Sports fans who get up early might check out “Unsportsmanlike” on ESPN radio. From predictions to draft picks and recruiting scandals,  Michelle Smallmon, Evan Cohen and Chris Canty break it down  in fine style, with humor always in the mix. On Tuesday they were comparing the late-season breakdowns of the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. The “unsportstmanlike moment of the day” is always a treat.

“Smalls,” Evan and “CC” never show the slightest favoritism to players, teams, coaches, management, fans, and even celebrities. Canty brings a pro’s perspective without talking about himself and the great plays he made, which were doubtless many.  Chris Canty played 11 years in the National Football league and won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants. Whatever one thinks of the current NFL and its trappings, there’s a few things to remember.

In the age of DEI, professional sports remain a bastion of pure merit. Promises get you nowhere and scouting combines measure players’ skills down to tenths of a second. Nobody makes the team because they are, say, a Pacific Islander, and nobody plays because daddy or mommy owns the team. It’s all based on proven performance and you can never tell when some undrafted walk-on from Southwest North Dakota State will pick off a pass and take it to the house.

In sports, players get cut and coaches get fired. The playing field is level, same rules for both sides, and the game does not continue until the penalty has been marked off.  In that respect, politics is very unsportsmanlike.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal falsely claimed to be a Vietnam veteran yet failed to resign. Sen. Elizabeth Warren built a career on false claims that she was a Cherokee. When exposed as a fake, Warren went on to run for president, with the media giving her a pass. It would be interesting to see such people submit to something like: “Senator, you spoke for 15 minutes completing three bad jokes, six evasions, and ten outright falsehoods.” And so on.

While such realism awaits, check out Michelle, Evan and Chris on sports. Yes, the radio commercials are bad, but you can always switch to jazz or classical.