In the movie, 42, Branch Rickey tells Jackie Robinson that he is medicine. Actually, the exact quote is: “You’re the one living the sermon. In the wilderness . . . 40 days . . .all of it. Only you. . . .You can get out there and hit. You can get on base and score. You can win this game for us. We need you. Everybody needs you. You’re medicine, Jack.”
In the movie, 42, Branch Rickey says sports are medicine. That statement is very much true. Sports have the ability to change lives. I’m not the only one who believes that just take a look at the new Dick’s Sporting Goods commercial.
Source: DICK’s Sporting Goods
When sports are corrupted by bullies, homophobic individuals, criminals, and greed, then sports becomes tainted. It is spoiled medicine. It does not matter if the bullies are players or general managers. It doesn’t matter if the greed is an athlete looking for an exuberant paycheck or a team charging outrageous ticket fares. This is when sports become a horrible example to society about the values we should aspire to hold and become.
Enter the Washington Commanders and Dan Snyder and company. Both have been tainted medicine for a long time. This is not the guys on the field playing. This is an owner and his buddies behaving badly. The disrespect and harassment of women within the organization, the collusive cover-up, the throwing Jon Gruden under the bus as a distraction, and the temper tantrum are just a few examples of a team and its owner acting as tainted medicine. The behavior was so rotten that Congress held hearings–an embarrassment to the NFL.
But it looks like fresh medicine is on its way to the D.C. Metro area. Josh Harris’s group, rumored to include Magic Johnson, offered 6 billion dollars to purchase the team from Dan and Tanya Snyder. Fresh medicine is what’s needed to restore fans and government officials’ faith in the Commanders’ organization.
Thank God for fresh medicine. Like DICK’s commercial says, sports change lives. Under Snyder, lives were ruined and stressed. Hopefully, under new management, lives will be inspired.
Source: CBS Sports