With the "super bowl" which my wife refers to as the "stupid bowl" coming up tomorrow, our main concern is when it is in order to choose the best times to go to the grocery store. To be honest, I am thrilled and inspired by watching sports some (mostly highlights), but I do not get our culture's overwhelming interest in this or any spectating for that matter. I would rather spend much more of my time doing, including thinking and acting on things that are more consequential to me and under my control than who wins a game or wins a race by 0.1 seconds or whatever. Politics is one example. Environmentalism and healthcare, including the politics of them, are others. Are our priorities as a society way "off base"? If so, I have plenty of other suggestions for how to spend our time and money. Not telling, just asking.
Great story Robert! Another of your many talents! I guess this could be analogous to our political disputes of today! Perhaps even to the Ukrainian situation. How do we know when Democracy and decency are lost causes? I sort of agree with Clinton in that there is always a solution to any problem. I have found that both parties to a dispute need to be rational and pragmatic for there to be a solution. When one side wants to win so badly that he is willing to go for broke and against his own best interest…the problem is not solvable. One could not negotiate with fanatical nazis. Moreover, when one party has all or most of the marbles, he always wins.
I listened to your first class yesterday. It was like going back 50 years and sitting through a college lecture. It wasn't entertaining. It was informative. Most of the stuff I was already aware of but it did clarify the thoughts. I sent the link out to about 30 friends and urged them to watch it and send to their friends along with this quote:
“A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.” ~Thomas Jefferson
Yes, it seems to me that the Department of Labor should be focusing on such matters as ensuring worker safety in the meat processing industry and investigating Starbucks' firing of union organizers. It's hard to feel any sympathy for multimillionaires fighting with other multimillionaires. They are not the downtrodden in need of government assistance. If those who love to watch baseball are denied that opportunity, the blame should be squarely on the players and owners, not the government.
Your assertion that presidential power derives from the appearance of having it reminded me of President Biden's spending months in fruitless negotiations with Joe Manchin, who only kept moving the goalposts (since sports is the topic today). Manchin was clearly not negotiating in good faith; it was, unfortunately a lost cause. That made Biden look incredibly weak and likely contributed significantly to the precipitous decline in his approval rating.
As one who played baseball as a kid and an avid fan today I'm convinced the media announcers are trying to destroy the game with their incessant blather. Thank God for the mute button. And the stupid bowl? Great time to go shopping. Hardly anyone around. Our favorite movie about sports is CONCUSSION--a David and Goliath story. David didn't destroy Goliath (NFL) but he sure gave him a poke in the eye. Will Smith deserved an Oscar.
The baseball strike of 1994-1995 destroyed my interest in baseball -- permanently. I found other things to focus my time and energy on. The strike cost the sport many fans. It took years for baseball to recover. The owners and players should remember that it is the fans who are source of money for their profits and salaries! I agree with Mr. Reich that the government should stay out of it.
What a great story that puts the reader dead center into the negotiations. It’s politically understandable why all of you tried so hard to resolve the dispute, baseball is a big deal to many Americans.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that all the charm and manipulation one can muster is often not enough when money is involved. However, humbling it must have been, there was never going to be a quick resolution and the failed attempt would be scrutinized longer than the praise had a deal been made. Labor Secretary Walsh would be wise to heed this warning, it comes from a man who knows – experience is literally the best teacher!
You are quite the storyteller! I really enjoyed reading this. I too believe there is a common ground to be found between two parties trying to negotiate so I get where Bill Clinton was coming from. I’m not so sure he should have been spending time on this particular issue but then again, there are a large number of people in this country who love sports….and it is a money maker for many people too. Perhaps you guys should have served them food normally offered at the snack bars found at baseball games and had music heard at the games quietly playing in the background. They might have been more in the mood to negotiate!
First, I loved the story, and you captured it so well. Your writing reminds me of Hemingway, my personal favorite, as you tell it simply with all the right nuances. I was right there in the room with you. Plus, I always find these behind the curtains looks at what's happening at the highest levels of our government fascinating, especially the distillation of the real politics behind the spoken words that you bring to the surface in your translations. But what first came to mind and really struck a nerve today was what I perceived as President Clinton's enormous ego, maybe even with a little bit of arrogance, that he could settle the strike, swaying Selig, with personal persuasion, and all just to score political points. Maybe that wasn't what you intended and I'm being totally unfair here because I don't know Bill personally like you do, but nonetheless, it was just another reminder of why hate politics and don't trust many of our politicians.
I was kind of curious though as to why you couldn't repress a cough when the young pitcher spoke up. Was it that $3 million a year didn't show respect?
This is the most accurate statement I've ever read about these types of "labor disputes": "This wasn’t a labor dispute. It was a big-finance fight between multi-millionaires and multi-millionaires over how to split billions."
The top of the line Major League athletes are not in the same class as grocery clerks, truck drivers and teachers. They get paid obscene amounts of money to play a sport and entertain us, while the team owners rake in even more obscene amounts. Granted, they are very good at these sports, and fun to watch, but let's keep this in perspective, shall we? Major League sports are not about the sport, they are about entertainment and most of all MONEY!
It should be noted, of course, that not all Major League athletes are paid obscene salaries. There are lots of them who are paid the league minimum and have very short careers, maybe 2-3 seasons if they are lucky and don't get injured, cut, or sent to the Minors. They are the players that the unions should be representing, not the mega-stars.
With the "super bowl" which my wife refers to as the "stupid bowl" coming up tomorrow, our main concern is when it is in order to choose the best times to go to the grocery store. To be honest, I am thrilled and inspired by watching sports some (mostly highlights), but I do not get our culture's overwhelming interest in this or any spectating for that matter. I would rather spend much more of my time doing, including thinking and acting on things that are more consequential to me and under my control than who wins a game or wins a race by 0.1 seconds or whatever. Politics is one example. Environmentalism and healthcare, including the politics of them, are others. Are our priorities as a society way "off base"? If so, I have plenty of other suggestions for how to spend our time and money. Not telling, just asking.
Great story Robert! Another of your many talents! I guess this could be analogous to our political disputes of today! Perhaps even to the Ukrainian situation. How do we know when Democracy and decency are lost causes? I sort of agree with Clinton in that there is always a solution to any problem. I have found that both parties to a dispute need to be rational and pragmatic for there to be a solution. When one side wants to win so badly that he is willing to go for broke and against his own best interest…the problem is not solvable. One could not negotiate with fanatical nazis. Moreover, when one party has all or most of the marbles, he always wins.
I listened to your first class yesterday. It was like going back 50 years and sitting through a college lecture. It wasn't entertaining. It was informative. Most of the stuff I was already aware of but it did clarify the thoughts. I sent the link out to about 30 friends and urged them to watch it and send to their friends along with this quote:
“A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.” ~Thomas Jefferson
Yes, it seems to me that the Department of Labor should be focusing on such matters as ensuring worker safety in the meat processing industry and investigating Starbucks' firing of union organizers. It's hard to feel any sympathy for multimillionaires fighting with other multimillionaires. They are not the downtrodden in need of government assistance. If those who love to watch baseball are denied that opportunity, the blame should be squarely on the players and owners, not the government.
Your assertion that presidential power derives from the appearance of having it reminded me of President Biden's spending months in fruitless negotiations with Joe Manchin, who only kept moving the goalposts (since sports is the topic today). Manchin was clearly not negotiating in good faith; it was, unfortunately a lost cause. That made Biden look incredibly weak and likely contributed significantly to the precipitous decline in his approval rating.
So this story is just a bigger version of the $1,000 game from class.
If only Donald Trump were there to teach you all how to make a deal.
Interesting, well written article with good advice.
As one who played baseball as a kid and an avid fan today I'm convinced the media announcers are trying to destroy the game with their incessant blather. Thank God for the mute button. And the stupid bowl? Great time to go shopping. Hardly anyone around. Our favorite movie about sports is CONCUSSION--a David and Goliath story. David didn't destroy Goliath (NFL) but he sure gave him a poke in the eye. Will Smith deserved an Oscar.
The baseball strike of 1994-1995 destroyed my interest in baseball -- permanently. I found other things to focus my time and energy on. The strike cost the sport many fans. It took years for baseball to recover. The owners and players should remember that it is the fans who are source of money for their profits and salaries! I agree with Mr. Reich that the government should stay out of it.
I suspect that this is a parable of a culture in which winning is everything, and much more relevant than what the game is. Our culture.
What a great story that puts the reader dead center into the negotiations. It’s politically understandable why all of you tried so hard to resolve the dispute, baseball is a big deal to many Americans.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that all the charm and manipulation one can muster is often not enough when money is involved. However, humbling it must have been, there was never going to be a quick resolution and the failed attempt would be scrutinized longer than the praise had a deal been made. Labor Secretary Walsh would be wise to heed this warning, it comes from a man who knows – experience is literally the best teacher!
Message to Mahty; It's always better to learn from someone else's experience.
Mahk
Yes, let them work it out for themselves! It would hardly be a crisis if a few millionaires or owners did not get exactly what they want! Stupid!
You are quite the storyteller! I really enjoyed reading this. I too believe there is a common ground to be found between two parties trying to negotiate so I get where Bill Clinton was coming from. I’m not so sure he should have been spending time on this particular issue but then again, there are a large number of people in this country who love sports….and it is a money maker for many people too. Perhaps you guys should have served them food normally offered at the snack bars found at baseball games and had music heard at the games quietly playing in the background. They might have been more in the mood to negotiate!
First, I loved the story, and you captured it so well. Your writing reminds me of Hemingway, my personal favorite, as you tell it simply with all the right nuances. I was right there in the room with you. Plus, I always find these behind the curtains looks at what's happening at the highest levels of our government fascinating, especially the distillation of the real politics behind the spoken words that you bring to the surface in your translations. But what first came to mind and really struck a nerve today was what I perceived as President Clinton's enormous ego, maybe even with a little bit of arrogance, that he could settle the strike, swaying Selig, with personal persuasion, and all just to score political points. Maybe that wasn't what you intended and I'm being totally unfair here because I don't know Bill personally like you do, but nonetheless, it was just another reminder of why hate politics and don't trust many of our politicians.
I was kind of curious though as to why you couldn't repress a cough when the young pitcher spoke up. Was it that $3 million a year didn't show respect?
This is the most accurate statement I've ever read about these types of "labor disputes": "This wasn’t a labor dispute. It was a big-finance fight between multi-millionaires and multi-millionaires over how to split billions."
The top of the line Major League athletes are not in the same class as grocery clerks, truck drivers and teachers. They get paid obscene amounts of money to play a sport and entertain us, while the team owners rake in even more obscene amounts. Granted, they are very good at these sports, and fun to watch, but let's keep this in perspective, shall we? Major League sports are not about the sport, they are about entertainment and most of all MONEY!
It should be noted, of course, that not all Major League athletes are paid obscene salaries. There are lots of them who are paid the league minimum and have very short careers, maybe 2-3 seasons if they are lucky and don't get injured, cut, or sent to the Minors. They are the players that the unions should be representing, not the mega-stars.