Wake-up Brawl
The Royals were slumbering through another late-season home loss two weeks ago against the lowly Detroit Tigers when something odd happened at the old ballpark. Mike Sweeney, the churchgoing, cookie-and-milk swilling, all-American choirboy snapped. No, “snapped” doesn’t quite describe it. He went Bill Bixby: He transformed into the Hulk in seven quick strides from home plate to the mound. Forcing pitcher Jeff Weaver to eat his words (and a few knuckles), Sweeney gave this town something it badly needed.
Sweeney had had enough of being laughed at and disrespected. When Weaver looked him in the eye and called him a “fucking pussy” from sixty feet away, Sweeney took matters into his own hands and kicked some major league ass. His teammates and coaches were right behind him, and the Kauffman Stadium crowd was beyond wild. As I stood a few rows behind the Royals dugout, I marveled at the passion and pride that poured from Royals fans. This kind of unity had not been seen at Kauffman Stadium since George Brett kissed home plate.
While Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” blared from stadium speakers, teammates pulled Sweeney from the fray toward the Royals dugout. The Tigers’ starting pitcher and catcher still lay on their backs in the infield, courtesy of Sweeney’s right fist. The crowd chanted “Swee-ney! Swee-ney! Swee-ney!” The drama continued into last week, when Sweeney received a ten-game suspension from Major League Baseball. Let’s hope that sacrifice was not in vain.
The Royals have become a joke around the league. Their past five years have been the most pitiful in the franchise’s history. Things have gotten so bad for David Glass’ team that even Detroit — a team so forgettable that a new baseball stadium has done little to boost the Tigers’ stature in their town — considers KC a patsy.
What Sweeney did was show this town that respect comes to those who demand it.
People who are fed up with the status quo of this city should make a trip to the mound. There is no reason that the Kansas City School District must be one of the most embarrassing excuses for public education in the history of mankind. Every year, words are spoken and promises to improve are made. And every year the problems become worse as more students slip through the cracks that are so evident in the heads of the school board members. Students, parents, teachers, school board members and local businesspeople need to stop accepting the circus that passes for a school district in our signature city and fight back — not with fists, but certainly with as much passion and resolve as Sweeney brought to the mound.
Community leaders appear on camera after every drive-by shooting and talk of healing instead of taking control of their destiny and ridding their communities of the thieves, murderers and drug dealers who hold them hostage.
Mayor Kay Barnes has governed with the same lack of passion Tony Muser displays when he slumps over the dugout railing and stares into space. Barnes is in jeopardy of being remembered as the KC mayor who didn’t change anything except her name.
Mike Sweeney and the Royals will have to wait until next season to make their mark on baseball, but we should recognize that Sweeney made his mark on our city this season. As someone once said: Be like Mike.
