Because the Yankees — who, we might add, aren’t in the playoffs anymore — are taking up too much media space, we thought we’d honor each of the four teams left with a roundup of the nicest things each team’s best blogs could say about them. See? We’re sweet! Right now: The Colorado Rockies.
• Bad Altitude: “This really is making up for years in the baseball wilderness all at once. It’s why we love baseball. It’s why MLB should be doing everything they can to keep teams in Kansas City and Pittsburgh. I couldn’t say it this afternoon, for obvious reasons, but I felt hugely confident that the Rockies were going to win the game tonight. I’m a pessimistic person by nature and doubly so when it comes to baseball, but I felt real sure about this one. I hardly think I was alone among those in attendance at Coors Field tonight who didn’t think even for a passing moment that the Rockies were going to lose. There were a few parts when I worried that I wasn’t going to live until the end of the game, but losing? Never entered the picture.”
• Purple Row: “This ride incredibly continues. This team has teased and tormented, brought me to tears of grief and then of ecstasy, and tomorrow, I just want to see what comes next.”
• Up In The Rockies: “And should the power go out anywhere in the Mile High City, it�s likely you could re-generate it from the wattage of the grins on the faces of 25 players� and legions of grateful Rockies fans who have waited patiently for a moment like [the clinching win over the Phillies].”
We like to play the occasional video game, but we don’t obsess over them, mostly because we’re not very good at them. We have, however, obsessed over Strat-o-Matic before, because we’re a nerd for baseball simulation. (A bit redundant phrasing, we agree.)
Baseball has eight players acting independently on every defensive play, and as many as four base runners functioning with only minimal support from a human. Sure, programmers can give us increasing levels of control over these in-game players, but the learning curve skyrockets. The only other option is to put most control over these players’ actions in the hands of AI, which ultimately takes away from the player the bulk of the responsibility for any single game’s outcome. And no matter what kind of game you’re talking about, that’s a formula for disaster.
It’s a shame too, because we always buy baseball video games, thinking they’re going to be cool, and we end up just admiring how good a job they did rendering the stadiums, and then we never play the games themselves.
When Kirby Puckett died last year, he left behind a most complicated legacy.
On one hand, he was the most popular Minnesota Twin in the team’s history, heroic in the clutch, scrappy, all we love about baseball. On the other, he was a serial womanizer — as chronicled in the famous Frank Deford Sports Illustrated story — and, toward the end of his life, a complete disaster.
1991. Game 6 of the World Series, Twins vs. Braves. Kirby Puckett’s stunning walk-off homer forces the series into Game 7, setting in motion the Twins’ second World Series win in five years. A gutsy dynamo from the Chicago projects, Puckett ascends to baseball’s heights through hard work, determination and a deep love of the game. His career tragically cut short by glaucoma, Puckett’s difficulties escalate when damaging details of his private life become public.Exploring the privileges and pitfalls of hero worship, KIRBY recaptures the spirit and complexity of this unforgettable American icon.
We like the idea of one-man, one-act plays about all our sports heroes. Would you pay to watch a man pretending to be Alex Rodriguez for two hours? Hell, we already pay to watch him do that for three.
This happened a while ago but we thought it should be mentioned: The Ft. Myers Miracle’s “Billy Donovan Night” won Minor League Baseball’s Promotion of the Year award. The gala promotion, in which any fan who attended the game at the Lee County Sports Complex could negotiate their way out of their ticket, received 28 percent of the vote by MiLB.com voters.
The event honored University of Florida basketball coach Billy Donovan, who agreed to coach the Orlando Magic before changing his mind and going back to the Gators. Among the food available at the Miracles snack bar that evening were waffles, of course.
In second place was the Portland Beavers’ Bob L. Head Night, in which three actual guys named Bob L. Head competed, with the winner immortalized with his own bobblehead likeness. Personally, I would have voted for the West Virginia Power’s Redneck Olympics, which included the cow pie toss and outhouse races. But that’s just me.
Because the Yankees — who, we might add, aren’t in the playoffs anymore — are taking up too much media space, we thought we’d honor each of the four teams left with a roundup of the nicest things each team’s best blogs could say about them. See? We’re sweet! Right now: The Cleveland Indians.
• Let’s Go Tribe: “A milestone is a good opportunity to think about the journey undertook to reach it. This journey didn’t start in April of 2007 but almost five years before that. It was by no means an easy odyssey, full of missteps, discouragements, and self-doubt. And it isn’t even over yet. “
• Tribe Report: “I was sitting here trying to think of what to write about this experience of the Cleveland Indians taking down the mighty New York Yankees in the ALDS with their 6-4 victory at Yankee Stadium, and I realized that I really have little to say. The Indians have totally stumped me with their tremendous pitching, timely hitting and all-around great style of post-season play.”
Yes, yes, we know that Ron Mexico tortured and electrocuted puppies, we know that he’s probably not the best person and we know he’s gonna spend some serious time in prison. He pretty much deserves whatever’s coming to him. But … we dunno …. is it really fair that the Falcons can now recoup $19.97 million from him?
The NFLPA immediately appealed the arbitrator’s decision, and, frankly, we think they should. We’re not sure Vick deserves that money but … well, we’ll feel a lot better about the whole business when they make the Falcons, you know, return all the money they’ve made of Vick jerseys for the last three year. We doubt they’ll be doing that.
While Miis continue to be the face of Nintendo’s push into the uncharted blue ocean of social gaming, the bobble headed avatars have remained criminally underutilized by the bulk of the console’s software library. Apparently Sega agrees, as the company confirmed that the little guys and gals (and ninjas, and sith lords…) will be playable as characters in the upcoming Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games.
In addition, Sega has also announced four new over the top ‘Dream Events,’ making the previously announced normal events seem positively humdrum by comparison. These new events, which will be available as both single and multiplayer matches, look to take a more playful approach to this fan service, offering power ups and character-specific special moves in challenges such as racing, fencing, table tennis, and diving. Given the inclusion of Miis, it will be interesting to see if they are also given abilities of their own, or are left at a disadvantage when matched against these super powered mascots.
Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games just went gold, and is expected to hurdle onto retail shelves for the Wii on November 6.
We like to play the occasional video game, but we don’t obsess over them, mostly because we’re not very good at them. We have, however, obsessed over Strat-o-Matic before, because we’re a nerd for baseball simulation. (A bit redundant phrasing, we agree.) 
When Kirby Puckett 
This happened a while ago but we thought it should be mentioned: The Ft. Myers Miracle’s “Billy Donovan Night” won Minor League Baseball’s Promotion of the Year award. The gala promotion, in which any fan who attended the game at the Lee County Sports Complex could negotiate their way out of their ticket, 
Yes, yes, we know that Ron Mexico tortured and electrocuted puppies, we know that he’s probably not the best person and we know he’s gonna spend some serious time in prison. He pretty much deserves whatever’s coming to him. But … we dunno …. is it really fair that the Falcons 
