MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

[ursus arctos]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

So much for the Cubbies' appointed saviour. The SEC has just given Selig the silver bullet he wanted (but probably didn't need) to keep Mark Cuban out of Wrigley Field.

"The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Dallas entrepreneur Mark Cuban with insider trading for selling 600,000 shares of the stock of an Internet search engine company on the basis of material, non-public information concerning an impending stock offering.

The Commission's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, alleges that in June 2004, Mamma.com Inc. invited Cuban to participate in the stock offering after he agreed to keep the information confidential. The complaint further alleges that Cuban knew that the offering would be conducted at a discount to the prevailing market price and that it would be dilutive to existing shareholders."

[Incandenza]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

Thanks, and that was a mighty good play. Another fake throw to add to World Series lore.

[jason voorhees]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/ps/y2008/index.jsp

Inca - MLB.com has all of the major plays from the game. Look up the hyperlink for "knocked in" under the celebration picture, then go from there.

[jefe]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

CC Sabathia has filed for free agency. Gentlemen, start your checkbooks.

[Femme Folle]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

Heliotrope wrote:

I really need to change my username to Miss Anne Thrope.

That's a brilliant name.

Oh, and I couldn't agree more about parents who subject their small children to such things.

[Incandenza]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

I didn't watch the game or any of the highlights--have a link?

[ursus arctos]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

You should be proud of your homeboy for that play in the top of the 7th; it was sheer class (marred only by the idiot commentator comparing him to Jeter).

[Incandenza]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

My friend (went to same high school, and worked in UCLA athletics, so knew Chase Utley better than I did), who is now living in Philadelphia, just called to let me know that Utley said "world FUCKING champions!" at the rally, and the TV censor bleeped everything he said out after he already dropped the f-bomb.

[Heliotrope]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

I just tried to go to the parade, and I might have seen Werth (could tell by the hair) and Victorino (by the lack of hair). It's not a good place to be if you're claustrophobic.

A woman in the mob was complaining about being pushed because she's pregnant. Good call on coming someplace where attendance could be in seven figures. And you too, people bringing very young children way too young to know what's going on and wailing in fright.

I really need to change my username to Miss Anne Thrope.

[Gyuri]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

Yeah, I do blame you, Ursus. Seriously, though, I'm pretty sure you told me about where to go watch American football games, so I really have you to thank for not missing out on the more important parts of the game.

[ursus arctos]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

That must be disconcerting. I don't think I would be able to deal with one of my clients sounding like John Facenda. For one thing, I'd always find myself humming that orchestral version of "What do you do with a Drunken Sailor" that NFL Films is so fond of.

Angell proves yet again that he is The Man.

I feel strangely responsible for Gyuri missing the Ja Rule boo (without even being completely sure who Ja Rule is).

[Reed John]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

The current President of AdvaMed, the industry organization that lobbies for medical device companies, sounds a lot like Harry Callas. So whenever I hear him talk, I think he's going to start talking about Ryan Howard, etc.

[jason voorhees]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

I certainly agree that it was an "astounding mini-game." After all that nonsense, I'm happy to have seen such a quirky and magnificent part of baseball history.

[Gyuri]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

By the way, the great Roger Angell agrees that booing Bud Selig was a good thing (see his last two lines).

[Gyuri]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

JV,

I missed the Ja Rule boo (I was living in Frankfurt then, and watching the game on a soundless TV at a bar).

We really are lucky to have Kalas and Reese. As a kid, I never really appreciated Harry because he tended to say such inane things (and I wasn't old enough to recognize just how special his voice was). As it is now, after every important Phillies game, I search the intertubes for Harry's call of the key plays.

[jason voorhees]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

Great indeed, but you forgot the Ja Rule 2002 NFC Championship boo, which sounded like the death metal song of all death metal songs. The song that the most Satanic, darkest, belchiest death metal singer says after hearing, "damn, we're not that hardcore."

Harry Kalas and Meryl Reese: You Philly bastards are certainly blessed to have two of the best.

I can't think of a hotter crowd, other than Game 6 of the 96 Series. However, of course, baseball was robbed of the BoSux wrapping it up on the road twice.

[ursus arctos]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

Bravo, indeed.

You should post it on Posnanski's blog; he'd appreciate it.

[Dynamo Kev]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

Excellent post Gyuri, I agree 100%, it should be a preface for every column on Philadelphia fans' behavior.

The parade is scheduled for tomorrow at noon- which conflicts with the kids Halloween school parade.. what to do, what to do.

[Gyuri]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

I was in the car speeding home after the game (which I watched at my cable-TV-less girlfriend's house) to try and catch the post-game interviews on ESPN. When they announced Selig's name on the radio, I booed loudly as well.

The "boo" in Philadelphia is like the word "shalom" in Hebrew. . .it takes on many meanings depending on the context.

There is the "Schmidt Boo" when a great player does something less than great, and the boo means something akin to "we all know you're better than that, you're held to a higher standard and we won't let you coast on what you've done before; don't get too big for your britches".

There's the "Ivan Dejesus Boo" when a terrible player plays terribly, and it means "are you fucking kidding me, why the hell is this guy out there." This is an expression of sadness, frustration and disgust. This has been the boo that I most identify with Philadelphia fans over the past 25 years.

There's the "Darryl Strawberry Boo" or the "Larry Chipper Jones Boo" (potentially renamed the "Evan Longoria Boo"), which comes after an opposing team's great player does something great, and is a bookend to the weirdly respectful but derisive chant ("Daarrrrryyylll" or "Eeeevvvvaaaa") that comes before the play. This is an expression of something like shame or powerlessness, a realization that the taunting didn't work.

There's the "JD Drew Boo" (soon to be renamed the "Bud Selig Boo"), which is an expression of anger at someone perceived to have screwed over the hometown team. This is the boo that (in the days of Veterans Stadium) led to people winding up in stadium jail. EDIT: Actually, this is probably better named the "Terrell Owens Boo", but the visceral hatred for Owens is so great, that it's probably in a class by itself.

There's the "We Have a Reputation To Uphold, Even Though We Kind of View It Ironically, Boo". This has always been my favorite one. It's the booing of Destiny's Child in the 2001 NBA Finals, it's the booing of Santa Clause and the booing of countless bad performances by regular guys missing promotional field goals at halftime of Eagles' games. It was the booing of the mention of the Rays last night.

Then there's the newest one, which I wish I had been there last night to participate in. . .the "Chevy Camaro Boo". This boo is an expression of sheer, unadulterated joy. . .using the language that a Philadelphia sports fan knows best. This is the "boo" that, together with this call and the image of Ryan Howard belly flopping on Lidge and Ruiz, will stick with me and form the core of my memory about last night.

[ursus arctos]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

A typically great Posnanski column.

Booing Selig is to be expected, but booing the Chevy Camaro that went to the MVP is the kind of thing that makes Philly fans legends.

[Gyuri]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

Yes they are. I've spent the last 12 hours repenting and atoning for all the ways that I have slighted them.

[ursus arctos]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

The baseball gods are great.

[Gyuri]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I'm off to drink and set fire to cars. . .

[jason voorhees]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

What can I say.

To coffy, Gyuri, and D-Kev, CONGRATS.

The funny thing is, 3 innings is a beautiful game. It was only an hour and 10 minutes, and everyone gets to bed at a decent hour. Or in Philly, they get killed when their car gets Molotov cocktailed and flipped over by an insanly crazed mob at a decent hour.

Those nutty Phils. Never makin' it easy.

[jason voorhees]

MLB 2008: The Year of Anti-Boston

4-3 Blunts in the bottom of the 9th. 3 Outs away...