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Why Point at the Sky??

I don't know how baseball players managed to get on the "fast track" about how things are run in "Heaven".
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/photo?sl...

Star-divide

First, IF there even IS a place like heaven, how is it "our ancestors" get to say, "Sorry God, no time for You, I have to watch a ball game, and perhaps act God-like myself, and do supernatural things to affect the game!"  Bonds, Guerrero, Swisher, they all think a departed loved one is helping them.

Say you die, and your 100-trillion neuron connections actually mysteriously travel to heaven (or a parallel set in another dimension get activated.)  Why do you get to watch baseball games on Earth?  Maybe everyone in Heaven, 100% of their time, has to participate in the ongoing "Greek Olympics"?? "First Adapters" may get to call the shots!(??)

Maybe for the first 1000 years, you have to go to the Andromeda galaxy, and do "good work" pushing boulders around?  Why do baseball players make public displays indicating they think they know more about this than others know ???!

Some baseball players appear to think they have it "wired", and figure their antecedents get to become "mini-Gods" pushing baseballs over fences?  Isn't one of the Ten Commandments about "no gods before me"?  Doesn't that include ancestor-worship to give them thanks for using supernatural powers???

And, if they think God Himself is working, inning by inning, how come only one team gets a World Series victory each year, with MOST "heaven-pointers" excluded?

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In the case of Swisher,

I've always thought of it as more of an "in memory" kind of thing. Another side could be, as a lot of players believe, that the talent they have is God-given, not a home run being God-given, but the ability to do so. Of course then you can't believe in fate, which I don't, but I just wanted to point out the other sides of the arguement.

"It STINKS in here!", Touch of Evil

by californiagirl on Apr 6, 2007 1:27 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

In K-Rod's case,

I just assumed God was the one dropping rosin from the sky as necessary.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Apr 6, 2007 1:46 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I bow to your glory.

QOTM.

"Kotsay is 31... Kotsay's back is 127." - Jeepers

by Ozzz on Apr 7, 2007 12:16 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

they could be pointing out

the beneficial weather patterns that allowed their ball to traverse the sky in the manner that it did.  "thanks, low pressure area, which caused ample atmospheric lift for my victorious ball-strike!"

Storage is for buuuuuusiness or for familyyyyy. We have your space ... 5A RentaSpaaaaace....

by rolliedigits on Apr 6, 2007 1:52 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

This makes sense.

Finally.  I knew the AN group had answers, if I had questions...

GOOD WORK!

"- J. Duchscherer relieved J. Duchscherer" per Yahoo! Sports Box Score

by One won lost won on Apr 6, 2007 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

my 2 cents

I think they really want to pick their nose and are just over excited.

Beane's World!! Excellent!!! Rock On, Beane! Rock On, Geren!

by Satchmo22 on Apr 6, 2007 2:01 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

LOL! QTOM
Jeff of Lookout Landing: "Crosby turns routine play. The Mariners didn't plan on this unforeseen turn of events."

by DMOAS on Apr 6, 2007 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

why point at the sky indeed

who is to say heaven is up in the sky? why can't it be underground?  i've been to plenty underground events that sure seemed like heaven.  

by fadedash on Apr 6, 2007 2:14 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Well, the Bible has always mentioned

Heaven as being upwards.

"It STINKS in here!", Touch of Evil

by californiagirl on Apr 6, 2007 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

swing and a miss
That's what grown men do, This ain't my first rodeo. ...

by OAKobsession on Apr 6, 2007 2:56 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Neither he nor you have to accept it as anything.

I'm not getting into an arguement. Peace.

"It STINKS in here!", Touch of Evil

by californiagirl on Apr 6, 2007 3:06 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

im not disagreeing

but i interpreted his comment to have nothing to do with religion, and more with raves or something, if it wasnt sarcasm than the "swing and a miss" is for me.

That's what grown men do, This ain't my first rodeo. ...

by OAKobsession on Apr 6, 2007 8:12 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

they could be

just reminding themselves that their passed on loved ones' memories keep them going-- keep their heads straight.

I think any religion or belief system places value on the dead. Personally, as a daoist I believe that I should pay respects to my ancestors whenever I can, because without them I wouldn't be in the position I am today.

Regardless, I don't think they're trying to say they are somehow performing as well as they are today because of some kind of direct supernatural contribution from the departed.

What's wrong with blessing the dead?

Hello.

by ConditionOakland on Apr 6, 2007 2:21 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Well, I think they are saying that

Even last year, Swisher (joking? He likes to talk, let's face it) suggested his late Grandma helped push the ball over the fence as the reason a crucial home run just barely clear the barrier.

If there is =any= evidence of "pushing", it would be Bill King putting every person attempting the Wave back in their seat in the Coliseum.

Nothing wrong with "blessing the dead".  I do it all the time.  I just don't do it after hitting a home run, driving, ordering dinner.... timing is everything.

"- J. Duchscherer relieved J. Duchscherer" per Yahoo! Sports Box Score

by One won lost won on Apr 6, 2007 6:10 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sticking with ConditionOakland's point

Even that remains true in the Swisher case.  Her influence on him when she was alive helped him give that extra something special it took to get the ball over the fence.  So in a sense his late Grandma helped push the ball over the fence.

Jeff of Lookout Landing: "Crosby turns routine play. The Mariners didn't plan on this unforeseen turn of events."

by DMOAS on Apr 6, 2007 6:28 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I personally like to point at the ground

when something goes wrong in my life. . .  Because I know when something bad happens, it's Satan taking the time out of his hellish day to influence my life.
But that's just me.

by oaktownmario on Apr 6, 2007 3:22 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

The God of Wind

is who I take time out for....

If I'm painting on a dead-calm day, He Never Fails to show up and "puuuuuuuuuuuuh" blow the plastic off the ground and up onto the fresh paint.

A couple of "Knock it OFF!" usually settles Him down.

"- J. Duchscherer relieved J. Duchscherer" per Yahoo! Sports Box Score

by One won lost won on Apr 6, 2007 6:13 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I usually point towards AlaskaA.

Guess which finger?

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Apr 6, 2007 4:16 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

The Thumb?
Jeff of Lookout Landing: "Crosby turns routine play. The Mariners didn't plan on this unforeseen turn of events."

by DMOAS on Apr 6, 2007 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Perhaps a better question is,

"Why point at the sky when the batter hits a fly ball?" A fly ball was hit "up"? Really? Thanks for the help!

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Apr 6, 2007 10:07 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I can answer that one.

It's so that the players behind you, who may well have lost the ball, get a quick heads up that it's up there and headed their way.

As for why people point up after home runs, I always thought it was a nervous twitch.

Or faked god-bothering, designed to win over certain fans.

"Kotsay is 31... Kotsay's back is 127." - Jeepers

by Ozzz on Apr 7, 2007 12:18 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

lots of these guys...

should be pointing in the general direction of their illegal supplement providers (heh, I guess that's how you say "drug dealer" when talking about baseball these days).  But given ths choice, I could see why they'd go with the sky instead.

www.??e??s??????.com...the "launch" is coming soon...or grand opening in brick-and-mortar terms...I'll be all over the DLD the day it's ready.

by Cutthemullet on Apr 7, 2007 12:06 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I don't mind Vlad so much

because he doesn't make a big goofy scene out of it like K-Rod, who is assuredly one of the most annoying players ever to put on a uniform and really needs to stop the carrying on and show some damn respect and humility out there and quit yelling like he just won the World Series every time he saves a game.  Some players who do it don't claim to be pointing to "God," like Swisher who is pointing at his grandma, who is presumably situated somewhere in close proximity to "God".  

What can I say, opium is the religion of the masses or somesuch.

LET'S go OAKland!!!!

by emperor nobody on Apr 7, 2007 12:34 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

heh

I prefer the arrangement of your saying to the original.

www.??e??s??????.com...the "launch" is coming soon...or grand opening in brick-and-mortar terms...I'll be all over the DLD the day it's ready.

by Cutthemullet on Apr 7, 2007 6:21 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

yeah...

I think my new favorite scene was last weekend, the last game of spring training against the Dodgers. He got the save by getting 3 guys out who had never even had an at bat all spring. Nevertheless, he jumped and squatted, pumping his fist like it was October. Even my dad (an Angels fan) was laughing at how ridiculous it was.

But yeah as far as the pointing at the sky thing, it really doesn't bother me at all. Sort of seems equivalent to a closer pumping his fist once after getting a final strike out. If they made a huge deal of it jumping and hollering and going nuts (other than for an amazing walk off or something... which is totally understandable) it would bother me a lot more.

"I never saw a hooligan I did like. They're like left-handed pitchers, they all have a screw loose somewhere." - The Asphalt Jungle

by drmmerchk on Apr 7, 2007 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm wondering why it even bothers some people

An athlete brags and boasts and takes all the credit himself --- he's an arrogant jerk.
Somebody else maybe acknowledges another reason for success and he's "trying to shove religion down our throats."
Can't win for losin'.
Don't get me wrong, I hate overly-dramatic "anything," but pointing to the sky is hardly anything to get excited about.

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on Apr 7, 2007 8:54 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Why do some pitchers

have recurrent epilepsy corresponding to the final out of the game?

by mikeA on Apr 7, 2007 9:03 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Joe Kennedy appears to have epilepsy

every time he throws a pitch.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Apr 7, 2007 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

No, no...

I'm sure he meant AFTER the pitch.

Jeff of Lookout Landing: "Crosby turns routine play. The Mariners didn't plan on this unforeseen turn of events."

by DMOAS on Apr 7, 2007 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Oh, then it's

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Wait, no, that's what I have after Kennedy throws a pitch.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Apr 7, 2007 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Hate to have to correct you again

but what you describe is PRE Traumatic Stress Disorder.  A disorder that haunts all A's fans.  You're not alone, good sir, you're not alone.

Jeff of Lookout Landing: "Crosby turns routine play. The Mariners didn't plan on this unforeseen turn of events."

by DMOAS on Apr 7, 2007 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

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