There's that, and Bailing Hay

Last night, President Bush threw out the first pitch at new Nationals Park in Washington DC. He went up on the mound and threw a hard ball, a bit high. As ESPN's John Miller put it, "There have been many other presidents that have thrown out first pitches, but I don't know any who have done it better."

And it's true, Bush throws a mean opening pitch. As someone who has done it on a much smaller scale, I can attest that's no small feat. It's probably the thing he's best at, and brings back memories of the 2001 World Series, where his pitch at Yankee Stadium (with bullet proof vest on, from the mound, weeks after 9/11, and a 90% approval rating) was probably the highlight of his presidency.

baseball
by krs601

Below is that 2001 video... you have to give it to him-- it was a strike. This video is pretty cool, even though it combines two of my most disliked things.

George Will on Politics & Baseball

On Opening Day, here's a cool piece ESPN showed last night before the Nationals/ Braves game. It features Washington Post columnist George Will, a man known for his intellect, conservatism and love for baseball. He draws parallels between America's two national pastimes: baseball and politics.

It's only a couple of minutes long and worth checking out.



As Mr. Will once said, "Baseball trivia is the ultimate oxymoron, because there's nothing trivial about baseball."

And Now I'm Putting it Behind Me...

As pretty much everyone knows, last week the Mets collapsed in historic fashion and missed the playoffs, despite being in first place for almost the entire 162-game season. As not everyone knows, this weekend I went to Chicago and watched the Cubs season end on a losing note for 99th consecutive year. I am a huge Mets fan, and our loss crippled me and my fellow believers.

But now I'm ready to move on.

To that end, Time Magazine has an article entitled "Mental Help for Mets Fans." It's about how to cope with the biggest meltdown in the history of baseball. It's written by Sean Gregory, a lifelong Mets fan, and isn't patronizing. Dr. Richard Lustberg, a psychologist and also a big Mets fan, says "Baseball is being taken away from you. It's difficult to handle, especially when watching Mets games have become part of your routine. There's some reality to it. It's like you've suddenly had an aneurysm.

"I was driving to work today, and I go, 'Aw, s__, the Mets aren't on tonight," says Lustberg. "What am I going to do? I'm annoyed with the team. There has to be a period of withdrawal, and I know it's going to take a little while."

So, this is a good read for fans of the Mets, Cubs, or other choking teams. As this indicates, sometimes fans need a lesson in acceptance.

Also, this SNL skit is pretty good, and puts a fine point on the emotions that accompany that shocking loss.

However, I think most of Mets-nation found comfort in the ugly 3- game sweep suffered by the Phillies (who were the beneficiaries of the Mets' downfall)... and you have to look at the bright side-- at least my second favorite team, "Whoever plays the Yankees," is still going strong.

Go Tribe.

Quote of the Day 10/4

"I made my arguments and went down in flames. History will prove me right."

-- George W. Bush, then owner of the Texas Rangers after voting against realignment and a new wild-card system during a Major League Baseball owners meeting in September 1993. Bush was the lone dissenter in a 27-1 vote.

Since realignment and the wild-card came to baseball, MLB profits have increased from $1.2B to $5.8B and attendance records have been broken almost yearly.