This past weekend two boys were discovered safe and sound in a crummy little apartment complex about two miles from my home. They had both been kidnapped by a weirdo who is now being held in lieu of one million dollars. I am sure you've heard the story repeatedly even if you are not in the St. Louis area. But, consider yourself fortunate if you are not in St. Louis and haven't had to listen to the lame ass reportage from the local TV stations, radio stations and local daily paper. All of the media I have seen or heard, have at one point or another engaged in speculation, editorialising while allegedly "reporting" the facts, and more hyperbole than you can image.
Now the local TV stations "news" departments are promising live coverage of the arraignment of the alleged kidnapper. I can hardly wait. (That's sarcasm if you can't tell). It should be interesting to see how they fill the time because in Missouri cameras are not allowed in the courtroom. It should be quite a spectacle. But, if you have listened to or viewed any media in the past week in this town that's about all you have had; a spectacle of incompetents trying to cover this "breaking story". Help Me. Please!!!
January 17, 2007
January 09, 2007
Hypocrites
The Baseball Writers Association of America today voted Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The honors are well deserved for both men, who I was fortunate enough to see play in person during the height of their careers. I also saw Mark McGwire play in person. But, the BBWAA did not see fit to put McGwire into the Hall.
The BBWAA members make their living by writing about the stars of the game. In 1998 when McGwire broke Roger Maris' single season home run mark, they mobbed the guy wherever he went. Many say he revived the game after the strike of 1994 and his home run battle with Sammy Sosa for National League supremacy brought thousands of fans back to the game. These same writers praised McGwire for his brilliant athletic feats and monstrous home-runs. They devoted pages of ink to his accomplishments in 1998 and for several years after that. But today these asses turned their back on him. Only 25 percent of these same writers thought he deserved to be in the Hall. What two faced hypocrites!
The same man they praised nine years ago was rejected by this group today. Why you ask? Well it appears to me the bottom line is these arrogant asses decided Mark's homers were tainted by steroids. I agree that steroids are a detriment to the game, but the substance McGwire openly admitted to taking was legal. So what's the problem BBWAA? Their problem is they are now holding players to a higher standard of conduct and have in some cases ignored the player's achievements. In this case they have found McGwire guilty without a judge, trial or jury. I heard one of these "experts" interviewed this afternoon. He claimed that McGwire was only "one dimensional". What??? Tony Gwynn made his living by being a single and doubles hitter (and one of the best I have ever seen). Isn't that a bit one dimensional?
McGwire hit 587 home runs, which when he was retired, was in the top ten of all players to ever put on a major league uniform. That number in itself is good for admission. But, these losers in the BBWAA don't want him in their club. With only 25 percent of the members voting for him this year it is doubtful he will ever make the Hall of Fame. And that is a shame. But, what's worse is these members of the writers group have put themselves above the game. And that is a bigger shame.
The BBWAA members make their living by writing about the stars of the game. In 1998 when McGwire broke Roger Maris' single season home run mark, they mobbed the guy wherever he went. Many say he revived the game after the strike of 1994 and his home run battle with Sammy Sosa for National League supremacy brought thousands of fans back to the game. These same writers praised McGwire for his brilliant athletic feats and monstrous home-runs. They devoted pages of ink to his accomplishments in 1998 and for several years after that. But today these asses turned their back on him. Only 25 percent of these same writers thought he deserved to be in the Hall. What two faced hypocrites!
The same man they praised nine years ago was rejected by this group today. Why you ask? Well it appears to me the bottom line is these arrogant asses decided Mark's homers were tainted by steroids. I agree that steroids are a detriment to the game, but the substance McGwire openly admitted to taking was legal. So what's the problem BBWAA? Their problem is they are now holding players to a higher standard of conduct and have in some cases ignored the player's achievements. In this case they have found McGwire guilty without a judge, trial or jury. I heard one of these "experts" interviewed this afternoon. He claimed that McGwire was only "one dimensional". What??? Tony Gwynn made his living by being a single and doubles hitter (and one of the best I have ever seen). Isn't that a bit one dimensional?
McGwire hit 587 home runs, which when he was retired, was in the top ten of all players to ever put on a major league uniform. That number in itself is good for admission. But, these losers in the BBWAA don't want him in their club. With only 25 percent of the members voting for him this year it is doubtful he will ever make the Hall of Fame. And that is a shame. But, what's worse is these members of the writers group have put themselves above the game. And that is a bigger shame.
January 04, 2007
Big Oil and Gasoline Prices
I'm not much for conspiracy theories but I heard this commentary on the way home from work the other night. The author is consumer advocate Jamie Court who is a contributor to the "Marketplace" program on American Public Media. Take a listen here and see what you think.
The Post-Dispatch Does It Again
Apparently the genius sports editors at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch have lost what little brain power they may have had at one time. I am speaking of a decision by the paper's sports editor to put the Missouri Tiger basketball game story on page five of the sports section yesterday morning. The Tigers are now eleven and two and beat a better than average Mississippi State team that was in the Final Four just a few years ago.
Instead, the paper put a story about Wake Forest and Louisville football on the front page and another story about the St. Louis Blues there too. Just for the record and in case a Post manager reads this, there are more alumni of the University of Missouri - Columbia in Saint Louis than all other schools combined. They just don't get it. But, then many of them are carpet baggers who weren't good enough to make it when they all worked together at the Baltimore Sun.
And finally to top it off, Missouri winning at home against Mississippi State and being banned to page five is bad enough. But, this morning the paper's brilliant staff did put the University of Illinois game story on page one of the sports section, even though the readership is small in Illinois compared to the number of readers in Missouri. And Illinois lost to a mediocre Michigan team. It's enough to make you wonder what they do at that paper all evening.
Instead, the paper put a story about Wake Forest and Louisville football on the front page and another story about the St. Louis Blues there too. Just for the record and in case a Post manager reads this, there are more alumni of the University of Missouri - Columbia in Saint Louis than all other schools combined. They just don't get it. But, then many of them are carpet baggers who weren't good enough to make it when they all worked together at the Baltimore Sun.
And finally to top it off, Missouri winning at home against Mississippi State and being banned to page five is bad enough. But, this morning the paper's brilliant staff did put the University of Illinois game story on page one of the sports section, even though the readership is small in Illinois compared to the number of readers in Missouri. And Illinois lost to a mediocre Michigan team. It's enough to make you wonder what they do at that paper all evening.
January 02, 2007
Happy New Year
I hope you had a good and safe New Years Eve and Day. Mine was on the quiet side. In fact the highlight of the evening was watching the Packers and Bret Favre beat up on the Chicago Bears. Then watching Nevada nearly pull off the upset against the Miami Felons, er, Hurricanes. I was in bed by ten after midnight.
One of the highlights of New Year's Day was watching that Fiesta Bowl game. Wow!! It has to be one of the greatest football games, college or pro, I have ever seen. You have to hand it to the Boise State coaching staff; they have some balls. A couple of trick plays and a "Statue of Liberty" to win the game on a two point conversion. It was for lack of a better word..."awesome". And that's not to take anything away from Oklahoma which rallied back to take a lead with very little time left. As the old cliche goes..."It's too bad one of the teams had to lose because they both deserved to win". I think it will go down as one of the greatest ever played.
And then today it was back to work. It wasn't too bad, but I was thinking it's only 349 days until my next Christmas vacation. Let's see how tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that go, and well you get the idea.
Anyway, Happy New Year to you and yours and I hope it's your best ever and brings you happiness, health and wealth!
One of the highlights of New Year's Day was watching that Fiesta Bowl game. Wow!! It has to be one of the greatest football games, college or pro, I have ever seen. You have to hand it to the Boise State coaching staff; they have some balls. A couple of trick plays and a "Statue of Liberty" to win the game on a two point conversion. It was for lack of a better word..."awesome". And that's not to take anything away from Oklahoma which rallied back to take a lead with very little time left. As the old cliche goes..."It's too bad one of the teams had to lose because they both deserved to win". I think it will go down as one of the greatest ever played.
And then today it was back to work. It wasn't too bad, but I was thinking it's only 349 days until my next Christmas vacation. Let's see how tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that go, and well you get the idea.
Anyway, Happy New Year to you and yours and I hope it's your best ever and brings you happiness, health and wealth!
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