January 2009
Why Athletes Are More Right than Left
I have my own opinion as to why but I don’t want to anger to many people. I think for the most part it has to do with who feels ok with a few handouts and who feels hard work gets you where you want to be. More than Republican or Democrat it’s Liberal and Conservative.
History is what tells all in the end. And whithout going to deap into my other interest, Politics, this is a baseball blog and it will stay just that. But I am grateful for George W. Bush, keeping our country safe so we can still enjoy what we always have. Every American whether they believe he was a good President or not should give him that much and as President that is his number one obligation. And he succeeded!
Republicans
Jim Bunning (baseball)
Jack Kemp (football)
Steve Largent (football)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Nascar)
Jim Kelly (football)
Greg Norman (golf)
Arnold Palmer (golf)
Joe Paterno (football)
Mike Ditka (football) – legend – GO BEARS!
John Elway (football)
Frank Gifford (football)
Lou Holtz (football)
Tom Landry (football)
Karl Malone (basketball)
Dan Marino (football)
Troy Aikman (football)
Bill Belichick (football)
Jerome Bettis (football)
Bobby Bowden (football)
Al Michaels (sportscaster)
Phil Mickelson (golf)
Jim Nantz (sportscaster)
Nolan Ryan (baseball)
Don Shula (football)
Roger Staubach (football)
Pat Summerall (sportscaster)
Roger Clemens (baseball)
Craig Biggio (baseball)
Jeff Kent (baseball)
Charles Barkley (basketball)
Reggie White (football)
Jason Sehorn (football)
Curt Schilling (baseball)
Lynn Swann (football)
J.C. Watts (football)
Tom Osbourne (football)
George Allen (football)
Jim Ryun (runner)
Ben Nighthorse Campbell (judo)
Bob Ehrlich (football)
Don Carlieri (football)
Rick Perry (cheerleader)
Dwight Eisenhower (football – West Point)
Ronald Reagan (baseball announcer)
Richard Nixon (football)
Jack Nicklaus (golf)
Ernie Banks (baseball)
Carlos Beltran (baseball – supported Bush)
Democrats
Bill Bradley (basketball)
Grant Hill (basketball)
Bill Walton (basketball)
Andre Agassi (tennis)
John McEnroe (tennis)
Franco Harris (football – possible republican but supported Kerry)
Alex Karras (football)
Jesse Ventura (wrestling – supported Kerry)
Lamon Brewster (boxing)
Julie Foudy (soccer)
Abby Wambach (soccer)
Emmit Smith (football)
Pettis Norman (football)
Calvin Hill (football)
Chris Zorich (football)
Hank Aaron (baseball)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (basketball)
Julius Erving (basketball)
Billie Jean King (tennis)
Lance Armstrong (cycling)
Now of course like most people these athletes aren’t confined to these two parties however voting records, there own words, and where their money has gone dictates where they stand on most issues. But I am a proud CONSERVATIVE who swings a little libertarian and swings back to Republican. But may a baseball strike me in the head if I ever claim to be a liberal.
ESPN: East Coast Bias? DUHHHHHH!
First of all I need to thank my new East Coast friend George for giving me the idea for this blog. I had expressed my opinion on the issue and he later mentioned this topic to me for a blog. I was having a little dry spell, maybe I shouldn’t write more than one blog in a day but now that it’s been a few days I am back in the swing of things. Not to mention a slight depression now that Obama is our President but that’s beside the point. Time will tell on that one but one thing I know for certain is that ESPN has an annoyingly obvious East Coast bias.
I can’t even say ESPN without wanting to scream! For one, that station has produced wackadoodles like this:
If anyone actually believes there is no East Coast bias you are either a Yankee Fan, a Boston Red Sox fan, or deaf. If you aren’t one of those three things then you are probably just stupid. I don’t mean to offend any of you but hey I just call em’ like I see em’.
I can’t count how many times the A’s have completely killed the Yankees or the Red Sox and I stay up to see what they have to say about the A’s. All they usually say is A’s won, then they go into a long story about how the Yankees were having an off day or Jeter had a hang nail or something so that was probably why he couldn’t hit or something ridiculous like that. All we hear is Yankees this and Red Sox that. It’s getting really old. But it doesn’t get any better for the A’s in California. A’s could have won 20-2 and then the Giants could have lost and the entire front page of any paper is all about the Giants and one little corner dedicated to the A’s. No matter how good another team does if they were against the Yankees or Red Sox they are completely ignored.
Now if the Yankees or Boston actually win then it’s an entire segment on those two teams. There are more baseball players than Derek Jeter, A-Rod, and Big Papi. I get it you’re in Connecticut but do you even know what you are talking about? I am sure living in Connecticut you are engulfed with Boston and New York, if you knew what you were talking about maybe you could branch out and discuss other teams. Even the Angels don’t even get talked about and they were pretty awesome last season.
Really, I guess I should say it’s a Boston Red Sox and New York Yankee bias because I don’t recall them talking much about the World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies or the Tampa Bay Rays. But what do I care? I don’t watch ESPN anymore anyway. Thankfully we have the MLB network and when Ricky Henderson was named into the Hall of Fame I got to see the 1989 post season all over again. It was just as sweet now as it was then when I was 8 years old.
But if I have to say something nice about ESPN I do ‘kinda’ get a kick out of Mike and Mike in the Morning. But if that’s the best ESPN can come up with it’s not saying much. So unless you like 24 hour Yankees and Red Sox turn the channel, Fox Sports isn’t half bad at least they don’t appear to have their lips permanently attached to any one teams @$$.
GO A’S!!!!
Also, go ahead and google ESPN east coast bias and see what comes up, even ESPN admits to their bias.
So there it is we all know it, they know it, I guess we just have to live with it.
Red Sox…Love Them or Love Them Not
Now I know I have been somewhat put through the baseball ringer over my Real Women Don’t Wear Pink blog. I still believe the pink and baby blue caps make absolutely no sense, I know why they are sold I am a marketer (as I said before I have the degree and everything.) But it has been evident that it has been most often one fan that always seems to have something to say…the Red Sox Fan. Now I know the ones I have come across on here have given me some hope for the Red Sox fan, however let me tell you my experience with what I would call the California Red Sox fan.
The California Red Sox fan likes to reap the benefits of the perfect California weather the ability to go to a game reasonably cheap and the freedom of this great country to say how great Boston is (whether they have ever been there or not.)
Now I try to go to a good twenty to thirty games per season, I tend to go most Saturday and Sundays when possible. So I do go to my fair share of games and I have been too many Boston and Oakland games, regular and post season and there is a common theme I would have to say at each and every game, win or lose for either side. California Boston Red Sox fans cause nothing but trouble.
I am talking about this from a California stand point. Boston Red Sox fans born and raised in Massachusetts that truly bleed the Boston colors might be amazing, but if that is the case you need to whip these California people into shape because they are giving your team and fans a bad name. It would be great to go to one Boston v. Oakland game and not hear and see Red Sox fans causing trouble.
One of the worst times I had was at the 2003 ALDS game 5 Boston v. Oakland. It’s a great day, Zito is pitching! I’m with my boyfriend at the time so the day is going well. And really the entire day was great because I was at a baseball game but when I say ‘one of the worst times I had’ I mean one of the worst times I had involving the California Red Sox fan. As we all know there are those of us who just enjoy the game and want to be sober to enjoy the day and there are those of us who are willing to spend money on tickets and three times as much on beer. So there are these two guys behind me decked out in their Boston hats and jerseys’, (but I must give them credit, they weren’t pink), drinking beer like there was no end. It is the 6th inning; I already had in the back of my mind if Zito can get past this inning we got this! And as we all know Baseball superstitions are the worst in sports and you might think something but you never say it then here comes my boyfriend (now my ex), ”IT’S THE 6TH INNING, ZITO S***S IN THE 6TH!” I precede to smack him on the shoulder as any good girlfriend in her right mind would do and then one run scores, two runs score, three runs score, Damon gets knocked silly, ambulance comes, four runs score. Now, I am just a chick at a big game wanting to enjoy it and the guys behind me (the Boston Fans) are going crazy, cussing getting in my face as well as other hardcore A’s fans then they lean in and both guys with beer in hand fall on me and people are trying to pick them up but they are making it very difficult. All they say is “damn, we’re drunk! hehehe” (in that Beevis sort of way). And that I can get past, whatever, drunk guys ok no biggy. Then after the Red Sox win and we are bummed but me being the person I am think ok next season. But then we hear all this commotion and see Red Sox fans (this was known because they were wearing Red Sox gear), were bashing in car windows of people that had A’s stuff on their car. We had to wait around for over an hour, people were standing around in shock because this was going on (in the main parking lot.) It actually got to a point where it was a little scary and I was hoping my car was not involved in this massacre. It wasn’t, and all was good except for the impression I was left with for the (California) Boston Fan.
[One of the most honorable men to ever put on a baseball uniform, and one of if not my favorite ballplayer in the history of the game.]
Now on a much happier note, while at a Yankee v. A’s game there were a group of Yankee fans that came in to town (from New York) and they were the absolute nicest people and exchanged their numbers and emails with other A’s fans. And each side expressed how much respect they have for each other’s organization.
Some may say I am trying to beat around the bush not to get Boston fans to mad because I am saying California Boston fan, but I say it for a reason. California Yankee fans are no better
So maybe if any of you true Boston fans (Julia or Bob for instance) want to come enjoy the beautiful state of California and catch a game to prove once and for all that Boston fans are not only loyal but good people I will be more than happy to buy the tickets! Then write a blog about the Greatness that is the Boston Red Sox fan!
Side Note: I don’t come here to stir things up just to express my opinions and what I see at a baseball game. Trust me, I have enough to say about an Oakland A’s fan or so called fan. I love the game of baseball, I respect the fans and all of the organizations (for the most part), but what fun would it be if we all got along all of the time.
Even the Cat Loves the A’s!
I just had to share pictures of the most adorable cat ever. By the way his name is Franky Thomas (Insert my Last Name) after one of my favorite ball players ever Frank Thomas!
GO A’S
Real Women Don’t Wear Pink!
Ok, this is a gripe I have had for a long, long, long time! I like pink just as much as any girl, I wear pink eyeshadow, pink lipstick, I have pink kitchen appliances, I love pink! But where in Baseball does any team wear pink? When I buy an A’s cap or shirt it is going to be either Green, Yellow, Black, White or Grey w/ Green and Yellow somewhere! But nowhere will there ever be pink or baby blue!
I understand buying pink or blue for babies because sometimes you just don’t know what it is (even then it’s a little iffy). But look at me from the front, from the back from the side, I am a a girl there is no mistaking that. But I don’t wear pink A’s apparel to the ball park! (Thank you Alyssa Milano for coming out with real womens clothing for the real woman sports fan! )
Pink? Baby blue? Come on keep that outta the ballpark because real Women Don’t Wear Pink!
It’s just an opinion but what part of this looks cute?
Side Note: Not to offend anyone because I absolutely love the Breast Cancer Awareness day the A’s put on and they do have special hats for that. That is not what I am talking about. Those hats are absolutely amazing and everyone should get one to support the cause. However, on a non Breast Cancer Awareness day sport your black A’s hat with a pink ribbon pin it stands out more! 
) Everyone should support the Boobies!
Rickey Being Rickey, Just what the GM Ordered
As we all know Rickey Henderson has just been elected into the Hall of Fame! And I practically want to cry because the A’s have hired him in a “goodwill capacity,” for 2009. If there is anyone that can bring fans to Oakland and excite the people it’s Rickey. People may have differing views on the type of player Rickey Henderson was and what kind of person he is. We all know he was a great ball player but people wrongly view his character in my opinion. He is a good guy. He might have a little cocky swagger, you may get tired of him speaking about himself in 3rd person and a lot of what people have heard about him we now find out were complete untruths. As an Oakland Fan literally since birth I had the pleasure (though at a very young age) to experience Rickey being Rickey. And I’m sorry to all the naysayers those were great times!
Rickey truly loves the game of Baseball! He didn’t make a fool of himself when he just couldn’t give it up it just made us realize how important the game of baseball is to him. And good for the A’s to want to keep him involved in the game that is so much a part of his life. His love for the game is pretty impressive being that he was such a big football fan and really wanted to play professional football until his momma told him he’s gonna play baseball. We all thank you Momma Henderson!!!!
I hope we get to see a lot more of Rickey here in the Bay Area. Hopefully his presence can add some fuel to the butts of the fans and get them to the games. I know we live in California where the weather is perfect and anywhere you go there is something to do, but we can fill Oakland Coliseum and not just with Boston or Yankee fans.
I have a really good vibe for 2009!
Most Important Blog Ever Posted
I am so happy I started this blog it’s only been a week or so since I started and there are some really great people out there in Baseball Land. So, as a marketer (I have the degree and everything) I am also about promoting not only myself but also other great people. So I thought I would post blogs every so often with a list of blogs I think are worth checking out or are just done by really awesome people and I want to show them support.
No matter what team we prefer to blog about we all have a common interest and that interest is worth supporting. I also figure a lot of people aren’t going to bother with the links on the side bar so this is for those that just read the blogs and don’t check out other things on the site.
Here are some bloggers YOU need to check out.
And don’t forget to check out The Yankee Whisperer’s talk show a ”Show Of Their Own” @ http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ashowoftheirown which airs every Sunday night (previously Monday night) at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST.
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werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
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whereplayersbecomelegends.mlblogs.com/
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rsbleacherblog.mlblogs.com/
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baseballtheyankeesandlife.mlblogs.com/
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bostonsports.mlblogs.com/
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janeheller.mlblogs.com/
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mlblogs.mlblogs.com/
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onedayatwrigleyac000000.mlblogs.com/
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tybw.mlblogs.com/
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kaybee.mlblogs.com/
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asthruz.mlblogs.com/
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homerfoodandhistory.mlblogs.com/
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rockymountainway.mlblogs.com/
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ladyyankee.mlblogs.com/
Have Fun!
I Didn’t Know Being a Homer Was a Bad Thing!
This blog stuff is Great! Things that have been on my mind for a long time I can finally just tell all of you, and you actually might care.
So Homers…are they bad? People call fans homers as though it’s something they should be ashamed of. This blog basically is a reaction to what people say all the time about A’s announcer and former catcher Ray Fosse. On the A’s message boards they even talk about how much of a Homer he is. He played for the team, he has been an announcer for 20 years or more what do you expect?
I’m a Homer! I love my team, I am realistic I do know when they didn’t do their best or when a player obviously didn’t put in 100% but I have to put a positive spin on it.
One game that stands out when people expressed their disgust with the Homer-ness of Fosse was when Jason Kendall finally hit a homerun. So here’s the scenario, Kendall, great hardcore catcher gives 100% every day and knows the game just about as good as anyone (as most catchers seem to do) hadn’t had a homerun in I don’t know how many 100′s of games so we were all just anticipating that moment. Kendall hits the ball it’s going, it’s going and Fosse like any good fan does has his fists clenched and says come on, come on, get out, get out YAHHHHHHHHH!!!! And then what happens, you may want to know…he has to apologize because he is supposed to be unbiased. Well dangit! I thought it was great when he was cheering and excited for a fellow catcher and a fellow Oakland A! Be biased, love your team, and go crazy! Bay Area fans don’t show their support as much as they should so might as well have the announcers make up for it.
[A "fan" Quote from SF Gate: "Fosse's a homer that much is for sure."]
What was he supposed to do sit back and give a golf clap like the Giants fans? (read a book, talk on his cell phone…Giants fans they really kill me)
I don’t think so!
If you are a fan of your team be a Homer! Let everyone know your team can do no wrong, they are the best you know it, everyone knows it. To me a Homer is just a hardcore, true blue, and in my case green and yellow bleeding fan!
I love the A’s broadcasters, they are exciting, fun and they know the game. Unlike those such as Joe Morgan the A’s announcers actually allow you to watch what is going on when a game is televised rather than having to try to block out his ramblings or just put the TV. on mute! And if they get a little excited and can’t hold it in, don’t fault them for that, my reaction is always, “Man that’s awesome, I love Fosse!”
Is Fosse a Homer? I sure hope so! Am I a Homer? I’m the first one to admit it!
All Homers Unite!
The Yankees Are At It Again…
The Yankees buying another Championship! What a disgrace to the game of baseball. (<— according to the comments I am getting for that statement I need to add this… that is a joke! … Not only am I a girly baseball chick I’m also hillarious!)
Hardy Har Har!
I am so tired of people going on and on about the Yankees buying a team. Oh boo hoo! Every team goes out and buys a team they hope can win or at least lead to future Championships. The Yankees, while they are by far not my favorite team (I’m quite neutral, can’t get myself to like them but I can’t quite hate them either), they do manage to put good teams together. I understand they have more money than a lot of teams, but having a lot of money doesn’t mean you make the best decisions, it doesn’t mean everyone will stay healthy, it doesn’t mean you will win. I’m an A’s fan, one of the lowest payrolls in Major League Baseball and you don’t hear me cryin’. If anything I think the A’s show you that you can get far with a small payroll. Sure we may not have won a Championship in this era of Beane BUT am I wrong or has it been several years (when the Yanks obtained Giambi) since the Yankees won a world series?
Also there hasn’t been much available, there haven’t been any players I’ve really been excited about. Well, except for when the A’s got Frank Thomas. I know he’s old and I know he has issues with his legs, and I know he can’t run, but it was FRANK THOMAS!!!! Rickey Henderson is one of my favorite ball players but so is Frank Thomas, now if the A’s could get Griffey Jr., I think I would be in heaven. Even if we get these guys towards the end of their career I just like knowing that my favorite players were once on my favorite team. Is that the girly emotional side of me? Who knows, and who cares!
Have I expressed yet how much I love this game? Just wondering!
So yah the Yankees! Man it’s hard to keep on tract when I start thinking about the A’s. Oh and do they or do they not have the best dang commercials. If you haven’t seen them seriously the A’s have the best ads.
There I go again! Ramble Ramble!
Ok so yah the Yankees. They aren’t buying a team anymore than any other team buys their team. The organization is simply doing their job. They do have a legacy to uphold. I do have issues with them though we have had our own experience with them in the playoffs when the A’s should have WON!!!! How do you come down to one game to win then lose 3 straight!!! OH YAH!!! I remember…JEREMY GIAMBI!!!! and I love Miggy but dangit! and JETER STAY ON YOUR SIDE OF THE DIAMOND. Hmmm…now that I think about it maybe I should hate the Yankees! I kid, I kid.
Now can the A’s just get some pitching!?!?!? Love ya Duke but you can’t do it on your own!
Should Steroids Keep Big Mac Out of the Hall of Fame?
I am beyond thrilled to see that Rickey Henderson is going in the Hall of Fame. Not like I didn’t think it would happen but when it does happen it feels so darn good! He is one of those guys that everyone knows how great he was no matter if you liked the Oakland A’s or not. He also has the numbers to show for it. I will say I did like what Jim Rice said about being there for the team and you can be all about yourself and go out there on the field and care more about your stats but you have to care about the team and in certain situations it’s best not to try to hit the long ball. He also discussed attitude towards the media, my personal opinion sports writers and media in general need to either grow a pair or at least get some thicker skin.
Now to the purpose of this blog(gette). In my other post regarding steroids I said it should be a wash for the older players assumed to have done steroids. I think my choice of words may not get my opinion across in the most accurate way. I think it should still be known that they may have done something that enhanced their abilities but of all the things I have read about steroids I don’t believe it can make a so-so player GREAT! In the end these guys hurt themselves. We fans might take it somewhat personally but are they hurting you? Some people talk about wasting money on going to the games or what the Bash Brothers did has lost it’s appeal because apparently both Canseco and McGwire were using steroids. But did we all enjoy going to those games? Didn’t we enjoy seeing Big Mac and Canseco hit the long ball? This is a game that I love and I love competition but in the end were we entertained? If you were I don’t see how any money or time was wasted. And we still don’t know exactly what McGwire did. Some reports say what he did was really minimal and he may just have had bad legal advise and others say it really doesn’t matter either way. I think it’s a shame that he literally seems to be in hiding after all of this. While I can’t blame Canseco for what he did it’s just a shame that some of these ball players are going through what they are and being ridiculed. For instance F.P. Santangelo was on the list of players that used steroids and he was on 1140 AM here in Sacramento and I loved listening to him but he has since been fired. The station apparently is claiming low ratings, but he was the best guy on the show! I remember when he admitted to what he did and callers were putting him throught he ringer. It was really sad. But look at that list how many of those guys were GREAT ball players? Not that many. How many of us have had to take some form of steroids when we have been injured? And how can we punish these guys for something that wasn’t illegal?
I’m not a numbers person but for those of you who would probably turn away and look it up yourselves here are McGwires career numbers. (Source:http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/ historical/player_locator_results.jsp)
Career Totals:
Hitting
G: 1874
AB: 6187
R: 1167
H: 1626
2B: 252
3B: 6
HR: 583
RBI: 1414
BB: 1317
OBP: .394
SLG: .588
AVG: .263
Fielding
FPCT: .993
I don’t think his numbers are so outrageous. When people talk about steroids they make it sound as though every ball hit was a homerun. I feel McGwire’s numbers are good enough for the hall of fame and he brought a lot to the game and to us fans. I truly don’t believe there is evidence that he had some huge advnatage. I don’t understand why these “writers” are wanting to shame him for something we don’t know much about and for something that was not illegal. Players are constantly doing what they can to give them more of an edge. Steroids are bad primarily because of all the side effects they do have. Come on guys your testosterone levels drop like crazy, if anything the fear of being a girly man or in my terms girly dude would stop you.
To conclude and end my rambling, steroids hurts the individiual way more than it has hurt the game of Baseball or us fans. To say steroids is what made some of these players great I think shows a lack of knowledge. There is an advantage in regards to the healing process when an injury does occur and maybe with stamina but is that really that bad? I think the media has contributed greatly in making us think that this is the worst thing to happen in sports. I still say I enjoyed watching these guys and if they had the numbers to say they were great then they were great end of story.
Side note: I’m just sitting back waiting what the NFL does with Michael Vick. From what I can see steroids in baseball is mild in comparison. Granted what Vick did has no direct affect on the game but would you rather have your children look up to a guy like, lets say Jason Giambi who may have done steroids but admitted to his wrong doings or a guy like Vick who had no regards for life.
GirlyBaseballChick
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