Oh hell no!
I log onto the internet this morning and what do I find? This disturbing story about the Major Leage Baseball "extra innings" package! According to the word on the street, MLB is on the cusp of signing an exclusive deal with Direct TV making it the ONLY provider of the extra innings package -- the package that allows me to watch almost all the Cardinals games throughout the season! In the past, the package has been available through a number of cable and satellite companies (including my DISH Network). Now, however, the rumored $700 million would put an end to that. The strangest thing about the story, though, is that no one is saying if it's true. Even though various members of Congress are asking questions, "DirecTV has never confirmed that the widely reported deal even exists." Strange, but I don't have a good feeling about this. Without my extra innings package I'll be back among the unwashed masses, dependent on ESPN and Joe Morgan to bring me my baseball. Yikes!
On another baseball note, I saw this story about someone finding a film of Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Even if you don't immediately recognize his name, you've seen the picture.Anyway, it put me in mind of my old pal Nathan's brush with fame. First, let me point out that Nathan was NOT a sports fan. Back in elementary school, his teacher got sick of Nathan's practice of hanging out with his pals Kim and Veronica every day at recess. Finally, he'd had enough and he MADE Nathan start playing football. So back to my story, ...
One night Nathan and I had gone to visit Caffeine Bro and as happens quite often, we started talking about baseball. Nathan, of course, didn't have much to contribute until suddenly he said, "So have either of you ever heard of a baseball player named Don Larsen?" After getting over the shock that Nathan knew the name of a famous old-time baseball player, we assured him that we most certainly had heard of Don Larsen and we asked how he knew that name. Turned out one of Nathan's relatives in California was big pals with Mr. Larsen and Nathan had gone frog gigging (Seriously, I think it really was frog gigging. If not, it was something equally bizarre.) with Don Larsen while on a visit out there. Nathan, though, had no idea he was hanging with a legend of the game; he just thought Don was some old guy who'd played ball at some point. Funny, huh?
posted by St. Caffeine @ 10:14 AM
2 Comments:
The "commercialization" of baseball and MLB's moves to make every possible bit of baseball pay to watch (or even listen) really irks me. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the "extra innings" package deal with DirectTV was true.
There is no reason why someone listening to a baseball game 7k miles away should have to pay for that privilege. And I won't pay to watch because most of the games I won't be awake to watch anyway.
OK, I'll quit bitching now. I miss what baseball used to be, moments like in 1956 (ok, I wasn't there, but still).
Nathan's experience reminds me of Stella's sister picking up Terry Bradshaw at the Birmingham airport. You know how you see limo drivers and tour guides and such holding signs for passengers they're picking up. She did that. Yep, stood in BHM holding a sign that read "Terry Bradshaw". Took the man out for drinks. didn't have a clue.
Also, one of her genius friends from high school hung up the phone when Phil Jackson called for her dad. Told the man, "um, can you call back? I'm on the other line". Mind you this is in the early '90's. Ye gods...
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