Hot Air :: Chicago White Sox And Blowup Dolls

Being a Chicago White Sox fan, I’ve been interested in the recent “controversy” surrounding the team - which surprisingly isn’t about Ozzie Guillen’s recent tirade that would have made Lee Elia proud.

No, this controversy is about something else entirely.

While mired in a six game losing streak where the team’s offense has essentially disappeared, someone on the team thought that they would do something a little fun to try and lighten the mood and turn their luck around.

Before Sunday’s game in Toronto, one of the players positioned two nude blowup dolls in the clubhouse with bats of the players fanning out around them - a ritual of sorts to try and get the team out of its slump.

Apparently the media was permitted into the clubhouse while this shrine was still out in the open and the incident has been blowing up ever since.

Why is everyone so up in arms over this incident?

Is it degrading to women?

That depends on the woman that you ask, I am sure. After asking my wife about it, she said that she didn’t believe that something like this is degrading to women.

Is it inappropriate for the workplace?

That depends on your workplace.

While I am sure that placing a blowup doll in my office would not go over well, neither would spitting on the floor and walking around scratching my family jewels every five minutes.

But I don’t believe that the clubhouse of a professional sports team is quite the same as a corporate office. It is not uncommon for an athlete to spend more time in the clubhouse than they do in their own home; and I am sure there are more than a few people that have things like this in their home.

Do you remember the movie Major League?

Bats, they are sick. I cannot hit curveball. Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. I ask Jobu to come, take fear from bats. I offer him cigar, rum. He will come.

- Pedro Cerrano

Many athletes are extremely superstitious and will do just about anything to try and guarantee their success. There are players that won’t shave until they lose, or won’t change their game socks, or wear the same t-shirt every game.

In my opinion, this incident with the Chicago White Sox and the blowup dolls is nothing more than a group of grown men doing something a little juvenile in an attempt to turn around their misfortune.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Anyone that says otherwise is just blowing hot air.

What do you think?