Mike Coop

Husband. Dad. Son. Leader. Builder. Geek. Coach. Student. Umpire. AvGeek. Chicagoan. Long-time Silicon Valley ex-pat.

[Clint Hurdle @ClintHurdle13]

I can't make everybody happy. I need to work hard to make the people that are most inportant to me happy.

[Mike Coop @heycoop]

I never thought that the Bears would be coached by a guy who’d make me yearn for John Fox’ clock management “skills”, but you see something new every day.

[JCA Football @HilltoppersFB]

Thank you to Hilltopper Brad Hudetz ‘01 and @stationonebbq for providing today’s post-practice Thanksgiving team meal. #GoHill

[Mike Coop @heycoop]

I feel like a lot of people in the Southland are thinking that leaving Lincoln Riley in Norman three years ago would’ve been the preferable move, particularly given that it’s gonna cost @USC_Athletics 18 million Lincolns—$90 million—to buy out his deal.

[Mike Coop @heycoop]

I appreciate this tweet, as there are only about 1100 households in the @chicagobulls market currently receiving the wit and wisdom of @adamamin & @Stacey21King.

[ErnestBorgnineNavalCapDoff.jpeg @poddtadre]

Probably a sign your team is not in great shape when your local broadcast is showing graphics like this.

[Alex Cohen @anothercohen]

Waffle House has a Storm Center with an entire operations team that is so good at their job they assist FEMA during hurricanes.

The European mind cannot comprehend this

[Mike Coop @heycoop]

If the @Saints don’t put @khalenNOTkaylen in the backfield a la The Fridge, they’re missing a MASSIVE opportunity, in every sense of the word.

@ESPNNFL @nflnetwork @richeisen

#NFL #MNF #Saints #WhoDat

[Mike Coop @heycoop]

It’s a BEAUTIFUL day to bring the #SELLFlagTour to The Friendly Confines! @LastDiveBar @Oaklandish @Cubs @DALLASBRADEN209 @Athletics #wrigleyfield #friendlyconfines

[OBVIOUS SHIRTS® @obvious_shirts]

GIVEAWAY!

Giving away our new Shotarola shirt for every Shota Strikeout tonight.

Rules are complicated: retweet to enter. Winners announced tomorrow at 7pm. #Shotarola

[Not Gaetti @notgaetti]

NotGaetti At Large: Extra
Duran Suspended Two Games

Following last night's incident wherein he was caught on a hot mic using a homophobic slur, Jarren Duran has been suspended for two games by the Boston Red Sox. The move caps off an insane 24-hour roller coaster ride for Duran, who had just been awarded the Heart & Hustle award (which, ironically, is given to a player "that best embodies the values, spirits, and traditions of baseball") in a pregame ceremony and had not yet missed a game this season.

While Duran has apologized and been disciplined for his actions, the sheer number of folks insisting that what he said last night was "no big deal" or was just "a man defending himself" is precisely why I feel compelled to address this one final time. This is a good opportunity to remind ourselves that professional athletes have a huge platform and a nationwide audience and, like it or not, serve as highly visible role models for young people everywhere.

Jarren Duran is a good player having an outstanding year. He plays every day and leads the league in several categories. If not for the hot mic incident, it would be hard to think of a more deserving player for the Heart & Hustle award. Duran plays a premium position for a legendary franchise and was an All-Star this year; people are going to look up to his example whether he likes it or not. So, to the folks telling me that "if kids look up to professional athletes, their parents have failed," I would suggest that it's hard to stop kids from admiring a player like Duran. He's capable, durable, and plays hard. As Boston manager Alex Cora noted during the award ceremony, "if you're trying to tell someone how to play the game of baseball, you point them in [Duran's] direction."

Heckling is part of the game and comes with the territory, but certainly there are times where it goes too far and can be wildly offensive and inappropriate. This was unequivocally not one of those times. The hot mic captured the heckler saying "tennis racket, tennis racket, you need a tennis racket" to Duran, suggesting he might hit better if he was able to wield something with a bigger sweet spot than a baseball bat at the plate. Without hesitation, Duran responded with an offensive homophobic slur. Without hesitation, those were the words that were top of mind, readily available, and recorded for everyone to hear.

Remember for a moment, please, that the outrage here isn't about you, me, or even Duran. It's not about the ironic timing of the pregame award ceremony or the sensitivity of folks in the 21st century or anyone manufacturing reasons to be offended.

The outrage is about the unacceptably large swath of You People that can't be bothered to even attempt to find some empathy or understand the reach and influence that the words of professional athletes can have. Just because you have a heart of stone that mere words can't disturb doesn't mean everyone does.

For just one second, I beg you to put your political baggage and "us vs. them" mentality aside, and just try, genuinely and sincerely, to put yourself in the shoes of some young Red Sox fan that's part of the LGBTQ community. Maybe Jarren Duran was your idol prior to that moment. After all, he's a talented, exciting player that's so easy to root for. Maybe Duran has been your hero all season. Maybe you even bought his jersey.

How do you feel in that moment when you hear your favorite player say something –– without hesitation, almost instinctively, reflexively –– that makes you feel marginalized, makes you feel less-than? Does it make you regret rooting for him? Does it make you wonder whether those words were only so readily available because that's just the way he talks in everyday life when the hot mic isn't on?

Many of you have tried to justify or minimize his use of the term. "The heckler deserved it" and "he didn't say anything wrong" and "that word doesn't mean what you think it does" and "it's a free country" and "it's just words." Look, I've heard them all. You can feel the way you want to feel, you can say the words you want to say, and you can tell us all about how you don't find anything he did offensive. That's your right.

But I would ask you to spend even just 60 seconds making a good-faith effort to put yourself in the shoes of someone that isn't you, someone with different experiences and perspectives, and consider how words you might find harmless could impact the way they feel about themselves, their friends, their favorite players, and even the game of baseball.

[OptaSTATS @OptaSTATS]

Since pitches were first tracked in 1988, the @Cubs are the only MLB team to have 3 separate 2-strike RBI extra-base hits in the bottom of the 9th in a victory.

They all came off of Ryan Helsley, who hadn't allowed a 2-strike extra-base hit all season before today.

[Pete Thamel @PeteThamel]

Chicago Bears WR Tyler Scott will drive to Cincinnati after the Hall of Fame game tonight for his college graduation from UC. With Cardinals WR Chris Moore also graduating, all 22 Cincinnati Bearcats in the NFL have degrees.

[90SecondReCap @90SecondRecap]

SO great to hear @nlbmprez on @670TheScore during @Cubs/@Royals this afternoon w/ @PatandRon670 & @ZachZaidman.

Psyched about all the great news coming out of the @NLBMuseumKC…more Buck O’Neil in our lives please, and happy birthday Bullet Joe Rogan!

[Mike Coop @heycoop]

. @WatchMarquee One of the best baseball cards ever...Jay Johnstone, 1984 Fleer.

[90SecondReCap @90SecondRecap]

On this date in 1968, Phil Regan won both ends of a doubleheader for the second time that season—the first and only time it’s ever been done—erasing any doubt as to why he earned the nickname The Vulture.
@Cubs @Dodgers @NewEraCap @WatchMarquee @MLBNetwork #Cubs

[Matt @nosoupforgeorge]

Best sign at today's #Athletics game.

"This whole thing is really dumb."

#SellTheTeam

[Adam Amin @adamamin]

My father loved the 4th of July. He became a citizen in 1993 and from then on, we had a small American flag planted on the edge of a wooden fence near the shrubbery in front of my childhood home. That sun-faded flag somehow lasted through a quarter century of terrible weather 1/

[Texas A&M Baseball @AggieBaseball]

The support is strong for our leader! 🗣️

#GigEm x @earleybaseball

[Mike Coop @heycoop]

All set for the @CityofEvanston Fourth of July parade, with @campmilo and a host of others.

[KNBR @KNBR]

The @SFGiants have announced that Oracle Park will be open to all tomorrow at noon, where the Rickwood Game between the Cardinals and Giants will be televised on the scoreboard.

There will also be a special sculpture in centerfield and a condolences book at the warning track for fans to sign.

Admission is free.