The last game

The whole last-game-at-Yankee-Stadium thing got me. The ESPN lovefest continues apace. How can anyone not enjoy seeing Whitey Ford (who looks fantastic) and Yogi Berra (who just is fantastic) on the telly and watch them chewing the fat w/ Joe Morgan and Jon Miller? (Admittedly, most of this was pantomime –the hotel bar turned up the sound for the Green Bay-Cowboys game but not for the end of a baseball era. So be it.)

Still, as a Red Sox fan who can't quite hate Johnny Damon even after his move south, it was a thrill to see him hit what might have been the last home run in the old yard. (Very short term: It lasted till Molina's next at bat.)

Back to the room and a TV with audible audio. Wait, maybe it's better without sound. Jon Miller, normally the best on air baseball guy-- mentioned how some people refer to Jason Giambi as "the Giambino." Ack. He CANNOT be SERIOUS!

OTOH, it was a pleasure to hear Reggie Jackson in the booth. The guy may rub many the wrong way, but he's no dope. He got in a gentle tussle with Joe Morgan who said Reggie deserved his own penthouse in the Yankee hall of fame. Reggie maintained that a special space should also be reserved for Paul O'Neill, scott Brosius, and several other former Yanks

Said Reggie: "I'll be the first one to say how great I was but for me to succeed in the post season" it was because of the Dick Greens, Catfish Hunters, Bert Campanerises, Craig Nettles and Bucky Dents of the world.

He again cited Brosius and Paul O'Neill as great teammates who had great character—things that don't always show up in stats.

And, in his opinion, Mariano Rivera ranks as one of the top five Yankees ever. He also mentioned Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Dimaggio. Did he leave himself off the list? Got a phone call so don't know.

Some of the footage was precious. Don Larson (Don LARSON!) scooping up dirt from the mound while Whitey looked on. Players acting like kids at the end, jumping to get into group shots.

The place was lousy with celebs. What would a Yankees game be without yet another superfluous view of Rudy G's white-and-sour mug? Richard Gere and Spike Lee. Matthew Modine??? Oh, and Bernie Williams.

Conspicuous by his absence was the disgraced Roger Clemens. Was he ever mentioned on air? Guessing not.

I grew up going to both New York parks with my dad. The Press Only sign posted off one ramp at Yankee Stadium piqued a life-long ambitioun to see what went on in such places. And now both buildings will be gone. It really is much sadder than expected

Post-season inanities

Tony Gwynn tonight commented on an onfield meeting of Yankee and Indians managers with the umpires: The Yankees were claiming catcher's interference in a Hideki Matsui at bat.

Gywnn brightly suggested that "One of those guys [the managers] is going to end up upset."

No kidding.


Someone should tell these on-air guys that they don't have to fill every silence. In fact, on-air silence (plus the roar of the crowd, etc.) can make the best broadcast.

Ditto for moronic on-field interviews: Example: The resident NESN twit to Manny Ramirez/David Ortiz/Jason Varitek et al. after some on-the-field heroics: "How great did hitting that walk-off-home-run feel?"

Or, the classic: "How much do you love these fans?"

Come on people. Just because you can say it, doesn't mean you should say it.


On the plus side, TBS' coverage has been mercifully free of the hideous, epilepsy-inducing graphics that make Fox telecasts unwatchable. The graphics and that orange-headed, pun-spouting freak Tim McCarver.