I didn’t watch any of it that year. It was surreal even reading about the games in the papers or hear a result on the radio, I just wanted to shut it out for 6 months, well more like 3 months till the Caravan came to Lafayette and we got all recharged drinking Old Style with Bob Dernier and Keith Morland.
Sorry "Stevie" - I'm rooting for Uncle Cliffie and the Rays
Uncle Cliffie and the Rays – sounds like a good name for a band…
Was reminded the other day that Cliff Floyd was on the 97 Marlins, helping them win their first franchise WS. Would be kinda neat if he could repeat the performance for the Rays. And any time there’s a chance to see Don Zimmer, aka Popeye, getting sprayed/soaked with champagne, I gotta cheer for that.
Of course, I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that some of my rooting interest for the Rays comes from my instinctive need for justification for wearing a Rays hat outside of Wrigley most of the year while ballhawking. Throughout the season, people wouldn’t believe me when I told them the Rays were good. Of course, even I didn’t think they’d be this good, but hey – I’ll be waiting for my WS share check… [key word there is ‘waiting’
… your cap is a Devil Rays cap. They changed their colors in addition to their logo and name this year. That green cap is from their bad old days. You know, when Lou Piniella used to wear it.
actually, that green cap is from a St. Patricks Day spring training game several years ago
If I remember in time, I try to grab a St. Paddy’s hat when I go to spring training. Usually the home team and sometimes the away team will have green hats in the souvenir booths that day and sometimes afterwards too. I’ve got a Tampa, Cleveland and I think a Detroit one somewhere from my Florida trips, and this past year snagged a green Cubbies hat from Arizona.
But thanks for the fashion lesson – it’s good to know someone is taking over for Mr. Blackwell… ;-)
TB would probably the be the last team I would have paid any attention to before now so I probably missed the story, Was just curious because that’s rather rare in modern professional sports history to change the name of an existing franchise that doesn’t move. Last one I can remember is Houston Colt .45s.
But only because they’re the team I’ve been picking to win it all since the regular season ended. (Obviously, I was hoping I was wrong going into the NLDS.)
1. Tired of hearing about how superior AL is to NL.
2. Phillies are a doing it with a modest payroll without being cheap.
3. I like Charlie Manuel and I remember that it wasn’t that long ago that he was on the hot seat.
4. Florida fans don’t deserve it.
5. Tropicana stadium reminds me more of the various diseases you could acquire in a jungle and less of orange juice.
6. Did I mention Florida fans don’t deserve it. Scalpers were giving tickets away to game 7 of ALCS because Mike Alstott was having his jersey retired that night. Of course TB does have a long and proud tradition in the NFL.
I went down there to watch the Yanks play…their fans suck…bad. The entire town of Tampa is up footballs ass so much it’s sickening. If I had a dollar every time I said “dude, I don’t care about football…shut up”….
I can’t even respect their fans…when they swept the BoSux they were tapping BoSux fans with brooms but when the Yankees beat them the night I was there they couldn’t even make eye contact with the Yanks fans and shuffled out of the stadium with their tails tucked…even though the Yanks were in 3rd.
Yeah, going by this year, I'm not doing well either.
I thought our Cubs would beat the Dodgers. Then I was sure the Dodgers would beat the Phillies. I did pick the Phils to beat the Brewers, though. But, aside from that, the Rays are the only team I’ve been right about, so I’m sticking with them.
but really just hoping for a great series — hopefully 7 games, one or two extra inning games, one game played in the snow in Philly, Shane Victorino (or someone else) having a Luis Gonzalez moment…
As a baseball fan I’ll watch parts of the WS, but could care less which team wins since the Cubs aren’t there. Call me jaded if you must, but I had such high expectations this season.
in the last 10 plus for a Cubs series. The fans despite their reputation have been both pleasant and knowledgeable. Like most but not all REAL cities with a baseball team, the stadium is easily accessible by MASS transportation and while the Vet was HORRIBLE and the new park not so hot, it is a very fan & baseball friendly atmosphere.
I like Uncle Cliff well enough but Moyer, Stairs and especially Eyre deserve this. Slightly OT but if you have not seen this clip of poor Matt Stairs becoming an unintentional gay icon, I highly recommend it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqZDe4364BI
I had read the interview and thought it was an odd description of the feeling but it sounded even worse listening to him say it. In any event this should be a good series of baseball to watch and enjoy without getting stressed over “ooo beats ooo.”
The Phillies? Com’mon! Philadelphia fans are the worst! In no way do they resemble Cubs fans, in my humble opinion. The Rays may be the new kids on the block, but how can you not root for a team from the AL East that is not the Yankees or BoSox (and will never, ever, be able to come close to matching their payrolls)?
It was .520 even six or seven years ago. The W/L record for the AL in interleague this year was .598, so that .550 figure is regressed a bit – if anything it may be a bit conservative.
Go Phillies. Phillies will take it in 6 games, 4-2.
I like the Tampa story, but not enough to root for the AL over the NL. I’ll take the senior circuit team, thanks… Shane, (The Flyin’ Hawaiian), Victorino will be the MVP. That kid can play. Charlie Manuel is the one manager that stacks up, (even betters), Maddon of the Rays.
The Philly fans deserve to win but I think the Rays will win in 7.
The fans in Tampa (but isn’t it St. Pete) are a bunch of band wagon jumpers and don’t deserve the team they have.
I’m rooting for a REAL World Series, highlighting the word SERIES! All these sweeps make for very boring baseball. The last interesting WS was in 2003 and we’ll not even get into how depressed we all were when it took place.
Manuel Better Manager Than Maddon ?? I Don't Think So
Manuel has taken a group — mostly new kids on the block — and molded them into a winner. His team-first approach has taken them in the right direction.
Earlier this year, he used the Bobby Cox/Andruw Jones approach to B.J.Upton when Upton was not putting forth the effort that Maddon wanted and the rest of his teammates deserved. Upton “saw the light” and became one of the top contributors to the Rays.
Manuel saw a declining Troy Percival and did not give into sentiment by giving Percival a post season roster spot. Percival’s Howry-type season was not rewarded.
Maddon defused a potentially season changing situation after a confrontation between Garza and Navarro early in the season.
Manuel? His coaches wake him up in the late innings when the Phils are ahead so he can trudge out to the mound (he’s actually slower than Lou) so he can bring in Brad Lidge.
…Manuel just a bit, and you are going to manage a veteran team like the Phils a bit different then a young Rays team.
I’m not saying Maddon isn’t good, because he obviously got these young guys to mature during the season. In the end, the players will end up deciding this one and I pick the Phils to win this thing.
As I said previously, he even betters Maddon in some respects. It is a common misconception that Manuel is sleeping on the job. That is just his style. He doesn’t get too up, nor down. He has managed a rag-tag Phillies team that has had injuries, poor years by some veterans, and a rotation that is anything but stable.
You should get your facts straight as well. Percival didn’t have a Howry-type season, he is injured & asked Maddon not to put him on the roster, b/c Percival didn’t think he would be of any use.
Rooiing for Detroit in 1984
That wasn’t difficult. I remember Royko writing that Chicago and Detroit were “cousins”.
memphiscub - October 22, 2008
Rooting, I Mean
memphiscub - October 22, 2008
That's the only WS I couldn't watch.
’84’s loss hurt too much.
Al Yellon - October 22, 2008
Me too
I didn’t watch any of it that year. It was surreal even reading about the games in the papers or hear a result on the radio, I just wanted to shut it out for 6 months, well more like 3 months till the Caravan came to Lafayette and we got all recharged drinking Old Style with Bob Dernier and Keith Morland.
Weeghman Park - October 22, 2008
Sorry "Stevie" - I'm rooting for Uncle Cliffie and the Rays
Uncle Cliffie and the Rays – sounds like a good name for a band…
Was reminded the other day that Cliff Floyd was on the 97 Marlins, helping them win their first franchise WS. Would be kinda neat if he could repeat the performance for the Rays. And any time there’s a chance to see Don Zimmer, aka Popeye, getting sprayed/soaked with champagne, I gotta cheer for that.
Of course, I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that some of my rooting interest for the Rays comes from my instinctive need for justification for wearing a Rays hat outside of Wrigley most of the year while ballhawking. Throughout the season, people wouldn’t believe me when I told them the Rays were good. Of course, even I didn’t think they’d be this good, but hey – I’ll be waiting for my WS share check… [key word there is ‘waiting’
ballhawk - October 22, 2008
Incidentally...
… your cap is a Devil Rays cap. They changed their colors in addition to their logo and name this year. That green cap is from their bad old days. You know, when Lou Piniella used to wear it.
Al Yellon - October 22, 2008
actually, that green cap is from a St. Patricks Day spring training game several years ago
If I remember in time, I try to grab a St. Paddy’s hat when I go to spring training. Usually the home team and sometimes the away team will have green hats in the souvenir booths that day and sometimes afterwards too. I’ve got a Tampa, Cleveland and I think a Detroit one somewhere from my Florida trips, and this past year snagged a green Cubbies hat from Arizona.
But thanks for the fashion lesson – it’s good to know someone is taking over for Mr. Blackwell… ;-)
ballhawk - October 22, 2008
Thanks for the clarification.
Now that I think of it, the old TB green was much darker than that…
Al Yellon - October 22, 2008
Why did they change the name?
TB would probably the be the last team I would have paid any attention to before now so I probably missed the story, Was just curious because that’s rather rare in modern professional sports history to change the name of an existing franchise that doesn’t move. Last one I can remember is Houston Colt .45s.
Weeghman Park - October 22, 2008
That's the last BASEBALL team to do it.
Are you forgetting the Washington
BulletsWizards?Al Yellon - October 22, 2008
Oh, yeah!
I remember that urban controversy.
Weeghman Park - October 22, 2008
I'm rooting for the Rays, too.
But only because they’re the team I’ve been picking to win it all since the regular season ended. (Obviously, I was hoping I was wrong going into the NLDS.)
daver - October 22, 2008
i wouldn't mind seeing the phillies win it
but my guess is that the Rays will.
mjk83 - October 22, 2008
There's still baseball being played?
WittyUserName - October 22, 2008
it's spring training?! it's about time!
Emelie - October 22, 2008
Definitely rooting for Philly
1. Tired of hearing about how superior AL is to NL.
2. Phillies are a doing it with a modest payroll without being cheap.
3. I like Charlie Manuel and I remember that it wasn’t that long ago that he was on the hot seat.
4. Florida fans don’t deserve it.
5. Tropicana stadium reminds me more of the various diseases you could acquire in a jungle and less of orange juice.
6. Did I mention Florida fans don’t deserve it. Scalpers were giving tickets away to game 7 of ALCS because Mike Alstott was having his jersey retired that night. Of course TB does have a long and proud tradition in the NFL.
TXCub - October 22, 2008
Long & proud?
Didn’t it take them two years to win their first game? And that orange color scheme they used to have was, um, awful.
Al Yellon - October 22, 2008
I was being sarcastic.
TXCub - October 22, 2008
Oh.
Al Yellon - October 22, 2008
even as a cardinal fan...i still have to say
this is the best summary of why I hate TB.
I went down there to watch the Yanks play…their fans suck…bad. The entire town of Tampa is up footballs ass so much it’s sickening. If I had a dollar every time I said “dude, I don’t care about football…shut up”….
I can’t even respect their fans…when they swept the BoSux they were tapping BoSux fans with brooms but when the Yankees beat them the night I was there they couldn’t even make eye contact with the Yanks fans and shuffled out of the stadium with their tails tucked…even though the Yanks were in 3rd.
rocKStark5 - October 22, 2008
I was there once when the Packers played the Bucs in a playoff game and rooted for the Packers in a tavern
I was treated just fine. Seriously.
Shanghai Badger - October 22, 2008
Funny and true
Madison Cub Fan - October 22, 2008
Phillies in 6
Rooting for the Phillies as well.
MDBNIU - October 22, 2008
Nope.
Rays in 5.
daver - October 22, 2008
Nope
Blue Mike’s right – Phillies in 6
madeindetroit - October 22, 2008
You're familiar with his batting average, right?
The Rays will drop precisely one game – and that’s just to show how loose they are. Then they drop the hammer in Game 5.
daver - October 22, 2008
Yes
I was surprised I agreed with him too. Then again, my playoff prediction track record pretty much sucks.
madeindetroit - October 22, 2008
Yeah, going by this year, I'm not doing well either.
I thought our Cubs would beat the Dodgers. Then I was sure the Dodgers would beat the Phillies. I did pick the Phils to beat the Brewers, though. But, aside from that, the Rays are the only team I’ve been right about, so I’m sticking with them.
daver - October 22, 2008
I have been wrong
on every series except Red Sox over Angels and Phillies over Brewers. Thank god I live nowhere near Vegas.
madeindetroit - October 22, 2008
Doesn't really matter to me who wins
I’ll probably pull for the team that is losing at the time I tune in.
tucsoncubsfan - October 22, 2008
One of Mike's best. Well done, sir.
dtpollitt - October 22, 2008
I'll be rooting for the Phils,
but really just hoping for a great series — hopefully 7 games, one or two extra inning games, one game played in the snow in Philly, Shane Victorino (or someone else) having a Luis Gonzalez moment…
DeRoMyHero - October 22, 2008
Honestly?
As a baseball fan I’ll watch parts of the WS, but could care less which team wins since the Cubs aren’t there. Call me jaded if you must, but I had such high expectations this season.
leothelip - October 22, 2008
Jaded.
daver - October 22, 2008
I second that. Who gives a rip? Phillies? Rays? you've got to be joking. Why should we waste a second on this?
cedarpip - October 22, 2008
Because it's the only baseball left.
daver - October 22, 2008
Gone to Philadelphia every year
in the last 10 plus for a Cubs series. The fans despite their reputation have been both pleasant and knowledgeable. Like most but not all REAL cities with a baseball team, the stadium is easily accessible by MASS transportation and while the Vet was HORRIBLE and the new park not so hot, it is a very fan & baseball friendly atmosphere.
I like Uncle Cliff well enough but Moyer, Stairs and especially Eyre deserve this. Slightly OT but if you have not seen this clip of poor Matt Stairs becoming an unintentional gay icon, I highly recommend it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqZDe4364BI
Doggie Stalker - October 22, 2008
Too funny..
I had read the interview and thought it was an odd description of the feeling but it sounded even worse listening to him say it. In any event this should be a good series of baseball to watch and enjoy without getting stressed over “ooo beats ooo.”
Weeghman Park - October 22, 2008
Best part is his flat Canadian accent delivery
Makes it much funnier.
Doggie Stalker - October 22, 2008
Someone needs to put together a dance track...
…and use that sample.
daver - October 22, 2008
Might I suggest...
…that we call Cliff Floyd something other than “Uncle.” I know that nothing is meant by it, but sometimes the connotations can be hard to avoid.
Cool Hand - October 22, 2008
???
In addition to being stymied by the “connotations” that you refer to . . .
“Uncle Cliff” is Floyd’s nickname.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=uncle+cliff+floyd&spell=1
Shanghai Badger - October 22, 2008
Uncle used to be a very common term used to addressed black people, specifically ones too old to be called “boy.”
As in Uncle Tom, or Uncle Ben.
Cool Hand - October 23, 2008
True, but...
… clearly, it’s used for Cliff Floyd as a mark of respect.
Al Yellon - October 23, 2008
Right.
I hadn’t realized that it was his actual nickname; that makes things much, much better.
In closing, I have no idea what I am talking about, and I will shut up…now.
Cool Hand - October 23, 2008
Your intentions were honorable, though
Shanghai Badger - October 24, 2008
Go Rays Go
The Phillies? Com’mon! Philadelphia fans are the worst! In no way do they resemble Cubs fans, in my humble opinion. The Rays may be the new kids on the block, but how can you not root for a team from the AL East that is not the Yankees or BoSox (and will never, ever, be able to come close to matching their payrolls)?
Cubinator - October 22, 2008
Rays have to be the favorites...
…just because of the gap in league quality between the AL and the NL. A .500 AL team is probably a .550 team in the NL.
cwyers - October 22, 2008
Really?
Even this year?
Al Yellon - October 22, 2008
It's actually shot way up since 2005.
It was .520 even six or seven years ago. The W/L record for the AL in interleague this year was .598, so that .550 figure is regressed a bit – if anything it may be a bit conservative.
cwyers - October 22, 2008
For anyone curious about this...
…check out the interleague standings from the past few years.
cwyers - October 22, 2008
Are the interleague standings the best representation of this?
Al Yellon - October 22, 2008
They're not perfect.
They’re the best quick-and-dirty way of doing it. You should probably use at least a three year average, maybe weighted.
Ideally you’d adjust the interleague standings for strength-of-schedule. You can also look at players who were traded between leagues.
cwyers - October 22, 2008
Go Phillies. Phillies will take it in 6 games, 4-2.
I like the Tampa story, but not enough to root for the AL over the NL. I’ll take the senior circuit team, thanks… Shane, (The Flyin’ Hawaiian), Victorino will be the MVP. That kid can play. Charlie Manuel is the one manager that stacks up, (even betters), Maddon of the Rays.
Jimmyeatworld - October 22, 2008
The Philly fans deserve to win but I think the Rays will win in 7.
The fans in Tampa (but isn’t it St. Pete) are a bunch of band wagon jumpers and don’t deserve the team they have.
I’m rooting for a REAL World Series, highlighting the word SERIES! All these sweeps make for very boring baseball. The last interesting WS was in 2003 and we’ll not even get into how depressed we all were when it took place.
cowsarecool220 - October 22, 2008
The fans that boo Santa Claus?
Shanghai Badger - October 22, 2008
Manuel Better Manager Than Maddon ?? I Don't Think So
Manuel has taken a group — mostly new kids on the block — and molded them into a winner. His team-first approach has taken them in the right direction.
Earlier this year, he used the Bobby Cox/Andruw Jones approach to B.J.Upton when Upton was not putting forth the effort that Maddon wanted and the rest of his teammates deserved. Upton “saw the light” and became one of the top contributors to the Rays.
Manuel saw a declining Troy Percival and did not give into sentiment by giving Percival a post season roster spot. Percival’s Howry-type season was not rewarded.
Maddon defused a potentially season changing situation after a confrontation between Garza and Navarro early in the season.
Manuel? His coaches wake him up in the late innings when the Phils are ahead so he can trudge out to the mound (he’s actually slower than Lou) so he can bring in Brad Lidge.
ceegeewow - October 22, 2008
I think you short change...
…Manuel just a bit, and you are going to manage a veteran team like the Phils a bit different then a young Rays team.
I’m not saying Maddon isn’t good, because he obviously got these young guys to mature during the season. In the end, the players will end up deciding this one and I pick the Phils to win this thing.
MPH73 - October 22, 2008
Manuel is easily as good a manager as Maddon...
As I said previously, he even betters Maddon in some respects. It is a common misconception that Manuel is sleeping on the job. That is just his style. He doesn’t get too up, nor down. He has managed a rag-tag Phillies team that has had injuries, poor years by some veterans, and a rotation that is anything but stable.
You should get your facts straight as well. Percival didn’t have a Howry-type season, he is injured & asked Maddon not to put him on the roster, b/c Percival didn’t think he would be of any use.
Jimmyeatworld - October 23, 2008
Didn't Manual do the same thing with Rollins
that Madden did with Upton ? It is a LOT harder to bench and call out a veteran than a rookie but you think
Manual just sleeps through everything ?
Doggie Stalker - October 22, 2008
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