Page 14 THE <strong>Reporter</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>18</strong> 2013Boys & Girls Clubs of <strong>Dorchester</strong>1135 <strong>Dorchester</strong> Avenue • (617) 288-7120Members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of <strong>Dorchester</strong> gathered recently at theDan Duquette Sports Academy. Thanks to the Yawkey Foundation whichprovided the funding for our members to attend this week-long Sports Camp.<strong>Dorchester</strong> Yacht Club Cruise- For the 2nd consecutive year, theClub will partner with the <strong>Dorchester</strong>Yacht Club as they host 40 luckymembers for a cruise of Boston Harboron 7/24. Our members will enjoya scenic ride through the harborwhich will be followed by a cookoutfor all participants. Our thanks tothe members of the Yacht Club whodonate their time to this fun, annualevent. For more information contactLaurene Plourde (lplourde@bgcdorchester.org).Denney Center Nutrition Fair- Our Denney Center Unit locatedin the Harbor Point community willpartner with the The Greater BostonFood Bank to host a Nutrition Fairfor members on 7/<strong>18</strong>. There will be avariety of displays and inter-activesessions for members to enjoy. Formore information contact Chad Hassey(chassey@bgcdorchester.org).Boston University School ofDance - On 7/23 the Boston UniversitySchool of Dance will visitthe Club to perform for members ofall ages. After the performance theDance Team will host two workshopsfor members that will include variousdance types. The visit and follow-upworkshops are made possiblethrough Associated Grantmakers ofThe Boys and Girls Clubs of <strong>Dorchester</strong> hosted the Read Boston Storymobilethis past week. In addition to hearing from a noted storyteller the participatingmembers also get to take home donated books to encourage reading.Massachusetts’ Cultural Day program.For more information contactDonna Seery (dseery@bgcdorchester.org).Tween Scene Program Begins- A new program for members ages13/14 will begin this week. The 1/2day program will run for the nextfour weeks and includes a number ofon-site and off-site events. This newprogram helps to bridge the gap insummer programming for membersthat are too old for the day-time programand too young for work. For informationcontact Dianne Lescinskas(dlescinskas@bgcdorchester.org).Upcoming Special Event:Music ClubhouseOpen Mic NightFriday, <strong>July</strong> 19th6:00 p.m.As part of the Safe SummerStreets program, we will hostthe monthly Music ClubhouseOpen Mic Night. Members ages10 & up are encouraged to registerwith Ayeisha Mathis in advance.
Sitting here ponderingthe imponderableon Bastille Day – anappropriate occasioncommemorating a momentwhen the worldgot turned upside down– you hassle with thisvexing question: “Whendid sport become devoutlytopsy-turvy andmight the malaise bepermanent?” Perchedon the sideline for twoweeks scanning in utterdetachment the madnessof the give and take offersa ripe education. Reconsiderjust a handfulof the daunting issuesa mere fortnight yields:• Baseball’s on-rushingdebacle revolvingaround the sleazy anticsof a shuttered Miamianti-aging clinic. Isthe relentless probe ofBiogenesis and its (atleast) 20 MLB clients thebiggest nightmare thisgame has encounteredsince the summer of1920 when a Chicagogrand jury was probedthe dumping of the1919 World Series? It’sbeginning to look likethat, old Sport.• The concomitantfinal meltdown of thechap who was onceregarded a looming jockavatar and who mighthave been his generation’sbiggest star. Hasthere ever in our crazedculture been a morethunderous collapse of awould-be demi-god thanthe mindless pratfallof Alex Rodriguez, nownearing its epic completion?Nor has there beenone that’s stirred lesssympathy, which onlyadds to the tragedy.• Football’s gravestembarrassment. Ever!That it will crush whathad become the game’sproudest and cockiestfranchise while deeplytarnishing its fineachievements will onlyseem unfair to diehardadherents, of whichthere are – hereabouts– many. But that’s theprice the Patriots willpay for having abandonedprudence let alonecaution in the recklesspursuit of football glory.The Aaron Hernandezdisaster has only justbegun. It will percolatemany months, incurringmuch greater embarrassmentwhile takingyears to fully run itscourse, much to thehumiliation of all concerned,especially thehead coach, who (as ofthe writing) remains remarkablyAWOL on thisissue. Oddly nobody iscalling Bill Belichick onthat. In the meantime,if I were Bob Kraft I’davoid claiming I’d been“duped” when offeringanother mea culpaand, Bob being Bob,there will be more. Butas a strategy, “duped”doesn’t work. Ignoranceof the pertinent hasnever been an excuse,not even in football.• In terms of gravityand impact, theHernandez case is byfar the most serious.But it’s noteworthy thatthe Patriots’ rogue tightend became the NFL’s29th player arrested forcrimes and misdemeanorssince the league’slast certified gridironevent, February’s SuperBowl. For those scoringat home, here’s abreakdown of otheroffenses logged thus far,with thanks to the AP,which has relentlesslymonitored this messybusiness:Eight DUIs, two felonydriving charges (highspeed car chases withcops), three drug busts(all for marijuana), twounlawful gun possessions,three domesticbatteries (one entailingchild abuse), eightdisorderly conductswith battery featuringfisticuffs (most occurringat nightclubs), onefor stiffing a court date,one for cheating at a LasVegas crap table (mostunwise). In several suchinstances, resisting arrestcharges were alsolodged. Hey, football isa tough game and yougotta be tough to play it.Amazingly, threemore rocket scientistsmoonlighting in theNFL got pinched afterHernandez went down,including a Clevelanddefensive back jailedfor battering his ladyfriend and anotherdistinguished Patriot,cornerback AlfonzoDennard, nailed onceagain by Nebraska’sgendarmes for drivingtoo fast under the influenceof too much drinkand promptly jailed forviolating probation.Young Dennard waslet off the hook only threemonths ago with a lightrap on the knuckles inwhat seemed somethingof a sweetheart dealafter he was convicted ofassaulting a police officerand resisting arrest.However, Dennard’sre-match with Nebraskajurisprudence may notgo so easy. It shouldpose a heftier challengefor Coach Belichick ifhe seeks to again rescuehis promising – if rash– D-back. Doubtless, italso leaves Owner Kraftfeeling double-“duped.”Life is so unfair!• All of which NFLCzar Roger Goodelltakes deep to heartalthough the shoddybehavior of miscreantsin his lodge may be theleast of the commissioner’sproblems. In astory breaking duringthe fortnight that didn’tget the attention itdeserved, the federaljudge shepherding themassive law suit forinjury indemnificationfiled by 4,200 ex-NFLplayers ordered theleague and the players tobegin mediating the casewith court-appointedexperts, and pronto!Some wonder whichside this latest rulingfavors. But from here,it looks like anothercrucial victory for theplayers in their long,painstaking crusade toforce the league to compensateinjury claims,mainly but not entirelyconnected with concussions.The all-powerfulNFL’s desperate effortsagain failed to quashthe suit. Every step itadvances is anothervictory for the players.And the implicationsare huge. Consider thatthe 4,200 plaintiffs constituteroughly one thirdof all surviving NFLalumni. They’re seekingbillions in damagesand if they win, awardswould likely extend toNFL alumni not joinedin the suit and even tokin of deceased players.Small wonder the ownersregard the potentialimpact as potentiallycatastrophic, thereby agraver concern than badbehavior even when itresults in capital crime.NFL owners can livewith their league’s imagebeing compromised,<strong>July</strong> <strong>18</strong> 2013 The <strong>Reporter</strong> Page 15At the All-Star break, imponderables to ponderSports/Clark BoothLarge Format PrintingBillboards • Banners1022 Morrissey Boulevard, <strong>Dorchester</strong>617-282-2100carrolladvertising.comNEPONSET PRESCHOOL$37/day - 7:30-5:30Fall Toddler Program$25/day - 8:30-12:30281A Neponset Avenue, <strong>Dorchester</strong>www.neponsetpreschool.comLic. #291031 617-265-2665but not with their profitsbeing compromised.• Then there are theCeltics. Did we thinkwe’d live to see the daya highly esteemed andfavored coach like DocRivers would dumpthis fabled Green teamto coach the historicallywoeful likes of theL.A Clippers? Ah, theignominy. Equallybaffling was the tradedispatching two agingbut certified Celticlegends for a half dozenmarginal journeymenwho offer little likelihoodof contributingmuch, and a fistful ofdraft picks, none likelyto be premium.Such seemingly offthe-wallmoves haveb e e n f a s h i o n a b l eelsewhere (to mixedresults), but never herewhere traditional approachesdisdainingsuch flamboyance haveever prevailed. But inthe Age of the SalaryCap, wherein payrollstrategy becomes ascrucial as coaching anddevelopment and scouting,tradition be danged.People who knowrather more about thissubject understand themoves and accept them,however begrudgingly.“Danny Ainge knowswhat he’s doing,” youare told. No doubt! Butsomewhere in the hereafteryou also know thatRed is rumbling as onlyhe can.• Once upon a timebaseball’s mid-summernight’s classic redeemedmany failings and ills.The All-Star Game wasthe sporting calendar’smost fervent feel-goodmoment. Given its currentshape it’s hard toappreciate how muchit glowed and how seriouslyit was taken.Nowadays, all the allstarfestivals suffer.Hockey’s and football’shave become ludicrous.But because baseball’swas once the shiniest,its decline is the mostpoignant. It has becomepointless, irrelevant,and unnecessary. Evenwhen played well andtouched with excitementit’s a bloody bore. Theparty’s over.Czar Selig’s bizarrecontrivance – ordainingthe outcome to determinethe World Serieshome-field advantage– is an insult to baseballlogic once solidly rootedin immutable geometricsand common sense.Selig’s silly ploy wasactually the last straw.But as a footnote notonly to how much theevent has slipped butalso to how sharply theconcept has withered,consider this: Of the 72players on this year’srosters, exactly twothirds – 48 players – getsubstantial bonuses ontop of their hefty contractsfor being selected.Wouldn’t you think thatfor the salaries theseblokes command beingnamed an all-star wouldactually be demanded,rather than somevaguely happy surprise?So, this year wehave Miguel Cabrera,Tori Hunter, JustinVerlander, and DavidWright – averaging $20million-plus in annualsalary – each coppinga $100,000 bonus forplaying probably twoinnings. Another 24players, including includingyour own MessrsPedroia, Buchholz, andOrtiz will get $50,000extra. What a greatcountry!Interestingly, baseball’sAll-Star gameoriginated as a charityevent with participantsgetting a free lunch anda pat on the back. Butthat was once upon atime, which was a longtime ago.This summer the place to be is Venezia Restaurant! Veneziais the perfect place for lunch or dinner with friends, family, orco-workers! Their brand new renovation offers a spectacularsummer dining experience with an outdoor patio right on thewater, fun weekend entertainment and even a private room!Enjoy the beautiful Boston skyline and summer weather withamazing food right on the water at Venezia Restaurant! Comeby car or come by boat!
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