04/24/24
March 10, 2010
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Dodger great Willie Davis dies: Willie Davis, a speedy center fielder who collected two World Series rings, three Gold Gloves and was a two-time All-Star during his 14 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has died. He was 69.
posted by tommybiden at 12:13 PM on March 10, 2010
From the article linked by tommy:
Davis still holds six team records. He is the franchise leader in hits (2,091), extra-base hits (585), at-bats (7,495), runs (1,004), triples (110) and total bases (3,094).
It was surprising to me that the Dodgers, a team with a storied history, do not have a player with more hits than 2,091.
posted by holden at 12:37 PM on March 10, 2010
How to leave and not to leave a NFL franchise.
You stay classy Cleveland.
posted by Debo270 at 01:42 PM on March 10, 2010
One bit of irony from the Willy Davis post was his noteworthy performance in the 1965 World Series when he stole 3 bases in one inning, juxtaposed against his less than stellar day in the 1966 Series when he made 3 errors in one inning. Overall, though, he must be considered a success, both for his team's achievements and his personal marks.
RIP
posted by Howard_T at 04:21 PM on March 10, 2010
A most classy gesture by Scott Fujita. Good thing he got his Super Bowl ring before going to the Browns.
At least Derek Anderson got out while he has a few good years left maybe. The Browns are notorious for pinning the hopes of an entire team on one guy, in my opinion. (I'm talking Tim Couch, Kellan Winslow Jr. and others) I am waiting to see what they do with Josh Cribbs now that he has resigned with them.
And this isn't Browns hate because I am a Steeler fan, they have crushed the hopes of Cleveland for many years
posted by steelergirl at 04:34 PM on March 10, 2010
That galacticos thing seems to have worked out real well for Real Madrid, in terms of the Champions League. At least they get to watch the final at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid 1-1 Lyon (aggregate 1-2)
In other news, Wayne Rooney means business, and AC Milan were crap.
Manchester United 4-0 AC Milan (aggregate 7-2)
posted by boredom_08 at 05:03 PM on March 10, 2010
Because we canucks just can't let go...
Example #5204 of how important that gold-medal hockey game was to Canadians.
and
Call off the Mounties: Crosby's gear not stolen, just "misplaced".
posted by grum@work at 05:28 PM on March 10, 2010
Okay, we won the gold... Can we let it slide now? Nothing is sadder than a nation hanging on to old glories. (See: England and the 1966 World Cup.)
posted by Drood at 05:39 PM on March 10, 2010
In other news, Wayne Rooney means business, and AC Milan were crap.
And Beckham wore the green/gold anti-Glazer scarf before leaving the pitch at full-time.
posted by etagloh at 07:28 PM on March 10, 2010
Okay, we won the gold... Can we let it slide now? Nothing is sadder than a nation hanging on to old glories. (See: England and the 1966 World Cup.)
We'll stop enjoying it when someone else wins it.
posted by grum@work at 08:03 PM on March 10, 2010
Edmonton water consumption graph during gold medal hockey game
posted by rcade at 08:16 PM on March 10, 2010
We'll stop enjoying it when someone else wins it.
No doubt Canada should enjoy the gold until they are dethroned.
But with the frame-by-frame pictorial, water usage charts, flight delays, etc... it just seems that Canada is surprised to have won it. And Canada winning gold in hockey should be about as surprising as the US winning in baseball. Congrats to Team Canada for doing exactly what every Canadian thought they would do - win gold.
Now, I'm going to go and listen to the song "Blame Canada" (South Park) that I recently acquired in the swap. Might even put it on repeat.
posted by BoKnows at 08:25 PM on March 10, 2010
That's right. Canada (and Canadians) should know their place.
We should leave the obnoxioius flag waving, arrogant patriotic chants, and excessive bragging to citizens of countries with much more experience at that sort of behaviour.
I wish to apologize on behalf of all Canadians. We're so sorry, we just don't know what came over us, what with our athletes owning the podium, Canada winning the games and all. What in heaven's name were we thinking, being proud of Canadian accomplishments? Honest, we didn't mean to be so uppity.
By the way, Japan won the World Baseball Classic.
posted by tommybiden at 09:10 PM on March 10, 2010
I'm not suggesting that Canada shouldn't enjoy the win. Or that Canada shouldn't celebrate. I expect each country in the tournament would've had similar reactions. My observation was simply that Canadians seem more surprised by the win than anything else. Relax.
posted by BoKnows at 09:23 PM on March 10, 2010
Example #5204 of how important that gold-medal hockey game was to Canadians.
What that Air Canada flight must have been like after the passengers boarded.
I wonder if they commandeered the beverage cart and turned it into their own personal 80 proof Zamboni.
posted by beaverboard at 10:32 PM on March 10, 2010
Browns fans have shown a very spiteful side in the past.
They pilloried Belichick when he pushed Kosar out in favor of Testaverde.
And they made Belichick's existence a living hell when he had to finish out the season after Modell announced that the team was going to move to Baltimore.
Certain parts of Belichick's persona and modus operandi as coach of the Pats may be due to some of the things he went through in Cleveland.
posted by beaverboard at 10:42 PM on March 10, 2010
Rooney and United were machine-like today. Made Milan looked like Liverpool did Monday. His first goal, especially, was majestic. Park showed his typical big game form too.
posted by billsaysthis at 10:53 PM on March 10, 2010
By the way, Japan won the World Baseball Classic.
Both times.
posted by grum@work at 11:49 PM on March 10, 2010
The grass is going going ... it's gone. The 30-year-old grass, the last grass pro field in Canada, is being replaced with field turf.
What I'm most surprised by with this story are the almost unanimous comments about how this is a travesty. I don't know many, if any, who have a more nostalgic attachment to Commonwealth Stadium (and its grass field) than I do ... but even I can celebrate this move. Well, I guess Bryn Griffiths does too.
posted by Spitztengle at 11:59 PM on March 10, 2010
I'm not suggesting that Canada shouldn't enjoy the win. Or that Canada shouldn't celebrate.
That's exactly what you're suggesting. Up to 80 percent of Canada was watching that game, according to the water consumption link. The game seems destined for legendary status, at least north of the 49th parallel. It's not even a couple weeks old. Stop raining on their parade.
posted by rcade at 08:35 AM on March 11, 2010
I wouldn't say Canadians were surprised by the win, exactly.
But after Turin, and after a dodgy start in Vancouver, and after losing to the USA in the first game, and after continually having trouble with Switzerland, it has become pretty clear that Canada is no longer the world's dominant team. There are a lot of other really good teams out there. You're fooling yourself if you think Canada is a lock to win gold. One of the favourites for sure, but the list of contenders is long. (Russia, USA, Finland, Sweden, maybe Slovakia, the Czech Republic...)
Which is why it's much more gratifying to win. And what you're identifying as surprise is probably better described as relief. I don't think I'd be lying when I say that a lot of Canada watching that game was pretty antsy about going into overtime on a last-second US goal against a super-hot goalie.
posted by fabulon7 at 09:40 AM on March 11, 2010
Nomar retires as a member of the Red Sox
Question..Is Nomar a Hall of Famer or a guy that had a great 8 year span as a player with the Red Sox? I know that this didn't help.
Does anyone remember the debate about who was the better shortstop? Nomar, Jeter or A-Rod?
By the way, since Nomar is joining ESPN for Baseball Tonight, when a question is thrown his way will he adjust his tie and collar the way he obsessed about adjusting his batting gloves? That sure would be a long segment.
posted by BornIcon at 10:53 AM on March 11, 2010
Nomar is not going to make the HOF.
From his baseball-reference.com page:
Black Ink Batting - 15 (150th), Average HOFer ≈ 27
Gray Ink Batting - 78 (304th), Average HOFer ≈ 144
Hall of Fame Monitor Batting - 112 (126th), Likely HOFer ≈ 100
Hall of Fame Standards Batting - 41 (143th), Average HOFer ≈ 50
On only one rating system (Hall of Fame Monitor) does he even reach a level that suggests a HOF career.
From 1998-2000, he was an awesome player, and looked like a surefire HOF and Boston legend.
Injuries, moving around teams, and a shift off of shortstop (the last time he played 80 games at the position was 2003) pretty much eliminated any chance of making the HOF.
posted by grum@work at 11:14 AM on March 11, 2010
Is Nomar a Hall of Famer or a guy that had a great 8 year span as a player with the Red Sox?
He's a guy who was a great Red Sox player for 6 or 7 years. I like to think of him as an alternate universe Hall of Famer, in a world where those goddamn Orioles hadn't "responded" to a player getting hit by Tim Wakefield (!) with an Al Reyes fastball into Nomar's wrist. He was never the same player again. Too short a career, plus there's a suggestion of steroids given his injury problems. And his relationship with the media was so bad that a number of local writers spent the day publicly airing old grievances. So he'd have that going for him.
All that said, he's still one of my favorite Red Sox players ever. The distinctive look (the #5, the haircut, the leanness, in black and white photos he could be playing in any era), the made-for-Boston unique name, the treasure trove of OCD behaviors make him unforgettable. He was fun to watch in the field and at the plate he was a living counterpoint to everything a good hitter should do: he swung at first pitches, he swung at pitches way out of the zone and he didn't stride (at all!) yet still hit screaming line drives.
Fans and media members can bitch about what a difficult person he was, but all I can remember is being bitterly disappointed in a playoff series loss at Fenway and seeing him pop out of the dugout a few minutes after the end of the game to applaud all the fans. He wasn't always an asshole. Just couldn't deal with the spotlight.
posted by yerfatma at 11:15 AM on March 11, 2010
You're fooling yourself if you think Canada is a lock to win gold.
Never said lock, I said favorite.
And what you're identifying as surprise is probably better described as relief.
I can agree with that.
That's exactly what you're suggesting.
No, it's not. That should have been clear when I said "I'm not suggesting that Canada shouldn't enjoy the win. Or that Canada shouldn't celebrate." My comments were based on what I see, hear and read, and my intentions were, in no way meant to rain on anybody's parade. I want Canada to celebrate, just as I would want the US or Sweden or the Czechs to celebrate. I just have sensed more surprise from Canada than I thought. That is my opinion and observation, if you want to attach some hidden meaning along to it, feel free, but in this case you're wrong in assuming my intentions.
By the way, your water consumption link was posted a few days ago.
posted by BoKnows at 12:08 PM on March 11, 2010
Nomar retires as a member of the Red Sox. (press conference from that link as well)