There is a lot of talk these days about Bill Clinton's legacy. At the moment, many of his supporters are hiding in a closet somewhere, waiting for this latest scandal to blow over so they can hop on the Comeback Kid's train for yet another ride.
This leaves Clinton's enemies to try to drive one more stake in the heart of the One Who Had the Most Fun, even though we all know, deep down, that it will be to no avail. No man can keep Slick Willie down. If you don't believe me, just wait and see.
Anyway, this concept of "legacy" is a new one to me, and out of it comes a lot of jabber over Korea and Israel, sex and murder, gifts and pardons, as if all this will have some impact on how we remember Clinton.
They won't. Those who hate him will continue to hate him and write mean things about him in history books, and those who like him will continue to like him and will write nice things about him in history books. Anyway, Bill Clinton's legacy has already been established: he introduced the permanent campaign.
You know what I'm talking about: the reliance on polls, the endless money-grubbing.
Bill Clinton knew (and knows) exactly what he could get away with, and always got away. He's the Roadrunner of the modern political world.So what does this have to do with sports? Well, the permanent campaign exists there, too. It is March. That means Spring Training - sun, smiles, rusty, fat ballplayers getting themselves back into shape. Right? Sure.
It also means the continuation of the permanent campaigns of baseball stars.Look at them: Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield, Frank Thomas, Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra. Look at them, and listen. What do you hear?
Whining. Rodriguez says Jeter hasn't really had to lead, hasn't been the go-to guy. Sheffield and Thomas want to renegotiate their contracts.
Ramirez won't play left field after agreeing to it when he signed his contract with Boston. Garciaparra's agent arranges for him to show up on Sports Illustrated topless, and two days later he's hurt.Now this is a diverse mix of ballplayers, and all of their mini-dramas have a certain degree of silliness. When you signed a contract, especially a guaranteed contract, you are committing yourself to work at that pay for the life of that contract.
You do not dog it; you do not complain. You consider yourself lucky to have a job. Then, when your contract is up, you make your money. That's how Rodriguez did it, and more power to him.
All I have to say about Rodriguez is that Jeter has four rings and A-Rod has zero. That and Rodriguez was the top dog on his team for only one year.
Before that, he had a dude named Ken Griffey Jr. hitting behind him. Jeter did the right thing by keeping his mouth shut, and he will be better off long-term for it.Ramirez reneged, but the Sox have to take it and hope he knocks in 150 runs. Nomar? I love him, but honestly, what is the point of that pose but money? He knows heart throb status outside of New England will eventually equal a massive new contract of his own. Nomar asked for the jinx to kick in, and it hit him in the form of a re-occurring wrist injury.
The fact is that these guys are not Slick Willie, or anything close to him. They are men trapped in a profession that encourages perpetual adolescence.
Reebok, Nike, Disney, and Major League Baseball can sell them all they want, but the fact remains: you are not what you say you are, but what you show yourself to be. Who the cap fit, let him wear it.300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland 21620 | 410-778-2800 | 800-422-1782