TwitterStop It
24 Mar 2012
Normally, Bill Madden writes an insightful and balanced column. I’m not sure what happened to him yesterday, but this column is incredibly unfair. And Madden isn’t the only one. There is this and some other ones that fail to recognize Joba suffered a freak accident while trying to be a Dad.
Athletes do not exist in a vacuum. They do not appear in a game and then go up on a shelf where they remain until their next appearance. Life happens to them just like the rest of us and I refuse to knock a Dad for playing with his son, even if that play may have jeopardized his career. Anyone who has ever had a young kid has been in a situation where they beg you to do a particular activity with them like jump on a trampoline.
That decision, to be a Dad, turned into a disaster for Joba. Instead of criticizing him, how about we just wish him a good recovery? How about we hope that his little boy didn’t suffer too much trauma witnessing it? How about we show some compassion? Nah, it’s easier to be critical.
Mar 24, 2012 @ 13:21:26
I messed up my knee on a trampoline during basketball season in 8th grade. I wish him a speedy recovery. That totally sucks. I hope his kid doesn’t feel guilty.
Mar 24, 2012 @ 13:31:18
Right on Peter. I’m wishing Joba the best.
Mar 24, 2012 @ 17:30:54
from the compassion article, comments section at the bottom:
Dan Kellogg
Not good……not good for the yankees and REALLY not good for Joba. Let’s hope 6 or 7 Red Sox players are lost for the season too!
I think many believed years ago he would be a flaming star that would burn bright for a while and likely disappear. If this is the end of his career it will have robbed baseball of a potential star before he really got going.
Mar 25, 2012 @ 00:57:49
BL
I hope you know by now that guys like Dan won’t be defended by me. And someone once said that the brightest stars flame out the quickest. It probably would be wise for New Yorkers to remember that considering the excitement of the last few months.
Mar 25, 2012 @ 07:22:29
The shame, certainly for NYers, is that his flame never really got going. Sure there were moments and certainly in that first season or so.
If he is done, I will miss the rivalry juicing energy he brought. Although your compassion article implies he may have grown up a bit and lost some of that edge.
In looking up his stats on baseball reference I noticed he’s next to a cool named player, Ice Box Chamberlain. A pitcher that averaged 300+ innings per year back in the late 1800′s. Love that site.
Mar 25, 2012 @ 09:30:21
Ah yes, Elton Chamberlain. He played when they knew how to give someone a nickname. He got his because he was cool under pressure. Also pitched at least one game as a lefty and righty.
Mar 27, 2012 @ 06:20:47
so the media evidently blew things way out of proportion on the Joba story : http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/7742072/joba-chamberlain-new-york-yankees-meet-media-set-record-straight-sources-say
Mar 27, 2012 @ 10:43:07
While I hope that is true, I wonder if it is?
I guess I don’t see how so many reporters could get that story wrong and since Joba has a non-guaranteed contract, he has reasons to make the injury sounds as small as possible.
Mar 27, 2012 @ 13:36:20
I would normally agree with your but, face it, Joba ain’t the sharpest knife either