White Sox 2B Micah Johnson said that it is "up to MLB to promote the African-American players in baseball." In Chicago, Colleen Kane notes that African Americans made up about 8% of players "on opening day rosters." Johnson said, "Basketball is kind of huge, but it’s going to take baseball to put the players to the forefront, market the McCutchens, the Uptons, the Brantleys, Tyson Ross, Taijuan Walker, Dee Gordon -- all these young faces to really put them out there so that kids can see them. Everybody knows who Steph Curry is and Kyrie Irving. Everybody knows who those guys are because they’re on TV all the time. That’s what it really takes is to kind of put it in the face of the kids so they can see" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/16).
A CHANGE IS GONNA COME: In N.Y., Paul Schwartz noted NFL Giants President & CEO John Mara believes the playoffs "are fine the way they are, with 12 teams qualifying for the postseason." But he knows the "time may come, soon, when two additional teams are added to increase the playoff pool to 14 teams." Mara: "I still would prefer to keep it the way it is, but I don’t think it’s the end of the world if we end up making the change.” Meanwhile, Mara "believes replay decisions will eventually be taken off the field and made at a command center away from the stadium." He said, "I don’t think we’re quite there yet. But I think we are getting there" (N.Y. POST, 4/15).
GAME RESPECTS GAME: NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts said she is "fiercely opposed" to the current NBA rule that states players must be one year removed from high school before they can play in the league. She said, "I wasn’t in the room when the decision was made to implement the one-and-done rule. ... I don’t buy into the notion when it comes to basketball we need to somehow create a barrier for talented people who are otherwise NBA-ready to come in and start playing the game. It doesn’t make any sense to me whatsoever from the professional side, and so I’m not happy with it” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 4/16).
GROWING PAINS: In Tennessee, Allen Gregory writes the "disconnect between the glamorous and blue-collar sectors" of NASCAR "grows each year, and it’s a big reason why many fans have turned away." One of the "neat parts of the race weekend experience was visiting the various team merchandise trailers and small-time souvenir stands." It was announced at the start of this season that Fanatics "had reached a 10-year deal to become the official souvenir retailer of NASCAR," meaning the "familiar trailers will be replaced by a massive superstore tent." The "loss of the carnival atmosphere outside the stadium will chip away even more at the history of the sport" (BRISTOL HERALD COURIER, 4/16).
