Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Shackelford

The Importance of Sports in America

Michael Shackelford — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:02:10 -0400

The United States of America is exceptional among the nations of the world. Unlike most other countries, there is no overarching ethnic or religious affiliation that identifies one as an “American.”

Rather, what binds the more than 300 million Americans together is a shared civic identity. Throughout history, sports have played a crucial role in helping to establish this identity. As Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence 233 years ago today, let us examine two of the sports that have helped to forge and illuminate the American identity.

While cliché, baseball is indeed American’s national pastime for a myriad of reasons. The history of the game is interwoven into the history of America.

The Civil War helped to spread the popularity of the game, and both Union and Confederate soldiers played baseball during lulls in the fighting. After Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, soldiers from both the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate) and the Army of the Potomac (Union) played baseball.

Baseball was also at the forefront of the modern Civil Rights movement. Jackie Robinson entered the league with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Robinson’s addition to the Dodger lineup was met with resistance by some of his teammates.

Brooklyn manager Leo Durocher told the Dodger players that "I do not care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a f****** zebra. I'm the manager of this team, and I say he plays. What's more, I say he can make us all rich. And if any of you cannot use the money, I will see that you are all traded.”

To put Robinson’s achievement into perspective, Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier seven years before the Supreme Court ruled “separate but equal” unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education. Robinson was playing first base for the Dodgers a full 16 years before Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

Football is the quintessential American sport, and for good reason. It requires a combination of power and agility, brute strength, and grace. But most of all it requires audacity and boldness. In other words, it requires American characteristics in order to succeed.

Like Americans, the game of football pays no respect to pretensions of entitlement or pedigree. One need look no further than Super Bowl XLII and the Horatio Alger story of the New York Giants. The Giants were a team that few people believed stood a chance of competing with, let alone beating, the New England Patriots.

David beat Goliath and shocked the sporting world. An underdog who was derided by the experts had the chutzpah to win, much like the colonists who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Happy birthday, America.

18 Years Later, Leon Lett Crosses the Goal Line

Michael Shackelford — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:47:49 -0400

This weekend commencement ceremonies across the country will confer degrees upon new college graduates. Among those graduates will be a former NFL defensive lineman, involved in two of the leagues most notorious plays in history.

Leon Lett will be known for something other than being stripped of the football on the goal line by Don Beebe during Super Bowl XXVII, or botching the recovery of a loose ball on Thanksgiving Day.

Let entered the NFL in 1991 after playing college football at Emporia State University in Kansas. Lett had a successful career with the Dallas Cowboys, before retiring from the NFL in 2001, spending his final season in the league with the Denver Broncos. In 10 seasons with Dallas, Lett went to two Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowls.

Yet it is not the success on the field that Lett is remembered for. Rather it is the miscues on the national stage that Lett is remembered for. The plays in question are ESPN’s #2 and #3 “Biggest Sports Blunders.”

Lett decided to get his diploma for several reasons. One was to serve as a role model for his daughter, and another was to keep a commitment he had made to his Mom.

Perhaps the biggest reason was that Lett has thought about going into coaching, and was told by a former coach, Andre Patterson, “he would be good at it.” One catch, though. “But I told him he couldn’t do it without that piece of paper. He needed that diploma.”

Patterson became the defensive line coach at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and in 2008 helped get Lett into the university. Lett completed 25 credits over three semesters to complete his degree.

Lett has sought to use his experience to motivate others to succeed. In a speech to the UNLV defense this spring, Lett said “I became the joke of the league because I didn’t finish the play.” Lett implored them, “You must always cross the finish line.”

Professional athletes have so much media attention put on them, and every mistake is magnified and played over and over. Lett’s blunders on the field are immortalized in NFL history.

Although accurate, it is also tragic and out of context. The success that Lett had in the league is rarely mentioned. Other players have committed bigger errors, yet Lett was unfortunate to have them happen on Super Bowl Sunday and Thanksgiving.

Lett was hounded unmercifully for these errors, and perhaps what is why it is so inspiring to see him get his college degree after two decades away from school. If anyone in sports deserves some positive publicity, certainly Leon Lett is at the top of the list.

Professional sports in general—and the NFL in particular—need more stories like Lett’s right now. There is enough scandal and outrage in sports right now.

So let us all take a moment to congratulate Leon Lett as he crosses the finish line, 18 years after leaving college for the NFL.

“New” Yankee Stadium: Everything That is Wrong with Baseball

Michael Shackelford — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:40:06 -0400

Today the baseball world welcomes the $1.5 billion “new” Yankee Stadium. It is the most expensive ballpark in American history, and it represents everything that is wrong with baseball today.

Through the decades, Yankee greats like Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Reggie Jackson have played at Yankee Stadium, and ostensibly have since passed the baton to a new generation of players.

Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez, and Derek Jeter will now carry on the Yankee legacy in the new ballpark.

The “new” Yankee Stadium is one of the two newest parks to play host to America’s pastime. Treasury Department Field opened earlier in the week across town.

The ballpark is impressive, no doubt about it. Both the media and fans alike have marveled at the 59 feet by 101 feet, 16-mm true high-definition video scoreboard, buttered up to the large array of food choices, like tofu, calamari, and sashimi, and lounged in the padded seats.

With the “new” Yankee Stadium, the old ballpark has been grafted to the living room sofa, HD TV, and takeout food.

“Buy me some sushi, a latte, and low-carb, fat-free Cracker Jacks. I don't care if I ever come back at $2,625 for a ticket to the old ball game!”

Baseball is a game that is played by little leaguers across America. It is a game that transcends generations, and is timeless in nature.

MLB likes to pretend that it represents a storied, rich, and consequential history. This may have been true at one time, but now it is the embodiment of greed in America.

When Yankee Stadium was conducting it's curtain call in 2008, the tributes were glowing. It was “the house that Ruth built,” and the home of the ghosts of Yankee legends of old.

One would have thought it had been destroyed by a terrible earthquake or suffered some such calamity. What was the reason it was being replaced? How could baseball abandon its Sistine Chapel? Because George Steinbrenner is tearing it down so he can make more money. Such avarice tugs at the heartstrings, doesn't it?

Just something to keep in mind as the wrecking ball is destroying the house that Ruth built, in order to make way for a Steinbrenner Sports Bar & Playhouse.

One Fan's Recollection of the Early Years of the San Jose Sharks

Michael Shackelford — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:03:23 -0400

There has never been a better time to be a Sharks fan. All the other pro teams in the Bay Area are living in the past. Their fans are full of nostalgia for days gone by. But not Sharks fans.

I have been a Sharks fan since their inception in 1991. I remember reading an article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, “So You Want to be a Hockey Fan?,” which explained such foreign terms as icing and the two-line pass.

The Sharks' first game was a road game against Vancouver. There was no TV or radio broadcast of the game. I think the franchise wanted the home opener the next night—also against the Canucks—to be the opener fans remember. But it wasn't, and I still think it was a conspiracy.

Doug Wilson was on that first Sharks team. Wilson gave an interview in that inaugural year, and when he was asked about the Chicago Blackhawks, he said candidly that he “hoped they won the Stanley Cup.” Now he is our GM, and posed to help the Sharks win their first Stanley Cup.

The Sharks were horrible their first two years. They actually were worse their second season than the first. At one point in the season they had 17 straight losses.

I was able to see one game at the old Cow Palace with my Dad. It was memorable because it was the day after Brandon Lee died filming The Crow.

The Sharks got beat by the Winnipeg Jets 9-5, but there were a lot of fights. I remember fans throwing beer at a Jets player as he went to the locker room. It was my first hockey game. That's when I learned that TV did not do hockey justice. There is so much that goes on in a hockey game that is not seen on TV.

The Sharks third year was memorable. They upset the Red Wings in the playoffs in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs. That was an incredible win for the franchise. Then we came within one game of the Conference final.

That third season was the first at the San Jose Arena, which has since become the HP Pavilion, or simply The Shark Tank. I went to the home opener with a friend of mine from high school. As was customary for the Sharks during that time they lost the game to Calgary 2-1.

I remember the men sitting in front of me sneaking in beer to the game and throwing their used chewing tobacco at fans leaving the game early. They were egalitarian in that they targeted both men and women.

It was disgusting and crude, and I should have been appalled by their actions. But I was a 16-year-old junior in high school, and I thought it was hilarious.

I went to several games that season with my Dad. We had tickets for all of the games against the LA Kings. The two games we were able to go to were ties. One game we could not attend because of an intense rainstorm in Santa Cruz. Naturally the Sharks won that game 4-3.

In theory the games against the Kings were good rivalry games, because you always wanted to “beat LA.” It wasn't possible to hate the Kings though.

Any sports fan had to respect Wayne Gretzky, and his trade to the Kings had sparked a lot of interest in hockey in California, which did a lot to enable San Jose to get an NHL team. In fact I was rooting for the Kings in the 1993 playoffs as they beat the Toronto Maple Leaves to advance to the Stanley Cup.

They lost to the Canadians in five games, but the series was great for California hockey.

On March 20, 1994, my Dad and I saw Wayne Gretzky score two goals to tie Gordie Howe for 801 career goals. The timing of the goal was tough; the Sharks were up by a goal late in the game. Gretzky got a standing ovation from the crowd.

I remember commenting that it would be bittersweet if Gretzky broke the record, because the game was heading to overtime, and a goal by the Kings would have meant a Sharks loss. In hindsight I wish he had broke the record there so I would have been able to witness it.

I have found memories of the early years of the Sharks. But the fact of the matter is that they were a terrible team. The Sharks had mostly cast-offs from the rest of the NHL. There were some colorful characters, but those first two years were simply awful.

It’s a cliché, but in sports winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. And winning is much more fun than losing.

A lot has changed in the past 17 years for the Sharks. Even though we backed into it, the President's Trophy is an awesome accomplishment, especially for those of us who have been with the Sharks from the beginning.

So now as the Sharks begin their quest for the Stanley Cup and begin the playoffs against the Ducks in an all-California playoff series, remember this: These are the best of times for Sharks fans.   These are our glory days.

Coach Singletary and Michael Vick's Return to the NFL

Michael Shackelford — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:43:13 -0400

Mike Singletary is one of the few head coaches that can bring Michael Vick back into the NFL. If Coach Singletary decides to make Vick a 49er, this is how it can occur.

Vick's attempt at an NFL comeback is compounded by the nature of his crime. Conventional wisdom is that it would be hard to play in San Francisco because the area is so liberal, and the Bay Area would rise up in revolt at the prospect of Vick in a 49er uniform.

America may be divided between Red States and Blue States, but every state is a dog state. Regardless of whether someone is liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, rich or poor, everyone loves their dog. Dog lovers are of every race, religion, economic background, and religion.

Almost everyone in America hates Michael Vick. Therefore a comeback would be just as hard in Atlanta, Houston, or Dallas as it would be in San Francisco, Seattle, or Chicago.

In order to attempt a comeback, Vick needs to express genuine sorrow over the crimes he has committed. Not simply a trite “I'm sorry because I was caught.” Rather he needs to acknowledge what he did and repudiate his actions. There can be no qualification for what he did.

Vick has already made some strides in this. The most obvious is his admission of guilt and serving time in a federal prison. When Vick gets out he needs to be interviewed by a respected journalist on a national news show that will ask him tough questions about his crimes and time in prison.

Barbara Walters would be a good choice. Vick isn't running for office, so he doesn't have to be articulate. Quite frankly he's a jock and a felon, so the public expectations would not be very high for the interview.

Walters is notorious for making guests cry, so if Vick could break down and show real emotion when asked about killing dogs, that would be a real plus. The tears cannot appear to be fake, so Vick should practice crying a few times before the interview. Cynical? Of course. Smart and effective? Absolutely.

Which brings us to Mike Singletary. Singletary is beginning his first season as head coach. Coach Singletary enjoys an enormous amount of popularity and respect not only in San Francisco, but in the NFL in general.

In political terms, he has a lot of “political capital” right now. If he chooses to do so, Coach Singletary can use some of this capital on Michael Vick. Its a huge gamble that could backfire. But like any sizable gamble, the potential payoff is considerable.

Tough and no-nonsense, Singletary is Old School incarnate. He can lay down the hammer—see Vernon Davis' ignominious exit against the Seahawks—when necessary. Yet Singletary is also a father figure to his players.

He gave Davis the opportunity to redeem himself, and showed restraint when Davis earned an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after scoring a touchdown against the Cardinals on Monday Night Football. Singletary even gave Davis a hug on the sideline after the touchdown and penalty.

This hug on the sidelines underscores the redemptive nature to Singletary's coaching. If there is one thing that Vick needs, it is redemption.

In today's NFL, the players command a much higher salary than coaches. That being the case, why is Singletary able to call out Vernon Davis and still retain the support of his players?

Because the players respect Singletary for who he is. Singletary didn't talk the talk, he walked the walk when he was a linebacker in the NFL. Singletary earned a Super Bowl ring and a Hall of Fame jacket as a Chicago Bear.

Singletary also looks like he is willing and able to put a player through the locker if he has to. Players respect him for that. Those that don't will no longer be 49ers. And I believe there are players in the league that want to play for a real Old School coach, and will sign with San Francisco in order to do so.

But in order for that to happen, the 49ers need to start winning.

If Vick wants to become a 49er, he should agree to play for the league minimum salary of $595,000 for players with five to seven years in the NFL. The salary could include bonuses based on performance.

Vick should agree to give a significant amount of both his base salary and the bonus money to charity. The SPCA and youth programs would be a good start. Accepting a such a contract from the 49ers would demonstrate humility on Vick's part, and go a long way towards repairing his reputation.

Clearly Singletary has the temperament to deal with Vick. The question is, do the potential rewards outweigh the risks? If Vick gets into any more trouble, it would be a reflection on Singletary.

Conceivably such an incident could be a parole violation and put Vick back into federal prison. If that were to occur, Singletary's “capital” would be gone, and he could be doomed as 49er head coach.

The rewards of a successful Vick comeback are enormous. After years of terrible personnel decisions and the revolving door of head coaches and offensive coordinators, the 49ers appear to be headed in the right direction.

The 49ers played well under Singletary last year. I believe one reason for the 49ers' inspired play was a desire for Singletary to be hired as the permanent head coach.

Michael Vick is the perfect player for the Wildcat Offense that emerged last year. Vick could provide the needed spark to a 49ers team that is right on the playoff bubble. The payoff from the Michael Vick gamble could be a Super Bowl championship. Will Singletary and the 49ers place that bet?

San Francisco 49ers: Franchise Quarterback May Already Be on the Roster

Michael Shackelford — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:30:47 -0500

What do Drew Brees and Kurt Warner have in common? They were both on NFL rosters when their respective teams drafted quarterbacks of the future.

Brees had floundered for three seasons on the Chargers roster, who finally had enough and acquired Phillip Rivers in a trade at the 2004 NFL draft.

In 2004 Brees had a breakout year, and the Chargers were faced with the dilemma of what quarterback to go with. Brees is now in New Orleans, and arguably the best quarterback in the NFC.

Warner signed with the Cardinals in 2005 after serving as Eli Manning's tutor in New York for one season. In 2006, the Cardinals drafted Matt Leinart, hoping that he could replicate his collegiate success in the Cardinals' new stadium.

Instead, Coach Ken Whisenhunt benched Leinart, started the two-time NFL MVP, and the Cardinals came within one defensive stand of becoming Super Bowl champions.

What does this history lesson have to do with the 49ers? Because the 49ers have not one, but three potential quarterbacks of the future already on the roster.

Alex Smith has been much maligned during his time as a 49er. Drafted with the first overall pick in 2005, Smith carried the weight of restoring the 49ers to the greatness of their past.

Unfortunately for Smith, he had to do much of the work himself. The 49ers failed to give Smith the tools needed to succeed.

From 2005 to 2007, the 49ers did not have a true starting wide receiver, merely castoffs and rejects from the rest of the league.

The offensive line was absolutely treasonous, giving Smith little to no protection in the pocket. From 2005 to 2007, Smith was sacked a total of 81 times. Remember, 2005 and 2007 were not complete seasons for Smith.

The musical chairs at the offensive coordinator position gave Smith four coordinators in as many years. After being injured in 2007, Smith publicly came out against Mike Nolan, who had hastily thrown him back into the lineup in an attempt to save his coaching job.

Before anyone criticizes Smith for this, how many of you would allow your future career to be ruined for the sake of your boss' job? Only a fool would allow that to happen.

For all of the 49er fans that want to throw Smith under the bus, please remember the 2006 season. With a competent offensive coordinator in Norv Turner, Smith showed significant improvement from his rookie season.

Partly because of the success with Smith and the 49er offense, Turner was hired by the San Diego Chargers to be their new head coach.

Now that the 49ers roster is starting to resemble that of an NFL team, it is possible that Smith could start to perform as he was expected to when he was drafted.

But for all of you that scream, “But he's never played like that in the past!,” I counter with, “Neither had Drew Brees before 2004 and Kurt Warner before 1999!”

Of the players currently on the roster, Shaun Hill appears to be the most likely to succeed at quarterback for the 49ers.

Hill played well at the end of the 2007 and in 2008 after J.T. O'Sullivan was benched by Mike Singletary in his first game as head coach.

Arguably Hill's most impressive game was week 16 against the Rams. The game had been a disaster for Hill, who threw three picks through the first three quarters of the game. On the verge of being benched, Singletary and Mike Martz relented to Hill's plea to stay in the game.

The decision to stay with Hill paid off. He rallied the 49ers from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

The first 49er touchdown came with 4:08 left in the game, a three-yard completion to Isaac Bruce. It was Bruce's 1,000 career reception, and it occurred at the home of his former team.

Hill's 48-yard pass to Josh Morgan put the 49ers ahead for good with 1:22 left on the clock. The win was huge for the 49ers, as it avoided a humiliating loss to the Rams, and gave Singletary's efforts to secure the head coaching job a huge boost.

The game demonstrated that Hill could come back from adversity, and lead his team to victory in the fourth quarter.

Shaun Hill is now 7-3 as the 49ers starter, the most successful quarterback the team has had since Pro Bowler Jeff Garcia.

The wild card on the roster is O'Sullivan. This suggestion will no doubt elicit much criticism and consternation, because of the many sacks, fumbles, and interceptions given up in his short time as starter.

Admittedly, O'Sullivan was downright dreadful at times this past season.

However, Mike Martz thought highly enough of him to bring him to San Francisco. Martz has proven himself to be a good judge of quarterbacks over the years. The 49ers should re-sign O'Sullivan if they can do it for relatively little money.

If the 49ers decide to sign Kurt Warner or draft Mark Sanchez or Matt Stafford, they will be taking an expensive gamble. The gamble might backfire, and eat-up a lot of cap money in the process.

Before they decide to gamble, the 49ers should take a hard look at their roster, because the quarterback they are looking for may already be on the roster.

The Case for Trading Frank Gore

Michael Shackelford — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:53:01 -0500

In the fall of 1989, while the 49ers were on their way to their second consecutive Super Bowl championship, the Dallas Cowboys were in the NFL cellar.

First-year head coach Jimmy Johnson engineered the blockbuster Herschel Walker Trade, sending the star running back to the Minnesota Vikings in return for a slew of draft picks. Among the players drafted by the Cowboys were Emmitt Smith and Darren Woodson. Three years after making the trade, the Cowboys won the Super Bowl, and went on to become the team of the 1990s.

The 49ers should seriously consider trading Frank Gore in return for draft picks. If the 49ers were to consider trading Gore, he would have very high trade value, and could command several draft picks.

In fact, I think the 49ers should consider almost everyone on the roster as potential trade bait. The only player I would not trade under any circumstances is Patrick Willis, who I think could become a Hall of Fame linebacker if he stays healthy.

Championship teams are complete teams, and do not rely on one player to win. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl by having a very good defense, a dependable offense, a tough quarterback, and good position players. They sent five players to the Pro Bowl, and only two starters—not a high number of players, because they are a complete team.

The average career in the NFL for a running back is 2.6 years. Frank Gore had knee surgery in college, and after playing for four seasons in the NFL, is statistically playing on borrowed time. A trade would free up nearly $6.5 million in 2009 and $7 million in both 2010 and 2011. This is money that could be used to sign draft picks or selected free agents.

The 49ers could use the picks to get strength and depth on both sides of the line. Champions control the line of scrimmage, both on offense and defense. A solid offensive line is crucial for any quarterback to be successful.

Look how well Matt Cassel played with New England this year. Think he could have done that with most teams in the NFL? Of course not.

Good offensive lines allow average quarterbacks to succeed, and great quarterbacks to become stars. Without a solid line, we would not see Peyton Manning on one of every four television commercials.

On the defensive side of the ball, a good line can put pressure on the quarterback and cause havoc for great offenses. Remember the Giants defensive line against the Patriots? They were responsible for winning Super Bowl XLII for New York.

Wishful thinking to the contrary, the 49ers are not next year's Arizona Cardinals waiting to happen, with only a few pieces of the puzzle left to fill. The 49ers have several glaring holes in their roster.

With the picks from a Gore trade and their existing draft picks, the 49ers could move to fill some of these holes. An improved defensive line would compliment Willis and the talent that exists in the secondary, and the defense would feed off of itself.

Watch the Baltimore defense—whose staff Mike Singletary used to be on—as an example of a defense feeding off each other and making plays happen. The Ravens defense, coupled with an adequate offense, got them to the AFC Championship Game.

On the offensive line, it is possible to have a great system in place that "produces" great running backs. How many running backs did Mike Shanahan and the Denver Broncos produce throughout the years? Quite a few, because of the system they had in place.

With a few additions to the line and by using the draft to get good running backs, the 49ers could have a system like this.

Building teams with strong offensive and defensive lines may not be glamorous, but it wins championships. Bill Belichick, Shanahan, and Tom Coughlin in New York have all demonstrated the importance of controlling the line of scrimmage, winning a combined six Super Bowls in the last 10 years in the process.

While it would probably be impossible to replicate the Herschel Walker Trade, dealing Frank Gore now would provide the 49ers an infusion of talent on both sides of the ball. Coach Singletary could then mold this young talent to play his brand of football over the years to come, an exciting prospect for any 49er fan.

Then, perhaps, we will be able to think of ourselves not as the next Arizona Cardinals, but the new Pittsburgh Steelers, which is what the San Francisco 49ers should be.

Super Bowl Parties Lose Their Luster

Michael Shackelford — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:32:29 -0500

Super Bowl parties are for people who don’t like football.

This statement will no doubt cause offense and surprise, especially since it is coming from a die-hard, lifelong NFL and 49ers fan.

For those of you who have ever been to a Super Bowl party, think of how much time was spent actually watching the game? Generally very little.

Satan and people who do not like football, mostly women, have conspired to distract millions of football fans from the most important football game of the year.

While the hype and celebration leading up to and surrounding the game is fun, it is ultimately a football game.

Unlike other professional sports, the NFL has only one game to decide who to crown as its champion.This is what makes the Super Bowl the quintessential sporting event in the United States.

Take last season for example.

The New England Patriots were one of the best teams in the history of professional sports, yet they were beat by the New York Giants, who played a perfect game.

I have little doubt that the Patriots would have won nine of 10 games against the Giants. But it is the Giants, and not the Patriots, who were crowned the World Champions of the 2008 season.

So, as we all gather in to watch this year’s Super Bowl XLIII, the event that teaches roman numerals to Americans, remember that we are gathering together to watch a game.

This is the greatest secular holiday of the year. Enjoy it.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday one and all!