Newcombe-over effort.
Or we could ask about this: One of the Nationals celebrating Washington’s first postseason baseball appearance since 1933 was 19-year-old Bryce Harper, a Mormon who says he doesn’t drink alcohol. On Monday night, Harper was spotted hanging out with first baseman Adam LaRoche’s 9-year-old son Drake in a corner of the Nats’ clubhouse, celebrating with apple cider.
“I was drinking that,” Harper told The Washington Post. “Me and Drake were pouring that on top of each other.”
How could anyone imagine the scene of the two of them together, the baseball player and the boy, and not wish Norman Rockwell were still around to paint it?
But Harper also was pictured on the Nationals’ official Instagram page with a beer in hand while a group of teammates doused general manager Mike Rizzo. At least one other photo of Harper holding a Miller Lite and spraying it on teammates made it to Twitter.
...The stunning excess exhibited in these celebrations is perhaps the biggest problem of all. This isn’t a matter of just popping a cork or two or 10; this is an all-out, binged-up, beer and champagne blast. It would be one thing if it were being done in private, but it’s not. It’s there for all of us to see, and it will repeat itself over and over again in the coming weeks.
No one is going to put a stop to these celebrations, and no one should. Beer is just too important to baseball; it has been the lifeblood of the game’s financial foundation for generations. But MLB should tell teams to rein it in a bit—and definitely keep any teenager from holding anything stronger than apple cider.
Reader Comments and Retorts
Go to end of page
Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.
1. Alex meets the threshold for granular review Posted: October 04, 2012 at 01:48 PM (#4254032)Yep, because no teenager in history has ever touched alcohol. How in the heck is this country, which has a love affair with booze stronger than their insane love affair with god, such a puritanical dick weed on this issue?
Celebrate, they are rich enough to enjoy a cab, just pull the cameras out of the locker room after the initial five minute celebration. No reason for that. MLB should really clamp down on that(reporters/cameras in the lockers), and should also require designated drivers, provided by the team, for these events/situations.
Roger that. We'll be sure to keep the press out next time.
So he wasn't holding s beer.
Screw that. I find it silly for a wild card clincher, but for winning the division and championship series, it's definitely worth it. You don't get a chance to celebrate in life with that much unrestrained glee, why would anyone want to limit that option?
Translation: "I don't believe him, but calling him a liar would clearly be going too far, so I'm going to be a smart ass and phrase it in a way that implies he's probably lying without directly saying it."
If the so-called "mainstream media" wonder why so many of us think that they're scum, here's a picture perfect example of why.
Let's take him out and send him to rehab for five years for holding a beer during a pennant celebration, the lying SOB..Joey's interpretation is the same as mine, particularly given the writer, the loathsome Christine Brennan.
I think some year a guy like Hamilton or Harper should attend the celebration in full SCUBA gear, with breathing apparatus, so they can freely party without being worried about even a drop of alcohol passing through their pores.
My favorite baseball momement involved the 2006 Detroit Tigers running back onto the field, some with bubbly, and sharing with the fans after they clinched the AL Central. It was a great celebration.
If the so-called "mainstream media" wonder why so many of us think that they're scum, here's a picture perfect example of why.
Considering there is a picture of him holding a Miller Lite, I think some doubt is warranted.
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a coke addict.
Then they came for the steroids,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a user.
Then they came for the fried chicken and beer,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
He's not holding it like someone drinking a beer.
But I am not such a sour person as to begrudge guys some celebration. Knock yourselves out :)
He was spraying beer on his teammates. Plenty of media people were around during the celebration; did any of them actually witness him drinking any alcohol? If so, then it's appropriate to call him out as a liar. If not, then just shut the f*ck up.
And as the first comment says, the fact that he's a Mormon really isn't important. The loathsome Christine Brennan could easily have left that irrelevant fact out of the story, but doing that wouldn't fit her agenda and get across the points she wants to make.
The day I finished my last major project in college I went back to my room, grabbed a bottle of bubbly and jumped in the shower and poured it over my head while I jumped around and yelled. It was a lot of fun.
I think you may want to check your 2006 AL Central winner.
Every time the Blues advanced(granted it wasn't often) they had a champagne celebration. I don't know how other teams handled it.
Anybody out there want to share what makes Christine Brennan so loathsome? Right now, all I know about her is that Joey doesn't like her, and if anything that makes me favorably disposed toward her.
So my excuse is after the horrible 90 and early 00's, getting to the playoffs seemed like winning the Al Central.
Though since I am in fact check mode, I think it was the ALDS winning that I recall.
I also know little or nothing of her, but a quick glance at her Wiki makes her seem like an admirable pioneer. I think I agree with your assessment.
She did not call him a liar. She noted his position because it was part of her story. You don't like it because you don't like her.
I disagree. I worked with a gentleman that was a devote Morman. He did not drink and was not in places were alcohol was served. Because of this, we worked to ensure that we could have get-togethers where he could attend from time to time, and not just default to standard happy hours. Mentioning that Harper is Morman supports Brennan's story.
Part of that is the lack of tradition of meaning in those championships. Up until the last 15-20 years the pennant and division titles were almost as much a goal as the World Series itself. Also, the other three sports traditionally do their trophy presentations on the field of play rather than in the locker room.
As for the conference championship in hockey there is tradition in that celebration. Most teams will not touch the trophy at all, it just sits there at center ice with the team now supposedly focused on winning the Stanley Cup.
It's just weird because I have that very memory from the Twins clinching the AL Central that year. After the Twins won their final game (they had already secured the Wild Card), fans stayed at the Dome as the "jumbotrons" played the conclusion of the Tigers-Royals game. The Tigers lost, meaning the Twins won the Central, and all the players came back onto the field to celebrate with the fans who waited. It was great.
The ALDS against Oakland? Not so much.
- anything other than the Stanley Cup is looked upon with disdain and disgust. Do not soil your hands with it, if possible.
- after the handshake, announcement, and handing of the Cup to the captain, spend then next 30 minutes skating around the ice to celebrate, handing it off to teammates, coaches, owners, and training staff. Everyone realizes immediately that it's a heavy ####### cup, especially after 10 weeks of grueling play and travel have sapped your strength.
- take the Cup into the dressing room, and begin champagne/beer insanity. There will be a lot of drinking from the Cup. Be sure you updated your tetanus and hepatitis shots during the finals.
- each player on the winning team gets a day with the Cup. Celebrate with your small town, friends, family, etc., including pictures of the Cup in interesting locations.
I agree that mentioning Harper's religion is relevant to the story. That said, does anyone actually believe that one person choosing to not drink should actually result in knocking something off that everyone enjoys? It's probably worth mentioning that Harper didn't seem bothered (to put it lightly) by the means of celebration. He's been around plenty of clubhouses and seems like he really enjoys the atmosphere. It's possible to be a devout guy, follow your faith, and not crap on others having fun.
Harper joking about having cider with Laroche's kid entertained me, as a side note. I had a good friend that didn't drink that always put fruit juice in beer pong cups at parties.
The insinuations about the photos is the ######## part. If innuendo is what it takes to make your story fly, maybe you shouldn't write it in the first place.
Improbably, Brennan has emerged as the media's most obnoxious commentator on the Erin Andrews saga, outdoing even Mariotti and Whitlock. First, she came dangerously close to saying Andrews was asking for it, telling one sports radio show:
If you trade off your sex appeal, if you trade off your looks, eventually you're going to lose those. She doesn't deserve what happened to her, but part of the shtick, seems to me, is being a little bit out there in a way that then are you encouraging the complete nutcase to drill a hole in your room
In other words, I'm not as hot as Erin, but I'm not a bimbo either. So she deserved it.
Other examples, but I have to do some work now :)
It was implied without being directly stated, and no, his being a Mormon has absolutely no relevance to this "story" or to the general topic of champagne and beer celebrations in sports. Even if she or some other person had directly witnessed him drinking beer, proving that his claim that he doesn't drink alcohol is a lie, it STILL would say absolutely nothing about Mormonism, Mormons in general, or anyone else besides him for that matter.
Grow up, little child.
Noting his position would be: "a Mormon who doesn't drink alcohol."
What? You have a reliable track record of being on the wrong side of every issue. Only a fool would ignore that sort of anti-lodestar.
Right. Everyone know you throw the puppies into traffic going the same way as you. That way the road is cleared because of less cars and you can get home quicker.
I think you may have a warped view of what kind a place I work at. These guys are horrified by just the IDEA of marijuana for crissakes.
I saw people drinking champagne at work today (celebrating a database milestone for some study or another). It looked like a nice break in the day...
Until I went to my next meeting and some woman was in complete outrage about such a thing. She said she had already filed a complaint with HR about this unprofessional behavior, and she hoped that this would be the end of it ever happening again. She was so mad she looked like she was going to cry.
Which I guess is one of many reasons why people don't get to drink champagne at work.
Oh really, who was the local distributor? I've got to be completely honest: I don't believe you. I think you're once again doing what you do best: making sh*t up, pulling it out of your ass, and trying to pass it off as a "true story", just like that bullsh*t you fabricated several weeks ago about Davey Johnson being an alcoholic.
Well, good for you.
Everyone out there reading this thread: do yourself a huge favor and don't make the mistake of actually believing the crap that comes out of McCoy's mouth. He is the biggest B.S. artist who posts on here by miles.
Based on what? Sorry, but I need more than your say-so. I think it absolutely is relevant, as I noted. merely saying it is not and then implying some anti-Morman/Christian/religious crusade that you impute to the entire media is frankly not very convincing.
Everyone out there reading this thread: do yourself a huge favor and don't make the mistake of actually believing the crap that comes out of McCoy's mouth. He is the biggest B.S. artist who posts on here by miles.
I think most people are going to find your statement comical. You've got to be the most sensitive douche I've ever run across on the internet. Either that or you live a very sheltered life if you not believing me when I say that Davey Johnson is an alcoholic and that the Nationals wanted a distributor to give them the champagne for free makes me the biggest B.S. artist on BTF. I mean that is some serious proof you got there.
I have news for you. These rat bastards are holding out on you, they are party monsters.
The reason they don't invite you is because you are doing all their work.
And I'm sick and tired of this apple cider drinking, off day softball playing, 5 WAR 19 year old showing up the league with his showboating and shoving his faith and sobriety down everyone's throat.
LOL.
<<<RING>>>
<<<RING>>>
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this the kettle?"
"Yes."
"This is the pot. Know what?"
"What?"
"You're black."
The lengths you will go to deliberately miss the main point never cease to amaze me.
Frankly, you would be a lot more credible if you spelled the word Mormon properly. Three times now on this thread you have spelled it "Morman". Are you doing this on purpose?
The lengths you will go to deliberately miss the main point never cease to amaze me.
I'm sorry I missed your point. If I had to explain why I missed your point I would say it is because you were simply wrong. I mocked him because his proof of me being BTF's biggest BS artist is two extremely minor stories/opinions that he apparently does not believe are true or disagrees with me on my side of the opinion.
It's is also amusing to see the hyperbole that you are now bandying about. The lengths I will go to? My rebuttal to you was a one sentence statement. What length wouldn't have amazed you? See Spot run? You spent more time on your snark against me than I did in replying to it.
Honestly, though, I doubt Harper's religion would have been mentioned were it not for the political backdrop.
Rumor has it that Dennis Eckersley is Mormon (still looking for confirmation). I don't believe anybody in the media made a big deal out of his drinking exploits during his playing days.
Everyone out there reading this thread: do yourself a huge favor and don't make the mistake of actually believing the crap that comes out of McCoy's mouth. He is the biggest B.S. artist who posts on here by miles.
I've known this for several years.
Seriously, man, be prepared to be called out when you make bold, shocking statements on this forum. This isn't ESPN.com. You've been here long enough to know this. You were asked here specifically for proof, and then spent the rest of the thread upset that your reputation has been damaged because you never furnished said proof.
Is this directed at me? I'm not upset that Joey B thinks anything negatively about me. I find it amusing. I also find it amusing that giving a name somehow turns it into proof. I relayed a story that I happen to know. If you don't want to believe it go right ahead and don't believe it but I'm not sure how me saying how it was Dunder, Dunder, and Mifflin that was the distributor turns it into a believable story. Joey B is sensitive little dude when it comes to the Washington Nationals and for whatever reason he cannot tolerate this amusing little tidbit to be true. As I said to him already, "well, good for you".
I also state that whenever a troll like Joey B demands something of me I tend not to comply with their demands and I'm especially not going to comply with his demands after the manner in which he asked for proof.
Anyway, what exactly did I say that was bold and shocking?
No, because you actually have no idea whether or not he drinks alcohol. He says he doesn't drink alcohol, so you report that's what he says. You're not insinuating anything other than that you don't have independent verification of the fact. This is Journalism 101.
I have no idea why I typed it that way. I know how to spell Mormon and it is not an obvious typo. That being said, not sure my spelling errors cancel out you logic errors, or even you inability to provide any explanation beyond hating Brennan.
The Tigers hit well & pitched well to sweep the Oakland A's in the ALCS in 2006. Maybe that's a good omen. Go Tigers!
I think the best plan is to have some bottles of fuzzy juice too so everybody can have a toast.
Which changes my point not one whit. It was just a jab at you, McCoy: you mocked him for not providing proof (or, if you prefer, bringing up two "minor" statements that he doesn't agree with, which clearly you feel does not equate proof), but you have provided no proof yourself. That's all. Any twelve-year-old would've figured my point out pretty easily, since (A) I specifically ONLY quoted your statement about his lack of proof, and (B) used a cliche (that has been around for at least one hundred years) in such a way as to be transparently obvious.
See, this is what I'm talking about. Do you not understand idioms? The remark was clearly just another jab at you, suggesting that you deliberately miss the point so that you can rant. The irony of your doing it yet again specifically on this topic is not lost on me.
"Hyperbole?" Bwa ha ha ha ha.
Let it go, fellas. You'll live longer and happier.
The software company I work for used to be a subsidiary of a PR/Advertisement firm. Whenever the PR firm would land a big contract or retain a big contract, they would call everyone to the meeting room for a glass of bubbly. These events usually occurred between 10 and 11 am and would last for ~15 min, everyone would only have 1 glass and listen to how awesome so and so has been in landing the contract.
About 45 min later the President or a VP would be pushing the unfinished & unopened bottles around on a cart, refilling glasses and handing out bottles to whomever wanted them. It was commonplace to have consumed 3-5 glasses of champagne before lunch.
Those were the good days.
Eh, I'm done. The fact that you think I was taking up Joey B's cause is so hilarious I can't concentrate anymore.
Back in the early-mid 90's I worked for a small-ish (~150-250 employees) biotech company. Once a month, on a Friday, they'd hold what they called "soiree." Work stopped around 2:30 or so. They brought in food -- lots of pizzas, or giant Togos sandwiches, or whatever -- and served beer on tap. (Sodas, water and wine were also available, but the vast majority of employees lined up with Solo cups for the beer.) We'd then spend the next couple of hours stuffing our faces and getting pleasantly buzzed.
Everyone participated, so it was not uncommon to end up in line next to the CEO (or another exec) and just chat about whatever.
That was a great job.
You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.
<< Back to main