They Know, They Just Don’t Care
By Linda Surovich
As a sports fan, I once again have to reconcile with the fact that my favorite sports team does not care about me. The Rangers traded for Patrick Kane despite the assault allegations against him in the past, which only went away because the accuser’s decision not to proceed with the case after her identity became known. There have been many articles bemoaning the end of an era in Chicago, while at the same time looking the other way about the accusations against him. Kane, like so many others, managed to look the other way when a teammate was sexually assaulted by a video coach.
The entire team stayed silent and let a teammate suffer in silence, while Kane, himself facing allegations, was celebrated as the face of the franchise, and even of the NHL.
Obviously this isn’t a problem unique to one sport, even in Chicago and New York. White Sox fans are in the same situation now that Mike Clevinger is on their team and the subject of heinous allegations himself. The Mets parted ways with Khalil Lee after he was accused of domestic violence but then inexplicably brought him back. Expecting more from teams at this point is folly. They have repeatedly shown they don’t care, as long as the player is talented enough to help them win. The real change needs to come from within.
There is some progress in that area since Trevor Bauer remains unsigned. The Dodgers said he would not be welcomed back into the clubhouse, so when the players speak up, and with pressure coming from their peers, it might lead to some actual change. However this is still only one example. Justin Verlander was one of the loudest and most prominent voices to speak out against domestic violence until the Astros acquired Roberto Osuna. He went noticeably quiet after that because again winning is everything.
This problem will continue to persist because both teams and players are not motivated enough to see anything change. That leaves fans and the media to make our voices heard and to hold them accountable for their actions. This means thinking twice about writing glowing articles about players that have credible accusations against them, no matter how talented they are.
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