A Man's Game

I didn’t plan for this column to be all about women in sports, and I doubt it will be, but this week featured a real gem from the TBS postseason baseball coverage that was just too good to pass up. Late in the final game of the Indians-Yankees series, TBS checked in with its sideline reporter, Craig Sager (you can recognize him because all of his clothing is striped), for an exclusive from the Indians club.

Sager proceeded to tell us all how Cleveland manager Eric Wedge had a meeting back in Cleveland with the wives and girlfriends of the Indians players to emphasize their responsibility in the upcoming playoff series. What might that responsibility have been, you ask?

Well it turns out that they, yes they, could have a huge impact on the series. He obliged them to take care of the flights and arrangements of family and friends, extra ticket requests, anything outside of baseball. And once they traveled to New York? They were to check out Times Square, take in a show, go shopping, whatever, just stay out of the way and leave the boys to the job at hand.

Wow. A guidebook on how to be a good little wife from a baseball coach.

Probably least pertinent, but still shocking, was the inclusion of the girlfriends in this little pow-wow. Can you imagine having a relative stranger tell you how to live your life or even worse, tell you that you were holding your boyfriend back? “Sorry, honey, we’re going to have to break up, you can talk to your coach for an explanation.”

In addition to subscribing to a theory of gender relations straight out of the 19^th century, Wedge has somehow cast the wives and girlfriends as a legitimate threat to the Indian’s quest for a World Series title. Despite the fact that not one of these women has booted a ground ball or failed to put down a sacrifice bunt, their mere presence is a potential downfall for his boys.

Amazingly, this is not a lone instance. Just last month, Dynamo Kiev, a soccer team in Ukraine recently was ordered to a training camp away from their women because, according to coach Josef Sabo, “women in football are a scourge. They do not understand that men need to work, that they have a hard job to do.” Why do these men blame women for their shortcomings?

Wedge needs a little perspective. Baseball is a job, not a war. And it is a job for those who play it only, not for their families, friends, or lovers. The players are responsible for their own performance, from preparation to post-game interview. Moreover, those who play it are adults and deserve to be treated as such.

Mr. Wedge, trust your players and take your wins and your losses as a man – the women in all of your lives don’t deserve the blame for your failures any more than they deserve the credit for your successes.