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| Congratulations to N.Y Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, a new dad. His first parenting success is that he didn't take parenting advice from clueless sports commentators. |
They riot when their team loses, as if overturning a car makes things all better when their hero fails to score a touchdown.
They get offended when somebody tells them to chill because "it's only a game."
They send trollish death threats to baseball players when they strike out in the bottom of the ninth.
And then you get sports commentators like Mike Francesca who is really, really, REALLY mad at Daniel Murphy, a second baseman for the New York Mets.
In case you haven't heard, Murphy decided it would be a good idea to be with his wife while she gave birth, and missed a couple of games as a result.
Well, that's a high crime in some sports circles. The entitled Francesca, and like minded folks, seem to believe Murphy owes them appearances in the baseball games they want to watch, much more than he owes his wife the courtesy of being there when the couple welcomes a new member of their family.
It's not as if they had to cancel Mets games in Murphy's absence. They carried on without him, as most workplaces do when guys take a few days off from their jobs for paternity leave.
Oh, but in Francesca's world, t's the job of a professional sports players like Murphy to totally blow off their families.
Francesca said: "What are you going to do? I mean you are going to sit there and look at your wife in a hospital bed for two days?... Your wife doesn't need your help the first couple of days you know you're not doing much the first couple day with the baby that was just born."
Except, um, getting to know your new kid? I guess to Francesca, kids are just frilly accessories that the wife wants, but not something for a macho ball player. It's as if Murphy was making a big deal over a cute little black cocktail dress or something. Real men don't want to spend time with their kids, apparently.
For the record, Mets management had no problem with Murphy taking a couple days off for paternity leave. So I guess they're wimps, too. That Murphy missed fewer games than anybody else on the team last year apparently doesn't matter to Francesca.
According to NBC's Today, another sports announcer, Boomer Eliason was equally appalled with Murphy.
Eliason said Murphy should have insisted his wife have a C-section before the season started. "Quite frankly, I would've said 'C-section before the season starts. I need to be at opening day. I'm sorry, this what makes our money, this is how we're going to live our life. This is going to give our child every opportunity to be a success in life. I'll be able to afford any college I want to send my kid to because I'm a baseball player," Eliason said.
Or, the kid will be a total failure because his father keeps abandoning him to play ball. And who says Murphy wouldn't make his salary as a baseball player even if he takes two lousy days off? Geez!
UPDATE: Eliason later apologized for his remarks, giving what seems to me some sincere remarks. And he reached out to the Mets to apolhgize to Murphy, which is a good thing.
Obviously, most people don't agree with over the hill jocks like Francesca. An unscientific "Today Show" poll said Murphy did the right thing by taking a couple days off to be with his wife.
Yes, Francesca, Major League Baseball is important and lots of money is involved. But no, nobody owes you time on the baseball diamond.
Stick to sports, will ya, fellas? Because your parenting advice really, really sucks.
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