DLD 4/4 -- Watching Cleveland
by SportySpice on Apr 4, 2008 8:06 AM PDT
165 comments
Since the A's are playing Cleveland tonight, and I'm now living in "The Green City by the Blue Lake" (TM pending), I thought I'd start off today's link dump with a Cleveland point of view.
Somehow, even in Cleveland, the A's get slighted.
Saturday afternoon's game at Oakland (4:07 p.m.) is currently the only game that will not be televised this season.
For roster watchers, Victor Martinez (hamstring) may be back in the lineup.
Sadly, there's no sign that Chief Wahoo may get the boot anytime soon.
Faye Brings Them, a real Cleveland Indian, attended maybe her 30th home opener Monday without seeing a pitch. She stood and weathered insults outside Progressive Field, holding a sign that read: "Find A New Theme."
....
She joined about 30 other American Indians on Ontario Street beseeching owners of the city's professional baseball team to retire Chief Wahoo and to change the team name.
"We're looking at the self-esteem of our children," she softly explained.
A shirtless young man in a cartoonish headdress walked past. ... He let out a war whoop and began to dance. His friends roared in laughter.
"If we don't change the name," she said, "nothing changes."
I love Cleveland, but this is shameful and inexcusable.
Oh, so you want to talk about the A's? Fine.
Duke is really excited to start tonight, but he's relaxed.
The A's may be 100 % Baseball, but they're also like 30 % striking out.
Through four games, the A's have struck out 34 times. "They're going to go down," hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo said of the K totals. "Obviously, they're higher than what we'd like, and the two-strike hits aren't where we need them to be, but we're just getting going. There's not enough data to panic.
Okay, panic button off.
All aboard the Royals' bandwagon. And have you checked out Royals Review? That place is hopping. Let's hope their early success doesn't make them all humorless and arrogant.
And finally, as a new NRAF, these 10 p.m. starts are going to kill me. Do you people actually stay up to watch the whole game? If you don't, do you avoid seeing the score until you watch the game the next day? I need a strategy.
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Chief wahoo is about the most racist thing in sports
That logo is a shame and it is about freaking time that it changed.
Rickey Henderson: 35, 24, hall of fame!
by Athletics fan and runner on Apr 4, 2008 8:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I thought Billy Beane was the most racist thing in sports
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought the All Blacks were the most racist thing in sports
Signatures? We don't need no stinking signatures.
by jubjub on Apr 4, 2008 8:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought Danica Patrick was the raciest thing in sports...
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 4, 2008 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Absolutely
Meant to put a serious comment here, too...
Supposedly "Indians" came as a tribute to Cleveland Spider great Louis Sockalexis, a Native American. If that's true (and I'm finding information that says it's just legend), I can semi-understand the nickname (although I'm not thrilled with it). If you're going to have that nickname, you can't have a cartoon for a logo. You just can't. CAN'T, CAN'T, CAN'T!
Personally, I think they should be on the safe side and bring back "Spiders."
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 4, 2008 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not sure
that they really want to associate themselves with that franchise.
"Tomorrow it may rain." - Leo Durocher
by andeux on Apr 4, 2008 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well it's not exaclty
like they've dominated the sport under their current moniker either
I'm here to talk about the past.
by 67MARQUEZ on Apr 4, 2008 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not exactly sure
...where the line is drawn. I mean, isn't the Fighting Irish a pretty awfully racist mascot? It too has a tasteless cartoon image stereotyping an ethnic group. And what about the Vikings? Braids and a war helmet with horns? And the celtics? smoking and leaning on a cane? Its not complimentary, that is for sure. At least it is as tastless as Chief Wahoo, in my opinion.
I understand a mascot name that is a regular invective, like the redskins, or the redlegs prior to thier name change. Of course, Yankee is hardly a complement is it? (at least it didn't sound like one at my girlfriend's house in Virginia). I know, I know, not an ethnic group. But Indians seems tame enough- even if it is a misnomer and not the accepted appelation today.
I understand the argument, but I disagree with the singularity of the opposition. There are a lot of ethnic mascots. In some ways, I think its kind of great that the team that was in the ALCS bears the name of the ethnic peoples of the Americas.
by mikedaviswhereareyou on Apr 4, 2008 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
...yeah, and buckeyes closely resemble hairless gonads.
Yet they seem to be proud of themselves. Go figure.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
... and Travis isn't exhibiting much strike zone judgment lately ...
... so there's that slur as well.
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The problem is not with ethnic mascots
Do you see Irish Americans or Irish protesting against Notre Dame's mascot? Do you see Americans with Scandinavian ancestry protesting against the use of Vikings? Also, how many teams use a caricature of a Viking as a mascot?
And who exactly are the Celtics insulting / offending / caricaturing? What really is the definition of Celtic?
Do Northerners / people from NYC get insulted by the Yankees name?
Indians is tame enough. The mascot is not.
"I think its kind of great that the team that was in the ALCS bears the name of the ethnic peoples of the Americas."
What about what the ethnic peoples think?
ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524
by rfloh on Apr 4, 2008 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wonder what elephant-Americans think of Stomper
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 3:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Shouldn't we limit our concern to
albino pigment-challenged elephant-Americans?
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 3:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Depends on how many gallons of pruno they've drunk.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on Apr 4, 2008 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
that's a racist/speciesist/mascotist slander
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 5:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tri-FECTA!
/historically, the mascot was a White elephant.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If an Ohioan can slide into this debate...
First, I find a bit dubious the idea that Chief Wahoo, particularly in his current incarnation, is intentionally racist. Which stereotype does he represent, exactly? The "Indians have primary-color skin tone" stereotype? The "twinkly-eyed Indian with an ear-to-ear grin" stereotype? I don't really see any evidence that he's drunk -- that strikes me as rabble-rousing more than anything -- and for crying out loud, I just can't believe anything named Chief Wahoo is intended as actual commentary. He's an Indian who cheers for the Indians, near as I can tell, and that's that. As between the Chief and the Tomahawk Chop, I'd say the Chop is considerably more offensive insofar as it directly perpetuates the violent, war-like American Indian stereotype -- not to mention, it's annoying as hell.
That said, I'm not ignorant of the definition of "offensive." If people (specifically, American Indians) are offended by Chief Wahoo, then he's offensive per se. And you can't say the Indians as an organization are insensitive to that. Look at the hats from the '90s, and look at them now: The team features two alternate logos (that anemic little script "I" and the throwback block "C," which will probably be featured more prominently in seasons to come), and the Chief Wahoo logos on the primary caps are much smaller than they used to be. Neither is Chief Wahoo the go-to logo around the ballpark or on Indians promotional items. And don't forget, Chief Wahoo is just a logo -- the Indians mascot is a somewhat horrifying pink monster named Slider. With every passing year, there's a little less of Chief Wahoo going around.
Don't you think this is the best way to address the situation? I suppose the Tribe front office could blare the trumpets and make a grand pronouncement: "We renounce our offensive logo and apologize for every ruffled feather -- by which we certainly DO NOT mean feathers in the context of a war-dress." Of course, then you're going to get a massive backlash from fans who've been buying the thing for years, to say nothing of the frothy debate we'd be provoking the national media. That's all well and good for the A's, I guess -- you wouldn't have to live here when it happens.
Contrast that with the direction the team is going. I'd say in a few more years, Chief Wahoo will be nothing more than an alternate logo, on a sleeve here or a cap there, and even the most rapid anti-P.C. fans will hardly know the difference.
N.B. FHS, there's some debate about this, but people who care about this sort of thing say there's no actual evidence to suggest that the Indians were named in honor of Sockalexis. And if they were, well, Sockalexis was an alcoholic, so that's probably not something the organization would be putting in a mission statement.
by fleerdon on Apr 6, 2008 7:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
FWIW, I don't necessarily disagree with what the Indians are doing
ie, slowly phasing Wahoo out.
I was only disagreeing with mikedaviswhereareyou's comparison of Wahoo to the Celtics, Vikings or the Fighting Irish.
ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524
by rfloh on Apr 7, 2008 8:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are the Royals
the most glaring example of "small sample size" ever?
I mean, this can't last the entire season for either team, can it?
I'm here to talk about the past.
by 67MARQUEZ on Apr 4, 2008 8:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
In a word?
No.
They're delusional if they think this is something other than early luck over an injury-plagued opponent.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Apr 4, 2008 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Try living in Kansas
Easily the fans I can stand the least. At 2-0, how many times do you think I heard "First place, baby!", or "How about those Royals?" About a trillion. Now that its 3-0? I just pray they lose soon, or its going to be like 2003 all over again. You know, their one winning season over the last decade and half? But to them, that was like winning 6 world series' in a row.
Might as well Jump! - Van Halen
by sprtsnwyn on Apr 4, 2008 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It will.
Royals: 162-0
Tigers: 0-162
Book it.
stat-addled alien overlord
by salb918 on Apr 4, 2008 9:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Depends.
On what you mean by "this".
If by "this" you mean going undefeated, or even winning the AL central, then what sal said.
OTOH, they do have some talent. They're not just Gil Meche, LOL, to quote someone who belittled them on AN recently.
ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524
by rfloh on Apr 4, 2008 3:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Go Royals!
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on Apr 4, 2008 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Today, being 4/4 and all
A quick salute to this Number 44, who tied Babe Ruth with his 714th homerun 34 years ago today.
And while I am at it, the A's and Indians did battle 25 years ago today in the season opener for both teams.
I'm here to talk about the past.
by 67MARQUEZ on Apr 4, 2008 9:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
That A's game was the launching
of the thoroughly forgettable Steve Boros/Jackie Moore era. Not too many highlights of the A's 40 years in Oakland will be coming from those seasons.
I do remember looking over somebody's shoulder at their little black & white portable TV that night and watching the last few minutes of N.C. State's win over Houston.
by Soaker on Apr 4, 2008 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That just might have been my brother's shoulder
He had a B&W portable with him that night.
Who could forget Valvano's reaction aftr the Phi Slamma Jamma went down...on a jam no less.
I'm here to talk about the past.
by 67MARQUEZ on Apr 4, 2008 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Anybody going to wear this shirt this weekend?
I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.
by franks a lot on Apr 4, 2008 9:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
That shirt is just as lame as Chief Wahoo.
stat-addled alien overlord
by salb918 on Apr 4, 2008 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The shirt may be lame, but that mannequin sure is cool.
I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.
by franks a lot on Apr 4, 2008 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I might by that for my wife
My wife is native indian and she might like such a shirt.
Rickey Henderson: 35, 24, hall of fame!
by Athletics fan and runner on Apr 4, 2008 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Native Indian or Native American?
stat-addled alien overlord
by salb918 on Apr 4, 2008 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
well
The issue with Cleveland's logo is not the term Indian, per se. Any many reserves if you ask what a Native American is the response that you will get is, "An Indian who went to college."
The issue is with the red face drunk caricature that the cartoon logo is. It would be like a team having a "Sambo" cartoon as a logo.
Rickey Henderson: 35, 24, hall of fame!
by Athletics fan and runner on Apr 4, 2008 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Doesn't make the term "Indian" any more accurate.
I'm not offended or anything, but I'm always confused by the terminology since I'm used to "Indian" meaning something else entirely.
(Obviously, the Chief Wahoo image is pretty stupid and should be retired.)
stat-addled alien overlord
by salb918 on Apr 4, 2008 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Perhaps they could change their logo
to the restaurant's Indian version of Sambo.
by Soaker on Apr 4, 2008 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Eastern Timers
Hey Sporty ... I gave up the idea of staying up until 1 a.m. that many times long ago -- I just can't be that tired at work, then come home to play with my son and function properly. So I only do those on Friday and Saturday nights, when I can sneak in a nap or sleep in the next day. (Opening week was different because I took all this week off.) Otherwise, I just find the result and maybe see some highlights while eating my breakfast cereal the next morning.
This is when you really like the East Coast road trips and mid-week matinees!
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 4, 2008 9:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I used to stay up every night, but with the kid
I'm guessing that's going to be impossible. Who knew being a dad would require sacrifices?
stat-addled alien overlord
by salb918 on Apr 4, 2008 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I may try to stay up for Harden's starts
[pause for tired jokes], but that may be it. Those 6 a.m. starts from Japan were perfect for my schedule.
Sweating the small stuff
by SportySpice on Apr 4, 2008 10:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Try for Blanton's starts
You might be able to save an hour. :)
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 4, 2008 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
great to see a post from you
I half expect to run into you in the BART station...
I like the Cleveland team...but they really need to lose that logo.
I think it's going to be in the 40's tonight – not the best thing for Victor's hamstring. (I think he's a great player; I remember seeing him hit two HRs one night in the coliseum, one from each side.)
When I was living back in the Caribbean I would usually fall asleep during night games (I had mlb.com audio), since they just were on too late. I ended up watching lots of MLB games other than the A's.
by OaklandSi on Apr 4, 2008 9:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The saddest line in that Cleveland story
is that because of all the teasing and taunting, Faye Brings Them grew up dreading baseball season. Every year. I can't imagine what that would be like.
The candy and the baseball all night long: )
by Englishmajor on Apr 4, 2008 9:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Miscellany
Tiny black holes! Protoplanets! Extrasolar methane! When do we get to talk to the little green men? Does Richard Dreyfuss have to be involved somehow? Heady times for astronomy.
King Kaufman rightly mocks (though not quite in the gleefully vicious fashion I would have preferred) an old, stubborn, totally inane baseball tradition.
Recent BP chats you probably already read: Goldstein gives Matt Sulentic the dreaded "glimmer of hope" rating, Sheehan pontificates on "random bats" and Chavvy's rejuvenation odds, and Kahrl is less than sanguine about M Sweeney's sticktoitiveness:
Sweeney's ability to self-delete is pretty steady.
Nic Cage does not drive drunk or steal dogs.
"As an actor who stars in many family-friendly films and who has a young child and teenager of his own, Mr Cage was understandably upset at having wrongly been depicted as condoning that sort of reckless, dangerous and criminal behaviour.
Yes, after watching such family friendly films as 8MM, Leaving Las Vegas, and Bringing Out the Dead, I was mortified to learn that the hero of those Disney-esque tales might not resemble Ward Cleaver in real life.
Perhaps this has been said before, but Joe Blanton's blog kind of rules.
Researchers find a really important 14,000 year old pile of poop in Oregon.
Jenkins said the feces were easy to identify. In the thin, fine dirt, he said, the fossilized coprolites were unmistakable. "Basically, it looks like what it is: poop," he said. "Dried up like that, it maintains its shape and is very different from the surrounding soil."
by 74mk on Apr 4, 2008 9:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Crap
thanks, 74. There goes Duke's no hitter. I love that Blanton's wife is named LeeAndra.
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on Apr 4, 2008 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My personal history is inconclusive
Exhibit A: 4/20/90. I was there, rooting vigorously for no-no disruption. Exhortations answered in the 9th.
Exhibit B: 6/11/90. In the stands, yapping about the possibility from the 6th on. To no avail.
Exhibit C: 6/29/90. Had the VHS tape in by the 5th. No jinx.
Exhibit D: 7/29/01. At this game as well. Turned to my dad during the 7th, and said something like "Hey, Park has a ...", just as Abreu's homer flew into the right field stands.
by 74mk on Apr 4, 2008 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was at those first two
But I was torn in the first one because it was a "perfecto" and in the second one, I found myself wanting Ryan to get it.
I'm here to talk about the past.
by 67MARQUEZ on Apr 4, 2008 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love this:
"That's right. I jinxed the no-no. I have that power. Give me pie."
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 4, 2008 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I heart King Kaufman
Inane is absolutely right. Like many superstitions, this one had its roots in something that kinda sorta made sense: players wouldn't talk to the pitcher about the fact that he was throwing a no-hitter because they didn't want him thinking about it. But then that turned into other players not talking to the pitcher at all, which of course has just the opposite effect.
And now we have the "tradition" that fans and announcers aren't supposed to mention the no-hitter either, which is
a) a recent invention; and
b) total idiocy.
"Tomorrow it may rain." - Leo Durocher
by andeux on Apr 4, 2008 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The idea that announcers can't mention a key part of a story
is indeed idiotic. They're narrating the game! Radio guys in particular have a longstanding tradition of often repeating key facets of the story in progress, because new listeners tune in throughout the game. To suggest that the people whose job it is to update the audience should leave THE SINGLE MOST SALIENT FACT out of the update is an insult to anyone who has ever described anything.
And the idea of jinxing things is dumb too. A week ago I told a friend I thought Robert Mugabe might actually give up power peacefully in Zimbabwe. Does that mean the crackdown is my fault?
There is an A in Whimsy.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Apr 4, 2008 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So, tell us, Free -- who's gonna win the March Madness men's collegiate basketball tournament this year?
I already know the "not Michigan" part.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
i don't think that's usually the case though
ESPN certainly mentions that there's a no-hitter going when they switch to it.
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 Apr 4, 2008 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
when did ESPN start switching to coverage of Zimbabwe?
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe it's a Red Sox nation now...
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 4, 2008 6:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Apparently.
And that's all I have to say on the subject, lest I hear about a certain phantom time-out call fifteen-or-so painful years ago.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 7, 2008 7:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
idiocy
sure, but it's kinda fun. i'm not superstitious, but i enjoy pretending to be when there's a potential no-no going on...
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 Apr 4, 2008 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blanton's blog actually is really good
I was surprised--I hope he keeps up with his posting. This was my favorite part so far:
This morning when I woke up, we ordered breakfast, and I have to say it was the best seasonal fruit plate I've ever had. Not sure how interesting that is to anyone, but I figured I'd mention it. It was unbelievable.
"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King
by batgirl on Apr 4, 2008 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I enjoyed his detailed descriptions
of the food he ate in Japan.
by OaklandSi on Apr 4, 2008 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
who would have guessed joe blanton spends a lot of time thinking about food
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 Apr 4, 2008 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
seasonal fruit plate
The one time a year Piazza catches?
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Definitely qualifies
as the ZOMG news of the day...
Mike Montgomery agrees in principle to take Cal job.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Apr 4, 2008 9:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Ahhh, now that is good news.
Welcome aboard!
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on Apr 4, 2008 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is not happening
This is not happening. {rocks slowly back and forth}
I blame the Warriors.
"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King
by batgirl on Apr 4, 2008 10:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not sure if I like it either...
... it's like if the A's had hired Mike Scioscia.
by calgbear on Apr 4, 2008 1:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, kind of
Except that Montgomery is, you know, competent.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Apr 4, 2008 3:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I refuse to accept it
Until someone other than "sources..." confirms it
by RickeySteals on Apr 4, 2008 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Um, no link, but..
I'm going to Japan! I got an e-mail last night from the JET Program (the top English-teaching program in Japan) saying I'm in! Now I just wait to find out what town we'll be living in.
I've been waiting for a long time to find out. I'll be leaving July 26th and coming back in two to three years. In other words, when I fly out to California to see my family at the beginning of July, I need to go to a bunch of games at the Coli. I'd like to meet some ANers before I go.
Chiba Lotte lost simultaneously in the fighter plane of the Japanese ham.
by JediLeroy on Apr 4, 2008 9:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Omedeto! Gambatte!
The candy and the baseball all night long: )
by Englishmajor on Apr 4, 2008 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Deanna from Marinerds and LL is in Japan teaching.
http://marinerds.blogspot.com/
She also has a non-baseball website, but I can't find the address right now.
Good luck!
"Hi, I need to... uh... determination..."
by Jennifer on Apr 4, 2008 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
congratulations!
There's no crying in baseball!
by gigglingone on Apr 4, 2008 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks, guys!
I'm peeing my pants with glee!
Chiba Lotte lost simultaneously in the fighter plane of the Japanese ham.
by JediLeroy on Apr 4, 2008 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good -- Get that part over now before you go...
Congratulations!
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 4, 2008 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
if you were an Indian, would you pee your pants with ghee?
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
wouldn't you instead
teepee your pants with glee?
"Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it?"-Steve McCatty
by 5Aces on Apr 4, 2008 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
teehee
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 3:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wow! Congrats & good luck!
Let us know exactly when you're going to be at the Coli so we can stalk meet you! Or should we just look for the guy who's gleefully peeing his pants?
"There is an HR in Hanrahan." ~ mikeA
by Poppy on Apr 4, 2008 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks!
should we just look for the guy who's gleefully peeing his pants?
Hopefully by then the pee will have dried.
Gotta look up the schedule now to see when I can go!
Chiba Lotte lost simultaneously in the fighter plane of the Japanese ham.
by JediLeroy on Apr 4, 2008 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you read this?
http://www.gaijinsmash.net/ if you are a Jet its a must, be sure to start from the archive. KANCHO!
by jahs34 on Apr 5, 2008 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Goddammit! Why can't I remember that you can't test a farking link in AN 3pointfarking0 without losing it?
Crap.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 10:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Right-click on the link
to open it in a new tab...you won't lose it that way.
by Soaker on Apr 4, 2008 10:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great -- now I have TWO thing to remember.
(Thanks, Soaker, I'll try to try it)
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Help find a video?
Last Saturdays A's vs Giants exhibition game, they played a video on the big screen showing some highlights of the 40 years at the coliseum. It showed Krazy George, then said 'This is Krazy'. Another showed Chavez and said 'This is Gold', etc, etc.
Anyone know if this is online somewhere.
-Dan
by ironliver on Apr 4, 2008 10:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
possibly at onehundredpercentbaseball.com
Chiba Lotte lost simultaneously in the fighter plane of the Japanese ham.
by JediLeroy on Apr 4, 2008 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, it's one of their commercials
Click on "Back in the Day", and I think the one you want is "History in the Making".
by Soaker on Apr 4, 2008 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
definitely read that as 100% injury rate...
jinx!
i'm assuming 100% baseball is the ad campaign this year?
"The hard... is what makes it great."
by Jjjsixsix on Apr 4, 2008 6:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ahem. "Green City by a Blue Lake??"
I always thought Mistake by the Lake had a ring ring of authenticity to it.
And, in slightly delayed, and untested, tribute to the mighty, flammable Cuyahoga River: Burn on, Big Rivah
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 10:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I didn't say the Blue
was water.
But really, the lake and river are much cleaner. Might be as clean or cleaner than the SF Bay.
Sweating the small stuff
by SportySpice on Apr 4, 2008 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Would there happen to be any support for that claim? ;-)
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Naaa
Just making stuff up.
Sweating the small stuff
by SportySpice on Apr 4, 2008 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmmm. Not that it's unpossible, but much of the Bay gets flushed out to sea, 2x every day.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
actually, after the disaster of Lake Erie pollution
became publicized in the 1970s, there were some strong efforts (at city, state, national and international levels) to clean it up. here's a link to just one of many stories:
by OaklandSi on Apr 4, 2008 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cuyahoga River incident had a lot to do with passage of the original Clean Water Act.
(which doesn't make it Hetch Hetchy, exactly).
Oops -- shoulda read your link first to see if it says that, but now I fear the arbitrary wrath of AN 3 unless I post.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Classic photos re-staged in Lego.
and more here.
by green star oakland on Apr 4, 2008 10:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Awesome
except it reminded me that I miss the other Batgirl.
The candy and the baseball all night long: )
by Englishmajor on Apr 4, 2008 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Small sample size be damned, Kevin Hench at Foxsports.com
is really laying into the A's. What these people aren't taking into affect, is that, although the A's played 4 games, they didn't face the 3 and 4 starters. They faced the top 2, and they faced them twice. The A's pitchers did as well, but Harden didn't last as long, and the bullpen gave up all the runs.
2. Continuing downfall of Moneyball
Perhaps Michael Lewis can write a follow-up to "Moneyball" subtitled "The Art of Losing an Unfair Game." Billy Beane looks to have pushed his discount formula to the breaking point, cobbling together a bargain-basement lineup of over-the-hill castoffs like Mike Sweeney and OBP apostates like Bobby Crosby (career .310 OBP). In losing three of four to the Red Sox to open the season, the A's hit .183 as a team. More disturbing, perhaps, is that they didn't draw a single walk off Daisuke Matsuzaka (who finished sixth in the league with 80 BBs last year) in Tuesday's 2-1 loss. The A's won't contend with Jack Hannahan leading the team in slugging percentage and Emil Brown pacing them in RBI. And it will only get worse when Rich Harden is dealt at the deadline. But take heart, A's fans, you need only look across the Bay to see a team in more dire straits.
9. This Buck stops here, but when does he start?
Of all the guys scuffling in the A's anemic lineup, none is doing a better impersonation of an AL pitcher batting in interleague play than Travis Buck. Looking out of place atop the order, Buck has begun the season 0-for-14 with seven Ks. Has anyone ever sprung into his sophomore slump this quickly? Even Joe Charboneau got hits in the first three games of his second season in 1981.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7987290/Hey,-Bay-Area-teams:-It's-Hit-List,-not-Hitless?var=one
by theblackpearl on Apr 4, 2008 10:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
What a pair of clown shoes...
I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.
by franks a lot on Apr 4, 2008 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He's right. Moneyball Sucks.
Also, Brian Sabean is a better GM than Billy Beane.
My head is spinning.
by mikev on Apr 4, 2008 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mets getting Rick Rolled
the METS are allowing fans to pick the 8th inning sing along.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/fan_forum/singalong_vote_form.jsp
The kids at Fark.com have found out and have helpful hints to try and get "Never gonna give you up" selected.
by whyareyou on Apr 4, 2008 11:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Them's mah boyz.
/farkmod emeritus
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
As reassuring as Bud's words were, the dulcet tone of his voice and his dashing appearance really sealed the deal for me. ~ GreenNGoldSooner @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 4, 2008 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Greatest post according to me
I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.
by franks a lot on Apr 4, 2008 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
TV alert
Per SuSlu's latest roundup:
An hourlong program celebrating the A's 40 years in Oakland will be rebroadcast on Comcast Sports Net on Monday at 9 p.m. and Tuesday at 3 p.m. CSN is also re-airing a half-hour show about the team's recent trip to Japan tonight at 9:30 p.m. and at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.
Oh, and did we know that Dan Meyer had his appendix out? I tried searching the archives but all I found were references to Daric Barton's appendix in 2005.
The candy and the baseball all night long: )
by Englishmajor on Apr 4, 2008 12:24 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
That's weird
Arnold Leon goes back to Mexico on June 15 to play one more season in the Mexican Summer League.
I would say something along the lines of "I hope he doesn't get hurt down there," but given that this is the A's we're talking about, he's probably more likely to get hurt in the org than out of it...
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Apr 4, 2008 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That SuSlu: is there anything she can't do?
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Commiseration by mockery
Manny and Ortiz, down a peg:
http://riotsbanquetssports.blogspot.com/2008/04/beyond-boston-crab.html
by LimaBeane on Apr 4, 2008 12:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Promotions Question
Does anyone know if it is possible to order give-aways/promotion items without attending the games?
A co-worker of mine is an Angel season ticket holder and she can order all promotion items for the year.
I was not sure if the A's offered something similar. And if so, do they offer to non season ticket holders.
by easyraider on Apr 4, 2008 12:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
No idea, but it often shows up on Ebay.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Milwaukee broadcasters were talking about Yabu...
One guy said, "First name spelled K-E-I-I-C-H-I, pronounced 'Larry'"
Then Bill Hall destroyed Yabu's hanging curve.
"I'm going to take a camera crew and march into Billy Beane's office and demand to know why instituting his newfangled cost-saving measures means that the run manufacturing plant had to get shut down." FJM
by Elvez on Apr 4, 2008 1:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Postscript: Fenway hawk attack bad omen for Yankees
As I linked yesterday, a girl was attacked by a red-tailed hawk at Fenway park.
The girl's name? Alexa Rodriguez.
And now you know the rest of the story.
There is an A in Whimsy.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Apr 4, 2008 1:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I got crapped on by a seagull...
during the end of a Wednesday afternoon game at the Coliseum, why wasn't this covered by ESPN?
Oh yeah right...
I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.
by franks a lot on Apr 4, 2008 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kendall scores his 900th career run.
12th player in MLB history.
"I'm going to take a camera crew and march into Billy Beane's office and demand to know why instituting his newfangled cost-saving measures means that the run manufacturing plant had to get shut down." FJM
by Elvez on Apr 4, 2008 1:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
And in his next plate appearance grounded into his 3000th double play
Chiba Lotte lost simultaneously in the fighter plane of the Japanese ham.
by JediLeroy on Apr 4, 2008 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He was actually 2-2 with a DOUBLE, and has now been replaced with a double switch
by theblackpearl on Apr 4, 2008 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
with a DOUBLE
/head explodes
Chiba Lotte lost simultaneously in the fighter plane of the Japanese ham.
by JediLeroy on Apr 4, 2008 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
QOTM
Oh wait, I have to email someone about this? Aw crap.....
There's no crying in baseball!
by gigglingone on Apr 4, 2008 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You don't have to email.
You just have to hope I see when you say "QOTM"... because I can't search for "QOTM," you know... ;)
"There is an HR in Hanrahan." ~ mikeA
by Poppy on Apr 4, 2008 5:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
QOTM QOTM QOTM
Can you see it now? Can you see it now? Can you see it now?
There's no crying in baseball!
by gigglingone on Apr 4, 2008 8:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good for him. Despite him being terrible for the
A's I always loved how he played the game. Plus he was involved in several of our most memorable moments of the last few years.
by OldhamA on Apr 5, 2008 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Henry Rodriguez is pitching for the Ports tonight, and
I am thinking about driving down. Is anyone else going to the game? I'd like to meet some An'ers.
by theblackpearl on Apr 4, 2008 1:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Can you avoid 580? It's usually gawdawful all afternoon.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am coming from Sac, so I better hope I avoid it, or I went the LOOONG way
by theblackpearl on Apr 4, 2008 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh.
Never mind.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 2:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rush transcript
Kuiper: Gross has a good swing.
Krukow: You know who he'd be if he were president?
Kuiper: Who?
Krukow: Gabraham Lincoln
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on Apr 4, 2008 1:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I take it that the Giants are losing...?
I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.
by franks a lot on Apr 4, 2008 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
lost, 13-4. 4 is a moral victory.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oops, it erased my brackets
His name is Gabe Gross.
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on Apr 4, 2008 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rush transcript
We are the priests...of the temples...of Syrinx...
stat-addled alien overlord
by salb918 on Apr 4, 2008 2:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
How's traffic headed towards the Coli from Napa
for a 7PM start?
Chiba Lotte lost simultaneously in the fighter plane of the Japanese ham.
by JediLeroy on Apr 4, 2008 1:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
What, you haven't left yet?
I was going to suggest Predict-a-Trip but it doesn't seem to cover Napa. All I can tell you is that 880 will be slow, but probably not slow enough to make it worth your while to take 580 and the surface streets down to Hegenberger.
The candy and the baseball all night long: )
by Englishmajor on Apr 4, 2008 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm trying to plan for when I'm back in California.
My family lives in Sacramento, while my wife's lives in Napa. Either way, it'd be quicker to get there from Napa. I'm just trying to find out how long it would take so that I can convince the wife to let me go to multiple games.
Chiba Lotte lost simultaneously in the fighter plane of the Japanese ham.
by JediLeroy on Apr 4, 2008 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Few days late, but...
http://www.jlaff.com/
by JLaff on Apr 4, 2008 1:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I still like the bulls-eye sign
with the arrow pointing in the wrong direction
There's no crying in baseball!
by gigglingone on Apr 4, 2008 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
oh, and that harden picture?
now the background on my computer. thanks. :) :) :)
There's no crying in baseball!
by gigglingone on Apr 4, 2008 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
JLaff: The bullseye one is destined to become a classic in the constant wars ...
... 'twixt Yanker and Redsux fans. Are you willing for me to post it into a fark thread and thence to the world, or do you want to find a way to profit from it first?
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 4:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gotta ask -- Did you place the logo here randomly, or so you'd have deniability on your prediction?
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
A goat with its head stuck in the stocks? Nico's fondest fantasy.
I think you just created a brand new Tarheel fan.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 2:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
out of competition testing:
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 Apr 4, 2008 4:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Ah, but what about the hammer throw?
Huh? Huh?
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Apr 4, 2008 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What about tantrums?
"There is an HR in Hanrahan." ~ mikeA
by Poppy on Apr 4, 2008 5:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on Apr 4, 2008 6:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's what's interesting to me.
The shot curve is pretty flat before the introduction of testing, indicating an equilibrium state, whereas the javelin and discus were still rising. Comparing them gives a relative time-scale for the adoption of PEDs in each sport.
by green star oakland on Apr 5, 2008 12:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What the hell measurement is that graph using?
It's not metres, It's not feet either.
One thing to keep in mind. the rules governing what types of Javelin is allowed have been changed over the years.
ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524
by rfloh on Apr 7, 2008 8:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm much more interested in competitive javalina throwing
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 7, 2008 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rick just hit a homerun.
"Hi, I need to... uh... determination..."
by Jennifer on Apr 4, 2008 5:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Blue Jays wearing the baby blues...
...in their home opener against the Red Sox.
Frank Thomas just hit a double to give Toronto the lead.
Still...words fail me. Some throwbacks should not be thrown back to...
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 4, 2008 6:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Those are great.
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on Apr 4, 2008 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Royals... Jays
Powdered Blue showdown!
"Hi, I need to... uh... determination..."
by Jennifer on Apr 4, 2008 6:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Two of the greatest home run under-producers of all time were teammates: Kirby Puckett and Gary Gaetti in 1984. Puckett hit no home runs (-16), Gaetti hit only 5 (-19). Suggesting the possibility that the Twins’ two World Championships may have been aided by their team being among the first to discover…well, I’d better not go there. Nor will I point out that Gaetti was bald and had acne and Puckett died young."
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 Apr 4, 2008 10:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Mostly, the Giants were left to admire Brewers starter Carlos Villanueva, who originally came through the San Francisco organization but went to Milwaukee in the 2004 trade that netted pitcher Wayne Franklin. There is a story here in Cheeseland that when the Brewers asked for Villanueva in the deal, Giants general manager Brian Sabean did not know who he was.
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 Apr 5, 2008 10:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Damnit, we could have had Bonds
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on Apr 5, 2008 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He probably thought
the Brewers were talking about CHARLIE Villanueva, noted NBA mediocrity.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Apr 5, 2008 11:03 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Richie Robnett to have surgery Monday
for what has been reported by the Stockton Record as a benign stomach tumor.
(Susan Slusser's Notes... at the bottom...)
"There is an HR in Hanrahan." ~ mikeA
by Poppy on Apr 6, 2008 11:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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