East Bay Express on Moneybutt (plus Butt Thread)

by Apricot on Aug 23, 2006 6:43 PM PDT

Well, I thought it was a joke when Rachel at the East Bay Express e-mailed asking for an interview about Moneybutt.

It turns out she was quite serious and did a fairly long phone interview with me and turned it into a downright pleasant short article. I do note that she did kind of misrepresent what I said about Moneyball, but I forgive her.

Thanks to Baker for finding it (how?!) online here: "Runs Butted In". Great title.

Some key quotes.

The mathematician regularly contributes to the popular A's blog Athletics Nation, arguably one of the most imaginative sports-fan sites on the Internet today. Apricot says one thing he really likes about the blog is that it appeals to female sports fans. "I find that really nice," he says. "It makes for more sane conversations." ...

"About a year ago there was a controversy because some guys didn't like women talking about players' butts," he explains. "I didn't like the way that people who were criticizing all the butt talk were trying to make Athletics Nation more of a boy environment, and be hostile to the women on the site."

"One thing I really enjoy is to make sacrilegious, blasphemous choices. For example, I just chose Ramon Hernandez over Gandhi (shrug)," wrote blogger Rubin Sierra on July 28.

In honor of this small bit of old-press recognition of AN and Moneybutt, I declare the rest of this diary an Open Thread, with specific invitation to post any of your favorite attractive pictures of them A's.

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Comments

Good job! Remember us little folks...

...when you become famous for creating games that get people fired, and crusading for she-bloggers' ogling rights! ;)

They're urban raccoons, and they're not afraid.

by Poppy on Aug 23, 2006 6:55 PM PDT reply actions

Yay for statisticofeminists!

by mikeA on Aug 23, 2006 6:55 PM PDT reply actions

Moneybutt:

we really are selling jeans here.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Aug 23, 2006 7:01 PM PDT reply actions

<snerk>

"Ready for the post(erior)-season?"

Excellent job!

"The student is trying to keep up with the teacher," Swisher said. "It ain't easy chasing a dang Hall of Famer, though."

by Jennifer on Aug 23, 2006 7:01 PM PDT reply actions

hawt

I heart Apricot.

"I almost landed in some lady's lap, which was kinda fun.'' -- Swish

by Sharon on Aug 23, 2006 7:04 PM PDT reply actions

Good ol' Don Mossi

We hold these truths to be self-evident / We drink beer in bars and act irreverent - Lambchop

by andeux on Aug 23, 2006 7:05 PM PDT reply actions

Hmmm

Well, he does have pretty nice teeth...

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on Aug 23, 2006 7:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Another try for the graphic

Or if it still isn't showing up, click here.

by eebie on Aug 23, 2006 7:44 PM PDT reply actions

It actually was showing up...

...in the other thread, too... dunno why Apricot couldn't see it.

They're urban raccoons, and they're not afraid.

by Poppy on Aug 23, 2006 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions

hah

did that go with the article? I didn't see the graphic there either...

by Apricot on Aug 23, 2006 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions

On the main page

If you go to the main page and wait... wait... Ah! There it is. It's how I found it in the first place.

by eebie on Aug 23, 2006 7:50 PM PDT up reply actions

In that case

since we know that at least you and I can see it, care to weigh in on exactly whose fine behind they have photoshopped in here?

by eebie on Aug 23, 2006 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, gee, I don't know...

That would mean I'd have to stare at it for a while...

Chavy?

hmmm.....

{stares some more}

No, Huston.

hmmm............

{stares some more}

Rich?

They're urban raccoons, and they're not afraid.

by Poppy on Aug 23, 2006 7:53 PM PDT up reply actions

I thought Chavez

Stance is infielderish. Looks like they photoshopped all the clues out of his shoes.

by eebie on Aug 23, 2006 7:57 PM PDT up reply actions

I noticed that about the shoes, too...

Chavy was my immediate thought, too, because of the stance and because he looks kind of long-waisted...

They're urban raccoons, and they're not afraid.

by Poppy on Aug 23, 2006 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions

Awesome!!!

That was great. But I just have one question: you mean your real name isn't Apricot? And all this time, I thought your parents just had a bit of a fruit obsession...

by whiteshoes40 on Aug 23, 2006 8:07 PM PDT reply actions

Many women name their baby...

...after whatever food they were craving while pregnant. Let me introduce you to my son, Sardines N. Barbeque Sauce.

They're urban raccoons, and they're not afraid.

by Poppy on Aug 23, 2006 8:14 PM PDT up reply actions

um ...

... no comment.

aka Baron Monkey Von Ballheimer -- FormerHuntsvilleStar @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2006 8:34 PM PDT up reply actions

APRICOT!!

I'm so proud of you!!!!!

Seriously, that's the funnist thing I've ever read!!!! Congrats!

"Why won't everyone do what I want???" ~SportySpice

by baseballgirl on Aug 23, 2006 9:35 PM PDT reply actions

i just reread the adventures

of diego chavez. man, that was some brilliant stuff...

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Aug 23, 2006 9:42 PM PDT reply actions

That is AWESOME!

My eyes had sort of surfed ahead in that last paragraph and it was like ... Sierra? I thought the reference would be to my namesake. I remember making that comment both on the Moneybutt site and on the AN Moneybutt thread, and I was sort of miffed that nobody responded to it. I guess it just goes to show <eyes welling up with tears> that all those posts with zero responses pay off in the long run.

Thanks for posting this, Apricot--and thanks for writing it, Rachel Swan. I'd also like to thank my parents, friends, family, the Academy <interrupted by exit music>

"WTF is wrong with you people TASTELESS COMMENTS. I'm disgusted. Mocking a 10 year old's horrible painful death." --eshock

by rubin sierra on Aug 23, 2006 10:19 PM PDT reply actions

the key part of your comment

was that <shrug>. heh heh.

by Apricot on Aug 23, 2006 10:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Great title

But now I can't get that dang Shaggy song out of my head!

Since Harden seems to be The King of Moneybutt, maybe that should be his new song when (IF?!) he comes back :)

"Maybe if I lay here in the dirt, nobody will notice I've forgotten how to hit" ~Crosby in ANtics

by streetfan on Aug 23, 2006 10:42 PM PDT reply actions

This is great stuff Apricot

There's room for stats of ALL kinds on AN. I'd like to think this is an open community welcome to all different kinds of fans ;-)

by Tyler Bleszinski on Aug 23, 2006 11:14 PM PDT reply actions

Huh... Moneybutt

I wonder, who's top dog over there these days?

"the poop stain on the collective AN pantalones." -ohad

by ArakSOT on Aug 24, 2006 6:14 AM PDT reply actions

Small world

I didn't realize your true identity, Apricot. I used to be a sales representative for a publishing company, and probably knocked on your door a couple of times <ducks to avoid thrown chairs>.

"The first night, we were right there," Bradley said. "All we needed was a couple of touchdowns, and we would have had them."

by jeepers on Aug 24, 2006 8:39 AM PDT reply actions