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Around SBN: 7 Important Questions About The Heat Vs. Celtics Series

Interview Urban Yourself Right Now on KNBR

Intrepid MLB.com reporter Mychael Urban will be hosting KNBR tonight from 7 until 10 p.m.  You have your very own opportunity to go ahead and interview him yourself.  Or at least call in and turn the Giants station into the A's station for three hours.

Call in and give Urban a little AN love.

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I am not an Urban hater...

but I am going to watch American Idol. I hope that someone posts a summary of what was said…and who called in.

by IM4Oakgal on Feb 3, 2009 6:53 PM PST reply actions  

This is a great opportunity.

I don’t usually do this, but I just might call.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Feb 3, 2009 6:57 PM PST reply actions  

actually, I've managed to catch several times

when Damon Bruce has had Marty Luirie on…those are always good to hear

by OaklandSi on Feb 3, 2009 7:24 PM PST up reply actions  

argh, but CSN bay area is showing liverpool chelsea again

too much of a good thing…

Billy Beane loves soccerball, and so should you

by alea iacta est on Feb 3, 2009 7:29 PM PST reply actions  

but this is America and we won that shit:

Tedford...if you're reading this...I'LL WORK FOR FREE! I'll fill out your Coach's Poll!

by carp on Feb 3, 2009 7:55 PM PST up reply actions  

this is kind of old

but that was an AMAZING match and i hoped you watched it…

Ellis for President

by tosk on Feb 5, 2009 3:35 AM PST up reply actions  

yes, i did

i missed it on Sunday because i had a game of my own to play (i no longer have tivo… or FSC). though, since then, obviously, things have gone tits up for liverpool, with stevie picking up a hamstring tear, and further concerns about Torres.

yikes.

and also, i don’t care about people’s opinions of the Frank Lampard tackle – it’s always funny to see him sent off, and let’s be fair, he probably deserved it somewhere, somehow.

Billy Beane loves soccerball, and so should you

by alea iacta est on Feb 5, 2009 8:26 AM PST up reply actions  

yepp, it's been a hard month and a half,

but this year they seem to win the matches they should lose and draw the matches they should win… So I’m not that worried yet. It’s good they are out of the cup, though, so they can stay better rested. Both Torres and Alonso will have played in 3 matches this WEEK if they play today..

and yeah, the tackle was clean. I was in a pub full of reds and everyone was in aggreement that it was a bad call…

Ellis for President

by tosk on Feb 7, 2009 12:24 AM PST up reply actions  

Urban thinks

Michael Phelps should be arrested and punished for the bong indecent. Sponsors should drop him. Soccer moms should pelt him with Speedos. Etc etc etc.

Thoughts?

by HigherPie on Feb 3, 2009 8:22 PM PST reply actions  

Fuck that.

Seriously. Marijuana has no long-term negative (or, for that matter, positive— wouldn’t want that either) effects on an athlete’s ability. And quite honestly, if you’re judging him for it, you need to get a life and mind your own damn business.

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 3, 2009 8:31 PM PST up reply actions  

Agreed

I think that he’s a 20 something athlete who just wants to have a good time and unfortunately did so with some cameras around. C’mon, marijuana is not an issue that needs to be debated upon. If he’s openly smokin the crack pipe we’ve got a problem. Randy Moss admitted to toking “once in a blue moon,” and Josh Howard said he estimates about 50% of NBA players indulge regularly. Give the guy a break.
           Unfortunately, though, I know a few people who’ve had the privilege of competing against him Nationally in recent years and I’m sad to say there are more than a few stories about him that are not family friendly.

by stranahanahan on Feb 3, 2009 8:52 PM PST up reply actions  

Oh, I know he's a playa

Doesn’t excuse other people being, as it were, playa hata’s.

The man is an athletic demigod— he’s far and away the best athlete in the history of his entire sport. I don’t know that there’s another human on the planet who can claim that. Shit, in his (large) shoes, I’d be a playa too.

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 3, 2009 9:08 PM PST up reply actions  

Swimmers like Phelps spend 3+ hours per day swimming laps in a pool

That s**t messes with your mind. Imagine going back and forth in a pool for one hour, much less three.

The question isn’t whether or not you’re going to do something wild to let off steam. The question is WHAT you’re going to do.

As a kid (pre-teen), I swam on teams like the one Phelps swam with. Since then, I kept hanging out with a lot of swimmers. Three people I knew personally made the Olympic team, and three others had top 10 Ironman finishes. All partied hard. The question was what they did.

Now, I’m more of a prude than just about anyone on this site. But, frankly, if I had to choose between wild sex and pot on the one hand, and reckless driving and alcohol on the other . . .

well, I’d be like Michael Phelps. Just not nearly as good a swimmer.

(And, if I were his sponsor, I’d still ditch him – but for business reasons only.)

Stewart 7, Clemens / McNamee 1

by eastcoasta'sfan on Feb 4, 2009 9:36 AM PST up reply actions  

uhhh

Phelps has chosen both before…FYI

"I'm on hold for now"- Bobby Crosby

by DyeLongJustice on Feb 4, 2009 9:43 AM PST up reply actions  

Right, the drunk driving thing

Forgot about that, but maybe this means that he’s cleaning up his act and making better choices in life!

Stewart 7, Clemens / McNamee 1

by eastcoasta'sfan on Feb 4, 2009 10:07 AM PST up reply actions  

haha

exactly what I’m saying.
And I’m not playa hatin….

by stranahanahan on Feb 4, 2009 12:03 PM PST up reply actions  

Except..

there are so issues with memory loss and marijuana use.

I have some friends who used to indulge frequently, and they mentioned that it seemed to make them lazy and kill their ambition. To quote one of my friends, “All I wanted to do was sit around and smoke marijuana all day.” I mean, it’s probably not a good thing. That, and it’s illegal. It’s a bad example.

But it’s really not anyone’s business.

"To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays, Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room mirror and says, "Ricky’s the best," for several minutes."

by VORP is too nerdy on Feb 3, 2009 9:13 PM PST up reply actions  

Although this is probably true short-term

I don’t think there has been any studies showing any long-term effects such as these. By far and away the worse thing about marijuana is the carcinogenic effects of the smoke itself. Marijuana has a considerable higher concentration of cancer causing agents than cigarette smoke (but without the physical addiction, of course).

"Good or bad, I don't know. This is awesome." ~Nick Swisher after being asked if it was wise to poor beer on Lew Wolfe's head.

by humdinger on Feb 3, 2009 9:51 PM PST up reply actions  

"Marijuana has a considerable higher concentration of cancer causing agents than cigarette smoke"

Where is this information/proof? what medical journal is this featured in? I’m very interested to know.

By the way, I’m of the opinion that pot has it’s own effects on everyone and it is not for everyone. Mostly, I’d say the worst thing it does to you is make you want to consume a whole box of Twinkies.

Also, heard Urban on the way home from work last night and caught a few of those phone calls. He still thinks the A’s are a second place team.

"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."

The Many Wines-Rumi

by mrod on Feb 4, 2009 10:01 AM PST up reply actions  

Marijuana has several well documented negative long term sequelae

There is a strong association between adolescent marijuana use and mental illness. Brain imaging studies have shown that marijuana does has a significant effect on brain development.

For Phelps in particular, he’s old enough that it is unlikely to be a major risk for him, but males definately shouldn’t be using pot until their mid 20s, and women not until their early 20s.

As for the smoke issue specifically, see 1: Chem Res Toxicol. 2008 Feb;21(2):494-502. Epub 2007 Dec 7:

“In this study, a systematic comparison of the smoke composition of both mainstream and sidestream smoke from marijuana and tobacco cigarettes prepared in the same way and consumed under two sets of smoking conditions, was undertaken. This study examined the suite of chemicals routinely analyzed in tobacco smoke. As expected, the results showed qualitative similarities with some quantitative differences. In this study, ammonia was found in mainstream marijuana smoke at levels up to 20-fold greater than that found in tobacco. Hydrogen cyanide, NO, NO x , and some aromatic amines were found in marijuana smoke at concentrations 3-5 times those found in tobacco smoke. Mainstream marijuana smoke contained selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at concentrations lower than those found in mainstream tobacco smoke, while the reverse was the case for sidestream smoke, with PAHs present at higher concentrations in marijuana smoke. The confirmation of the presence, in both mainstream and sidestream smoke of marijuana cigarettes, of known carcinogens and other chemicals implicated in respiratory diseases is important information for public health and communication of the risk related to exposure to such materials.”

by MrIncognito on Feb 4, 2009 10:17 AM PST up reply actions  

My understanding is that marijuana smoke

is every bit as damaging as cigarette smoke – the difference is that nobody “chain smokes” marijuana, so you won’t do as much damage to your lungs simply because you won’t inhale as much smoke.

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 Feb 4, 2009 6:51 PM PST up reply actions  

Right

Even if marijuana smoke is 5 times as damaging, the fact that you’re smoking a joint a week instead of 10 cigarettes a day makes it a zillion (ok, 14) times less dangerous.

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 4, 2009 11:06 PM PST up reply actions  

Objection, assumes facts not in evidence

Since when do potheads only smoke up once a week? Also, wouldn’t each incident involve more smoke?

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Feb 5, 2009 7:57 AM PST up reply actions  

What about my hippie father in law?

He’s got to rip the bong 5 (at least) times a day.

by jeffro on Feb 5, 2009 7:58 AM PST up reply actions  

Take a lunger young man!

"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."

The Many Wines-Rumi

by mrod on Feb 5, 2009 8:16 PM PST up reply actions  

As long as he doesn't forget what order the IM strokes are swum,

I don’t think memory loss is going to be an issue for him.

“It’s illegal” is circular logic. The reason why it’s illegal, or at least the proffered reason (since “it’s illegal to create a means of arbitrarily disciplining the social underclass” probably wouldn’t go over very well) is that it’s bad for you.

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 3, 2009 10:58 PM PST up reply actions  

I agree we shouldn't care enough to get our panties in a collective bunch about it,

but I have to disagree with the notion that marijuana has no long-term negative effects on an athlete’s ability. Besides impairing memory in general, which is never helpful, marijuana impairs hand-eye coordination and lung power as just two examples of some of the drawbacks of enjoying the Mary Jane.

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 Feb 3, 2009 9:14 PM PST up reply actions  

Correct, VORP is too nerdy -

“apathy,” aka loss of motivation, is a known mood/behavior effect that would also not go well with being an athlete.

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 Feb 3, 2009 9:20 PM PST up reply actions  

I was in fact responding to VORP

The fact that I’m high is thus pretty irrelevant.

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 Feb 3, 2009 9:28 PM PST up reply actions  

Actually it is considered performance enhancing for archery and pentathlon

It is proven to aid focus and breath control

"Not in your wildest alcoholic nightmare would you ever imagine such events unfolding!" Bill King

by Buck Turgidson on Feb 3, 2009 9:33 PM PST up reply actions  

"the bong indecent?"

What was he doing with it?

Ray: "How fun is it to be up here playing in the Big Leagues?"
Gio: "It's *SUPER* fun!!!"

by Poppy on Feb 3, 2009 9:43 PM PST up reply actions  

Something really funny

That I’m too tired to think of.

by HigherPie on Feb 3, 2009 9:53 PM PST up reply actions  

I think it's refreshing to see Michael Phelps be human like the rest of us.

Being in your early 20s means that, on occasion, you’ll do something dumb. Smoking a little weed is nothing. Professional athletes get away with acts of violence and REAL freaking crimes every day. A guy smokes a little weed and gets read the riot act? Pfft.

He should get an extra gold metal for using performance un-enhancing drugs.

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on Feb 3, 2009 10:26 PM PST up reply actions  

Sponsors have every right to drop him.

If he no longer represents the image that they want associated with their product why on earth WOULD they retain his services?

by IM4Oakgal on Feb 4, 2009 12:04 AM PST up reply actions  

To me,

Michael Phelps getting condemned for weed is the same as if he got condemned for hitting on chicks. Seriously, this is a big deal?

Disclaimer: I’m a Cal student.

"We were s--, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."

by lenscrafters on Feb 4, 2009 1:03 AM PST up reply actions  

I agree with some of the things said here, but not all of them.

I agree with PT and some others that the actual fact he smoked marijuana isn’t really a big deal. There has to be at least 40 million other people out there doing it. And let’s face it, is it any worse than alcohol? Yet that’s legal and marijuana isn’t? I think my big beef with this latest Phelps’ incident (besides participating in the sport myself and hearing lots of stories about how celf-centered Phelps really is, which is pretty common among elite athletes) is that he’s a national icon and he’s already been busted for a DUI.

Look, I’m not asking him to be a role model because I’m the same age and I couldn’t envision myself being perfect on the national stage. I do realize that the kid is 23, and it’s hard to constantly make “good” decisions when your an elite athlete and opportunities for mischief are abound. However, after the DUI incident (which I believe are serious offenses considering it can hurt others, and not just yourself), this kind of just adds on to a negative aura, which is not something you want attached to your national icon.

 What I want from Phelps (besides changing the whole ‘playa’ bit that PT mentioned) isn’t perfection, but rather the ability to make smarter choices and finding a way not to hurt his reputation anymore. Sure, sports are a huge deal in America, but they shouldn’t mean that you can get away with whatever you like because of it.

One last bit of info for you guys comes from the National Institute on Drug Abuse speaking to the detrimental effects on marijuana. While most of them aren’t acute, and unlikely to affect Phelp’s performance, they may (my guess is that they probably do) have long term consequences on health. The lung problems (cancer and potential emphysema) hit close to home for me since I work with lung patients, so I’m probably little bit more sensitive to this than some posters. Anyway, sorry for the long rant, here’s to hoping this all goes away relatively fast so that we can get on with our lives.

"I'm on hold for now"- Bobby Crosby

by DyeLongJustice on Feb 4, 2009 8:35 AM PST up reply actions  

What about freedom

  Does that mean the police can arrest anyone if a picture is taken. Shouldn’t the bart cop who threw the punch be arrested now. Should any person in video appearing drunk be arrested if seen driving without a test. The problem is where does it stop? Should Miley Cyrus be charged with racism for a picture?

by Arcman on Feb 4, 2009 8:50 AM PST up reply actions  

"Racism" isn't a crime...

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 4, 2009 8:55 AM PST up reply actions  

A picture (if properly authenticated) is powerful evidence

And this one certainly would constitute probable cause for a search of Phelps.

What a picture can’t do is provide context. I didn’t follow the BART thing anywhere near closely enough to have an opinion, but a picture of the BART cop throwing a punch would certainly be proof he threw a punch. It would not prove anything about why he did so.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Feb 4, 2009 5:40 PM PST up reply actions  

Urban is lame

There’s no logical reason that pot should be illegal. People should be free to engage in behavior with negative health consequences, such as eating McDonalds, ordering pizza, and smoking pot.

by MrIncognito on Feb 4, 2009 10:23 AM PST up reply actions  

It really isn't from a practical point of view.

At least in California anyway. Anybody arrested for HS11357b can’t be booked into jail or even jailed for the offense. The maximum penalty is a one hundred dollar fine.

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Feb 4, 2009 10:31 AM PST up reply actions  

If you think the only consequence of criminal prosecution is the penalty imposed by law, you’re way off base. The primary purpose of marijuana laws at this point is to provide convenient excuses for employers to get rid of employees they dislike with no consequences.

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 4, 2009 1:02 PM PST up reply actions  

Dude,

the only way you get cited for this offense is if you’re a total ass. Nobody is interested in going to court over a few grams of MJ. It’s a ridiculous expense to have it tested and for the arresting officer to testify. I don’t even think the DA would pursue it as a stand alone charge. In twenty years I’ve seen maybe a dozen warrants with the specific HS section cited. Criminal prosecution for this offense in negligible to nonexistent. That’s the point I’m making.

As far as employment goes, in most jobs you can only be tested prior to actually being hired. So how can you be fired for something that employers cannot test for after you’ve been hired?

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Feb 4, 2009 1:44 PM PST up reply actions  

Nobody is interested in going to court over a few grams of MJ.

And yet, this thread exists.

As far as employment goes, in most jobs you can only be tested prior to actually being hired. So how can you be fired for something that employers cannot test for after you’ve been hired?

If you’re convicted for using or possession, your employer doesn’t exactly need a test to tell him that you smoke out…

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 4, 2009 2:42 PM PST up reply actions  

Therein lies the rub....

what conviction? Nobody really gives a damn. Which is not to say that prosecutors won’t pursue distribution convictions. But then, if you’re slinging weed it’s likely that your into other vices as well. In which case, you’re probably not looking for a traditional 9 to 5 anyway.

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Feb 4, 2009 5:10 PM PST up reply actions  

I misspoke

I should have said “arrested.” As you say, a lot of charges won’t be pressed… which won’t stop employers from convicting people without trial in the court that actually matters.

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 4, 2009 6:08 PM PST up reply actions  

Eh, I suppose it's possible.

I just don’t hear about many people getting canned for using the ganja. Rex Hudler still has job, which probably negates your view entirely.

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Feb 4, 2009 10:30 PM PST up reply actions  

Ah, but you see

they don’t have to fire you for it to have an effect. They can fire the underperforming-but-not-jackass employees, while making the above-average employees fearful and unwilling to ask for raises, overtime pay, etc etc. And, point of fact, that (employee fear and concomitant unwillingness to assert their rights) is where the real money is made, not by firing people (who then have to be replaced).

I’m not saying that marijuana laws are per se responsible for the plight of the American worker, but it’s another brick in the wall.

Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"

by PaulThomas on Feb 4, 2009 11:10 PM PST up reply actions  

I have to agree with Paul here.

I mean before you even get a job alot of places they drug test….for pot! But, whatever…….if that’s an employer’s perogative you don’t have to apply for said employer.

The laws surrounding keeping “pot” illegal are what really anger me. That shit is whack! -“Legalize it!”

"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."

The Many Wines-Rumi

by mrod on Feb 5, 2009 8:24 PM PST up reply actions  

I don't know that they necessarily

test for pot. I think they are billed for each substance that the sample is tested for. So it’s likely that each employer tests for different things. These days, I imagine meth would be the primary substance. Not to many potheads rip off their employer to support a weed habit. Narcotic substances would probably be a close second.

I could care less if it was legalized. ATF is a tired acronym anyway, and somebody’s going to regulate it for tax purposes.

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Feb 6, 2009 7:09 PM PST up reply actions  

I wouldn't smoke marijuana in California

You could get a ticket for that!

Stewart 7, Clemens / McNamee 1

by eastcoasta'sfan on Feb 4, 2009 6:28 PM PST up reply actions  

Then you take that ticket

sprinkle in a little PMF#5 and roll ‘er’ up and “smoke it!”

"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."

The Many Wines-Rumi

by mrod on Feb 5, 2009 8:27 PM PST up reply actions  

In an era...

when robber baron bankers are ripping off the public for billions of dollars, when robber baron contractors ripped off the public in “reconstruction” in Iraq, when the former president of the United States should probably be arrested for mangling the constitution, and the current president keeps selecting tax evaders for key posts in his administration, I think anyone taking a hit of pot in a private party is kind of small potatoes. Urban and all the other moralistic sportswriters should look at their own lives and leave other people alone.

I have a friend who is 55 and has been smoking pot regularly since he was 15 years old. His memory is as sharp as ever. He works as a high-end computer programmer and is a brilliant guitarist in his spare time. Me? I hated the stuff and stopped smoking when I was 17. Results may vary.

by richwol1 on Feb 3, 2009 9:26 PM PST reply actions  

Anecdotal evidence is not strong

There are wide variations in individual response. Furthermore, you don’t know that it didn’t have an effect on his memory. Maybe if he hadn’t smoked so much pot he would be writing the unifying theory of the universe right now.

This is the baseball equivalent of saying Juan Pierre is good because he stole a base and scored on a single – something that may be okay in one at bat does not mean it’s a good idea to repeat. If you extend the sample to include all people who smoked a lot of pot when they were teen agers, you find much higher rates of mental illness, and high ingestion of known carcinogens.

by MrIncognito on Feb 4, 2009 10:21 AM PST up reply actions  

I guess I must be totally f*#%ing crazy then....

"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."

The Many Wines-Rumi

by mrod on Feb 5, 2009 8:28 PM PST up reply actions  

I did read it. I was jesting dude....relax.

"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."

The Many Wines-Rumi

by mrod on Feb 5, 2009 9:10 PM PST up reply actions  

someone ask him

how many drinks he had tonight

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 Feb 3, 2009 9:45 PM PST reply actions  

I was going to call and then tell him to hold on while I got a drink as soon as I was on air.

"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."

by mikev on Feb 3, 2009 9:55 PM PST up reply actions  

He's gotta be expecting one (or more) of us to call in

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on Feb 3, 2009 10:16 PM PST up reply actions  

There's also something else very wrong with this picture

It used to be that a celebrity could at least take refuge in private situations, or could participate with others at a party in order to relax and kick back. The triumph of the paparazzi has put celebrities into a closet. They can’t step outside their houses for fear of being accosted. Now we’ve got something new: the amateur paparazzi who can snap a picture of any celebrity doing anything, and suddenly that photo or video will be seen around the world. In fact, thanks to Facebook and other networking sites, virtually anyone can be “outed” like Phelps has been - and many have. What bothers me is not only that our privacies can be violated on a regular basis by people we don’t know who are in it for the notoriety or for money, but that, by acknowledging photos like that of Phelps and condemning them, demanding punishment, journalists like Mychael Urban play into the Big Brother aspect of the phone camera and our wired world.

This is, I think dangerous territory. I suspect that if you played a camera into the private lives of every single member of the Oakland A’s, something would emerge to destroy that player in the public’s eye. Or into the private life of Mychael Urban. This is true for everyone, because we’re all human.

by richwol1 on Feb 4, 2009 10:28 AM PST reply actions  

Those poor, poor celebrities

If someone was paying me millions of dollars, I’d find a way to not be caught smoking pot whether that be smoking in private or just not at all. I don’t care that he did it, but he’s got to know that there’s a lot of people that do care out there.

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on Feb 4, 2009 10:42 AM PST up reply actions  

That's a crappy way to look at it

I understand that celebrities, by virtue of being celebrities and perhaps being wealthy, have it easier than the rest of us in some areas. But they’re still people. And as I say, these days anyone can find themselves zinged by a cell phone, and have their indiscretion plastered all over the internet.

by richwol1 on Feb 4, 2009 12:46 PM PST reply actions  

Like I said before

to me, it’s not the pot or the fact that he got caught, it’s the DUI thing before that in combination with his being a national icon. Look, while pot does have some reported detrimental effects to a person’s health, I have no right to say whether it’s right or wrong, just like I can’t tell people not to smoke cigarettes. To me, it’s not the act, it’s the fact that he’s proving to make bad decisions time and time again, and the DUI thing really does irk me because that IS (or coulde have the potential to) affect others. Phelps wants to smoke? Fine, whatever you wanna do when you swim that fast. But stop being such an ass.

"I'm on hold for now"- Bobby Crosby

by DyeLongJustice on Feb 4, 2009 1:59 PM PST up reply actions  

But stop being such an ass.

Yeah, richwol1! ;)

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Feb 4, 2009 3:00 PM PST up reply actions  

Christ, what a richwol?

"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."

by mikev on Feb 4, 2009 3:12 PM PST up reply actions  

The DUI is different

I think most people here are talking about the photo of Phelps smoking pot.

by richwol1 on Feb 4, 2009 4:54 PM PST up reply actions  

Sorry

i didn’t mean to direct that “ass” comment towards you, but rather towards Phelps. I just think the whole pot has added on to his self degradation. I’m merely just overreacting here, and I realize that.

"I'm on hold for now"- Bobby Crosby

by DyeLongJustice on Feb 4, 2009 5:18 PM PST up reply actions  

Hmm.

I’m as anti-drugs (including the “small” stuff, like pot) as anybody. But aren’t there more important things to be upset about? Like Christian Bale going crazy on his director of photography (I think) during shooting?

Christian Bale: F***! What the F*** is wrong with you? C***s***ing peanut butter and jelly! F***! F***! F***!

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Feb 4, 2009 3:33 PM PST reply actions  

Your post reminded me of Nancy Reagan

who I recently learned is a descendant of Pocahontas, which I thought was interesting….

With stout hearts, and with enthusiasm for the contest, let us go forward to victory. ----Hero Defector Montgomery

by mikeA on Feb 4, 2009 3:41 PM PST up reply actions  

My understanding of set etiquette and professionalism is that the DP was 100% in the wrong

Bale may have overreacted a bit, but in the annals of Hollywood divaism, that’s small beer.

A B -3X = Swedish girls like chocolate @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 5, 2009 10:36 AM PST up reply actions  

Memorable

(keep the sound off if you’re at work)

by 74mk on Feb 5, 2009 11:31 AM PST up reply actions  

there was a certain other leaked embarrassing audio recording of another prominent "overreaction" a couple years ago

1. Anyone can be made to sound foolish with a decontextualized soundbite
2. Just because it was recorded doesn’t mean that it was significant
3. Just because it sounds bad doesn’t necessarily mean that it was as bad in person
4. Ordinarily, these insignificances remain “in Vegas”
5. When they do follow you home, as it were, there’s likely someone with an agendum (heh heh) paying the airfare for the insignificance and hiring a limo driver to stand at the airport with a big sign reading “INSIGNIFICANCE”

A B -3X = Swedish girls like chocolate @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 5, 2009 1:24 PM PST up reply actions  

ah, only just now watched it

DOR is, by all accounts, one of the biggest a-holes in the industry.

But his first three films are outstanding.

A B -3X = Swedish girls like chocolate @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 5, 2009 5:55 PM PST up reply actions  

who cares about the diatribe
-1 respect for working with McG

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 Feb 5, 2009 2:42 PM PST up reply actions  

McG ... Herzog ... it balances out

A B -3X = Swedish girls like chocolate @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 5, 2009 5:53 PM PST up reply actions  

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIATRIBE!!!

A B -3X = Swedish girls like chocolate @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 5, 2009 5:53 PM PST up reply actions  

who cares about the diatribe

Seriously. Honestly, I try not to be too foul-mouthed, but I’ve gotten just as pissed off as him before. I’m glad that nobody cares who I am.

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Feb 6, 2009 12:11 AM PST up reply actions  

So I come looking for a recap of the Urban Hour

and I get vociferous debate about weed, Phelps, etc. God love AN.

by jeffro on Feb 4, 2009 5:01 PM PST reply actions  

+1

"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball." -- Connie Mack

by GreenSocks on Feb 4, 2009 5:14 PM PST up reply actions  

Hey Potheads?

How about putting the bongs down long enough to give a summary of the radio show with Urban? What questions were asked and what were his answers? Thanks. :-)

by IM4Oakgal on Feb 4, 2009 10:51 PM PST reply actions  

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