The Axe: Introduction

Before I post my first Axe, let me explain what this new column segment is. The Axe is a column within Hatchline that celebrates the failures of individual athletes, coaches, owners, commissioners, fans, and pretty much anyone who deserves to get The Axe. The Axe’s posting will be a 100% responsive column and will only arise through the dawn of major stupidity, or in preemptive action against idiots being themselves. So enjoy the negativity, finger-pointing, and face rubbing. Look up for Hatchline’s first Axe.

Dodgers Acquire A New Rook and Bishop

In an unexpected, last minute move before the playoff trade deadline, the Dodgers pick up big hitter Jim Thome and starting pitcher Jon Garland. The former Chicago White Sox slugger, Thome, will add to the already deadly offensive line-up primarily as a pinch hitter, while the former Arizona Diamondback, Garland, will probably slip into the 5th starting spot on the pitching line up. Both moves were made by giving up a few prospects, minor-league infielder Justin Fuller will go to the Sox, while a player to be named at a later time will head to the D-Backs. Sources inside the Dodgers organization claim that player will be Tony Abreu, a former top infield prospect who’s progress was slowed by injuries. All in all, it’s a relatively good short-term trade for the Dodgers. Thome is currently 12th on the all-time home run list. The addition of a head-game chess piece like Thome is Dodger-dandy, the real team issue has been somewhat addressed with the addition of a new starting pitcher.

The Dodgers have been stretched to find a 5th starter all year, and the loss of Hiroki Kuroda hasn’t helped the hunt. He was hit on the head by a line drive, a seemingly eerie omen for the head hunting that needed to be done by the Dodgers front office to secure another solid starter. They have it now in a durable Garland, who won a World Series with the White Sox in 2005. Garland has already been named the starting pitcher against his old team, Arizona, this Thursday. We’ll see how he fits in the line-up then.

Although these new assets make the Dodgers better today than they were yesterday, many in Southern California are feeling like this may be a little bit of a pointless scramble. A. Martinez of the Mason & Ireland Show on 710 ESPN Radio said “it feels like a move to get back in contention for the wild card… not to win the division and go onto win the World Series.” Was this too little too late? After the regular season trade deadline ended, many Dodger fans were upset that they weren’t able to acquire Cliff Lee. He was available and the Dodger front office said that they made an offer, but was refused. How good an offer? We have no way of knowing, but the question now is whether these two smaller additions make up for not getting Cliff Lee? And the even bigger question is, will it make a difference in October?

Rich Rodriguez Cries & It’s a good day to be a Buck Eye

College Football starts this week at 8:15 this Thursday with Oregon facing off against Boise State and no one could be happier than I am. It’s the top dog in everyone’s hearts. The college game comes with blackened brats from barbeques and the soon-to-be-remembered feel of an ice-cold brewski on your lips. Even for the smallest of sports fans College Football brings nostalgia for your alma mater and even holds a faint scent of Thanksgiving and Christmas in the air. What’s not to like? Every little piece of this minced-meat pie quenches the starving soul for a taste of the dramatic love of the game. The nation gorges itself on every victory and scandal and confidently whimpers like little Oliver Twist, “please sir, may I have some more?” A relatively early casualty of this season is the poor, poor, Michigan Wolverines.

The last few years have been a trifle difficult for the Big Blue with the true culmination being their embarrassing loss to the Appalachian State Mountaineers at home. I don’t believe the Big House has ever seen a darker day than that. The coaching transition between Lloyd Carr and Rich Rodriguez has been rough. The change in coaching styles and strategies has pretty much made the transition a clean sweep, cold turkey, 180 degree (insert your own clichéd idiom) situation. It’s worked before and will probably work for the Wolverines, it just takes time; time that the Wolverines don’t really have to stay relevant in a slowly deflating Big 10 conference.

So here’s the bad news, Rich Rodriguez and his staff are now under investigation for breaking NCAA rules pertaining to training restrictions. A few of Michigan’s players innocently spoke to the press about the rigors of their schedules, unknowingly admitting to things that could possibly indict their own coaching staff. Rodriguez recollecting their apology to their coach is what prompted the 13 second “get a hold of yourself” pause that he took during his press conference today. Even though these boys seem relatively innocent, there have been other cases relating to this same issue with Rodriguez, including the loss of one of their top recruits last year. Players are speaking out intentionally and unintentionally. Either is alarming. Because somewhere in this relatively minor scandal there is a disconnect between coach and player. A bad sign for Wolverine fans. Whether respect has been won and lost or whether it was never given at all is irrelevant. It’s not there now, and it’s not where they want to be.

With all of this badness hanging around, I can’t really be mad a Rodriguez for trying to work too hard. I’m not trying to be inconsiderate, but if you’re going to break a rule, this is the best one to break. Getting in trouble because you worked to hard or too much is relatively ok in my book. It’s still against the rules, so you shouldn’t do it, but I can forgive you for that. On a lighter note, you’re probably pretty happy if you’re Ohio State Fan. All this malarkey with Michigan and USC’s number 2 receiver, Ronald Johnson, went down with a broken collar bone after their starting Quarterback, Aaron Corp, went down with a broken fibula leaving a true freshman to start in his wake. So I guess it’s at least a good day to be a Buck Eye. You’ll get to be over-rated again, have a shot at the National Championship again, and get embarrassed by somebody who truly deserved to be there when you really should have been at the Emerald Bowl in the first place, again. So congratulations.

NAACP to March for Vick

Michael Vick makes his debut as a Philadelphia Eagle tonight at Lincoln Financial Field, but apparently his one-year, $1.6 million contract with a second-year team option for $5.2 million wasn’t enough. The NAACP has felt an overwhelming need to march in support of the three-time NFL Pro Bowl, two-time Virginia Penal All-Star. Apparently he hasn’t gotten enough chances.

President of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, J. Whyatt Mondesire, informed the Associated Press that his chapter and the Black Clergy of Philadelphia were going to march tonight. According to ESPN.com, Mondesire said, "We believe Michael Vick has served his time, paid his debt to society, and deserves a second chance, and the animal-rights groups want to hold him hostage for the rest of his life." After spending two years in prison only to be released to the option of having one of the most privileged, high-paying jobs in the world wasn’t what this African American Civil Rights group was looking for. They’re holding out for a moral victory.

In short, it just seems as though the rest of the world is confused. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s was one of the most, if not the most just cause in the last century. True utopian equality may never be achievable, but the United States has made it a priority over the last 50 years, and rightfully so. Will there be discrimination even with the current social and political legislature in place? Absolutely, but there will be unfairness towards all races in these relatively infrequent occurrences, including Caucasian males. But these scenarios happen due to bigoted individuals that could stare freedom in the face and laugh at it, never having changed for the better. So what are groups like the NAACP and other minority rights organizations to do once their main cause has been achieved? I guess they support convicted felon soon-to-be-millionaire pro-athletes get more.

Whether or not he’s being treated fairly by animal rights groups is irrelevant. He’s a high profile public figure who lives in a world of different rules. He’s done his time, yes, but does that simply mean all is forgiven? Truthfully, no. There is still a long way that Vick has to go to redeem himself in the court of public opinion. It’s not just the dog fighting, but the marijuana charges before he was sentenced. It’s the life-long career of making bad decisions. It’s even, unfortunately, the legal problems of his younger brother. Vick has paid his debt to society through his prison time, but he still has to take responsibilities for his actions. That’s what it appears the animal rights groups are trying to do, however overzealous they may be.

So the question remains for the rest of the country, how many chances should Michael Vick get before a march of support is no longer necessary? This Jail Bird turned Eagle should feel like the luckiest guy in the world. By all accounts, the NFL was within their rights to ban him from the NFL for life. But he’s not only got another chance, but is once again in the front pages with pretty good PR, playing for a potential major playoff contender, and has an opportunity to make more money in two years than many honest, hard-working, non-felony-committing Americans make in a lifetime. So what is this march about again?

"We believe Michael Vick has served his time, paid his debt to society, and deserves a second chance, and the animal-rights groups want to hold him hostage for the rest of his life."

Second chances, that’s right. Oh wait, couldn’t this be considered a third chance? Or maybe a fourth? Potentially a fifth for several separate questionable endeavors? Or does several years of calculated bad mistakes (when done over a long period of time are no longer “mistakes” but personality traits) all bundle up into one chance? Animal rights groups would probably cry that every animal he abused was each it’s own individual chance for redemption that he failed. And I might be willing to agree with them.

One thing is for certain, this NAACP pro-Vick march not only feels unnecessary, but could easily become a turn off to trying to give Michael Vick more of anything. He got what he deserved, now he’s getting what he doesn’t. So why march? I’m all for giving him the opportunity to play in the NFL, I’m in agreement with the NAACP on that. If Roger Goodell hadn’t given him the opportunity, I might have rallied for him because even though he doesn’t deserve a second, third, fourth chance, it shows mercy and compassion on the side of the NFL and gives the American public an opportunity to forgive. Even if he didn’t get the chance, the NAACP shouldn’t have anything to do with it because it has NOTHING to do with the fact that he’s African American. It’s because of his actions, not his color.

Hopefully, this won’t blow up in anyone’s face and make the NAACP look like the National Association for the Advancement of Dog Fighting. Regardless, this will probably be enough for the ready-at-the-drop-of-a-hat Animal Rights groups to shout “PHILISTINES!” from the rooftops (even though the dog of one of Vick’s most fervent critics recently died after being left in a hot car). For the record, PETA has not scheduled a pro-Vick march at this time.