion of Charles even though they’ve never met him. Of course, in full disclosure, Barkley is one of my favorite people in the world. He’s sincere, honest and a very good friend to those who earn his friendship. To some goof-ball met in a bar, usually looking for trouble, ole’ Chuck will give it to him. Overall, he’s FAN-tastic.

For the sake of this column, the Barkleys of this world are not the focus. Instead, this is a look at highly respected and even adored pro athletes or public sports personalties who simply let us down. Sometimes, it’s a single incident or misjudgment, and we can often dismiss it because, as we all know, we’re human and we’re imperfect. Face it, we all make some colossal mistakes.

Other times, it’s a deeper issue or a more personal flaw.

One day, circa’ 1970, a small group of teens made their way from New York to Fenway Park. This cub reporter with only a ticket not a press pass had a goal of obtaining Carl Yastrzemski’s autograph. After the game at Fenway, dozens of kids, adults and assorted memorabilia collectors were all staked-out by the player’s parking lot. Surveying the landscape, there was NO CHANCE, so, ever the schemer, I bee-lined it down Van Ness to the corner of Ipswich and posted-up by the traffic light at Boylston Street. There was a 50-50 chance, he’d get a red light, right.

Well, the traffic gods were with me and I approached his Olds Cutlass and reached towards the window with pen and game program in hand. Yaz promptly rolled-up his power windows and my wrists barely made their way from the guillotine. I never felt the same way about Yaz from that day onward and a poster in my home bedroom went from Yaz to Bill Bradley and Doctor J.

That was personal, but let’s look even deeper into character, responsibility, and right or wrong while recognizing everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Dozens of public figures have fallen from grace. It seems as if it’s an American pastime to build someone up, only to then look for everything on the face of the earth to knock them down. Sometimes, then, we’re a forgiving public and - if the public figure owns up to the situation, tells the truth, tells it all and shows contrition, the American public can be amazingly forgiving.

In no particular order, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James (think, The Decision), Mike Tyson, Pete Rose, Darryl Strawberry & Doc Gooden, and Marion Jones are but a few. Others, like Joe Paterno/Jerry Sandusky, Lance Armstrong, Michael Vick, Curt Schilling, Aaron Hernandez, Oscar Pistorius and OJ Simpson garnered stronger reaction from a previously adoring public after their very serious infractions, all major legal matters.

Others, disappoint us.

New England Patriots team owner Bob Kraft comes to mind, although he activated a powerful legal team to expunge ill-conceived motions of all types from the record. When it came to politics, the ground in New England shook, when Kraft, Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady followed along a 2016 political road to oblivion, although it certainly seemed like Brady’s wife, the famous Gisele Bündchen asked him to knock it off. That, plus, bigotry in a football locker can be a very divisive matter.

On the PGA Tour front, Tiger Woods’ fall from grace in 2009 and the myriad of personal information that surfaced after his November 2009 episode outside of his Isleworth mansion. Woods, along with Simpson, were the two most astonishing falls from stardom.

Recently, Los Angeles Dodgers 3B Justin Turner set the sports world back a few steps when he celebrated the Dodgers’ World Series victory with his teammates despite knowing he had tested positive for the Coronavirus. He selfishly placed many people in a dangerous situation, in a moment of poor judgement almost as bad as a White House Rose Garden ceremony.

Then, along came Jack Nicklaus.

The Golden Bear came out of hibernation to write of his fawning support of the current President of the United States of America. It was posted on social media and you can read it for yourself and make your own judgements.

What stood out for many, was Nicklaus’ statement that Trump, ‘has worked for the average person.’ Nicklaus then prefaced his next astonishing sentence with the qualifier of “In my opinion,” ‘he has been more diverse than any other President I have seen and has tried to help people from all walks of life - equally.’”

Together with more than half the nation and a good portion of the citizens of the world, we nearly fell down from shock.

Was his account hacked?

It doesn't seem to be the case.

Instead, reaction ranged from disappointment to dismay to anger.

Highly respected USA Today columnist Christine Brennan wrote her column after noting Nicklaus’ history, his place in time and rightfully addressed his many contributions to his sport, (albeit with some royal and ancient viewpoints of racism). Above all, he mostly contributed to golf in a great way. But, Brennan wrote, “Those worthwhile efforts took a hit Wednesday night when the game’s most iconic figure (or second-most iconic to Tiger Woods, take your pick) endorsed a president who has consistently and reprehensibly denigrated women and people of color, who has been accused of sexually assaulting or sexually harassing at least 26 women, who has waged war on Black athletes who speak out about injustice and who has called white nationalists “very fine people,” among many other awful comments.

“The great Jack Nicklaus should find some time to make himself available for comment sooner rather than later. He has endorsed a racist, sexist man to be re-elected president of the United States. His sport, and his country, deserve to be able to ask him why.”

Sadly, oh so sadly, I think I know why.

Then, making matters even worse for Canadiens and New Englanders, along came Bobby Orr and his disgraceful advertorial of enabling and ignorance.

Teammate? Surely, a teammate when you need a pardon from crime and corruption. But then again, let’s introduce Mr. Orr to his new teammate in disbarred attorney Michael Cohen or even worse, his new personal team lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.

Within his own prose, he wrote, “Perhaps you do not like his tweets or the way he says things sometimes, and that is your right.”

Checking the record, honored military have been fired for the way they react to the “way he says things sometimes.” The Governor of Michigan was chastised and threatened for “the way he says things sometimes.”

“Very fine people on both sides,” right Bobby?

Is “stand back and stand by,” the message and policy you support? It’s conveyed nightly by your new team captain to the white supremacist groups who are now your new teammates?

Is that the America you want your grandchildren to know?

Bobby, Say It Ain’t So?

(Manchester Union-Leader advertorial)