As an author, it's consistently humorous to me when people simply assume that a reading audience will comprehend what was meant to be written, as opposed to what was actually written. For the mathematical among you, here's the equation: "The sky is blue" does not equal "The sky is red." Write what you INTEND your point to be and you won't have to whine about being picked on. Awaiting the "waaah"
posted by Saint714 at 07:07 PM on January 26, 2006
sfts2 wrote: "I did not say completely devoid, and I said 'for the most part some of the ..." Strange ... I re-read your post word-for-word and the words "for the most part some of the" don't appear anywhere in the post. What ... you studied at the Dick Cheney School of Public Speaking, or something? Make a statement that's recorded and eminently quotable, and then when called on it, deny you said it or claim you said something entirely different? Semantics are one thing, but outright misrepresentation of words is another. Simply own up to your post being the result of over-exhuberant fanboyness. A simple "Sorry folks, I typed before I thought" will suffice. And what ... NOBODY is going to comment about Roger Maris being the only one who genuinely deserves the HR record? Everyone since Maguire has been a chemical fake. Gauntlet dropped.
posted by Saint714 at 11:55 AM on January 26, 2006
I am, in fact, the author of "Mighty Theo at the Helm." Wrote it the morning that the "pending announcement" was announced. Again, have to give proper respects and credits to Doctor Thayer for the original. Living in Arizona, the day that the Randy Johnson trade was announced, I said to my dad, "The first time he pulls that prima-dona 'too good for the fans' routine, New Yorkers will crucify him. His slap-the-cameraman nonsense was met with far more patience and acceptance than I expected. As for Giambi, I can't give him too much credit because he only "came clean" after serious and lengthy prodding from his attorneys who convinced him that the authorities had him red-handed in the steroid soup, and that his achievements weren't nearly measurable enough to withstand the media and fan storm if he followed the path of so many of his contemporaries and lied his ass off and denied the allegations. It's probably been said here many times before, but I FIRMLY believe that the home run record should inarguably and singly be returned to Roger Maris. NOBODY has broken 61 au natural, and NOBODY should be given artificially manipulated credit for having done so. Did anyone see Maguire at his Hall of Fame induction? 70 pounds lighter and looking extremely Barney Fife-ish. Yet we're supposed to believe he wasn't injecting? In the words of Richard Pryor, "Niggah, PLEASE!" And I'd have to use words like scumbag, coward, liar, pampered priss and rectal cavity to begin approaching my opinion of A-hole-Rod. What I'm waiting for is to see how red the fans' glare is in Boston if Rocket returns.
posted by Saint714 at 12:39 AM on January 26, 2006
" ... the 95-05 Yankees for the most part are some of the most respected players out there, curiously devoid of a-holes and slackers. When's the last time you saw a Yank stand around and study a HR like ManRam or Bonds. Doesn't happen. They are pros and classy players, as classy as any in the league and more." Uh ... yeah. The way A-Rod slapped that ball out of Arroyo's glove was done with impeccable class. The way he stood around crying victim and pretending to be offended when he was called on his appalling display of poor sportsmanship and play-interference was done with class. The way he got in Varitek's face over a blatantly accurate umpire call was done with class. And then there was that utterly classy move of beating up a groundskeeper and kicking him in the back when he was down on the ground. Uber-classy, that one was. " ... curiously devoid of a-holes?" Pardon me, but it's my considered opinion that Alex Rodriguez is the king of a-holenia. And Yankees fans define their team by him and Jeter (who I'll grant you, has legitimate class compared to A-hole-Rod's faux-class). And just look at all the WS rings A-Rod has been personally responsible for. Staggering.
posted by Saint714 at 11:02 PM on January 25, 2006
Mighty Theo at the Helm By Gary St. Lawrence, ©2006 (With pulchritudous thanks and acknowledgment to Ernest L. Thayer, ©1888) The outlook had been dismal for the Beantown club that year, The team let go of Theo, with politics the reason clear. And then when Hoyer and Cherington took his place, and Lajoie as well, A pall-like silence struck the Nation, a muttered gasp, "Oh hell!" A straggling few still weathered through winter's dark unrest. The rest clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast. They thought, "if only Theo could but get another shot. We'd win another Series, with Theo back in the top spot." But John Henry is no novice, perhaps a fool but not a fake; and the Mighty Theo made it all look like such a piece of cake. So upon that fateful Halloween, in gorilla-suit was spurned; there seemed no chance at all we had of getting Theo to return. But Mike Dee worked several angles, with Werner at his side. And Henry, the oft-despised, had to go along for the ride. After ten long weeks of suffering, we all saw what transpired, With a month before Spring Training, Mighty Theo had been rehired. From five states surrounding Fenway, there rose a lusty yell; it rumbled through the burrows; New Yorkers writhed in Hell; it pounded through the mountains and recoiled in the air; for Theo, mighty Theo, was returning to the chair. There was ease in Theo's manner as he stepped into his place, there was pride in Theo's bearing and a smile lit Theo's face. And when, responding to the cheers, he deftly approached the mike, Not a NESN fan would wonder what the oh-six season would be like. Twelve million eyes were on him via cable, air and dish. Five million fans were giddy, for they'd finally got their wish. Then, while Lucchino gnashed and cursed and cried, defiance flashed in Theo's eye, a smile curled Theo's lip. And now the Beantown papers, known for their bitter charl, had to concede that Theo restored the inspired days of Carl. About the fledgling manager, the news like wildfire spread -- "They left the light on," said Casey. "Boston used its head." From Maine to Arizona, there went up a muffled roar, like the beating of the storm waves on a stern and distant shore. "Beat the evil empire!" shouted folks from near and far, and it's oh so very possible again, since Theo'd set the bar. With a smile of champion charity, great Theo's visage showed; he stilled the negotiation tumult, with confidence he strode. He signaled to the partners, once more he'd be in charge. And the knew they must approve it, his record was that large. "Hail!" cheered ESPN viewers, and SportsTalk echoed "Hail!" And one scornful look from Pesky set the Boston papers pale. Fans on S.O.S.H.-dot-com penned "Yes!" and "Sweet!" and "Hooray!"; for they knew that Theo wouldn't let another World Series slip away. With Damon gone to haircut row, and Pedro now a Met; With talk of Clemens coming back, and Arroyo now a vet; With Varitek wearing that well-deserved "C", and Papi's ever-smile, the return of "that kid from Little League" would set the Sox in style. So, somewhere in this troubled land the sun is shining bright. The band is playing "Tessie", and New England hearts are light. And Sox fans all are laughing, while Yankees fans talk smack; for there is such joy in Beantown - mighty Theo Epstein's back.
posted by Saint714 at 07:28 PM on January 25, 2006
Meet the new boss ... same as the old boss
Honest and non-provoking question for JerseyGirl: Why is it perfectly acceptable for "N-people" to use the "N-word" in everything from simple conversation to song lyrics? Funny how the N-word isn't offensive if it's raking in MTV revenue or perpetuating cop-killah stereotypes among rappers and movie stars, but it's offensive-to-the-core if it's used by anyone else. Hypocrisy knows no color. It's JUST A WORD. If it's acceptable when spoken by one group, it should be acceptable when spoken by all groups. I'm sick of this racial double-standard that's constantly in play. If I founded the United Caucasian College Fund, people would be calling me a racist and a Nazi. But if I walk into the United Negro College Fund and request college loan funds, I'll be told that I'm disqualified because I'm caucasian. I'd be branded a white supremacist if I tried to support the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Caucasian People), but the other NAACP gets government subsidies and is tax-exempt for the practice of catering to one specific race. HOW IS THAT NOT RACIST? And it's about 90 years too late to try playing the slavery card. Nobody in the last four generations of my family would have even been alive in the time of slavery. Was it a horrible, unfair and sadistic practice? Of course it was. But how long should a race be "entitled" to compensation? I don't see anyone in this country lining up to pay Jewish people for their suffering and death from 60 years ago. So why should people-of-color/blacks/African-Americans (or whatever the current "proper" politically correct term is) be entitled to compensation for something that happened on a FAR smaller scale 120 years ago? As George Carlin said, "Nobody gets upset when Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor use the "N-word" ... why? Because they're N-word." THERE is your goose and gander.
posted by Saint714 at 07:24 PM on January 26, 2006