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Around SBN: Uga VII, Requiescat in Pace: A Tribute to a Damn Good 'Dawg

DLD 030309: No More Monkey Business

Apparently monkeyball has left the building. I point you to the AN masthead at the bottom of the front page…now, with 66% less whimsy! Also, he told me.

I don't feel safe on this blog no more
I don't want to die in a meta flame war
I want an interlude with a goofy score
Made by an ape man.

But I do not care to delve into matters base and meta. I come to bury monkeyball, not to praise him.

No, wait. I do come to praise monkeyball. And to provide today’s DLD. Because AN is an honorable blog.

Star-divide



Here’s the thing: sports blogs are stupid. < checks surroundings > Umm, no, I don’t mean that. What I mean is that the comments on sports blogs are stupid. < checks own comment count > Wait…that’s not it either.

Let’s put it this way: Most sports media is shallow, blindly partisan, or dull. Often all three. AN is not. The front page offers meaningful analysis, critical thinking, fan passion, and humor. It’s safe to say that, as an A’s fan, once I’d peered through the store window of AN I was going to keep coming back.

So AN itself made me a reader. But monkeyball made me a player.

Most sports blog comments go like this: My Team Roolz! You’re Team Sucks Donky Dicks! Moran! Fagget!

Not so here. In fact, I’d say that it’s user contributions that make the difference. When the fanpost sidebar and comment threads are hot…that’s when AN’s at its best. At some point, somehow, AN stumbled into a critical mass of insight, passion, and hilarious strangeness that just worked. And as I went from skeptic to lurker to reg’d user to bombastic loudmouth, monkeyball was the catalyst. The Commentator di Tutti Commentatti. The straw that stirred the drink.

It was wonderful to discover a sports blog where you don’t have to check your evolved self at the door.

I’m not saying we’re doomed without User 86’d. That’s the thing about critical masses. They keep going.



Well, I hope we're not too messianic
Or a trifle too satanic
We love to play the blues


But this is a DLD, damnit, not a eulogy! There should be laughter, and fine wine. How the hell else am I gonna grind through this work day? Where are all the friggin' links?

O-Cab to Renteria: Are you gibbon me a buncha crap?. There’s some cross-bay poo-flingin’ goin’ on:

…the Colombian shortstops have feuded in the wake of a business deal that backfired. According to an ESPN the Magazine story in April, Cabrera bought a team in the winter league run by Renteria's family but sold it back after one season because, he said, the league was mismanaged.

Renteria accused Cabrera of buying the team in a bid to wreck the league and added, "We've never been friends." Cabrera called Renteria "ignorant." …(They) could be on the same field Thursday when the A's and Giants meet in Scottsdale.


Yeti: the gorilla’s whiter cousin. As such, you hardly ever see a Yeti pulled over for a busted tail light.

Actually, the link above refers to noted British wildlife dude Sir David Attenborough’s reiteration of his belief that Yetis may well exist. "I'm baffled by the Abominable Snowman - very convincing footprints have been found at 19,000ft. No-one does that for a joke. I think it's unanswered."


The A’s were off yesterday, no game, no workouts, no nothing. Sounds like a recipe for trouble. I haven’t checked famed exposer of celebrity monkeyshines TheSmokingGun.com yet today, but I sure hope none of the A’s ran afoul of the notoriously ill-tempered Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Here, a group of malcontents toss a raging monkeywrench against the machine of Sheriff Joe. Bless you, young malcontents.


Fox the fox
Rat on the rat
You can ape the ape
I know about that


Alternatively: Why don’t you pass the time by playing a little monkey baseball? It’s hypnotic.

That’s gold, right there!



Alyssa’s pitch: "Wanna monkey around?" Her book hits the shelves later this month. Two choice excerpts:

Yeah, I dated three baseball players. Not only that, they were all pitchers, imagine that. (But the one in the middle was a lefty so I don't know if he really counts).

Ouch.

I don't have much of a social life, but I do have season tickets for the Dodgers.

Double Ouch.

Mets say they're ready to shock the monkey.


The gist: Mets say they’re done choking; plan to fall from contention in July this year.


We're offered Moet - we don't mind Chivas
Wherever we go with bring the Monkey with us

By the way, when caring for your Brass Monkey, it turns out the main concern is not the frigid depths of winter ("cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey"). That’s apocryphal, as the naval scholars cited by Oregon Magazine explain. The truth is, you need be most concerned for your brass monkey’s extremities in the heat:

Even when weather was involved, it was often heat rather than cold that was meant, as in the oldest example known, from Herman Melville’s Omoo (1850): "It was so excessively hot in this still, brooding valley, shut out from the Trades, and only open toward the leeward side of the island, that labor in the sun was out of the question. To use a hyperbolical phrase of Shorty’s, ‘It was ’ot enough to melt the nose h’off a brass monkey.’ "



If you still lack a projection system as the 2009 season draws nigh, you could do a helluva lot worse than The Marcel the Monkey Forecasting System. The Marcels are made available free by the famed tangotiger, who for all his smarts seems nevertheless to miss an important point when he describes his creation thusly:

"Actually, it is the most basic forecasting system you can have, that uses as little intelligence as possible. So, that's the allusion to the monkey."


One day the engineer wanted a bite to eat,
He left the monkey sitting on the driver's seat,
The monkey pulled the throttle, the locomotive jumped the gun
And did 90 miles an hour down the mainline run.


My five favorite monkeyball diaries ever. (Yeah, that’s right, I called ‘em diaries. By the rancid name of fanpost t’would ne’re smell as sweet)

The Lonesome Release of Toddie Linden

Billy, Injuries and the Jack of Custs

The Charge of the Light-Hitting A

Brokeback Stadium

In San Fran Bay did monkeyball
a floating baseball-field decree


And even I don’t have the DLD writing stamina to compile a list of links to my favorite monkeyball comments. There’s too damn many of them.

And now there’s not enough.


I guess I'll go to Florida and get myself some sun
There aint no more opportunity here, everything's been done
Sometimes I think of Tweeter, sometimes I think of Jan
Sometimes I don't think about nothing but the Monkey Man


15 recs  |  Comment 435 comments

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Thank you for doing this, FSU

Monkeyball is a friend and AN is a lesser place without him.

A tip o’ the cap to the original simian… hopefully he’ll return one day a more evolved primate.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Mar 3, 2009 12:14 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Did I miss something

Or did he simply fade away into the night? Was there some sort of announcement?

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

by Helloooo 1st on Mar 3, 2009 12:37 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

old simians never die; they just fade away.

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 Mar 3, 2009 1:03 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

AN jumped the shark a long time ago...

As for Monkeyball, we’ll replace him with Ted McGinley, just like they did on Happy Days (and Married With Children!)

"The magical goblins who live in my shower told me that Bobby Crosby's gonna have a good year this year" - The Reverend Billy Lard

by Gaijin_Suketto on Mar 3, 2009 8:38 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Pleasure was all mine

I wanted to honor monkeyball publicly, in my own special way. He deserves it and much more.

"There is a sense of tragic destiny associated with people who have large noses." --Bucky Wunderlick

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Mar 3, 2009 2:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

he will be missed

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 Mar 3, 2009 12:58 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

i like how the gorilla smiles when the shark gets a hold of it

Wait for the the 2009 Oaklands A's season to start I can not. Herh herh herh.

by A'sfaninNC on Mar 3, 2009 12:12 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

yeti

mitch hedberg:

I think Bigfoot is blurry, that’s the problem. It’s not the photographer’s fault. Bigfoot is blurry, and that’s extra scary to me. There’s a large out of focus monster roaming the countryside.

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 Mar 3, 2009 12:59 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

I noticed this a couple of days ago...

then, went backed and searched for his last comment. February 17th, I think it was. Don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Clowns to the left of me... Jokers to the right...

by FoolshGame22 on Mar 3, 2009 1:02 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

yeah, where is that sob?

Zeigler to Geren…."A-Rod? He’s my bitch." -alox

by mrod on Mar 3, 2009 1:02 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

What? No goodbye?

Can someone explain what’s going on here? Monkeyball is a huge part of AN and I hate to see him go.

by Rocktopus on Mar 3, 2009 1:19 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

the baton was passed...

things left unsaid. Didn’t you see that post?

Clowns to the left of me... Jokers to the right...

by FoolshGame22 on Mar 3, 2009 1:23 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

SI: Jason Giambi Gets His Renegade Back 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 Mar 3, 2009 1:28 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Good article, I like this part
Sure, they were wild—a relief pitcher named Jeff Tam once burned his glove in the shower after booting a comebacker—but they were also endearing. When a player tried to needle pitching coach Rick Peterson by pasting his less-than-stellar minor league statistics on the wall, Giambi threw a beefy arm around Peterson and said, “You O.K.? You know these guys love you.”

The Taminator!

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Mar 3, 2009 11:08 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

thanks for posting that BTW

you saved me a couple bucks :-)

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Mar 3, 2009 11:10 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Isn't it amazing

how much Jason has come to resemble Tiger Woods?

Losing this team would be a huge failure for this city and an affront to Oakland’s great sports legacy.

by skigurl on Mar 3, 2009 12:31 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

the original o-cab renteria feud story.

more on o-cab’s reading habits:

Orlando Cabrera and Edgar Renteria are fascinating figures. Renteria represents the face of Colombian baseball, while Cabrera is the outcast. The desire to invest in the Colombian Professional League had been part of a renaissance for Cabrera that was spurred on mostly by his second wife Katie, a strong American from Boston who had forced a dramatic change of lifestyle on the once hard-partying shortstop. She also helped him grow intellectually (he was reading one of Ayn Rand’s tomes when I met with him in January), socially (he had become more conscious of his role as a representative of his country) and psychologically (he began to understand the ramifications of his family’s tumultuous history).

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 Mar 3, 2009 1:34 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

rand

maybe the fa compensation rules make him so angry that he’s going to go live in a cave.

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 12:02 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well, at least he's maintaining balance between radical wingnuts on both sides of the political spectrum...

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 Mar 3, 2009 1:24 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Wingnuts, eh?

Kettle, come in Kettle, this is Pot, over.

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

by Buck Turgidson on Mar 3, 2009 7:26 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm just going to ignore this for everyone's sake

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 Mar 3, 2009 8:20 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well played, sir.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:02 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

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 Mar 3, 2009 11:12 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Bravo, FSU

And only you could have done this. It’s weird, man. I got this random e-mail the other day asking of monkeyball’s whereabouts, and said sender mentioned that he was no longer listed among the elite. I honestly hadn’t noticed. I don’t often look down there because it seems awfully strange to see my name among the true talents of AN. To be squeezed in between monkeyball and baseballgirl made me nervous. Oh well, at least it’s not between Blez and, oh. Shit.

Monekyball was surely a reason for me to visit this site. In no particular order- and leaving out the rest of the front-page crew and game threads (which is reason enough to be here), my other reasons for logging on: FreeSeatUpgrade, PaulThomas, xbhaskarx, 74mk (Stop. Disappearing. Dude), and that workaholic Leopold Bloom (who I fear is working more simply because monkeyball is not here).

In fact any extended thread that includes two or more of the aforementioned (and yes let’s toss in grover and Nico specifically for humor’s sake); whether it’s about baseball or just about anything else, well, it’s enough to make me giddy.

Best wishes, monkeyball, wherever you are. You are sorely missed. No really, I have sores now. I think the doctor called them cold sores. At any rate, we’ll always have this. Hey, you don’t suppose…

Lastly FreeSeatUpgrade, if ever a DLD deserved a front-page slot, it’s this right here.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 1:45 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

even the elites didn't notice the subtle change?

really? Sounds sorta like A-Rods story.

Clowns to the left of me... Jokers to the right...

by FoolshGame22 on Mar 3, 2009 1:50 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well, see my cousin...

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 2:05 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

the non-commital rejoinder...

you’re sounding more and more like a lawyer now, 67.

Clowns to the left of me... Jokers to the right...

by FoolshGame22 on Mar 3, 2009 2:07 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

non-committal...

even.

I hate typos.

Clowns to the left of me... Jokers to the right...

by FoolshGame22 on Mar 3, 2009 3:17 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I know, I shouldn't have hyphenated it, as well...

but, I was trying to spur a comment from Nico. LOL

Clowns to the left of me... Jokers to the right...

by FoolshGame22 on Mar 3, 2009 3:18 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

“Don’t judge me monkey.”

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 1:56 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Well, that sucks.

M’ball leaving, not this diary (it’s DLD HOF material).

I miss the days of McFood, monkeyball, Apricot and Ice Cream. I know some of them show up now and then, but it’s just not the same without them posting frequently.

I love the contributions of newish blood like PaulThomas, MARQUEZ67, and many others. But each day, AN becomes a little less familiar to me. For some reason, it seems harder to build the same kinship with others. I’m pretty sure all of my QsOTM were nominated by m’ball, and I know I nominated him for some. Will my annual preason seaview get a good response, or will it continue to dwindle? Is it even worth it to invest all the time with photoshop, if the sole purpose—to make people laugh—isn’t realized? I miss GOGs. I miss the time where I got all the inside jokes in the game threads. I miss QOTM diaries. I miss “diaries”. I miss tons of ANers that vanished or stopped posting frequently. There’s so much I miss about AN. I feel like a crotchety old geezer, yearning for the good times of yesteryear.

But in the end, I guess none of that matters. I won’t be able to stay away. Because there’s something I miss more than all of that: A’s baseball. And it’s back. And there’s still no better place to talk about it than AN.

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

by JediLeroy on Mar 3, 2009 3:40 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

GOGs

Those were excellent, even though I only managed to play regularly for half of one season (I forget which one). Could we get some people organized to revive them? I would be willing to be involved, but couldn’t handle every series on my own. I’m thinking maybe 3-4 people who would rotate series.

by colin on Mar 3, 2009 10:27 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

'Shines -- Come back!

Bye, ’Shines. :-(

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 6:43 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

“Well, Monkeyball never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits, please.”

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 8:26 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks for posting this -

i had been wondering too. Nico & Monkeyball were an amazing 1-2 punch – both incredibly witty, informed, and 99.9% positive – an amazing combination.

{bipedal salute}

"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin

by Hot Cup Joe on Mar 3, 2009 7:03 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

My thoughts exactly

The interplay between Monkey and Nico was actually one of the things that got me to start lurking on a regular basis. For some reason I remember I had a hard time keeping them srtaight at first (“which one writes lyrics and which one likes goats again?”) But I have always had a nhabit of doing that with talented folks I find out about at the same time.

Farewell Monkey-many others will say it a lot better than I ever could, but we are all going to miss you. Rest assured I will be flinging some poo onto the sidewalk for you tonight.

"Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it?"-Steve McCatty

by 5Aces on Mar 3, 2009 7:59 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah

I get mixed up too sometimes. FSU=monkeyball? mikeA=74mk? I did enjoy the Nico-monkeyball tango, but having come in a little later to this site, I actually got more of a kick from monkeyball-LB-Dogfather threads (with images!)

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 8:04 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

NUMBERED. LISTS.

"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 Mar 3, 2009 8:09 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

With images

that I immediately understood about 40, of the time. 35 of the time I thought it through and it made me laugh even more, and 25% I still go back, look at, and just shrug my shoulders and realize that I’m not smrt enough to get the joke even if I knew what the image was for.

"Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it?"-Steve McCatty

by 5Aces on Mar 3, 2009 8:40 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Oh, I wasn't implying

that I “got” them, just that I dug them. You know, kind of like how it is with women. Diggable, but always leaving us shrugging our shoulders.

{Ducks}

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 8:45 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 8:53 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Wow, that sucks

Tejada, Giambi, Hudson, Haren…monkeyball.

Did we at least get some good blog/lyricist prospects back? I, for one, will start pondering a lyrical tribute. Maybe I can come up with something fitting.

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

by Nick on Mar 3, 2009 7:06 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

most excellent DLD, FSU

I had wondered why the monkey wasn’t around lately but assumed he was on a vacation or something. I’m sorry to see him go.

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Mar 3, 2009 7:31 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Wait, why did he leave though?

WHO ELSE IS GOING TO BE ON THE BARTON TO THIRD BASE/FREE KRAUT BANDWAGON WITH ME????

"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 Mar 3, 2009 7:52 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

No one else can, dude.

Otherwise, I’d offer.

You know what, I’m taking this harder than I should be. I’m gonna need some time, ok??

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 8:41 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

But really though...

Nobody knows why he left?

"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 Mar 3, 2009 8:56 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 9:04 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

If you read through some of his exchanges over the past several months, it’s there. That said, if he wants to say why, he will. I assume his quiet departure was a-purpose.

And I hope for a quiet return.

“We’ll see.”

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 9:05 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I actually do some work for a couple days, and this is what happens?

We sign Cabrera, and Nomar, and lose monkeyball???

Maybe I’ll wake up soon and this will all have been a dream….

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Mar 3, 2009 8:50 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

That very well may be so

But could you please close the shower door already?

In God We Trust....All Others Must Show Data

by Wes7 on Mar 3, 2009 9:08 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Upon further contemplation:

1. monkeyball’s departure totally blows.

2. On the other hand, maybe he won’t stay away.

3. Lots of other people who a) are awesome, and b) used to comment a lot, don’t participate anymore. That blows too.

4. I really shouldn’t care one way or the other, but I do. I never thought I was the sort of person who could/would develop attachments to pseudonymous, disembodied personalities, but I guess I am after all.

5. This DLD is fantastic.

by 74mk on Mar 3, 2009 9:51 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

unfortunately kind of expected news

that Ducscherer will be getting an MRI on his elbow, according to Slusser

by OaklandSi on Mar 3, 2009 9:58 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

damn

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 10:20 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

22% of my jokes are directed exclusively at mb...

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 10:28 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Does that mean we can expect 22% fewer jokes?

[celebrates]

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

by nevermoor on Mar 4, 2009 8:20 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

For those with the time and ability to watch...

…Team USA is playing the Yankees right now on MLB Network.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Mar 3, 2009 10:58 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

I'm bummed I don't have that

It is not even on Gameday Audio. They do have Canada vs Toronto which almost seems redundent :-)

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Mar 3, 2009 11:27 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

any chance Jeter will look across the diamond and think

“Jeez, those guys really do look like a-holes. Who knew?”

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Mar 3, 2009 2:03 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

play by play of Zieglers outing?

or at least a summary? I guess I could wait and check the boxscore afterwards.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Mar 3, 2009 11:28 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

In other news, somebody over at the Chron has noticed a certain contrast in off-season acquisition results.

here

We can assume Mr. Shea will never be heard from again. Much BillyLove in the comments, one of which notes that Billy got Cabrera AND Giambi for what Sabean will pay Rentaroni.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 11:21 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Great ode, FSU. Here's some more.

Below is the sequel; here is my first ode to monkeyball, and here is the Oasis song they’re both based on.

Today, 74mk
Made a Wire joke for you
And now, the tributes continue somehow
In this DLD by FSU,
And since statheads like acronyms,
I’ll throw in VORP and FAQ,
Quit rhyming? Howwwwww?

All meat on a sandwich, whole wheat,
Should be garnished with free sauerkraut.
Kotsay was the A that liked to say
“Urban, say this but keep my name out.”
Half of the traffic on this blog’s
Made up of responses to you.
Quit rhyming? Howwwwwwww?

And all the monkeys’ blindfolds—well, they’re blinding
And still they type out insights and they’re rhyming
There are many posts that I
Would like to reply to
But I don’t know how

Listen to our hollers …
You owe most of us ten dollars …
Now one last poetic stall …
In this ode to monkeyball …

Hey monkeyball, thanks for giving me another excuse to make more attempts at poetry. Come on back now, you here—or if not, e-mail us and let us know where on the Internet we can gobble up and/or respond to your clever insights.

I always have mixed feelings about the time I devote to AN; I suspect that I’m more productive when I’m not here. On that note, I’ll envy the part of the world that you’re redirecting your AN time to, and I’ll try to be more productive my own damn self now that there aren’t so many of your comments to consider.

And I optimistically hope to see you again soon—after all, Anderson’s a Brave, right?

Brainless Automaton #439

by rubin sierra on Mar 3, 2009 11:29 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

"You owe most of us ten dollars …"

nice.

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Mar 3, 2009 2:05 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

....

….

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 12:03 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

My thoughts exactly.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 12:08 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

{Sniff}

:-(

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 3, 2009 12:58 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Monkeyball left?

Well, that fucking sucks.

I’m going to miss him. I wish him well and hope he comes back at some point.

"You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy."

-Charles Manson

by kaweahkaweah on Mar 3, 2009 12:35 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Just so no one accuses AN of conspiracy

monkeyball decided to leave of his own accord. He was not forced out or eliminated at all. It was his choice to leave which I didn’t like but I also understood.

I’ve always appreciated monkey’s unique brand of humor and loved what he brought to the community. Hell I was the one who asked him to join the front page and I never took that choice lightly. Ever.

What happened was I asked all the front page writers to try and concentrate more on writing more descriptive headlines that include player names and even the team name so that it makes sense when the headline is fed into the Yahoo! page and FanNation and a bunch of other places our headlines wind up these days. It turns out that actually a huge percentage of people who see our headlines aren’t necessarily reading them on AN so the more cryptic headlines don’t make sense in google news, Yahoo and elsewhere. I don’t want to speak for monkey but I think that he felt like since he was volunteering his time here that he didn’t really want any “rules” for writing headlines which I can completely understand. In short, no one can cage the monkey.

I tried to tell him that wasn’t what we were doing and that the actual content of the stories would not be altered just that it made more sense to write headlines that would make sense elsewhere. I still wanted my poetic interludes. But it isn’t fair for me to expect someone who is donating his valuable time to this community to do things that he didn’t want to do. And I would never expect him to do so.

I hope he returns and I would welcome him back with open arms. But I also don’t expect him to do something that he isn’t comfortable doing. That isn’t right. And I’ve actually been meaning to get on the phone with him to at least tell him I appreciate all that he’s done for AN, I just haven’t had time. I will definitely make time soon.

I hope you’re reading this monkey. I personally miss you, man.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Mar 3, 2009 12:38 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Try to make time, Blez.

He meant a lot to a great number of us.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 12:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I sent him an email asking to at least talk to him

I can understand him not wanting to be involved in an official capacity any more, but I’d really like him to still be around. He brought a lot of great stuff to the site.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Mar 3, 2009 2:03 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

why not have clockwerks and friends come up with a solution

maybe the yahoo, google news and elsewhere sites could pick up only front page stories, and any stories with creative headlines could be created as fanposts and then promoted to the front page?
that way if monkeyball was doing a game thread he could make it a regular front page story, but he could still make his poetic interludes as fANpOsts and move them to the front page…

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 Mar 3, 2009 1:04 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

really the solution is so simple and self-evident that i can only assume the underlying problem is something else entirely…

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 Mar 3, 2009 1:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well, yeah

There are various ways that he could have stuck around, either as an occasional front-page writer or as a regular (l)user like the rest of us, so obviously it was not merely a technical issue.

Maybe he thought the deal with yahoo was pushing AN too far in the direction of corporatism/blandness and no longer wished to be a part of it.
Maybe something in the exchange with Blez just annoyed or offended him personally.
Maybe he had decided to take a break from AN to spend more time on his job or family or some other creative endeavor, and this was just the precipitating event.
Maybe Nico kicked him off for bringing politics into discussions.
Maybe Lew Wolff had him killed.

I already miss monkeyball, and I’m as curious as everyone else, but I figure if any of the interested parties really wants me to know, they’ll tell me.

black dirt live again

by andeux on Mar 3, 2009 1:49 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

There isn't more to tell, really

Monkeyball abruptly informed us he was leaving and that was that. It was a one-way decision all the way. Maybe there’s more to the story than Blez has already explained, but if so none of the AN administrators knows what it is.

Basically, to read Blez’ comment above is to know as much as Blez, I, or anyone else who is human knows.

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 Mar 3, 2009 1:57 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks

For the record, not all of my speculative reasons he may have left were entirely serious.
And my last sentence still applies, though apparently in the singular rather than the plural.

black dirt live again

by andeux on Mar 3, 2009 2:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

+1 on that last sentence bit

Though I too can get irresistably drawn to the lure of the meta-discussion, and though the turn in hat direction was probably inevitable from the moment I hit “post” on this sucker.

But my real motivation was to give monkeyball some public thanks for his wonderfulness on AN over the years.

"There is a sense of tragic destiny associated with people who have large noses." --Bucky Wunderlick

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Mar 3, 2009 2:25 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

I think your efforts in this regard are wonderful

The minute I read your opening lines I thought, whoa, this diary is going to get interesting/heated/possibly ugly…but I think the tone you’ve struck is just right. None of us knows what has or has not gone on behind closed browsers, so perhaps the best thing to do is just celebrate the monkey.

Nicely done. (Though your DLDs really are always the best of the best.)

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Mar 3, 2009 6:31 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

I don't normally do "+1"

But, yeah. On all accounts.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 8:49 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

anyone else who is human knows

So grover’s got the scoop, but he’s not telling?

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 Mar 3, 2009 4:36 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

my guess is he just found it obnoxious that he the unpaid content provider is being told what to do by the folks who make money off his content to the detriment (though minor) of basically everyone except the people making money off of the content.

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 1:58 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

That's a good guess, mikeA

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

by Nick on Mar 3, 2009 2:08 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'd guess that's exactly right.

And not so much the headline issue per se. Rather, that the headline issue seems like a harbinger of future content “suggestions”. Eventually, front page posts are going to have to conform (loosely, at least) to a certain aesthetic, and that aesthetic isn’t monkeyball’s.

by 74mk on Mar 3, 2009 2:08 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

If I may

I think it was well stated that this was just a “headline thing” and that nothing else would be compromised. Whether mb believed that to be true is something else, but it was stated as such.

Unfortunately mb isn’t the only contributor who felt this way. I don’t need to say who; it should be apparent that he hasn’t posted in a while either.

I am not saying that mb is right or wrong to resign his position; in many ways I can see exactly where he is coming from, especially considering his tenure at AN.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 2:18 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Argh, I CAN'T TAKE THE SECRECY.

Just name names. :D

"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 Mar 3, 2009 2:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It's me.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 2:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Me too.

{stands up}

I AM MONKEYBALL

"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 Mar 3, 2009 2:23 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I AM MONKEYBALL

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 3, 2009 4:57 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

MONKEYBALL IS SPARTACUST

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 4:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

A few of us remember this:


(Baseball connection: Joe Garagiola is in that photo, and IIRC he eventually moved from the panel desk to the host’s podium.)

by Soaker on Mar 3, 2009 5:42 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

salb918's post in this thread was his first in more than two weeks.

Although he is still listed on the first page.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Mar 3, 2009 5:26 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Louismg hasn't been posting much, either

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

by JediLeroy on Mar 3, 2009 6:20 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

And what do the three of them have in common?

It’s a baby conspiracy, I tell you! Get those guys obsessed with eczema, colic, language acquisition, and testing everything in a ten-mile radius for phthalates, and they stop paying attention to baseball!

by Englishmajor on Mar 3, 2009 7:00 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Anna has no idea what you're talking about.

Anna plaintive

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Mar 3, 2009 7:21 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

awwwwwww

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Mar 3, 2009 9:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Hey, I've got my own problems

Though yesterday I just about worked myself up to the point of leaving AN.

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

by JediLeroy on Mar 3, 2009 7:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

so that's why Blez stepped down from his front-page duties!

Arguments breaking out between multiple personalities again.

by colin on Mar 3, 2009 2:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Colonel N.: Let’s start at square one, shall we? First, why did you resign?
monkeyball: It was a matter of conscience. (flings new #2)

black dirt live again

by andeux on Mar 3, 2009 2:23 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

excellent

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 2:37 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I hope yahoo chose a nice cloudy island for him

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 3:23 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Cindi?

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 Mar 3, 2009 2:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Sure

But who’s to say current policy will be operative in six months or a year? Was there a headline policy a few weeks ago?

Blez seems like a good guy, and I don’t doubt he has the best intentions. But these things tend to take on a life of their own, and I’d be really surprised if there isn’t substantial pressure (explicit and otherwise) to embrace a measure of homogeneity in the months/years ahead. That’s just the way it goes.

by 74mk on Mar 3, 2009 2:36 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That's the part I disagree with

A small change sometimes portends greater changes, but not always. I expect AN’s writers will always (and I mean “for the next 5 years” – who can see beyond that?) be encouraged to write what they want, how they want, without pressure or interference. It’s what distinguishes AN and it’s why good writers want to write for AN. Yes, AN wants more readers to find it – it’s a business, for cryin’ out loud – but I haven’t seen or heard anything at anytime suggesting AN wants to change anything about the basic content.

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 Mar 3, 2009 2:41 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Me thinks thou protesteth too much.

I have love for you. In fact, I’ve always viewed myself as the bastard love child of you and MB. But…

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 2:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

LOL - I just want people to understand

that big changes AREN’T a-coming. AN’s great the way it is.

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 Mar 3, 2009 2:50 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I’ve learned from working for a couple of small companies that got sold to larger companies that “big changes” can end up happening even when unforeseen by the very people who end up implementing them, or can be comprised of an incremental series of very small changes that can be recognized as a big change only in retrospect.

Five years is a very, very long time.

And, however indirectly and unintentionally, the deal with Yahoo has already brought at least one big change to AN.

black dirt live again

by andeux on Mar 3, 2009 3:01 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Look, I don’t think evil machinations underlie any of this. I don’t doubt your sincerity, or Blez’s.

But with respect to the assertion that growth will not change the character of the site: If you’re just pretending to believe that, I’m insulted. If you actually believe that, you’re naive.

I don’t presume to know whether the present trajectory of AN/SBN is “good” or “bad” or anything else, since Blez sure as hell has a lot more to consider than my particular content preferences. That said, an inevitable consequence of the pursuit of Internet ubiquity is the suppression (crowding out, not censoring) of the sorts of voices I enjoy, of which monkeyball was most certainly one.

And, as I said somewhere above, that blows.

by 74mk on Mar 3, 2009 2:56 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well, the underlying thing here is...

…monkeyball was not forced or pushed out of anything here. If he decided to no longer do something because he didn’t want to go by any particular titling when it comes to gameday recaps, that’s his choice.

I know people in general don’t like change and are resistant to it. But, it gets a little old when the automatic assumption is it’s just going to lead to people being effectively censored.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Mar 3, 2009 3:01 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

But, it gets a little old when the automatic assumption is it’s just going to lead to people being effectively censored.

I don’t think I said that …

I specifically inserted the “crowding out, not censoring” qualifier to disabuse readers of that notion in advance, actually. Also, you shouldn’t confuse what I’m trying to say with some sort of blanket opposition to change. If that’s what my comment conveys, then I wrote it poorly.

Anyway, what andeux said directly above is basically my point. He’s just more articulate than I am.

by 74mk on Mar 3, 2009 3:29 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I see what you're saying. I do.

I just think at this point it’s an overreaction.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Mar 3, 2009 3:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Fair enough

But in my experience, what andeux describes above is what happens every single time a small company gets big or gets bought. It’s just the nature of things (I think that means AN is the frog and Yahoo is the scorpion).

by 74mk on Mar 3, 2009 3:53 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

What you may be mis-fearing is that

AN is now somehow “under Yahoo” (e.g. what Yahoo wants or cares about will affect AN). AN will get more exposure to its non-core reader base thanks to Yahoo and other search engines, but there is no issue of content control, pressure, etc.

That’s what changes things – and as I understand it, one reason deals have not been announced before is that Blez has always insisted, as a non-negotiable, that content can never be controlled by anything but the writers.

If I’m wrong about this, Blez can (please) publicly correct me but that’s my understanding. And as long as the community that is AN fully controls AN’s content and rules, things should always feel about the same as they do now.

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 Mar 3, 2009 3:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yes

We didn’t get bought by Yahoo! or anything. This is just a partnership to try and help bring new readers to the great content here.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Mar 3, 2009 4:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That's not what I think, or fear.

The “under Yahoo” part, I mean.

I am saying:

AN/SBN is getting bigger. Partnerships similar to the one SBN has undertaken with Yahoo are merely components of the overriding goal, which is increased traffic and ad clicks. If increased traffic (beyond a certain niche readership) is your goal, you will, in the long run, necessarily cultivate an “average fan” aesthetic that is not particularly what I (or monkeyball, I suspect) fancy. Much of AN is already like this, and the pockets that appeal to me will likely dwindle as time goes on. This will probably not happen because some executive tries to dictate content, or because Blez decides one day to tell you what to write. It will (stealing from andeux again) “be comprised of an incremental series of very small changes that can be recognized as a big change only in retrospect.”

Shorter, less boring version: There is a tension between being popular and being awesome. It’s really, really hard to be both, regardless of circumstances or intentions.

Postscript: Part of the reason my perspective seems so whiny/overwrought/strange to you might be that your definition of “awesome” is a lot more inclusive than mine. So the aforementioned tension just isn’t as stark to you.

by 74mk on Mar 3, 2009 4:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'll just say that I believe AN and SBN can be the Tool

of the sports Internet coverage. That is, awesome and really popular (sorry but that’s my favorite band of all-time).

by Tyler Bleszinski on Mar 3, 2009 5:01 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I once had a Tool cover band

back in the 90’s. Good Times.

I like the fact that My Yahoo! features AN in the sports category. Convenient when I’m checking email at work or school.

by somebodyelse on Mar 3, 2009 5:05 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The wrench holder.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 3, 2009 5:34 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Omigod, I play the triangle!!!!!

You’re a musician too???

-Cindi

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 Mar 3, 2009 5:36 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Rhythm / Lead

guitar. They are one and the same in the older tool stuff.

by somebodyelse on Mar 3, 2009 6:04 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Best... straight line... ever...

Must… resist… urge… to make inappropriate… joke…

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 Mar 3, 2009 6:25 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

And to note...

…whether you’re intending to say that or not, that’s the impression I’m getting with the attitude of “It’s this way now, but what next? What else will they tell us we have to do now that they’ve bought into SBN?”

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Mar 3, 2009 3:06 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

No offense, Nico, but starcitygames.com used to be the AN of Magic sites

and increasing commercialization turned it into a place that (however much I enjoyed many of the writers there) I lost interest in. I haven’t been back in about 2 years.

Obviously, the two situations have their differences (one of which is that nobody else here has any idea what I’m talking about with regard to the Magic site). But, you know, you’d better be careful what actions you guys take with respect to content standardization, because I’ve seen it wreck websites in the past.

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 Mar 3, 2009 4:45 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I guess I wouldn't be commenting if I weren't so confident

that content will not be changing. You’d think I’d know, right? Either that or I’m a pawn.

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 Mar 3, 2009 4:49 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well I guess the question becomes

do you only move one step at a time, and only attack people who are at your diagonal?

"Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it?"-Steve McCatty

by 5Aces on Mar 3, 2009 4:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

LMAO

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Mar 3, 2009 7:05 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

{castles}

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 Mar 3, 2009 7:32 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm not levelling an accusation, I'm offering a cautionary tale

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 Mar 3, 2009 5:00 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I know - and I think your cautionary tale is right on the money

I just hope AN will carefully and intentionally avoid those pitfalls. The pitfalls of being more popular and sharing with a wider audience are pitfalls AN will not avoid, because it doesn’t want to.

But the pitfalls of changing the content, and tone, because the audience is wider is a pitfall AN can, and I hope will, avoid. It certainly will if I have anything to say about it – which is, granted, debatable.

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 Mar 3, 2009 5:36 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Please read 74mk and andeux and PT's posts more carefully

Many of your comments in this thread have the commonality of reducing others’ “fears” to easily debunked straw men. No one suggests that massive content-restrictive edicts are in place or near. Instead, many (to my mind reasonable) folks suggest that there’s a dangerous dynamic which can take hold slowly, as the quest for wider appeal vies with (and inevitably usurps) what some of us might define as AN’s quality of awesomeness.

Ours may be an elitist view. It probably is anachronistic. But responses that caricature the views of of AN stalwarts are perhaps not the posture the new Caliph might want to strike. Just a suggestion from a humble pilgrim.

"There is a sense of tragic destiny associated with people who have large noses." --Bucky Wunderlick

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Mar 3, 2009 5:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm not disagreeing with you on this, FSU -

Again, if what you ideally want (and there’s nothing “wrong” with wanting it) is for AN to remain a small “insider’s club” then I agree you will not like the changes, i.e., the Yahoo deal, etc. There’s no getting around that, because AN is attempting to draw in more outside readers. As is The Chronicle, John Sickels, mlb.com, Sports Illustrated, and every other source that writes about baseball and sports and farm animals.

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 Mar 3, 2009 5:58 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

An insider's club, or a community?

Because the Chronicle, John Sickels, mlb.com, SI, and every other source that writes about baseball sure aren’t communities.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Mar 3, 2009 6:05 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

True. Personally, I want a community -

but not one that says, “Go away, you haven’t been part of our community!”

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 Mar 3, 2009 6:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I don't think AN is being exclusionary,

or you can equate a less-than-Yahooesque effort to recruit new readers as exclusionary.

With the proliferation of SBN sites and emphasis on volume, AN has evolved from a self-proclaimed “online bar” to more of a self-proclaimed online TGI Friday’s. There’s nothing wrong with being TGI Friday’s; God knows it’s a wide-reaching and profitable venture. But people go to TGI Friday’s because it is ubiquitous and reliable, not for the sense of community. And, some people won’t be caught dead in one.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Mar 3, 2009 7:26 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

Online Applebee's.

...then Pennington takes over.

by Poppy on Mar 3, 2009 7:30 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

A lot of the comment do make me barf

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 Mar 3, 2009 7:32 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Nico DOES kind of look like John Corbett.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Mar 3, 2009 7:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

even a TGI Friday's can be filled with members of your community

I fear that AN more resembles a mall

I don’t even recognize the place any more

The Athletics at Fre...oh. Never mind. Phew!

by ArakSOT on Mar 7, 2009 8:23 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

where is the circuit city i need a cheap TV

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 Mar 7, 2009 12:07 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

/dons the crankpants Caliph?

One might also note a tendency of the writer to adopt a pedantic tone, accuse others of caricature, and then use an unnecessarily incendiary term to characterize them.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 11:51 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I used to read SCG

And I can see parallels. The difference is that SCG started having a pay-to-read service, whereas AN just has more outside influence. SCG was the best because they were one of the few sites dedicated to MTG coverage and MTG alone (other than brainburst, the old dojo, etc.) AN is one site among many devoted to baseball coverage.

What I’m getting at here is that we’re looking at two different kinds of commercialization. SCG made their changes because they wanted more money from existing subscribers, without realizing that their product (MTG writing) is fairly easy to get to be honest. AN is trying to get more money by bringing more people to their site, and trying to show that they have something different to offer (namely a community of fans as opposed to journalists.)

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 3, 2009 5:18 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I consider additional ads, and/or putting up with mediocrity to attract a broader readerbase

to be the economic equivalents of a pay-to-read service. There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

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 Mar 3, 2009 6:29 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

What is that "one way" everyone else seems to know about?

No one ever explains that part.

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 Mar 3, 2009 7:00 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

You do know that "skin a cat"

is a euphemism, right?

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers."

by iglew on Mar 4, 2009 8:33 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

maybe the cat has skin, maybe it doesn't.

Until you open the box, it is actually both skinned and non-skinned.

"Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it?"-Steve McCatty

by 5Aces on Mar 4, 2009 8:39 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Seems appropriate at this time.

"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 Mar 4, 2009 10:08 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The best way to skin a cat is to drop the live cat in boiling

water. The skin then rolls right off — fur and all.

I read this in a recipe. I’ve never eaten cat flesh, but I have eaten cat liver. I found it unremarkable.

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 9:12 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Christ, what an asshole.

The best way to chap my ass is to dispassionately describe an act of unspeakable animal cruelty on these pages. Please tell me it’s a humorous reference to some obscure cultural artifact and I didn’t get the joke.

Otherwise, see above. Rinse, repeat.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 10:40 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

No. I actually did read the recipe in a newspaper.

I guess you’re a vegetarian.

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 11:20 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I do not care if you read it in the Bible. I object to its content ...

… on the basis of my belief that the casual tossing off of references to animal cruelty ought to be called-out every time, the better to ensure, in a small way every time, that they are not considered acceptable.

On your other, simplistic point, suffice it to say that I’ve taken many, many steps to make sure that my diet and my life in general rank very high on the anti-cruelty scale.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 11:42 AM PST up reply actions   1 recs

How come you don't go off like this every time Nico mentions beastiality?

"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 Mar 4, 2009 11:51 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Point taken. But I know, and everybody else knows, he's joking.

Right, Nico?

Nico?

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 11:54 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Hmm?

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 Mar 4, 2009 5:18 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

you say that like there's something wrong with beastiality

"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT

by travdog6 on Mar 4, 2009 11:59 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 12:04 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

in was in fact sarcasm

just to clear the air i don’t participate in or condone the act beastiality.

even with goats.

"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT

by travdog6 on Mar 4, 2009 12:12 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Rickey knew that.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 12:15 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

You mean "except with goats," right?

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 Mar 4, 2009 5:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

right

"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT

by travdog6 on Mar 4, 2009 5:52 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Nobody ever speaks out against cruelty to tomatos

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 Mar 4, 2009 5:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I would much rather have ads on the side

then have to pay ten dollars a month. Obviously I’d prefer to have neither, but if Blez feels like he needs to make a little more money and he can by putting (rather unobtrusive) ads here and there I don’t mind—it doesn’t cost me anything monetarily. And I guess the mediocrity you refer to are the people who may come in through the new plugins? We already get trolls and bad posters even without the extra exposure, and though it may (or may not) be magnified with the new exposure, the idea would be that we can still retain the good discussions we have. Obviously though this may not happen if more people go the way of the monkey.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 3, 2009 7:41 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Granted it's only been the first week,

but what I’ve noticed in the past few days are more comments – generally nice, respectful, and intelligent – from users whom I don’t recognize, and no increase whatsoever in the number of trolls or “bad posters.” It may not last, but that’s what I’ve seen this week.

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 Mar 3, 2009 7:50 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

randommm

didnt expect this at all. oh by the way, im a new athleticsnation dude! been reading this blod for yearrs and finally decided to make a screen name. hi everyone!

by missssteryash on Mar 2, 2009 4:54 PM PST

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 Mar 3, 2009 11:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

ILLUSION

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 Mar 3, 2009 11:27 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks for that.

The fact that you admitted you were on a “Magic” site two years ago made me laugh so hard I almost pissed.

"There's only one Ken Griffey ." Jay Bruce

by tresselfan on Mar 4, 2009 5:23 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Apparently you're in serious need of about 15 years' worth of maturity

Well, whatever, not my problem.

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 Mar 4, 2009 10:00 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

This just in

People laugh at people who play games. This should not come as a shock to you PT.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 11:57 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

OK

I don’t really care if you laugh privately. Telling me that you think I’m deserving of ridicule is nothing more than being a gratuitous ass.

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 Mar 4, 2009 12:15 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Did you not read my post above?

I played Magic for years. I play DnD. Hell, I’m writing this while AFK in World of Warcraft. I’m not saying that people who play Magic are “deserving of ridicule” but I am saying that at this point it comes with the territory that people don’t openly accept geeks in adulthood. I don’t know how you survive if you can’t accept comments like tresselfan’s with a little laughter. There’s nothing wrong with playing games as an adult, but if you get offended every time someone calls you on it, then I imagine you lead a stressful life.

It’s the same thing as people making fun of guys who play Softball as people who can’t let go of High School. Or commenting that those who still play in a band at age 30 need to get a real job. One’s quirks and eccentricities are just that—they make us unique, and being apart from the majority will draw comments from said majority, and laughing with them a little bit makes life a lot more enjoyable, at least for me.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 1:28 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

As far as I'm concerned, the majority can stick it

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 Mar 4, 2009 2:57 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

PT, are you really not getting this?

This guy is making friendly overtures in your direction. It’s called “ribbing”, “jesting”, or sometimes, “clowning.” It’s usually done to someone whom you find interesting, amicable, or humorous. Up until about 1:28 PST, I think he may have been interested in cultivating a friendship.

Don’t be in such a hurry for the majority to “stick it”. They will sooner or later.

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

by alox on Mar 4, 2009 4:45 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

Rebuilding Season is not the one I'm irritated at, and I don't know why you would assume he is

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 Mar 4, 2009 5:49 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Must have read it wrong.

It happens.

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

by alox on Mar 4, 2009 6:36 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

"...openly accept geeks in adulthood"

I’m not sure I agree that people don’t. But even if they don’t, they should. I was well into my 30s when I was into MTG. After about four years I quit, not because I “grew up” or because I thought it was dorky, but simply because it was taking up too much of my time and I was interested in other hobbies. But it’s a great game (or at least it was back then; it keeps evolving and I haven’t kept up).

So yeah, go ahead and laugh at adults who play games if that’s what you like. We’ll continue to point out that games are cool at any age.

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers."

by iglew on Mar 4, 2009 2:58 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Really?

Every time I ask a coworker for time off to attend a card game tournament (or something similar) I definitely get met with at the least a strange look if not a joke. I’m not saying these people are hateful jerks, I just think that taking such jokes in stride allows for a more cordial relationship, especially when you’re then allowed to joke about their quirks.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 3:03 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well, that's your opportunity to enlighten them, then.

Does taking jokes in stride and preserving a cordial relationship prevent you from explaining to them what an interesting game it is, why you enjoy it as a hobby, and how lots of other interesting people do, too? I should think not.

And I still don’t see why finding out that Paul plays made you almost piss yourself with laughter.

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers."

by iglew on Mar 4, 2009 3:07 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I didn't

that was tresselfan.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 3:10 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Oops, my bad.

I see now.

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers."

by iglew on Mar 4, 2009 6:38 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

And no, it usually doesn't

Often times after the joke I’ll have a nice conversation explaining why I enjoy xxx hobby. My point is that one’s first reaction to a joke like that shouldn’t be to dismiss them and get pompous right back. I think admitting that it’s different and explaining why you like it anyway usually leads to you educating someone (and hell, in some cases, getting them to come. I’ve gotten multiple dnd partners that way)

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 3:27 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

He didn't tell a joke

His comment wasn’t even remotely funny.

Had he actually said something vaguely witty or insightful, my reaction would probably have been different.

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 Mar 4, 2009 4:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Funny was not my intent....

I was thanking you for making me laugh. Sure, at your expense, but no real cost to you…If I were you, I would disregard anyone’s opinion except those I feel have value. Don’t bother telling me what you think of me, as I don’t value your opinion on personality. Your baseball acumen is another story entirely. We all value that.

"No offense, Nico, but starcitygames.com used to be the AN of Magic sites " -PaulThomas

by tresselfan on Mar 5, 2009 10:36 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I laugh at, ridicule, and shake my head sadly at people who don't understand that they should play chess instead of other games

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

by mikeA on Mar 4, 2009 3:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

the people who play “go” probably laugh at you.

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 Mar 4, 2009 4:03 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

horsies and castles>>>>little pebbles

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

by mikeA on Mar 4, 2009 4:10 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Depends on the usage.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 4, 2009 4:28 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

My take on things

is that if I can’t even beat a robot, the game probably isn’t for me…

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 Mar 4, 2009 4:24 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

gotta come clean on my ad&d addiction

I think I finally kicked the habit at age 25 or so…

Nothing wrong with an orthogonal intellectual challenge. some people do crosswords, bridge, poker, fantasy sports, or other games.

accept individuality – “you’re unique just like everyone else.” (guess who)

by rollierollieOxenfree on Mar 7, 2009 1:46 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

More to the point

IF they started telling you what you had to write about YOU’D be getting paid to do it. Plain and simple. It’d be one thing to do the volunteer deal and be asked to add something in the title. Actually mandating content, well that’s not volunteering. At which point your decision to stay would, in part, be monetarily based.

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Mar 3, 2009 6:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I don't deny that

And maybe mb decided he didn’t want to stick around for that. Well, screw the “maybe”. That’s what happened.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 3:00 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

No, it's very different - he didn't want to stick around

for being asked to choose headlines that are easier to find by outside readers. That’s fine, but it’s different from not sticking around because of changes that haven’t happened or never will happen.

If that’s the issue, then leave when you see those feared changes happen. If Blez shoots me an email someday saying, “Please write a post commending the latest trade,” I’ll be out the door. But I’m not going to leave just because “that could happen someday!!!111”

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 Mar 3, 2009 3:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah

I don’t know; it just seemed like it all happened so fast. Well, whatever the case, I don’t think anyone can deny its impact. At least right now.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 3:53 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Maybe I'm a little uncaring about it but...

…to me there are so many more important things to be thinking about these days than how you have to word a subject line.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Mar 3, 2009 3:55 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I meant mb not being here.

And I am just talking about right now.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 3:56 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I believe that even in regular newsprint the author of the article does not pick the headline.

Which is why the headlines sometimes only mention some really small thing from the tail end instead of the main article concept.

by LoneStranger on Mar 4, 2009 8:50 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yep

When I wrote for the college paper they always made their own headline.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Mar 4, 2009 9:24 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yep part 2

When I was the Sport’s Editor for the Lemoore Advance back in 1994 for 6 months while my English teacher/Mayor of the town/Sport’s Editor got his master’s degree I never wrote a single headline though I wrote the entire sport’s section each week :)

myspace music

by jeffro on Mar 4, 2009 12:40 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

and just to add to this...When I was layout editor of the highschool newspaper,

I put in a placeholder headline since we couldn’t come up with a good one at that moment. I meant to go back and fix it, but instead, the paper went to print with the headline “Golf Masters Kick Ass.” The sports editor was not pleased, but it was true, we had a really good golf team.

by LoneStranger on Mar 4, 2009 3:52 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

a harbinger maybe or just a symbol of broader concerns

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 2:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

What's sad to me is the automatic assumption

that more changes must be to come. Because…they aren’t. Same ol’ AN, slightly more “search engine friendly” headlines.

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 Mar 3, 2009 2:35 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

On a user-generated content site like AN

appealing for more users (as this move is clearly intended to do) will necessarily change the content (just not the front page content) unless the appeal fails.

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

by nevermoor on Mar 4, 2009 8:37 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

bingo

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Mar 3, 2009 2:10 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

If I am not mistaken, it might be easier than that. He simply posts without choosing the story for distribution. But I may be overstepping my boundries there.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 1:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

by… telling the truth?

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 Mar 3, 2009 1:16 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Understandable, on both sides.

Part of the poetic interludes was the titles. Perhaps a big part, even, and I’m sure that a good amount of thought went into the titles as well as the interpretations of the songs.

I can also see wanting the titles to be more search friendly or news friendly or whatever, but isn’t the intent to draw visitors here as opposed to having them get content via a 3rd party? The poetic interlude titles were generally well thought out and had some kind of link to the team (Holliday in Alameda, 88 lines about 44 Athletics, etc).

If somebody were to see A’s content called “Shakespeare AN Sonnet #6” and thought it sounded interesting and clicked the link… wouldn’t that be the intended result anyway?

"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 Mar 3, 2009 1:06 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

i’m thinking some of those orders / requirements may be coming from yahoo sports and not blez…

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 Mar 3, 2009 1:09 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm surprised

that the front page writers aren’t compensated, if only at some modest $50 per story or a penny per click-through rate. Blogs I’m aware of that expand beyond the “sole proprieter in Mom’s basement” level, to the point of adding “staff” and taking in ad dollars, consider some minimum level of payment to the talent which brings in the eyeballs a basic cost of doing business.

"There is a sense of tragic destiny associated with people who have large noses." --Bucky Wunderlick

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Mar 3, 2009 1:37 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It is kind of wierd that the writers for the blog don't get paid

hell, most of the content on the site is user driven and gotten for free.

Chicago. Where the Dead can Vote. Where the Voters of Tomorrow are found in the Obituaries of Today.

by Zonis on Mar 3, 2009 1:53 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It's one of those things that is probably going to develop into a hot-button issues one of these days

And I don’t mean just here as in SBN/Yahoo. From what I’ve heard in the past, the people who provide content to subscription-based Scout.com (which is ultimately under Rupert Murdoch and Fox, et al) do not get paid either. Some things are free content, but a lot of it is reserved for paid users only.

There are a couple other things related to that I don’t really feel like I should go into further detail about, but pretty much the only perks have to do with being part of a known organization that helps allow for media credentials, not to mention exposure to someone’s writing and/or photography. Other than that, at least in my case, I don’t get reimbursed for gas or things like that for me to get to a place. Still, if it gives me the chance to do something that may help lead to me getting a job in the field, I’ve got to try.

Where the eventual issue could come into play has to do with people who decide they won’t be a part of it unless they receive some sort of monetary compensation. They’re putting time, effort and in many cases money into this, doing it for a company that is making money thanks to their work, and if they don’t get paid for it there may one day be little incentive for them to continue doing it. Right now the company probably has the ability to say “Fine, we’ll find someone else” because there are surely others who would do it for free, but some of these places may ultimately learn that they’re going to have to compensate people in some way.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Mar 3, 2009 2:09 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I think what people forget too...

…is the huge readership that we get here, that we couldn’t get anywhere else. AN has really become the standard news for the Oakland A’s, and if it’s your passion and hobby, not your job, it’s a real treat to write for an audience. It’s not a chore or for a paycheck; it’s because it’s fun, and I’ve always been able to say exactly what I wanted on this site.

The headlines are a non-issue for me. If a headline is out there; not connected to AN, it really does need to explain something to outside readers—especially for game recaps; don’t we all think these are better on AN than MLB or Yahoo? We have no ’A’s corporate spin’ on what we say, and that’s not changing.

All that was asked was to make the headlines ‘readable’ for an outside audience, and as xbhaskarx has already pointed out; anything that doesn’t need to be distributed can be said in a FanPost. Or inside the post itself. But front page headlines should be tagged for the outside world, and I think it’s great that you can find AN under Yahoo now.

Just my two cents. I have no problem making my headlines work for the outside audience. I don’t plan on changing anything about my recaps themselves.

"I know they're the defending World Champs, but they are the whiniest team in baseball" -Rays announcers

by baseballgirl on Mar 3, 2009 2:30 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I do agree with this

Doing a headline for a game recap in a specific way is not hard. The content of the recap is still unrestricted.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Mar 3, 2009 2:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Personally, I'd rather be able to write more interesting headlines

But to me it’s also an awfully small compromise to make for the good of the blog, and not enough for me to get riled up over.

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 Mar 3, 2009 2:38 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That's probably why you're the new head blog writer guy

and monkeyball is gone.

"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 Mar 3, 2009 2:39 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That's kind of rough....

My sympathies lie with Blez in all this. He’s sort of a victim of a successful enterprise. AN is like anything else, it’s either growing or it’s dying. I’m certain Blez had no idea AN would morph into what it has become when he started this blog. Not that I know him personally, but I can imagine the outcry if he did start compensating front page writers, which he may eventually do one day, if in fact he hasn’t already. It’s no ones business but his and the writers as far as I’m concerned. In that sense, I can understand if MB made an economic choice. But the “creative” angle just doesn’t hold water as far as I’m concerned.

Change is an inevitable fact of life. While I’m sorry to see MB depart, I certainly can’t fault Blez and company for looking towards the future. Besides, the Yahoo connection hasn’t had much of an effect on the site as far as I can tell.

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

by alox on Mar 3, 2009 3:05 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

...the whole point from the start was for it to morph into what it became....

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 3:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

yep

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 3:14 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Maybe....

in the wildest of dreams. But come on, how many A’s sites are there out there? None of them has been as remotely successful as AN. For that matter, are there any sports blogs at all that are as successful as AN?

And even if that’s an accurate statement, the Blez must be one of the most savvy of bloggers in all the internet. So why doubt him now?

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

by alox on Mar 3, 2009 3:18 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Because a rising tide ain't floating my boat

In other words, what’s good for Blez’s savvy blog business model ain’t necessarily good for what some of us like about AN.

"There is a sense of tragic destiny associated with people who have large noses." --Bucky Wunderlick

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Mar 3, 2009 3:41 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

I think I heard a similar cliche in Josey Wales the other night...

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 3:46 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I think there's a clear goal of having AN found by more people

I think there’s also a clear goal of not changing AN’s content – just having the content found by more people. If you don’t want AN to become more than “our little secret,” then you’re right – Blez’ goals are at odds with what you like about AN. But otherwise? What are these changes you’ve noticed since the change in blogfatherhood and since the deal with Yahoo?

AN looks and feels about the same as always to me. Furtherless, I’m as “in” on the “plans” as anyone who isn’t Blez, and as far as I know the plan is for AN to be…well, a lot like this. With more readers (and likely more new posters as a natural by-product.)

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 Mar 3, 2009 3:53 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The biggest change would be the absence of the simian.

And that, IMO, is a major loss to the site. And while we’ve suffered through periods of monkeylessness in the past, I think this time his absence is a lot more permanent.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 4:38 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

What I really admired about mb

the most was the way he would step in and diffuse things when a thread got a little contentious. He always did it with humor, grace, and a light touch.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 3, 2009 4:46 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yes, haha!

And poo.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 3, 2009 4:52 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Amen

I mean, right on. Ah, heck. It’s Lent.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 5:31 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I agree that it's a big change, and that it's a shame

It was just very one-sided and unexpected. Apparently the AN of 2 weeks ago was Monkeyfine, but the AN of today isn’t – whereas personally, I can’t really tell the difference.

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 Mar 3, 2009 4:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Changes

I seems that there have been a lot of new users posting since the annoucement. Can you tell us if there has been a spike in registrations?

I’ve checked a few. Some registered yesterday and some registered in the last few months but haven’t been very active. I’d be curious if you can document the change already even though its only been a short period of time.

by ZigFan31 on Mar 3, 2009 4:57 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Probably...but heck if I know how...

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 Mar 3, 2009 4:58 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I would imagine

that there is a spike. But with the regular season right around the corner, that’s to be expected.

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

by alox on Mar 3, 2009 5:04 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Legitimate point,

I grant you. Somehow, I doubt that the Yahoo flap is what motivated him to break ties. Just seems to be much ado about nothing.

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

by alox on Mar 3, 2009 4:04 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

What Alox said.

It’s hard to accept changes. But AN has done it before with formats and with the way that the stat guys now just dominate the site. When I first started reading it was more original and amusing than now…but it’s more informative now. Some good things some bad. Life and growth is like that. I do have sympathy for those that don’t like change I am like that too. But change happens. Accept it folks. If you do like the site the way it is…then keep posting. FSU keep posting Peanutball…Don, keep the history and family threads coming…Jennifer amuse us with your funny repartee with Poppy and Mike and others. If you all keep posting the heart of the site will still be there.

by IM4Oakgal on Mar 6, 2009 5:53 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

See, I'm just not that creative.

I’d rather try to turn my creativity into the BEST corporate headline I can manage ;-)

Seriously, I agree. Small compromise for a much wider audience. I get it.

It was just a headline change. With no ominous signs of content management. AN wouldn’t be AN if I couldn’t tell Macha to quit his day job (and boy, did I!)

"I know they're the defending World Champs, but they are the whiniest team in baseball" -Rays announcers

by baseballgirl on Mar 3, 2009 2:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Personally, I’ve never considered the whining about Macha to be one of AN’s positive features.

black dirt live again

by andeux on Mar 3, 2009 2:50 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

FIRE ANDEUX NOW!!!!

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

by Nick on Mar 3, 2009 4:25 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Dual headlines?

I know it might be more (too much) work for the writers, but maybe have a separate non-AN headline for the outside blogs, while still having an AN-specific, free flow headline?

by calgbear on Mar 3, 2009 4:49 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'd like that - I'd like to be able to write headlines

I found interesting or creative, rather than “mainstream.” But again, it’s just not the hill I want to die on – I’m grateful that THIS is the only change, not content, not control, not pandering.

And sometimes if you want to expand your readership, which Blez does for a variety of good reasons, you have to compromise a little – and I’d say this is compromising a very little.

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 Mar 3, 2009 4:54 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

So which is the hill you DO want to die on?

Donnie? Glenallen? Rich?

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

by Nick on Mar 3, 2009 5:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Lauryn?

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

by JediLeroy on Mar 3, 2009 6:23 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Mole

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Mar 3, 2009 7:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Start the post itself with your clever headline. Sort of a "sub" headline.

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Mar 3, 2009 7:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Dual banjos?

"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin

by Hot Cup Joe on Mar 3, 2009 4:54 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Nico, you always write the best headlines.

Witty, sharp or a play on words…no more of that?

by IM4Oakgal on Mar 6, 2009 6:41 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Eh - I can't quit that

First I’ll try to combine the headline I want to write with the one I should write, and eventually I’ll have a “oh f*** it” moment, will rationalize that it’s actually better to send intriguing headlines to Yahoo anyway, and will write what I write because it’s what I write.

You can take the pun out of the guy, but you can’t take the pun out of the guy. Or something.

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 Mar 6, 2009 7:08 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Saw this headline deal in action last week

I was on SI.com and saw the “My SI Team Pages” near the bottom of the front page. Clicked on the MLB tab and saw under in the little box for the A’s: “Nico’s Bull And Bear Predictions”. Now obviously I knew it was AN’s Nico, but my first thought was that many who might be seeing this headline/link are wondering “Who the heck is Nico?!” and why they should bother clicking on the link.

I used to work as a wire editor at a sports news web site, and writing effective web link headlines can be difficult — and I think writing recap titles will be the hardest. Remember that SI.com and Yahoo already have a wire story up with their own “A’s win/lose” headline, so putting a generic “A’s hit five homers in rout of Angels” won’t help.

Right now, the “A’s Team Page” headline on SI.com is “Boring Headline Dooms A’s To 6-4 Loss To Cubs”. Despite it apparently being an inside joke (based on this DLD), this is just the odd “AN-ish” sort of stuff that might get a few clicks. The trick will be taking some unique observation or opinion about the game, and turning it into a headline that’s descriptive, creative and “something someone on AN would say.” In a semi-family-friendly way, of course. I think writing headlines that can catch the eye of the outsider, be creative and show what AN is all about can be done.

Things like “Staturday” won’t be a problem — they already have “Staturday:” in front of them, and with a name like “Staturday”, you should know what to expect.

However, headlines like “2009 Poetic Interlude #4: PECOTA”. Here — expected and adored. Out there — probably completely ignored. In this case, this is one that I think should not make the outside feeds because it’s really targeted for those already on AN, and that’s OK. And I believe this is the kind of situation where monkeyball would balk if creativity, even in the headline, was being infringed.

What's G? Nothing but freakin' Gatorade. Geesh.

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Mar 3, 2009 7:02 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Word

A lot of people read Deadspin just for the inside jokes, perhaps marginalizing our own is the wrong way to go.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 3, 2009 7:42 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

+1

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 Mar 3, 2009 11:42 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That's odd.

 I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 2:49 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

"it's not the hill i want to die on"

that and some stuff about copper, boss.

"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin

by Hot Cup Joe on Mar 3, 2009 4:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah -- he didn't like coppers much, with good reason.

Then he mumbled something about organizing a bloggers’ union.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 5:04 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

When headlines are too recondite for the average yahoo browser,

it’s there you’ll find joe hill….

That sucks – this really calls for someone who can write song parodies.

"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin

by Hot Cup Joe on Mar 3, 2009 5:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I already did that

and Dogfather already made a comment about it.

Link here.

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

by Nick on Mar 3, 2009 5:48 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Was he palling around with Eugene V. Debs?

black dirt live again

by andeux on Mar 3, 2009 5:15 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

They don't fall down.

Damn communists.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 5:21 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

You could say that. ;-)

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 5:48 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

No offense intended, Blez, but that sounds a bit like the tail wagging the dog

or the monkey, or whatever.

That is, the deal with Yahoo is supposed to bring more people to this great thing we call AN, but the deal ends up demanding changes be made to AN, so the result is that more people will be brought to a thing which is missing an element that made AN what it is/was.

Note that this is not the same as saying, “N00bs will ruin the gamethreads!” That’s a different issue.

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

by Nick on Mar 3, 2009 2:07 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

This post makes the most sense to me. Recommended!

There has to be a technology solution, or an AN prefix or something — like BTF has when they link AN articles.

Design changes to a successful product with the aim of making the product more accessible to a less engaged audience, even one as seemingly small as quirky headlines, almost never result in an undiluted product. Nor does it necessarily result in greater popularity or faster growth. Note that soccer is growing a lot faster worldwide than indoor soccer.

I second the call for a creative solution. Maybe monkeyball has an idea!

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 8:06 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks for the open explanation Blez

Saying your part is all you can do.

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

by Buck Turgidson on Mar 3, 2009 8:32 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

reminders of monkeyball

can pop up in unexpected places. I’m reviewing some new cds that were sent to the college radio station (whpk 88.5 fm, the pride of the south side) where I dj. One of the disks that I grabbed based purely on the cover art turns out to be by a band called “Gay Witch Abortion”.

To finish the joke: Back in 10th grade, monkeyball played backup ukelele on their debut 7".

by colin on Mar 3, 2009 12:54 PM PST reply actions   1 recs

I got your descriptive headlines right here, pal.

"I'm disappointed Ziggy didn't pump his fist towards the sky 100 times and scream like a hooker." ~Nico.

by LAXile on Mar 3, 2009 1:05 PM PST reply actions   1 recs

Some amnesiac you turned out to be.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 3, 2009 1:27 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Lurking and working. And writing a monkey tribute.

I hope to be around more.

"I'm disappointed Ziggy didn't pump his fist towards the sky 100 times and scream like a hooker." ~Nico.

by LAXile on Mar 3, 2009 1:35 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Here's my monkeyball tribute. (Based on a great John Prine song.)

Nomar Visits the Bay Area Alone

(Original lyrics can be found here

The Dodgers weren’t really doin’ so hot
Said the new sports agent to the old big shot
They’re dyin’ in the playoffs in the NL West
Nomar must get traded or forever rest

Hey, look Ma, here comes the Elephant Boy
In green and gold for his new employ
From LA, Boston, via Illinois
To the jungles of the old East Bay

His agent sat in the office alone
Staring at the numbers on his new iPhone
Wondering how a man could send a rara avis
To play in the shadow of big Mount Davis

(Chorus)

Nomar was sad, the whole season stunk
Stomper lost the Elephant’s trunk
Giambi caught the clap from a girl he now avoids
They were low on morale but they were high on…

(Chorus)

"I'm disappointed Ziggy didn't pump his fist towards the sky 100 times and scream like a hooker." ~Nico.

by LAXile on Mar 3, 2009 1:40 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

I love John Prine.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 2:09 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Some humans ain't human

Chicago. Where the Dead can Vote. Where the Voters of Tomorrow are found in the Obituaries of Today.

by Zonis on Mar 3, 2009 2:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The milkman left me a note yesterday.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 4:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It was for your wife and you weren't supposed to see it

Neither was your son, who looks a lot like your milkman.

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 Mar 3, 2009 4:55 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I thought only the Postman

came twice.

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

by alox on Mar 3, 2009 5:05 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

So it's twins?

black dirt live again

by andeux on Mar 3, 2009 5:15 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

And here I thought

the A’s must have signed Garrett Anderson. Well, that’s a relief at least.

by sslinger on Mar 3, 2009 4:41 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Perhaps, among other things, monkeyball was the one person

who actually DID want to “spend more time with his family”. Having a baby around the place can really change your priorities. At any rate, Primate, just because you’ve left the front page, it’s no reason not to hang out in the cheap seats with the rest of us, so I’ll hope to see you around.

by Englishmajor on Mar 3, 2009 4:45 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

It does feel to me like a desire that found an excuse

Maybe he just wanted to leave, period, and maybe someday he’ll want to return.

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 Mar 3, 2009 4:57 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'd guess this is the most likely explanation

Everybody has an “arc of interest”. When your interest is at its peak, that’s the time when you’re most likely to agree to take on a significant role like being a front page poster here. It’s not a Supreme Court appointment, though.

I started a phpBB forum when I was at a similar peak, but after a year I realized I was quickly burning out. There was a regular user who was tech-savvy and very interested in the subject. I handed the keys to my hosting account to him and the forum is thriving (and honestly is being run much better than it was when I was the owner).

Fortunately, there are a few folks around like 67MARQUEZ who want to step in when somebody else is ready to leave.

by Soaker on Mar 3, 2009 6:00 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Like the Dread Pirate Roberts

But who could ever replace monkeyball?

by ervance on Mar 5, 2009 8:18 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

10,000 Shakespeares?

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 Mar 5, 2009 8:24 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It was the best of times

It was the Blurst of Times?!

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 5, 2009 8:26 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It was the beast of times,

it was the wurst of thymes.

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 Mar 5, 2009 8:28 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Now is the poopy of our discontent.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 5, 2009 8:28 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Suspiciously,

MB disappeared right around the time the police shot the crazed chimp in Connecticut.

by somebodyelse on Mar 3, 2009 4:55 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

that’s racist.

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 Mar 3, 2009 11:44 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

no its Species profiling

and thats wrong

Bad spellers of the world untie.

by A'sfaninNC on Mar 4, 2009 8:08 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

It's very wrong. Chimps aren't monkeys.

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 8:15 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That sucks beyond belief.

God speed, crazy monkey.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Mar 3, 2009 5:27 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Well, regardless,

it’s my birthday tomorrow. So enough about Monkey. More about LB.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 6:36 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Tomorrow can be LB Day

Just make sure you start your own DLD

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Mar 3, 2009 7:54 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Dude.

I hope you’re taking the day off. I was gonna do a DLD tomorrow, but all yours if you want it.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 8:51 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Nah, you go.

I’ve got to work. My MMA guy is coming in. Apparently, there’s a big brouhaha this weekend in Columbus. EVERYONE is going to be there, including my shorts logos and my banners.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:07 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Oh, plus I'm pissed off about them running MB off.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:09 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Are you too pissed

to submit a shot of you in hot pants. It would give my DLD some kick, and be a sort of a homage to MB’s Hot Free Kraut Pants Day, or however that goes.

And since it’s already midnight there, Happy B’day, LB. I’m no Reggie Jackson, but I’ll have to do right now. Seriously, many happy returns.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 9:14 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yay!

No hot pants pictures will be taken until my demands are met.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:16 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

You know how to reach me.

And I’m not talking e-mail or phone.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 9:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well, first they gotta fix the calendar.

Then we bring MB back.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:28 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That's all, right??

I can’t have you adding things after the fact. I have less than 3 hours to post this thing.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 9:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The letter "M"

stricken (STRICKOUTS) from the English language.

(Scoffs. “…getaway car…”)

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:38 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I gotta go to bed.

I’ve got a crazy-ass, testosterone-driven fight manager/promoter that’s gonna make me feel bad about not meeting his unspoken expectations for about six hours tomorrow. This is why I went to grad school, I’m certain of it. That three weeks I spent studying Journal of the Plague Year will surely help while figuring out how to best place the Cagefighter logo in context to the Pain, Inc. logo.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:46 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Right behind you

Well, not literally. Headache kicking in.

See ya,

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 9:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I need the "M" dude

Can’t we make it an “N”?

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 9:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The calendar is an easy fix.

And perhaps a fun one too? So many options to place over him. Not sure I can do anything about MB.

by ZigFan31 on Mar 3, 2009 9:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I mean I liked Joe.

I was not a huge fan, but I liked him. When he pitch at home. Most times.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:39 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Just paste some hot pants on him.

It’s sure to make you smile.

by ZigFan31 on Mar 3, 2009 9:42 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Good point.

And probably about what you all would see.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:42 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Nice.

BTW-Happy B’day!!!

by ZigFan31 on Mar 3, 2009 9:48 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I want to see!

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 4, 2009 11:34 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Wait... what?

...then Pennington takes over.

by Poppy on Mar 3, 2009 6:38 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Monkey went away.

It’s bananas.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 6:38 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

.

...then Pennington takes over.

by Poppy on Mar 3, 2009 6:42 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

yup.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 6:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

And... wtf was that about Yahoo?

...then Pennington takes over.

by Poppy on Mar 3, 2009 6:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

you don't wanna know.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 6:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

.

...then Pennington takes over.

by Poppy on Mar 3, 2009 6:45 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Apparently, we've been bought out.

I’m assuming that means the stock has split and we’ll all soon be rich from the dividends.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 6:46 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Heh.

Just another sports blog.

...then Pennington takes over.

by Poppy on Mar 3, 2009 6:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

This dialogue

was very LB-mb-ish, with Poppy playing the part of mb. Awesome.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 3, 2009 8:52 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

MB traded to texas

AN gone apeshit.

worst disaster since Rickey’s non-unanimous HOF vote.

by Rickeyfan on Mar 3, 2009 11:12 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

WERE ALL GONNA DIE!!!

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 3, 2009 11:14 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

they replaced monkeyball with Pennington

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

by mikeA on Mar 3, 2009 6:52 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

They must REALLY hate Petit's game

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

by nevermoor on Mar 4, 2009 8:48 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

"Hegenberger's is for gamblers, you better use your sense

Take what kraute you have gathered from outside the fence"

My feeble ode.

Thanks monkeyball, and may it not be over.

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

by Buck Turgidson on Mar 3, 2009 8:29 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

You know,

I got around to changing the A’s calendar at work to March today and Joe Effin’ Blanton’s on March. Now, I realize they gotta submit these things a little early, but c’mon. That was frickin’ July. Do the calendar people think to themselves, “Well, fuck it…it ain’t the Red Sox and it ain’t the Yankees, so who the hell’s gonna care?”

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 3, 2009 9:21 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Here's what happened

First they had Swisher and Haren for that month. Then Harden. Then Blanton. After Blanton they’re like, oh f-this, it doesn’t matter who the hell we put on it, they’ll be gone by March, so just leave it. Who else can we put in, Crosby?

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Mar 3, 2009 9:31 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

i worry about AN changing as well

and the new headlines shennanigans business worries me. i worry that with the increase in exposure will come an increase of new, uninformed users complaining about jack cust’s strickouts!!!11, the lack of bunting, and the overemphasis on statistics that mean nothing cause intangibles are what matters!!!!11. wow that makes me sound like an elitist jackass. but still. it worries me. and i worry that to cope with these possible new users, the high quality of AN will decrease and the content will change from statistically based. maybe im just being a tad irrational. but i worry.

on a side note:
FSU,
please post more.
love,
everyone

"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT

by travdog6 on Mar 4, 2009 3:40 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

You sound like an elitist jackass

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 8:00 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That's what I try to strive to be.

"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 Mar 4, 2009 10:09 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

We all do.

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 11:21 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I don't mind people talking about intangibles

As long as they stick around, comment more often than they post, and aren’t dismissive when they argue. If somebody is nice, is an Oakland A’s fan, and enjoys discussing them in a cordial fashion then the more the merrier I say.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 11:59 AM PST up reply actions   2 recs

I'm sad to see monkeyball go too

While I’m not a big poetry guy, I did enjoy his other contributions and his presence in general on AN. Hopefully he’ll be back, at least as a regular commenter.

As for the headline business, I wonder how many ANers would have noticed the changes if Blez hadn’t mentioned them. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have, and besides – I read AN for the articles, not the headlines.

I like important stuff just as much as the next guy, but please, for a little while, deliver us from meaning, baseball. That's your greatest glory, and we thank you for it very, very much. -- Craig Calcaterra

by JLeverenz on Mar 4, 2009 7:31 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

I didn't notice him gone from the editor's page at the bottom

Because I mean, how often do you really look at a blog’s shoes?

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 12:00 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I was told

that women look at the shoes first. Oh shoot, I’m barefoot!

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 4, 2009 12:31 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Even better.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 4, 2009 12:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

So am I the only

one that is totally psyched about the weekend after this one? Arizona will never be the same.

Oh, and I thought it was only the shoes. I forgot my pants, too. Should add some kick to my afternoon meetings.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 4, 2009 12:41 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

No, you're not.

I am completely stoked! I’m just trying to stay focused until say…next Thursday afternoon.

Depends on how big your feet are.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 4, 2009 12:51 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Same here.

Oh my.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 4, 2009 12:55 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

So, hombre, whatcha packin'?

… for your trip, I mean.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 12:59 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Cookies, for starters.

From mom.

Hey, you’re there that weekend, right? This isn’t getting better.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 4, 2009 1:00 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah -- we're trying for TH-SUN or MON. Driving on the cheap.

But I got new shoes — a little snug.

And I need new laces, obviously.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 1:07 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Effing clown shoes.

Can monkey care be a positive experience? Yes, but only if you are committed, well-prepared, and well-informed ahead of time. To what degree is this possible? What if monkey care is harder than you thought it would be? --Pet Monkey: A Reality Check

by Leopold Bloom on Mar 4, 2009 4:31 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

LOL!

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 4, 2009 1:01 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

So you'll be at AZ then too?

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 4, 2009 4:01 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

We're going to take over that place!

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 4, 2009 4:01 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yep. Leaving on the 14th, with a stop in L.A. to visit a friend.

Then in AZ on the 15th to see the games on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. And the Sharks on Tuesday too.

We’ll own that place. We might as well call it Athletics Nation Stadium.

by LoneStranger on Mar 4, 2009 4:32 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Seriously, there are SO many of us going!

"I know they're the defending World Champs, but they are the whiniest team in baseball" -Rays announcers

by baseballgirl on Mar 4, 2009 5:34 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Buuuuuuuuaaaaaaa-HA-HA!!!!!!!!!!

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 Mar 4, 2009 5:50 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Is there a posting somewhere that lists all of us?

And anything that we should be doing so that we can identify each other?

Like tying a green hanky around our right arms?

by LoneStranger on Mar 4, 2009 9:10 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Its kind of all come together in the last couple of weeks.

I’m sure someone will do a fanpost about it next week.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 4, 2009 9:35 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

wait, I thought everyone was going the weekend of the 21st!

You’ll be there the weekend before????

{checks southwest.com airfares….}

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Mar 5, 2009 10:58 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Seriously?

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 5, 2009 1:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

seriously pondering it....

if anyone stumbles on a cheap airfare leaving saturday morning and coming back sunday night, and can put me up on the floor of their hotel room, I’d really consider it….

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Mar 5, 2009 2:38 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm there 3/13-3/17

and you’re welcome to sleep on my motel room floor if you don’t mind the sound of bleating.

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 Mar 5, 2009 5:08 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

She might be sleeping with me,

and I’m goat-free.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 5, 2009 5:15 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm rooming

alone, but if an orgy should break out; you’re all welcome to stay.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 5, 2009 5:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

You!

Never a missed opportunity.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 5, 2009 5:27 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Wait - two hot women and a free goat?

Call me.

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 Mar 5, 2009 5:30 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Lol!

Now we know what to get you for your birthday.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 5, 2009 5:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

{Please not two women...Please not two women...}

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 Mar 5, 2009 5:50 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Does that fall under the

be careful what you wish for mantra.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 5, 2009 6:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'll take

the two women, if Nico doesn’t want them.

And you know which two.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 5, 2009 6:46 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

{please don't mean Cindi and Mandi...please don't mean Cindi and Mandi...}

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 Mar 5, 2009 6:49 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Best offer I've had all day...

and I got a really good one.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 5, 2009 6:51 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm gonna

mark that down as a “yes”.

Halfway there.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 5, 2009 6:57 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Raspberries song in my head now.

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 5, 2009 7:22 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Look out... here comes tomorrow

That’s when I’ll have to choose
How I…wish I could borrow
Someone else’s shoes

Nico…Oh what a writer
Wit and…he’s cindi’s guy
MB…guavas and headlines
Can’t make up my mind….

Yahoo! All kinds of dollars
Wish I… owned my own blog
Look out…here comes tomorrow
Oh how I wish tomorrow would never come….

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 8:14 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Well, shit

About half of my posts are obscure puns or allusions which I write with the expectation that only two or three readers will understand them, and half of those are directed specifically at Monkeyball. So now I’m speaking to no one.

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers."

by iglew on Mar 4, 2009 8:55 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

or at least yourself...

heck, i talk to myself all the time! please feel free to step in if the conversation gets violent.

by rollierollieOxenfree on Mar 7, 2009 2:10 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Sic transit gloria munki

I’m coming to this discussion one day late and it sure looks like everyone is making much more of this than there is. It’s not a referendum on the corporatization of AN. People move on. When you do something for fun, you do it as long as it’s fun. When it’s not fun, you say, “Hey, that was great, but I’m going to do something else now.”

Although I wholeheartedly agree that writing headlines is a joy when it’s more like fly fishing than like drag netting, I really don’t think it’s about that.

I love Monkeyball — he was easily my favorite of the front-pagers — but I’m not really mourning his departure. AN continues to grow and evolve: that’s good. Chris has an interesting life and wants to spend more time doing things other than becoming a sports journalist: that’s good, too.

I’ve been participating on Internet forums in various forms for about 10 years now. People come and go. Whenever someone prominent moves on, there’s always a bunch of posts saying that this or that on the forum must be what drove him away. Then later you hear from him and 9 times out of 10 it had nothing to do with the forum at all.

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers."

by iglew on Mar 4, 2009 9:13 AM PST reply actions   2 recs

good take on this

What I will find interesting will be to see if MB does stay away. He was such a prolific poster and enthusiastic participant that it seems unusually extreme to go away cold turkey. I could see saying “hey, the front page just isn’t for me anymore” but still post from time to time. But who knows…sometimes you’re just done.

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Mar 4, 2009 10:49 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

monkeyball: the mark mulder of AN

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 Mar 4, 2009 1:06 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

sad to see a good poster go

It is kinda funny that there is all this speculation about what MB is thinking. Its kinda like saying “bobby crosby doesn ’t want to listen amd change his batting style.” We non Monekeeball (thats right I am baiting) people really don’t know what the reason for dropping out is.

I have opinions, many have been expressed here, but I think that is more projection. Is it a corporate overlord thing? time? Garrett ANderson singing with the braves? What difference does it make, this is a forum for speculation. Therefore, clearly MB left because all of his bands from high school have been mentioned and he was called back to the alien mothership.

by Future Ed on Mar 4, 2009 9:53 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Regardless of the reason for MB's decision, there is a valid debate about the direction of the forum

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 9:58 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

for that, see my link to the article about Iceland in the other thread

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

by mikeA on Mar 4, 2009 10:12 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Which other thread? Gotta link?

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Mar 4, 2009 11:22 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

For sure

I didn’t comment on the announcement thread (not that I comment a lot). I fear that much of the user driven content that brought me here will fade. I am sure that the management will be the same with Nico etc, but will some of the fantastic diaries that spur great conversations still be there. Will there be more posts that I don’t care about?

This is a great post for the two conversations 1) the props to MB and 2) the direction of the forum

Now will there be a tribute to Apricot?

by Future Ed on Mar 4, 2009 10:21 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Yahoo bashing

Throughout this thread I have read a lot of generalizations about big company swallowing little company and… Well I just want to clarify about Yahoo. I work there/here. So most you may consider this a biased opinion but it needs to be said.

Many of you have read crap about Yahoo in the past few weeks, months, etc from the Randsian financial press, those who believe that the only duty of a company is to be a slave of the market, about what a horrible company Yahoo is. While some of this is due to the decline in growth in search to google (something which is now trending in the other direction) I have always felt a good bulk of the criticism also is because Yahoo is a progressive company if ever there was one.

Whether it is the shuttles that the company operates to encourage commuters to not use so much gas, or the entirely organic and subsidized cafeteria (I get a whole wheat burrito with organic tomatoes, free range chicken, etc. for about 4 bucks) or the refusal to put Data Centers in parts of the country where the power consumption costs would be cheapest because of the mix of energy sources being way too carbon intensive… Yahoo makes decisions for more than just bottom line reasons.

Additionally, there are things like the free gym on site to encourage healthy living by the employees, free training classes to encourage personal growth and things like Tuesday night BYOD (Bring Your Own DInner) movies for people to bring their families for low cost entertainment.

Basically, Yahoo is not Initech. And because the company isn’t, the financial press rips them apart.

I can tell you, as an employee, there is never a push here to make people do what the executives want. There is a push from the executives to encourage grunts like me to challenge them.

All in all… this is a big company that isn’t so bad to be associated with. I mean, headline writing aside.

myspace music

by jeffro on Mar 4, 2009 12:56 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

I'm sure that any bashing of Yahoo

was not meant at the corporate direction, but rather the userbase. Yahoo is a very successful company (and with good reason) but with big market attention comes a broad spectrum of users, and some people in AN don’t feel like they want that attention.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 1:30 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I disagree, I think most of it was in the corporate direction

but its more of a “Big company taking over Little Company, who looks like their becoming corporate as well to their long time base.”

Chicago. Where the Dead can Vote. Where the Voters of Tomorrow are found in the Obituaries of Today.

by Zonis on Mar 5, 2009 9:28 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Exxxcuse me, Mr. 'fro -- I believe you have my stapler?

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 1:34 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Greattt…..

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Mar 4, 2009 1:50 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Jeez man,

way to Jump to Conclusions!

Chicago. Where the Dead can Vote. Where the Voters of Tomorrow are found in the Obituaries of Today.

by Zonis on Mar 5, 2009 9:30 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Monkeyball and I didn't exactly see eye to eye sometimes

(not that he even would likely remember the limited conversations we had). But I am sad to see him go.
   I’m not one of the “cool kids”, the popular commenters that are clever and witty, but I think part of the reason I like AN is because of them being here. It gives the site sort of an identity, even if it is sort of an elitist jackass type of identity.
  It is kind of weird/funny, whenever I post a comment I can’t help but constantly check to see if someone replied to it. I think most people want to be liked, even on a blog.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Mar 4, 2009 1:29 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

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

by mikeA on Mar 4, 2009 3:18 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

i never bother to check if anyone has replied to my comments. if i cared about replies, i would spell “mcgwire” wrong more often…

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 Mar 4, 2009 4:05 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I check

Because i like discussion

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 4:06 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I check constantly

Because I too like discussion. Plus, it makes me feel happy to know that even though I’m a lurker, I’ve said something insightful or witty (or just stupid) that has sparked discussion.

Say something funny.

by muffinpryde on Mar 4, 2009 8:21 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Whoa

This is the happiest moment of my life.

Say something funny.

by muffinpryde on Mar 4, 2009 8:32 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The feeling is mutual

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Mar 4, 2009 9:01 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Oh, please

Why bother to comment at all if you don’t care about replies? What’s the point? Why not scribble your thoughts into a text file or something? Why do we need to see them, if you’re not interested in our replies?

For this to be true, you’d have to be really enamored of the standalone value (to the community) of the wit/wisdom/insight/whatever you’re dispensing.

by 74mk on Mar 4, 2009 4:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm replying, 74mk!!!!!!!!

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 Mar 4, 2009 5:30 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Phew!

Post-comment timeline:

4:47 PM PST – 5:29 PM PST
- Refreshed this thread every two minutes.
- Chewed fingernails.
- Mopped sweat from brow.
- Screamed to the heavens “Why? Why does no one like me?”

5:30 PM PST – 6:25 PM PST
- Wiped tears of self-loathing from eyes.
- Ate dinner. Glumly.
- Hoped against hope that someone, anyone would respond to my comment.

6:26:00 PM PST – 6:26:12 PM PST
- Raced back to my computer.

6:27 PM PST – PRESENT
- Entered this thread, discovered this comment, learned to love life again.

by 74mk on Mar 4, 2009 6:34 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

: -) nice

I would just like to point out that I don’t get depressed when no one replies to my comments. If I did I would always be depressed ; -)

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Mar 4, 2009 7:41 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Be happy!

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 Mar 4, 2009 9:04 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Don't worry.

Be happy now. {whistles}

"You have to score to win"~Rickey Henderson

by lynnzgal on Mar 4, 2009 9:10 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

1) i am really that enamored with the insight i’m dispensing
2) i just wanted to see how many replies i could get
3) i meant i don’t go out of my way to check my old comments for replies, not that i don’t care if anyone replies or not

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 Mar 4, 2009 6:24 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

mcguire!!!!111

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 Mar 4, 2009 6:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Man, these new Yahoo posters are really a disas...

Wait, Nico isn’t new?

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

by nevermoor on Mar 5, 2009 12:27 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I attempt to check my comments for replies, because

(1) Given that I don’t have nearly enough time to read everything on AN, I want to find the discussions that most interest me, and ones that I commented on the first time are more likely to be in that category; and

(2) It’s possible someone has addressed a response to me that they’re actually expecting me to answer.

That said, I’m not always successful in finding all my answered comments, or sometimes I don’t notice till several days later.

(One thing I’ve learned from checking my own comments is to write subject lines that will mean something to me the next day. If I’m browsing my own comments list and I see meaningless subject lines like “I think that” or “But on the other hand”, then I will have no clue if it’s worth following up on. So I guess you could say I’ve trained myself to write headlines more likely to grab the attention of the audience … said audience being me-the-next-day.)

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers."

by iglew on Mar 4, 2009 6:46 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I check my comments for replies

solely out of narcissism. What do you think? Please reply.

by somebodyelse on Mar 5, 2009 1:44 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Did someone say something?

No? Maybe it was somebodyelse.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 5, 2009 7:07 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Dear Monkey...

Thanks for your hard work entertaining us here on AN. I hope that you take a little break , play with Monkey Jr. and decide to come back and write some more for this site. I think I can speak for most when I say that your unique way of writing and distinct personality will be missed . At least check in with an occasional poem or rant. I am still waiting for the song parody that I can totally understand. Either way God Bless You and your family. Be well.
and FSU? Your DLD’s are just amazing. Bravo.

by IM4Oakgal on Mar 6, 2009 5:46 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

the whole AN-Yahoo hookup reminds me of the recent past...

when AOL brought the internet to the masses.

Sure, there were some irksome features (like my grandparents emailing me that they discovered this whole new “e-mail” thing), but there were some obvious benefits – the whole “cloud”/community of the internet expanding.

so goes with AN – while it may prompt some “Yahoo-hook” headlines, and perhaps some perceived constraint on artistic creativity, it will also resul in a larger audience to witness said creativity. on one extreme, if a tree falls in a forest…

by rollierollieOxenfree on Mar 7, 2009 2:19 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

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