MLB Commissioner Bud Selig may have just taken the title of worst commissioner in the history of professional sports
away from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and for that he gets the Sports Climax Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week.
In a sports world where the NHL relies on verifying with video footage that a puck is in the net and the NFL that two feet are inbounds on a TD pass, after yesterday’s interview, Selig appears to be comfortable allowing human error to continue to create controversy in his sport.
Selig has been saturated in controversy over the past few decades with many accusing him of ignoring the steroid abuse issues that were prevalent and obvious during the 1990’s when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were playing home run derby.
We know how Selig has managed to skirt around issues involving several other situations including the Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds perjury investigations and the uncovering of A-Rod and several other player’s syringe use.
The more recent issues surround the blatant, game-changing calls that his umpire crews have been making. Some of these blunders, like those made during recent playoffs, have sent hard-working organizations home packing earlier than they should have been.
More recently the Jim Joyce “three-blind-mice- I-have-my-head-up-my-ass” call that took a perfect game from a young Detroit pitcher now has center stage.
That said the buzz about expanding the instant replay had gathered more steam than a locomotive; that is until yesterday when Selig all but squashed the concept.
In an interview with the AP, Selig said he will continue to look at expanding the use of instant replay in baseball, but doesn’t think it will happen this year—if at all. WTF!
“I doubt it, but I wouldn’t ever say never. It’s worked out well.”
SLAP! That line deserves a good bitch-slappin’. What has worked out well? Allowing crews to make blunders that advance the biggest market New York Yankees to another playoff series?
Wouldn’t determining the correct winners for the fans as often as possible be considered working out well?
Making changes that limit mistakes and blunders your blind umpire crews seem to be making on a more consistent basis would be considered working out well.
On another note, these calls have affected our country’s legal gambling systems. Some of these calls have affected the final score or winners as in several MLB Playoff games in the past meaning the people who have wagered on that game have been cheated.
Logical minds who run the NFL and NBA and even Bettman’s NHL have realized how advantageous it is to utilize video replay technology but Selig continues to hide behind some sort of curtain that many of us cannot figure out. How could he not want to reduce those occurrences and limit mistakes?
Selig went on to say in the interview that he “wants to do what I think is best for the sport.”
If that were true Mr. Selig than many people would say then you should resign.
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