How long have you been an AN member?

by sec119 on Jan 25, 2005 12:17 PM PST

I have to admit, I've been reading AN for quite some time but never bothered to sign up. The interview with Billy Beane, though, just put me over the top -- it's a thousand times better than anything else in the Bay Area media, with the exception of Susan Schlusser and Mychael Urban. So now I'm a little curious about the readership here, especially since it seems like a lot more people joined recently as well.

Poll

When did you join AN?

This offseason

41 votes

Haven't joined, just browsing

13 votes

Offseason 2003-2004

29 votes

Pre-All-Star break 2004

16 votes

Post-All-Star break 2004

25 votes

124 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 77 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

From the very beginning

I signed up shortly after the format change, but I've been reading AN from the very start. I still remember the day Blez announced AN on the A's official message board.

I only realized AN was the real deal when Blez ran the "first peek" story on the A's 2004 marketing campaign. After that I started reading the blog more often and I remember sending in questions for the Jason Grabowski interview. It's amazing that it's been little over a year, seeing as how AN has expanded so much.

by OaktownTribesman on Jan 25, 2005 12:32 PM PST reply actions

i read about AN

from a Slusser article in the paper in Sept '04. My first post was Sept 26th and i've offered 699 posts since-dammit! way too many! shut your pie-hole bigelephant!!!!

My wife says i'm "obsessed" with AN and colleagues worry i'm "fixated". I say "ya, OK.....so?" Wish me luck, therapy starts Monday.

by bigelephant on Jan 25, 2005 1:14 PM PST reply actions

You got me beat

I've been here for about the same amount of time and I've only managed to post 335. But, this isn't a competition. I'd like to think we're both quality over quantity.

Serrano's gonna need a rocket up his ass to catch that one.

by nothinlikethetown on Jan 25, 2005 1:41 PM PST up reply actions

i like your thinking!

My wife says i'm "obsessed" with AN and colleagues worry i'm "fixated". I say "ya, OK.....so?" Wish me luck, therapy starts Monday.

by bigelephant on Jan 25, 2005 2:09 PM PST up reply actions

Me too..

Susan also put me on to AN, and I have been addicted ever since. Even have to give up Fantasy Baseball this season to have enough time to keep up with AN.

by robertmelvin on Jan 25, 2005 3:54 PM PST up reply actions

wow

I don't plan on going that far...just keep your priorities in order, hah

"When I went to church that same Sunday, I picked up a 2x4. I went up to the pulpit and clubbed the preacher in the head..."--Wesley Willis

by Cutthemullet on Jan 25, 2005 4:36 PM PST up reply actions

Thank You Susan Slusser

I'm another person that joined after the article in the Chron. Right before AN 2.0

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!!" -Brick Tamland, Anchorman

by secret ASian man on Jan 25, 2005 6:25 PM PST up reply actions

December '03

It's funny, but I can pretty much name who was on there back then. It's amazing how much AN has evolved in 1 year.

by Tony on Jan 25, 2005 1:42 PM PST reply actions

Do I get a prize...

... if I can still remember what you used to post as?

by Jennifer on Jan 25, 2005 2:02 PM PST up reply actions

Name it

I think I only posted with a different name a few times...but I'll definitely send you something from an A's game this year if you want.

by Tony on Jan 25, 2005 2:04 PM PST up reply actions

No.

I don't want anything. I just enjoy remembering small things like that.

by Jennifer on Jan 25, 2005 2:10 PM PST up reply actions

What name were you going to say?

by Tony on Jan 25, 2005 2:13 PM PST up reply actions

GB?

by Jennifer on Jan 25, 2005 2:14 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah- that was one of them

It stood for Grover's buddy b/c we got into an argument over something. I actually like reading his stuff now....

Also, about once a month, I'd go on a tirade about how little fire our manager had in him, and I'd sign it "Ken Macha's Balls". Then, everyone would ignore it, and I'd calm down the next day.

by Tony on Jan 25, 2005 2:18 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah! I win!

We need an AN Trivia Game. Or I need a life...

by Jennifer on Jan 25, 2005 2:31 PM PST up reply actions

Since it's the 26th by now...

Happy Birthday.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!!" -Brick Tamland, Anchorman

by secret ASian man on Jan 25, 2005 11:54 PM PST up reply actions

Thanks!

You too!

by Jennifer on Jan 26, 2005 6:10 AM PST up reply actions

Jennifer, how the hell did you guess that?

I wouldn't have had a clue, and that's even though I remember GB's first post.

What I remember is an acrimonious exchange between an anonymous poster and an AN regular--I didn't remember it was grover. Grover was challenging the annoying anonymous poster to at least take responsibility for his posts by signing them, which led to a philosophical (if you could call it that) debate over whether a web handle was enough of an identity to constitute some sort of accountability. I was sorta with grover on that one. The anonymous guy finally annointed himself "GB" and they continued the fun with their respective quasi-identities. I never knew what "GB" stood for until Tony just explained it; I don't remember that coming up before. I couldn't help but translate it as "Green Bay." (Remembering your other green-and-gold obsession, I'm sure you did, too.) But you have mysterious powers if you made the Tony = GB equation without his having mentioned it somewhere that I missed (or forgot).

All that was before I had taken the posting plunge myself. Fun stuff.

by Faust on Jan 26, 2005 6:21 PM PST up reply actions

Jeeeeezus

I didn't even remember all that.....that's a pretty good memory. What I do remember is that something had me pissed, and I didn't throw a handle in there in the heat of the moment, but I had been posting for awhile by then. I try to not think of myself as "an annoying anonymous guy."

I remember being right, too. :) (that's the first time I've ever typed a face...feels weird)

by Tony on Jan 26, 2005 10:14 PM PST up reply actions

I'll happily withdraw the "annoying" now

That was my gut reaction at the time. I mean, it was hardly based on my extensive knowledge of your personality and character...

by Faust on Jan 27, 2005 4:24 AM PST up reply actions

I have a pornographic memory...

... errr, photographic memory. :) I actually remembered what GB meant and why he used it, but I didn't want to sound weird for remembering small details like that.

by Jennifer on Jan 27, 2005 6:19 AM PST up reply actions

How many AN members are there

I stumbled across AN from researching A's minor league players/sites in Nov '04.

Thats not a long time but it seems have grown a lot since then.

by pickinmachine on Jan 25, 2005 2:00 PM PST reply actions

I have been around

since before the change. Remeber when 'Jim Mecir's club foot' used to post? That was me.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 25, 2005 2:05 PM PST reply actions

Really?

I always felt guilty laughing at that. It'd be funny to see who was who before, you know? Just because it's a different format now, and we probably don't even realize we're talking to the same people.

by Tony on Jan 25, 2005 2:08 PM PST up reply actions

I also

I also used to post as "Rob Picciolo forever", "Mike Gallego forever", and "Tony Phillips forever". I had a thing for back up middle infielders. The fact that Phillips went on to hit for some power was a thrill for me.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 25, 2005 2:11 PM PST up reply actions

don't forget

glenn hubbard...that guy deserves his own fan club.

by nathan. on Jan 25, 2005 2:14 PM PST up reply actions

I've always been partial

to Lance Blankenship.

Serrano's gonna need a rocket up his ass to catch that one.

by nothinlikethetown on Jan 25, 2005 2:16 PM PST up reply actions

I miss Lance

by grover on Jan 25, 2005 7:40 PM PST up reply actions

Ah, so you were that guy.

I remember "Rob Picciolo Forever." It had been a while since the name Rob Picciolo had floated across my mind. My biggest Rob Picciolo memory isn't even of him playing, it's a memory of Bill James' incredulous comment in one of his early Abstracts that Rob Picciolo had gone through an entire season as the A's primary shortstop (maybe about 350 AB?) amassing the astonishing total of 2 home runs and THREE walks. I'd had no idea, being unable to see many games and just beginning to glom on to the whole OBP thing. That's a sub-Alfredo walk level.

by Faust on Jan 26, 2005 6:31 PM PST up reply actions

that would have been 1979

In looking back at those stats in addition to the fact that his fielding % and range factor were just at the league average I wonder, why the hell was he the starting SS that season?
Then again, they lost 108 games that year.

I just love Rob Picciolo.
I have got some special posting planned for the week of Feb 14th because I have a week off. I am going to include Picciolo in this plan.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 29, 2005 11:14 AM PST up reply actions

No sooner than you mention his name

and he's back in the news:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1977698

"Picciolo says fuggedaboutit."

The triple of Jeremy Brown's imagination was, in reality, a home run.

by ArakSOT on Feb 2, 2005 8:43 AM PST up reply actions

how's the runnin' going...

....in all this snow?

me, i run on a treadmill at the gym.

My wife says i'm "obsessed" with AN and colleagues worry i'm "fixated". I say "ya, OK.....so?" Wish me luck, therapy starts Monday.

by bigelephant on Jan 25, 2005 2:13 PM PST up reply actions

in the snow

I find running in the snow to be a lot of fun. To run in the snow is a challange that leaves you feeling a bit like Indiana Jones when you finnish. Two saterdays ago during my morning long run the ski mask that I was wearing froze to my neck. That was not fun. But typically, if you are dressed well, it is no big deal. Normally I am outdoors three to four days a week and indoors 2 or three with my running. I can't stand the treadmill and thankfully when I do run indoors it is on an indoor track. I am actually about to head out for an outdoor run right now.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 25, 2005 2:19 PM PST up reply actions

good luck on the run

it's going to snow 10-15 cm tonight! better start now!

My wife says i'm "obsessed" with AN and colleagues worry i'm "fixated". I say "ya, OK.....so?" Wish me luck, therapy starts Monday.

by bigelephant on Jan 25, 2005 2:33 PM PST up reply actions

yeah, buffalo too

so I put in my 5k (canada-friendly) right before this

"When I went to church that same Sunday, I picked up a 2x4. I went up to the pulpit and clubbed the preacher in the head..."--Wesley Willis

by Cutthemullet on Jan 25, 2005 4:39 PM PST up reply actions

heh

24 degrees F felt so good that I went long-sleeve T-shirt today, no hat, no gloves. Regretted it a couple hundred yards/meters in

"When I went to church that same Sunday, I picked up a 2x4. I went up to the pulpit and clubbed the preacher in the head..."--Wesley Willis

by Cutthemullet on Jan 25, 2005 4:46 PM PST up reply actions

damn right

i stick with the treadmill with the snow/cold but i feel like a rat on one of those big wheels-nothing like running outside though.

My wife says i'm "obsessed" with AN and colleagues worry i'm "fixated". I say "ya, OK.....so?" Wish me luck, therapy starts Monday.

by bigelephant on Jan 25, 2005 4:55 PM PST up reply actions

I just got back 15 minutes ago

12 miles. In the snow. There is a certain pride factor with running in the snow that doesn't come with running on the treadmill. On the treadmill it feels like a waste of time but out in the elements it feels like the most fulfilling thing in the world.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 25, 2005 5:02 PM PST up reply actions

12 miles?!

shit, nice work. I've...never done more than 10k. How many minute miles do you do? I've run in Toronto a couple times (well, North York more specifically...the metro area of Toronto is sort of regionalized, isn't it? anyway...), and I liked it because there was quite a bit of activity around me...felt like I was on a Nike commercial or something. Gets the adrenaline going more than the deserted back roads I usually run on do.

"When I went to church that same Sunday, I picked up a 2x4. I went up to the pulpit and clubbed the preacher in the head..."--Wesley Willis

by Cutthemullet on Jan 25, 2005 5:22 PM PST up reply actions

my pace varies greatly

I used to run at a really high level. right now my mileage is 50 to 60 miles a week.

I enjoy both running in busy enviroments (although I would not ever want to be in a nike ad) and out in the sticks, in the mountains, or in the woods. I also love running when I travel as you see places in a different light once you run in them. I visited my parents in california over christmas and we drove up to washington state to see my dad's sister. We spent the night in cascade locks oregon and I did an epic run that next moring that started right by the columbia river and up a fire trail on a mountain. There was snow on the ground past a certain point when the fire trail ran along a plateau and then there was no snow about that on the fire trail. At the highest point the trail reached I could see mist rising off of the columbia river as the sun was coming up. If I hadn't of run there I would have thought the town to be boring.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 25, 2005 5:31 PM PST up reply actions

epic indeed

that sounds great...certainly won't find terrain like that around here. Generally when I'm out of town I'm not motivated enough to run, but I find that when I do I usually enjoy it the most.
and if you're running 50-60 miles a week...heh, that's a high level in my book.

"When I went to church that same Sunday, I picked up a 2x4. I went up to the pulpit and clubbed the preacher in the head..."--Wesley Willis

by Cutthemullet on Jan 25, 2005 5:52 PM PST up reply actions

I have known

I have known a handful of world class and near world class distance runners and they often ran at or over 100 miles a week.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 25, 2005 5:54 PM PST up reply actions

what????

dude, i just drove home in that crap! 12 miles!!
you are definite hardcore. i run around 40 miles a week-more in the spring/summer. but NEVER in crap like this! my hat (and nike shox) are off to you!

My wife says i'm "obsessed" with AN and colleagues worry i'm "fixated". I say "ya, OK.....so?" Wish me luck, therapy starts Monday.

by bigelephant on Jan 25, 2005 6:46 PM PST up reply actions

Ah...

The Club. Those were the days. :)

by Jennifer on Jan 25, 2005 2:13 PM PST up reply actions

yeah....

I still wonder about some old time users.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 25, 2005 2:09 PM PST reply actions

first day

I happened across the original "Baseball Country" the day Blez announced it on the mlb site, and I've been an avid reader ever site. I still read every day, but the volume of posts has become too much for me to read all of them any more.

by dylan on Jan 25, 2005 2:57 PM PST up reply actions

I posted now and then

before the switchover ... then I stopped because I was too lazy to sign up for an account. I started posting again last fall.

Relax alright don't try to strike everyone out. Strikeouts are boring besides that they're fascist. Throw some ground balls it's more democratic.

by devo on Jan 25, 2005 2:09 PM PST reply actions

First Billy Beane interview

After hearing about the first 3 part interview with BB on the radio (There was an interview of BB on the air and the interviewer mentioned AN and how BB was generous enough to lend his time to a sports blog. I checked it out and loved it. Then when the format changed, i joined.

"We tend to scoff at the beliefs of the ancients. But we can't scoff at them personally, to their faces, and this is what annoys me." Jack Handey

by davebenfremont on Jan 25, 2005 2:32 PM PST reply actions

KNBR and the paper

When AN went bigtime on the local media, my first thought was "Holy Shit, what an amazing accomplishment." Then, I relized it was going to be like high school when you're parents went out of town. You told your circle of friends to come over to play drinking games, then saw fliers in the hallways the next day advertising your blowout. The majority of the random people that showed up were there to have a good time, and it was, but there were also those dudes that you didn't want trashing your house and you just wished your friends could've kept their fucking mouths shut. But, all in all, it was a good time.

by Tony on Jan 25, 2005 2:40 PM PST up reply actions

Sometime last summer

I'd been reading AN for a while, then one night I had a dream about the A's and wanted to share it with AN. I've been reading ever since, but I don't post too often. I think that the old format was better for Game Threads, but with all of the new readers, 2005 should be fun.

by kent @ Athletics Nation on Jan 25, 2005 2:35 PM PST reply actions

I just started posting

about a month ago

but I've read the sight since somewhere in the '04 season on the old format.

I remember the first post I saw was Blez complaining how he couldn't get the A's on the radio in Paradise (he was on a trip of some kind), but the Giants were everywhere. I'm in Chico, and could relate to the frustration.

by Hegenberger Road on Jan 25, 2005 2:36 PM PST reply actions

I changed my

username from kenny to guy for some reason

by guy on Jan 25, 2005 3:13 PM PST up reply actions

I've been around since Day One

:-)

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jan 25, 2005 3:25 PM PST reply actions

Keep it up...

...and Koz will ban you soon!

I joined pre All-star break last year. I loved the content, but what really made me keep coming back was the banter between Jennifer, Sharon, JBH, Alaska-A, and the others at the time. I'm always looking for a laugh to ease my A's ache, and that group provided it in spades. I like a lot of the newbies, but this place has gone from small town feel to little city. But hey, that's progress for ya'!

What really surprised me was how many people showed up to AN Day at the Coliseum and how little some of them posted. I took pictures(someday I'll post them) of the people there like Wella and Melisa, and I've only seen them post a couple of times since. I sensed there were a lot of lurkers out there. The poll doesn't seem to confirm that though.

P.M.:It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you're the smartest person in the room. J.C.: No. It's awful.

by McFood on Jan 25, 2005 4:04 PM PST up reply actions

I'm still here!

I lurk. :)

by Melisa on Jan 25, 2005 4:18 PM PST up reply actions

Hey, hey!

I just said "Hi" to you on the other thread.:p

P.M.:It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you're the smartest person in the room. J.C.: No. It's awful.

by McFood on Jan 25, 2005 4:38 PM PST up reply actions

LOL

I saw that! Hello to you and your wife and daughter!

by Melisa on Jan 26, 2005 9:51 AM PST up reply actions

I remember...

How much fun some of the game threads were even after a loss. I started posting on AN when Blez gave us a look at the A's 2004 ads, and at that time I went by "zonk". It's so different now. But it's just as fun as ever. I can't wait til next season's game threads...

by Sharon on Jan 25, 2005 4:49 PM PST up reply actions

And "game threads" rhymes with...

..."hand me my meds"!

P.M.:It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you're the smartest person in the room. J.C.: No. It's awful.

by McFood on Jan 25, 2005 4:55 PM PST up reply actions

haha...

mixing meds...

That was a lot of fun!

by Sharon on Jan 25, 2005 5:03 PM PST up reply actions

sigh

I miss the game threads. Those were great times! I love you guys! (tear, tear)

by Jennifer on Jan 25, 2005 6:29 PM PST up reply actions

Like Wes7 below

When I see "Sharon" I still think "zonk."

Although like many others I'd assumed you were a guy. The only precedent I had in my head for a name like Zonk was Zonker Harris, the former tanning champion from Doonesbury.

by Faust on Jan 26, 2005 6:42 PM PST up reply actions

blez

I know that I have said this before but I am so grateful for this site. It is hard for me to be away from the city that I love and the team that I love and this site makes Oakland, the A's, and home feel much much closer than they are.

by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 25, 2005 5:05 PM PST up reply actions

My pleasure...

it's definitely something I love doing.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jan 25, 2005 5:27 PM PST up reply actions

What was day #1?

when did you grab the domain Blez?

Anyway, as soon as AN was linked from Elephants in Oakland or Barry Zito Forever or Baseball Primer... first week or so is when I started dropping in.

What blew me away though was the first time kos guest hosted the site, talk about having an influential blogfather

But REALLY, I joined the Athetics Nation about Sep '81 or so... it was that outfield of Murph, Armas, and Rickey along with the Billy Ball commercials.

by jakarta on Jan 25, 2005 3:43 PM PST reply actions

November 6, 2003

Was AN's birthday. It started out as a typepad site to see if I liked blogging. Turns out I liked it a lot... :-)

And Markos is one of the best people I know and I consider him family. He would do anything for a friend. But don't tell him I said that. He likes to keep a low pro about his generosity and caring.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jan 25, 2005 3:57 PM PST up reply actions

A long time

I've been postin since off-season between 2003-2004. I remember, I found the site right after Ramon Hernandez got traded, and I had been talking to a friend about how homogenously white the A's were becoming. I went on-line, and Blez had just written an article voicing the very same opinion.

It seems to me that I'm one of the few old-timers that didn't get completely lost when AN went mainstream. Oh well.

by jmoney on Jan 25, 2005 3:53 PM PST reply actions

Lurking

I've been reading AN since way back in the day, but never quite got around to signing up for an account or posting anything until a couple of months ago. Doing that has definitely made AN more enjoyable.

Go Beach.

by Dirtbag Pride on Jan 25, 2005 5:11 PM PST reply actions

i've been

checking out AN irregularly since about this time last year....i was only able to sign up sometime after the AS break when i finally got internet access at work... now i'm addicted!

by high street on Jan 25, 2005 5:47 PM PST reply actions

I've been here....

mid july. I didn't start posting until late August because I thought everyone would look down on me for being a 14 year old girl. Call me crazy. This blog wouldn't be the same without me. :)

This blog helped me come over some public speaking problems I had.... and it has led me in the right direction with a lot of things. I made friends, talked about baseball and got insightful information with what to do once I get out of high school. Perfect.

I am thankful for my love of Barry Zito for leading me here. If I wouldn't have been looking for pictures to put onto my Zito shrine, I wouldn't have seen Blez's picture with Zito and I wouldn't have been curious and come on here!!

How I love AN. You guys put up with me. A task my parents haven't mastered yet. :)

My best friend- "I can't wait to go to A's games again! then i can be like...look at Crosby's buns... i mean... look at crosby run!"

by GreenNGoldGirl on Jan 25, 2005 5:50 PM PST reply actions

you're right....

it wouldn't be the same without you :)

by high street on Jan 25, 2005 6:00 PM PST up reply actions

Your parents...

...love you more than life itself. Don't ever forget that.

But they are only human.:)

P.M.:It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you're the smartest person in the room. J.C.: No. It's awful.

by McFood on Jan 26, 2005 8:30 AM PST up reply actions

Hmmm

I think I joined sometime after the Hernandez trade... not sure though.

by grover on Jan 25, 2005 7:50 PM PST reply actions

A bit of an old timer myself

I've been in this little slice of A's heaven since shortly after the beginning of the 2004 season. I remember just perusing the Internet in search of any A's discussion sites (and found myself reading Barry Zito Forever entries quite a bit) and just came across this site one night last April, right around the time that the Duke balked in a run in the bottom of the 12th against the Mariners. I didn't immediately start posting (and indeed, read plenty these days, but often feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of threads), but I would definitely say I've been a pretty consistent presence here.

How consistent? Well, I still think of Sharon as Zonk. I still laugh thinking about her and Jennifer getting the Duke's name tattooed on their rear-ends. I still remember the endless agony that would pop up whenever "Queen Arther" entered a game and I remember how excited we all were when Dotel first came over. And heck, I even made the first AN Day, with my friend Tyler in tow. And it was one of the most enjoyable, most entertaining experiences I've ever had at an A's game, especially when our greeting flashed on the scoreboard and we all roared our approval.

So no, I'm not the most frequent AN poster and no, I'm certainly not the most popular. But I'm still out here, committed to all things A's, and still very in Blez's debt for creating this little sanctuary. That's just the Wes way of doing it. :-)

by Wes7 on Jan 25, 2005 8:06 PM PST reply actions

Since

yesterday...but have been browsing since last april.

by oakasfan20 on Jan 25, 2005 10:30 PM PST reply actions

dec 2003

i just accidentally got here.... didn't do much but read...

by ucla kid on Jan 26, 2005 12:15 AM PST reply actions

insomnia

Why, rather than go to sleep, would I spend almost two hours reading through all 100 + comments under that other thread, then all sixty-something comments under this thread, and then attempt to compose a clever little paragraph at the bottom of each one? Am I crazy.

I have had this problem for four months or so now, ever Since Slusser's note on AN in the Chronicle. Good night.

by rubin sierra on Jan 26, 2005 2:37 AM PST reply actions