Morning links: How to reach diehards

well DK let me be the first diehard to say I am one of those that breathe Pirates baseball every day.  what the steelers play today?  who are they exactly?  too much MLB network I guess.  By the way tune in at 8pm tonight.  Bucs/Cubs from April 1991.  That's what I'll be watching.

Have a great day everyone!

Yes, I know who I am!

Granted, I'll be all Steelers when gametime comes but love the Sunday pieces! Further comment on said piece to follow :)

"What is it, exactly, that people in those markets fear?"

Chicago can’t deal with the fact that they haven’t won a championship in over a hundred years, let alone admit that big market teams have an advantage because they can afford to spend twice the average.

However, money may not have anything to do with the Cubs’ problem. They are jinxed.

DK - Let me say that I breathe Pirates baseball every day. But you know what? It wouldn't have been that way if you guys hadn't established this blog back in July!

Am I right, fellow bloggers? I mean, yeah, it's one thing to say we're diehards, but methinks we wouldn't have been giving THAT MUCH consideration to the club if ... well, if we weren't trapped in this asylum!

So I guess what I was trying to say, DK, is that we've got you to bless and to blame for all this!

@ken: You hit the nail on the head with your statement re Cubs. They play in a big city, sell out game after game and yet haven't won and have the nerve to bring up market size.

Over here we don't get much live MLB or NFL, unless we go to a place with a satellite dish, so have to followthe Bucs and Steelers on line. And forget about even seeing an NHL game live even on the satellite.....

I live in Iowa.  I was born and raised in Erie, PA.  More than anything I want to move to Pittsburgh and go to every Pirates home game.  I live for this dream.

Re: 'From the same paper, this writer calls Ryan Doumit a liar.' I don't really think he was calling Ryan a liar, just that the Bucs will not contend this year.  The guy does make some valid points-but then again-what were they saying last year at this time about the AL East????

Hey DK you missed a link.

www.post-gazette.com/.../941152-135.stm

(The following statement is NOT aimed at DK, but more the Pittsburgh media who worship all that Pitt does)  Believe it or not, although the numbers are even smaller than the mentioned diehard Pirate fans, there are those of us who don't give a rip about Pitt sports.  Never have, never will.

Go Dukes.

Someone tell the dude at the Trib that yeah maybe the AL has won more interleague and all star games lately, but last time I checked the Phillies are still world champs.  Widen the gap all they want, doesn't mean anyone from the AL will win it all.

NL has won 2 out of the last 3 world series and 4 out of the last 8.  Looks pretty even to me.

"The mix here suggests the AL, long the stronger of the two leagues, could widen the gap in 2009."

Complete and utter diehard Pirates fan here. However, I do hope the Steelers do well and give Pittsburgh something to root for.

@ diehard <<Go Dukes>>

I happen to be a graduate of Pitt's School of Engineering. I have seen Pitt play many times over the years, but that was mostly because they were playing against the Dukes. My father raised me to support only one team when it came to college basketball, and that team was the Dukes. I’ve been following them religiously since the 70’s.

Eight freshman and they’re 11-4,  2-0 in the A10.

I love Everhart. He’s the best thing that has happened to that program in decades. I hope we don’t lose him.

Right on bucsfan!

In response to Mark Verdi's column:

He does ask that all important question: "Where are those revenue-sharing checks, written by the Yankees and cashed by the Pirates, going?" You do have to wonder sometimes, don't you?

Typical fare from a big market area. He fails to consider that the Yankees get all these players because teams like Milwaukee simply can't match the Yankees spending power. I can't blame the big markets for wanting to keep their edge. Eventually though, there is going to come a point in baseball where the small markets will never have a chance if the disparity widens enough. What will the health of MLB be if half of the franchises fold or move  because it's no longer worth it to operate?

In response to Phil Rogers' piece: The truth does hurt. The NL Central, especially you know who, really hasn't done much to improve for the upcoming season. If he really wanted to rub it in on the Pirates, he could have mentioned who they did manage to sign and the multiple failures to sign free agents this year.

And um............. GO PITT!!!!

uglyken - My first favorite basketball player - BB Flannery!  Must have been the name.

Oh - and I'm a 3rd generation Duke.  But I'll need to either win the lottery, got a job there, or have my kids be reallly exceptionally smart/talented for that to continue at this point.

I'm gonna have my cake and eat it, too. Steelers AND Pirates, 'til I die!

PI, you're too kind to the buffoon from the Trib. Phil Rodgers is yet one more sports columnist with nothing to say, so he charges at windmills to sound as if he does, and so he can turn in something -anything- to meet his deadline. Today, the first of his imaginary enemies is Lying Ryan, who, according to Rodgers, doesn't really believe in his team. The buffoon goes on from there, but really, all we need to know about him is how he insults Ryan's sincerity, and also how he plays fast and loose with the simplest of facts, to try and pad his point, whatever it was. To wit: "the Cubs have gone 41 games above .500 the last two seasons."  Uh... we don't COMBINE wins from two separate seasons for a "games over .500" stat. Each year stands on its own. I mean, Jose Bautista is a 30 home run-hitter over the last two seasons. But he only hit 15 in either one.  

Diehard and Ken,

Why is it "Dukes" with an "s?"

I'll take my answer"'off the air", as they say, because I am now am retiring for the night.

See(s) you all(s), tomorrow(s).

Finally, something else I'd like to say in the spirit of what DK has written today. This is aimed at all of you, the diehards in The Asylum who blog here day in and day out, as well as people like myself, who contibute on a semi-regular basis. Also, this is in no way meant to disrespect the other blogs on here but it really is worth pointing out, especially for those of you who don't read the other blogs.

The Steelers are in the thick of another Super Bowl run and their blog barely gets a comment or two per thread.

The Penguins, who made a great run to the Stanley Cup finals last season, have two of the brightest stars in the NHL and are right in the middle of their season (granted, they have really sucked the last few weeks), do no better than low double digits mostly for their threads and that usually is only during live game blogs.

Over at the Pitt/college blog, when the announcement there was made that the Pitt Panthers would be the #1 team in the nation, the thread received a grand total of 3 replies.

And here it is at the PBC Blog, in the dead of winter, everday racking threads up in the triple digits. I really thought after the season that things would die down here until spring. You people here really are something else! We're the Yankees of PG Blogs!

diehard

My first favorite was actually two people.....the Nelson Twins (both 6-10)... I think that Norm Nixon was the best player that I have ever seen, and I watched him play dozens of times. I thought that we were going to return to those days back when John Carroll had that team that went to the NIT, but not to be.

Now there's Everhart, and I start to get that kind of feeling like I'm watching Gene Hackman (Norman Dale) coaching in Hoosier's.

Let’s Go Duke’s

Ugly,  Everhart is the best thing since red manning.

do you remmeber the Barry twins?

correct that the nelson twins one was barry

to answer that question about why the dukes.  there is the duke of earl and then there are the Dq. Dukes.  just for the plural thats it  takes more than one duke to play the game.

I can remember listening to the dukes on the radio in 1965.

THE OFFICIALLY UNOFFICIAL PBC BLOGS AND MLB LINKS:

Bucs Dugout--Randall Simon to Try Out for Brewers and Pirate Farm S

System Improving

http://www.bucsdugout.com/

whygavs--Just a Few Links

http://whygavs.com/

Raise the Jolly Roger--Weekend Parrot Droppings

http://raisethejollyroger.com/

Hyzdu Headquarters--#4 All-Time Teams - 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates

http://hyzduhq.blogspot.com/

The 'Burgh Blues--Bucs, Cubs '91 brawl on MLB Network

theburghblues.mlblogs.com

The Green Weenie-NL Central 2009

www.oldbucs.blogspot.com

Morning Links Part 3

Carl Pavano's Idiotic Comments

bleacherreport.com/.../109437-carl-pavanos-idiotic-comments

Baseball notes: McCutchen to compete for rotation spot

www.timesonline.com/.../doc49697e128a764286991654.txt

How to reach diehards?

Foreigner and KC and the Sunshine Band

If only they could have signed Supertramp and Loverboy, to get them out of my basement.  These guys spend the whole day eating my potato chips and surfing internet porn.  C'mon Pirates - if you're going to make a practice of paying has been losers, get these guys out of my basement.

No Other Stuff today?  Or permanently?

Good day inmates!

Some may see today as a playoff game day for football, I see it as three days to mini camp!

DK - don't forget: This year you NOTICE BEARD STYLES. please.

And, CRAP. I don't want a Ryan Doumit bobblehead day! Nothing good comes of that! Last year I got Gorzo's (need I say more) and Capps (went to Fla.) .

Can we rethink this please?????

Personally hoping for a Steelers loss today...

so that ALL the attention can be given to the Pirates.

It also seems like the Penguins are doing a good enough job of becoming irrelevant on their own!!

Hi, everyone.  Let me cut quickly to the chase:  I root for ANYTHING Pittsburgh.  However, there is a heirarchy and it goes like this:  

1)  Pirates (they need me)

2)  Penguins (they need something)

3)  Steelers (they don't need me, but I'm still there for them)

...Big gap here .....

4)  Pitt

5)  Duquesne and Robert Morris (tie)

And to throw in an out-of-towner - Virginia (alum), for whom I will root unless they are playing Pitt.  Also, I don't think it is heresy to root for Penn State, unless they're playing Pitt or Virginia or affect those teams somehow.  And there you have it.  All year round.  That's the way I like it.  By the way, there is also a list of teams I will never root for, but I won't go into that today.

As for today's Hot Stove, very interesting up to a point.  Some of that (salaries) is obvious and yet (as DK said) rarely mentioned.   The point of disinterest began w/ bobbleheads and skyblast, except to know when not to go.  I really don't want any bobbleheads, but you feel like a real jerk to refuse them.  Then you have to drag it around w/ you all game.

Have a good day, everyone.  I'm going to be watching football.  Go Steelers!

Interesting topic: "Diehards."

I remember quite clearly going to see the Steelers at Pitt Stadium after being given 50 yardline seats Because No One Wanted Them - I am, therefore, amused to hear people talk about how they have ALWAYS loved the Steelers. Saw Y.A Tittle (sic) and the Giants along with Bart Starr and the Packers in relative emptiness...

Now the Pirates, they have always (for me) been there. Yes, there has been the recent Unpleasantness, but for the majority of the time I can remember this has been a winning franchise.

Now, some of you will disagree with me, but I could do without the bobbleheads and (we just stumble across our "Fire and Ice" bobbleheads while cleaning a closet) and the (no offense) concerts from groups that are way past their rigor mortis date.

I mean, maybe if they were having Sigur Ros or Rammstein coming in, but for me, I just wish they would focus on the "entertainment value" of the on-field "product" and skip the pierogie races and the music you can hear blaring all the way to my old house in Brighton Heights between innings.

That said, I am glad to see that NH is getting the Spring Roster together and keeping it to a manageable number. Time to see what these guys can do and time to see them start to fight each other for their positions rather than just show up as has happened at times in the past.

Jose

eMoneyPitt -- About the popularity of the blog.  

First there's something about baseball that leads to, yes even requires extensive discussion, of every detail and nuance of the game.  The game itself is unlike almost any other where the object is to get to one end of the field or court (or a goal at one end) and stop the guy from gettting to the other.  It's magically addictive, a thing of grace and beauty.  Also intricate detail.  A baseball fan can discuss the proper grip of both ball and bat, how to hit a breaking pitch, nuances in the stance of individual player, how to break in a glove, even the best way to fold the bill of a cap.  

The second thing is the group itself -- the sense of community, and just a place -- especially for those of us who don't live in Pittsburgh and have to discuss baseball with Cubs fans, Cardinal fans, Twins fans, and so on -- where everybody -- optimist or pessimist, defender or complainer -- wants the same thing, for this club to get better.  

Third is the excellent job Dejan and Paul do of providing the information that leads to meaningful discussion instead of the name calling and ranting that is so common on other boards.  

I wonder who DK could be referring too as diehards?

Maybe some nuts running around in an asylum or something.

Oh wait that is us. DKkkkkkkkk it's all your fault.

See Bays post for the reason why.

@Baywatch wrote re: Morning links: How to reach diehards

on Jan 11, 2009 1:17 AM

DK - Let me say that I breathe Pirates baseball every day. But you know what? It wouldn't have been that way if you guys hadn't established this blog back in July!

Am I right, fellow bloggers? I mean, yeah, it's one thing to say we're diehards, but methinks we wouldn't have been giving THAT MUCH consideration to the club if ... well, if we weren't trapped in this asylum!

I shall have the PItt game on and will watch the Steelers play as well. It does not mean however that I will not check in with the nurse and fellow inmates.

As with Capn I root for all things Pittsburgh I will not put them in an order though for whichever season it is they are the priority at that time.  

@ madturk & JHadar: I think also that baseball, the game itself, is something that you find yourself getting into the nuance of, not unlike ice hockey and soccer (real football).

Kind of hard to describe as it is not a "continuous action sport" like the other two, but there is a pace, a flair to it - the strategy and the individual performance factors that makes you anticipate the next play as one never knows: how will the double play be turned? Will it be turned? Home run or long fly out? Just so many permutations with each pitch, each at bat.

For supposedly such a slow paced game with nothing going on - there is a lot going on!

Jose

...and it is good to have somewhere to go to talk to others before the meds kick in to know that the appreciation of all that is shared...makes for a friendlier asylum!

Jose

uglyken - Back to the Duquesne NIT with John Carroll - I was in the pep band at the time.  We beat Florida State when they were in the top 20 (top 10?) that year.  Palumbo was nuts.  Derrick Alston rocked.  And so did the band.

Hey, DK .... count me in with the diehards because I had just been saying to someone not even 30 minutes before I got online that I wondered if you'd have anything good for us since you usually do on Sundays and that I wondered when the minicamp was starting.

We must all be crazy to follow an awful team like this so closely!

Sorry to all the Steelers fans here, but go Chargers!!

My grandmom was mad at me because I drove past her house every day on my way to class at Duquesne and never stopped to say hello.  I sat with her and explained I went to the other Duke - the one down South aways.  Then her mind snapped back to the 1930's and she started recalling stories about Doris Duke, the poor little rich girl.  It's amazing how a mind can shift from complete fog to complete clarity.

It would be nice if my last Pirate memory, when I'm 80, isn't Sid Bream sliding across the plate in a Braves uniform.

Good Morning, All You Diehards!

Did anyone besides me notice the new guy, TripleG upstairs with his first post:

"I live in Iowa.  I was born and raised in Erie, PA.  More than anything I want to move to Pittsburgh and go to every Pirates home game.  I live for this dream."

Welcome, TripleG ... You just boiled down all the sports wisdom in the world in one paragraph ... We're glad you're here!

Diehard - Did you see my post to you the other day (or was it an e-mail) about BayJr. having the Duke player on his Fantasy team? And he was blown away when I told him one of my blogger friends was a Duquesn alum. Go Dukes ... and Hazzards, too!

I'm off to the dayside warz ... back in time for some Stillers vs. Cinderella

GGG

Welcome to the asylum--join us anytime

@48jj:

Shouldn't you be busy massaging LT's groin right now?

As for the writer who called Doumit a liar--wrong--what Doumit said was an opinion, not a lie unless he was faking his excitement.

I will be at the ballpark the night KC and the Sunshine Band are there.  It will probably my only opportunity in 2009 to be at the ballpark saying "That's the way I like it."  (a-ha, a-ha)

I am surprised there are people who don't want see another war between the Steelers and Ravens--after that game they would have to put the players left uninjured from both teams together just field a full team for the Super Bowl :)

JJ <<do you remmeber the Barry twins?>>

Actually, it was the Nelson twins, Gary, and Barry (both 6' 10").....the origional twin towers.

JAL and All - Speaking of wars, I'm off to mine. Catch y'all tonight.

DK - Does the absence of the Other Stuff thread mean we've reformed enough to do it all on the baseball side, or that we're going to have to stop being relentlessly frivolous?

Good morning all!

I'll be here...the Steelers game will be one,  but baseball has always been my first love.  The other sports take a backseat.

@GGG...Welcome to the Asylum..  Has anyone gotten you checked in and fitted out for your jacket?  Mad?  JAL?

That piece from the Chicago paper?   On the first part...I can't say anything nice, so I won't say anything at all.  But as for implying Ryan was lying?  The writer obviously didn't see the video of that...Ryan believes what in what he said and it's obvious he is truly honored, if that's the right word, for the contract he signed.

Bay

Fight well and come back safe

The number 235 thing that makes Pittsburgh great (if I may say so myself_ - Diehards

So we have a name?  Diehards Asylum??

Thanks for the info in todays PG, DK, I was wondering about the option issue with the pitchers.

To all, keep warm and GO STEELERS

No OS?See ya later.

@JosePagan wrote re: Morning links: How to reach diehards

on Jan 11, 2009 10:11 AM

@ madturk & JHadar: I think also that baseball, the game itself, is something that you find yourself getting into the nuance of, not unlike ice hockey and soccer (real football).

________

I agree with your description on the games.  But as a Pittsburgher and a fan of attention getting plays at any moment hockey has to rank up there. Then American Football, then Baseball and so on down the line.

Yes baseball is a leisurely game, a game of lazy day summers drinking lemonade or iced tea sitting in a rocking chair or on a porch swing listening to the radio with not much else to do.

Kicking back and watching a game that has more details in it then a casual fan may realize. It's not an in your face game, It's one for taking the time to appreciate the situation and the air of what could happen at one swing of the bat. The tension that is felt when things are close and players are waiting for the next hit ball. Fans wondering if the batter will strike out or put the ball in play for your team.  Make the diving play to save a run. The pitcher fooling the batter to strike him out.

That day is approaching for us once again and soon.

@48jj

I see your from Ohio?  Well that explains why you don't like the Steelers.  No Ohio team has beaten a Pittsburgh team this year.

@ diehard <<Back to the Duquesne NIT with John Carroll - I was in the pep band at the time.  We beat Florida State when they were in the top 20 (top 10?) that year.  Palumbo was nuts.  Derrick Alston rocked.  And so did the band.>>

I was at that Florida State game; I took my dad. They were ranked like No. 6 or 8th, and we beat them by 18 or 20. I think that we were losing by over 10 at the half.

Like Capn I have a raking of local teams that get my support too

#1 = Pirates

#2 = Steelers

#3 = Duquesne Dukes

#4 = Penguins

Big gap here…..

#5 = Pitt football

#6 = everyone else, Pitt basketball only if it comes to tournament time.

@GGG

Here is your welcome to the asylum info.

Please go directly to the front desk and check in with the nurse.  She will fit you for the straight jacket and med plan.  The jacket has to be a combination of black and gold, Mix and match the colors in the fashion you desire.

Thanks for joining and welcome aboard the crazy train.

It never ceases to amaze me when people say baseball is boring.  Yeah, it can be slow, but as Mad so eloquently stated, it's anticipation of each at-bat and play.  I've tried to explain it to my sister for years, but to no avail.  The first year she moved in with her boyfriend, I was a WS game and had to explain the sport to him -- he had not been allowed to play team sports in school.  Amazing.  

DMac - IMO, people say baseball is boring because they don't see all the nuances of the game.  Three and one pitch, bunts, pickoffs, what the pitcher is throwing, where the outfielders are playing, its just an awesome game.  And the best thing about it, IMO, is there is no clock, you gotta get 27 outs, and sometimes you never get them.

Thats what makes it different and thats what makes it special.

Hope springs eternal!!!!

Mr Huntington:

I am trusting you with the FA's you are chasing.  All I ask is that you:

Please sign 1B-3B-OF (as well as Emergency C) Doug Mientkiewicz.  There has to be a roster spot for this type of leader.

Thanks

GO BUCS

I can't wait to watch Ryan Doumit lead by example.

GO STEELERS

Come on DK no more Steeler links on the PBC blog please.....I come here for Pirates information only if I want Steelers info I'll check every other news source in the Pittsburgh area....I'm more concerned about Spring Training than the Steelers.....

Thanks : )

I agree with you, DMac & Biz, on the topic of whether or not baseball is boring.  When confronted with that remark, however, I find I am less patient that you two have described.  I have no interest in explaining it.  Clearly, these people don't know anything about it.  I wouldn't know where to start.  

Also, Tim T,

Spring Training Eternally Brings Hope.

We often link to other things here - or on the OS.  Just read what you want and skip over anything that doesn't interest you, 420.

I think alot of the reason why people say baseball is boring is the lack of physical contact in the sport.  It's ironic that what drew people to the game was the huge homerun increase during the era of steroids then the same people who cheered the ball getting hit miles were "shocked" that people used performance enhancing drugs.  It's kind of like soccer in america...the people who really enjoy watching the sport are the ones who can understand the different aspects of the game...but then again thats just my opinion

Capn - Don't worry I did I was just hoping to keep this Pirates talk alone : )  It's like going to the Pittsburgh Pirates' store at the mall and seeing Steelers gear sold there....I just pray for the day when Pittsburgh is crazy about the Pirates again.....

DMac:

Having played CF on a softball team where every player had an MD or PhD, I think your sister's boyfriend may have been a teammate of mine.  I'm still amazed no one on that team was killed.  It was like a season-long hunting trip with Dick Cheney.

I can remember picking a ball up on one hop, and seeing a guy try to go first to third on me.  As soon as I let the ball go, I realized that my third baseman Mitsuo was a) a Japanese visiting MD, and b) was playing in his first baseball game EVER.  My first worry was that my throw would hit him in the head.  My second worry almost materialized: he actually basket-caught the throw, waist high, was plowed over by the baserunner - and held on for the out.  No blood, no broken bones.  He said "I did right?"  I said, "that was perfect", knowing the 1980's Japanese obsession with perfection.  Then I smacked him on the butt with my glove, which confused him greatly.

Ugly,  yes I do remember the twin towers.  Man they were some big boys. Thye could play muscle with the best of them.

notice i did catch that mistake right after I hit add.  

richie hebner   FUNNY GUY

LOL...Duke...I doubt it was him...he's only played 1 softball game to my knowledge.  And he's a pretty quick study.  I was just amazed I had to tell him even the basics of the game.

@Capn...I hear you about the patience-thing.  I gues I benefitted from having spent time with my dad at the ball park which my sister did not...part of the reason he started taking me was she was a baby and Dad was giving Mom a bit of a break.  It's all good...that's one thing my dad and I have always had to talk about.

Apologies for not welcoming the newest Diehard to the fold, I believe someone will be along shortly with your scripts for the meds and to measure you for the straitjacket - have your color preference ready!

With all this talk of Duquesne basketball, I can't believe no one has mentioned Norm Nixon...

@ The Wu420: that is the point I was trying to make earlier. When we were kids on the North Side, the Steelers were not even on our radar scope. It was baseball for us, first and foremost. It is all we played, and all we talked about.

Good point about soccer as well, I didn't get it until I learned more about it and now I find it to be as nuanced and tactical (and entertaining) as baseball. There is something about these games that lets us imagine possibilities, if you will, beyond the scope of the play at hand.

Jose

I live in Chicago now and am sort of stuck reading Rogers' columns. His prevailing sentiment on which teams or players are good always shifts with the wind. He also has a tendency to harp on the same things over and over again.

Go Bucs!

I'm sure many of you are like me and read a lot of baseball websites and newspaper sites. (and the reader comments).

It makes me chuckle when I see that so many fans think their teams are not spending enough or doing enough to sign free agents (including most major market teams).   And most think their team's GM and owner are dopes..and are ruining their franchise.

Plus I am sick of seeing the Mets, Red Sox, and Yankees do all of the free agent signings.

DMac and Biz

I have told many people over the years that if they find baseball boring then they do not understand the game. Watch the fielders move every time a new hitter comes up or sometimes with every pitch.  Marvel at how many balls hit travel directly to a fielder.  Marvel at how well the infield is put together so that if the fielder makes the play cleanly the throw beats the fastest runner by a eyelash or he make slight bobble the fast runner beats the throw by an eyelash.  Watch how a great slide evades the tag.  Watch a great batter hit the ball into a hole like he he controlling it all the way to the outfield.  Watch pitcher hit spots that make a good hitter look bad--up, down, inside, outside.  Watching a great pitcher is like watching a great painter paint a masterpiece.  Look a picture of a game in 1930 and realize that if you change the uniforms it could be a picture from 2008.  Watch the ballet of a shortstop and 2nd baseman start a double play.  People think football players are tough (they are) but what about an outfielder who runs full speed, without a helmet and a lot of padding, into a wall and makes the catch.  Much more could be said but boring?  Don't think so.

I think that's what angers me the most about the state of the PBC...  I love the sport, but it's painful when your team of choice hasn't played a meaningful August game in 11 years.  My job keeps me busy until mid-May every year, and by that point, the Bucs are almost always 7 or 8 games back.  I used to care more about baseball than anything but the Steelers.  Now, given that management doesn't even seem to be trying, I'm almost tempted to jump ship to the Marlins.  Good thing my parents brought me up right...

@Wu420--

Come on DK no more Steeler links on the PBC blog please.....I come here for Pirates information only if I want Steelers info I'll check every other news source in the Pittsburgh area....I'm more concerned about Spring Training than the Steelers.....

I am with you, I don't begrudge anyone for posting what they want it in my case I just leave when baseball isn't the main topic, come back when it is.

PoH -

>>DK - don't forget: This year you NOTICE BEARD STYLES. please.<<

Could this have anything to do with the fact that beards are on chins which are pretty close to necks which, well, you know where I'm going with this. ;-)

Baseball is slow paced but definately not boring. To me one of the beauties of the sport is the chance to think about each play even each pitch before it happens. Will the pitcher throw inside or out breaking ball or fast ball? Will the fielders play for two or go for a play at the plate? Is the pitcher tiring? Who should be warming up? Who could pinch hit if the next two batters get on? So much to talk about between each pitch. If you tried that in any other sport you would miss 6 important plays. The beauty of no time clock. Sometimes the 27th out is impossible to get. That is why I am a die hard baseball fan. I am a Pirate fan because MAz and Roberto got into my blood 48 years ago and I am hooked.

Re baseball = boring: I suspect that many people who feel baseball is boring are thinking of/focusing on the occasions where there are large gaps where nothing happens. For example: pitchers who take so long between pitches you can got to the john, make a sandwhich or paint the house and not miss a beat. Another example: endless parades of coaches or managers to the mound and changes of pitchers after a single batter is disposed of. I realize there are good reasons for this but to those who are not diehards, it surely seems to make the game drag and, thus, seem boring. I can put up with the parade of coaches and pitchers. But I really am irritated by slow pitchers. It makes me not want to watch games that don't feature the Pirates.

Just read about the bobblehead days in 2009. Then I dozed off for a nap. During the nap, I had a dream. In the dream I was NuttingHostage. And I organized a fan movement to vote for a Bob Nutting bobblehead on September 25. Part of the movement was to have fans, in unison, stand up at the 7th inning stretch, rip off the heads and toss them onto the field where they bobbled around the field for about 5 minutes. Nutting was so humiliated, he sold the team to a partnership of Mario Lemieux and Dan Rooney..

See what happens when I don't take my asylum meds?

G-Man

 That was a bad dream.  Take your meds.  Please send me your size.  I'll loan you mine.

 Where is my daily count down to spring training or did I miss it?

 DK, Did not get a chance to do it yesterday, but thanks for the posting the photo of Pops.  I loved it.

G

I should have added: Why descecrate such a holy place as PNC Park by throwing bobble heads on the field?

Sell the team to the BIG GUY and Mr Rooney?  Ah, maybe you don't need the meds.

I say give yourself a hap cap for the dream.

G-Man: <dream>

Let me second egscoach's motion that you get a Hap Cap for your dream.. Can we vote you a Hap Cap by popular acclaim?

All in favor?  (AYE!  AYE!)

All opposed? (*crickets chirping*)

Motion carries.

Here you go, G-Man.

community.post-gazette.com/.../hap_5F00_cap.jpg

Note to all: I have reloaded my avatar.  To those who were wondering, the previous one was an homage to Bay George, in honor of his double-nickel birthday.  I think they were buffalo nickels, *G*

The current avatar....  some of you may have actually seen this lady waiting for the train.  I don't think she ever finds one to board.

Hmmm...  DK still hasn't converted to my way of thinking. *G*  Oh well... Still, by my methodology, it's only:

34 DAYS UNTIL PITCHERS AND CATCHERS!!!

(February 14th, 2009 is the reporting day.)

3 hours until the Bucs game comes on MLB Network!  I wonder if it will be WGN with Harry and Steve or a Pittsburgh broadcast.

Thought I'd drop back in and see what's going on.  It looks like the other side has appeared (thanks DK) and that the answer to "why is this blog so popular" has morphed into why baseball isn't boring.  

It's a game without a clock.  That does lead to a lot of delays, but compare that to football huddles, timeouts in football and basketball.  A baseball game takes about three hours, a football glame with a clock time of an hour takes about three hours, and 2/3 of the clock time is spent getting up, going back to the huddle, and liniing up.  A college basketball with 40 clock minutes takes about 2 and a half hours.  (Somebody once suggested that college basketball would be a more interesting sport if you started all the games with the socre tied at 80 with 1:59 to play.  

When baseball does move, it just explodes -- but you have to be at the park to appreciate it.  All at once three fielders are converging a looping flyball, the batter and runners are taking off in different directions, cut off men are moving into place, infielders are trying to get the bag in time -- the catcher may be running down the line to back up the play at first.  It's impossible to get all of that on TV.  (Because baseball does not televise well, the networks have gone for continuous action sports with timeouts for commercials.)

Because there no clock in baseball a 10 run lead (70-0 in football, 20/30 pts in basketball) can be overcome late in the game, even in the bottom of the ninth.  

Of course lack of familiarity with the game leads to the feeling that any game is uninteresting.  Being an Iowa boy, I grew up in a world where wrestling is our secondary winter sport -- high school gyms are packed out for wrestling meets, and almost everyone knows what takedowns, escapes, near pins, half nelsons, arm bars, cradles, riding time, reverses, and so on are.  I'm not a hockey fan, though, and when I see the enthusiasm on the blog for the sport I'm willing to tolerate it and I can watch the game and figure it out, but I need an education in the blue line rules every time I watch a game.  

Bear with me, I am going somewhere with this.  I grew up in the '50's when we pretty much had a free range childhood.  It was a safer time -- so much so that our parents felt comfortable turning us loose at the beginning of a summer or weekend day.  And what we did in the spring and summer included playing a lot of baseball.  Pick up games -- teams with four year old girls (you pitched underhanded and they got five or six strikes and you always threw wild to first base if they managed to hit it) and twelve year old guys who would hit into in the Librarians flower garden on the other side of the vacant lot and you had to go over there and get yelled out to get the ball back.  We knew how to adapt the rules for two on a side, how to play work-up and 500 and everybody in town was our coach or teammate or both.  

We had Little League with teams and all, but your baseball life wasn't over if you didn't play well in Little League.

Nowadays if you drive around town in the summer time, the only time you'll ever see kids playing baseball is if there is a game where everybody has uniforms, or if there's a dad with a few boys.  

Society has gotten scarier, and you don't see kids out without supervision.  Instead you see organized sports, which have (sadly) brought pressure to win to a boil -- and so kids quit playing once they can't make it at the next level.

There's a whole lot that's wrong with organized kids sports, and it's not my intention to open that topic up here -- except that one of those things is that without that experience that comes from playing the game as a fun way to pass time while you're a kid, young fans choose sports based on how well they show on TV.  And we live in a world now where a lot of kids baseball experience was that they weren't good at it, and so came to hate the game instead of love it.

That's not as well expressed as I'd like it to be, but there are so many large forces TV, the need to protect children, organized youth sports and Little League parents, that have changed the way people at large view the sport.  

As much as I want the Steelers to be the Super bowl champions,  and by all means that is probable,  I have been in the PMB several times today and went to the PBC as soon as I logged on to the PG.  Of course I am a NEVERDIE Pirate fan.

On the PMB several posters sport the anti-Nutting or Nuttingbuster or simply the NBA avavtar. It is a potrait of Bob Nutting with a circle-slash sign through it.  My name is the same there as is my avatar and it is the anti-NBA avatar.  I often say that the smiley face is Nutting in disguise.  Those are his pupils you see. Always a true Pirate fan,  I am also a fan of the Nuttings. I've never met him, Bob that is.  However we have mutual aquaintences. I say any man who uses the Widow at Whistler Blackcomb as a practice run is quite man enough for me.

The Nuttings in Wheeling are like the Rooneys in Pittsburgh.  THe Nutting Newspapers employ many thousands. any company that is almost 120 years old and still solvent is a strong company.  Especially one involved in the print news media.  I say these things not as some sort of tranquilizer,  I say these good things about our current ownership because I for one am convinced that the Pirates are in good business hands. The Pirates are probably by far the Nuttings biggest business investment. The Nutting/Pirate coalition is truely one that is in my opinion a very good fit.  

You might say,  show me the money,  or where is this coming from and where is this nut going with this.? I am tired of reading the vituperations regarding our current ownership. As a true fan,  I am as dismal as any one of you as far as the impending season that everyone believes will be the 17th consecutive losing season. I am inclined to believe that the current Pirates are more competitive than we know.  I base this on some of the players we do have. Alot has to come together,  especially our pitching.  However I believe it could occur and it will happen. And if it doesn't,  then Nutting will totally dismantle what we have and start all over.

BEAT 'EM BUCS

madturk2008 :

Being from Ohio has nothing to do with it. The first football player I ever liked was Dan Marino. I did not like the Steelers who could've had him, but didn't.

For many years my opinion of the Steelers was neutral because I didn't watch football at all, only baseball.

Now I do not like the Steelers because I can not stand Roethlisberger. If they had a different QB, I probably would change my mind.

egs and SirL -

Mucho gracias for the Hap Cap.

48jj -

>>Now I do not like the Steelers because I can not stand Roethlisberger.<<

Strangely enough, Ben is the firs Steeler QB since Bradshaw who has remained popular with the fans for an extended period. Even Tommy Maddox seemed to fall out of favor after losing a playoff game to Tennessee  Ben has had a mediocre year and his popularity seems to be starting to erode. He is not having a good day today and might find himself in the fans doghouse next summer if he loses today.

Sir-That wouldn' t be the uh uh woman from the Matrix?

The Oracle.Don't laugh.It's not as clear as Bay George.We all knew that was George O'Dowd!

@48jj wrote re: Morning links: How to reach diehards

on Jan 11, 2009 5:36 PM

madturk2008 :

Being from Ohio has nothing to do with it. The first football player I ever liked was Dan Marino. I did not like the Steelers who could've had him, but didn't.

________

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense to me.  A lot of people are getting down on Ben here as well.  Rightly so in my book.  He has become a drama queen and a happy footed QB this year.  Between the line play, Bruce Arians and his own play calling along with holding the ball every play instead of tossing it on time has produced some unfavorable comments about him.  Yes all we are hard on our QB's around here.  But he has deserved most of the criticism he has received.  Offense that rates 22nd in the league has more than one issue but it all starts with the QB.

Okay now with that said he played better today and threw the ball quicker and it paid off for us.  The running game was better as well.  Defense always good but cannot be left on the field real long or it does fall apart some.  

Nice win today.  Let's see next week if they and Ben can keep it up.

--

PS

I just returned from Ohio this year after being there for 5 years.

Mad

Ben did play better today-maybe because the line gave him more time than in many games.  Beautiful pass by Leftwich and that made it clear why Sweed hasn't played much this season.  

Programming reminder: The Pirates are on MLB Network now. Jorge Bell as a Cubbie, I always thought of him as a Blue Jay. To think we didn't even have the Internet when this game took place (1991). Thank goodness for Al Gore.

Enjoying the WGN telecast.  How about the fact there is no advertising boards anywhere, promo readings, Fox boxes, and of course still no crowd in attendance.  That never changes.

JAL -- Excellent point; a pro quarterback is as good as his offensive line, though he takes the credit and blame for what is essentially a team effort.

DK

I miss Forbes Field--it was like walking into the past.  Three Rivers did have some good ball played in it--probably better than it deserved :)  My problem with Three Rivers was you could have been in Cincy, Philly, or several other places and due to the dual nature of stadium it never felt like a baseball park, just a place where baseball was played.

I love looking at the Three Rivers crowd shots. I noticed that umbrellas were up during action, a no-no at PNC Park other than during rain delays. I wonder if the family section in the outfield had started by then. What was that, no drinking? I can't figure out why Steve Stone didn't get the "What do you do with a drunken sailor?" organ chants when the team is named the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hope Harry Carey takes some of the later TV innings.

Favorite seat at Three Rivers Stadium. Right above the Pirates bullpen on the second level. I still remember when Ramon Hernandez threw me up a ball like it was yesterday. I pitched like him in little league because of it (or at least I tried to).

"It seems like the lights are turned on more for day games than night games, certainly at Wrigley Field."

Boy I miss Harry Carey.  

That's a great question. Right now entertainment and a nice night out seem to take precedence over the on-field performance. I'd go back to a bad stadium to win. But even when the Pirates were consistently good like in the late 70s, it was hard drawing fans. The team did draw 2 million-plus for the first time in 1990 -- maybe that was the peak of good ball and good attendance. What do you think people would prefer?

DK -

>>Do you suppose people would go back to a bad baseball stadium if it meant getting back a good baseball product?<<

Wow! Major psychological intrigue there. I think most of us who have followed the club for the entire 16 years and longer would answer, "yes" without hesitation. I did not at all like 3RS for watching baseball. But there were lots of good memories. Of course, I live away from Pittsburgh. I would not be giving up anything if the club could move through a time/space machine that way.

Ah Don Slaught, the best free agent the Pirates ever picked up, IMO. Not too expensive and good performance. I'm ready for spring training!

Loved that ballpark too DK.  It was my first taste of baseball in Pittsburgh.  

My 7 year old is enjoying the game right here with me.  I made my first trip to 3 rivers in 1988 and made the 3 hour drive from Central Ohio quite a bit in 1990-1992 once my folks knew I could drive that far.  Even made it to 2 NLCS games and had game 1 world series tickets for 1992.  

That was good timing having a car and license during those 3 seasons.   The only way I could see the Pirates from where I grew up was on WGN and the occasional local tv affilliate of the Reds. I still have quite a few of the Pirates gear from those days.  I could pick up KDKA if i parked my car in the right spot.  I spent many a nights listening to Bucco games in my car.  Its amazing I had time to even meet my future wife in 1991.

The batting gloves I am still using with my kids today are exactly like Chico Lind's!  Man this is awesome.  Those Franklin gloves have held up well.  This makes me appreciate having Extra Innings and living an hour and a half closer to Pittsburgh.  

DK

Yes, I think people would rather have a good team than a good stadium.  Of course, there is no law that says you can't have a good team and good park.

I love PNC, but the only thing I've seen that's been truly a great experience about that ballpark when it comes to on field events was the All Star game.  That was probably the best experience I've had at the ballpark since the NLCS games I attended and we lost both of those games too.

Yes.

in a heartbeat.

I remember it well. Me and one of my buddies had tickets for Games 6 and 7 of the World Series in '92

Francisco Cabrera...... Barry Bonds........ Sid Bream......... *sigh*

Trivia Question: Were any of the players on these teams still active in 2008?

Tricky Trivia Hint: He's won 12 Gold Gloves.

JBS

Greg Maddux

Trivia answer...Greg Maddux?

>>Tricky Trivia Hint: He's won 12 Gold Gloves<<

Ollie the Octopus and his half-brother.

Good going, JAL & DMac. Greg Maddux is right. I just looked the box score up on retrosheet.org and saw that Jose Vizcaino -- who was on the Cubs roster at some point in 1991 -- didn't retire 'til 2006. And of course we have Barry Lamar, who still wants to come back.

One of my favorite nicknamed pitchers is on the mound for the Bucs -- Bob "Round Tripper" Kipper

Giveaway item that day.  NL Eastern Div Champs replica rings sponsored by Giant Eagle.  Wonder how many of those are still in existence out of the 11,000 plus folks that were there that day.  

Nice clutch double Gary Varsho!

Barry Bonds was having an Adam LaRoche April so far in 1991.

bucsfan:

I still have my 1979 World Series replica ring giveaway from early in the 1980 season.

For such a small attendance, didn't the crowd seem to make a lot of noise?

Penguins beat the Caps in Washington, 3-1, also on April 21, 1991, to take a 2-game to 1 lead in the conference semifinals

@JAL wrote re: Morning links: How to reach diehards

on Jan 11, 2009 8:36 PM

Mad

Ben did play better today-maybe because the line gave him more time than in many games.  Beautiful pass by Leftwich and that made it clear why Sweed hasn't played much this season.  

_________

Yes he did and I posted so on the other thread.

"Ben did throw the ball quicker on most plays as well.  Didn't hang out and wait and wait and wait before deciding where to throw it.  That helps the O-line and also gets the defenders off kilter a bit."

@Dejan Kovacevic wrote re: Morning links: How to reach diehards

on Jan 11, 2009 9:53 PM

Do you suppose people would go back to a bad baseball stadium if it meant getting back a good baseball product?

______

Maybe define a bad staduim a bit .

Forbes Field?  Loved the place but that may be because I was still young and went for the basebal and not the "stuff" thay have today.  It had a feel to it.  Like this is what you are here for or something.  

Yes the columns were in the way when sitting in certain places I remember looking around them when we could not get better seats.  Never took away from the game though.  Made you pay more attention as well.

Now you have great views, races, animals and birds shooting things in the stands to distract your attention from the game. You may miss the little things you see in between innings.

Hard question to answer.

I guess the bottom line if you have a good team or exciting team to watch the stadium does not matter much.

Hands down no question about it, good team over good ballpark..

I sold cokes first base box seats the day three rivers opened.

The stadium openedwith out all the plumbing complete on the upper deck, so there was no soda.  I sold orange drink up there, people came to you, no soda amd no draft beer.

couple of three rivers highlites:  the night they honored roberto the place was packed with his homeland fans. I was there the day Richie Hebner alledly chased a vendor which I saw into the stands,  saw the first home run hit there,and the biggest of all ---  sold a cokde to pie traynor.

I'm seeing the bottom line ticker during this game, and I can't help but think Mark Kotsay and Tim Redding would've been nice pickups for the Pirates.

Jersey: Those are great stories, I never heard about Hebner chasing a vendor. Here are some that come to mind for me. Seeing the Candyman pitch a no-hitter with my cousins from Downington, Mike Schmidt hitting his 500th, saving my ticket stub from Barry Bonds' first hit game, and the National Organization of Women (NOW) flying a banner over the field during a game Nolan Ryan was pitching because he he'd made a comment about them. Don't know why I remember that, I guess it was just funny.

Jim Bibby<<  chasing a vendor>>  yea, richie was in a bit of a slump and the vendor yelled he should go back to digging graves  and ricgie went up and chased him, no one thouyght he was seerious but he sure had the vendor thinkin so.

one more was also there the same game as morganna the kisser

That was a fun 4 hours.  Now that the game is over, its just about time for Morning Links.

Go Bucs!

seeing a no hitter thats a life time memory game for you!

GO STEELERS.

Love ya Pirates, but take notes of the Steeler organizaton and process!! I have been screaming this for years. Prior to that I was screaming was to steal management from the Atlanta Braves I screamed for years 1998-2007. Now I am just a wine-er and loud wimpering man who writes on a blog! Cause good advice to you via voice has not worked out. Yet year after year I buy the baseball channel to watch your debacle!! Insane I know...

Ryan Doumit is a Liar? Could not find what all that was about. I have one rule. ITS  NOT A LIE IF YOU BELIEVE IT! George Castanza on Seinfield..LOL

Go Bucs, hope the build from within and do nothing to talk about during the off season is the key!! Hope Adam LaRoche and especially our pitchers got their heads together and have a break out season in 2009!! Cheers David