This is outrageous!!

[nookiemonster]

How can Major League Baseball still be playing games??? This is so fucking wrong on so many levels. I'm disgusted.

I guess if you're not a rich, white, motherfucker then there's no need to stop the games, ie: 9/11.

Signed,
one poor, white, motherfucker.

[Ravenseye]

1. Not just Baseball

Football, College Football, Hockey is gearing up...

The one that really amuses me is Nascar, especially with possible gas problems they keep going. Even after Bush asks us to not use gas if we don't have to.

[Cobalt Violet]

7. Don't forget NASCAR. n/t

[Ravenseye]

9. Um.....I didn't...hehe n/t

[Cobalt Violet]

12. Oops. I meant it for the OP.

I couldn't believe Nascar was on the other night.

[Ravenseye]

15. I know seriously right?

Like...talk about a perfect example of how American waste.

Gas Shortage? Bah, lets have a car race.

[nookiemonster]

16. You're right.

I was just generalizing with the MLB.

This just really bothers me.

[SaveElmer]

13. Not a NASCAR fan...

But they use a special type of fuel which cannot be used in regular automobiles. It is refined differently at different places...really has no impact on gasoline supplies for the average person.

[Ravenseye]

20. Doesn't it all come from the same pot?

If you take oil and refine it into racing fuel, doesn't that take away fuel from the regular people?

Also I thought it was like super gasoline, but with a number of additivies...I didn't think it went through it's own separate refinery.

[SaveElmer]

23. My understanding of the situation with Gasoline...

Is not a shortage of oil, but that the refineries in the gulf region have shut down. Racing fuel is refined elsewhere, and they maintain a large stockpile of it. The fuel they are using now has already been refined for racing use.

[Telly Savalas]

33. Furthermore, I believe a NASCAR weekend uses about 9,000 gallons

whereas on average Americans consume well in excess of 300,000,000 gallons.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. They suspended games in the wake of 9/11...

...IIRC.

[CanOfWhoopAss]

3. There are no MLB teams in the states affected by the storm

Should show the red voters from those red states just how much Repukes really care. No 7th inning stretch like 9/11 either where victims are memoralized and God Bless America is sung or moment of silence.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Major League Baseball employs tens of thousands of people.

Many of them pay the homeless to clean out the stadiums after games.

A lot of poor people would be hurt if they stopped the games. Not to mention the vendors and businesses near the stadiums. Cancelling one weekend of football games doesn't do nearly as much economic harm.

[CanOfWhoopAss]

6. And the 7th inning stretch as I mention above?? nt

[nookiemonster]

8. I understand your point,

but there just appears to be no mourning at all for these people. It's almost like it doesn't want to be acknowledged.

[SaveElmer]

10. Exactly right...and not only that!!!

Most if not all professional teams are raising tens of thousands of dollars for relief.

Shutting down professional sports would do nothing to help the people down south, would only hurt those hourly wage workers that work the games, and in reality would hinder the large number of fundraising efforts going on at these games.

Plus people need a diversion. No person can wallow in bad news 24 hours a day...I say play ball!!!

Go to a game and enjoy yourself, and while you are there, drop whatever you can at the table collecting money for hurricane relief!!!

[nookiemonster]

11. The diversion is understandable,

but my bitching stems from this disaster's parallels to 9/11.

9/11! 9/11! ad nauseum. I'm just sick.

[SaveElmer]

18. There is...but

I belong to the booster club of a local minor league team (Potomac Nationals - Single A Carolina League). The last three days we have been manning a table for hurricane relief, giving away a free baseball for contributions of $10 or more. The team is also donating half it's same day game receipts. In just two days the team has raised over $10,000. Everyone who contributes comments on how they feel about it.

I was manning the table yesterday and a little kid came up with a bag full of change, mostly pennies he had collected to bring to the game. Ended up being $17, which his mother matched.

Soe even though people are going out to have a good time at the games, the situation down south is not far from their minds...they just want a little diversion from the constant drumbeat of terrible news!!!

[nookiemonster]

21. That's a fantastic story. Thank you.

I do realize that there are some folks in the sports community that do give a shit.

It just seems that collectively, from what I see this weekend, the "majors" aren't even acknowledging this disaster.

[SaveElmer]

24. Yeah...not being played up in the media...

But I know that every major league team is collecting money for relief, and the teams themselves are donating alot. I think the Yankees (despite my hatred of them as a Twins fan), has collected $1 million by itself. And at the games I have seen there has been a moment of silence before the game.

[crispini]

5. DAMN RIGHT.

3,000 die in NYC - nation mourns.
10,000+ die in New Orleans - nobody puts flags at half staff or anything.

FUCK THAT SHIT.

[rateyes]

14. Bush ordered flags at half-staff yesterday...

but, only after Rehnquist died...said it was in honor of both Rehnquist and Katrina victims. He's a putz.

[malaise]

17. That was shockingly vulgar

and it was not missed by rational people.

[crispini]

19. I agree.

Jackass. (Edited to add: not you, of course. HIM.)

[kdmorris]

25. Yeah, I loved that

"It's for both of them"???!!! What the hell?? You lower it an hour after the racist, corporatist bastard dies, but a whole fucking WEEK after the poor die in the south? Um, yeah, OK. I'm believing that one. Nice try, asswipe.

[mwb970]

29. What a jerk. (n/t)

[masshole]

22. MLB has helped

The league to date has donated over 2 million dollars, every team has made donations, the NY Yankees themselves have donated 1 Million dollars to diasaster relief agencies. Collections are made at ballparks, portions of merchandise sales are going to relief efforts. Many players have made their own substantial personal donations.

I don't think cancelling a baseball games in Seattle or Denver, or Boston would do anything to help the relief effort any more.

9/11 was different, much different. We know more now than we did then, but regardless, 9/11 had a bigger impact on our country as a whole. It's not just about the sum total of the dead.

[nookiemonster]

26. The personal and team contributions are noteworthy,

but I fail to see how 9/11 is considered "worse" than this. This administration repeated the casualty numbers ad nauseum to further their agenda.

I disagree about 9/11 having a bigger impact. It was just more widely publicized, IMO. Also, it bolstered this cabal's motives.

These losses will FAR exceed 9/11. I'm sure of it.

[masshole]

31. IMO

9/11 was an attack on our home, we were violated, exposed. We lost any sense of security. It didn't just give the Bushitas the ability to shred our constitition and further their agenda, it deeply affected the physche of the average American.
Every year hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes and other natural disasters hit this country. We are "used" to them, we expect to turn on the news and see them.
I'm not arguing whether the incompetent response in the aftermath was worse than the actual storm - but the general public will never equate 9/11 with "just" a hurricane, regardless of the damage caused.

[mccoyn]

27. Did you go into work last week?

Were you forced to watch sports this weekend?

I think it was a diversion for those who thought they needed it. Its not like they interrupted CNN's coverage to show a baseball game.

[nookiemonster]

28. Hey, thanks for the snarky remark.

That wasn't my point, and you know it.

My point was acknowledgement, that's all.

[SaveElmer]

30. Hey, where do you live?

If you live anywhere near a city with baseball, maybe go check out a game. I think you will see the acknowledgement you are looking for. I just don't think it is being reported in the media is the problem!

[nookiemonster]

32. I'm in STL, and I've been to a few Cards games this year.

Look, I love major league sports. I can be as fanatical as the next person. That's not my gripe, and perhaps I should have refocused my criticism.

The media is the problem. I'm not asking for exploitation, just a NATIONAL acknowledgement of the suffering that is occuring.

[SaveElmer]

34. Yep...I agree with you there...

As usual the media can't seem to do their job!!!

Will probably see your Cards in the series again this year...good luck!

[Pharlo]

35. While discussing the differences between 9/11 and Katrina,

did anyone stop to consider the differences in the situations?

9/11 was a terrorist attack. The nation was, essentially, in panic mode wondering where and when the next attack would occur. Any place where large groups of people convened on a scheduled basis was seriously concerned about that the terrorists weren't done and their event/place could be next.

IIRC, many buildings were evacuated and on high security alert post 9/11 (ie. Sears Tower in Chicago).

Katrina was a natural disaster. If you live in Chicago, the probability of being exposed to a hurricane is damn near zero and the Sears Tower wasn't evacuated - is that, too, failing to show respect for victims of Katrina?

Many precautions taken post 9/11 throughout America are not being duplicated post Katrina. It doesn't mean lack of respect. It is not indicative of racism. It was deemed a security issue. These sporting events are using this opportunity to collect needed private funds to assist the damaged area. In light of federal inaction, these donations are even more badly needed than ever before.

If anyone on this board were to go into the affilcted areas in the Gulf region or to any of the evacuation sites and ask which was more important to the people affected and took a poll asking:

In this time of crisis, which is more important to you: 1) Collection of funds collected during sporting events for relief efforts, or 2) A suspension of sporting events in memoriam for the catastrophe we, as a nation, have endured?

What do you think the answer would be to these people who have been clamoring - and rightfully so - for assistance.

The suspension of sports after 9/11 was viewed as a security issue. The non-suspension of sports after Katrina is a desperately needed private relief fund drive. Particularly in view of the gross inadequacy of the 'response' of our federal govt.

[Neecy]

36. well...

I noticed last night that Jon Miller (a good Democrat) sounded a little embarrassed when he opened Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.

I forget exactly how he put it, but he mentioned Katrina and then said that baseball was an escape, indicated that he didn't really feel comfortable about it or didn't want to be there (not his exact words, but that was the tone), then mentioned the money MLB was raising.

He definitely gave out vibes that he didn't agree with having baseball over the weekend. Joe Morgan was silent.