Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Bud Selig, may you never enjoy baseball again


...that assumes of course, that he enjoys it now. I think the Commisener of Basball has a long string of terrible descions, the last one being the most egregious error, a foul of Ted Kennedy proportions.

It was calling the all-star game a tie.
It was ignoring the steroids.
It was grandstanding on an issue he helped foster.

It's baseball using Instant Replay.

"For now, video will be used only on so-called "boundary calls," such as determining whether fly balls went over the fence, whether potential home runs were fair or foul and whether there was fan interference on potential home runs." - AP


Did Cy Young, Nolan Ryan, 'Fingers, or John Wetland have instant replay?
Did Mickey Mantel, Lou Brock, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Roger Marris, Ozzie Smith, Barry Bonds, Ted Wiliams or Cal Ripiken Jr have instant replay?

No.

Mr. Selig, you are changing the very foundation of the game, and attempting to alter something that is the very fiber of the American being of the past century.
Baseball is a game of men. A man standing on the mound, a man standing with a piece of lumber, a man calling what he sees, when he sees it. A man catching the ball, throwing the ball, and sometimes jacking the ball over the fence.
It's a game meant to be called by men, not by a machine or with review and second guessing.

August 29, 2008: The day the game changed forever.


I hope you're happy ESPN.

2 comments:

Solameanie said...

Makes one long for the days of Bowie Kuhn, doesn't it?

While we're on a sports kick, let me make an editorial comment. I think "slam dunks" in basketball should be banned. Basketball is supposed to be a game of shooting skill. I don't care if a player is eight feet tall. If he jumps up, slams the ball into the hoop and then grabs the hoop to hang there a second, he should be tossed out of the game and fined $20,000.

If you can't make the basket by simply shooting it accurately, then you need to go and take up professional bowling or maybe cheating at cards.

There. There's my grumpy, owly remark for the day. :O

RobertDWood said...

Wow.. that is a curdmudgeon stand.

I figure basketball is about team work to put a ball through a hoop, and then you and yer buds running to stop the other guys. I don't care how it gets in. :D