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Saturday Afternoon Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 01:34:26 PM EST
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Alberto Contador will win the Tour de France. Andy Schleck will be second. Lance Armstrong third. The peloton rides into Paris tomorrow with the final stage ending with 8 laps around the Champs-Elysees.

Rickey Henderson enters the Hall of Fame tomorrow. Here is a quote that gives you the flavor of Rickey:

Henderson says he has one regret -- that he didn't retire sooner. "You got to wait five years to go into the Hall of Fame,'' he said. "If I would have thought about it, and just went on and got them five years up early, then I'd been a little younger. Then I could have came back after I went into the Hall of Fame, but I waited too long."

He was my favorite ballplayer.

This is an Open Thread.

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    Saturday Afternoon Open Thread | 44 comments (44 topical)

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    Alan Trammell (5.00 / 0) (#11)
    by Steve M on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:07:40 PM EST
    belongs in the HOF dammit!

    No question (none / 0) (#15)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:16:18 PM EST


    Parent
    add me in agreement. (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by jeffinalabama on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:44:04 PM EST


    Parent
    Joe Biden (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by andgarden on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:20:24 PM EST
    needs to shut up.

    Amen (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by ruffian on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:22:56 PM EST
    He sure is turning out a lot worse than I thought he would. Not sure why  I expected him to be able to exert more verbal self control as VP than he did as a Senator.

    Parent
    What A Moron (none / 0) (#24)
    by squeaky on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:28:38 PM EST
    Especially after Obama did such a great job clearing BushCo stains. Biden reminds me of this guy.

    Parent
    Hail Rickey! (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by scribe on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:46:36 PM EST
    I'll repeat a great Rickey story, forming part of a comment I posted back during the waning days of the Cheney administration, responding to the announcement of Rickey's election;

    A friend saw Rickey a couple times during one of his stints with the Newark Bears, and related this story a while back:

    A sunny summer Sunday afternoon sitting about 5 rows back of the first base dugout.  This is tough seating for Newark - Rickey's fault.  He was a good draw.

    Anyway, the bottom of the first comes and the Bears are down a run or two.  The home plate ump has a moving strike zone and even the hitters in the Atlantic League can adjust for that by waiting.  Rickey is DH'g and leading off [for the home team].  

    He strolls out to the box, slowly, savoring the crowd and the cheers.  He steps into the box and takes the first pitch.  Ball one.  Steps out, and then back in.  Does not look for a sign.  He takes the next pitch.  It's in the same spot.  Strike one.  Rickey steps out slowly and looks back at the ump.  Steps back in.  Takes the next pitch, also in pretty much the same spot.  Ball two.  Rickey steps out and shakes his head.

    The crowd is getting a little antsy, and getting on the ump because his moving strike zone is pretty evident by now.  Rickey says something to the catcher and steps back in.

    The next pitch is in the same spot.  Strike two.  Rickey steps out, shaking his head.  He then proceeds to walk all the way around the batters boxes and plate.  Slowly.  Like when you played Simon Says as a kid and the call was "baby steps".  Heel to toe.  

    The crowd is going nuts.  The ump is getting hot from Rickey showing him up.  As Rickey reaches the end of his orbit and prepares to re-enter the box, things quiet down.  Some guy - experienced in the ways of heckling - takes the moment and yells:


    "No worries, Rick.  You're goin' to Cooperstown.  That ump ain't."

    The ump whirls to look and see who said that.  Rickey busts out laughing and doubles over.  The crowd roars.

    Rickey steps in, singles firmly to right*, steals second and later scores.

    Everyone knew it then, and now it's here.  So, who are you going to play for this year, Rickey (since you never officially retired)?

    -
    * Coming off his bat, the ball had that particular ringing sound that said "solid, powerful contact" and causes heads to turn to watch whomever is hitting because it is qualitatively different than the average bat-ball sound.  I guess the closest comparison to that sound today would be Alfonso Soriano, Albert Pujols or maybe Josh Hamilton, connecting.

    We need more like him.  Supremely skilled, Ballplayers with a capital "B" through and through.  Wise and yet so thoroughly tunnelled in on playing ball that he sometimes sounds goofy when he opens up his mouth, but the wisdom stuns you when it dawns on you.**  But, only one at a time on the active rosters.  More than one would set the Earth off its axis....

    -
    For example, when Yogi gave the directions to his house which contained the phrase "when you come to a fork in the road, take it", he was being quite accurate.  His house at the time was on a street which looped around on itself - a ring atop a stem, as it were.  To get to Yogi's house, you had to get onto the ring, and the only way to do that was to take the fork - either side - to get there.

    dewey evans (none / 0) (#1)
    by Turkana on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 01:51:08 PM EST
    was mine.

    Loved his mustache. (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by jeffinalabama on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:56:21 PM EST
    Loved Yaz as he made his winding warmup after his wrist problems. But Nobody compared to The Kid or DiMaggio.

    Best baseball writing ever-- John Updike.

    http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/hub_fans_bid_kid_adieu_article.shtml

    Parent

    We could have an entire thread (5.00 / 1) (#40)
    by CoralGables on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 07:22:02 PM EST
    on spectacular facial hair, just with professional baseball players.

    Parent
    rollie fingers (none / 0) (#44)
    by Turkana on Sun Jul 26, 2009 at 12:16:11 AM EST
    no one else comes close!

    Parent
    I would agree (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by CoralGables on Sun Jul 26, 2009 at 01:03:51 AM EST
    but Clay Zavada of the Diamondbacks may be able to challenge by the start of next season.

    Parent
    Craig Biggio (none / 0) (#3)
    by lobary on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 02:21:21 PM EST
    My own personal Mickey Mantle. I love that guy. Class personified.

    I also love Henderson logic (none / 0) (#4)
    by jeffinalabama on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 02:32:04 PM EST
    and Henderson's sayings.  Add those to the excitement he generated, and my goodness, it was Mickey Rivers at another level.

    and don't EVEN think about (none / 0) (#5)
    by jeffinalabama on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 02:33:13 PM EST
    talking bad about Mickey Rivers...

    Parent
    Best Mickey Rivers quote ever (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by CoralGables on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:42:49 PM EST
    When asked to work on his bunting in Spring Training...''I like to concentrate on my strong points. Ain't no sense working on my weaknesses. Why work at stuff I'm no good at?''

    Parent
    Must google (none / 0) (#7)
    by oculus on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 02:38:30 PM EST


    Parent
    Mickey Rivers (none / 0) (#8)
    by CoralGables on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 02:50:47 PM EST
    had such a strong arm, he could throw a 4 or 5 hopper from center field to third and have it get there just before it rolled to a stop.

    Parent
    If you saw the highlights from (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by scribe on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:16:02 PM EST
    Old Timer's Day last weekend at New Yankee stadium, you would have seen Mick the Quick stretching a single into a double during the game.  IIRC, he made a nice slide into second, too.

    I met him once, when he was making a guest appearance and signing stuff at a Newark Bears game.  Nice guy - personable and funny - and enjoyed yakkin' with the fans.

    Parent

    Heh (none / 0) (#14)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:15:21 PM EST
    That reminds me of one of my favorite sports articles - by Peter Gammons (PDF)

    "The man had on a gray Brooks Brothers suit, which made him look for all the world as if he was Harvard '44, and he was leaning over the railing of the box next to the Red Sox dugout. "Zimmer!" he screamed, but Don Zimmer just stared straight ahead. the score at that point was 13-0 in favor of the Yankees and except to change pitchers a few times, the Red Sox manager had not moved in 3 hours. Je had stared as Mickey Rivers stood on third just two pitches into the game.  . . ."

    "Zimmer!" The Boston Massacre, 1978.


    Parent

    Damn Yankees (none / 0) (#16)
    by CoralGables on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:32:08 PM EST


    Parent
    Congratulations and thanks be to (none / 0) (#33)
    by oculus on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 05:41:44 PM EST
    the Fish!

    Parent
    Mickey should have been kdogs favorite (none / 0) (#12)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:07:49 PM EST
    Mick loved the ponies.

    Parent
    And (none / 0) (#13)
    by CoralGables on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:08:40 PM EST
    the greyhounds.

    Parent
    Terrific Rickeyism Can't (none / 0) (#6)
    by oculus on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 02:35:07 PM EST
    Wait to hear his speech. You know he wants to still be playing.

    In the world of opera:  Placido Domingo sang his signature role in Wagner's Die Walkure w/LA Opera this year and I am listening to the rebroadcast. Wonderful. Linda Watson sings Brunnhilde w/great warmth.  

    Tour (none / 0) (#9)
    by Todd on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:00:59 PM EST
    I loved today. Contador and Armstrong were so good. On the wheels at every attack. I know you don't like Lance, but I think he's going to have a chance next year.

    I thought it was a bit boring (none / 0) (#10)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 03:06:52 PM EST
    Once it was clear that Frank Schleck did not have the legs.

    As for next year, either LA will have to be much better or Contador and Andy Schleck will have to be much worse. the gap between them and Armstrong is quite large.


    Parent

    Atrios and I share Amtrak today (none / 0) (#18)
    by andgarden on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:11:25 PM EST


    Not sm train though (none / 0) (#19)
    by andgarden on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:12:21 PM EST


    Parent
    We don't let you both travel (5.00 / 4) (#22)
    by ruffian on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:21:30 PM EST
    on the same airplanes either. Too risky.

    Parent
    Heh (none / 0) (#25)
    by andgarden on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:32:52 PM EST


    Parent
    <grin> (none / 0) (#39)
    by ruffian on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 07:19:15 PM EST
    Hope you had a good ride!

    Parent
    Smooth as silk (none / 0) (#43)
    by andgarden on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 10:04:44 PM EST
    tks.

    Parent
    Jake (Anakin Skywalker) Lloyd ... (none / 0) (#26)
    by Robot Porter on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:43:57 PM EST
    is all grown up!  See him interviewed here.

    Surprise Surprise (none / 0) (#30)
    by squeaky on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 04:58:56 PM EST
    Racist comments traced to Homeland Security, Zeig Heil.

    After federal border agents detained several Mexican immigrants in western New York in June, an article about the incident in a local newspaper drew an onslaught of vitriolic postings on its Web site. Some were racist. Others attacked farmers in the region, an apple-growing area east of Rochester, accusing them of harboring illegal workers. Still others made personal attacks about the reporter who wrote the article.

    Most of the posts were made anonymously. But in reviewing the logs of its Internet server, the paper, The Wayne County Star in Wolcott, traced three of them to Internet protocol addresses at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees border protection.

    Coming on the eve of the apple harvest season, the Web posts and the investigation -- first reported this week on The Star's Web site -- have ratcheted up longstanding tensions in Wayne County, where farmers and laborers have accused immigration officials of using heavy-handed tactics like racial profiling and arbitrary or unjustified detentions.

    [snip]

    The Obama administration has moved to a less confrontational policy at work sites, focusing on employers. But Customs and Border Protection, which does not conduct work-site inspections, had not changed its strategy in New York, Mr. Price said.

    NYT via raw story

    I am happy to report Piper Palin (none / 0) (#34)
    by oculus on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 06:19:09 PM EST
    made the front page of today's Huffington Post.  

    works most everywhere (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by CoralGables on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 06:36:34 PM EST
    Piper is Sarah's human shield. "How dare they boo Piper" was Sarah's cry prior to dropping the puck at a Flyers game.  The Piper shield probably works everywhere BUT Philadelphia.

    Parent
    C'mon (none / 0) (#46)
    by Fabian on Sun Jul 26, 2009 at 08:43:05 AM EST
    You'll see that everywhere, especially with politicians.

    I feel for any single politician like Barney Frank who doesn't have a loving spouse or adorable children to enhance their image.

    Parent

    Aw! (none / 0) (#37)
    by Steve M on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 07:02:43 PM EST
    Little girls are cute.  Thanks for keeping tabs on the Palin progeny for us.

    Parent
    Just Piper. I would hate for her to (none / 0) (#41)
    by oculus on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 07:55:01 PM EST
    fade from the scene too soon.

    Parent
    Palin's Last Day Tomorrow (none / 0) (#42)
    by squeaky on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 08:17:53 PM EST


    Parent
    The tour is not worth a detour (none / 0) (#36)
    by Oceandweller on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 06:43:43 PM EST
    Alas, I know I am going to dissapoint a lot of people...but...
    a good friend of mine is a medical doctor on the tour since quite a few years and has providied enough inside knowled to make anyone not to bother who wins and who loses
    all of them- all the winners are doped and that is the end of teh story
    there is too much money involved
    a tour with clean cyclists would show so much differences that it would be a telltale
    just look at the results of the first years  even bearing in mind the bicycles were not fancy those people were human with human muscles and could do so much do you believe those 2009 results
    no no way
    british dutch german french italian spanish american russian
    all rotten
    but admittedly knowing how hard is mount ventoux it really takes  asuperman on dope to climb the blasted mount
    because it is a very lonely arduous tough climb even on dope

    The only people that would be disappointed (none / 0) (#38)
    by CoralGables on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 07:16:15 PM EST
    are those same folks that believe the NFL is steroid and HGH free because "they test". Most fans don't care at all. To a majority of the fans it's an accepted part of professional sport (unless it's someone we don't like of course, then we will tear them to shreds).

    Parent
    Jim Rice (none / 0) (#47)
    by BobTinKY on Mon Jul 27, 2009 at 10:46:26 AM EST
    Long over due.  For over 10 years the most feared hitter in the game.  

    And while his road play may not compare, he played the Wall far better than he is given credit for.  I watched his whole career and he was and remains a class act.

    Had Rice not been hit on the wrist late in the season and sidelined from the entire '75 playoffs I'd bet the house the Sox would have taken the Reds rather easily.  As it was, it went 7.   He and Fred Lynn were co-MVPs by any objective analysis and formed with Yaz and Fisk the basis of a monster lineup.  

    Saturday Afternoon Open Thread | 44 comments (44 topical)

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