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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Groupthink Approved

The local conversation of late seems to have focused on BBTF groupthink, so I took a stab at an official seal of approval.

In the spirit of baseball blogs all over, a hat tip is owed to PreservedFish for inadvertently initiating this end-of-decade meme during the chatter about Heyman’s 2010 Hall of Fame Ballot. Just seven comments after first using “groupthink,” PreservedFish was already remorseful. “Just pretend that I didn’t use that word,” he said.

NaOH Posted: December 31, 2009 at 10:00 AM | 57 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. Repoz

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 01:29 PM (#3425309)

A BBTF groupthink test...the brandywine new Bill Conlin HOF ballot.

2. Craig Calcaterra Posted: December 31, 2009 at 01:41 PM (#3425314)

Conlin's failure to vote for Larkin surprises me, especially after he describes him thusly:

First shortstop to join the 30-30 club when he hit 33 homers and stole 36 bases in 1996. A legitimate five-tooler, Barry spent his entire 19-year career with the Reds and went to 12 All-Star Games. A Spalding Guide player, Larkin played short with the same economy and grace that Mike Schmidt displayed at third.

Does Larkin owe him money or something?

BTW: I love the seal of approval.

3. AJM Posted: December 31, 2009 at 01:47 PM (#3425317)

From Conlin's ballot:

Anyway, despite the lack of a catcher and outfield scarcity, this is one of the most talented groups of HOF ballot first-timers ever. And therein lies the peril. You can only vote for a maximum of 10 players. I checked six names on my ballot

"You can only vote for 10, that's not enough! I'll vote for 6."

I'm already feeling guilt for not giving a nod to Gallaraga. Next year.

Yeah, I wouldn't count on that.

4. The Id of SugarBear Blanks

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 01:52 PM (#3425318)

I'm already feeling guilt for not giving a nod to Gallaraga. Next year.

When one of the more venerable sportswriters in the land tizzies about a "career triple crown" without noting that it was accomplished in Coors Field ...

Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here.

5. Anonymous Observer Posted: December 31, 2009 at 02:11 PM (#3425323)

BTW: I love the seal of approval.

Who will be the first to throw a handful of feces?

AO

6. Justin T is expanding the aperture of awareness Posted: December 31, 2009 at 02:26 PM (#3425329)

Make that into a sticker and I'll buy one.

7. Champions Table Posted: December 31, 2009 at 02:34 PM (#3425332)

Could we also get one with an angry monkey saying, "Care to say that to my face?"

8. WallyBackmanFan Posted: December 31, 2009 at 03:02 PM (#3425341)

Conlin on Alomar:

A brilliant defender with No. 3-hole power and leadoff speed, the lifetime .300 hitter appeared headed for 3,000-plus hits and possibly 500 homers.

I guess my opinion of Conlin is summed up by the fact that I'm not sure that last number was a typo. He did manage to find the "3" three other times in that sentence.

And he is Conlin, so who can say?

9. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: December 31, 2009 at 03:12 PM (#3425346)

everyone in here agrees that groupthink is a myth

10. The Id of SugarBear Blanks

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 03:14 PM (#3425347)

Could we also get one with an angry monkey saying, "Care to say that to my face?"

Sign the jackass who made that Hornsbyesque and extremely inappropriate remark up for one, too.

11. Ray (RDP)

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 03:16 PM (#3425348)

I guess my opinion of Conlin is summed up by the fact that I'm not sure that last number was a typo. He did manage to find the "3" three other times in that sentence.

Considering that he couldn't spell "Galarraga," I'm guessing he was drunk while writing that column.

HOF voters really shouldn't be voting while drunk.

12. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: December 31, 2009 at 03:19 PM (#3425350)

Far worse than Conlin's HoF picks is his absolute butchering of the Stengel quote about catchers.

13. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: December 31, 2009 at 03:20 PM (#3425351)

HOF voters really shouldn't be voting while drunk

There's an argument to be had that some of them might do a better job that way.

14. T.J. Posted: December 31, 2009 at 03:44 PM (#3425356)

Love the seal.

15. GGC don't think it can get longer than a novella Posted: December 31, 2009 at 03:55 PM (#3425361)

It looks like on of those Euros that are popular here in southern New England. They used to be for showing off which resort town you summered in, but now they are ubiquitous.

16. Ray (RDP)

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 04:43 PM (#3425396)

In the spirit of baseball blogs all over, a hat tip is owed to PreservedFish for inadvertently initiating this end-of-decade meme during the chatter about Heyman’s 2010 Hall of Fame Ballot. Just seven comments after first using “groupthink,” PreservedFish was already remorseful. “Just pretend that I didn’t use that word,” he said.

PreservedFish first complained about Groupthink, at least as far as I saw, a day or so earlier in another thread, I think in the BBTF voting thread.

He then went back to the well in the Heyman thread, and the rest, as they say, is BBTF history.

17. There are no words... (Met Fan Charlie) Posted: December 31, 2009 at 04:56 PM (#3425401)

Who will be the first to throw a handful of feces?

If it's (they're?) liquid, it will probably be David Wright...

PS -- Da seal is da bomb!

18. karkface killah Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:05 PM (#3425408)

Top-notch seal. Classic.

19. Eraser-X is emphatically dominating teh site!!! Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:07 PM (#3425411)

Sign the jackass who made that Hornsbyesque and extremely inappropriate remark up for one, too.

Hey, I didn't say that! Watch your mouth!

(not really) EDIT: Oh you mean you. Sorry, I forgot there was more than one jackass.

20. Rafael Bellylard: Built like a Fielder Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:12 PM (#3425415)

So, if BBTF sells these seals, does preservedfish get a cut?

21. PreservedFish Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:14 PM (#3425417)

So, if BBTF sells these seals, does preservedfish get a cut?

At least I should get a free coffee mug or something.

22. Rafael Bellylard: Built like a Fielder Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:19 PM (#3425424)

Hey fish...hush....what am I going to do with 10% of a coffee mug?

23. NaOH Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:23 PM (#3425426)

I saw last night that the local supermarket allows for making custom mugs. Would you like me to get you one? Of course, we could always ask if Repoz would just set up a BTF CafePress account so anyone could order shirts, sweatshirts, t-shirts, mugs, bibs, notebooks, stickers, tote bags, caps, etc.

24. scotto Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:24 PM (#3425427)

PreservedFish first complained about Groupthink, at least as far as I saw, a day or so earlier in another thread, I think in the BBTF voting thread.

Backlasher was the first person to mention Groupthink that I can remember. It was around the time that Moneyball was published, so 2003.

25. scotto Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:33 PM (#3425431)

Of course, we could always ask if Repoz would just set up a BTF CafePress account so anyone could order shirts, sweatshirts, t-shirts, mugs, bibs, notebooks, stickers, tote bags, caps, etc.

It's been done.

26. PreservedFish Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:39 PM (#3425436)

PreservedFish first complained about Groupthink, at least as far as I saw, a day or so earlier in another thread, I think in the BBTF voting thread.

Oh, come now! I didn't start this thing. There have been years of talk about groupthink. I was the straw that broke the camel's back.

27. scotto Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:44 PM (#3425441)

I was the straw that ~~broke the camel's back~~ stirred the drink.

Don't let that camel's nose get into the tent, man.

28. Tom Nawrocki Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:45 PM (#3425442)

I can't believe everyone is in lockstep approval of this seal. That's so typical.

29. Horror Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:53 PM (#3425450)

30. NaOH Posted: December 31, 2009 at 05:56 PM (#3425451)

Of course, we could always ask if Repoz would just set up a BTF CafePress account so anyone could order shirts, sweatshirts, t-shirts, mugs, bibs, notebooks, stickers, tote bags, caps, etc.

It's been done.

A BTF thong is disturbing. I can't think of a word to describe a BTF Groupthink thong.

31. PreservedFish Posted: December 31, 2009 at 06:01 PM (#3425458)

I can't think of a word to describe a BTF Groupthink thong.

Portmanappropriate?

32. GGC don't think it can get longer than a novella Posted: December 31, 2009 at 06:16 PM (#3425470)

Backlasher was the first person to mention Groupthink that I can remember. It was around the time that Moneyball was published, so 2003.

BL made his first appearance in the "Goldman Rocks!" thread. I can't find the thread, but here's the BPro article that started the ball rolling.

33. zonk Posted: December 31, 2009 at 06:19 PM (#3425473)

A BTF thong is disturbing. I can't think of a word to describe a BTF Groupthink thong.

If that's where we're headed, then let me just say that I think Dusty Baker is a genius, Billy Beane needs to get out of his mom's basement, Jack Morris is an inner circle HOFer, and Pavement sucks.

Anything to avoid wearing or seeing any of you in a thong.

34. Morty Causa Posted: December 31, 2009 at 06:26 PM (#3425476)

Yeah, what say everyone gets back to talking about the HOF nonstop.

35. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: December 31, 2009 at 06:53 PM (#3425492)

BL made his first appearance in the "Goldman Rocks!" thread. I can't find the thread, but here's the BPro article that started the ball rolling.

Wasn't he posting under another handle before that?

Edit: And here's the thread you were looking for: Backlasher

36. scotto Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:00 PM (#3425499)

Wasn't he posting under another handle before that?

GGC would remember better than I, but I think that's right. I just don't remember what they were. A bit of the background appears in Wiki Gonzalez, but no indication what his previous handles had been.

Happy New Year to you and yours, by the way. I thought of you when watching Something Wild the other night. Seeing the Feelies as the HS reunion band cracked me up.

37. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:05 PM (#3425503)

GGC would remember better than I, but I think that's right. I just don't remember what they were. A bit of the background appears in Wiki Gonzalez, but no indication what his previous handles had been.

I thought he spent a lot of time getting on the nerves of Sox Therapudians during the Grady years before taking on the BL persona. I can't recall the handle, but I believe it had someone's name in it (though not Steve Buckley's Missing Thoughts, wherever he may be).

And thanks Scotto. You have a nice one as well.

38. Raskolnikov Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:09 PM (#3425505)

I'm not sure how I feel about this groupthink approach. What do you guys think?

39. I Remember When Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:15 PM (#3425509)

Love the seal.

Uh ... I think it's a chimp.

40. Adam M

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:16 PM (#3425510)

That's not a seal, it's a chimp.

41. Repoz

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:27 PM (#3425522)

Seeing the Feelies as the HS reunion band cracked me up.

Friend of mine is supposed to be putting up some nerdly FB pics of a Feelies backyard BBQ we had after a day of corehard drinky at Sun Tan Lake.

42. GGC don't think it can get longer than a novella Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:29 PM (#3425525)

GGC would remember better than I, but I think that's right. I just don't remember what they were. A bit of the background appears in Wiki Gonzalez, but no indication what his previous handles had been.

Gregor the Sinner was one.

43. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:32 PM (#3425529)

Gregor the Sinner was one.

The one I'm thinking of sounded something like Kennebunkport.

44. Baldrick Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:36 PM (#3425533)

Did Backlasher really not start until 2004? I could swear I remember having to deal with him when I was in college and I graduated in spring 03. Huh. Just goes to show you that the memory can't be trusted.

45. scotto Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:36 PM (#3425535)

The one I'm thinking of sounded something like Kennebunkport.

I don't know if that was BL before he was BL, but I have that handle on the tip of my tongue, but Ken Arneson keeps coming up and I don't think it's he.

46. GGC don't think it can get longer than a novella Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:38 PM (#3425538)

Ken E Bunkport still shows up under a different handle. If I saw it, I'd recognize it. MCoA may remember who he is.

47. GGC don't think it can get longer than a novella Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:40 PM (#3425542)

Stately, Plump Buck Mulligan!

48. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:43 PM (#3425546)

Stately, Plump Buck Mulligan!

Well that would make sense, as he's the most avidly anti-Theo guy this side of km.

49. Danny Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:47 PM (#3425550)

Ken Arneson is/was the Score Bard.

50. zonk Posted: December 31, 2009 at 07:49 PM (#3425551)

I don't think Groupthink approves of unmasking... it's breeds too much individuality.

51. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 08:05 PM (#3425569)

It was something alongs the lines of Beelzebub or some such........

52. puck Posted: December 31, 2009 at 08:07 PM (#3425570)

When one of the more venerable sportswriters in the land tizzies about a "career triple crown" without noting that it was accomplished in Coors Field ...

Minor correction, the batting title came when the team played in Mile High Stadium.

Pre-humidor Coors sure put up some crazy park factors.

53. Ken Arneson Posted: December 31, 2009 at 09:08 PM (#3425636)

I hope it wasn't me.

IIRC, the proto-Backlasher was RossCW.

54. Adam M

Posted: December 31, 2009 at 09:20 PM (#3425648)

Uh ... I think it's a chimp.

It would seem I owe someone a coke.

55. zonk Posted: December 31, 2009 at 09:26 PM (#3425653)

It would seem I owe someone a coke.

I thought it was a groupthink joke.

56. PreservedFish Posted: December 31, 2009 at 09:32 PM (#3425657)

IIRC, the proto-Backlasher was RossCW.

RossCW was stupider than Backlasher. I remember because my name used to be RossyW.

57. T.J. Posted: December 31, 2009 at 10:31 PM (#3425694)

Man, I remember all these folks. I've been around here a long time; it's gotta be close to a decade now.

And I still feel like I'm new most of the time.

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