Sports & Politics Intersect: Congressman accused of ignoring sexual abuse at Ohio State

Need to know now: 

• NFL wants decision on Kaepernick case - In its boldest move yet, the NFL is pressing arbitrator Stephen Burbank to come to a summary judgment on Colin Kaepernick’s collusion case, asking him to determine if the free agent quarterback provided sufficient evidence to move litigation forward. While awaiting a decision, Kaepernick was honored by the National Education Association with a civil rights award, the latest in a growing list of honors for his activism.

• Collin Martin publicly comes out - Recently via Twitter, Minnesota United midfielder Collin Martin came out as gay, making him the only openly gay male athlete actively playing in the five major male North American leagues. Martin spoke about the decision to tell his story prior to the team’s Pride Night and the process in revealing his true self to the world. While he didn’t get to play that evening, he was given a standing ovation at the next home game when hitting the pitch against Toronto FC.

• MLB exec thinks league isn’t ready for openly gay player yet - Billy Bean, a former player who is also a special assistant to commissioner Rob Manfred, believes that Major League Baseball has a long way to go in terms of welcoming openly gay players, despite increasingly embracing LGBTQ baseball fans. Backing up Bean’s assertions about the hostile culture within the sport, a study of LGBTQ teen athletes revealed that they are still “overwhelmingly closeted.”

• Geopolitical posturing before World Cup quarters - With England reaching the quarterfinals of the men’s World Cup, Russia said that Prime Minister Theresa May is invited to attend the team’s match against Sweden, though senior British ministers and the Royal Family are boycotting the event. The boycott, which began after a former Russian spy was poisoned on British grounds, has come into question as some may see the team’s performance as a goodwill opportunity. Meanwhile, there’s some anger about voting tactics by Scottish ministers in Parliament that took place during England’s match against Colombia.

• Sweden conveniently lifts World Cup boycott - Sweden had its own boycott of the World Cup in solidarity with the United Kingdom, but once its team made the knockout round, the government ended its boycott. Considering how eventful the tournament has already been for the Swedes, it’s understandable the nation wants to rally around its team.

• Father of Nigerian star midfielder kidnapped - A frightening scenario occurred for Nigerian captain John Obi, whose father was kidnapped back home hours before he played in the team’s last World Cup match.

• World Cup Fan IDs have benefits and drawbacks - They’ve been everywhere in Russia during the event, but while some see the digital “Fan ID” badges that attendees were given as fun accessories, they have raised concerns about privacy from both hackers and Russia’s notorious monitoring of its citizens.

• Voynov’s potential return to NHL challenges (lack of) domestic violence policy - Slava Voynov, the former Los Angeles Kings defenseman whose contract was terminated after pleading no contest to domestic violence charges, is hoping to return to the NHL after spending three years in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. As he is going through the process with the league, some people, such as the former head of the Pro Hockey Writers Association, feel that the NHL shouldn’t let him back into the league.

• Sex trafficking survivor was sold during Indy 500 as a child -  As part of a series about sex trafficking published by the Indianapolis Star, one survivor said that for a few years as a child, he was sold to abusers who were in town during Indianapolis 500 race weekends.

• Rays unveil latest stadium proposal  - In their eternal battle to find a new stadium, the Tampa Bay Rays announced their latest plans for a brand new venue in the Ybor City neighborhood to replace the maligned Tropicana Field. Unlike previously considered areas, Ybor City has the Rays’ attention because the region could be earmarked for a new federal tax break.

• Miami MLS plans include retail, commercial development  - In Miami, David Beckham and his business partners are trying to convert a city-owned golf course into a soccer-specific stadium for the city’s long-desired return to Major League Soccer. Yet, on July 12, voters must decide if they will allow for a change in laws to make the development — which will include a hotel, retail and office space — a reality.

• Blazers may bring G League team to Vancouver  - The Sonics may never come back, but another Pacific Northwest city may see the return of the NBA… sort of. The Portland Trail Blazers are considering bringing a G League expansion team to Vancouver, which lost the Grizzlies when the team relocated to Memphis in 2001. Dust off those Bryant “Big Country” Reeves throwbacks immediately.

• Married Wimbledon champions go by “Mrs.” - The most traditional of traditional sporting events is Wimbledon, where strawberries and cream are in the grandstands, every player wears white, and married women are formally recognized at the All England Club as “Mrs.” along with their husbands’ names , even if they are professionally known by their maiden ones. Thus “Miss Serena Williams” would be named “Mrs. A. Ohanian” if she wins another singles title.

• Capitals visit Capital Gazette after horrific shooting - The Washington Capitals brought the Stanley Cup to the Capital Gazette in Annapolis to provide a momentary respite in the wake of incredible tragedy. The paper and the city are recovering after five reporters were killed in the newsroom a week prior.

This week in sports and politics history:

“Even by the down-and-dirty standards of Illinois politics, this was a jarring move. [...] But never in Illinois had lawmakers stopped time to get what they wanted.” - Mark Douglas, a St. Petersburg reporter on Chicago pushing back the midnight deadline

After construction started on Florida Suncoast Dome (Tropicana Field today) in 1986, it nearly pulled the San Francisco Giants from their home in the Bay in 1992. No team would play at that stadium until the Rays in 1998, but the Chicago White Sox nearly moved to Florida to occupy the stadium in 1988.

The White Sox had one foot out of the city with a hand extended, ready to agree on a stadium deal in Florida after two years of fighting with the state for money for a new stadium to replace Comiskey Park. The team was so close to making the move that Florida White Sox shirts exist. 

Governor James R. Thompson wasn’t ready to let the team go, though and, as the story goes, was willing to stop time to make it happen. 

When Thompson arrived at the capitol building at 4 p.m. on June 30, 1988, he was told that the bill to approve a tax-subsidized, $167 million stadium had died. Thompson jumped right into “not on my watch” mode and started whipping votes. 

After getting the 30 votes required in the Illinois State Senate, Thompson moved to the House, where he only had 54 of the 60 votes needed. With time working against him, he turned it off — or just stopped the clock at 11:59 p.m. — as he lobbied for the final six votes needed. 

By many accounts, the official vote came at 12:03 a.m. the next morning, but the deal was done and the White Sox would stay in Chicago. Money for the ballpark would come (and is still coming) from city and state hotel taxes along with revenue sharing funds at about $18 million per year. 

Taxpayers, once again, received the raw end of the stadium deal as there is no real empirical evidence that the stadium is creating any kind of economical benefit to small businesses or individuals in or around the surrounding areas of what is now called Guaranteed Rate Field. 

The Sox are still in Chicago, though. And baseball could look completely different today if it weren’t for Thompson stepping in on that fateful night in 1988.