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<article class="section sports"><div class="title-container"><h2 class="topic"><span class="title">Sports Authority</span></h2><ul class="see-social addthis_toolbox" addthis:url="http://ndsmcobserver.com/2017/08/kolakowski-sports-authority-harvey/" addthis:title="Kolakowski: Hurricane Harvey is bigger than baseball" addthis:description="Kolakowski: Hurricane Harvey is bigger than baseball"><li><a class="addthis_button_email email"></a></li><li><a class="addthis_button_facebook facebook"></a></li><li><a class="addthis_button_twitter twitter"></a></li></ul></div><div class="content-header"><h3>Kolakowski: Hurricane Harvey is bigger than baseball</h3><p class="info"><a href="http://ndsmcobserver.com/author/rkolakowski/" title="Posts by Ryan Kolakowski" class="author url fn" rel="author">Ryan Kolakowski</a> | Wednesday, August 30, 2017</p></div><div class="content-body"><p>In recent days, Hurricane Harvey has had a tremendous impact on south Texas. The storm made landfall in Rockport, Texas, later making its way up to Houston. Harvey has swept through the gulf coast of the state, leaving destroyed homes and flooded infrastructure in its wake. Currently, 19 are counted as dead while several others are still missing. Many of those who are safe from harm have a long road to recovery ahead.</p><p>Due to the flooding and damage in south Texas, the division-leading Houston Astros were given the difficult task of determining how they would play their upcoming home games. While Minute Maid Park, the Astros’ home ballpark, is in good condition, the city of Houston cannot support their team at this time. It would be unsafe for fans to travel to the park, and it is not in the best interest of the city to be hosting Major League Baseball games. The next home series for the Astros comes against the Texas Rangers, a divisional rival that has their own playoff aspirations. The Astros and Rangers have one final series scheduled next month in Arlington, so the Astros requested to simply trade the home sites of the two series. The upcoming series would then take place in Arlington, and the final series would take place in Houston.</p><p>The Rangers declined.</p><p>From a baseball perspective, the reasoning of the Rangers makes some sense here. The organization surely doesn’t want to lose the ticket revenue from trading locations at the last minute. Additionally, the Rangers are on the fringe of the American League wild card race, sitting 3 games behind the Minnesota Twins. It is logical that they do not want to suddenly change locations, possibly making their players uncomfortable. It is also understandable that the Rangers do not want to desert an important home series in exchange for a road series during the most critical month of the season.</p><p>Reid Ryan, president of the Houston Astros, indicated that the Rangers decided not to trade series locations. The upcoming series has now been relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, and fans are outraged. People are taking to social media to criticize the Rangers organization. Individuals across the nation are weighing in on the matter. Everyone seems to notice the disagreement that is taking place between the Astros and the Rangers.</p><p>Unfortunately, these same fans do not seem to notice the tragedy that is taking place in Houston.</p><p>This is not about a Rangers organization that declined to trade series locations. This is not about an Astros team that now has to play six home games in a foreign ballpark. This is not about baseball in any sense.</p><p>Hurricane Harvey is a whole lot bigger than baseball. Stop the Twitter reactions. Stop the talking heads who have a problem with the Rangers organization. While it is unfortunate that the Astros have to play home games in Florida, it is not a disaster.</p><p>The disaster is that many in Houston do not know where they will be living for an undetermined amount of time. The disaster is that many in Houston do not know where or when they will receive their next meal. The disaster is that lives have been lost.</p><p>Individuals across the country cannot simply point fingers and shame the Rangers organization. Rather, we, as a nation, should rally together and care for our fellow Americans during their time of need.</p><p>This is bigger than the Rangers. This is bigger than the Astros. Hurricane Harvey is bigger than baseball.</p><p><i class="disclaimer">The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.</i></p> <span class="tags"></p></div>
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<img alt='' src="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/880a6f61fa39340b136c7acac98438ec?s=70&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g" srcset='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/880a6f61fa39340b136c7acac98438ec?s=140&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-70 photo' height='70' width='70' /><p></p>
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Atlas Genius and The Social Animals had a great performance this past weekend when they visited Legends here on campus. Photo credit: Caitlyn Jordan | The Observer"><img alt="Dedric Clark from @thesocialanimals jamming this past Saturday with @atlasgenius. Atlas Genius and The Social Animals had a great performance this past weekend when they visited Legends here on campus. Photo credit: Caitlyn Jordan | The Observer" src="https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8764/29373473195_8ba4980db6.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8764/29373473195_8ba4980db6.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">Dedric Clark from @thesocialanimals jamming this past Saturday with @atlasgenius. Atlas Genius and The Social Animals had a great performance this past weekend when they visited Legends here on campus. Photo credit: Caitlyn Jordan | The Observer</div></div></a><a href="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1643/25479105463_fca6ef43cf_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="V.J. Beachem got up to throw down earlier tonight in Philadelphia. Beachem posted 11 in the first half, but the Irish trail North Carolina at the break, 43-38. Photo credit: Michael Yu | The Observer"><img alt="V.J. Beachem got up to throw down earlier tonight in Philadelphia. Beachem posted 11 in the first half, but the Irish trail North Carolina at the break, 43-38. Photo credit: Michael Yu | The Observer" src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1643/25479105463_845007d86b.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1643/25479105463_845007d86b.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">V.J. Beachem got up to throw down earlier tonight in Philadelphia. Beachem posted 11 in the first half, but the Irish trail North Carolina at the break, 43-38. Photo credit: Michael Yu | The Observer</div></div></a><a href="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1583/25477657513_d4a288544e_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="The warmup isn’t just for the players tonight in Philadelphia. Fr. Pete McCormick gets in on the action before Notre Dame’s Elite Eight showdown with North Carolina. Photo credit: Michael Yu | The Observer"><img alt="The warmup isn’t just for the players tonight in Philadelphia. Fr. Pete McCormick gets in on the action before Notre Dame’s Elite Eight showdown with North Carolina. Photo credit: Michael Yu | The Observer" src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1583/25477657513_7360b2865d.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1583/25477657513_7360b2865d.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">The warmup isn’t just for the players tonight in Philadelphia. Fr. Pete McCormick gets in on the action before Notre Dame’s Elite Eight showdown with North Carolina. Photo credit: Michael Yu | The Observer</div></div></a><a href="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1457/25765762580_1168ac893b_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="For the third time in eight days, the Irish men pulled off a late, dramatic win in the NCAA tournament. Players mob head coach Mike Brey after the 61-56 win over Wisconsin, which advanced Notre Dame to the Elite Eight for the second straight year. Photo c"><img alt="For the third time in eight days, the Irish men pulled off a late, dramatic win in the NCAA tournament. Players mob head coach Mike Brey after the 61-56 win over Wisconsin, which advanced Notre Dame to the Elite Eight for the second straight year. Photo c" src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1457/25765762580_efdcf7145f.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1457/25765762580_efdcf7145f.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">For the third time in eight days, the Irish men pulled off a late, dramatic win in the NCAA tournament. Players mob head coach Mike Brey after the 61-56 win over Wisconsin, which advanced Notre Dame to the Elite Eight for the second straight year. Photo c</div></div></a><a href="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1621/25864109151_b5990680e5_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="The Irish men’s basketball squad was in a celebratory mood Sunday after freshman Rex Pflueger’s tip-in with 1.5 seconds left earned Notre Dame a second straight Sweet 16 berth. Photo credit: Emmet Farnan | The Observer"><img alt="The Irish men’s basketball squad was in a celebratory mood Sunday after freshman Rex Pflueger’s tip-in with 1.5 seconds left earned Notre Dame a second straight Sweet 16 berth. Photo credit: Emmet Farnan | The Observer" src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1621/25864109151_067ce41013.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1621/25864109151_067ce41013.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">The Irish men’s basketball squad was in a celebratory mood Sunday after freshman Rex Pflueger’s tip-in with 1.5 seconds left earned Notre Dame a second straight Sweet 16 berth. Photo credit: Emmet Farnan | The Observer</div></div></a><a href="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1528/25917318255_6bcb6a38a3_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="Senior forward Zach Auguste talks with reporters Saturday in Brooklyn. Prep for Sunday’s showdown with Stephen F. Austin with our preview | http://ift.tt/1UcU9Wl"><img alt="Senior forward Zach Auguste talks with reporters Saturday in Brooklyn. Prep for Sunday’s showdown with Stephen F. Austin with our preview | http://ift.tt/1UcU9Wl" src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1528/25917318255_24a7e78afa.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1528/25917318255_24a7e78afa.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">Senior forward Zach Auguste talks with reporters Saturday in Brooklyn. Prep for Sunday’s showdown with Stephen F. Austin with our preview | http://ift.tt/1UcU9Wl</div></div></a><a href="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1640/24635928020_9031fb4058_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="The Observer encourages all students to participate in the 2016 student government elections by voting today. Hear about each ticket's platform here: https://youtu.be/Vq_VB0Mzir4"><img alt="The Observer encourages all students to participate in the 2016 student government elections by voting today. Hear about each ticket&#039;s platform here: https://youtu.be/Vq_VB0Mzir4" src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1640/24635928020_c58ce0a4a5.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1640/24635928020_c58ce0a4a5.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">The Observer encourages all students to participate in the 2016 student government elections by voting today. Hear about each ticket&#039;s platform here: https://youtu.be/Vq_VB0Mzir4</div></div></a><a href="https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5806/22426315329_e978414097_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="KeiVarae Russell's been a key to Notre Dame's last two victories and is just getting back to his old form. Read more about his journey back to ND and the rest of our pre-Pittsburgh Irish Insider coverage here: http://ift.tt/20yJZ3i"><img alt="KeiVarae Russell&#039;s been a key to Notre Dame&#039;s last two victories and is just getting back to his old form. Read more about his journey back to ND and the rest of our pre-Pittsburgh Irish Insider coverage here: http://ift.tt/20yJZ3i" src="https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5806/22426315329_839f692a4d.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5806/22426315329_839f692a4d.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">KeiVarae Russell&#039;s been a key to Notre Dame&#039;s last two victories and is just getting back to his old form. Read more about his journey back to ND and the rest of our pre-Pittsburgh Irish Insider coverage here: http://ift.tt/20yJZ3i</div></div></a><a href="https://farm1.static.flickr.com/702/22661273571_6718174b30_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="Safety Elijah Shumate has become a steady force in the secondary and is featured on this week's Irish Insider cover—read all about it before ND takes on Temple tonight: bit.ly/1KNxMfr"><img alt="Safety Elijah Shumate has become a steady force in the secondary and is featured on this week&#039;s Irish Insider cover—read all about it before ND takes on Temple tonight: bit.ly/1KNxMfr" src="https://farm1.static.flickr.com/702/22661273571_19d53c763e.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm1.static.flickr.com/702/22661273571_19d53c763e.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">Safety Elijah Shumate has become a steady force in the secondary and is featured on this week&#039;s Irish Insider cover—read all about it before ND takes on Temple tonight: bit.ly/1KNxMfr</div></div></a><a href="https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5772/21044457213_6a14d7f283_o.jpg" rel="flickrGal0" title="The ND defensive line might be smiling for our latest Irish Insider cover, but they'll be a fearsome force come Saturday vs. UMass"><img alt="The ND defensive line might be smiling for our latest Irish Insider cover, but they&#039;ll be a fearsome force come Saturday vs. UMass" src="https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5772/21044457213_fc1227b377.jpg" data-safe-src="https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5772/21044457213_fc1227b377.jpg" /><div class="caption"><div class="photo-title">The ND defensive line might be smiling for our latest Irish Insider cover, but they&#039;ll be a fearsome force come Saturday vs. UMass</div></div></a></div><script type="text/javascript">function fjgwppInit_flickrGal0(){jQuery("#flickrGal0").on('jg.complete',function(){jQuery("#flickrGal0").find("> a").swipebox();}).justifiedGallery({'lastRow':'justify','rowHeight':200,'fixedHeight':false,'captions':true,'randomize':false,'margins':5,'sizeRangeSuffixes':{'lt100':'_t','lt240':'_m','lt320':'_n','lt500':'','lt640':'_z','lt1024':'_b'}});}if(typeof fjgwpp_galleriesInit_functions==="undefined")fjgwpp_galleriesInit_functions=[];fjgwpp_galleriesInit_functions.push(fjgwppInit_flickrGal0);</script> </div></div><div class="ad wide"><p>Advertisement</p><div id='div-gpt-ad-1409720860912-3-2' style='width:300px; height:250px;'> <script type='text/javascript'>googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1409720860912-3-2');});</script> </div></div><ul class="social-links"><li class="facebook"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Observer/132067246819113">Like Us on Facebook</a></li><li class="twitter"><a href="https://twitter.com/NDSMCObserver">Follow Us on Twitter</a></li><li class="instagram"><a href="https://instagram.com/ndsmcobserver/">Follow Us on Instagram</a></li><li class="youtube"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/NDSMCObserver">Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel</a></li></ul><div class="ad wide"><p>Advertisement</p><div id='div-gpt-ad-1409720860912-3-3' style='width:300px; height:250px;'> <script type='text/javascript'>googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1409720860912-3-3');});</script> </div></div><div class="ad wide"><p>Advertisement</p> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
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