The Masters & This Weeks Miscellaneous Notes

The Return of Wood Bats to High School Baseball:

One of the more awesome things I saw this week was the use of wooden bats in one of the High School games I umpired. Apparently the Illinois High School Association is funding the use of wooden bats in certain conference games to provide data for comparison against the use of aluminum bats. There were quite a few broken bats in the game, the near arctic conditions may have had something to do with that, as well as for the lack of offense the wood bats are definitely going to bring.

As far as safety, one of the broken bat barrels went flying almost to the infield dirt between shortstop and third base. That's the one detrimental safety issue wood bats bring that aluminum does not (flying shards of wood), but apparently the minus three (-3) length to weight of the aluminum bats may not be as safe as originally believed.

But it was awesome to see the use and the sound of wooden bats in a high school game. I think we went from wood to aluminum bats when I was about 10 years old, which would be around 1969 or '70. I haven't seen many wooden bats used in game situations at the youth level since. In training situations, I try to get kids to at least take BP with wood and swing aluminum in games if they have to. Some are reluctant to go along. They should have seen some of the swings these high schoolers were putting out with the wood in their hands.

Rule of Thumb:
Aluminum Bat Swing Mechanics + Wooden Bat = Low Batting Average.
Wood Bat Swing Mechanics + Aluminum Bat = High Batting Average.

Something about not using the lower half of the body and just flicking the hands, which you can get away with when the power of aircraft aluminum bat technology is in your hands. Remove the "trampoline effect" and most kids can't generate any kind of power.

Kids in this conference who are used to hitting .300 may have to get used to .150 or less. Pitchers will be safer and much happier and may learn to pitch inside a bit and throw less breaking balls and more fastballs. What, those are not some of the residual effects we are tracking and studying, just safety? Oh well, I guess we have to hope that safety somehow rules the day.

The Cubs:

OMG. Where do I start? The over/under on Lou Piniella's first meltdown was ten games. He came in right about on the mark. He may wish he was back managing Tampa Bay in a couple more weeks.

Also coming in under the 10 game over/under mark for going on the DL was Mark Prior.
This time he is sent to the DL after his first appearance in AAA, before he even exceeded his self-imposed pitch count. I think I am in agreement with most Cubs fans who speculate that the mysterious ailment Prior suffers from is a torn labia.

For the anatomically challenged reader, it means that Mr. Prior may in fact be wasting his time seeing Dr. Lewis Yoachim the orthopaedic surgeon, he might be better served seeing a good gynecologist. Rough fans here in Chi-town.

Maybe he should ask Dr. Tom House to tell him the story about how Uncle Tommie's computer told him that Mark had perfect mechanics again. Garbage in, garbage out, I guess. That was a good story though. This guy can't be anymore a doctor than Dr. Suess. Oh and apparently he's not returning Mark's calls since he got hurt. Don't want a failure like that on your most recent marketing materials. Use the towel from the towel drill to cry into, Markie.

The Giants:
OK, so it's not time to panic over the poor start. But it is a good time to get panic warmed up in the bullpen. I'm just saying, fellas. Zito struggles. Bonds a little slow out of the gate, but still looks much better at the plate than last year, for certain. Cain pitches well, no offense. I know, a game or two here and there. A bounce or two. That's the small sample dilemna. But Giants fans are getting loose. That's all I'm saying.

The Masters:

By the way, his name is Zack Johnson, and he WON THE MASTERS. Tiger Woods didn't lose it. Why would he? That's not what he does. All the Tiger apologists, who had their stories written and the results pre-ordained, need to relax, take a deep breath, take off their Tiger Woods Under-oohs, and give Zack Johnson his just due. The kid made the shots he needed to and yes, Tiger folded under the pressure. "What just happened?" You just lost Tiger, it happens.

Of course, you knew most of the mainstream media would bury Zack as a feel-good story as soon as he took the occasion of his winning on Easter Sunday, to thank God. I know I did. No doubt about it. And that is of course what happened. Just calling it as I see it.

Answer:
Don Imus, Keith Olberman, Colin Cowherd, Rosie O'Donnell, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Mike Nifong:

Question:
Who are seven major douchebags in the media this week, none of whom should be heard from again?

You are correct, grasshopper. And thanks for putting your answer in the form of a question.

Wow, where did that come from, huh? Well, my friends, it's so unusual when a perfect storm develops and all the things I've been ranting and raving about for years seems to come together to almost perfectly illustrate why I feel the way I do.

Don Imus: of course for his stupid comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
The Rutgers team was my favorite because they represented the State University of New Jersey and took on the Goliath that was Tennessee women's basketball. Imus history of comments and bigotry shows that racism and hatred are prevalant and tolerated in the media from both sides of the aisle, in spite of prior denials. And although this may seem like a borderline sports story, it in reality is the opening salvo of the major issue of the presidential campaign, which is control and composition of the media as it is currently constructed and the way information is disseminated in this country.

Just as the last election was more about the composition of the Supreme Court, even more so than issues like the war, this one will be about left-wing vs. right wing media, the Fairness Doctrine and other things we generally don't want to waste productive time learning about. Learn about it on a slow sport day or the next rain delay at your favorite teams baseball game.

Keith Olberman: who stunningly said this week he believed Rush Limbaugh is a racist, for his views and comment regarding Dononvan McNabb. Using the same criteria of course, one could take Olberman and companies comments regarding Barry Bonds and in a similar, connect the dots fashion, make the same charge. Live by the sword of leaky evidence and supposition, die by the same sword.

Colin Cowherd: ESPN radio talk-show douche who orchestrated his listeners in an attack on an Internet blog site, resulting in that site being put out of commission for a couple of days at least. The blog in question apparently wasn't even critical of Cowherd or ESPN, they apparently just did it for giggles. Of course, this is an illegal act, but why would those in power, employed by the World Wide leader in sports, worry about blog posters? Apparently, they are perceived as a threat to the way information is disseminated in the good-old USA. Of course, when members of the media commit crimes, it's OK or it's just a joke, right?

Remember, watch what they do, not what they say. Actions speak louder than words.
For example, Imus' employers didn't seem to be too insulted about their employees comments until the sponsors started bailing out. That tells you all you need to know.

Rosie O'Donnell: For chastising reports about the pet contamination. Something about it taking valuable media time away from the 24-7 bashing about the Iraq War, blah,blah,blah,blah,blah. It was a public service that was valuable to all pet owners. There will be plenty of time for the various talking heads to go back to the battle of the Blame Game and sicken us about the political process so much that less Americans will vote than voted in the last Iraqi election, even though those folks probably had to worry about getting blowed up on the way to the polling place. And less Americans vote every election. And we wonder why. This smacks of "my agenda and beliefs are more important than your beliefs" that we see in the media all the time.
Rosie, you have your platform, you have your time in the sun. Don't begrudge others their time to speak on issues they deem important, you big, fat bully.

Al Sharpton: who was probably right about Don Imus, but should be the last person on earth demanding an apology from anyone until he apologizes to those he smeared publicly during the Tawanna Brawley fiasco.

And I lump in fellow douchebag and serial extortionist Jesse Jackson, who apparently owes the Duke lacrosse players an apology for his quick trigger conclusions.
One day these race baiting extortionists will get the "justice" they deserve. The fact that they call themselves Reverends is an insult to all members of the clergy.

Show some character and leadership and apologize when you're wrong. You might get more respect that way fellas. At least Imus offered a somewhat weak and combative public apology. And he's out of work.

It has always amazed me that "so-called" black leaders aren't more out front on the issue of (C)Rap lyrics that denigrate women and African-Americans. Some have claimed that they are but the media doesn't give their efforts the same coverage. If that's the case, shame on them, but shame on the results these "leaders" have gotten.

When a Snoop Doggy Poop can go on the air and say his "art" is not comparable to what Don Imus does, he's right, but he's also an idiot. It's not comparable, it's far worse. In case you don't know Snoop, you're black, that's the difference, you piss on your own people, which makes what you do even more shameful. I'm surprised an Oprah Winfrey isn't more out front on this.

It's so shameful that idiots like Snoop and 50 cent (not worth a nickel to me) are more popular cultural icons and public figures than say a Jackie Robinson or a Martin Luther King. And if you don't know who these folks are or what they did kiddies crack open a book once in a while and find out why people are saying these guys should be more of an inspiration than they apparently are.

And how about Mike Nifong, who so ineptly demonstrates and illustrates that even District Attorneys and Prosecuter's put their own special interest ahead of the Justice they took a solemn oath to uphold. So let's not hear anymore that if these guys are investigating somebody, they are probably guilty. That's a perversion of the American system of Jurisprudence that even Edwin Meese would have blushed at.

It's time for the Court of Public Opinion to be closed down for good. It doesn't work, it ruins peoples lives irreparably, in many cases.

It was so rich this week to hear a Keith Olberman explain to his young sidekick Danny Patrick how guys like Nifong couldn't be sued for the damage they caused because of the positions they hold. Not true, there are cases that allow for suits to proceed. Then the diarrhea mouth waltzes into how public figures like an Imus or Kobe Bryant or even to a lesser extent himslf and little Danny Patrick really can't turn around and sue every false accuser, everyone that besmirches their names because it might lend credence to the charges, give them more attention then they are due, are nuisances to pursue, public figures have a higher bar to clear as far as charges being leveled in their direction, etc. All perfectly valid and cogent reasons.

However, he forgets that he and his sidekick strongly condemned Bonds and others for not suing when allegations came out in print. Why is it a perfectly acceptable response in the one instance, but a "strong sign of guilt" in the other instance KO?
Or is this a sign instead of your racist tendencies? Oops I'm applying the standard you used to call Rush Limbaugh a racist. MY BAD.

These ladies and gentlemen of the media (and yes, I use the term very loosely) are all subject to the same pressures to perform, to succeed, to get results, etc., as athletes are. They all need to, in some fashion, get ahead and stay ahead of their competition. For an Imus or Olberman or O'Donnell, it's a race to be the most outrageous, to get the best ratings and sponsorship dollars. And the next good gig or industry award. To cash in on the next contract negotiation.

For a Nifong, it's to get prosecutions, the higher profile the better. To get the better job, the better office, better position, etc. To get elected to the next highest position on the ladder.

For Olberman and his cohort Dan Patrick, it's hosting the Today Show, or Bob Costas Emmy Awards they covet. In the same fashion as they recklessly, and without any basis in fact (how can anyone pass off as known fact what another person feels in his heart and mind), speculate Barry Bonds took steroids because he was jealous of the results of Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, one could apply the same train of thought to their cases and come to much the same or similar conclusions, now couldn't one?

It's interesting to see them get tangled up in the gnarly web of lies and deceptions they've thrown out there to describe others behavior when events conspire to turn the mirror upon them and their industry and in fact their own behavior. It would be just as interesting to see the same litmus tests applied to them and their own circumstances. See how much they like the bright lights, big city then, huh?

Then they grow weary of talking about the subject after one or two days. But they'll beat the drums for years against Pete Rose or Bonds or Sosa or McGwire. Never get tired when the drum beats up against someone else head.

And it's not a liberal vs. conservative or left vs. right thing for me. A pox on both of their houses as far as I'm concerned.

It is interesting however that those on the left do seem to want to only talk, not listen so much lately. And they seem to favor, shutting down media sources that don't agree with them. The Communists do that don't they? And it's wrong, isn't it?

There's CNN and there's FOX News, and I know where both are on the dial. And I'm happy that both are there, even if I may agree with one somewhat more or less than the other at times. They both should thrive and survive. That's America.

I would liken a lot of the behavior we've seen this week to be be roughly akin to the Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED) problem in sports. This is the PED of the media. The race to get ahead, to be the most outrageous, to be the most colorful, most recognizable, have the highest Q rating.

These guys are all in some way, cheating or bending the rules or conventions or ethics of their chosen profession to get better results vis-a-vis their competition.
Don't just condemn Imus, you all swim in and help pollute the same dirty waters, IMO.
Just as his day has come, it will be interesting to see who is next. And over what comments they are thrown overboard.

What we are seeing here are the opening salvos in the war to control the flow of information to the masses, and that speaks to agenda, big-time. Don't let them fool you when they ALL SAY "I DON"T HAVE AN AGENDA, BUT THAT GUY THERE, HE DOES". They all do!

Interesting that some of these scumbags so readily and and recklessly throw stones at other peoples houses. As they say, let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
FASCINATING WORLD WE LIVE IN.