World Series boycott: Day I

[bluestateguy]

For the first time in 20 years I will be boycotting the World Series. I simply will not lend my support to yet another boring Yankee World Series. Call me an extremist, but I think that 27 championships is quite enough thank you. They and their fans have an entitlement mentality that I simply will not support with my viewership this week. Then there's that other team, the Marlins. I have nothing againist their players, but I have little respect for a ballclub that "defends" their world championship by selling off their whole team before their trophy has collected dust on the owner's mantle. During the game tonight I will be grading exams and watching Part I of Ken Burns' documentary: Baseball. I will build a bridge to the past.

[Nailzberg]

1. There's a baseball game today?

I thought the World Series was cancelled for lack of interest.

[mlawson]

35. I wish they would cancel the 2004 series!

TWO weeks before the election! Millions will not even bother to know who our nominee is, until the series is over! The media whores will use this to bush' advantage.

[Blitz]

36. You know, not everything is about politics

It's the World Series for God's sake. It's a living part of American Culture. One of the very few uniquely American spectacles that provides a necessary cultural bond for a uniquely diverse populace.

You don't have to watch the World Series or even like baseball. For me, and much of the rest of the country, it will be a welcome opportunity to focus on something other than the ugly political campaigns which will have been raging for months at that point.

Besides, it's not like I'd miss the opportunity to watch the Yankees play for their 28th title.

[mlawson]

38. Welcome opportunity to focus on something other....?

Unfortunately for us Dems, *most* people find ways to focus on ANYthing else but politics, 365 days a year. That is why we lose many elections, and the one in November 2004 will be the most important one in most of our lifetimes. I can remember back to the 1956 election, and yes, 2004 will be the BIGGIE!

It is true that many many voters wait until the Series is over, before they pay any real attention to the prez election. When I was a kid, the Series was over with duringthe forst week of October, leaving 4 weeks for political self education. But now, there will be barely a week in between, and many voters will settle for the media sound bites for their information. Those sound bites will be skillfully designed by the media to attack our guy, and build bush up.

What I want is, for the Series to be moved back to the first week of October. Yes, the networks will never allow that, but it's a wish, anyway.

[Blitz]

43. "That is why we lose many elections"

If you think that is why Dems have been losing elections, you can expect to keep losing. Look a little deeper. Contrary to popular belief (on DU), the American voter really isn't an uninformed moron.

[mlawson]

44. Then how did Dubya get enough votes to steal 2000???

Of course the 40% or so hard core repukes voted for him. But what about the other 8%???? That translates to millions of voters.

How did Ronnie win 49 states?

[Redneck Socialist]

45. Uninformed maybe. but...

not morons. Disparaging the very voters we need to recruit by calling them morons will not help us win any elections.

[Blitz]

46. That was my point

I don't think they're morons or, for that matter, particularly uninformed. Other DUers disagree rather vehemently.

[joeybee12]

2. Your words are poigant and true--and you're gonna get flamed!

Nobody really cares who wins this series outside of each teams' fans.

Outsiders would have tuned in for either the Cubs or Sox to root for the underdog. They will now stay away in droves. Fox will lose money, which is a good thing!

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. Count me in.

If it were the Cubs and Red Sox, the whole world would be watching. Anyway, OU plays Missouri at 6 p.m. Go Sooners!

[tekriter]

14. Go SOONERS???!?

You misguided soul...

:evilgrin:

[greatauntoftriplets]

16. OU 65 - UT 13.

[tekriter]

18. That was SOOOOO last week...

Mizzou will unleash a whoopass airstrike upon The Empire tonight and I am willing to put up one AMERICAN dollar to back that up!



:eyes:

[greatauntoftriplets]

25. OU is expected to beat Missouri by 26 points.

:eyes:

[bluestateguy]

26. As a Longhorn, I must warn you

OU is not be taken too lightly...at least not on the football field.

As an academic institution, well, that's another story. UT does not close the university down and cancel classes a day before a FOOTBALL GAME.

[greatauntoftriplets]

27. Nor did UT blast "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You"

at maximum volume across the campus the week before the game. Note: I have flown across Oklahoma but never been there.

[greatauntoftriplets]

33. Second quarter, OU leading Missouri 17 - 10.

[greatauntoftriplets]

41. OOPS!! OU 31 - Missouri 10

[greatauntoftriplets]

47. OU 34 - Missouri 13.

[greatauntoftriplets]

48. and a big kick.

:kick:

[fishnfla]

4. BORING,BORING,BORING

we *all* get it for the third time now, buddy. You're one of them sore loser types, run your little jock strap of surrender up the flag pole.

[trotsky]

5. Aw, c'mon bluestateguy!

<sarcasm>
Don't you know that the Yankees are good simply because their owner WANTS to win, and invests in the team? If only all the other teams (who don't have nearly as much money to work with as the Yankees, but that's TOTALLY beside the point) wanted to WIN, you see, then they too would be in the postseason year after year after year.
</sarcasm>

Seriously though, don't hold that '97 selloff against the current Marlins. They have a different owner, different players, different everything. I'm not a huge baseball fan, just a casual one, but I will definitely be cheering for the Marlins.

[SpiralHawk]

6. I am a Red Sox fan, but i will watch some of the Series

Gotta deal with reality.

Besides, the Marlins and the Yankees are two good teams. They should have some great games. I can always admire excellence.

[Cheswick2.0]

7. I guess the yankees should just stop trying

to win games.

So what is your solution? Is there some rule change baseball needs to institute, in your opinion, to keep the Yankees from winning?

[joeybee12]

8. No, I think his point is that there won't be as much interest in this

series if there were different teams in there.

[Seneca]

15. it's called the salary cap

It would make the teams more competitive, rather than having the same elite few win year after year. It was a minor miracle when the Angels won last year because they had a relatively small payroll. It can be done, but is few and far between.

The above poster is correct, an entitlement mentality long ago set in with the Yankees and their fan base.

The Repblicans whine that they pay too much in taxes, and sneer at us when we oppose tax cuts for them. They say we "want to punish achievement". This sounds curiously like the complaints of Yankee fans when people speak up against the Steinbrenner (felon for illegal contributions to Tricky Dick) machine.

We don't want to punish the Yankees or their many achievments. But a fairer payroll system would be good for all of baseball.

Then again, I am just a bleedin' heart socialist. :-)

[bluestateguy]

17. Also

All these Yankee fans saying "Get over it, you lost". Gee that sounds familliar.

[Catt03]

9. Please!

Please....the Marlins are winners and I am impressed by their tenacity and perserverence. This is a team that was a winner in 1997 and then dismantled and sold by an irate owner because the public refused to build him a stadium. They are also about the lowest paid team in the league.

And I am a fan!

[tridim]

10. This might get me flamed,

but does anyone else have a problem with Jeter's cockyness? He reminds me of a spoiled frat boy and his inflated ego makes me cringe every time they show his face during a game. I don't have anything else against the Yankees, but Jeter's antics definately turn me away and make me less of a fan. Anyone else?

I'll probably watch from game 4 until the end, but I'm not at all excited about the series.

[jus_the_facts]

30. Derek Jeter is an exceptional human being.....take a look at why I say so.

....not only an outstanding ball player but his personal life is beyond exceptional....please check out what he devotes his time and money to off the field before you judge him...thank you and good day!:)


http://www.turn2foundation.org/programs/scholar.asp

TURN 2 FOUNDATION MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of this private non-profit corporation is:


To create signature programs which will acknowledge and reward youths who avoid drugs and alcohol and those who choose healthy lifestyles.


To fund organizations which help prevent and treat teenage substance abuse.


To leverage the integrity and popularity of Derek Jeter by hosting special events for today’s youth which serve as a platform for his message.

[jus_the_facts]

32. KICKIN' FOR DEREK JETER....who's NOT cocky or spoiled..........

:kick:

http://www.turn2foundation.org/programs/scholar.asp

TURN 2 FOUNDATION MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of this private non-profit corporation is:


To create signature programs which will acknowledge and reward youths who avoid drugs and alcohol and those who choose healthy lifestyles.


To fund organizations which help prevent and treat teenage substance abuse.


To leverage the integrity and popularity of Derek Jeter by hosting special events for today’s youth which serve as a platform for his message.

[BlueJazz]

11. Hey..I know from a VERY reliable source...

that every Player and every Manager on both the Yankees and Marlins
teams voted for George Bush and all but two voted a straight Republican ticket..

If you watch this "Right-Wing Series" you're a traitor to DU and
everything it stands for..

[Loyal]

13. That's not even true

There's no way you could know who every player voted for. Just stop spreading lies.

[ProudGerman]

19. heh, that was almost funny

I'm not gonna watch for the simple reason is this series is actually a huge let down compared to what it could have been. The Red Sox/Yankee series was great, a nail biter from first pitch in game 1 to the last swing in game 7. The Cubs/Marlins series was great too, but it was painful to watch it slip out of Chicago's hands.

I already know how this yawner series is gonna be broadcast, 3 hour snooze fests of the commentary just fawning over the Yankees. I already know how many championships they've won, I really don't wanna watch the sports press worship at the alter of New York yet again. "Tim, the Yankees are just great!" "I know, here's another reason that the Yankees are great blah blah blah" "I'm sure the people of New York were glad to be informed for the millionth time that the Yankees are great, hey Bret, don't you think the Yankees are great" "How about that Jeter, ain't he the bestest of all time?"
The press might as well say to the fans of the 29 other teams, including the other team playing, that they just suck and really shouldn't even bother showing up.

A Bob Ross painting show on PBS will hold my interest better than that.

[BlueJazz]

22. Alright, Alright..

...well,....it seemed funny at the time :)

[Loyal]

12. 27 championships is quite enough?

The A's had their chance... unfortunately, they blew it. It's not a question of fairness. Do you want to do championship redistribution where we take some of the 27 wins from the yankees and give them to the A's? lol

[fishnfla]

20. Let me get this straight

Your beef with the Marlins is they bought and sold a World Series team 6 years ago. fair enough.

So now they flip the coin and get there as an improbable wild card team with a bunch of young no-names with big hearts. What exactly does this say about the organization? What does it say about baseball as a whole?

Do you, when you are grading papers, practice any sort of consistancy? Because you are demonstrably lacking it with your argument here. I'm sure your students could give you a lesson in good sportsmanship. Our son, who's all of 5, gets it.

[HEyHEY]

21. I'm not watching just cause I'm not interested anymore

I havenothing agaisnt the Marlins Period. I think they deserve to be where they are today, and they did it without buying a team this time.

But I was so pumped on the idea of a SOX/CUBS series that this one has no....ooomph for me. Oh well, can't help that.

[IndianaGreen]

23. I wouldn't miss seeing the Yankees turn the Marlins into canned tuna!

and to see all those Miami gusanos cry as their team is demolished.

Any team that plays in a stadium named after Fruit of the Loom has nothing coming!

Squish the fish!

[Coventina]

24. Baseball? That is so over!! Rallye this weekend!

Corsica! Whoo-hoo!!!

Gotta watch somethin' while F1 is on break!

;)

[IndianaGreen]

28. I never skip watching those guys on the Speed Channel

For those not familiar with WRC, it is quite something to watch!

[JackDragna]

29. You're going to get flamed - and deservedly so.

This group of Marlins isn't the mishmash of high-priced free agents from '97. This is a team that got by on speed, good pitching and sound defense. The players have little to do with what happened after the team won the Series in '97.

I also find it a little amusing that you pick now to be bothered by the big-money shenanigans that goes on in baseball. Everybody's favorite darling here, the Boston Red Sox, paid a whole bunch of money to Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, Byung Hyung-Kim, Jose Offerman and several other players over the last couple of years. The Cubs have survived mostly on home-grown talent, but they've spent a bit on their players as well. And now, here you are, denigrating this series as "boring." I'm sorry teams you like didn't win, but your reasons for not watching are paper-thin. Ignore baseball entirely or watch it despite its flaws, but don't give up on it right before the Series because you're disgrunted about who's in it.

[neverforget]

31. I'm with ya all the way, bluestateguy! So tired of watching the Yankees.

They've been to the World Series 5 times in the last 7 years with 3 Championships in a row. Not to knock their talent or anything, but, God, it sure would be nice to have some variety in the World Series.

[Pez]

34. i don't have an "entitlement mentality"...

...and neither do any of my friends <:-(

i'm from frikkin nyc... who am i supposed to cheer for; seattle?!?

[Deja Q]

37. I'd boycott for other reasons, but I agree with yours

A pity the Twins had lost to them. x( On the other hand, if they had won they'd be more likely to get our elected officials to shovel up enough taxpayer funds to build them their own shiny new stadium so, in turn, the Twins can charge even more for a ticket when we all know that they should be able to pay for their own stadium in the first place. x(

[hooligan]

39. Baseball season has ended already

There is no reason to discuss it again until the spring. Time to concentrate on football!

[RetroLounge]

40. I hate the Yankees, but will enjoy seeing them

open a can of Whoopass on the Marlins.

Now if the Cubs and Red Soz were in it, I would be glued to the TV.

But Floriduh? Yankees?

:boring::boring::boring::boring:
:boring::boring::boring::boring:
:boring::boring::boring::boring:
:boring::boring::boring::boring:

[greatauntoftriplets]

42. Yea, go Yankees.

ABM.