Fishing - i hate baseball..

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i hate baseball..

slenon wrote:

Glad that there are at least two of us of a similar mind. ...

While you and ET1 share a similar snotty, superior, misanthropic
attitude, the Evil Ken Twin is not a sanctimonious prick on a
pompous, self-important crusade to "open the eyes" of society.

--
Ken Fortenberry - ET2

i hate baseball..

Chuck Vance:
I think we all know that. My point was that before you changed
your position, you said that folks who enjoyed the "gladiator sports"
needed to have their eyes opened to the mistake of their ways.

How to approach this without using a shotgun?
My position remains the uncommon and unpopular one I first stated. I think
far too much emphasis is given to spectator games and that the average fan
is charged far too much for what ever pleasure they derive from attending
them. To me, the position in today's society held by these games strongly
suggests the bread and circus approach to managing the mob practiced by the
Roman Emperors. Except, our mobs, or crowds, pay for the games rather than
attend free games.

The games are gladiatorial combats scaled back to near bloodless levels.
There is little to no local loyalty among the players for the cities that
host the franchises. Again, suggestive of the Roman era. I won't even
touch upon the special privileges afforded celebrity athletes who repeatedly
break laws except to mention that we are all aware of such patterns.

The practice of threatening to move the franchise in order to get cities,
counties, and even states, to affect taxation to build new venues is
despicable. Tampa is the nearest case in point to my home. The franchise
owners made the big threat and the county voted in a tax to pay for a new
stadium. Had they imposed this tax upon only the fans, those voluntarily
attending the games, that would have been a different matter. As a result,
if I purchase food or drink, lodging, or transportation, anywhere in
Hillsborough County, I am taxed to pay for a stadium I did not vote to
build.

Did the citizens who attend these games vote for this willingly? Was it
shoved down their throats in lieu of losing "their team?" If the team was
that ready to move, was it ever "theirs?" Is voting to tax yourself and
others so that millionaire franchise owners can escape the cost of doing
business and shift it to those less able to afford it the act of someone
with politically opened eyes?

Nor do I have any desire to help pay for Dubya to prove his manhood in
Iraq, but that's a whole different kettle of worms.

I didn't vote for him. We probably have some similar positions here and
some divergent ones.

Let's see ... a quick Google search shows that they are/were using
Dan Marino in ads to help sell their cars. Is that what you're
referring to?

No. They are currently airing some horridly obnoxious clips of local fans,
who certainly appear to be seriously impaired, dancing and shouting to the
theme from "ghostbusters." Very, very annoying and the volume is boosted
tremendously. I can usually ignore commercials or read through them. This
one sends me scrambling for the mute button.

How very generous of you.

I have moments of generosity. Please don't let it get around, though.

Actually, that's something we agree on. I saw them (for free) in
October 1972 on the lawn at Vanderbilt, and that was possibly the
greatest event/concert I've ever been a part of.

Late 72 was a good period. I'm partial to 71-77. Your description of the
crowd scene is much like everyone else's, mine included. I never saw any
fights in the earlier days, the mob was docile. Yet the threat was often
there when the Hell's Angels were in attendance. Always an odd microcosm
that never really existed, in my experience, any place except at shows.

My first show was in Aug, '68. I saw them at the Avalon and then shipped
overseas the next day. My last was the stadium show in Tampa, 95. ( the old
stadium, btw, now torn down to make way for the one discussed above) It
was, for the end of tour in spring of '95, surprisingly well played and
jazzy. We got good value for the admission price. But the crowd pressure
was oppressive, the feel of family you recall was not really there. There
were too many people and too many camps. The lot scene outside was sad. It
was hard to hear the tour rats spare-changing over the hiss of nitrous tanks
filling balloons. I thought then that it was likely my last show. "Summer
time done come and gone, my oh my!"

--

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

i hate baseball..

"slenon" wrote in message
...

...My position remains the uncommon and unpopular one I first
stated.

One hardly knows where to begin to speculate on what kind of warped
vision of the real world inspires the delusional notion that any view
you have expressed on this or any other matter is uncommon or
unpopular, or how you would recognize any such distinction if it
jumped up and bit you on your smug and supremely pedestrian ass.

Wolfgang
who probably shouldn't be surprised at a manifest inability to
distinguish between one's position and one's persona.

i hate baseball..

While you and ET1 share a similar snotty, superior, misanthropic
attitude, the Evil Ken Twin is not a sanctimonious prick on a
pompous, self-important crusade to "open the eyes" of society.
Ken Fortenberry - ET2

I'd have to say that having seen your repeated ranting posts about the evils
of Zionism you're a lot more closely mirror-twinned to me than he.

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

i hate baseball..

Fact is, both sports that could reasonably qualify as professional
"minor leagues", mens football and basketball, not only do not cost
"higher education" big bucks, they actually generate funds for the
athletic department..

Then why bother calling such professionals students? Call them what they
are. Let the games support the games programs and withdraw all other
funding. A true university can survive quite well with no athletic
department.

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

i hate baseball..

One hardly knows where to begin to speculate on what kind of warped
vision of the real world inspires the delusional notion that any view
you have expressed on this or any other matter is uncommon or unpopular

Warped vision? Why yours, of course, sir. After all, if such an august
person as your self, in consideration for arbiter, fails to agree with
something I have expressed in a free and open forum, then I must be in
error. Oh, my! I must have missed the column in today's papers confirming
your appointment. I'll have my staff send a gift around immediately.

or how you would recognize any such distinction if it
jumped up and bit you on your smug and supremely pedestrian ass.
Wolfgang

I don't believe distinctions are venomous. But if such should occur I'll
think of you when I need someone to perform oral venom extraction.

"Smug and supremely pedestrian ass?" How kind of you to say so. But I must
admit to use of a vehicle yesterday to travel for fishing purposes and today
to transport groceries.

who probably shouldn't be surprised at a manifest inability to
distinguish between one's position and one's persona.

No you shouldn't be. You fit the role rather nicely, too.

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69

i hate baseball..

slenon wrote:

... A true university can survive quite well with no athletic
department.

You are confusing a University with a trade school and incidentally
revealing a deficiency in your own education.

Big time intercollegiate athletics has become an industry apart
from the mission of the University, the tail wagging the dog, so
to speak, but athletics, both individual and intercollegiate, is
an important part of a well-rounded education.

--
Ken Fortenberry