Stop Schuler
The politics of sports
Corey Kempf
Issue date: 10/5/06 Section: Sports
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292-for-593, 3691 yards, 15 touchdowns, 33 interceptions. No, these aren't Brett Favre's statistics from 2005. These are Heath Shuler's statistics over the course of his four year NFL career.
Why is this important? Because it's the basis for a grassroots organization trying to keep Shuler from returning to Washington, D.C., where he was 4-15 as the quarterback of the Redskins from 1994-96.
You see, Shuler is running for Congress in the 11th District of North Carolina, but the folks at stopshuler.com have other plans, not because Shuler is in favor of this or that but because, well, I'll let them explain it, as blogged on their website in response to an attack ad by Shuler's opponent, Charles Taylor:
"It starts off promising -- crowd noises and talk of the 'rookie Heath Shuler.' But then it goes into this whole thing about Nancy Pelosi and we think accuses Shuler of supporting gay, illegal immigrant weddings/flag burnings (which we're actually in favor of, by the way). It, however, completely fails to mention that SHULER WAS A TERRIBLE NFL QUARTERBACK."
Completely understandable. I'd be pissed too. But wait, there's more. The group actually created an attack ad of its own. Here's what is said:
"Heath Shuler wants to go back to Washington, but let's take a look at the Shuler record: Shuler was a No. 3 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, he held out until given a nine-year $19 million contract, yet the Redskins went 4-15 under his leadership, and his career quarterback rating is a Ryan Leaf-like 54.3. Don't let Heath Shuler anywhere near Washington or the Redskins. STOP SHULER!"
Ouch. And you thought John Kerry was doomed in the 2004 election over his Vietnam War record.
But is it really fair of us to judge a former sports star turned political candidate solely on his playing career?
Of course it is!
You have to understand the mindset of a sports fan. These are the people that think it wasn't strange that Wade Boggs had to eat chicken before every game, had to take exactly 150 ground balls in practice, had to take batting practice at exactly 5:17 and run sprints at no later than 7:17, and had to write the Hebrew word "Chai," meaning "Life," in the batter's box before every at-bat even though he isn't Jewish.
Why is this important? Because it's the basis for a grassroots organization trying to keep Shuler from returning to Washington, D.C., where he was 4-15 as the quarterback of the Redskins from 1994-96.
You see, Shuler is running for Congress in the 11th District of North Carolina, but the folks at stopshuler.com have other plans, not because Shuler is in favor of this or that but because, well, I'll let them explain it, as blogged on their website in response to an attack ad by Shuler's opponent, Charles Taylor:
"It starts off promising -- crowd noises and talk of the 'rookie Heath Shuler.' But then it goes into this whole thing about Nancy Pelosi and we think accuses Shuler of supporting gay, illegal immigrant weddings/flag burnings (which we're actually in favor of, by the way). It, however, completely fails to mention that SHULER WAS A TERRIBLE NFL QUARTERBACK."
Completely understandable. I'd be pissed too. But wait, there's more. The group actually created an attack ad of its own. Here's what is said:
"Heath Shuler wants to go back to Washington, but let's take a look at the Shuler record: Shuler was a No. 3 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, he held out until given a nine-year $19 million contract, yet the Redskins went 4-15 under his leadership, and his career quarterback rating is a Ryan Leaf-like 54.3. Don't let Heath Shuler anywhere near Washington or the Redskins. STOP SHULER!"
Ouch. And you thought John Kerry was doomed in the 2004 election over his Vietnam War record.
But is it really fair of us to judge a former sports star turned political candidate solely on his playing career?
Of course it is!
You have to understand the mindset of a sports fan. These are the people that think it wasn't strange that Wade Boggs had to eat chicken before every game, had to take exactly 150 ground balls in practice, had to take batting practice at exactly 5:17 and run sprints at no later than 7:17, and had to write the Hebrew word "Chai," meaning "Life," in the batter's box before every at-bat even though he isn't Jewish.
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