I was intrigued by Blez' poll today, as I learned that I am among only 6% of people who think that grown men engaging in a violent fight at work is a bad example for kids. So I tried it out at work, and when a fellow teacher made an accusation I didn't like, I expressed my offense by charging at her, knocking her down and getting her in a headlock, as other teachers took sides and joined. Needless to say, the teacher's 6th grade class was a bit confused, which I suppose is one of the potential side-effects of a violent brawl at work in front of children.
But at least Kendall "acted like a man". I hear that a lot. "Take it like a man," "If you were more of a man you would...", "C'mon, can't we settle this like men?" I must not be hanging around most men, because from my experience, "acting like a man" involves strategies more in the neighborhood of
- making idle threats
- acting indifferent loudly to bystanders
- offering false inferences about the other person's mother or sexual performance
- threatening frivolous lawsuits
- walking with a swagger away from the other person
- loudly calling the other person a coward while quietly dialing 911
But I digress, once again. The A's start a brief two-game series tonight against the Indians, sending Danny Haren to the mound. Haren's starts are especially significant right now, as he probably represents the A's best "innings eater" in the current rotation. Not to be out-flown, the Indians counter with a pitcher also certified by the Audubon Society, Paul Byrd. Byrd is 0-4, with 6.29 ERA against the A's in his career.
The starting lineups:
Sizemore
Michaels
Peralta
Hafner
Blake
Broussard
Belliard
Boone
Shoppach
Kotsay
Swisher
Chavez
Thomas
Crosby
Johnson
Kielty
Kendall
Ellis
