10 SPORTS FEBRUARY 22, 2018 Tulane baseball starts season off swinging

BY SHEA DOBSON STAFF WRITER

From the Basement is a weekly column in which the Hulla baloo Sports team discusses its opinion on contemporary sports issues. COURTESY OF JOSH JESSIMAN I LeBron James is nothing less than a superstar. He has un- PHOTO EDITOR questionably been the face of for more than a decade. At this point, he may even be the face of professional sports Tulane's dugout looks on in the United States. While critics continue to debate wheth with anticipation during er LeBron or retired star Michael Jordan should Saturday's game. The Green hold the crown, very few people have challenged James' hu Wave will face off against manitarian work off the court. University of Mississippi on James' charity, the Le Bron James Family Foundation, has put Friday. more than $40 million into funding college scholarships for Ohio-area schoolchildren. James also donated $2.5 million to the Muhammad Ali museum and an additional $2.5 million to the Boys and Girls Club of America. In addition, the Cavaliers superstar made a recent $350,000 donation after his All-Star Game victory. His impact on his Cleveland area community cannot be overstated. James, nevertheless, was the object of criticism last week. Laura Ingraham, radio host and Fox News contributor, made comments last week in response to a video of James and fel- low NBA star Kevin Durant on UNINTERUPPTED, a website co-founded by James. After James said that President "doesn't give a fuck about the people," Ingraham, a vocal supporter of Trump, responded by criticizing James for leaving high school early to play in the NBA. This statement was incor rect, as James did graduate before being drafted by the Cleve land Cavaliers. Ingraham added that James should "shut up and dribble". The Fox News host attempted to clarify that her comments were not racially charged. She made similar comments toward and Gregg Popovich, two white NBA coaches. Laura Ingraham believes James' political opinions arc less valid than others' because of his level of education and his profession. Demographic charts, however, show ｴ ｨ ｾ ｴ Trump's victory was propelled by people who had only a high school education or less. Would Ingraham attack the political opinions of these individuals on the basis of their education level if the opinions were in support of Trump? LeBron James is an American citizen. Therefore, his First Amendment rights entitle him to voice his political opinions in whatever peaceful manner he pleases. Of course, Ingraham to conclude the seventh inning and tie the game. With is entitled to the same right as well. Ingraham chose to use her BY CARRIGAN ENGLISH no scores in the eighth or nintfi innings, the game went voice to minimize the voices of others, showing her lack of re- SPORTS EDITOR into extra innings tied at 5 5. Finally, at the oottom of spect for the good works many of these professional athletes the 10th inning, junior catcher Acy 0wen ｳ ｬ ｡ ｮ ｾ ｭ ･ ､ a have done. This 9ast weekend, Green Wave baseball opened its triple to bring Iiome sophomore outfielder Kob1 Owen In 1968, after winning a set of Olympic medals, Tommie season 111 the most sweeping way possible. In facing ana take the series. off against the Wright State Raiders, the team brou_ght Smith and John Carlos stepped to the podium and raised With the series safely secured under its belt, the gloved fists to the sky, a Black Power salute. The crowd booed home three victories to wm the series and leave fans Green Wave entered the third game with Wright State and hissed. The two were stripped of their medals (though both wanting more. confident, a ch_aracteristic ､ ･ ｭ ｯ ｮ ｳ ｴ ｾ ｡ ｴ ･ ､ through its Even though the series would eventually become a performance. Even though the Raiders scored ｴ ｾ ｯ refused to return them) and forced to leave the country where breeze for the Green Wave, the opening game proved runs in the first inning, fhe Wave was able to recip- the games had been held. It's incredibly disheartening that, 50 to be a point of struggle. The Wave ｾ ｡ ､ tbe upper. hand rocate and overpower the Raiders. Tulane truly took years later, some people would still have such a violent reaction during the first half of the game with two runs 111 the the game during the fifth inning when a total of four to an athlete speaking his mind. second inning and a third run in the fourth. When the runs were scorea, and the tally was brought to 7 4. The '/'his is an opinion article and does not reflect the views of Raiders cameoack to tie the game at the tOJ? of the sev- team did not stop here, ear!1ing ｡ ｾ Ｑ additional two r1:1ns The Tulane Hullabaloo. Shea is a sophomore at Newcomb-'foltme enth inning, the game became a real nail-biter. Finally, in both the seventh and e1ghtb innings and bnng111g College. lk can be reached at sdobson 11 tulane.eclu. at the conclusion of the seventh inning, senior desig- the final core to L1 5. The Green Wave walked away nated hitter Matt Rowland took a crucial walk with tfie from its first series victorious, having completed a bases loaded to win the game. well-deserved series sweep. The second game on Saturday followed the pattern Tulane students can only hope that this early suc- of the first, leaving fans on the edge of their seat . ce s will continue into next weekend's series at the Wright State took fhe lead early in tbe fourth inning University of Mississippi. The series will begin on Fri- where it kept growing even into the late innings. The day at 4 p.m. Green Wave began its comeback by coring three runs