Rosenthall Article on Snell in WBC

(Good read, EndlessMike)

So, does Snell consider himself African-American, Puerto Rican or both?

“I don’t even look at it like that,” he says. "I represent my mom and dad. I also represent my own personal family.

“That’s the same thing they’re going to ask my son. Are you Puerto Rican? Are you African-American? What are you? I teach him the same thing. You’re just another person. Color is color.”

Sigh. If only…

playing for Puerto Rico.

The U.S. has no business organizing and controlling the WBC after this year. Thus far it seems as if the team is only a smidgen more serious about the competition than it was in 2006, and will probably not make it out of the second round again.

The U.S. has so much else going on in sports this time of year-from the NHL and NBA seasons heading to their respective postseasons to college basketball’s March Madness.

The only business we have holding the WBC is, in fact, business.

Some in MLB see $ signs everywhere. Some others undoubtedly hate it for the distractions it poses in spring training and the increased risk of injury for players, especially pitchers.

Even if the American team somehow plays its way at least into the semis, I think the 2013 proposed version of the WBC should hold its 2nd round, semis, and finals elsewhere in the world-in a country that fully supports it.

I think Japan could easily host the semis and finals, and should be given the opportunity if they repeat as WBC champs.

If Puerto Rico wins this time, let them hold it there.

Other countries such as Korea and Mexico could do it, too.

Why don’t the fat cat MLBers from the Dominican Republic back an effort to have it there in the future, for example?

Cuba is out of the question for the time being, of course.

If it’s going to be played again in 2013, let’s spread the wealth, so to speak.

I just don’t see the necessary commitment and appreciation in the U.S. for the tournament’s future.

As far as your second question is concerned, my problem is not only with Ian Snell, it is with the ridiculous eligibility rules dreamed up for one international sporting competition after the other.

If I read the article correctly, Ian Snell’s only connection to Puerto Rico is his stepfather. He is not Puerto Rican in any way and should not be eligible for a spot on their roster, IMHO.

We watched a mostly American team play for Greece in the 2004 Games that at least had players with one blood relative from Greece in the past three generations, if I remember correctly, and I still thought it was a stupid situation anyway.

What does Ian Snell have to be considered Puerto Rican?

Hell, at least some of the Italian-Americans on the Italy team at least had some links to the country they played for through their biological family tree.

A stepfather connection is not enough-not by a longshot, to my mind.

Can you imagine, for example, NFL linebacker Scott Fujita playing for Japan in the World Cup of American Football? Fujita could say that because his adoptive father is Japanese-American he has a right to play for Japan-in a similar situation to Ian Snell.

On the other hand, I would have no problem with the rules saying that Hines Ward could play for Korea because of his mother.

There has to be a “real” connection to a country-by virtue of bloodlines or citizenship to name the most obvious legitimate ones. Citizenship should be the main determinant, but I guess flexibility with the rules should allow for some other cases, too.

What is the point of having international sporting competitions where the winner is determined by a nation’s team and/or individuals, if the lines as to who is eligible to compete for any nation are so blurred as to be indistinguishable?

deserves credit for raising him, and most certainly I can understand Snell seeing him as his father-for all intents and purposes.

However, if the stepfather connection is sufficient for determining eligibility for international sporting competitions, then I suggest U.S. President Barack Obama as a member of Indonesia’s national basketball team the next time they play an international game.

There should be clear rules as to who is eligible to play for a country and who is not.

I know any controversy along these lines is nothing new in sports, when taking into consideration how badly everybody wants to win. I just feel that sometimes these cases are taken to absurd lengths.

I understand what you are saying about your adopted son. I commend you for what you are doing to bring him up. Great!

I lived more than a decade of my life in a country-Japan-where issues of ethnicity and citizenship are regarded quite differently from the norm in the U.S. (There are positives and negatives on each side, to put it simply.) I was heavily influenced by so many things I learned and experienced there and elsewhere outside the U.S.

We’ll have to agree to disagree. If you want to have the last word on this, please feel free to do so.