June 21, 2012

SportsFilter: The Thursday 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.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 13 comments

I love this Maddon v. Johnson spat, especially Davey's "doctorate of letters... from Loyola, in humanities" brag, and him calling Joe a guru. It's like the psych-up to a Hogan v. Piper bout.

"Davey is right, Gene. I'm incapable of reading the rulebook. And brother! There's also reading between the lines in some situations that needs to be looked at, too. He's been around long enough. He knows. He knows better than that. You better hear this, Gene! Davey, you better listen up, brother! Whatcha gonna do when Maddoxmania runs wild on you?"

posted by Hugh Janus at 09:10 AM on June 21, 2012

...and of course I mean Maddonmania. After all, the body count of Maddoxmania is well-documented.

posted by Hugh Janus at 09:52 AM on June 21, 2012

Especially of people who spell his name "Maddox", instead of Maddux.

posted by grum@work at 10:39 AM on June 21, 2012

Well damn, I'm a shithead twice over! I blame Ford Ford.

posted by Hugh Janus at 10:40 AM on June 21, 2012

Best literary reference this year. (And it's not even the year yet).

posted by beaverboard at 11:06 AM on June 21, 2012

Yes, a definite +2 for me.

I don't get why a player would try to cheat against his old team. Why wouldn't you call him out for the pine tar? I also love Maddon's suggestion this will prevent the Nats from attracting free agents. "Hey, everybody is a big cheater and no one wants to go cheat somewhere where they won't be able to cheat after they leave there." Having seen the Rays up way-too-close for the last decade or so as a Sox fan, I think Joe Maddon's one of those guys who seems like a breath of fresh air if you only see him twice a year on Sunday Night Baseball or something. His act wears thin very quickly. I want to like him, but he's incredibly thin-skinned for someone happy to dish it out.

/throws chair in ring.

posted by yerfatma at 11:10 AM on June 21, 2012

His act wears thin very quickly.

I think he's tired due to his active off-field schedule. Including keeping up with grandchildren, as well as with a new bride just a few years out of college.

What's your secret of eternal youth, Joe? Guys my age want to know.

Well, part of the deal is staying fit, but the big secret is going whole hog for Throwback Uniform Partay!

(Warning, 70's uniform content)

posted by beaverboard at 12:02 PM on June 21, 2012

Rule 8.02(b) is explicit; the pitcher will have no foreign substance in his possession. The "everybody does it"defense is like trying to tell the traffic court judge that everybody else speeds on that section of road, or that everybody else parks for 2 hours in the 1-hour parking zone, and so on. Peralta ought to know whom he is facing and use a different glove. Davey Johnson has been around baseball for a long, long time, and there's very little that will escape his notice. At one time he had a reputation as a not very likeable person, but I've not heard much of that since he's been with Washington. Joe Maddon ought to size up his opponents before engaging them in any war of the words. I have to agree with yerfatma. Maddon was new and different, unconventional, and enjoyed some success. This guaranteed he'd get a lot of notice and even adulation, but it does not mean the game is played by his unwritten rules, and when he calls out another manager, it rings rather hollow with me.

posted by Howard_T at 12:02 PM on June 21, 2012

"I didn't know him that well, but I thought he was a weird wuss, anyway ..." -- Davey Johnson

That's an unexpected insult from a 69-year-old man. What a poopyhead.

I like Maddon. He's more well-spoken than most managers, great with the media and fans and has achieved unbelievable things with the Rays. When he was hired in 2006, would anyone have thought he'd win the AL East, much less reach the World Series?

When you step into Tropicana Field, it's a stark reminder that this is a Major League team with minor league resources. It's an awful park with overachievers playing on a Brady Bunch backyard.

posted by rcade at 12:44 PM on June 21, 2012

He's more well-spoken than most managers

But I think he's fallen into that trap that catches a lot of smart athletes. Being the tallest person at the Little Person convention doesn't mean you're ready to start in the NBA.

posted by yerfatma at 01:08 PM on June 21, 2012

Legandary sports artist Leroy Neiman died yesterday at 91.

posted by tahoemoj at 06:14 PM on June 21, 2012

Sandusky's son Matt said through his attorney today that he was sexually abused by him also and had been prepared to testify.

posted by rcade at 07:39 PM on June 21, 2012

tahoemoj, that comment should be a FPP. I was going to promote it, but not sure if it a feature in my mod toolbox. Please consider post it to the front page. Thanks.

posted by scully at 12:54 PM on June 22, 2012

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