Therein lies the problem with sports reporting today. When the sports world is so full of so little then sports reporters (HA!, HA!) have to step out and make something up that will get the masses squawking. So, in their ability to "improvise" are they masters, or, are they cons? Cons I would say. Right after I say, "Are you freakin' kidding me?"
Curt Schilling wasn't bleeding through his sock a few years ago when the Red Sox beat the Yankees and eventually broke the curse.
He drew on his sock with a red marker, or so a reporter would like us to believe. Are youfreakin' kidding me! Why is this even news worthy? It isn't but this guy knew that the fuel that would be added to the Red Sox - Yankees rivalry/ debate would be intense so he dropped it out there. Hey, he was right. I was almost embarrassed when I went on blogjam's site and saw 148 comments about this. Most of them were from Red Sox and Yankees fans. Sorry Boston and New York but this hardly comes in as pressing news. It was an interesting spin a few years ago while the drama was being played out but it is terrible fodder for fill now. Let me see, Schilling was lying and he wasn't really hurt but did it to motivate his team. Or, he was hurt and he should be rewarded with hero status for playing baseball (which we assume he loves aside from making a living at it) and being successful at it. Take your pick. What side of the argument do you want to be on? Frankly, I couldn't care less. However, if he was lying then he has no doubt ruined the integrity of the game (like it takes much for people to start shouting that these days). And if he ruined the integrity of the game then we shouldn't even consider him for the HOF when he is done playing (Or that). If he isn't lying then #### a statue to him and put it up there with any historic monument you want in Boston.
Next MLB "improvisation" concerns Tori Hunter and the Kansas City Royals.
Last year when the Twins were fighting for the playoffs they got help from the Royals that helped them win the division. Hunter commented that he should buy the Royals a case of champagne for the help. Apparently he did and now there is the swirling rumor that MLB is investigating the situation and Hunter because it falls under the "betting on baseball" mentality. Rumor has it that Hunter could be suspended for three years because of this. Are you freakin' kidding me! Now we should believe that MLB has the ability to control after the fact actions by its players for something this innocent. Like MLB doesn't have enough #### to worry about. Barry Bonds will break Hank Aaron's HR record this year and that just irks the #### out of MLB and Bud Selig. Bud is going to help improve the image he already has by not being in attendance when Bonds does it (I heard he is softening up on that a bit). Aaron says he will not watch. Steroid investigation is going nowhere but wasting time and money for a situation MLB knew about. And Schilling may or may not have lied about the ouch on his ankle a few years ago! But Tori Hunter moves to the front of the group because he bought a case of champagne for another team that beat the Detroit Tigers down the stretch and allowed the Twins to sneak into a division championship. O.K., it's a rumor but even at that why is this getting attention? To me it is a non-issue that should be done and over with. If anyone should have issues with Hunter maybe it should be the Tigers. Did he or didn't he? Are you freakin' kidding me? Who cares, lets move on.
Following the "champagne controversy" Hunter got hit in the mouth on an inside pitch yesterday against the Royals.
The news services reported it as a major injury, then took it down to "Hunter's status is day-to-day." He is so hurt that he wrapped his head in an ace bandage yesterday and mugged for the cameras. He got 3 stitches in his lip and he and the pitcher talked after the game and all is right in their worlds. Hunter gave the best quote to all of this ####. "It was a tough week for me. I've been in the champagne scandal, the Jackie Robinson comments. And I thought about it and said Man, I can't give nobody else something to talk about. So I just shut it down." Are you freakin' kidding me? By the way. He expects to play today against the Tigers without any added protection.
Sadly Tori, while you have decided to "shut it down" and not give people things to talk about you will never be exempt from people making mountains out of molehills.
And you have to be real careful because if you stay quiet too long people (sports reporters) will make you out to be someone who is crass and disgusting and rude and they will call you Barry Bonds and stuff like that. You can't win. So join me and throw your hands in the air when you hear or read such mundane and un-important ramblings and just say, "Are youfreakin' kidding me?"
And that's the bottom line...
***Hunter's quote is out of the Mpls Star Tribune today, April 27, 2007***
Excellent arguments, gcoach. All media is out of hand these days, and sports reporting is no different. No integrity...manipulation...it's chaos.
There is good stuff out there, it's just hidden. The best thing we can do is try to ignore it, which is next to impossible. How do you ignore something that is in your face everyday?
Unfortunately, it means that we have to be skeptical about everything...which sucks. I could care less about the Curt Schilling bloody sock, and reading or arguing about it is a waste of time. I choose to just make fun of it, and move on (like pretty much everything else, too).
I feel the same way a lot of the time...and just want to scream:
Sadly, now that you've mentioned the sock there's no way this doesn't become a Red Sox - Yankees blog. My opinion: it was blood, but this doesn't make him a hero. There, I split the middle.
I would guess that Hunter had no idea that the champagne was even against the rules. A slap on the wrist fine might be warranted, but that's all.
I hear you on the whole Curt Schilling, bloody sock business. I thought it was overplayed at the time it happened, but for everyone to be talking about it as a source of controversy THREE YEARS later definately led me to ask, "Are you freaking kidding me?"
Agreed also that the extremes that people take when it comes to this stuff is amazing, they either want to throw him out of the game or build a statue for him. Isn't there anything in between?
Regarding Torii Hunter, I also thought the whole champagne business was ridiculous. It was an innocent gesture that got misinterpreted. At best, I guess this sort of thing needs to be watched so that it doesn't look like anyone is getting paid off. However, reporters jumped the gun again leading with the "possibility" that Hunter might be suspended and that it "might" be for as long as three years. Of course, if that actually happened it would be crazy. However, it hasn't nor do I think it ever will, so reporters should be content to wait until something does actually happen before leading with type of stuff on TV or in the paper.
ShooterB - it all makes me want to turn off the regular television, put the paper in recycling and put in a couple of movies, like Bull Durham or Major League. That way when I say "are you freakin' kidding me" it's because of some hilarious comment made in a movie and not some insane rambling by a, excuse the term, sports reporter. Thanks for reading. I always appreciate your visits and comments.
Manrub - to be honest with you I'm a bit surprised it hasn't already. Maybe the foxjam blog has been sufficient in terms of Red Sox-Yankees comments. Thanks for stopping in.
Verbal - I agree but then I'd get confused when I tried to read through all of the BLEEPS that would pop up in my post. Tryin' to get the point across and keep it printable and readable as well. Thanks for the verbal response in written form.
Nooch - Thanks for the kind comments. Glad to have you drop in and read. Unfortunately the "sports reporters" and the college football "experts" have the upper hand. I say this because so many people feed the hysteria and can't seem to let the trivial #### go the way of the circular file. Until there is some kind of level headed thinking then they will always have the edge. Spin Doctoring 101. When the guy said what he said about Schilling the response should have been something like, "Really. Hmph! So, hey, let's go for a burger and a beer and talk about something that matters. Like something in the way of CURRENT EVENTS." Ahh, who am I? Just some level headed schmuck who senses the futility of what some deem to be important news. Oh, well. Thanks again!
It's one thing to say it, but Hunter had to have known what was going to happen if he did by KC some bubbly.
And it's no fun getting hit in the head with a pitch. I got hit in the jaw once, it didn't require stitches but the laces of the ball left a bloody impression on my face that made it look like I had stitches.
I got hit square in the face with a softball before and you know what? They're not really that soft. I know that sock wasn't washed so let's have at it and get the controversly over with. Otherwise we'll have a Congessional Hearing over it and someone will point their finger and claim innocense...ha ha. Great stuff.
Miracle - thanks for reading and commenting. It is really sad that something as harmless as what Hunter did is so easily misconstrued and punishable. It was a comment after the fact, an action way after the fact, and nobody on the planet expected the Royals to sweep the Tigers. And I agree with you about getting hit in the head by a pitch. It wasn't much fun when I got hit in the #### with a pitch either. Thanks again for the visit.
Steelerfan - I know all about the softball not being so soft. After hockey and school I played competitive softball (quit laughing) and continued my carer at third base. I used to play it even with the bag. Then players started becoming chisled and 245 pound behemoths with double thin walled bats and .50 core balls. It was like having someone shoot a BB gun at you. And the wicked hops, MAYDAY! When I decided to call it quits was when I had to play 3rd base from shallow left field. I took so many bad hops and ended up with Rawlings or Steele or Mizuno printed on different parts of my body all the time. Kind of took the fun out of it.
Lets do whatever it takes to move beyond the bloody sock drama the least expensive and time consuming way possible. Like yawn and pretend it never happened. Thanks for commenting.
By the way, have a great time this weekend with the girls. You all are awesome.
gcoach.......... And we wonder why the coaches and players get mad at these ####s when they ask questions. It's as if they don't think at all. The idiots out there that are purported to be sports journalists have little to offer most of the time. And when they do , they decidedly want to be part of the story rather than to be the one reporting the story. Check out my post on the '68 Olymmpics under the tophatal guise titled Infamy Comes In Many Forms Some Good Some Bad. I think you'll enjoy the subject matter as it deals with the protests by athletes Tommy Smith and John Carlos as the Vietnam War and civil right's movement was unfolding.
I am an educator and a coach. I was a goaltender in hockey until my playing days finished but now coach hockey and soccer. Once a goaltender always a goaltender. I am an Oklahoma Sooners fan, hold most professional athletes in low regard and have no time for prima donna athletes who think they are better than others who were not fortunate enough to get where these guys, or girls, are. I don't think celebrity puts anyone higher than anyone else in any capacity which, I think, is contrary to our society perception.
