I just got back from watching my beloved Yankees lose to the Royals. The Yanks took 3 out of 4 during this KC trip, but tonight they looked flat. I was also at the 9-4 NY victory Monday night-much better game. Got to see Rocket pitch, probably for the last time in person. Kaufman Stadium is a great place for a game- especially when the 26-time World Champs are in town. I'm doing my best to indoctrinate my boys with the ways of Yankee baseball. I know I am succeeding as my oldest son asked me-at a Royals game in KC- why there are people wearing Royals garb at the game! Tonight I was especially hoping to see A-Rod hit number 500 (home run)- an incredible feat at his age, he should break it any game now.Speaking of homers-although, of the illegitimate variety- and in light of my earlier post about Barry "juiced" Bonds, check out what Bob Costas' response to Bond's recently calling him a midget-
NEW YORK -- A day after Barry Bonds called him a "little midget man who knows (nothing) about baseball,'' broadcaster Bob Costas said he wasn't upset with the San Francisco Giants slugger and responded with a jab of his own.
"As anyone can plainly see, I'm 5-6½ and a strapping 150, and unlike some people, I came by all of it naturally,'' Costas said Thursday in a telephone interview.
On this week's edition of HBO's "Costas Now,'' commissioner Bud Selig, Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and chemist Patrick Arnold discussed Bonds, his pursuit of Hank Aaron's home run record and suspicions that Bonds has used steroids. Schilling and Arnold said they believed Bonds had taken performance-enhancing drugs.
Bonds viewed at least part of the show before Wednesday's game against Atlanta.
"I've actually always had a pretty cordial relationship with Barry,'' Costas said. "I have no ill feelings toward him personally. I regard him as one of the greatest players of all time who got inauthentic boost and then became a superhuman player. I wish him no ill whatsoever.''
"I've actually always had a pretty cordial relationship with Barry,'' Costas said. "I have no ill feelings toward him personally. I regard him as one of the greatest players of all time who got inauthentic boost and then became a superhuman player. I wish him no ill whatsoever.''
Pretty witty response on the part of Costas...pretty true also.
10 comments:
I am not much of a follower of baseball, or any team sport for that matter, being more into the individual varitey, Golf, cycling, running, adventure sports, etc. Has anyone noticed that even in cycling doping is a problem? In the "Tour de France" the winner last year was dropped for doping. The person leading this year for 9 days was dropped for suspected doping. Several in the middle of the race were dropped for doping, opne right after a spectacular ride. A lot of teams had to drop people prior to the race start because of doping. It is getting to where anytime someone has a remarkable day, where they leave everyone in the dust, climbing mountains like they are small Kansas hills, they are probably doping.
I imagine, in all sports, it is the lure of "fame and fortune" and the big money that can be had now due to all the advertising. It is a way to become fabulously weathly and famous and have everyone love you, as long as you are doing well.
I have even read that a lot of athletes, when given the choice to have all that their sport had to offer, records, fame, money, etc, by using a performance enhancing substance but would die at the end of 5 years, would do it any way. That says a lot.
I wonder when NASCAR is going to have to worry about cheating?
Anyone else have a problem typing those squiggly distorted letters right the first time? Or am I the only idioit? Maybe I need some type of performance enhancing substance! Something that helps me see really well!
If beef jerky, pork rines, and beer were illegal,NASCAR would be in trouble.
Gayag, I’m like you, know nothing of baseball and really don’t care. But sure agree with you about them’thar squiggly critters. Usually got make a couple of runs at em’ myself.
Well, after a week of starting a new job and seeing all four Yankees – Royals games it is nice to avoid traffic and fast food and catch up on life. While at the K (although I still call it Royals Stadium) I kept, hoping to hear that Bonds broke the record, (not because I want him to but I wanted to see the fan reaction)
My love of the game came naturally in an era before soccer fields (no offense) were the norm. I grew up on the Northeast side of Kansas City where boys (yes girls did not play with our group) on my block every spring summer and fall were gather in our various field of dreams immolating players of our era.
My first game was June 5, 1976 between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals, I was 9 years old out in the hot sun, and I saw Hank Aaron who pinched hit for Bill Sharp be intentionally walked by Steve Mingori in the top of the 11th of a 14-inning ball game. The Brewers pinched run for Hank Aaron Gorman Thomas. Wednesday night I saw Alex Rodriquez hit his 499th homerun as the New York Yankees won another blow out game over the Kansas City Royals. I have made it a point since 2003 to attend every Cardinals-Royals and every Yankees-Royals series. I love baseball, I have since I played in my youth on the plains of Missouri.
Now why am I a fan of the game? Any kid including me could play. Even if it was three on three pick up games, “Indian” Ball, or “step ball” we played because it was fun! It was the best part of summer before adolescence took over. You could play for hours or until sundown.
How did a kid growing up in Kansas City during the 1970s ever root for the New York Yankees? In the fifth grade, I read in my history textbook a story on Lou Gehrig, and later I saw the movie Pride of the Yankees. Although in 1976 I rooted for the Royals in American League Championship Series by 1977 before the Yankees repeated their performance over the Royals in the American League Championship, I became a Yankee fan. I repeat it had nothing to do with Billy Martin, or Reggie Jackson, or Thurman Munson, or winning another pennant or winning the World Series although those things did not hurt especially for bragging rights. Billy Martin was and is still today my favorite manager.
I grew up in the free agency era, and with my love of sports and history, the Yankees like the (refuse to mention that team that plays in Fenway Park), Dodgers (only mention because the Yankees beat them so many times in the World Series), Cardinals or Cubs (only mention because of Harry Caray) were teams you could respect.
Before, free agency and before every game was broadcast on TV, baseball was a game that despite its flaws, was as American as the commercial went, and “They go together in the good ole U.S.A. Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie & Chevrolet!” Saturday mornings well spent watching “The Baseball Bunch”, “This Week in Baseball with Mel Allen”, and the Game of the Week on NBC with Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek and later with Vin Scully, Bob Costas, and Monday Night Baseball with Keith Jackson and Howard Cosell later with Bob Uecker. Although we could not hear Cardinals games in Kansas City and although we did not have Jack Buck, we did have covering the Royals, Denny Matthews, and Fred White.
Of course, the obvious flaw in baseball was not allowing minorities to play for over 50 years. Yes, Jackie Robinson was not the first man to break the color barrier that honor goes to Sol White and as great as Jackie was to the game he was not alone just look at all those players like Josh Gibson whom although not confirmed hit close to or over 800 home runs in his brief life and career. Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell and even the ambassador of the Negro Leagues Awareness Buck O’Neil paved the way for Aaron and Bonds. It all goes back to the (*) asterisk and Roger Maris who hit 61 home runs in 1961. Comparing stats is in the eye of the beholder.
There will be those who like me still believe that Cal Ripken as great as he was did not legitimately break Gehrig’s record of consecutive games played because Ripken went on strike. I also may add I do not think Aaron should be the Home Run king despite how great he was because it 2,500 more at bats to achieve the record. The list goes on and on as far as any sports record is concern.
We live in an era where winning is everything. As much as I love the Yankees history along with the Cardinals in the National League, there was a time when these same Kansas City Royals could compete with them on the field and in team salaries. I still remember when George Brett finally got his million dollar a year contract and that was toward the end of his career.
That is why a Barry Bonds, or Mark McGuire or a Jason Giambi take enhancing drugs for as we are know man is totally deprived. McGuire and Sosa no more broke Maris or Ruth single season mark as Bonds will break Hank Aaron’s record.
My dad loved boxing, and as great, as Muhammad Ali may have been in his era there was no one in my dad’s eyes who was a better boxer than Rocky Marciano. As my dad would simply say, "40 and 0" or when it came to auto racing no one but A. J. Foyt in Indy Car, David Pearson, and later Bill Elliot in NASCAR were far better drivers. We all have our sports heroes and memories of days past. Well, in the same vain baseball is like that, its passion, and maybe when the get rid of the DH, make salaries equal to their fans in the stands, and raise the mound to its 1968 level then and maybe then we will have a level playing field.
As far as the latest series between Yankees and Royals, I think its becoming harder and harder to take young ones to the games. Personally, I think no children should be admitted until they are actually playing the game. I also don’t like how baseball which is suppose to be fan friendly is now denigrating women with their promotions in the 1970s it was halter top day last night it was “Ladies Night” or shall I rephrase that lets watch young adult women get extremely drunk who know nothing about the game night. My final pet peeve, I know it is fashionable to wear team attire, but could you at least where the team colors that go along with it! I know of know team in baseball not even the San Francisco Giants who wear PINK.
Well, after a week of starting a new job and seeing all four Yankees – Royals games it is nice to avoid traffic and fast food and catch up on life. While at the K (although I still call it Royals Stadium) I kept, hoping to hear that Bonds broke the record, (not because I want him to but I wanted to see the fan reaction)My love of the game came naturally in an era before soccer fields (no offense) were the norm. I grew up on the Northeast side of Kansas City where boys (yes girls did not play with our group) on my block every spring summer and fall were gather in our various field of dreams immolating players of our era.
My first game was June 6, 1976 between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals, I was 9 years old out in the hot sun, and I saw Hank Aaron who pinched hit for Bill Sharp Aaron was intentionally walked by Steve Mingori in the top of the 11th of a 14-inning ball game. The Brewers pinched run for Hank Aaron Gorman Thomas. Wednesday night I saw Alex Rodriquez hit his 499th homerun as the New York Yankees won another blow out game over the Kansas City Royals. I have made it a point since 2003 to attend every Cardinals-Royals and every Yankees-Royals series. I love baseball, I have since I played in my youth on the plains of Missouri.
Now why am I a fan of the game? Any kid including me could play. Even if it was three on three pick up games, “Indian” Ball, or “step ball” we played because it was fun! It was the best part of summer before adolescence took over. You could play for hours or until sundown.
How did a kid growing up in Kansas City during the 1970s ever root for the New York Yankees? In the fifth grade, I read in my history textbook a story on Lou Gehrig, and later I saw the movie Pride of the Yankees. Although in 1976 I rooted for the Royals in American League Championship Series by 1977 before the Yankees repeated their performance over the Royals in the American League Championship, I became a Yankee fan. I repeat it had nothing to do with Billy Martin, or Reggie Jackson, or Thurman Munson, or winning another pennant or winning the World Series although those things did not hurt especially for bragging rights. Billy Martin was and is still today my favorite manager.
I grew up in the free agency era, and with my love of sports and history, the Yankees like the (refuse to mention that team that plays in Fenway Park), Dodgers (only mention because the Yankees beat them so many times in the World Series), Cardinals or Cubs (only mention because of Harry Caray) were teams you could respect.
Before, free agency and before every game was broadcast on TV, baseball was a game that despite its flaws, was as American as the commercial went, and “They go together in the good ole U.S.A. Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie & Chevrolet!” Saturday mornings well spent watching “The Baseball Bunch”, “This Week in Baseball with Mel Allen”, and "The Game of the Week on NBC" with Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek and later with Vin Scully, Bob Costas, and "Monday Night Baseball on ABC" with Keith Jackson and Howard Cosell later with Bob Uecker. Although we could not hear Cardinals games in Kansas City and although we did not have Jack Buck, we did have covering the Royals, Denny Matthews, and Fred White. Of course, the obvious flaw in baseball was not allowing minorities to play for over 50 years. Yes, Jackie Robinson was not the first man to break the color barrier that honor goes to Sol White and as great as Jackie was to the game he was not alone just look at all those players like Josh Gibson whom although not confirmed hit close to or over 800 home runs in his brief life and career. Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell and even the ambassador of the Negro Leagues Buck O’Neil paved the way for Aaron and Bonds. It all goes back to the (*) asterisk and Roger Maris who hit 61 home runs in 1961. Comparing stats is in the eye of the beholder.
There will be those who like me still believe that Cal Ripken as great as he was did not legitimately break Gehrig’s record of consecutive games played because Ripken went on strike. I also may add I do not think Aaron should be the Home Run King despite how great he was because it took 2,500 more at bats to achieve the record. The list goes on and on as far as any sports record is concern.
We live in an era where winning is everything. As much as I love the Yankees history along with the Cardinals in the National League, there was a time when these same Kansas City Royals could compete with them on the field and in team salaries. I still remember when George Brett finally got his million dollar a year contract and that was toward the end of his career.
That is why a Barry Bonds, or Mark McGuire or a Jason Giambi take enhancing drugs for, as we all know man is totally depraved. McGuire and Sosa no more broke Maris or Ruth single season mark as Bonds will break Hank Aaron’s record.
My dad loved boxing, and as great, as Muhammad Ali may have been in his era there was no one in my dad’s eyes who was a better boxer than Rocky Marciano. As my dad would simply say, "40 and 0" or when it came to auto racing no one but A. J. Foyt in Indy Car, David Pearson, and later Bill Elliot in NASCAR were far better drivers. We all have our sports heroes and memories of days past. Well, in the same vain baseball is like that, its passion, and maybe when the get rid of the DH, make salaries equal to their fans in the stands, and raise the mound to its 1968 level then and maybe then we will have a level playing field.
As far as the latest series between Yankees and Royals, I think its becoming harder and harder to take young ones to the games. Personally, I think no children should be admitted until they are actually playing the game. I also don’t like how baseball which is suppose to be fan friendly for the family but now its continuing its denigrating women with their cue from the promotion in the 1970s it was halter top day last night it was “Ladies Night” or shall I rephrase that "lets watch young adult women get extremely drunk who know nothing about the game" night. My final pet peeve, I know it is fashionable to wear team attire, but could you at least wear the team colors that go along with it I know of no team in baseball not even the San Francisco Giants who wear PINK!
No doubt- Marciano is the greatest ever....
I could have wrote Rick's post except my Yankee era was the Mattingly era...
Tony sorry for the multiple post but as you know when you go back and reedit you will always find typos grammer and spelling errors. What can I say I was a byproduct of the Kansas City Public Schools. By the way in case you want to see some highlights of the Yankees in the era that I watch them just watch if you have not already The Bronx is Burning on ESPN and for those who do not have cable you can watch it online at http://www.bronxisburning.com/
I also loved Donnie Baseball, it was just a shame that his career was over before 1996. As it reads on his plaque at Monument Park in Yankee Stadium "A humble man of grace and dignity, a captain who led by example, proud of the pinstripe tradition and dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, a Yankee forever." http://donmattingly.com/
My dad grew up on Cardinals baseball he was a fan of Stan "the Man" Musial, and as we say about Rocky (Marciano not Balboa)if he missed you with a left he would kill you with a right. http://www.rockymarciano.net/home.htm
Rocky Marciano was good, but better than Joe Louis?
Don't forget Joe Louis was 75 years old when they boxed.
Stan "the Man" Musial ... the Cardinals could certainly use him again.
Joe Louis is the only real threat to Rocky M's status as the greatest ever. He was a gem, and you are right, Rocky's fight against him happened well after Joe's prime. I give Rocky the edge for a couple reasons:
1. He's Italian
2. Rocky was a relatively undersized heavyweight- yet he still was undefeated.
3. I think Rocky's class of heavy weights (LaStarza, Charles, Applegate, Cockell, Moore, and of course- Louis) was a touch better than Joe's.
My only disappointment with Marciano was not fighting Floyd Patterson. Still, I won't argue too much with calling Joe Louis the greatest...
As for Musial- a true class act and tribute to the game, no doubt.
Hey, for an NL team, I like the Cards. I've been to many of their games. Heck, if they win 19 more world championships, they'll tie the Yanks.
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