STANDARDS ARE STANDARDS

So, I have been wrestling with a few issues regarding our latest pick up, Aroldis Chapman. Colleagues and friends alike have been bringing up the issue again and again to me and I simply can't turn a deaf ear or a blind eye to their comments.  Even our very own Mike O'Hara has his take on the trade in his piece A MUTT'S A MUTT .  Fox Sports said it best on the last day of the year, "The ugly elephant in the room, and no, we can't ignore it.  Nobody knows exactly what happened on Oct. 30, except the people who were there, and if we know anything about memory, we know that even they'll have different memories. By all accounts, though, it was ugly, considering the non-disputed facts that include physical violence, multiple gunshots and an infant daughter."  Did the Yankees lower their standards by a big margin to pick up an alleged domestic-abuser or in simpler terms, a wife beater?

I watched Notre Dame lose a big game on New Year's Day. It hurt me to see them lose to Ohio State. Injuries plagued the Fighting Irish all season and you can't help that. But, when the Irish sit two star players because they violated team policy, that's upholding its program to a standard. Unlike Ohio State who let their star player, Ezekiel Elliott, into the big game despite being charged with driving under suspension, operating without a license, and failure to control his vehicle after a Sunday afternoon crash before Ohio State's scheduled flight to the Fiesta Bowl. Oh and let's not forget their star quarterback's, JT Barrett's, DUI incident earlier in the fall.

Standards are standards and organizations set them. Much like the New York Giants' statement regarding Odell Beckham, Jr.'s performance against the Carolina Panthers. Bad calls and bad tempers can't remove bad behaviors and Tom Coughlin believes in his young player despite his bad decisions two weeks ago.

"Coughlin insisted that, although Beckham was provoked, his reaction was wrong. Coughlin does not believe this situation accurately reflects Beckham's character. "I will not defend his actions yesterday because they were wrong," Coughlin said Monday. "But I will defend the young man and the quality of his person. I will defend him as long as I'm able. I told our team that. Our team feels the same way about Odell." The quality of his person; this can't be overlooked, ever.

Standards are standards and I have always believed in the Yankees' persona and character for doing the right thing.  They are a team with dignity and integrity, at least that's what I have always known. But, this time, my faith in them has been shaken.  As Fox Sports says and I concur, "And what of the Yankees? What sort of message are they sending? They're sending the same message that probably 90 percent of sports teams send every year: We don't care about what the guy does, as long as he performs well and doesn't particularly annoy his teammates. And that second one's negotiable."  

Needless to say, I won't be purchasing any Chapman jerseys for the kids in my life this season.  I have worked too hard to show them the importance of sportsmanship, kindness, commitment, and work ethic both on and off the playing field.  Standards are standards and this time the Yankees picked up a different set of these to make a deal.  Not sure how Joe Hardy would feel about this deal with the devil, but I know that this Damn Yankee fan isn't pleased.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof

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