It all comes out in the wash
There's only so much the sporting world can do to stand with Ukraine, but something is better than nothing
If you think politics has no place in sports, you’re likely living in denial or you’re too zoomed in on what’s happening on the field of play to realize it. We’ve talked about how politicking often determines what countries get to host major events like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. Lately it’s often felt like the candidate with the most image-scrubbing to do gets rewarded (see the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and the recently-concluded Olympiad), as opposed to who would make the “best” host.
FIFA and UEFA have both suspended Russia’s football federation indefinitely. Their club and national teams are barred from participating in international matches. This year’s Champions League final — originally scheduled to be played at the home stadium of Vladimir Putin’s favourite club — has been relocated to Paris. Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company (and owner of said club), has been dropped as a sponsor by UEFA, a long-term deal that is said to be €40MM in annual value. It seems that a disentanglement has begun.
Obviously there isn’t a lot the sports world can do to stop the actual war, though some Ukrainian athletes have volunteered to join the reserve army. But denying economic opportunities to Russia, however insignificant relative to Russia’s finances, is a very visible sign of solidarity with the Ukrainian people nonetheless.
Is this the beginning of the end of sportwashing? I’d like to think so, but we’ll see. We’ll also see if it expands beyond countries that invade other countries. It’s a shame that it takes an act of war to get the ball rolling on kicking it out of sports, but here we are.
— JY
Answers from last week’s issue
Two players were born exactly a year apart on February 23. One was selected #1 overall in the NBA draft, and the other was selected the next year at #2. Both are NBA All-Stars and were once traded for each other. Who are they?
Maple Jordan himself, Andrew Wiggins, went #1 in the 2014 draft. D’Angelo Russell, president of the José Alvarado fan club, went #2 in 2015.
The all-time leader in WAR (Baseball Reference) among players who have worn #23 is still active. A six-time All-Star who’s won six Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, he also hasn’t worn #23 in a decade. Name him.
According to Baseball Reference, Zack Greinke has 73.1 WAR, which is good for first place among all one-or-many-time #23s in Major League history. Second? That’d be Hall of Famer and 1984 NL MVP Ryne Sandberg.
Four players who wore #23 are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Marcel Pronovost and Pat Quinn are two of them. The other two are Stanley Cup-winning forwards who served as captains of the teams they won Stanley Cups with, and later went on to front office positions with those same teams. One was known mostly for his goal-scoring while the other was known for his defensive prowess. Name them.
Dave Andreychuk — 15th all-time in goals, 2nd all-time in PP goals — is currently the Tampa Bay Lighting’s Vice President of Corporate & Community Affairs. (Peep his LinkedIn if you don’t believe us.) Bob Gainey — four straight Selke Memorial Trophies from 1978-81 — served as the Montreal Canadiens’ GM from 2003-10.
Since the year 2000, only three running backs have scored 23 or more rushing touchdowns in a season. Who are they?
Priest Holmes (27 in 2003), Shaun Alexander (27 in 2005), LaDainian Tomlinson (28 in 2006) were the droids we were looking for.
#querydipoto
Henrik Lundqvist, whose birthday it is today, retired with 459 regular season wins — good for sixth on the NHL’s all-time list. Who are the only five goaltenders with more career victories between the pipes?
Ben Roethlisberger, whose birthday it is today, retired as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ all-time leader in pass attempts, completions, and touchdown passes. Terry Bradshaw is #2 in all those categories. What one-time Pro Bowler is third?
What active major leaguer — a six-time All-Star and two-time MVP runner-up whose birthday isn’t today — is the all-time leader in hits among players born in Delaware?
The two active NBA players born in Ukraine were drafted in 2013 and 2018 respectively. What two teams drafted them?
#postscript
Many thanks to stock image white dude Jerry Dipoto for being named his name and to you for being named your name, unless your name is Cain Velasquez because Emily Post dictates that a gentleman may only attempt murder inside the octagon in the presence of a referee, and not at some random intersection in San Jose.
Until next week, be the Ezequiel Carrera you wish to see in the world.
— DJ/JY