Try a little tenderness (Bo Jackson book)

Ever notice when a book comes out, some outlets immediately look for one or two negative things the author might write in an attempt to build buzz? Oooh, someone said something about a teammate, owner, or organization (google for news about A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez, by Selena Roberts or The Yankee Years, by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci. What hath Ball Four wrought?). These are usually found in the sports section of tabloids that are looking to heat up the conversation and get more eyes on their product, not necessarily the book in question. Many people might buy it based on such a newspaper story, only to be disappointed when it’s just a tiny part of an otherwise average narrative.

So now we have the new bio, The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson, by Jeff Perlman. Given his past success in works about the Mets, Lakers, and Cowboys, among others, you would think his reputation would be enough. But apparently the New York Post disagrees and offers this “helpful” headline to spice things up: “MLB legend Frank Thomas called out as ‘douchebag’ by ex-teammate in new book.”

My response:

So…

what?

In just about any sports environment — no, check that, any workplace environment — you’re going to have people who might think of a colleague is a “douchebag.” Grow the heck up.

I may be going too far afield here but this whole thing made me think of this piece in The New York Times about the growing lack of civility in any attempt at a meaningful discussion in politics (“Barack Obama Lamented the Attack on Paul Pelosi. Then He Got Heckled.”)

In the first incident, less than 10 minutes after Mr. Obama took the stage, a man in the crowd shouted at him while he was lamenting Friday’s attack on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, and the rise of violent political rhetoric….

Mr. Obama told the man, “You wouldn’t do that a workplace. It’s not how we do things. This is part of the point I want to make. Just basic civility and courtesy works.”

And get off my lawn.