Fist Pumps, Chest Bumps, and ESPN
Am I the only one who finds it funny that ESPN and their clone-minded brethren in the mainstream media have decided to make Joba Chamberlain the poster boy of celebrations, as if no other pitcher has done the same - or worse - for years?
I just read a ridicylous front page story all about it, and how it's "ruining the game."
Nevermind that for years now, Francisco Rodriguez has done the cha-cha after a strikeout.
Nevermind that Jonathan Papelbon drops invisible turds on the mound on a regular basis.
Nevermind that Jose Valverde yells at invisible unicorns after each out.
Nevermind that Manny Ramirez stands like the Statue of Liberty watching meaningless homer after meaningless homer go over the wall (don't worry, ESPN is there to reminid you it's just him being him).
Nevermind that Derek Jeter's fist pump after throwing out a baserunner has been shown over and over in commercials and restrospectives and that he's not only called the classiest player since Joe DiMaggio, but scientists have re-animated the corpse of Marilyn Monroe just so he could fuck her zombie and pass the torch.
Nevermind that Sammy Sosa's homerun routine was so practiced and repeated that every video game used it for his avatar.
Nevermind that Pedro Martinez fist pumped all the time after ending an inning.
No, this is now an issue because it's Joba, and he's a Yankee. Yankees aren't supposed to be having fun.
So the media goes looking for quotes from guys who played in a totally different era, like Goose Gossage:
"He's a great kid, but no one is passing the torch today. Nobody talks to them. When I broke into the big leagues, I didn't say two words all year... I'm trying to think of what would've happened if I did what Joba did, especially if I was a rookie," he told The Record. "The veterans would've sat me down so fast, it would've never happened a second time. Truthfully, there would've never been a first time."
Goose, man, I love you to death, but this isn't 1972 anymore. When you started, there was no DH, few foreign players, the Vietnam draft was in effect, the Texas Rangers were in their first season, Willie Mays was still playing centerfield, and the all-time homerun leader was still Babe Ruth.
Times have changed. The sports has changed. People have changed. Do we really want to see rookies like Joba afraid to "say two words all year" anymore?
Let it be said that I am not a fan of celebrations in most instances, except in cases of a game-winning or game tying hit in the 9th inning, or something similar. However, giving a fist pump isn't showing up the opposition. If Joba starts pointing at batters and telling them to go back to the bench after a K (like media darling Dennis Eckersley did repeatedly during his career), well then that's a different story.
I'm not defending the celebrations, I'm simply saying that there have been plenty of targets to go after for years now, and the media have largely ignored them. The article I liked doesn't even mention Rodriguez, whose over-the-top celebrations made a mockery of the 2002 playoffs. Nope: rally monkeys. Grit. Hustle. Ecksteinitude. Small ball. Scioscianess. That's what we were fed.
The difference now is there's a Yankee that can be targeted, and the boys at the big network from New England aren't going to let that opportunity pass them by.Labels: espn, fist pumps, goose gossage, joba chamberlain, mediots, references to george romero films
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 3:42 PM
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Yanks, Red Sox Old Timers to Play in Scranton
The Scranton Times announced in their paper on Sunday a "Legends Game" between former Yankees and Red Sox. The game is to be played on Saturday, August 16 at 1:30 PM EST at PNC Field, the home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.
Appearing for the Yankees will be Goose Gossage, Bucky Dent, Graig Nettles and Mickey Rivers, and the Red Sox will have Jim Rice, Mike Torrez, Fred Lynn and Luis Tiant, with more to be announced as the date approaches.
The contest is set to be a 9 vs. 9 game (no DH for these guys). Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 24 at 10:00 AM.
That night the SWB Yankees play down the road at Lehigh Valley.
No emotion or fist pumping is expected.Labels: bucky dent, goose gossage, graig nettles, mickey rivers, old timers, redsox, scranton
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 6:22 PM
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Thursday, January 10, 2008 |
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Tuesday, January 08, 2008 |
It's Goose's Time
At least it should be. Thankfully, (hopefully) we'll be talking about the Hall of Fame inductees for a few days instead of just steroidsHGHsteroidsPEDs constantly.
Gossage is the most deserving candidate, and it's a shame it's taken this long for voters to realize that "closers" have changed and evolved over the years. You can't compare Gossage to Hoffman or Rivera - they'd never pitch three or four innings for a save. It's long past due for Goose to get his reward, especially since Sutter made it two years ago.
The other names I'd check on my hypothetical ballot?
Raines
Blyleven
McGwire
No to Dawson, Rice, Morris, John. They just aren't Hall-worthy. Lee Smith I'm a bit torn on, and I'd like to see him get some votes next year. I've addressed Mattingly before and while I didn't think he'd played long enough to be in the Hall, voters inducted Puckett on the first ballot, and if a guy is good enough to make it on the first ballot and has nearly identical yet inferior stats to another guy... well, he should probably make it too, don't you think?
Yes I know McGwire most likely used drugs, but it seems it was so rampant back then, how can you choose to just punish one player? I thought perhaps the first year exclusion was enough. The guy was the premeire homerun hitter of his day and finished with nearly 600. You can't keep him out forever.
That people keep comparing Raines to Henderson is ridiculous, but not as much as people believing Vince Coleman was better than him. Raines deserves a spot.
Rice seems to be getting support from Boston area sportswriters (Gammons) who are pressuring their peers to vote in his favor (Gammons). He doesn't deserve it... not even close.
I'd be surprised if Dave Concepcion gets in, but so many writers have falled for Joe Morgan's campaigning in their articles lately. Let me state this clearly - Concepcion had a few years as an average hitter and a full career as an awful one. Concepcion should have to buy a ticket if he ever wants to see the Hall of Fame.
My guess is it winds up with just Gossage, which is an affront to Blyleven, but we'll see. These inductions are voted on by sportswriters, and any regular reader of this blog knows how I feel about their kind.Labels: bert blyleven, goose gossage, hall of fame, mark mcgwire, tim raines
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 10:09 AM
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