Weighing in on McMackin

Hawaii second-year football coach Greg McMackin made national news for all the wrong reasons last week at WAC Media Days when he used a gay slur to describe a cheer done by Notre Dame.

Fresno Bee columnist Matt James ripped the coach in this column, writing:

"... he used a word that is meant to humiliate gay people, to put them in their
place, to let them know they aren't as valuable to the human race as straight
people.
If a gay person died, they wouldn't deserve as much sympathy as
someone else. That's what that word means."

Fair enough. The word McMackin used was a hateful one -- one used to put someone down or hurt someone's feelings. I can only hope he truly realizes why he shouldn't have said what he said.

But it was the use of the word "humiliate" in the column that really got my attention.

As an avid reader of sports stories and columns over the years, and a student of journalism, I've come across far too many stories where hurtful words and phrases have been used to describe people's looks. Is there a double standard to address here?

Take this story as an example. It's another from the Matt James collection (which overall I really enjoy might I add). But this one uses the term "fat" to describe Fresno State baseballer Steve Detwiler as a child:

"Detwiler grew up a fat kid, no other way to say it, short and 40 pounds past
plump. He took a verbal beating every day. Years passed, and the kids at Sun
Valley Elementary in San Rafael never let up.
The couple friends Detwiler did
have picked on him, too. His little sister, Samantha, called him "Bubble Butt"
and, compared to the other names, it was almost cute."

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there another way to say it? While it might not be as colorful to say "overweight," it might be less hurtful than "...a fat kid, no other way to say it, 40 pounds past plump." Reading the story, it sounds obvious Detwiler was affected by the name-calling. Maybe it still hurts him?

Going back to James' column on McMackin, couldn't it be said that "fat" is a term used to humiliate overweight people, put them in their place and let them know they aren't as valuable to the human race as normal weight people?

If so, then why is that terminology acceptable when other terminology is chastised?

Who do you want in the starting lineup?

Now that Fresno State's "UnderDOGS to WonderDOGS Part 2" came to an abrupt end after two straight losses to open the NCAA regionals in Irvine, this much we know:

• Tommy Mendonca and Holden Sprague are true 'Dogs at heart. Both were choked up and nearly moved to tears knowing their Bulldogs careers were coming to an end (Mendonca as an early-round draft pick and the school's all-time home run king).
• Dusty Robinson is good, as in Freshman All-America good. The left fielder bashed 15 taters and his batting average skyrocketed the last month of the season.
• Derek Benny is gonna be good, as in Matt Garza/Tanner Scheppers good. Maybe even Jeff Weaver/Bobby Jones good. Benny is a power pitcher, like Garza and Scheppers, but had far more control of his stuff than either of those two did as freshmen.
• There are five really, and I stress really, annoying kids who are UC Irvine fans. I know because they sat right behind us at the regionals and mocked every traditional Diamond 'Dogs chant. And the three adults with 'em just encouraged the foolishness.

What we don't know, however, is what next year's starting lineup will look like. There's a lot of turnover, a nice group of signees and lots of returning talent. So sound off. Who do you want in the 2010 Fresno State baseball starting lineup? Here's my take:

1. Danny Muno, 2B
2. Nick Hom, 3B
3. Dusty Robinson, LF
4. Jake Johnson, DH
5. Steve Detwiler, RF
6. Clay Cederquist, 1B
7. Brennan Gowens, CF
8. Garrett Weber, SS
9. Trent Garrison, C

Pitching Rotation
Derek Benny
Jake Floethe
Josh Poytress
Matt Morse

Zero interest in Fresno State baseball?

This from a recent story in the Marin Independent Journal:

Suddenly, Detwiler and pals had the "It" factor. Prior to their NCAA championship run last year, there was little, if any, interest in Bulldogs baseball.
"Zero," Billingsley said.
"People didn't really know any baseball players unless they wore baseball uniforms," Detwiler said.

I can't be the only one who is offended by the comments above. We've all heard a lot of bandwagon fan jokes and remarks since Fresno State pulled off its amazing College World Series title run, but let's not blow it out of proportion. Yes, crowds have been less than ideal in the Mike Batesole era. Regularly packing Beiden Field was something not seen since the late 1980s and early '90s. And, yes, that's going to change on Friday when Fresno State opens the '09 season against Washington.

But trust me, there are lots of Red Wavers who had great interest in Fresno State baseball in all those years in between, a decent number who went to almost every home game last season and many who have had season tickets year after year. (See my comment at the bottom of the story link)

Mr. Billingsley, the GM of the great restaurant Dog House Grill, who was quoted by the Marin paper, does not speak for all of us.

We're the ones who were there to regularly answer Sugar Bear at Beiden Field when he yelled, "Is there a 'Dog in the house!?"

Woof!

IS THERE A 'DOG IN THE HOUSE!?

WOOF!!!

Fresno State Diamond 'Dogs = Regional champs!

2 wins over No. 6 San Diego.
1 Clayton Allison complete-game shutout.
1 win over host No. 11 Long Beach State.
2 dislocated Tommy Mendonca fingers.
1 right field wall body-checked by Steve Detwiler.
2 enormous RBIs by Gavin Hedstrom.
1 Regional championship.
No. 3 Arizona State is next...

Holden Sprague and Brandon Burke pitched like true Bulldogs. Allison and Justin Wilson made it all possible with their mound gems in the days prior. And now it's time to do it all over again.

A College World Series berth would go a long way in restoring fans' confidence in coach Mike Batesole after the team disappointed throughout the regular season. But now we see what the 'Dogs really are capable of, the bats are hot and the arms are firing. Let's hope for a great showing by the Red Wave in Tempe...

Big props to all the 'Dogs fans who traveled to Long Beach, especially on Monday night...and especially to that guy with the giant Fresno State flag and old-school '91 baseball jacket running around the stands!