BoKnows's profile

BoKnows
16641
Member since: November 16, 2007
Last visit: February 10, 2018

BoKnows has posted 169 links and 1,338 comments to SportsFilter and 14 links and 492 comments to the Locker Room and 1 column.

Recent Links

Inside the NHL Department of Player Safety: “I am creating effective after this season a new Department of Player Safety which will be headed by Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations, Brendan Shanahan. In this revised role, Brendan will be responsible for developing rules related to better protecting our players without changing the fundamental nature of our game, dealing with equipment and safety issues related to equipment, and pursuant to a request made by Colin Campbell, Brendan will administer commissioner supplemental discipline.” And thus the Department of Player Safety (DoPS, for short) was born.

posted by BoKnows to hockey at 01:06 PM on March 30, 2016 - 0 comments

Top Cardinals Prospect Oscar Tavares Killed in Car Accident: St. Louis Cardinals top outfield prospect Oscar Taveras and his girlfriend died in a car accident near his home in the Dominican Republic on Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old made his Major League debut this season and "entered the season rated as one of baseball's top-three prospects," writes Bill Baer of HardballTalk. He made the postseason roster and hit a pinch-hit home run in the NLCS.

posted by BoKnows to baseball at 10:41 PM on October 26, 2014 - 5 comments

Card Trick: Rout sends St. Louis to World Series: It's a common scene in October and one that's becoming a habit for a Cardinals team that is making its fourth World Series appearance since 2004. "Coming back here and doing it in front of our home fans, we gave them another game to watch at Busch Stadium. Seeing that confetti on the field, getting that big platform out there, getting that trophy presented in front of our home fans, that's a special moment," Adam Wainwright said. At the end of the day, the Cardinals are winners. And they don't appear likely to go into a slump any time soon. The more you see the Cards play, the more you get the picture. This is a winning organization. Other teams may have higher payrolls or higher profiles. This team is the NL's best once more. These were the Cards that we were used to seeing: Hitters working deep counts, coming up with two-strike hits, a relentless, grinding attack that finally broke the will, if not the spirit, of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in a 9-0 victory on Friday night. Carlos Beltran: "Thank God I got the opportunity to play with this team. There's a lot of winners on this ballclub."

posted by BoKnows to baseball at 04:32 PM on October 19, 2013 - 4 comments

The Wizard of Koz: From a six-run hole, the Cardinals emerged with a 9-7 victory in a win-or-go home National League Division Series Game 5 on Friday night. It was the largest comeback in a winner-take-all game in postseason history.

posted by BoKnows to baseball at 08:55 PM on October 13, 2012 - 2 comments

"The At-Home Experience,": A Samsung 51-inch, plasma HD television and three top-grain leather theater seats delivered from Best Buy. Add in the DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Max package for $299.95, + $120.00 for food and beverages or 10 home games. You decide.

posted by BoKnows to football at 01:00 PM on September 06, 2012 - 22 comments

Recent Comments

Wayne Rooney Signs Two-Year Deal with Everton

Thanks. Are there major financial discrepancies between the clubs as well?

posted by BoKnows at 05:57 PM on July 09, 2017

Wayne Rooney Signs Two-Year Deal with Everton

Is this a step down? Sideways? Can someone compare this move to a US Big 4 player?

posted by BoKnows at 05:11 PM on July 09, 2017

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

Most memorable was Feb 2002 - Pats/Rams, but not at all because of the game. The summer prior, we had a significant hailstorm in St. Louis. It had damaged vehicles and homes alike, including our house (thankfully we were not at home, so our vehicles were spared). We were scheduled to have our roof, gutters, soffit, fascia, some siding and even a few windows replaced. Because of the wide area this storm had hit, we were well down the list due to our damage listed as 'minor'. We really had no idea when the trades would show up to perform the needed repairs, and none of the companies were willing to even estimate a window. Fast forward to January 16, 2002...my wife and I became parents for the first time. So there we were on SB weekend 2002, we had chosen to just watch the game at home since we were extremely sleep deprived and who knows what manner of sleep we got on SB eve. SB Sunday came and at 7:00am we get a knock on our front door, the conversation went some thing like:

Me: Hello?

Guy: Hi! We are here to replace your roof.

Me: Really? It's 7:00am on Super Bowl Sunday.

Guy: Yeah, we know, but we think we can get it done all in one day and we are not too sure when we'd be able to come back.

Me: Ok then - have at it.

So our SB consisted of 4-6 people on the roof, a ridiculous number of nail guns, a crying 2-week-old baby (possible some new parents too) and those damn Patriots. We'll never forget.

posted by BoKnows at 10:54 PM on February 04, 2017

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

This makes me wonder: Is tech available that would enable an NFL team to count the opponent's players automatically and alert a coach every time it happens?

I just always assumed there was a person responsible for that exact thing. Someone in the booth perhaps?

posted by BoKnows at 02:07 PM on September 11, 2016

Fan Hit in Head by Foul Ball Through Home-Plate Netting

That's the baseball fan equivalent of texting while crossing a busy street.

Gotta disagree with this. Moving to your seat does not require traffic to stop, nor are you crossing the direct path of the speeding object. The net failed, simple as that.

The NHL has done a much better job over the years of keeping fans safe-r, especially behind the goals. Baseball could take a lesson or two and start to understand that an extra row of seat revenue isn't worth the safety of the fans. That or just tighten up the nets, move the nets off the wall away from the fans a little more, or install fencing - at least to the height of a person standing.

There are many solutions to this. Blaming the fan seems like the foolish one of them all.

posted by BoKnows at 09:04 PM on April 21, 2015

SpoFi's 2015 Fantasy Baseball League is Active

Thanks YYM!

posted by BoKnows at 10:19 PM on March 16, 2015

Yahoo Tourney Pick'em Pool

Thanks grum!

posted by BoKnows at 10:18 PM on March 16, 2015

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

For me: Minnie + Chicago = This

Now that will be in my head all day.

posted by BoKnows at 01:13 PM on March 01, 2015

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

*drops mic*

That was like the end of a b-boy competition.

posted by BoKnows at 10:49 PM on October 18, 2014

SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle

Goon.

posted by BoKnows at 03:12 PM on October 11, 2014

MLB Pace-of-Game Committee Suggests Six New Rules

When you went on a tear about not turning baseball into a "dumbed-down, fast-track version" lacking int.....

I suggested that trimming a 2014 game down by minutes would be the "fast-track" version. Trying to press rewind will not work when the goal is the future.

1984 was 1984. They were bitching about integrity lost from the 50's, ain't that how it works?

Nope. I sourced it in a comment and it was about games 30 years ago.

There may be a disagreement? (Over minutes, ironically.)

Where did I ever suggest otherwise?

It's in the way you look at me now. The way you just shuffle past me on the upper level concourse. They way you scoff at the guy with all the peanut shells. It's just not the same anymore. Not sense last year's ESPN NHL fantasy hockey playoffs. I just want your love back rcade. And justgary too. A little fraze is good, plus that fatma chick. It's just not the way it was anymore, let's cut out the comment section from sportsfilter in order to protect future users from all that recreation time wasted so they can recreate twice as many times!

posted by BoKnows at 06:58 PM on October 06, 2014

MLB Pace-of-Game Committee Suggests Six New Rules

I appreciate your attempt to find drama in the IBB, but my personal preference is to see how the automatic IBB feels in play as the experiment is attempted. I don't think the four soft tosses would be missed.

I'm not attempting to find drama. That's how I see baseball. I can have a preference too, yes? I detailed the scenario to explain what it was that I found exciting about those four pitches - per your requests.

Did you think the game was a "dumbed-down, fast track version" that lacked integrity 30 years ago?

Really? How did you extrapolate that? C'mon man.

I think the 2hr 35min games date back to the 60's, not the 80's.

I'll bet it takes you a little longer to get things done vs. 30 years ago, yes? Well, no matter how hard you try, you'll never reach that benchmark from those little rcade days. Should we then start to cut things off of you?

Agree to disagree is where I am. But I do hope the old white guys in charge learn to check their egos at the door, and stop trying to do what's best for the kids. (read: bank accounts)

posted by BoKnows at 06:32 PM on October 06, 2014

MLB Pace-of-Game Committee Suggests Six New Rules

What nuances? Have you ever in a lifetime of watching MLB seen something exciting happen during those four balls being thrown? Ball to the backstop advancing runners? Player swinging at a pitch and hitting it? Pigeon knocked unconcious by the ball? Attractive fan leave seats behind home plate? Anything?

Along with the multiple links posted in this thread and others that I have sought out...yes, sure I have. I follow all of MLB pretty closely each year so I'm probably an above average test. Although, I don't think I've seen those examples live in-person. Except the attractive fan, I don't miss many of those....But just because things are rare, doesn't make them boring to me.

The things you call exciting about an IBB involve the strategy of walking someone intentionally, which would be identical whether the IBB is four actual pitches or a manager's command.

Nope. An automatic IBB does not allow the on-deck hitter to stand there and stew about the fact the he is considered the easy out. An automatic IBB does not allow the mishandling of a ball by either the pitcher or the catcher - and I have seen some of those come real close to bouncing away or being overthrown. It does not allow for a potential balk, which could change the AB all together. It does not allow for a batter to take a hack at a close pitch. It does not allow for the fans to get involved and boo that visiting pitcher that's walking your guy.

Imagine this: Bottom 9, 2 out, runners on 1st and 2nd, down by 3, #4 hitter at the plate. An IBB is apparent and is signaled. The catcher stands up and holds out his palm to the outside of the box. During those four pitches, the home fans have started a chant, the wave, booing the pitcher, cheering for the batter, they stand up, wave their rally towels, and put on their rally caps. The home manager puts in the pinch runner to increase speed on the bases. The decibels increase as the four pitches are thrown, all in anticipation of a possible grand slam to win, or a double to tie. To me, that is exciting. It's not 2 minutes wasted... in fact, a whole lot has happened! I certainly have not witnessed 35,000 fans disgruntled, bored, or falling asleep during this time-consuming boring baseball play. Have you?

For me, it's about the mental game as much as the physical. We are human and we fuck up sometimes. I like the human element in baseball - without it, I'd absolutely then get bored.

I am unsure that we will find a relative measure of excitement surrounding IBBs.

And really, the issue was brought forth by MLB to satisfy time concerns, not boring-ness. That's the reason I compared it to the PAT. At least the NFL is trying to increase the level of difficulty to then increase excitement, rather than removing it altogether. Still, if the goal is to reduce game time, IBBs are hardly the issue. If MLB is truly concerned about what 10 year olds will be consuming in the future, I think preserving the game and being able to offer a product with integrity would be at the top of the list, not some dumbed-down, fast-track version that only supports todays loss of attention span.

A more efficient game is not necessarily a more entertaining one.

posted by BoKnows at 06:02 PM on October 05, 2014

MLB Pace-of-Game Committee Suggests Six New Rules

I was looking for an example of one in which something exciting happened as the balls were being thrown.

I don't know what you qualify as exciting. I've tried my best to describe my version.

An automatic IBB would have the same decisions, strategy and so on.

But not the same human element that would otherwise be forced to throw the ball four times. I like the nuance possibilities. Should we just make a TD worth 7 points since the extra point conversion rate is 99+%? That could save time too, probably 3-5 minutes of kick time plus commercials. In baseball you're only talking about 1-2 minutes maybe each game. That's not too much of an impact from the Pace of Game committee. Maybe they are getting paid by minutes saved?

...and for stat purposes four balls could be put on the pitcher automatically as well.

Me no like this. I just threw up a little.

I find that national broadcasts have become insufferable.

Well, that pesky game keeps interrupting their entertainment show.

If so, how do you explain the long drop in World Series ratings, and why is that not a problem?

Geography. If the WS this year is StL vs. KC, will the coasts tune in for the annual FOX show a with a little baseball in the background?

But I think your question is valid. My answer is that during the playoffs and WS, it's not the game that changes - it's the broadcast that turns what would be a 3 hour game into 4+. And that's when people tune out. The PoG committee needs to focus on the problem, "What's the problem?"

Looks like FOX got involved and eventually took over the broadcasts around 1996, and ratings have been stagnant since then, aside from 2004,...maybe it's not the game?

posted by BoKnows at 02:29 PM on October 05, 2014

MLB Pace-of-Game Committee Suggests Six New Rules

Can you?

I like IBBs. As I described above in my first post, I enjoy the build up and decisions involved. I also like that the opposing pitcher has to give up a base only to put a chip on the shoulder of the on-deck hitter.

posted by BoKnows at 01:32 AM on October 04, 2014