commentary – Journo James's Journal

Verbum Dei’s Oscar Rosa, Soccer Coach

Post author:journojames
Post published:March 23, 2012
Post category:Feature Interview Op/Ed/Commentary Sports

Originally published Nov. 20, 2011

Helping kids through sports.

Such a simple and noble thing has been sadly twisted and perverted in the last couple of weeks with all the recent revelations of alleged child abuse at schools, such as Penn State and Syracuse.

Kids and sports should always go together; it’s something that should be celebrated, never mourned nor questioned. There’s too much darkness right now. A moral compass that points to some light is desperately needed.

A little bit of that light was found this week.

On a late Thursday afternoon in Watts, under a crisp, darkening November sky, a rookie assistant coach keenly watched his young soccer team perform passing drills. (more…)

Cancel Rest of the Season, Penn State

Post author:journojames
Post published:March 19, 2012
Post category:Op/Ed/Commentary Sports

Originally published Nov. 11, 2011

Forget about a moment of silence at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. There should be nothing but absolute silence there for the rest of the 2011 football season.

500x_beaverstadiummediate — Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, Photo courtesy of Mediaite

In light of the recent allegations involving the school, Penn State should cancel this week’s game against Nebraska. They should forfeit. The school has more important things to deal with than football right now. The school’s main focus should be on properly dealing with the horrifying scandal it finds itself entangled in: the alleged raping of a ten-year old boy on its campus. Nothing should be more important than dealing with this unspeakable crime. How silly and trivial a football game is right now; how grotesque cheering of any kind would be on Saturday. (more…)

Manning Pursuit

Post author:journojames
Post published:March 8, 2012
Post category:Op/Ed/Commentary Sports

Here’s a column I wrote today for the blog Seattle Sports Central. The original can be found here.

A somber press conference in Indianapolis yesterday displayed macho men, who are rarely accused of being sensitive, getting emotional, full of sorrow and tears. But in about a dozen other NFL cities across the country, including Seattle, that same event stirred a great deal of giddy excitement.

Peyton Manning’s official release from the Colts offered quarterback-challenged teams around the league sudden hope for the near future. A lot of tortured fans who have suffered with their team’s woeful quarterback play went to sleep last night with blissful thoughts of game-winning drives and fantasy playoff scenarios, led by a four-time league MVP, dancing in their heads.

Sorry to wake you, Seahawks fans, but those wishful thoughts will probably remain as ethereal pipedreams. According to NFL pundits, Manning will most likely bypass the gray overcast skies and chilly temperatures of the Emerald City and choose to play in a warmer destination closer to his home in Florida. Seattle, it seems, is just too cool and too far away. Many sports media outlets have mentioned Miami and Arizona as the most probable landing spots. (more…)