Another thread about Jackie Robinson West LL team

[Bluzmann57]

Ok maybe this shouldn't be in GD but here it is anyway.
There are a number of people and/or corporate entities that should be penalized in this mess, the kids are not among them. Rahm Emmanuel, ESPN, Little League International, the Chicago White Sox and any and all people and entities who either made money because of the great story and play of these kids should be ashamed of themselves.
ESPN makes millions by televising all games of the LLWS, LLI also makes millions of dollars because of these kids and others, Emmanuel rode the story of these kids and tried to polish his image while doing so, the White Sox decided to put up sponsorship money for the JRW kids, and on and on it went. The media is to blame imo as well. Let's face it, a lot of people were excited by this story, a bunch of inner city kids doing well and temporarily making residents forget about the enormous violence in the city.
The media fed the myth. And it was a myth. The violence never really abated at all no matter what the media and Emmanuel would try to have us believe. The standard of living was never elevated for the people in that part of the city. A lot of them are still stuck in poverty and will never see any of the money the aforementioned entities are making. People will continue to get shot and things may not change in spite of a baseball team.

[marym625]

1. yep.

And it's the kids that will suffer in the long run. Both the kids on the current team and those coming up.

I like what Father Flagler said (don't think I spelled his name correctly here). I also like whoever said investigate every team like they did JRW. At least those in the top.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

2. Funny how the "whistleblower" admits to having ringers in his own league...

but then tries to laugh it off in interviews by saying, "but they never played on our all-star teams." His TV interviews seem to be of the "everybody does it" variety. Some adult role model.

Forging birth certificates to have 14 and 15 year olds play against 12 and 13 year olds as was done in the past is a clear violation of the long-standing requirements of Little League. Especially since those are the years of huge puberty growth and strength spurts among boys.

I don't think artificial residence claims in the current case fall into the same category. Take a look at the traditional powerhouses in Illinois high school football, basketball, and wrestling. While community public schools have clearly defined geographical boundaries, private schools can recruit region-wide and do. City of Chicago magnet schools can recruite city-wide which geographically is most of Cook County. Different rules for different folk. I applaud the Jackie Robinson group for reaching poor and disadvantaged youth in Chicago.

Years ago when my oldest nephews were Little League age, they spent their summers in Illinois with their grandparents 1000 miles away from "home." It was a family decision because both parents worked long hours and childcare was not an option. They grew up every summer in Illinois. Played ball, attended day camp. It was how one family was able to cope. Now in their 20s and 30s, these boys still have close friends from 1000 miles away. Fortunately for them, they never played on a team which went far enough in tournaments to have their morality questioned.

The young adults (now young adults because they had to mature quickly) on the JR team continue to demonstrate their maturity in the media spotlight. I congratulate them.