Hall of Shame weekend

This weekend, Major League Baseball holds its annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Unfortunately, not one player will be inducted. Instead the honors will be limited to a writer from Philadelphia, a broadcaster from Toronto, who unfortunately passed away recently and a few old-time Negro Leaguers. While I don't wish to denigrate these individuals, and they have worthy accomplishments, the point of this post is that this weekend, which is usually one of the highlights of the summer, is a black eye for Major League Baseball.

Yes, we know why the writers didn't elect anyone into the Hall of Fame. It's spelled S-T-E-R-O-I-D-S!

However, if that's true, then why bother having an elaborate ceremony? The NFL doesn't have qualms about putting people in the Hall of Fame who weren't choir boys, such as Lawrence Taylor and O.J. Simpson. But these baseball writers are a bunch of old white stuffed shirts who want to reminisce about the good old days, then count me out.

Maybe the Baseball Hall of Fame should scale back the Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.

In very Orthodox Jewish circles, there are certain Rabbis who have set rules about how big certain celebrations can be, such as a limit on the number of guests invited as well as the number of courses that can be served at the meal, so as not to make other members of the community uncomfortable if they don't have the means to have a 500-guest wedding. Baseball may be served to emulate such a practice, if the writers are going to be persnickety about every player from the 1990's-early 2000's who they suspect of steroid use.

ESPN does it again

ESPN is at it again. Not content to have alienated sports fans with their East-Coast-centric bias, now their liberal bias is showing. Starting on August 26th, Keith Olbermann will have a show on at 11 pm to discuss sports, pop culture and politics. Great! Just what red state, red-blooded men want to see at 11 pm.

Fox Sports is AWFUL

I know that I sound like a broken record, but every time that I watch Fox Sports, I am reminded of how unprofessional and shallow their broadcasters are. The ironic thing is that I really enjoy Fox News Channel.

Joe Buck is the ultimate legacy announcer. If his father wasn't a Hall of Fame announcer, he wouldn't be Fox's top voice for both football and baseball, which is annoying and pathetic.

Why can't ABC/ESPN Sports or CBS sports do baseball instead? They're more professional than Fox Sports will ever be.

Wedge- why I don't like him

This is a more in-depth piece on Eric Wedge, the Seattle Mariners manager.

The reason that I don't like him is that he plays not to lose. I went on this rant last week, when the Mariners lost to the Rangers and he didn't pinch-hit for Blanco, when he should have. Additionally, in an April game against Houston, he didn't pinch-hit in the ninth inning and let a weak hitter swing away and cost them the game. He doesn't play to win, he does the best he can to a point and that's it.

One other thing: The Mariners could use someone who will throw inside and plunk some people. Particularly some of the jerks on the Angels and Rangers. Why won't they start up with some of the other teams? Because they're good little Boy Scouts? What's the point of playing if the other team has no respect for you?

Seattle Coaches

After last week's rant about Eric Wedge, and unfairly comparing him to George Karl, who reached an NBA Finals against one of the best teams in NBA history, I am doing a ranking of the top Seattle professional sports coaches. For purposes of this discussion, I am limiting it to the Sonics, Seahawks and Mariners. I don't know the Storm or Sounders well enough to rank their coaches.

Number 1, Lenny Wilkens, 1978-1985 Sonics. Won Seattle's only major pro sports championship with the Sonics in 1979 against the Washington Bullets.

Very Good 2-4
George Karl, Sonics 1992-1998
Mike Holmgren, Seahawks 1999-2008
Lou Piniella Mariners 1993-2002

Good not great
Chuck Knox, Seahawks 1983-1991, yes he took the Seahawks to the AFC championship game in 1983, but that was as good as it got.
Bernie Bickerstaff, Sonics 1986-1990
Nate McMillan, Sonics 2000-2005

Incomplete: Pete Carroll, 2010-present, let's see if the Seahawks can reach and win the Super Bowl. Good start so far.

Seattle sports fans, let me know your thoughts. Who else am I missing that was good.

Coyote Ugly- why they should stay

The Phoenix Coyotes saga has come to an end. There was talk that if the City of Glendale didn't approve the new lease with the Jobing.com Arena, that the Coyotes would move, possibly to Seattle.

I think that Seattle wouldn't necessarily take to hockey. It would be a curiosity, not something that the average fan would get into. Plus there are too many games for the casual fan (which Seattle would have lots of) in order to make it work at Key Arena. The capacity for hockey at Key Arena is between 11,000-15,000. That would be unworkable after a few years. The NHL is more dependent on gate receipts (attendance) than the other three sports (NBA, NFL & MLB). Even if the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between Chris Hansen and the City of Seattle would be amended, it would take a couple of years to build the arena. I don't know if the NHL could wait that long.

New job

I recently started a new job. I am now working in the City of Seattle as a Public Records Assistant. It's in the Office of the City Clerk. The City of Seattle has to respond to numerous Public Records Requests, so I am helping out the Public Disclosure Officer respond to those requests.