<p>^^^AHEM… we shal see about that :D</p>
<p>Regarding baseball and poetry:</p>
<p>Baseball is the only sport that is often better experienced with the ear (listening to the radio) than the eye (watching television).</p>
<p>Radio is better than TV, but neither is as good as being there in person.</p>
<p>1967 and 1968 World Series. Cardinals vs Red Sox and Cardinals vs Tigers. My parents actually let me, a 15/16 yr old GIRL sleep overnight on the streets of downtown St. Louis so I could be at the head of the line to get bleacher seats for all of the home games of both of those World Series. Then they let me skip school so I could go to all of the games. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING??</p>
<p>I guess it was a different world.</p>
<p>We started taking the kids to baseball ‘farm team’ games when they were little kids. Great for kids who get bored at the big stadiums. Easy parking, small crowds, cheap tickets, lots going on. We got hooked- we haven’t been to a major league game in years. I guess we got used to sitting in the first row behind third base.</p>
<p>When I hear someone say baseball is boring or inactive, it tells me they don’t really understand the game. Especially on CC, because I know all the people here are intellectual types. There’s always something going on, even when it just seems like the pitcher is spitting and scratching his groin. There’s a situation on the bases, or with the count, or in the order… </p>
<p>Baseball is probably the BEST game for intellectual types, because you have to understand all the threats and possibilities to get real appreciation for it.</p>
<p>As we speak, Sox are winning, tho’ Yankees have the bases loaded.</p>
<p>Even after Barry Bonds hit the record breaker, there are always 30-40,000 watching Giants games. Even though they are in last place in their division. Loyal fans (like me) plus AT&T park is a great place to watch a ball game!</p>
<p>TheDad: for the family, all three. Personally, I’m a sabre girl, mother of the Sabre Princess. One son is king of foil (argh! said this neanderthal), one king of epee (very elegant, but mean),and one can’t decide so does all three.</p>
<p>Karen Colleges,
Our family got hooked on the farm team baseball league when our kids were young. What a blast! At the same stadium, we had spring training in Feb/Mar for the “big teams”. Cal Ripken came to play, and stayed HOURS after the game, signing for the fans (I know…I was there. What gorgeous eyes. Sigh) </p>
<p>I still cherish the memories of taking the boys to those late spring/summer games- the hokey giveaways, the chicken dance, the intimacy. My sons got to run out on that field on several occasions…for little league nights and such. And anyone who tried out and passed the audition got to sing the National Anthem. Fireworks on opening night, 4th of July, and closing night. What more can you ask for???</p>
<p>YES!!! 7-7 The Yankees tie the game.</p>
<p>Edit: 8-7 Yankees. Papplebaum getting pasted.</p>
<p>FM: hmph. I’m an epee man myself. Haven’t picked up a blade seriously in years but still have several, along with masks, jackets, etc., in the garage.</p>
<p>I once worked with someone, a senior tech v.p., who, if his stories were accurate, fought with the Polish Resistance in WW II. He was old enough. He opined that the saber was a butcher’s weapon. Don’t know if I’d go quite that far but I would insist that all saber competitions be conducted on horseback if I had my way.</p>
<p>My favorite move is the Capo de Fer.</p>
<p>Being a Cubs fan means that even when they win, you suffer along the way (which is why so many Cubs fans have embraced Buddhism).</p>
<p>Last night in St. Louis, for instance (one of the great rivalries in baseball), they went into the bottom of the ninth with a 5-1 lead. Sure, they held on and won - but not before their closer gave up two solo home runs.</p>
<p>If you think baseball has sunk in popularity from its glory days, take a look at my sport - track and field. It’s the oldest sport and used to be in a pretty strong 4th place on the US public radar screen behind baseball, football, and basketball. People used to know who the world record holders were in the glamor events. Track athletes used to regularly make the cover of SI. Papers used to send reporters to cover the big meets. There were even college dual meets on TV. Now track down there with say swimming as a sport that the public cares about only during the Olympic games.</p>
<p>We live in the video age; it’s just a “visual” thing. People enjoy watching a team sport more than watching an individual run around a track or swim across a pool. Not that track and swimming aren’t fun to watch, especially if it’s something like the olympics. It’s just that for most people, the spectacle of team sports, watching people work with each other, watching skill based feats of athleticism (diving for balls, slam dunks, blocked field goals, home runs…) is more exciting.</p>
<p>Wahhh. My Red Sox lost. I hope this doesn’t bode poorly for the Gators today.</p>
<p>Epistrophy, I was “watching” the pitch-by-pitch updating on the ESPN website and just on tenterhooks. With two out in the ninth and the Cardinals having the bases loaded, TheMom gets home from an overnight conference in San Diego and wants to go to dinner. I had to stall about two minutes before the final ground out to shortstop and then said we could go to dinner, chirpily announcing, “The Cubs had been up 2-1, scored three runs in the top of the ninth, but the Cardinals scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, loaded the bases, but just made the last out.” I had to let TheMom mooch my glass of wine over dinner.</p>
<p>Well, baseball certainly wasn’t dead last night in Boston! Should be a fantastic pitching match-up today - can’t wait!! <strong><em>GO YANKEES</em></strong></p>
<p>“Yankee games unfortunately do bring out some nastiness”
I was at a game last year and 2 guys behind me were relentless in their SCREAMING at Manny Ramirez. Constant, literally constant, screams of Manny, you s***. Lovely night with the family. It got worse when Manny popped up and the outfielder- I believe Melky - made this astounding catch. Manny jogged back out to position. No matter what these guys screamed, he kept a smile on his face (as he went to the bank.) You knew that HE knew it was part of the game!</p>
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<p>None of which explains the continuing popularity of tennis or the completely inexplicable popularity of golf as spectator sports.</p>
<p>Well, you could say that tennis and golf both have a skill component that keeps people interested. I’m not saying that running or swimming isn’t a skill, but the skill element just isn’t as “obvious” as with a racquet, club, or ball sport (with the exception of diving).</p>
<p>For example, people will watch figure skating on TV much more readily than an ice skating race; people will watch ski-jumping with more interest than cross country skiing; they will watch diving over swim races. It’s more “sexy” TV viewing.</p>
<p>coureur: Agreed. I especially can’t explain tennis, which is definitely the least exciting of any racquet sport, yet gets the most publicity, by far (at least in most of the world). I just can’t help wishing that squash (which I play), for example, would get some more attention - because these days, how many people want to watch really determines the success of a sport in many ways.</p>
<p>hear an eddy izzard commentary about baseball the other day…</p>
<p>“what? baseball’s been around 150 years and you yanks always win the world championship…wow! hat’s off to you… You should be really proud of the fact you have beaten the rest of the world so often… We’ve only been able to do it a few times in football…” </p>
<p>Watching paint dry, watching golf and baseball same thing. sorry america.</p>
<p>What? vs. world championships decided by PKs? Falling down theatrics by grown men (oww - Mommy, he hit me)? If god forbid a goal is scored play desperate defence for the rest of the game? I’ll take a college football game anytime.</p>