We forget that they’re people, because we hardly ever see them as people.
Sports figures are characters and caricatures, coliseum performers battling the lionesque opposition. They’re the stars of the photo ops, ones that stem from mug shots almost as often as charity outings. They’re the guys who leave town for $46 million because $42 million wasn’t enough.
On top of it all, they’re almost completely insulated from the public. Their exploits are beamed to those tiny boxes in our living room (unless TBS is doing the beaming) or viewed from the upper deck, where objects are most definitely not closer than they appear. You rely on strangers with press passes to relay the quotes, and the clichéd sound bites have all the spontaneity of a Sarah Palin speech.
What could possibly be personable about any of that?
Then along comes Dale Sveum, and you’re reminded, ever so briefly, that they are people indeed.
“Basically,” Sveum said, “my heart was ripped out of my chest.”
And not because MillerCoors nixed Zima.
No, Sveum was devastated when the Brewers declared he wouldn’t get a second bite of the cherry. The interim manager was out of Milwaukee’s permanent managerial race, denied what was basically his dream job. He’d worked toward it most of his life, held it for 16 games, and lost it in less than two weeks
How’s that for the human side of things?
Put yourself in his shoes – of getting a taste of the one job you want more than anything – then having it snatched away. You can’t help but feel for the guy, who was a refreshing breath of honesty and candor. He wanted nothing more than to be a Brewer, so much that he left Boston’s dynasty for the uncertainty of Milwaukee. But unless he takes the highly untenable step of swallowing a demotion, Sveum won’t wear the Crew’s colors again.
I’m not advocating pity for Sveum, and I doubt Sveum’s wallowing in it himself. The man’s life is far better than most. He does what he loves, is paid good money to do it and spends winters in Arizona when you’re shoveling snow.
But condolences and compassion for Sveum are well-warranted, as is an appreciation for what he accomplished here.
Remember that the Brewers don’t get to the playoffs without Sveum. They were Team Titanic when he replaced Ned Yost, who admitted he was out of answers and, per some reports, was a key cause of player discontent. Speaking privately to MLB.com writer Adam McCalvey, some players “described a divided clubhouse between those who supported Yost and those who were frustrated with Yost…”
But Sveum’s approach united everyone enough to coax the club’s first playoff berth since 1982. That alone earns him a special spot in Brewers lore.
So why cut him loose? Well, General Manager Doug Melvin wants a guy who’s been there, done that, and done it well. “I’m looking for someone with some experience and some success at the big-league level,” Melvin says. Meanwhile, owner Mark Attanasio thinks there’s value in going outside the organization. “Sometimes it’s good to bring in a fresh perspective,” he says.
All of which is hard to argue against. And all of which is a problem for Sveum, because he whiffs on each of those counts. It’s a bad beat.
Sveum will catch on somewhere because good baseball men always do. And sometime down the road, he’ll probably get a managerial job without the interim tag. After all, Sveum’s always been about heart.
Which explains why losing it hurt so much.
Quote of Note
“No comment.”
– Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli, on reports that Brett Favre offered tips on how to beat the Packers.
In other news…
Here’s a telling glimpse into the status of football in Wisconsin.
One day after Green Bay’s 34-14 thumping of Indianapolis – easily the team’s biggest win of the season – nobody wanted to talk about it. Not the two Peyton Manning interceptions returned for touchdowns. Not the continued impressive play of Aaron Rodgers. Not even the fact that Ryan Grant finally got his first rushing TD of the season (a stat that, frankly, stunned me).
Nope, the hot topic was whether or not Brett Favre ratted out the Packers to the Lions earlier this season. Favre denied the story to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, but King wasn’t necessarily buying it. Moreover, Fox’s Jay Glazer stands firmly behind the reporting.
My take is it’s doubtful Glazer would risk his reputation unless he had some pretty strong sources on the story. And the guy’s had a solid track record with Favre in the past, breaking the news on his trade to the Jets.
In other words, it seems like a lot of smoke to have no fire.
And if that fire spreads, don’t look for Favre in Green Bay anytime soon. Greg Jennings will be retired before Favre’s jersey is.
And Finally…
Rays in 7. Just because.
And Finally…
Rays in 7. Just because.
Tune in every Tuesday morning during the 6 o’clock hour when I join Doug Russell and Mike Wickett on SportsRadio 1250 AM for Tuesdays with Howie. You can also find the segments in their Audio Vault. I’ll also chat with Mitch Teich on WUWM’s Lake Effect Wednesday at 11 a.m. And don’t forget to check out our new fitness column, Training with Tim.
