A Comment On Scott Kaplan's Firing

Scott Kaplan was fired from XX1090 this afternoon for saying the following about Mountain West studio analyst, Andrea Lloyd:

“I think that she is currently a woman. I cannot confirm for you that she has been a woman her entire life. My guess is that at some point she had some form of surgery. Have you seen this chick?”

He also described her as a  “beast,” an “animal,” a “monster” and a “sasquatch of a woman.”

Many are focusing on the overt sexism of Kaplan's comments but it is the egregious dehumanization that offends me equally.

What makes these comments disheartening is that Scott Kaplan has a daughter (or 2?) as does his co-host Billy Ray Smith.

I can only imagine if my daughters were ever described in such a way. I'm pretty sure I would cry. And I don't think that's overreacting. Nor is it being overly sensitive. It's simply a matter of common decency. A sense of decency that is often absent when Scott Kaplan speaks about women or to women on the airwaves.

It is a difficult time to lose a job but in the end we are all accountable. As it should be.

Hacksaw's Hacked-Quotes: Contract Extension Talk With Padres GM, Josh Byrnes

Wanting to hear Josh Byrnes comment on today's trade of Anthony Rizzo, I was presented with an opportunity cost.  I could listen and glean information from the Padres GM thus increasing my baseball IQ or I could ignore the interview and inevitably save 45 minutes of my life. The interview was a mere 5 minutes but I knew that some inane comment by Hacksaw would inevitably force me into blogging about it.

So here I am. Blogging about it . . .


After listening to the interview I saw this tweet by Saw:

The punctuation things are called quotation marks. Within the quotation marks are words. Outside of the quotation marks is a name. What this is called is a quotation.

As literate folk we are led to believe that the person in question, Josh [Byrnes], said the above statement.

In summation: Josh Byrnes said that he is talking about contract extensions with both Cameron Maybin and Chase Headley.

Except he didn't say that. How do I know? Well I listened. Then I went back and listened to make sure I wasn't crazy. And then I transcribed it.

Hacksaw: 

It had been proposed to me, that somewhere along the line in this off-season that you would start negotiating multi-year contracts to buy out arbitration with a couple of cornerstone guys. And I don't know whether that's Maybin or weather that's Headley. Are you gonna do that?

Josh Byrnes: 

We've had discussion with a few guys.

How can you feed the guy names* and then quote him (rhetorical question)? Between Scott and BR in the morning and Hacksaw in the afternoon we are surely a charmed fan base.

*There's no way Headley is getting an extension.

Opinion: Are Scott and BR Angling for Syndication?

Apparently while driving on Friday, I may have listened to Scott and BR for the last time on XX1090. What came to light this weekend was that they are in a contract dispute with the Broadcast Company of the Americas (BCA) essentially involving the tandem's attempt to terminate their contract early (supposed to run through 2012).

Each party is playing it close to the vest with XX1090 owner John Lynch saying that Scott and BR are in violation of the terms of the contract and that there may be tampering by a 3rd party. Scott and BR have only claimed that they are confident that they will be on the radio in San Diego soon.

It wasn't until I read the media column from the North County Times by John Maffei that I received some more insight into this dispute (click below to continue reading).

 From last night's column:

In an e-mail, 1090 vice president of programming Jack Evans said, "BCA has commenced arbitration against Scott and BR in an effort to protect its legal rights and enforce it agreements with them.

"BCA also has serious concerns regarding potential third party interference with Scott and BR's contract and BCA will pursue all legal remedies against any interfering third parties."
Kaplan and Smith have talked on the air about syndicating their show nationally. And a source with knowledge of the situation said the station believes Fox Sports Radio is pursuing the pair for just such a position.
That, however, would put them in direct competition with 1090 ---- on XTRA Sports 1360, one of two other sports stations in San Diego.

An attempt to break the contract by Scott and BR makes sense when the specter of syndication is involved. Scott Kaplan has always made allusions to being something bigger than just a local radio program.

I remember when they had Rick Pitino on as a guest but the interview had nothing to do with Louisville basketball but instead focused on horse racing. This made sense because Pitino owns and races horses and Scott and BR have the Great Friends Stables so clearly there was no harm in the discussion going down that path (although I couldn't give two sh*ts about a horse). But here's the thing........you would have never known that Pitino was a part of this radio interview as Scott dominated it with his personal anecdote about a horse of theirs that had won a big race. Rick Pitino, a giant in college basketball, shut down so that Scott Kaplan could have his moment in the sun.
I have never gotten the impression of self-importance from Billy Ray Smith. I've sent him emails and he's replied with his opinions. I cannot say the same for Scott. Too often the show devolves into "This IS Scott Kaplan's Life"........and that's when I flip over to the Dan Patrick Show.

The Scott and BR Show......."Is what it is"......to borrow a phrase from the GM that Scott loves to bash with such frequency. It's an entertainment program with a slant towards San Diego's sports teams. They get some great insiders as guests but the duo itself rarely boosts your sporting IQ (primarily because Scott doesn't know that much and is always talking.....which shuts down Billy Ray).

Make no mistake about it though; if The Scott and BR Show gets syndicated nationally the nature of the show will change fundamentally. The "Nation" doesn't care about San Diego or the teams they house which means they will have to shift the content of the show to reflect the wider exposure that syndication will garner. When the Chargers, Padres, and San Diego itself stop providing content for the program..........I start listening to books on audio.

Editor's Note (Monday 3/15 @ 8:30 pm):

Scott and BR have posted a statement on their website. If they are indeed stating the facts then this is a classic case of "some real bush league bullshit", on the part of XX1090 owner John Lynch. I stand by the following statements:

• Scott's ego is difficult to handle (I suppose I just paraphrased myself).
• If their show gets picked up and syndicated I won't listen.
• Books on audio need to be given a fair chance.
  

Mike Singletary is to leadership as Norv Turner is to _________?

I have stated many times that my origins are of the Midwestern ilk and as such I happen to think quite highly of Mike Singletary. More precisely---he's bad a**. I think most would agree with that assessment and most would also take it a step further in suggesting: "Man I wish he was the coach of the San Diego Chargers!"

(you would suggest that wouldn't you?)

So in logging out of my email account what do I see but a picture of Samurai Mike and a video entitled: Mike Singletary on Leadership.

Fortuitous timing with the Chargers slipping 3 1/2 games behind the Denver Broncos and the city of San Diego up in arms about the leader at the helm (or lack there of). Why it was just yesterday afternoon that former fullback assassin, Lorenzo Neal, went on Darren Smith's show and railed against Norv Turner after former Charger safety Vencie Glenn* had done the same in the morning with Scott and BR.

So what does the Samurai have to say?

What do you think?

Is Norv leading by example? The lines of communication.....are they clear? What about the message he's selling? Is it being bought by the rank and file? Who knows.....I'm not in the locker room, but after listening to Lo' Neal's interview on XX1090 I'd say a lot of his information and opinion is based on that of an inside source. Maybe a mate from the fraternity of running backs, who he's close friends with? I'm just saying...

*Vencie Glenn, due to his critical but fair comments regarding how the Charger defense takes the field, has become one of the patron saints of Avenging Jack Murphy. Vencie Glenn is a hard man. Vencie Glenn is a wise man.

The "Free-Fall-To-My-Death" Dream Replaced By A Greater Horror : The Bleacher Bums Return to the Airwaves

Better Swayze: Bohdi in Point Break or Daulton in Road House?

It's alright. They're not back on the air.....I'm describing my personal nightmare. Every time I think that I may not have something to write about......up sprouts material (of course this was supposed to be finished on Friday). The inspiration; former Bleach Bum ATL Earl ranting and raving on the Scott & BR show.

ATL is a moron and I don't have to prove it because he does it on his own every time he opens his mouth. He cried that San Diego wasn't ready for the brand of radio he and Jordan provided; two fans who kept it real. He went on to say, "San Diego can't accept that the Padres suck and the Chargers can't admit that they kept the Wrong QB (Rivers instead of Brees) and let the wrong RB leave (should have kept Turner and cut LT after '07 season).

Here's why you're an idiot Earl:

1. The Padres are in last place so technically they do suck. But it is the uneducated fan who cannot see the great strides that have been made in recent months. The Hairston trade brought power arms but most importantly opened up playing time for both Venable and Blanks which has worked out nicely. The Peavy trade brought more power arms and opened up payroll flexibility.........the kind that would allow the FO to sign all of it's draft picks. The Padres are on the come.....you idiot!
2. When you have a young QB on the bench who has been paid 1st round money and your starter who is about to become a FA shreds his throwing shoulder in the season finale the decision for General Manager AJ Smith becomes pretty simple: let Brees walk and turn the keys over to Rivers. In fact I'm amazed that AJ even offered Brees a contract after a labrum tear to his throwing shoulder. I like Drew Brees A LOT.....but anyone who thinks he should have been retained with that sort of medical red flag is a MORON/IDIOT.
   

I cannot believe San Diego was subjected to such lunacy during the Bleacher Bum experiment. At the end of the day it was not their abrasive personas, combative positions, or anti San Diego biases that made The Bleacher Bums so intolerable. It was the simple fact that they were so uneducated as sports fans. Ignorant to San Diego's history as well as the general sports knowledge required of some one who would discuss it as a profession.

I have not plummeted to a free fall death and the Bleacher Bums are still off the air. Life is good.

Every Bleacher Bum Broadcast should have ended with the audio from this Billy Madison scene:

Jordan and Earl's contribution to talk radio in a nutshell.

Editor's Note:
See Scott Kaplan's Facebook page for listener comments.

English sounds good on the radio (no pun)

I said that I would scream at the TV had we taken Knowshon Moreno or Beanie Wells with our first round pick last Saturday. Running back was not a need in 2009. We want to win a Super Bowl in 2009.....get us players that will be the means to that end, AJ.

Then we used the 16th pick to draft a pass rush specialist? Is something wrong with Merriman (aside from the fact that when his contract expires it is believed he will be allowed to walk to get his "Albert Haynesworth-type" compensation else where)? No shouting at the TV...bewilderment and betrayal, yes.

Why an OLB? Who's Larry English? What were people posting on the UT message boards? Most everyone was pissed as they continued to clamor for Rey Maualuga.....(incidentally Maualuga turned out to be the one of the most overrated things going into the draft as he plummeted to #38 where he was taken by the Criminality Bengals). Given time to think about the English pick however, I have surmised the following:

• This is Ron Rivera's unit now. If there is anyone who can utilize the skills of Larry English it is the man who cut his teeth under 46 Guru, Buddy Ryan. The 1985 Bears were the first team to truly bring the house....we'll bring so many athletes at the QB from so many different angles/directions/gaps that your QB will crap himself.....the result: sack/hurried pass/int.....pick your poison. Don't believe Larry English can strike fear into the opposition? Look at the fear in this Gopher's eyes:

The eyes say it all:.......awwwww fuuuuu-dge!

I have to believe that if they find ways to get English on the field our defense could return to being a devastating unit. We have the fastest corner in the league in Antonio Cromartie (although he might not actually be very good) and one of the better cover corners in Quentin Jammer......man up and bring the house!!!!

Of course if none of that happens and the English pick was solely for the purpose of replacing Merriman when his contract expires then I ........ well, I'll probably yell at the TV.

Anyways, I heard Larry English on with Scott & BR right after his coach from NIU, Larry Kill. I was impressed. It sounds like we've got a talented football player who is also a pretty quality guy. So at least we've got that going for us....

Here's some audio from the last two days:

NIU Head Coach Larry Kill on XX1090 [Scott & BR-Monday]
1st Round Pick-Larry English [Scott & BR-Monday]
4th Round Pick/Project-Gigantic Canadian/Jamaican Vaughn Martin [Darren Smith-Monday]

AJ Smith on XTRA Sports 1360 [Josh and Brian-Monday]
3rd round pick, G Luis Vazquez [Josh and Brian-Monday]

The English Debate and kool-aid drinking [619 Sports-Tuesday]
Looking at the Picks on day two of the draft [619 Sports-Tuesday]

Effects of "The HBE"

After many page views and a bit of bickering in the "Comments" section here's where we stand in the aftermath of the Heath Bell Effect:

The Good Reader was encouraged to arbitrarily take out their frustrations on Scott & BR regular Sid Rosenberg. Rosenberg being an East Coast based radio personality and Mets fan would serve as THEE symbol of bias for the following email:

Dear Sid:

We ruined your opening night and took the series from you....we know, we know...we listened to your interview with Scott & BR---"The Mets didn't take the series seriously"---"The Padres are an awful baseball team"---"We only have two players, and some guy named Headly who gets lucky every once in a while"---"And when the season's over the Padres will be where they belong...in last place".



Well let's look at last year: The (last place) Padres took 5 of 7 from the Mets and the Phillies won the East by 3 games....do the math and chew on that Mighty New York Fan. Your overpriced team will likely cave again and we'll just keep on battling....see you on August 8th!



Sidney Arthur Rosenberg responded as follows:

Love the enthusiasm. Good email. Factual and well written. But your team still sucks. Take care!

Nice! A good fella, that Sid. Hope we didn't crash your e-mail box (Suppose that 4 e-mails probably couldn't do it anyway...)



After Sid responded a heated discussion began to take place by one East Coast representative, one West-Coast apologist and of course yours truly. While attempts were made to actually have a debate the parties involved were so entrenched in their own viewpoints that an old quote came to mind:



"Arguing with a teenager is like mud wrestling with a pig — you both end up dirty but only the pig is happy!"



In either one of the above cases you fail to get anywhere substantive and it began to feel that way in regards to our media bias discussion......so I gracefully (as possible) bowed out. As the conversation became more spirited it eventually ended with the West Coast representative declaring that....I speak my mind and don't want to argue with idiots like you that have no common SENSE. But I sure would like to know where you live.



Ahh, the spirit of debate......so I got to thinking.....



It seems to be so intuitive that when you hear baseball news there are the Haves and Have Nots.....there are those teams that ESPN leads with (NYY, NYM, BOS, CHC) and then everybody else. Let's also be realistic in saying that EVERY team receives coverage but that it is doled out in lesser degrees relative to the big spending franchises. It should also be mentioned that it is ESPN's prerogative to continue with the inequity as long as they feel it is the most profitable course for them to continue on (although we disagree......if Baseball Tonight gave the Padres adequate coverage then I would watch it.....and then I would learn about some of the other "have-not" MLB teams thus leading me to be intrigued by some of the nightly ESPN broadcasts, which I might then watch. Clearly ESPN disagrees with us...).



.....back to what I was thinking. I needed to turn on ESPN radio and then check Baseball Tonight when I got home on Monday night....just to confirm that I was not crazy. What did I hear/see:



ON ESPN RADIO (4:15pm Monday)

• Josh Beckett of the Red Sox and his suspension.
• The high rate of balls flying out of Yankee Stadium.

Baseball Tonight on the radio would eventually discuss the Dodgers in detail (but who really cares about them?). At home I would turn on ESPN to find out that the game that was supposed to be on was Oakland at the new Yankee Stadium but it was postponed due to rain.....bonus coverage of the Braves....first highlight on Baseball Tonight: Red Sox winning for 6th consecutive time on Patriot Day. Tuesday morning I turned on Dan Patrick. He was talking about the HR balls flying out to right at Yankee Stadium and the prospects of bringing in an expert of some sort to analyze angles and slopes, blah, blah.



Is it really very far fetched to suggest that there are certain teams that receive more coverage than others? It's not even wrong that ESPN chooses to cover baseball this way....but it's intellectually dishonest not to acknowledge the facts.



What were other's saying? Geoff Young's Padre blog, Duck Snorts, said the following in his weekly column:

I love that Bell called out ESPN for covering three teams and ignoring the other 27. Everyone knew that already, but it’s cool to hear a big-league player acknowledge it. As I’ve said before, San Diego is not ESPN’s market. That’s not a complaint, it’s a fact. We have no use for each other. I would rather invest my time in “Millionaire Matchmaker” or “Cash Cab.” If I’m going to watch crap, it should be entertaining.

Do What You Cannot Do [Ducksnorts]

I agree...... Crap does need to be entertaining (hope this blog is doing the trick).

What about Craig Elsten and Chris Ello over at 619 Sports?

They had a great podcast on the topic with each taking a very different viewpoint on the matter. It was sensible and passionate and we encourage you to have a listen (they have a bunch of other good podcasts as well at their new site):

New Closer, New Song, New Attitude [619 Sports]

Going back to the email that I encouraged people to send out.....The email was meant to be a protest of unbalanced coverage of the "Big Dogs" on ESPN.....Heath Bell complained about the Padres getting very little run on Baseball Tonight but in reality this is not an issue solely related to the Padres. At the core it is more a matter of a vast majority of teams getting inequitable coverage from ESPN.

In the process of spreading the Gospel we were banned from our local Padre blog, Gaslamp Ball, because our enthusiasm runneth-ed over until it was technically classified as "Spamming"....ooops. We grovelled our way back into good graces.[Gaslamp Ball]

We were also unexpectedly approved for posting by the Executive Vice President of the Padres. Paul De Podesta let us sneak in at his blog:[It might be dangerous...you go first]

An interesting week it's been......and the Padres have dropped three in a row. Jake got banged yesterday and a 10 inning affair this afternoon in SF.

The Heath Bell Effect

Below you'll find the Heath Bell Effect. What's that you say? It's what happens when he pitches and then opens his mouth: Padres win, people start talking.

After Bell saved game #1 in Citi Field's history he proceeded to bash ESPN's Baseball Tonight for never featuring the Padres and never even mentioning SD in the build-up to the Mets' opening night. Fair enough....we know that on the West Coast we play second fiddle. So I shall propose two things to you, San Diego Sports fan:

1. Check out the time-line below.....it is the chronology of The Heath Bell Effect.
2. After reading the chronology (and listening if you have the time) follow Heath Bell's lead and make a little noise....I have a suggestion.
   

April 14th: Heath Bell dogged ESPN in an interview with Scott & BR on Tuesday morning:
[XX1090-Audio]

April 16th: HB then went on Baseball Tonight and spoke with Karl Ravech:

Click:[ESPN Video Link]

April 17th: The following afternoon Baseball Tonight's Tim Kurkjian spoke with Darren Smith:

[XX1090-Audio]

April 17th: Miami radio personality Sid Rosenberg (a native New Yorker and Met Fan) and Scott & BR regular hooked up to talk about a few things...the last of which was a brief commentary on the Padres where he bashed them mercilessly!
[XX1090-Audio]

April 19th: Bell's remarks ring true about almighty ESPN
[Union Tribune-Nick Canepa]

That folks, is the Heath Bell Effect:

1. Heath Saves Games:
2. Heath Drops Mad Quotes:
3. People Start Talking About Heath....And The Padres.
   

This folks, is my proposal:

1. Let's E-mail Scott & BR's regular Radio Active guest: Sidney Arthur Rosenberg
   

Listening to that guy Rosenberg reminded me of Bleacher Bum Jordan (if you added a brain). Brash, loud, opinionated and completely New York-East Coast-Centric. He came off as an extension of the ESPN bias that Heath Bell justly attacked earlier in the week....so let us join Heath Bell in appealing to Common Sense......here's Sid Rosenberg's email address:

sidsback2001@yahoo.com

Dear Sid:
We ruined your opening night and took the series from you....we know, we know...we listened to your interview with Scott & BR---"The Mets didn't take the series seriously"---"The Padres are an awful baseball team"---"We only have two players, and some guy named Headly who gets lucky every once in a while"---"And when the season's over the Padres will be where they belong...in last place".

Well let's look at last year: The (last place) Padres took 5 of 7 from the Mets and the Phillies won the East by 3 games....do the math and chew on that Mighty New York Fan. Your overpriced team will likely cave again and we'll just keep on battling....see you on August 8th!

For those of you who are the regular rebel-rousing-Thomas Paine-types but lack the time required of a full-time insurrectionist: feel free to copy & paste the above gibberish. Or get creative as you keep in mind that the national information outlets think San Diego and its fans are a joke....so you don't have to be nice.

How many e-mails can we inundate ol' Sidney Arthur Rosenberg with?

Editor's Note: It appears that there is another component to The Heath Bell Effect......when someone else tries to close a game......it's kind of ugly. Well, you can't win 'em all. A great week had by both the Padres and....Dodgers.

This Is The End: March 29th extremely weak Round-up

“At the end of the day, I want to win,” Moorad says. “I won't rest until the Padres win a World Series ... I think you can win even in a smaller to medium-sized market (like San Diego) with a smaller to medium-sized payroll. We just have to be better and smarter than our competition.”

-Jeffrey Moorad (new Padres CEO and eventual owner)

With our 4th or 5th starters yet to be named and an untested bullpen we find ourselves apprehensive. As March comes to a close the Padres still lack any kind of speed and have power so dubious that the reasonable man must take stock and note that the prospects for the 2009 season are disheartening. There is reason for hope, though.

Spring is a time of renewal and, as such, also a symbol of hope. All you should really need though is the above quote to instill that glimmer of hope. Note the words that new Padre CEO Jeff Moorad chooses: never does he say that he is "looking to remain competitive in the NL West" or that "there's no reason that we can't be competitive". Those are the refrains of a previous regime...Jeff Moorad says he wants a World Series and he won't rest until the Padres get one. We like the sound of that. We recommend reading the remainder of the UT article to get a feel for why "the times they-are-a-changin'".

Modest start preceded Moorad's rise
[San Diego Union Tribune-Mark Zeigler]

However, if you still cannot muster some positive vision for the short term that's O.K. too.......complain away! As a Padre fan you've earned the right. You were told to vote "Yes" back in 1998 and the future would forever be bright. But it's 2009 and the "Bark Park" novelty has worn off to the casual fan so we're left with the same old cost cutting measures of days gone past. With a $40 million dollar payroll we will trudge through a weak NL West and compete against a Dodger team that just paid Manny Ramirez over $20 million.......we need not do the math for you.

We were lied to so feel free to deliver your bellows of rage. Don't let guys on the radio tell you that you should only be extolling the favorables on account of a new ownership group easing into place and April just on the horizon. Be cynical. Be skeptical. It's the Padres 40 year anniversary...you've earned it.

We're hopeful though, and satisfied that Jeff Moorad is at the helm. Check out the following audio:perhaps it will quell your pessimism.

Jeffrey Moorad with Scott & BR
[XX1090--3/27/09]
Kevin Towers with Darren Smith
[XX1090--3/27/09]

There's another thing that is quite outstanding about Moorad....he received his law degree from..........wait for it........Villanova! The bracket was blown up today but it is on life support with the "Villanova in the finals" selection. It looks like a Michigan St/Villanova final will be needed. Go Nova!

The week has ended and we can all agree that life is Too Short to not envision a little hope on the horizon...

Editor's Note:
The bearded fella sitting next to Senator McCain is Jeff Moorad. Moorad claims that the Senator knows more about the Diamondbacks than most people in the Arizona front office which explains precisely two things:

1. D-Backs's poor showing in 2008.
2. McCain's inability to differentiate between the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam (keep your eye on the ball Mr. McCain)
   

This is The End: March 8th Round-up

These are stories from the week that we either touched on (see:Dancing With The Stars mash unit), wished for (see: A-Rod's karma to come full circle), or missed entirely (See: Vasgersian...I don't know anyone who EVEN has the MLB network). No matter the story's relevance....this is the End.

[XX1090 Scott & BR-audio]
LT's Mom doesn't like his chances of returning and while bitter at the way her son has been treated acknowledges that, "she's just a mom". Word will probably be in by Wednesday....why would LT wait any longer if he plans on rejecting the final Charger offer?

[Sports Illustrated]
The advantages to that time of year when we "spring" forward and add a little extra prime-time day light and warmth........if time constrains you and you're only going to click one of these links.......this is it, friends.

[Deadspin-audio]
Santa Maria!!!!! Matty V said something you can't say on the air during the MLB network's inaugural season.......I'll miss the team of Matt and Mudcat.

[Deadspin]
Michael Lewis' Moneyball is an absolutely fascinating read. Interesting theories, but put into practice, it is a steaming pile of crap. So let's make a movie about it and star Brad Pitt as Mt. Carmel's Billy Beane! Can you say steaming pile of......?

First Julianne Hough bows out....now Nancy O'Dell and Jewel

[SD Union Tribune]

The Padres' farm system gets rated 29th out of 30 teams by Baseball America. Kyle Blanks is the only Padre rated in the top 100 of all MLB prospects (noteworthy: I watched him hit on Saturday and while a massive man at 6'6" and 270 lbs, I think he could play LF. Doesn't look oafish like Adam Dunn......he's very calm at the plate.....I saw him K and then hit one on a line off the top of the fence).

[XX1090 Darren Smith-audio]
Sandy Alderson talks about stuff......like captaining a farm system ranked 29th by Baseball America.

[619 Sports]
A case made for using your dollars on the passion found in our local college teams. This is your opportunity to get a little extra 411 on the sporting events in the 619.......San Diegans, Support!

[Hugging Harold Reynolds]
Cooooooool.......Now we get to taunt Manny as he "Mans" left for the Dodgers in '09. Let's make a concerted effort to throw monopoly money at ManRam when he visits our left field. Anyways, listen to the audio garnered by HHR of Manny's agent Scott Boras. It must be nice to be able to turn down $25 million in this economy.

[SD Union Tribune (AP)]
A-Rod gets familiar with Karma.

Pardon me..... can I help you up ?

Now for a look at Linebackers.

That is #57, Matt Wilhelm of "Thee Ohio State University". He may have been the primary tackler on this play but there is only one thing we can be absolutely sure about....he's preparing to help the fallen Steeler off of the deck.

I wanna hold your hand...

We don't have the stat sheet in front of us to confirm Wilhelm's number of tackles from Sunday but we do know that he led all players in "lending a helping hand to fallen Steelers", "congratulatory slaps on the ass of the opposition", and the only "I can't wait to tell you how awesome that punt return was for a touchdown my fellow Thee Ohio State University Alumnus Santonio Holmes"....a real mouthful to be sure. It is true that Matt Wilhelm is a good sport and a nice post game interview . What Matt Wilhelm is not is an NFL Linebacker.

When you are slow and players run past you........ when you lack quickness and players sidestep you....... when you attempt to tackle players you miss entirely or they bounce off of you...... when you make an "excellent" tackle it really means that the player ran over you and you held on.....when you NEVER drive a player backwards in the tackle...... then there is a huge problem. That huge problem is that YOU ARE NOT AN NFL LINEBACKER!

Now what has been described in the previous paragraph at length is what would be a part of an NFL linebacker's skill set. There are certain physical attributes that a LB must be in possession of. Absent these skills, said linebacker must use other means at his disposal .....means that might be considered, suspect, marginal, lacking in moral fiber or dare we be blunt and say dirty! We advocate wholeheartedly, a Machiavellian approach, for any defensive player who is trying to achieve his ends. The role of the less physically gifted player is to try and hang around the League by any means necessary (see Malcolm X).....

The "means" I spoke of in The Prince, my seminal treatise on maintaining power, focused extensively on groin strikes.

..... the means to achieving a Linebackers' ends includes, but is not limited to: scratching, biting, kicking....eye gouging and fish hooking....groin striking.... head slaps, clips, horse collars and face masks....and one of our favorites: spitting in the face of the opposition thus incurring un-sportsman like penalties, and $7,500 fines but infuriating the spat on player none the less...

The Original "Romo" versus J.J. Stokes out of Point Loma HS

(a little exaggerated but the player we were thinking of when discussing white linebackers who get under your skin....Romo...the original Romo!) Wilhelm's only shot in lieu of his deficiencies is to be THAT guy who you hate to play because he gets in your head. Alas, Matt Wilhelm does not have it in him...he is a nice guy. After all, we did see him on One-on-One with Jane Mitchell.

Man I feel like a dick for saying all of the above...

This is a sentiment that we tried to convey on a call in to Scott and BR this last Monday morning but as a first time caller we quite emphatically "shit the bed". It came out something like, "Wilhelm...ahhh...helpin' every one up...errrrr...skill set....groin strikes....ahhh....errr!". So we felt that we needed to qualify our remarks in a more civil and articulate manner....if civility is at all possible when discussing dirty play and the art of the groin strike.

In Summation:

• Wilhelm must go.

• Stephen Cooper was a leader and pretty solid when he wasn't flexing his biceps at the Dolphins sidelines during game losing drives.... or missing 4 games due to illegal vitamin suspensions.

• Jyles Tucker signed a long term contract... but did he do anything this year?

• Tim Dobbins....physical but probably not more than a backup.

• Anthony Waters....reportedly a beast....couldn't work past Wilhelm? Where is he?
  

• Shawn Phillips.... seemed to miss his partner.

• Shawne Merriman.... we miss you. Thank you for remaining committed to the team even though you were on IR...Soul of the Charger Defense.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.

Almost Famous?

Last week we discussed the HATETHEPATRIOTS blog being mentioned by the Scott & B.R. Show on XX1090 during our friend Zino's weekly Top 10 radio spot. Zino mentioned our zeal for loathing the Patriots but failed to call us by name, to our dismay.

No worries though! Scott and B.R. had heard of us......no doubt, through the full on barrage of propaganda emails we had been shooting their way. Upon first listen we felt as though the morning fellas were quite annoyed by our existence.....until we received an mp3 of Zino's Top 10 Reasons The Chargers Creamed The Patriots.
Listen closely at the 1 minute mark when Scott and B.R. mention they know who we are:

upon further review

We Sense Approval!

You'll have to be the Judge. CLICK HERE for the Scott & B.R. Show audio clip.

Off Topic:

Thankfully the Donkeys Suck!

And.....

Did anyone see Mark Grace on the World Series pregame coverage by Fox? This guy belongs strictly on radio talking to Jim Rome about bangin' Slumpbusters! He was so uncomfortable and fidgety with spastic hands that we thought it was comedian Louis Black:

Cut down on the coffee Gracey....or the amphetamines for Christ's Sake! You
aren't playin' ball anymore!

Considering our brush with Hank Bauer after the Boston Massacre of September 16th , 2007 and then our brief email correspondence with Ed Hochuli and now a round-about reference on a sports radio talk show at 5:45 am we're ready to proclaim that, in the words of Cameron Crowe, we're Almost Famous:

WE ARE GOLDEN GODS!

(actually not a quote by Cameron Crowe....but it was the title of his autobiographic film as a Rolling Stone Journalist....why quibble over a minor detail?)

To The Next Level We Go

We knew that readership in Singapore was huge but now this. We've hit the big time with a veiled reference by XX1090 hosts Scott Kaplan and Billy Ray Smith. Let's not get too carried away. The reference was not by name and was more out of mock disgust and annoyance but hey....what do you expect?

Last week, we here at HATE, were working with XX1090 listener Zino on trying to come up with a good top ten list for why the Chargers' fans should be amped about playing the Patriots. It didn't quite work out though as the Chargers were defeated by the Phish so we went ahead and posted our own version of The Top Ten List last week.

Well, this morning marked the return of Zino's Top 10 (Top Ten Reasons the Chargers Creamed the Patriots) and before his well oiled and thickly accented recitation Zino mentioned that he had a fellow listener who collaborated with him (This Top 10 was all Zino by the way). We believe it went something like this:

Zino: "I had help from a listener....there's this guy who also has a blog and it's dedicated to hating the Patriots."

Scott: "Yea.....we know... there's a few of those out there."

BR: "Hmmm...yea we get his emails."

It was sheer annoyance coupled with disgust from Scott and BR. We also sensed additional indignation from the daily strafing of email reminders sent to their show to promote our drivel. That's what we took from it anyway....we laughed though....and so will you, as Zino has promised to email us the mp3 link of the radio bit. You'll have to be the judge.

Which brings us to the next order of business. Are we Charger fans or Patriot haters? While the two are not mutually exclusive it goes without saying that our allegiance is with the Chargers and tracking their season...not that of the Patriots.

The last three months have been part of a mass marketing campaign to hype the match-up, that was to be Three parts Vengeance (past 3 defeats) and One part History (ending the Pat's 23 game regular season winning streak). Unfortunately that recipe unraveled with the injury to Brady and the Charger's inauspicious start. But none the less, the game took on a whole new meaning when it looked as though our season was on the line especially when considering the arduous road journey in store for the Chargers over the next two weeks.

The blog is up and running and it was inspired by the Charger/Patriot match-up. It has a URL devoted to hating the Patriots but make no mistake about where our true passions emanate. We hate the Patriots but love American symbols of patriotism.

(Patriot fans just think that patriotism stems from following their team)
(Click above link for hottest exhibit of Patriotism ever)

We are , foremost, Charger and Padre fans who have been tortured through-out time. The torture has only become greater with the increased expectations of each professional club only to have those expectations collapse before us each season. Our expectation is that the torture will subside this year. The Chargers are alive and have a chance.........at immortality!

We must now champion the Patriots this coming Monday night....they get the Donkeys at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass....it hurts but we need a strong effort (Bill... feel free to borrow the Spycam off of our logo...get an edge).

(We will do a couple more things at the expense of the Patriots this week....such as "Express yourself through Haiku" and "Forum Crashing with Morons for Morons" then the focus of this blog will shift, primarily to the torture that is San Diego Fanhood.

It is a torture we embrace as nirvana is just around the Bodhi (Palm) Tree.

For those who have supported....CHEERS!

To those who have said, "Get a life!", we say,....."YOU FIRST!"

What are you doing spending your time reading retarded blogs like this anyway? That's like a Face Painter at a game calling a Body Painter, a LOSER! Pot meet kettle!)