tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post3223859850139151173..comments2023-07-23T02:38:09.798-05:00Comments on The Sports VU: "Young, Gifted And Black": Price profiled in Sports IllustratedJarred Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01605015627190274503noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post-27811080116951658312008-07-31T15:25:00.000-05:002008-07-31T15:25:00.000-05:00Jarred, I had not thought about the so-called bori...Jarred, I had not thought about the so-called boring aspect. I like baseball because of the different pace. The issue may not be that baseball is boring, but that in the youth environment of today: soundbites, phone-texting, IMing, video-games, high-scoring induced rules for sports, instant gratification, etc. ... the precision and patient of baseball is not attractive.Tony Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05497055762329338990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post-23371995294944593902008-07-31T12:55:00.000-05:002008-07-31T12:55:00.000-05:00Tony, you're right on. We've talked about this a b...Tony, you're right on. We've talked about this a bunch here on the site, but it's definitely worth repeating. As you mentioned, it comes down to access. It's a lot easier for kids from lower-class (and now even middle-class, as you point out) families to play sports like basketball and football, where the costs are much smaller.<BR/><BR/>I remember Greg posted an article a while back that raised the question: Is baseball becoming a country-club sport?<BR/><BR/>However, there is another element here. You can't deny that baseball can be boring so regardless of race or class, kids are being drawn to other sports like football, b-ball and now even lacrosse.<BR/><BR/>So how do you make baseball seem cool, especially for kids in the inner-city? By having guys like David Price. Major League Baseball is committed to making the game more accessible to everyone through programs like RBI, but without visible role models like Price, it's still going to be hard to get our youth interested in the game.Jarred Amatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01605015627190274503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post-89259451584334893342008-07-31T11:46:00.000-05:002008-07-31T11:46:00.000-05:00. . . but also help a city—and a sport—reconnect w...<I> . . . but also help a city—and a sport—reconnect with its African-American heritage. How do you get more inner-city kids interested in baseball? By having visible role models like Price . . .</I><BR/><BR/>I would challenge that the primary problem in getting African-American and inner-city youth re-interested in baseball is not the need for better roll models (although it is helpful), but the accessibility of Little League baseball for this demographic.<BR/><BR/>This was touched on in Sports VU post several months ago. It seems in the US, youth baseball is now primarily through expensive travel leagues and serious, suburban little leagues rather than city and community sponsered little leagues that promote exposure to the fundamentals and to the joy of baseball.<BR/><BR/>It is becoming an issue for white, suburban parents like myself who want their children to have access to little leagues sports without the seriousness and cost that used to come later in their life at a higher level of organized sports. Until you get to high school, sports for children should focus on learning to play the game properly, and on enjoying competition and sport--not on prestige, the best equipment and facilities, personal instruction, etc.<BR/><BR/>If white middle class suburban parents are facing this problem, how in the world are urban, low-income families finding productive outlets for their kids?<BR/><BR/>Even inner-cities in decades past saw kids organize their own sandlot baseball games. Drive around in city areas today and you won't see this anymore.<BR/><BR/>Just maybe if our cities invested a little more money in youth sports for urban dwellers, they could save a ton on teen crime costs and drug rehab costs for teens.Tony Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05497055762329338990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post-62685864009357516762008-07-31T00:39:00.000-05:002008-07-31T00:39:00.000-05:00Marc, I saw that too. Check out the update on the ...Marc, I saw that too. Check out the update on the post. Pretty cool stuff.Jarred Amatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01605015627190274503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post-6852651417190520892008-07-31T00:15:00.000-05:002008-07-31T00:15:00.000-05:00SI also gave shout-outs to Jay and Earl in the sam...SI also gave shout-outs to Jay and Earl in the same issue. What a trifecta.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post-38056321632805594802008-07-30T23:11:00.000-05:002008-07-30T23:11:00.000-05:00The great thing about Price is that, unlike other ...The great thing about Price is that, unlike other professional athletes, he doesn't shy away from being a role model. He understands the impact that he can have on today's youth, both black and white, and embraces it.<BR/><BR/>There's a reason that Corbin calls Price his favorite player he's ever coached, and it has nothing to do with his mid-90s fastball or killer slider.<BR/><BR/>Baseball could use more guys like DP, and I'm glad to see him getting national recognition. Pretty soon the whole world is going to know about him.<BR/><BR/>And thanks Aram, I'll change that.Jarred Amatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01605015627190274503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post-92178863846918818822008-07-30T23:02:00.000-05:002008-07-30T23:02:00.000-05:00That % of african americans is wrong, it has widel...That % of african americans is wrong, it has widely been reported at 28%, but the actual figure is that it peaked at 20% in 1975. The guy who does the research is Mark Armour, Neyer quoted him in a blog entry last friday.Aram Hanessianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08640962257158988348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677133315421407371.post-57594955319817360082008-07-30T22:40:00.000-05:002008-07-30T22:40:00.000-05:00What I love about this article is that I've been h...What I love about this article is that I've been harping to my brother (who finds me following Vandy baseball religiously ridiculous) about DP being the great black hope for baseball for some time now. Finally... evidence.<BR/><BR/>I'm still just trying to figure out how much I'm going to have to pay for tickets to the early September series at the Stadium when TB comes to town. That, and where I can get a real Vandy baseball jersey rather than the piece of c**p they sell at the bookstore website.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com