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Friday, July 10, 2009

Fanhouse: Moore: Come Out of the Shadows, Big Mac

“Don’t like either the Cards or the Browns
Piss on the country, piss on the town
But I’m sold on suicide!”

In fact, for a bunch of reasons we’ll discuss in a moment, there is no better time than now for the former St. Louis Cardinals star to end his cowardly seclusion. He could leave the shadows of southern California to speak in the spotlight of the All-Star festivities that begin this weekend in St. Louis . He could do so without a Jimmy Swaggert confession, but it wouldn’t hurt his rapidly sliding chances for reaching Cooperstown if he included some crying and a lot of pleading.

Now is the time for McGwire to do what he hasn’t done since the start of his little controversy involving performance-enhancing drugs, and that is, provide folks with answers to a slew of questions. Did you use steroids to bash most of those home runs? If so, when did you start the practice? If you are innocent, why did you vanish regarding baseball in general and the Cardinals in particular?

Now is the time for McGwire to tell us the truth. Now is the time for McGwire to tell us everything. Now is the time for McGwire to tell us something.

...Now is the time for McGwire to step up and man up. Everybody will be listening, especially with all of the living former Presidents slated to attend. Current President Barack Obama will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. So, if done correctly, McGwire’s presence and words during such well-scrutinized All-Star festivities could convince me and other Hall of Fame voters to place our pens at least a centimeter closer to the box next to his name on the ballot.

Repoz Posted: July 10, 2009 at 01:47 AM | 58 comment(s)
  Related News: General, Special Topics, Steroids, St Louis

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   1. El Hombre Triple MVP (Alex)  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 03:20 AM (#3248531)
Mark McGwire: "Well, on one hand, I can enjoy my retirement as a multimillionaire athlete with a life of seclusion with my trophy wife. Or I can come public with more information on the biggest stain on my career, create a media circus and draw all sorts of unwanted attention and sanctimonious moralizing from a bunch of blowhard sportswriters who feel I owe them something."

Let me think...
   2. Crashburn Alley  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:40 AM (#3248535)
#1: Well said.
   3. SJ and the pants of freedom.  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 09:53 AM (#3248724)
This reminds me of the ESPN commercial, where Charlie Steiner is hiding under a desk, and Evander Holyfield is yelling for Steiner to "come on out and get yer whoopin'"
   4. JJ1986  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 09:56 AM (#3248729)
Everybody will be listening, especially with all of the living former Presidents slated to attend.

I guarantee that there is not a single person in the world who will tune into the All Star game because of this.
   5. Ryan Jones  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 09:58 AM (#3248731)
I guarantee that there is not a single person in the world who will tune into the All Star game because of this.


I will. I'm looking forward to the alternating choruses of boos as each one is introduced.
   6. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM (#3248737)
Everybody will be listening, especially with all of the living former Presidents slated to attend.

I guarantee that there is not a single person in the world who will tune into the All Star game because of this.

I think we have too many living presidents. We need to cull the herd.
   7. GregQ  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:09 AM (#3248745)
When McGuire was with the A's I always had the impression that he disliked the spotlight and I am sure that all of the negative steroids backlash he has faced has just intensified that feeling.
   8. Best Regards, Larry Mahnken  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:14 AM (#3248750)
When McGuire was with the A's
How the hell do people still get McGwire's name wrong?

It's not like it's Teixeira or Mientkiewicz (both of with I'm stunned that I can spell without thinking about it or looking it up).
   9. RB in NYC (Now with Resolutions!)  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:22 AM (#3248762)
I think we have too many living presidents. We need to cull the herd.
Carter, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr., right? That actually seems like a low total to me, espcially since we seem as likely to lose one by 2012 as gain.
   10. Barnaby Jones  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:25 AM (#3248769)
I cannot believe someone actually gave Terrence Moore another job after he was shooed away from the AJC.
   11. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM (#3248771)
Carter, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr., right? That actually seems like a low total to me, espcially since we seem as likely to lose one by 2012 as gain.

Nope. Still too many.
   12. SoSHially Unacceptable  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:30 AM (#3248776)
That actually seems like a low total to me, espcially since we seem as likely to lose one by 2012 as gain.


I'd say we're monumentally more likely to lose one by 2012 than gain another living one.
   13. Tom Nawrocki  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:31 AM (#3248778)
Fun fact: Bush Sr. is the oldest of the quartet, older than Carter, who moved into the Oval Office 12 years before Bush did.
   14. RB in NYC (Now with Resolutions!)  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:34 AM (#3248782)
I'd say we're monumentally more likely to lose one by 2012 than gain another living one.
In fact, if we lost both Carter and Bush I, two would have to be among the fewest living ex-Presidents in quite a long while, right?
   15. Best Regards, Larry Mahnken  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:39 AM (#3248790)
In fact, if we lost both Carter and Bush I, two would have to be among the fewest living ex-Presidents in quite a long while, right?
When Johnson died we had zero living ex-Presidents.
   16. RB in NYC (Now with Resolutions!)  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:42 AM (#3248792)
When Johnson died we had zero living ex-Presidents.
Lyndon? Or Andrew?
   17. Best Regards, Larry Mahnken  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:48 AM (#3248799)
Lyndon? Or Andrew?
Lyndon. It wasn't until Nixon resigned that we had a living ex-President, and it wasn't until Nixon died that the total went down again.
   18. CFiJ  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 10:57 AM (#3248804)
Andrew Johnson? RB wasn't even in the same zip code there...

/injoke
   19. Danny  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:09 AM (#3248814)
This reminds me of the ESPN commercial, where Charlie Steiner is hiding under a desk, and Evander Holyfield is yelling for Steiner to "come on out and get yer whoopin'"

Still my favorite Sportscenter commercial.
   20. RB in NYC (Now with Resolutions!)  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:12 AM (#3248817)
I've always been partial to the one with the anchor signed right out of school. "Jimmy Key, what's he, like 45? I could hit him"
   21. RayDiPerna  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:23 AM (#3248829)
How the hell do people still get McGwire's name wrong?

It's not like it's Teixeira or Mientkiewicz (both of with I'm stunned that I can spell without thinking about it or looking it up).


McGuire and Ripkin are two of the most common. I've seen Clemons too.

It's amazing to me that people can't take 5 seconds to memorize a name. The first time I wondered whether Paul O'Neill had one L or two, or Andy Pettitte had four Ts or three, I spent a couple of seconds and committed the spelling to memory. Done and done. Did the same with Tex and Minky. Yet, people go years spelling a player's name wrong over and over again.

Teixeira's easy once you quickly see that the "ei" appears twice.
   22. RayDiPerna  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:28 AM (#3248835)
Still my favorite Sportscenter commercial.


There are a bunch of good ones, though I don't watch ESPN anymore so I haven't seen the latest.

The Clemens - Jack Edwards one was always my favorite, where Edwards is patiently waiting for Clemens to photocopy pages and pages of the letter K.

"Roger"
"Jack"
   23. Jack Keefe  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:34 AM (#3248839)
Well you know not all names are as easy to spell as Keefe or Mientkiewicz which all you have to do is sound them out Al. Macquire is particulary hard and so is Repkin and dont even get me started on some of these foriegn names like Albart Pooholes and Yoohoo Santana and Matt Wheaties. You may say Al all they half to do is hit Spell Chick but what if you are Dlsyexic and you can not get everything in Apple Pie Order have a heart you guys.
   24. strummer  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:41 AM (#3248846)
How the hell do people still get McGwire's name wrong?

It's not like it's Teixeira or Mientkiewicz (both of with I'm stunned that I can spell without thinking about it or looking it up).


It is not only the complexity of the letter sequencing, it is also a matter of having a common alternative.

How many common variations of Mientkiewicz are there? McGuire is the more common spelling variant of the last name with that pronunciation. I can't say I have seen the last name of McGwire for anyone except Mark, so I am not surprised (or unduly enraged) to see it spelled McGuire.
   25. phredbird  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:45 AM (#3248850)
i've always been bad with names, roy. my whole family is like that, i blame my cajun roots. my grandparents spoke french before they spoke english, and it seems like all we do is mangle names. my wife's name was missy, and my pawpaw could never get it right, they called her 'mitzy'.
   26. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:47 AM (#3248853)
I see wot phredbird did there. Just don't start calling me Shitty, man.
   27. JPWF13  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 11:49 AM (#3248855)
It's amazing to me that people can't take 5 seconds to memorize a name. The first time I wondered whether Paul O'Neill had one L or two, or Andy Pettitte had four Ts or three, I spent a couple of seconds and committed the spelling to memory. Done and done. Did the same with Tex and Minky.


It would take me quite a bit more effort to spell Man.cave.itch correctly than 5 seconds, and he ain't worth that much of my life.
   28. phredbird  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:01 PM (#3248868)
shotty, i'd never get your name wrong dude. there's some guys i can't seem to get it right, though, like beanokook or whatsisname ... yankee potroast.

just kidding.
   29. Vaux, A.B.D.  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:04 PM (#3248873)
McGuire is the more common spelling variant of the last name with that pronunciation. I can't say I have seen the last name of McGwire for anyone except Mark, so I am not surprised (or unduly enraged) to see it spelled McGuire.


Except that it means the person doesn't read. If one sees a name in print often, one will spell it correctly, at least if it's relatively short, like that one is.
   30. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:08 PM (#3248881)
Except that it means the person doesn't read. If one sees a name in print often, one will spell it correctly, at least if it's relatively short, like that one is.

I don't think it means anything. Some people just get stuck on certain words or names, possibly because of other associations in their history.
   31. Vaux, A.B.D.  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:11 PM (#3248884)
But in this case, it's visible in print mere inches above there the poster misspelled it. It's weird, if nothing else.
   32. Dewey, Local Boy and Soupuss  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:20 PM (#3248896)
One name that used to trip me up was "Buehrle".

The one I see all the time, but don't get, is "Rameriz". I'm assuming that's a typo, but if so, it's a typo that crops up a lot.
   33. RayDiPerna  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:27 PM (#3248911)
I can't say I have seen the last name of McGwire for anyone except Mark


How quickly Jay McGwire has been forgotten.
   34. RayDiPerna  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:29 PM (#3248915)
I don't think it means anything.


I think it does. I don't understand how someone could see an easy name in print that often and still F it up.
   35. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:36 PM (#3248922)
I think it does. I don't understand how someone could see an easy name in print that often and still F it up.

I don't understand how you can't understand this. These kind of mental blocks are pretty common. And harmless.
   36. robinred  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:37 PM (#3248923)
I don't think it means anything.


You're right. "McGwire" is not a common spelling, and some people have common spellings hard-wired and do it sub-consciously. I have a fairly common last name with an odd spelling, and people who have seen it 100 times misspell it all the time. It's not weird at all that people do this with McGwire's name.
   37. A North Dakotan in Philadelphia  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:38 PM (#3248926)
Growing up a Cubs fan, I could never understand how frequently people could screw up Ryne Sandberg's name, especially considering his level of fame and popularity. I still feel a wave of irrational irritation every time I see a listing for "Ryan Sandburg" memorabilia on eBay.
   38. Alex_Lewis  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:38 PM (#3248925)
In my Dad's mind, if a player's last name is White, his first name will always be Devon. There are no exceptions to this rule.
   39. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:40 PM (#3248927)
I still feel a wave of irrational irritation every time I see a listing for "Ryan Sandburg" memorabilia on eBay.

Craig Nettles feels the same way...
   40. Ryan Jones  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:42 PM (#3248929)
Craig Nettles feels the same way...


Booby Orr nods his head in sympathy.
   41. robinred  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:42 PM (#3248930)
Craig Nettles feels the same way...


Greg Nettles is OK with it, though.
   42. Steve Treder  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:43 PM (#3248931)
In my Dad's mind, if a player's last name is White, his first name will always be Devon. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Moreover, if a player's last name is White, he is black. And if a player's last name is Black, he is white.
   43. SoSHially Unacceptable  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 12:46 PM (#3248935)
Any wrath Nettles might feel for a lifetime of having his name misspelled should be directed at his parents.
   44. bumpis hound  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 03:43 PM (#3249203)
Teixeira's easy once you quickly see that the "ei" appears twice.

oh.
   45. Barnaby Jones  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 03:48 PM (#3249216)
Greg Maddox and Andrew Jones have little sympathy for Mr. Nettles.
   46. Best Regards, Larry Mahnken  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 03:53 PM (#3249226)
oh.
Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
   47. Backlasher  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:06 PM (#3249261)
I have a fairly common last name with an odd spelling, and people who have seen it 100 times misspell it all the time. It's not weird at all that people do this with McGwire's name.

I agree with Robinreed, even if he is an apologist for Kody Bryant.


I see wot phredbird did there. Just don't start calling me Shitty, man.

That would take away all my material.
   48. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Marching Through Georgia  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:07 PM (#3249264)
   49. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Marching Through Georgia  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:11 PM (#3249276)
   50. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Marching Through Georgia  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:14 PM (#3249284)
Moreover, if a player's last name is White, he is black. And if a player's last name is Black, he is white.

Holy mackerel, what a revoltin' development this is!
   51. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Marching Through Georgia  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:16 PM (#3249292)
I'm glad I'm not running the BTF computers.
   52. Backlasher  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:18 PM (#3249301)
I'm glad I'm not running the BTF computers.


What kind of posting performance enhancers are you taking Andy?
   53. bunyon  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:19 PM (#3249304)
I'm pretty sure the total of living ex-presidents we have now is tied for the most we've ever had at one time.


You would think Carter and Bush Sr.'s time is just about up. Of course the two bubs are likely to stick around for another 25 years.
   54. The Good Face  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:25 PM (#3249311)
Fun fact: Bush Sr. is the oldest of the quartet, older than Carter, who moved into the Oval Office 12 years before Bush did.


This blows my mind... Carter has looked like a sort of undead Don Knotts for over 15 years now. If somebody had told me he was 107, I wouldn't have batted an eyelash.
   55. Backlasher  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:30 PM (#3249321)
I'm pretty sure the total of living ex-presidents we have now is tied for the most we've ever had at one time.

I thought there was a time when we had Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush the Elder for a total of 5. I think there was an SNL cartoon with all five of them as the unique SuperFriends heros.
   56. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Marching Through Georgia  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:35 PM (#3249327)
Fun fact: Bush Sr. is the oldest of the quartet, older than Carter, who moved into the Oval Office 12 years before Bush did.

G.H.W. Bush and Carter are almost exactly the same age. Bush is about 3 or 4 months older, and his kids are all quite a bit older than Amy.
   57. robinred  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:38 PM (#3249333)
I agree with Robinreed, even if he is an apologist for Kody Bryant.


The name is redrobin, and that's Koby Bryant.
   58. Monty  Posted: July 10, 2009 at 04:41 PM (#3249336)
I'm pretty sure the total of living ex-presidents we have now is tied for the most we've ever had at one time.


If Wikipedia can be trusted, there were six at once from 1861-1862, 1993-1994, and 2001-2004. The one in the 1860s doesn't surprise me, because there were a lot of one-term guys around then.

(That's "six presidents at once" or "five ex-presidents at once".)
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