Screw You Pete Rose

So, all of a sudden Pete Rose has decided to come clean. After years of saying that he never bet on baseball and then saying he never bet on Reds games, Pete has decided to confess. Yes he did bet on Reds games, but only in favor of his team, never against. Even if he's telling the truth, which given his years of denial, I tend to doubt, there's a basic flaw in his argument. If he did bet in favor of his team on occassion, doesn't he think that he sent some kind of message to the bookies those times when he chose not to bet on his team?

I never liked Pete Rose. All that BS about "Charlie Hustle" always sounded a bit false. At that level you don't only get by on hustle, you still must have a considerable amount of talent. No amount of hustle puts the bat on a Nolan Ryan fastball. My dislike has nothing to do with that, or the time he separated Ray Fosse from his shoulder in a meaningless game. To me, Pete Rose was always a punk. If he had less talent he would have just been one of those a-hole gym teachers that every school seems to have.

I don't believe that Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. He dirtied the game. The game that treated a moron like him very, very well. I definitely agree Michele's sentiments over at a small victory in that regard. I think the way I feel about Pete Rose can best be summed up by what Bill James wrote in The Historical Baseball Abstract about another pox on the game, Joe Jackson. After finding reasons for various other persons (such as Roger Maris, the great players from the Negro Leagues, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, etc.) to go into the Hall Of Fame first, James wrote:

And then, at last, when every honest ballplayer who has ever played the game, at any level from Babe Ruth ball through the majors, when every coach, writer, umpire and organistwho has helped to make baseball the wonderful game that it is rather than trying to destroy it with the poison of deceit, when each hs been given his due, then I think we should hold our noses and make room for Joe Jackson to join the Hall of Fame. It is only right.

Same goes for you Pete, you bum.

On a sad note, I just saw on the news that the great relief pitcher Tug McGraw has lost his battle with brain cancer. I'd hate to think that Pete would get into the Hall ahead of Tug.

File under From The Sports Desk.

11:11:33 PM      trackback []  

Mission Accomplished

I never heard the word meme until I started this weblog. I first learned about Monday Mission through Gretchen Pirillo's now defunct site. Of all of the memes, Monday Mission was the only one I found intriguing. (At the other end of the spectrum is Friday Five, which I find totally lame)

I can't say that I've been diligent in doing each weekly mission. For a while I drifted away and only did it occasionally, when the mood struck me. When I found out that Promo was closing it down, I decided to finish out the string. So, here we go with...

PromoGuy's Monday Mission 4.0

1. In the last week, what happened that made you feel loved beyond your wildest dreams?
[from MM 1.0]

My wife kissed me by the Christmas tree. We forgot to hang up mistletoe but it didn't seem to matter.

2. What was the last audio CD you paid money for?
[from MM 1.3]

Bruce Springsteen's The Rising.

3. Has someone you know ever told you they had a terminal illness? What was it like for you when you found out. How did that change your relationship with them?
[from MM 2.45]

My ex's father was diagnosed 19 or so years ago with liver cancer. He was a life long heavy cigarette smoker. The doctors gave him one month to live. He died almost exactly one month to the day he entered the hospital. It really didn't change my relationship with him since he died hating my guts, just like he always did.

4. Do you have an accent? Are there any phrases or words you say that tip folks that you aren't from around these parts?
[from MM 2.38]

Of course not. People from New Jersey have no accent, unlike the rest of the country.

5. What's the difference between being a Father, and being a Daddy?
[from MM 3.25]

Daddy says yes while Father says no. Sorry, I know it's a lame answer.

6. What is the most recent thing guilt has motivated you to do?
[from MM 2.50]

Almost everything I do is motivated by guilt. Just kidding. Mmm... so many choices. How about answering this question because it's the last Monday Mission?

7. How do you feel about tips and tipping? Do you feel obligated to tip even if your service is bad because you know the servers don't get paid much? If you've ever relied on tips for your income, how do you feel when you don't get any?
[This is a new one, had to throw in at least one more hot topic before I sign off]

I think that there's a certain minimum level of service required. If that isn't reached you are justified in withholding a tip. I think most people stiff a waiter or waitress in circumstances where withholding a tip is not warranted. That said, I've noticed that more and more people seem to expect a 20% tip rather than the customary 15%. I don't know when tip inflation started, but 15% is enough unless the service in some way exceeds the norm. As far as tipping other workers goes, I'm clueless. I never know how much to tip the maid in a hotel, the bellhop, skycap, etc.

BONUS: Will you still love me for the rest of my life?

Sorry, I'm already spoken for.

Today's Comment Question: Your Mission is finally over, please file your report.

"Saigon. Shit. I'm still only in Saigon. - I wanted a mission, and for my sins they gave me one, brought it up to me like room service." --Captain Willard (Martin Sheen), Apocalypse Now

File under Monday Mission.

10:35:20 PM      trackback []