Intentional Fouls

In Game 3 of the World Series, Houston Astros First Baseman Yuli Gurriel got one of the biggest hits of his life, a homerun off of Los Angeles Dodgers's starting Pitcher, Yu Darvish.  Back in the dugout, Gurriel did the unforgivable.  He mocked Darvish's Japanese heritage by pulling his eyes back in a gesture to mimic Asians. He then basically admitted he was indeed mocking Darvish's Japanese heritage when he did it, saying it was for his teammates who had less luck against the Japanese pitchers in the US.

Major League Baseball's response for an admitted bout of racial bigotry?  A ban of Gurriel for five games, but not for the remainder of the World Series.  His ban will take place during the first five games of the 2018 regular season.  He's being allowed to continue playing for a championship, being rewarded for his unforgivable behavior.

Major league sports has a serious problem.  They don't take the most egregious violations of laws and decency seriously because their process for punishing these undeniable crimes is watered down and pathetic.  Gurriel should have had an immediate suspension, with an instant appeal process, where he could state his defense before the next game begins.  Instead, he could win the World Series and then never play another MLB game, meaning his actions will never have any consequences.

All sports have this issue.  The National Hockey League has the most recognizable version.  Playoff teams will purposely have a 5th line bruiser try to cripple the superstar of the opposing team, usually with an illegal cheap shot, knowing any punishment they'll have to endure will come during the regular season of the next year.  The glorified felon continues playing hockey, while the crippled opponent wonders if they'll ever play again.

Most violations are made a mockery of when the managing sports leagues try to deal with out of line players.  Ezekiel Elliott is a talented NFL running back for the Dallas Cowboys.  In 2016, he was involved in an altercation where the allegation of domestic violence was levied against him.  He wasn't charged with a crime, mainly because prosecutors stated they did not have enough corroborating evidence against him, and due to weird domicile rules in Columbus, Ohio.  The prosecutors were clear; they were sure Elliott has involved in some level of violence, but just what happened remains a mystery, and hence un-prosecutable.

The NFL, no stranger to inconsistent handling of off the field missteps of their players, is trying to get better.  They decided there was enough evidence to suspend Elliott for six games due to conduct detrimental to the league.  Because the Dallas Cowboys need Elliott to have a chance at winning, the punishment implementation process is becoming a joke.  Currently, Elliott and the players union are suing the league to overturn the suspension, arguing their case in front of a US District Judge.  They could play the legal system's appeals process for months, allowing Elliott to play the entire season, including the playoffs, with an ultimate goal of forcing the NFL to not punish Elliott, or any players, for conduct unbecoming of the league.

This 'avoid punishment at all costs' crap began with Penn State.  Under the auspices of Penn State Football, in their facilities, at official Penn State events, young children were raped by a Penn State coach, FOR YEARS.  The school was aware of these atrocious crimes; both senior administration officials and members of the coaching staff.  If there was any crime which warranted the permanent dismantling of a university's football program, it was this, but due to the fact Penn State jersey's and hats carry one of the most popular logos in Division I football, they tried to come up with a punishment which looked extreme, but, in truth, would allow the program to live on with minimal repercussions.

If this crime had happened at a New Mexico State, a Ball State, a University of Rhode Island, or at a lesser major school , like the University off Minnesota, the program would've been dismantled.  Instead, they started acting as if the 'real victims' were not the young children raped for decades at Penn State, but rather a few football players who had committed to playing for Child Rape U.  The players could've easily transferred to another program, but the pro-Penn State narrative brushed that notion aside.  The re-labeling of the 'real victims' from the young abused boys, to a few dozen football players, was shockingly, and depressingly, successful.  Today, Penn State is a top ten team again, and everyone seems to be acting like the decades of child rape at State College, Pennsylvania was more of a myth than a reality

When Penn State happened, and they didn't suffer the ultimate punishment for it, it sent a signal to all athletes, in all sports; there are no more consequences.

In the case of Yuli Gurriel, Major League Baseball made the argument you can't punish there rest of the team for his actions.  YES YOU CAN!  If the league stood out and said racism is intolerable, threw Gurriel out of the World Series and said that's the final word on the issue, then they would've set a standard.  Instead they failed to stand up for MLB's Asian players.

Yuli Gurriel should be gone from the World Series.  Thugs in the NHL who cripple other players should be on the bench until the player they injured returns to the ice, and THEN they have to serve their suspension on top of it!  Ezekiel Elliott should be sitting for six.  And Penn State Football shouldn't even exist.

Instead, the leagues, players and fans avert their eyes from the crimes, and say "play ball."