And The Baseball Players Struck On

     I must be the only man in the United States hoping that the baseball strike continues indefinitely. Outside the United States, I don't suppose they much care one way or another. It's not their national pastime, a metaphor for their way of life.

     Since baseball provides some sort of cosmological reflection of our existence or something metaphysical like that, what does it say, in one hundred words or less? That we Americans are mercenaries, selling our souls to the highest bidder and giving up loyalties to teams and turning our backs on hometown fans for the bigger incentive package. I guess we do that a little, eh? Hardly something terribly idealistic to defend in this moment of its need.

     Then the people writing the checks decide that there is only so much they will spend on players can and do jump ship whenever. There is only so much revenue to be pulled from the fans' wallets, and there are such things as upkeep, non-primadonna payroll, and profit to be considered. Yes, profit--why should the players be the only ones to get make money from the game? The players, those shadowy images of us in the mirror (if pundits are to be believed), have priced themselves out of the market.

     Now, take the replacement players. I realize that they can never be quite as reflective of Americana as the old players. After all, they are only men with boyhood dreams on the verge of realization. Even with the weight of public opinion and words of snide commentators against them, they take the field. Armed with their belief in themselves and under-rated talent, they will struggle to prove their critics wrong, that they deserve to wear the uniforms and to play. I'd hate for anyone to confuse that image with this nation.

     So when the President, the sports writers, and the players call for Congress to ooze in and settle the dispute, remember it is the good of the game and for America, the Beautiful, and all of the ideas we stand for, and not publicity, influencing public opinion without touching important civic issues, or hope for a better contract that motivate them.