Cheating, Being an Underdog and Stealing, Not Everything is What it Seems
In life, appearances are sometimes a facade. People are taught that not everything is what it seems. In a few different stories in The Best American Sports Writing 2020 by Jackie MacMullan, that theme appears.
The Astros have quickly become America’s most hated baseball team ever since they used electronic devices during their 2017 World Series championship run, and potentially even longer. While fans have a right to be upset them, they should also be upset with Major League Baseball’s failed attempt to stop electronic sign-stealing across the league. The Atlantic’s The Astros Stole Signs Electronically in 2017 — Part of a Much Broader Issue for Major League Baseball details how this has become an epidemic in the sport.
The MLB has said in a statement, “Beginning in the 2017 season, numerous Clubs expressed general concerns that other Clubs were stealing their signs.” The Red Sox got in trouble for using Apple Watches in 2017, and Alex Cora was suspended for a year after reports of sign-stealing when the Red Sox won the 2018 World Series. The Yankees were even once thought to have some sort of well-planned and thought out sign-stealing devices.
The Astros are the face of the scandal because their system was more complex and gathered more media attention because the team won their first championship in 2017. Major League Baseball revised their policy on sign-stealing prior to the 2019 season in an attempt to stop this practice. When playing the Astros in the World Series that year, the Washington Nationals still used more complex signs for pitchers in an attempt to stop the sign-stealing.
An Astros source said the team “should not become the poster child for sign-stealing.” With cheating, pace of play, an upcoming CBA and controversial rule changes, MLB and commissioner Rob Manfred have a lot on their plate. Sign-stealing needs to be towards the top of the list of issues to solve.
When David takes down Goliath, it is the true lesson to never underestimate an opponent and that the underdog is sometimes taken too lightly. That is the case in Tim Layden’s Disqualified.
For the first time in the 145 years of the Kentucky Derby, a horse was disqualified from a race. Maximum Security, who was a 4–1 odds horse to win the race, was disqualified after making a wide turn and interfering with other horses. Country House, who was originally a 65–1 long shot to win the race, was named the champion after a replay.
Although Country House won in a controversial manner that some people don’t consider legitimate, the horse with the second lowest odds in the race still won. It took over 30 minutes to rule Country House the winner, but he went down in history.
This is also a tale of heartbreak because Gary and Mary West, Maximum Security’s owners, had not won the Kentucky Derby after 40 years. When it looked like they got that monkey off their back, it latched right back on to both of their shoulders.
Maximum Security is also an underdog story. Although he was the favorite to win, he was not originally a highly touted horse. He won a race by nine lengths in Gulfstream Park in Florida but went unclaimed.
This is another example of underestimating someone and something being different than it appears. Maximum Security won three more races to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. He was meant to be one of the more dominant horses instead of one that went unclaimed after crushing other horses.
At times, people can be trusted but can break the trust. It’s important to not have people walk all over you and take advantage of your kindness. That lesson applies in Kevin Arnovitz’s How NBA Executive Jeff David Stole $13 Million from the Sacramento Kings.
Part of the Sacramento Kings for years working with finances, David was someone who was respected and admired. He was someone known not to sweat the small stuff and someone who put a smile on everyone’s face.
While he had these charming characteristics, the admiration for him did not last. Human Resources worker Stacy Wegzyn discovered an odd document labeled “TurboTax,” to Sacramento Sports Partners. Wegzyn did not listen to David when he told her she can just throw it out, and it turned out to best decision she ever made because she discovered the fraud that took place.
David also appeared to be someone who had everything, a beautiful wife and kids, a nice-paying job and a nice home in Florida. Because of his fraud, he had the money in his account frozen, and his wife was inconsolable. In prison, he has not and most likely will not see the kids to avoid any traumatic experiences for them.
David was very apologetic at trial, but Judge William B. Shubb did not buy his apology and sentenced him to seven years in prison. While some viewed him as this charismatic guy, others viewed him as deceiving and cunning to get his way. Because of what he did to the Kings, it’s hard to see him as what he was once viewed.
The Astros sign stealing scandal and how Jeff David did what he did and almost got away with it would make great documentaries. The Kentucky Derby story should be told with an ESPN 30 for 30.
The Astros cheating scandal is such a big issue in the MLB because of the fan’s dissatisfaction for how Manfred handled it. The Astros are not the only team practicing this though, and the story of how this is happening across Major League Baseball can help fans understand how this is part of a much broader issue.
What Jeff David did is not on Bernie Madoff’s level, but it’s definitely unique and memorable. Because it happened in Sacramento, which is not a big market like New York or Los Angeles, some people might not know the full story or any of it at all.
The Kentucky Derby deserves a 30 for 30 because it is so historic since the disqualification has happened just once in 145 years. A documentary could possibly be made talking about the history of Maximum Security and Country House, but the disqualification itself deserves a 30 for 30.