tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post2521816825154462407..comments2023-11-02T03:56:06.817-04:00Comments on FeinsteinOnTheBrink: Review of a six item news morning – Arenas, Hall of Fame, Redskins, Cornell, PGA Tour and the IslandersJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10418812412651310398noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-54715937944450172882010-01-09T13:50:29.412-05:002010-01-09T13:50:29.412-05:00Rock solid HoF thinking. No arguments.
Barry Lark...Rock solid HoF thinking. No arguments.<br /><br />Barry Larkin, however, belongs. A shortstop's shortstop. <br /><br />As an aside, A Good Walk Spoiled delivered on it's own merits,but Tales From Q School captures real-world golf like no other.The Tinamouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05542273202157483919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-73446318684827429022010-01-08T14:14:53.861-05:002010-01-08T14:14:53.861-05:00Let's See
Shaq is rumored to be texting Gil...Let's See<br />Shaq is rumored to be texting Gil's girlfriend.<br />Gil has guns in his locker.<br />Shaq skips a fall road trip to the Verizon Center.<br /><br />Yes, this could get much worse....wickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04456755574428351822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-26148112284321035942010-01-08T00:29:45.148-05:002010-01-08T00:29:45.148-05:00Heck, maybe Texas should have consideration for #1...Heck, maybe Texas should have consideration for #1 over Bama....without their main man, had the ball with the chance to take down the BCS champion. Sinces the polls are completely artistic views, I could argue Texas is better than Bama on most days.<br /><br />Then again, I think Boise should be #1, but we know that can't happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-60605109294643575452010-01-07T21:36:18.758-05:002010-01-07T21:36:18.758-05:00the Hall is a joke and so is the whole "this ...the Hall is a joke and so is the whole "this guy didn't get in this year but he'll get in next year" routine.<br /><br />is Alomar going to get more hits in the next 12 months.<br />is Blyleven going to win more games?<br /><br />you're either a Hall of Famer or you're not.cd1515https://www.blogger.com/profile/13442641020639066876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-74631208007302638262010-01-07T16:32:51.145-05:002010-01-07T16:32:51.145-05:00The fact that writers select HOFers at all is a bi...The fact that writers select HOFers at all is a bit beyond me, but I realize that it's probably a necessary evil. If any writer had to face these guys, I would bet that each and every Bert Blyleven in this world would be first ballot HOFers. At least one HOF PLAYER agrees with me...<br /><br />"It (his curveball) was nasty, I'll tell you that. Enough to make your knees buckle. Bert (Blyleven) was a terrific pitcher — a dominating pitcher." - Hall of Famer Brooks RobinsonGBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02015078597246092038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-51992979875228290942010-01-07T16:20:37.882-05:002010-01-07T16:20:37.882-05:00It should almost be a DQ for the HoF if Berman eve...It should almost be a DQ for the HoF if Berman ever gave the player one of his nicknames.Mr. Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14569678172337776306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-46948750550680040702010-01-07T15:26:11.331-05:002010-01-07T15:26:11.331-05:00Heck John, the reason I read your blog is because ...Heck John, the reason I read your blog is because I have read all most all of your books. I love your references to them. The only one I considered a clunker was the one on Red Auerbach but what the heck, it was still a good read and worth the purchase. Thanks for the great blog!Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03572148982033990206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-79319117223037650202010-01-07T14:32:09.702-05:002010-01-07T14:32:09.702-05:00C'mon, Blyleven should be in for no other reas...C'mon, Blyleven should be in for no other reason than having the best Sportcenter nickname of all time... Bert be home Blyleven.Mike M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-74496537783341969532010-01-07T14:12:30.742-05:002010-01-07T14:12:30.742-05:00John --
Just FYI, at lunch today, Ryan and I began...John --<br />Just FYI, at lunch today, Ryan and I began putting together the two-bids-for-the-Ivies campaign.<br />You want in?charles piercenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-70827933409254959012010-01-07T13:14:03.918-05:002010-01-07T13:14:03.918-05:00The problem with all the HOFs is that they are to ...The problem with all the HOFs is that they are to political. Worse voters keep there votes.<br /><br />When the late Dick Schapp asked Bill Conlin on the "Sports Reporters", why he had not voted for Nolan Ryan Conlin replyed "Because I wouldn't want Ryan pitching the 7th game of the world series. Everyone ,and John you might have been on the panel that day, just looked at Conlin and silently wondered if they had heard him right. How can anyone take Conlin seriously after that?<br /><br />As for Rick DiPietro he will go into "The Bust" hall of fame along with Tony Mandrich and David Clyde. (Clyde was a can't miss pitcher who missed badly who was drafted by the Texas Rangers back in the late 70s). Charles Wang made a huge mistake signing him for that long. The reality is that it will take John Taravas entire career to get DiPietro off the salary cap.Gordonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-48986500242597723372010-01-07T12:34:45.573-05:002010-01-07T12:34:45.573-05:00John,
I must agree with mb on this. Yes 60 shutout...John,<br />I must agree with mb on this. Yes 60 shutouts is amazing (as are Blyleven's 3700 strikeouts), but I think a good yardstick for measuring Hall of Fame careers would be to ask yourself if the player in question was a dominant force in the league for 10 years or more. This may eliminate some like Sandy Koufax, but Koufax was an anomaly and one can definitely make exceptions. Most Hall of Famers dominated in some fashion for at least ten years. I don't think one should ignore stats, but if statistics are the major argument to whether a player makes the Hall of Fame, then make way for Vinny Testaverde because he has thrown for over 46,000 yards. Anyone who saw him play for any length of time will tell you he was no Hall of Famer. He was serviceable at best. However it is conceivable (and I have actually heard people say this) that someone could say "yeah I know he was bad a lot of the time, but HE PASSED FOR OVER 46,000 YARDS! He should go to the Hall!"<br /><br />I try to ask myself if they were a dominant player for ten years, and while not full proof, putting the player to that test usually turns out to be a pretty good way to measure a difficult-to-measure concept.<br /><br />Love the blog. I have always loved your writing and as a matter of fact I am finishing The Punch right now (even though I have a lot of other much more boring reading to do as a Ph.D. student). Fantastic book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-81376392260761875112010-01-07T12:31:21.857-05:002010-01-07T12:31:21.857-05:00Speaking of golf books, I spent the week between C...Speaking of golf books, I spent the week between Christmas and New Years ready my newly recieved copy of "Open." Thoroughly enjoyed it. <br /><br />I was curious if John had any contact with the folks from the book in and around last year's Open at Bethpage. Any follow up?ScottInMDnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-1105153310706366022010-01-07T11:34:47.262-05:002010-01-07T11:34:47.262-05:00I heard you on SportsTalk980 yesterday, and you me...I heard you on SportsTalk980 yesterday, and you mentioned PGA purses had increased fourfold since Tiger came on the Tour. He deserves full marks for this, just as Arnold Palmer does for putting golf on the TV map in the 50s. <br /><br />It also shows no one should be considered indispensable to his sport. Even if Tiger never plays again (which won't happen) and purses dropped back to pre-Tiger levels (which won't happen), the average purse would still be about $1.5 million, with the winner getting $270,000. That kind of money isn't going to discourage talented kids from playing golf. No matter what anyone may think, not even golfers have competing occupations that will pay them 1/5 that much money.Dana Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350344882342624735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-1791756582686497122010-01-07T11:24:30.858-05:002010-01-07T11:24:30.858-05:00When it comes to the HoF, I believe in the Potter ...When it comes to the HoF, I believe in the Potter Stewart "I know it when I see it" approach, statistics (e.g. total wins) be damned. <br /><br />In fact, I would argue that if you have to use statistics to bolster someone's case for entry into the HoF, that is the very reason why that player may not be deserving.<br /><br />Now I must admit that I never realized that Bert Blyleven threw 60 shutouts in his career (that is an amazing accomplishment). But that's the problem I would have with putting him in the HoF -- although he racked up a lot of wins, and had a great curveball, Blyleven had no (or little) impact on the game itself. <br /><br />Was he ever considered the best pitcher in baseball for any portion of his career, or even the dominant pitcher in his league in any one year? (No Cy Young awards.) <br /><br />I can't even think of one memorable game that he pitched (unlike say Jack Morris), shutouts notwithstanding. I also don't recall opposing players ever lamenting that they were facing Blyleven that night (unlike say Nolan Ryan, or, for that matter, Tom Glavine). <br /><br />287 wins is a great career, but based on my recollection (or more accurately, my lack of recollection) of Blyleven, it sounds to me like he's in his rightful place in the HoVG, alongside Jim Kaat (283 wins).MBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-39866223195864794622010-01-07T11:16:27.459-05:002010-01-07T11:16:27.459-05:00FWIW, I just bought a couple of your books after r...FWIW, I just bought a couple of your books after reading this blog reminded me what a good writer you are. (I read A Good Walk Spoiled a few years ago.)<br />Thanks for making them available on the Kindle.Geoffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010523927297374.post-63138961742479227322010-01-07T10:51:56.587-05:002010-01-07T10:51:56.587-05:00Somewhere former NBA Deputy Commissioner, Simon Go...Somewhere former NBA Deputy Commissioner, Simon Gourdine, must be shaking his head right now. Not too long ago the NBA was considered “too black” and “drug infested” to ever reach mass appeal. Current players have reneged on their obligation to be ambassadors for a league built by Dr. Jr, Bird, Magic, and Jordan. For the best write-up of the Arenas situation go here: http://clicky.me/7lzSilk32http://www.newyorkshockexchange.comnoreply@blogger.com