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Desert Dust 2004 - Part 2
March 15, 2004 |
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Barry played today. That’s national news, break into ESPN news, earthshaking news. Barry played today, on his late father’s birthday. It was an ordinary day for Barry. He walked twice and lined out hard to right field. He played 5 innnings, then he got in his running. Everyone in the press corps hurried downstairs as he finished his running. I have no idea why they did so, because several told me they already knew that “Barry would not speak” today – just play, run, and go. Still, they went downstairs. And they waited. And they waited some more. And then, finally, a Giants PR staff member said “Barry will not speak today. He’s going to go call his mother.” A senior member of the press corps later came up to a (different) member of the PR staff and explained that “Barry should have come out and told us himself that he just wanted to play, he felt fine, and he was going to go call Pat (his mother).” Or, in the alternative, “we should have been told he wasn’t going to speak – it’s not right to sit and wait so long.” Well, sure. It’s NOT right to sit and wait so long. Only, if I knew he wasn’t going to speak, and I’m not a beat writer, and they are better informed than I am, then, well, connect the dots yourselves……… Can we GET any more dysfunctional? The Commissioner has slapped a serious gag order on everyone regarding “That Whose Name we Dare Not Speak”. So, if Barry “speaks”, someone will ask him about “That Whose Name we Dare Not Speak”, and the PR staff will step in and say “he’s not allowed to answer those questions. We’re done now.” And what, exactly, does that accomplish? Communication is built on trust. It’s why I could never, ever be a beat writer. Oh, I am very confident I could write game stories with the best of them, but to truly inform people about a player, or an executive, or a scout, you have to get to know them. You have to share something of yourself, and gain their trust. Being from THE MEDIA absolutely gives us the right to ask whatever we want. It does not grant us the right to have those questions answered at all, let alone have them answered thoughtfully or honestly, however. I overheard one writer say “Barry’s just like any other suspect. We have the right to question him.” Suspect? I must have missed the indictment. Barry is now learning some of the fine points of our marvelous language. He received, from the Federal Government, immunity from prosecution. He did not receive immunity from PERsecution, however, and he’s stuck with that. You can be sure of one thing: When he speaks to HIS daughter about how you can never recover a tarnished reputation, and that people can say whatever they want to and tarnish your reputation, I bet she listens. Another day in the desert. Barry played. Barry looked good while playing. Barry did not smile. The Genie still doesn’t fit back into the bottle. And, cynicism and acting “holier than thou” remain America’s Pastime. |
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