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February 22, 2012
Warren Richey: How Supreme Court ruling on Texas could reduce affirmative action across US
Philip Moeller: Hard time determining your current and future savings needs --- and even harder still, executing a plan? Here's what to do about it!
Menachem Wecker: In Tough Job Market, Law Grads Use J.D.s for Nonlegal Work
February 21, 2012
Michael Doyle: Supreme Court to hear arguments on whether a lie is protected speech
Neela Banerjee: NSC wants rules on research that could lead to biological weapons
Fred Weir: Fearing West, Putin pledges biggest military buildup since cold war
February 17, 2012
Kristen Chick: After surviving sectarian mob, Egyptian Christians expelled from village
Eryn Brown: Microchip is a new means of medicating
February 16, 2012
SeaWorld of Pain : Watch Wyatt Cenac, a black comic, confront "whale freedom rider" Lisa Lange of PETA and make her squirm ( LENGTH: 5 minutes)
Jason Koebler: Antibiotics Do Nothing to Cure Sinus Infections, Study Says
February 15, 2012
Jeffrey Fleishman: Women were at the vanguard in the protests that ousted Hosni Mubarak. Meet some who refuse to wake up from their dream --- the mullahs and military be damned
Richard Simon: 'The check is in the mail' could soon be a legal excuse
Liz Bowie: Debate on whether cursive writing should still be taught
Jason Koebler: Super Plants: Could Re-Wired Plants Be the New Cancer Killers?
Susan Johnston: Strategies to preempt unwanted calls or other communication from collectors
February 14, 2012
Dennis Prager: Chris Christie on Israel --- and What It Means to Be a Leader
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: Shariah's police? Interpol's honoring of Saudi warrant could lead to arrest of Americans
The Kosher Gourmet by Matt Armendariz: VEGETABLE CRUMBLE is a simple, satisfying dish of tender eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and onions crowned with a savory buttery topping and a sprinkle of fresh herbs
February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Good Luck, Albert Pujols
By Rabbi Yonason Goldson
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Nothing is more fascinating than what we don't understand.
Maybe that's why I was mesmerized one day last July by the flat screen TV at the gym. I watched in bewilderment as Cleveland Cavalier fans alternately wept and ranted over LeBron James leaving town to play for the Miami Heat. I waited for the lone voice of reason that never came, the echo of the archetypical mother chiding her child not to cry over a broken toy because there is a famine in Somalia.
With daily headlines tolling the catastrophes of our times, from tsunamis to earthquakes, from Iran to Athens, from global warming to Obamacare, how was it possible for so many to rage so much over so little? In the grand scheme of things, does it make sense for any person's happiness to hinge on the color jersey worn by a millionaire throwing a ball through a hoop?
I know this will be sacrilege to many. I also know that I may be taking my life in my hands by going even further, with tragedy having struck so recently in my own backyard.
Certainly everyone has by now heard the news: Albert Pujols is leaving the St. Louis Cardinals.
(If you don't know what I'm talking about, good for you! Please click on another article and read about something important.)
Here in St. Louis it's been hard to find any other topic of conversation. If I casually mention the word baseball in front of my students it can take me five minutes to regain control of the class. If only the subject of Moses generated this kind of passion, the Messiah would have arrived a long time ago.
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In practical terms, it's easy to understand why the 11-year career Cardinal and three-time MVP chose to leave the city that has come to adore him. After all, the Los Angeles Angels offered Mr. Pujols 25.4 million dollars a year for ten years. The Cardinals simply couldn't compete: they offered only 21.7 mil, and that for only nine years. You can buy a lot of Lamborghinis with difference.
I suppose I'm old fashioned and possibly naïve; but I would like to think that if I were in the same situation team loyalty and community spirit would count for something. And yes, I know it would mean giving up an extra $60 million dollars; but we're talking about numbers so huge that it all sounds like Monopoly money anyway.
To his credit, Albert Pujols does a tremendous amount of charity work. He seems gracious toward his teammates and points heavenward to credit the Almighty with his accomplishments after every successful play. He is certainly entitled to take whatever the market is willing to offer.
But it is the market itself that should be the subject of discussion. And indeed, more than a few people, even some of Mr. Pujols's greatest admirers, are muttering that there is something obscene about one man signing a contract roughly equal to the gross domestic product of Micronesia for hitting a ball with a stick. If aliens came down to earth and read the headlines, they would surely conclude that there is no intelligent life on this planet.
IT'S NOT ALL BAD
I know all the counterarguments, all the rationalizations for the value of professional sports: there is team spirit, civic pride, human accomplishment, work ethic, rise from poverty, the American dream — all worthwhile sentiments and noble ideals. People want something to cheer for, and they need downtime, inspiration, rest and relaxation, especially amidst a culture that has become obsessed with vapid celebrity and deluged with stories of suffering and injustice. Life is hard, and sometimes we need to escape from reality.
As for inspiration, the Cardinals' World Series victory was truly the stuff of which Disney movies are made: ten and a half games out from even a wild card slot with barely a month to go, Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa injected his players with an attitude of "play every game like it's for the pennant." And it worked, as the Cardinals clawed their way back into the playoffs.
Dismissed as hopeless underdogs, the Redbirds found themselves in the World Series. Down to their last strike twice in game six, "the team that wouldn't go away" stunned spectators and the opposing Texas Rangers by coming back again and again. Even those of us utterly disinterested in sports couldn't help but be impressed.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND…
Let's be truthful with ourselves. Is there any intrinsic value to baseball, aside from salaries and ticket sales and advertising revenues and concessions? Have we not become caught up in the same culture of bread-and-circuses that ultimately caused the Roman Empire to crumble? Should it not trouble us that we need the modern equivalent of gladiatorial combat to inspire us with a sense of identity and purpose?
Once upon a time, society taught respect for honest labor and disdain for undeserved adulation. Once upon a time, humble men considered themselves rich if they enjoyed the enduring pleasures of family and community. Now we look to validate our own worth through the ephemeral athletic prowess of others.
And so King Solomon foresaw the confusion of our times when he said: Folly is placed on lofty heights, while wealthy men sit in low places. I have seen slaves on horses and nobles walking on foot like slaves.
A decade ago, when I coached fourth-grade little league, I watched my son field a ball in shallow left and make a play at the plate as the runner tried to score from third. No walk-off grand slam in the majors will ever be as exciting. And at least once a week I get to see a student's face light up with excitement when I reveal the eternal wisdom of his or her ancestors. No one could pay me enough to walk away from that.
So good luck, Mr. Pujols. Use your money wisely, for each and every one of us will have to give an accounting in the end.
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Comment by clicking here. JWR contributor Rabbi Yonason Goldson teaches at Block Yeshiva High School in St. Louis, MO, where he also writes and lectures. He is author of Dawn to Destiny: Exploring Jewish History and its Hidden Wisdom, an overview of Jewish philosophy and history from Creation through the compilation of the Talmud, now available from Judaica Press. Visit him at http://torahideals.com .
© 2011, Rabbi Yonason Goldson
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