- 05:32 PM
- 04/18/24
The culture of this site is alienating Yankee fans. The two principal moderators -- one of whom decidedly does not like the Yankees, the other just this week went from enjoying Yankee suffering to pitying it -- either consciously or unconsciously (I prefer to think the latter) enable and facilitate that culture. They aren't deliberately unfair, but they do have biases. The handling of the playoff posts is just one example. The Yankees are a lightening rod for hate and there's little counterbalance here. I have tried to provide some of that counterbalance. Everyone has a limit for how many times they can be told to get over it before they'll walk away from a pointless fight. Take a look around and count the regular contributors who are Yankee fans. I've heard a few longtime members comment that not long ago that there used to be more but they're not as vocal anymore. Just since I've been here I know there are Yankee fans still contributing on this site who no longer seem interested in discussing the Yankees here. I never, not once, asked for or sought sympathy. And I didn't ask for this drama. I didn't put up this thread. I was perfectly happy to say my mind to rcade and walk away quietly. My argument was so badly misrepresented that I felt I had to say something, and I did owe an apology. For my trouble I get a lot of unwanted attention and a fresh set of footprints on the seat of my pants. I'm not leaving because I'm wounded or hurt, I'm leaving because I finally sobered up enough to realize this party just isn't my taste. I will always remember this place as the one where I was called a whiny ass titty baby the most.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 12:02 PM on October 11, 2007
I think I should clarify this before it gets any further along -- like goddam, I had no issue at all with the specific phrase "early exit." I'm not sure where that notion came from. I took issue with the timing, quality and source of the post, the general biases of both the post and the article toward the Yankees' loss as opposed to the Indians' victory, and the fact that no other series had been covered at all, let alone in such abrupt fashion. If you want to continue to debate whether "early exit" was proper don't let me stop you, but for what it's worth my issue wasn't with specific semantics.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 01:40 PM on October 10, 2007
Is that fair? Probably not, but non-Yankees fans might think it's also not fair that the Yankees have won 26 championships. That sentiment gets right to the crux of why I am leaving. That number 26 means nothing to me -- I wasn't alive for 20 of them and the six I did see did nothing to keep me from rooting just as hard (and this year, for personal reasons, probably 100 times harder) for my team to win. Nobody here can contol the distribution of wins and dollars. The distribution of fair handling is controllable. There's a pervasive air here (other places, too, of course, but more disappointingly here) that you can offer less consideration to Yankees fans and dump on their team harder because they've won more. Maybe that's justifiable on some level, but it's not the place I want to hang out.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 12:41 PM on October 10, 2007
I actually told rcade I wasn't going to do this, but I changed my mind for the singular reason that I think that 1) I owe the community an apology for my indefensible use of vulgar language Monday night (though I maintain that I stand by the sentiment); and 2) I should quit properly and publicly. My issues with rcade's first post after the Yankees loss are these: 1) it was a throwaway AP article that was tossed up minutes after the game ended -- it was, in effect, a game recap with some regurgitated conjecture about the future of the Yankees that has been running in the mill since February. 1a) (added on edit) The real story about Joe Torre's future broke Sunday morning when Steinbrenner made the remark. Nothing went up about it then. Nothing in Monday's AP article was new news -- some was 2 days old, some was a year old, some was the same "oh my god, the team's breaking up" that has been the annual ritual since 2001. 2) there was no precedent to such hurrying to get a post up for any of the other series. Additionally, equally big stories on which rcade has posted, like the USC upset, were apparently worthy of waiting until the next day's well-developed copy. 3) This comment made by rcade during last year's ALDS. I am still relatively new to this whole blogging thing, but in a short time I have learned a little bit about how to respect my fellow bloggers. I slip from time to time (like I did Monday night) but I do try to be considerate. For that reason, I try to stay away from posting negative stories about rivals of my team where I might leave the sense that I was revelling in their misery. When I saw that weak post go up Monday night, knowing rcade's feeling about the Yankees, I felt he was gloating. It was the wrong article at the wrong time from the wrong person. I wrote to rcade Tuesday morning with a clearer head and told him that I stood by my comment on Monday night. He then banned me until I apologized. I am going to copy my reply to that notice below: You can't fire me, I already quit. I apologize for the vulgarity but not the sentiment. If you can honestly look inside your soul and write me back and say that you put up that FPP without an ounce of glee, without a bit of revelry in the state of Yankees affairs, or even if you can tell me you actually spent any time looking for the most well-written and insightful observation of the series and the possible scenarios in aftermath, keeping with the high standards clearly stated in the SportsFilter guidelines, I will issue you a full apology. If you can't do that and your best defense is that I overreacted, then I don't think I'm the one who should be apologizing. I believe I and the other Yankee fans were unfairly and unkindly taunted, and beyond that I believe you see that kind of taunting as acceptable. And for that I would like to kindly invite you to have sex with yourself. I can't express my feelings any better than that. I didn't "suggest I might quit." I quit. I will continue to read here selectively, but I'm done opening myself to abuse. I live in Red Sox territory and I don't get near as bad treatment outside as I do in here. Outside they just throw stuff at me. I now invite you to the dozen or so comments about my oversensitivity, which I will read. They will undoubtedly make me feel so much worse about my decision. Again, to rcade and to those who saw it, I apologize for the way I expressed myself Monday night.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:19 AM on October 10, 2007
No game tonight. (Also, awesome job, Chico.)
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:19 AM on October 04, 2007
That video is appropriate for every occassion, JG. You should post it in the lawyer thread so we call out the character of Irish Jig Instructors. I don't have a link for you SDD, but there's one I wish I had. My dad, brother, girlfriend and I went down to Baltimore for the Yankees' final game Sunday. When we got back to the car, we turned on WFAN just in time to hear the greatest rant in sports radio history. During some show hosted by Chris Russo (a Giants fan, otherwise known as the Mad Dog) and some pro-Mets guy, a Mets fan called in to discuss his feelings on where the Mets go from here. This guy started listing everything that "needs to be blown up" within the organization and he didn't miss anything in a full-on, single-breath raging scream-- Wilpon, Minaya, Randolph, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Paul LaDuca, the bullpen, the vendors, Keith Hernandez, Abner Doubleday, Jeffrey Meier, screwcap wines, jughandle turns, and the infield-fly rule. I may have missed some from laughter. When the guy finished (and presumably passed out), there was a beat, then Russo says, "You know what's next for you? Yankees/Indians, Thursday at eight." That might be the single cruelest response by a radio host I have ever heard. I know that's not what you're looking for, but it's a story.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 04:36 PM on October 01, 2007
I guess it depends on your measure of quality. There is no question that Bonds hit in larger parks against better pitchers. Here is an article that analyzes just the ballpark effect, which puts Oh at 650 Major League homers. Here is another that puts him at 527. On the other side, though, the 500 HR club in Japan is much smaller and Oh still (I believe) has everyone beat by over 200 career homers. And nobody has accused Oh of... well, you know. I'm not a sabermetrics guy. Hope this helps some.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:33 AM on September 26, 2007
Great to see you back here, Sammy.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:45 AM on September 16, 2007
For years, I thought I was doing the Safety Dance. Turns out, no, I was doing the Macarena. Could've been worse, I guess. Could've been the Lambada. That's, like, "the dance that's not allowed," isn't it? In any case, it sounds quite the opposite of the Safety Dance. That's for sure.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 04:14 PM on September 11, 2007
I'll take one of those stouts, and toast to many healthier days for you.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 03:25 PM on September 11, 2007
I will come as a comic book sketch and sing "Take On Me."
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:16 AM on September 10, 2007
Putting Frisby second by .16 So close. Dude, you are SO close.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:46 PM on September 07, 2007
Oh, and good luck kid. We're all pulling for you.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 12:09 PM on September 07, 2007
Need some suggestions. Lock your luggage. I kid. If I were going to propose in NYC? --at The Blue Mahoe on East 14th --at Angelo's on Mulberry Street in Little Italy --at Vince & Eddie's on West 68th --at Veniero's Pastry Shop on East 11th --in a hansom cab --on a row boat on the Lake in Central Park. Don't lean TOO far -- this is the one place in New York where tipping is discouraged. /rimshot --on the JumboTron at Yankee Stadium. Okay, no, I wouldn't. That's a few I can think of. If Chicobangs, goddam and the other NYC crowd are around, I'm sure they will have more. By way of a caveat, it's certainly a matter of taste, but I find Tavern on the Green a little over the top and not all that romantic. There, I said it. On edit: If you really want to impress her (and spend more than you did on the ring), you can go to one of the really REALLY upscale trendy places like Morimoto, Babbo, Bar Jamon, Mesa Grill, Bolo, or any other of the Restaurants of the Food Network Stars. I haven't been to any of those, though, so I can't really recommend them.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:55 AM on September 07, 2007
Root mean squares are hot.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 09:05 PM on September 06, 2007
As terrible a book title as that is, I have to concede I do really like Amazon's condensed version for the URL. A "Brawling-Bimbo-chasing-Championship-Baseball-Uniform" would undoubtedly draw some serious cash on e-bay.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 02:58 AM on September 06, 2007
My second time playing the home run game and I hit 213 home runs. My high is 61. If I could figure out some way to get my computer to slow the game down, I think I could get more... perhaps as many as 73.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:57 PM on August 23, 2007
It's you, isn't it. You're the mole. Get him!
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 05:31 PM on August 15, 2007
Yeah, dude. It works 100% of the time on the Locker Room link, but about 10% of the time on the main thingy with the thing. But maybe that's, you know, a good thing? (I found this place via Yahoo! So, yeah. Maybe it's good to not be there.)
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:15 PM on August 09, 2007
I don't know what happened to Ray Ray, but there was a long time when I was wondering what happened to SummersEve. I missed your smell. I missed your musk. When this is all over, I think you and me should get an apartment together. I think that's the second time I've used that quote recently. Alright, I'm gonna stop talking for a while.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 09:04 PM on August 09, 2007
It points out it's happening again, Crafty, so maybe there's something that can be done about it to prevent it from becoming a regular thing. You're right. We need to do something. Maybe we can get the Ad Council to run a new anti-spam PSA campaign. All we need is a spokesperson. Someone with solid on-screen experience. Like, twice in the last two weekends. (See... getting naked and screaming "Look at me! Look at me!" works in almost any forum. Even written forums. And Jumbotron Manufacturers Conventions. Anywhere.)
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:26 PM on August 07, 2007
JG, I believe catfish's point is that you are restating a known issue: Armchair GM spams SportsFilter members. It's no more clear here what we're supposed to do about it than it was in the last thread. Personally, I don't think you deserve to catch so much grief for it. We always have a new collection of members that weren't around for the original thread. And at the very worst, these threads almost invariably devolve into something really hilarious. I've been on jumbotrons for two consecutive weekends during two different historic sports events. Top that, fame-seekers! On edit: what yerfatmå said
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 09:22 PM on August 07, 2007
I got one today. Please don't stop them. I like getting mail, especially from friendly singles who just want to chat. Boy, they sure are friendly!
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 12:30 PM on August 07, 2007
Dude, that looks like an awesome trip. There's like a 1% chance I could meet up in Syracuse, but it's not looking good for me right now. we'd certainly welcome them with open arms and some French love words Ugh. I have that damn "Lady Marmalade" song stuck in my head now. The best that can be said is that it's the original version and not the Christina Aguilera debacle.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:20 AM on August 02, 2007
Here is the video that he took. Fake.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:15 AM on July 20, 2007
That's awesome, dusted. Reminds me of a pitch Sparky Lyle used to throw at all the Yankees Old Timers Games. Lyle (a lefty) used to go through the regular motion but hold the ball through the normal release point all the way until his arm crossed his body on the follow through. Then he would release the ball from under his right arm so that the ball would sail over his head to the catcher. He was able to throw that pitch with amazing accuracy. It was right up there in entertainment value with Ryne Duren's warm-up pitch straight into the backstop, which was also an Old Timers staple.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 04:48 PM on June 28, 2007
Deliver it or the heads of 37 Signals. Would you take the heads of 38 Pitches?
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 08:21 AM on June 28, 2007
Made in New York. MLB approved. An exhibit on baseball in New York from 1947-1957 has opened at the Museum of the City of New York. It runs through the end of the year. The standout display of the exhibit is easily the eight-minute video of highlights of the era narrated by Vin Scully. I'm going Saturday night, when admission is free, if anyone wants to join along.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 08:44 PM on June 27, 2007
Trait debate Rates pate's late hate freight Wait, beret?
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 01:41 PM on June 19, 2007
Chico, you're a racist. You're an Anti-SpoFite. No good can come of your departure -- you hurt a lot more people than you serve by your actions. The longer you stay away, the more credible the label. Anti-SpoFite bastard. I drink to you. Qbert, you're a sissy. First, you actually own a beret. Second, your self-deprecation is wittier and more brilliant than mine. Third, you gave me this damn CD and I don't understand a word of it. Sissy punk. I drink to you. Yerfatma, now you're involved in this, too. And I just plain don't like you. You're smarter than me, better looking than me, you drive a nicer car, people like you more, and you're a ridiculously proficient and valuable contributor to the site, for which you are bound to receive even more nauseating accolades. And you're a Red Sox fan. You make me want to puke. I drink to you. Knock it off with the bickering, you boneheads, because while you're fiddling the site is being overrun with Sousepaws.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:49 PM on June 18, 2007
I think putting them on the front page is daunting, side by side with professional journalistic works. I attribute the fact that I've even attempted it to fitful delusions of adequacy. I'm no professional writer, and I sure don't want to be treated as one.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:40 AM on May 31, 2007
MLB will have the Hill clip down shortly, I'm sure. They're real sticklers about that whole "rebroadcast, reproduction, or other use of the pictures and accounts of this game without the express written consent of Major League Baseball" thing. This includes making your own recording, as stated on the back of every ticket. Man wrestles leopard in his underwear. Yeah, it's a cheesy Yahoo story and it's likely everyone has seen it, but I love this story. And the reason I love it, beyond the obvious man-in-his-underwear-wrestles-wild-beast-in-his-bedroom marginal sports angle, is the fact that his daughter was in bed with him because she had been frightened out of her room by a mosquito. I can see her during the confrontation standing there with her arms out -- "Am I going to get ANY rest tonight?"
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 12:38 PM on May 30, 2007
Excuse me, could you pass me that cheetah. We need to anchor down this picnic tablecloth.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 02:00 PM on May 25, 2007
BI, you ask me to let it go, then in less than hour you take a pot shot at me? (I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt that your attempt to tie me in with the yay-yo joke -- an issue on which I have made no comment at all -- was not your subtle way of working in yet another gay joke with me as the target.) Best of luck with your continued defense of that untouchable character.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 01:23 PM on May 18, 2007
Did you even read why I would write that? I didn't have to. You didn't say, "I would never disrespect someone with intent unless I was provoked." You said blanketly, "I would never disrespect someone with intent," as though you always rise above the fray. I don't find that to be the case. Unlike Yankees fan, I can actually appreciate having a great season- Win or Lose And while I was checking on that, I found this little beauty as well. Proclamations of your unfailing respect have been slightly exaggerated.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:20 AM on May 18, 2007
I would never disrespect someone with intent *spit take* You wrote this less than five hours after writing "I can [sic] believe the shit that comes out of peoples mouth's [sic] sometimes." Please explain how this translates into respectful discourse. I'm not going to get into the mindless patter in October when you said Yankees fans are basically incapable of appreciating the game of baseball, except to point out that you forgot to add that I have no sense of humor and a little dinky.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:41 AM on May 18, 2007
Uh... how about "The Bullpen."
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 04:34 PM on May 11, 2007
Is that the track list from Hole's new album?
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 03:16 PM on May 11, 2007
I wonder if Fergie is a Brewers fan.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 09:26 AM on May 11, 2007
40th Anniversary of the 1967 Red Sox at Mohegan Sun Casino [pdf] Yaz, Lonborg, Dick Williams... and MANY MORE! Just FYI.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 12:14 PM on May 10, 2007
The OJ thread did teach me, though, that apparently people hold opinions that they know are wrong. This may not be addressing the specific concern of this thread, but... I get the sense that the "don't use Yahoo, etc." was not intended to send people looking for AP stories from the most remote and obscure corners of the internet. I have been waiting for the inevitable AP story pulled from the website for the public access television station in Aurora, Illinois that broadcast "Wayne's World." Would it be worth mentioning that if the story comes from a local television station -- which generally aren't in the business, that I know of, of creating a lot of thought-provoking written content -- then it is likely to be a wire story of some sort and falls under the Yahoo-quality umbrella even if it doesn't have "AP" at the head of it? On edit: What holden said.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:16 AM on May 10, 2007
If the interview thing ever gets reopened, I think the first order of business should be interviewing everyone who has already been interviewed. See if their five-year-plan is still on track three years later. Kind of like a Brady family reunion.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:52 AM on May 09, 2007
"Casino?" "Casino" is your favorite? Stuck forever on a desert island with one movie, you pick "Casino?" Wow. That's... I don't even know what that is...
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:36 AM on May 09, 2007
Again, not my point at all. Maybe I don't write so good. Maybe I don't read so good. I think I understand what you're saying. I don't think I've been numbed to the same degree, and I apologize for my misinterpretation. Also, I am not labeling anybody as a moral relativist, I'm only reacting to specific comments. I don't mean anything I said to be taken personnally -- if anything I've said appeared to be attacking the person and not the position, then perhaps I am the one who doesn't write so good. Now I'm really confused. The notion we're kicking grandmothers seems bogus to me. People who can't handle frank talk about an athlete's death should avoid those discussions. I wasn't offended. I was reacting to grum's comment which by my reading meant he had no reservations about walking right up to the mom the day after her son died and telling her that the sum total of her son's life was this accident and that he was uneqivocably a bad person. I found (and continue to find) that notion just preposterous, and I used an equally preposterous act to demonstrate my reaction. I think the comment is being read with more hostility than there was behind it. Again, maybe I'm not communicating as well as I would like, but I don't think disagreeing with somebody else's perspective is the same as being offended. I don't see kicking grandmothers as being that far away on the scale of absurdity from telling moms their dead sons got what they asked for. If holding that opinion demonstrates an inability to handle frank discussions, then maybe I should be cast out, exiled to the land of crazyhead discussions. Forgetting to put covers over electrical sockets isn't even in the same category. Who said anything about forgetting? Maybe grandma was too busy preparing the roast and decided she didn't have enough time to cover the sockets, assuming that the child would be watched closely anyway and the likelihood of an incident was small. Just like every person who ever set out to dinner where they intended to have a glass of wine or two with their meal figured the likelihood of having an incident driving home was small. And by my observation of the number of times this type of event occurs, they would be correct. I think your definition is too broad and is being painted by the evidence you have of Hancock's behavior that night. I don't think everyone who sets out for the evening and winds up drunk does so with that intention from the outset. I think that's a pretty wide brush. But I do agree (and have seen firsthand) that there are plenty of people who set out with the intent of getting plastered, enough to make that the defining image of the drunk driver. There are also plenty of people who don't put enough oil in their car, let their gas go low enough that they run the risk of going dry, don't change their timing belt, don't get regular tune-ups, drive with one headlight or with their tail lights out, keep their CDs below the dashboard or in a side console and change them while driving, or talk on the cellphone or read maps or meeting notes or newspapers while driving. There are local governments that knowingly allow dangerous intersections to remain unchanged. There are many behaviors that need to be addressed and changed to make the world safer (I've only listed a few and only in the area of motor vehicle safety). It's easier to work with sober people than with drunk people. Let's get the sober folks to start behaving better, and instead of getting the drunks to stop driving, let's work on getting the drunks to stop drinking (they cause plenty of problems outside the car, too). That's all I was saying.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:28 AM on May 04, 2007
Despite the fact that I've been here well over a year, I consider myself a rookie in this conversation because the majority of people who are likely to participate will have a lot of seniority on me, and Iam still learning how this site works because I'm pretty much dumb as a brick. I say this up front because I don't want anything I say following to sound like preaching or how things are or even how they should be. It's really just pennies from the choir - my observations, for what they're worth. 1. I agree with forestv that the dead athletes threads make no sense in the way they've been steered here. If we want to allow "tribute" threads to dead athletes, then spitting on the grave should be discouraged, if not banned. The way it's configured now, where discussion is encouraged from any angle, the conversation will almost never be sports related and will pretty much always lead to bad feeling somewhere. Nobody made a comment about how the loss of Hancock affects the Cardinals' bullpen, because that would be really crass. I don't know what good, sports-related direction that conversation is supposed to go. 2. I agree with Weedy. The conversation was (almost necessarily) passionate, but I don't feel anybody crossed any lines that offended me. 3. Drunk driving has poor PR among negligent behaviors. There are lots and lots, literally thousands of negligent behaviors (like overlooking protective covers for electrical outlets) that threaten the lives of other people, and the vast majority of those actions (or inactions) are committed by sober people. In the case of drunk driving, the person making the decision already has their judgment impaired, and yet we jump on this issue (instead, perhaps, of jumping on the activity of getting drunk). Raging at somebody whose judgment is already impaired for not showing good judgment seems kinda odd to me. 4. I'm not sure how bad a kid's behavior has to be before you're welcome to tell the mom, "Your kid is a big fat jerk," right after the kid has died, but drunk driving by itself is not remotely close to that threshold in my book. 5. I agree with yerfatma that justgary (and bperk) have exhibited some moral relativism. I don't think the behavior of other internet entities should dictate what is or is not the right course for this site, and I don't think the treatment of athletes here who are still alive can be relevantly compared to the treatment of the recently deceased. I think that covers my thoughts. My opinions are subject to change, as these are complex issues in my opinion and I'm trying to keep myself open to other points of view.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 09:01 PM on May 03, 2007
Non-Sports Movies With Memorable Sports Related Moments: Amelie, American History X, American Pie, Animal House, Better Off Dead, Caddyshack (going by LBB's definition), Diner, The Dinner Game, Fletch, Funny Farm, The Naked Gun, The Princess Bride, Real Genius, Sling Blade, Stripes, Stuck On You, Swingers, Volunteers, Welcome to Mooseport. Not even close to exhaustive. Probably don't have top five in there. That's just off the top of my head.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 01:02 PM on April 27, 2007
You can only post Locker Room threads after you've accomplished the standard initiation rite. You must dress in Garanimals and immerse yourself in a bathtub of melted cheese. If you do not have a bathtub, one will be provided for you. You must then post a video of the feat on YouTube and link it here. Hey, it's not fun, but we've all done it. By the way, I don't recommend muenster.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:46 AM on April 26, 2007
Please to explain. I wrote my name in the book. Don't ask me why I know they're called "Acknowledgements." Oh, wait. Yep, it's written at the top of the page.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 03:41 PM on April 25, 2007
How mankind fought and survived the zombie war. It's over? The Hall of Fame's Baseball As America companion tome would make my highlight shelf even if my name weren't in the Acknowledgements. (Man. That was shameless and disgusting. Even for me.)
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 12:02 PM on April 25, 2007
I love good sports photography. A bit off topic, and I don't mean to treat this like a link dump, but I thought this was pretty cool (despite being a blatant sales tool).
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 09:35 AM on April 25, 2007
What gossip mongers we are. Do I really look fat in pinstripes?
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 08:42 AM on April 25, 2007
"The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop." by Robert Coover is a terrific book, especially for the Strat-O-Matic generation. Outside of sports, I have never read anything that made me laugh out loud from cover to cover like P.J. O'Rourke's "Modern Manners." Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 08:00 AM on April 25, 2007
Too many to list completely (and I have too many author-friends to sway me into becoming a pusher). I'll just throw in some darts in between... Baseball and Philosophy: Thinking Outside the Batter's Box by Eric Bronson.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:15 PM on April 24, 2007
TBH, I was just trying to point out that the hard-and-fast rules being laid out to TBeware aren't all that hard or fast, that FPPs are really looked upon with more of the art/pornography discernment. "Don't use AP stories," "Don't use Yahoo or ESPN," and the like don't work because some of those stories are better than others or at least engender good discussion. "Don't use game recaps" (like yours) obviously isn't strict policy, either, as some recaps clearly offer more than others. I posted the thread about the four consecutive homers last year, but I got kind of lucky and found a Dodgers blog that I thought had a pretty good take on the game. If you couldn't find anything better than the MLB recap, I believe you, and would rather see that than nothing on it. I only used it to illustrate how the instructions being given to TBeware might be confusing on a glance through the front page. It wasn't with the intent of holding you up as an example of what not to do. I could spell when I was 15, too. I just can't now. And I have no opinion on the hair of Britney Spears.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 05:24 PM on April 23, 2007
I posed this question in another LR thread, but this seems a more appropriate place for the discussion so I feel obliged to repeat it here (I'm not trying to spray my point all over the place, but simply find a good place to continue the discussion). Using the criteria and explanations that TBeware is being given here, why would this thread (game recap via mlb.com), this thread (via Yahoo news), this thread (game recap via mlb.com), this thread (AP via ESPN), this thread (AP via Yahoo), or really even this thread (mlb.com page with other links) get green lights without the same scrutiny? I'm seriously not trying to be difficult, but if I'm in TBeware's shoes I would be very confused as to why I'm getting called to the shed here. Heck, even in my shoes it's a little confusing. And my shoes have wicked cool wheels in the heels. Which part is blatantly wrong in your name? I missed it, too, jg. I thought he was referring to the more entertaining "Wing Wang" spelling.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 11:02 AM on April 23, 2007
Is it sending a mixed message that two single-game wrapups in regular season baseball are currently sitting unchallenged on the front page? The one from Friday is particularly confusing -- at least today's mentions a record being set, albeit peripherally in a game summary.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 08:41 AM on April 23, 2007
From here on out, the enduring image in my head everytime I see one of his comments will be of yerfatma prominently sporting a Nike swoosh. Unbelievable. Sorry I missed the gala event -- chores caught up to me yesterday. Probably not a bad thing -- given the Yankees performance yesterday (and their general state) my bar tab probably would have looked like the national debt.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:37 AM on April 22, 2007
I would go, but I'm a little uncomfortable with the tag you chose for the post. If everyone's going to be wearing belly shirts, I am out. You should kick this off earlier in the day. Say, 3:55 pm. There's some sort of sporting event starting at that time that I'm sure Mr. Red October would love to watch in a NYC bah.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 04:13 PM on April 20, 2007
Editorializing on the Front Page
I can't think of a constructive reason for me to continue with this thread. I have a macrame class in 20 minutes and from then on my life is pretty much booked. My e-mail address is in the profile where it will stay for a couple days. Feel free to contact me if you want to suggest self-help books for all the psychological disorders with which I have been diagnosed here, or if you have suggestions for a new place to keep my opinions.