New Contact Lenses

by xbhaskarx on Jun 21, 2005 7:31 AM PDT

back in the middle of may when the a's sucked and only kotsay could hit, i suggested that the a's
"get those new contact lenses brian roberts is wearing".

from slusser's a's report:

Red eye: Harden, Street, Joe Blanton, Eric Chavez, Nick Swisher and Bobby Crosby were fitted with Nike's MaxSight contact lenses. The amber lenses made Harden look like a werewolf, and he plans to wear them during day games and twilight games to cut glare. "Those 5 p.m., 6 p.m. starts, the sun is right in your eyes and you can't see a thing," Harden said.
Tony Cichoke, a Nike representative, said the lenses provide the benefits and protection of sunglasses.

are these similar to the contact lenses brian roberts is wearing this year? i seem to remember those were by bausch & lomb or something, but the amber color / werewolf part sounds familiar...

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I think they are the same.

Here's another link:

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050620&content_id=1097572& ;vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak

First baseman Scott Hatteberg was less than surprised to hear that Swisher, an outgoing rookie, was among the first in line to try the latest in visual enhancement.

"Of course he was; they're accessories," Hatteberg said, rolling his eyes. "That guy accessorizes more than my wife."
----------------------

Several of the players who weren't wearing the lenses said the players who were, particularly Harden, were freaking them out.

"Oh, he totally looks like the devil," said catcher Jason Kendall, who tried the lenses in prescription form in San Francisco earlier in the season but ditched them when one fell out during the game. "Half the guys look like demons and the other half of 'em look hung over."

Outfielder Bobby Kielty, whose wild red hair and fair skin paired with the lenses would only enhance his fright factor, said he can't wear them because he has had laser surgery on his eyes.

"Yeah, that's kind of a bummer," he said. "Can you imagine how scary I'd look?"

by Sharon on Jun 21, 2005 7:48 AM PDT reply actions

kielty

definitely the funniest guy on this team...

by xbhaskarx on Jun 21, 2005 7:50 AM PDT up reply actions

it's even funny just to look at him :)

by Sharon on Jun 21, 2005 7:52 AM PDT up reply actions

exactly, he has an intrinsic humor advantage

by xbhaskarx on Jun 21, 2005 7:53 AM PDT up reply actions

Hatte's comment about Swisher

cracked me up.

"Look what we did!"

by ArakSOT on Jun 21, 2005 8:27 AM PDT up reply actions

okay, they must be the same

from the urban story:

"Produced by Nike and Bausch & Lomb, the lenses are technically amber in hue, and they're designed to block out UVA and UBA rays, as well as 90 percent of blue light."

by xbhaskarx on Jun 21, 2005 7:52 AM PDT up reply actions

Hee!

That's hilarious. Awww. Now Harden can finally look intimidating!

by Kyli on Jun 21, 2005 8:41 AM PDT up reply actions

as a person with vision problems

I can't imagine anyone wanting to put contact lenses in their eyes if they didn't absolutely need to!

by OaklandSi on Jun 21, 2005 7:50 AM PDT reply actions

do any of those guys actually need

contact lenses? because I'd hate to stick something in my eye if I wasn't already doing it to begin with.

by rookieoftheyear on Jun 21, 2005 8:24 AM PDT reply actions

really?

what if you got paid millions of dollars to hit a baseball and the lenses were...
"designed to help players better track the objects and movement, increase contrast, and reduce glare (we're trying to avoid the obvious 28 Days Later/zombie jokes here). And they're apparently already making their way into MLB by way of the Orioles' second baseman Brian Roberts."

i found the original story through a google search:
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000930042251/
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/3559064
http://www.sportingnews.com/experts/stan-mcneal/20050421.html

somebody needs to photoshop this on the photo zito took of bobby kielty...

by xbhaskarx on Jun 21, 2005 8:30 AM PDT up reply actions

I would wonder why

suddenly they need them and all the players before them didn't? my eyes are really sensitive but I guess it must not bother them.

by rookieoftheyear on Jun 21, 2005 8:32 AM PDT up reply actions

this photo

by xbhaskarx on Jun 21, 2005 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions

Here you go!

He really is both the funniest and the scariest looking member of the A's. I kept telling her to look at his red hair yesterday after the HR, and she's like, "Why does he keep glaring at me? :("

by Melody on Jun 21, 2005 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't know what it is exactly

But I find Kielty strangely attractive:)

by Alien @ Athletics Nation on Jun 21, 2005 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

"The Shining Redux"

"Honey, I'm home"

redrumredrumredrumredrumredum...

The "Free Matt Watson from Sacramento-III", "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in"- Watson, mutterin' back to "the sac"

by bigelephant on Jun 21, 2005 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Crazy eyes?

I like it. Now when people say Byrnes is running around like a crazy person, he'll look the part also.

When I think crazy eyes, one thing comes to mind:

I think that's what Harden looks like when he gets mad. Don't make him angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry. I hope he scares the hell out of the opponents with them.

by Jennifer on Jun 21, 2005 8:36 AM PDT reply actions

This Confirms that the Hulk...

...is an A's fan. Blez, we need an interview!

by Gerard on Jun 21, 2005 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions

Does the Hulk even talk?

Blez: Who is your favorite player and why?

Hulk: Arrrror. Raarrroeeeerrr. Errrroooorrreeerrrrrr.

Blez: Yeah, he's well-liked here at AN too. So what was your first reaction to the Tim Hudson trade in the offseason?

Hulk: ARRRARARRRRGGHHH! ARRRRROOORRRREEERRRR! KRRRROOOOORRRROAAARR!!

Blez: Do you make it to the Coliseum for many games?

Hulk: Eerrrororrr. Krroorrrooggg. ER-OR-OR-HAR! (Clap clap clap-clap-clap)

Blez: Uh...thanks for your time. AN appreciates it.

Hulk: Er.

Pants! Pants! Sing the praises of pants!

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Jun 21, 2005 5:14 PM PDT up reply actions

lol!

I say, just reading the boards today is incredibly entertaining. Either everyone is just insanely witty for some reason, or they're trying to imitate Nico. Whatever it is, it's like a comedy show on my computer...

And about that Hulk interview, Rich is way too small to be the Hulk...unless he's on some serious 'roids. Maybe he's possessed - everyone seems to think he looks it with the contacts.

When and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest. - Georgia O'Keeffe

by Squeaky on Jun 21, 2005 5:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Nico's in his own league...

...and I know that if I tried to imitate him, it would be a total disaster.

'Course, it's easier to have silly things come to mind naturally when the A's are playing well. :)

Pants! Pants! Sing the praises of pants!

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Jun 21, 2005 5:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Agree, cirguegirl

must have been something in the coffee this morning--boards been great today:)

by Alien @ Athletics Nation on Jun 21, 2005 6:10 PM PDT up reply actions

Hulk need new translator!

I understand the Hulk's translator recently left the team "for personal reasons" ...

A related question: if Hulk played for several years in the Mutant League, should he be eligible for RotY his first season in MLB?

by monkeyball on Jun 21, 2005 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Mutant League

Billy beane is busy trying to figure out how Mutant League stats translate to major league stats.
What does a hitter's bb to k ratio mean in the Mutant League?

"Chavvy's always been very intense about winning. People who think otherwise have no clue."--Barry Zito

by Athletics fan and runner on Jun 21, 2005 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions

fire crotch too funny

xbhaskarx were did you get that great photo of ronnie mac. that is a classic

by ROYSTEELE on Jun 21, 2005 9:03 AM PDT reply actions

Zito took it, Roy!

"Look what we did!"

by ArakSOT on Jun 21, 2005 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions

zito the photog

were can i find that photo on the web..zito is better at photog than zagaris

by ROYSTEELE on Jun 21, 2005 9:05 AM PDT reply actions

Here's a link:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/03/23/gallery.zito/content.2.html

They were printed in SI.

"Look what we did!"

by ArakSOT on Jun 21, 2005 9:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Harden will be wearing those lenses tonight!

http://insidebayarea.com/ci_2814643

"SEATTLE -- Rich Harden wasn't on a red-eye flight to Las Vegas on Monday night, and he was happy about that, but his eyes were still plenty red.
That's because Harden is the latest major league player to get fitted with "MaxSight," an amber contact developed by Nike and Bausch & Lomb to help athletes see the ball better in the sun"

by gotgreen on Jun 21, 2005 11:04 AM PDT reply actions

Maybe

it'll freak all the Mariners out!

by Alien @ Athletics Nation on Jun 21, 2005 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions

whoops.

actually, he WON'T be wearing them tonight. just reread the article.

"But he won't be using them tonight when he makes his much-anticipated return to the mound after a 39-day layoff."

by gotgreen on Jun 21, 2005 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions

why wear lenses to help against the sun

for a night game?

Don't think he'll be wearing them tonight.

by OaklandSi on Jun 21, 2005 4:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I wear my sunglasses at night

With apologies to the Blues Brothers:

Ken Macha: "We're 10 games under .500. We've lost two closers, our designated hitter, and our ROY shortstop. It's dark outside and you're pitching with sunglasses."

Rich Harden: "Wear it."

by LoveDemAs on Jun 21, 2005 5:32 PM PDT up reply actions

only a matter of time...

...before everyone has swooshes in their eyes. Nike, Just See It.

Don't ask me to buy you a wristwatch Don't ask me to buy you a Sony Car Discman Don't ask me to give you car fare Don't ask me for a cotton picking thing"

by Cutthemullet on Jun 21, 2005 2:20 PM PDT reply actions