Stay Off The Grass
As we all probably know by this point, the Yankees have agreed to hold a ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI in their “sacred” stadium. Regardless of any opinion, whether it’s some media stunt being pulled by either the Yankees organization or the Roman Catholic church, the fact is this; Yankee Stadium is a huge venue in it’s own right. It may not hold as many people as the L.A. Coliseum per say, but let’s get real here. If you were the Pope and you were dealing with the scandals that the Catholic Church was going through at this point in time, would you pass up on having one of your scarce stops on your U.S. tour at Yankee Stadium? I’d have a hard time throwing that opportunity out the window.
But who am I?
So let’s say that you’re the Director of Field and Facility Operations at Yankee Stadium; you are the one who makes the final calls when it comes to any decision-making in regards to the field. Put yourself in his (or her) shoes for just a second. You take pride in your work. Every day, quite possibly millions of people see your field, your art, your perfection, as the great game of baseball is played. We all notice the care and the nurture that you’ve put into the outfield grass and the infield dirt. We are impressed by the condition of the warning track and how the edges of the outfield are so consistent all the way around the stadium. It’s all there, the hard work, the effort, and the respect of what you’re doing.
We get it.
But is Yankee Stadium above the religious hype that the Pope brings with him where ever he goes? Is the grass in the foul territory more holy the the holiest? As hallowed as Yankee Stadium may be, in all of it’s glory, I’ve got to think that the Pope doesn’t cause much of a threat to the well-being of everything that has been provided to make the Yankees such an iconic sports club.
But that doesn’t seem to be the mindset of Yankees officials and those who have made the final decisions and planning for the Papal visit. Instead, they’re too worried about their precious field to even take the time to fathom the visitor they will be catering to. I understand that the condition of the field is top priority because, for one, it is their job, and two, Yankee Stadium is considered Major League Baseball’s cathedral. But I just can’t seem to grasp the ignorance of the situation; it’s the Pope coming to visit. It’s not some washed up singer, some overrated movie star, or any of that. It’s a man that has more influence on the world then the President of the United States.
Trust me, I’m not one to defend religion. We won’t get into the details but, in general perspective, the Pope is quite possibly one of the most powerful men on Earth. Religious view are the basis of the majority of people across the globe; it leads to huge problems, masses of people joining together under a common belief, and a giant uproar when huge figureheads make appearances. But, apparently, it’s not big enough for even the infield at Yankee Stadium.
God Bless America.
Tags: Baseball, MLB, Pope, Roman Catholic Church, Yankee Stadium, Yankees
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.