The Blue Jays embody every quality that Trump does not
By Lethbridge Herald on October 22, 2025.
Editor,
Now that the Blue Jays are headed to the World Series against the L.A. Dodgers, I wish to salute them.
Their victory came about because of team management pulling the strings at the right time. The field manager John Schneider would build their confidence and not panic. He would put in or pull out players for specific situations. He understood his pitchers’ abilities for each game. He wisely used his assistant coaches. Above the field manager, the upper management knew when to bring in players at the trade deadline, knew when to get players that other teams gave up on, and when to bring up new players from the minor leagues. Their success came about from many players on and off the roster, and they were able to overcome injuries when they had to.
Their success was based on intelligence, grace under pressure, unselfish players thinking of the team and not their individual statistics, merited promotions, and an overall sense of common purpose. And all this came from players and management who were not born rich but had the spirit of attaining goals with hard work, even though some players came from poverty situations in Latin America.
It wasn’t just the aspect of being “Canada’s Team” that engaged and impressed me, and it wasn’t just great athletic skill. It occurred to me recently that the success of the Toronto Blue Jays represents everything that Donald Trump is not.
Trump lies, cheats and steals. In professional sports they work hard to eliminate the few players who cheat (steroids, gambling).
Trump treats the law like a game to overcome with lawsuits and the friendly MAGA judges he appoints. In sports, the leagues do everything they can to build rules that are unquestioned and understood by every team in every game.
Trump appoints people with unwavering loyalty to himself. Professional sports promotes athletes based on merit—if you can hit a fastball three times out of 10, you will play in the big leagues.
Trump continually talks about his “achievements” and speaks poorly and erratically. Professional athletes rarely brag in public about their skills, and even inarticulate athletes can put coherent sentences together for the media.
Trump often makes dangerous or ridiculous laws and executive orders (tariffs) while professional sports leagues find out quickly that if the fans don’t like something, they change it.
Trump has a thinly disguised contempt for poor nations and disadvantaged people because they are not “winners.” Professional athletes are known for their kindness to fans and their charity work.
Trump is borderline obese, has physical ailments he tries to hide, has vanity hair and makeup and seems to have no sense of humour. Professional athletes often exhibit inspiring grace under pressure—for example, Alejandro Kirk, coming out of poverty in Tijuana, hitting a grand slam to lead the Jays to one of their most important victories.
I can watch a three-hour Blue Jays game. I can’t watch Trump for more than one minute.
Allan Wilson
Lethbridge
16-15
Yes I really appreciate the managers use of the f bombs in interviews. Nothing says I’m a role model better than swearing openly on National TV.
When the Jays win and Trump invites them to the White House I will pop the popcorn and wait for your reaction.
If you are troubled by Schnieder’s post-game remarks, you must also be troubled by President Trump’s language. He uses more profane language in public comments than any other US president I can think of.
Good point!
given that swearing is now vogue in the world of politics, seen as being tough and for the people, it is not just trump who represents the vulgar. and, of course, 2 wrongs do not make a right
For someone who is offended by the word F@CK being emotionally projected after a baseball game, what are your thoughts regarding “F@CK Trudeau” stickers on many vehicles and easily seen by all?
He likely designed the graphic language depicted on vehicles and T shirts. “Do as I say, not as I do”.
Just can’t help yourself can you? You must be a real gem of a person to hang around with!
One correction. You stated, “if you can hit a fastball three times out of 10, you will play in the big leagues.”
Not quite accurate. As the old saying goes, if you can’t hit a curveball, you will never play in teh big leagues…lol.
That’s OK, I will NEVER root for the Blue Jays. I don’t like how the media assumes how everyone in Canada has to jump on the bandwagon.
The dodgers just have to stick Otani out there by himself… that should do it. =)
Dodgers win another one for Reno Lizzi!
No idea why you would refer to the Jays that way, but that’s your business. That said, Shohei Ohtani is a generational player and the Dodgers are well coached (as the Jays are) and are loaded with talent (as the Jays are). I’m hoping for some excellent baseball!
Really? That’s your reasoning? I’m lost for words.
Look, I’m not a bandwagoner. I was raised with the teams I supported way back from when I was a kid. just because the GD Blue Jays are in the World Series and I’m in Canada doesn’t mean I have to jump on that bandwagon. I root for my other teams that are not Canadian also because I grew up with them. get it?
And the Blue Jays managed to choke it away… now what does that embody?
baseball is a fun game to play and to be a part of, as are most games. however, that any game has become “professional” and is approached so seriously seems silly. but, that is capitalism, which celebrates competition over cooperation.
in this case, just because one team has a cdn named city on its way over priced fan jerseys and caps and such, and the other an american city name, also selling over priced shirts and caps and the like, does not mean one is really more cdn or less american than the other. in fact all teams in all the major sports take advantage of socially conditioned consumer driven fanatics by charging disgusting amounts for seats, concessions….all to pay the disgusting salaries of the players and those in the business. the real winners, of course, are the players and owners – and over the past few years, the jewelers, whose ostentatious chains seem to have become an official part of uniforms in virtually every of the gluttonous major league sports.
as for cdn pride, the actual cdn content on the teams combined looks to be 2: vlad with the jays, and freeman with dodgers. in each case, neither really grew up in canada, as vlad was primarily raised in the dominican and freeman in southern california.
while there is sentiment to be found in having an american championship taken by a cdn city, the world will not be a better place no matter who wins what amounts to a contest of consumer driven drivel. in fact, the city of the team that wins 4 games is likely to be loser when it comes to the cost of ensuing mayhem.
with any luck, though, the games will be free from organised crime’s vast gaming influence.