Thoughts and Memories of a Phillies Championship

People who know me personally know that, for me, the Phils are something of an adopted team to root for.  I’ll always be a true-navy blue, stone-cold Yankees fan until the day I die (speaking of them, how ’bout that mediocre season this year?).  I’m NY-state born and raised, so that’s that.  I went to college in Philadelphia in 1999 and fell in love with the city and its fans.  I have always been passionate about baseball, and the Phils play in the NL, so of course I’m going to cheer for them.  I got to understand the fervor and angst that Philadelphians experienced in waiting and waiting for their day in the limelight.  Now that the day has come, my thoughts on a championship:

 - This World Series was hardly the greatest ever, but after four years of four and outs, with a Rays team that climbed from the bottom of the heap to challenge for the title, with horrid northeast weather and a suspended game which has never happened, you have to say these games truly had some drama.  Even though it was great to see Boston win its first title in forever, Chicago just about as long and St. Louis for quite some time, those games were over before you knew it.  The Rays were not lively, producing few runs and barely showing in Game 4.  But they took at least one game and had their own moments, so for now, the purist that I am regarding baseball fandom, I am satisfied.

 - I can’t stand Bud Selig.  He has made some bad decisions in his tenure as comissioner, and he is horrible at marketing his sport (his congratulation speeches sound like eulogies).  And I am firmly convinced he was getting booed out there on the dais (not “Bud!”, “Boo!”).  And he got lucky, LUCKY, that the Rays tied the first part of Game 5, because there is no excuse, EVER, to even consider calling a post-season game in favor of one team.

 - Speaking of the suspended game, in a weird way it was good for both the Phils to lose one in Tampa and to have Game 5 split.  It gave the home crowd four chances to experience their beloved team try to deliver, giving them trepidation and joy instead of utter dread and sorrow.  Hindsight is 20-20, of course, and no Philly fan after Game 2 would have said “Huzzah!” to that loss, but it worked out in the end.

 - Certain players got legitimized in this season and postseason.  Cole Hamels went from being a young stud to maybe the next big thing in pitching.  Shane Victorino went from entertaining on a local level to star on a national stage.  Jayson Werth has become a bonafide, everyday starter.  Moyer and Blanton proved you don’t need a Garza or a Sonnastine.  Almost everyone looked good.

 - The Phils once again proved something that I have always believed in.  Most people will tell you that pitching wins championships, but I contend that a solid bench and great depth will take you to the promised land.  You can’t count on great pitching and hitting all the time.  The Rays rotation was not lights out (like my boy Lidge!), their lineup not hot.  Role players that can come through in a pinch; these are the guys that seal the deal.  Just when you think Matt Stairs is washed up and Geoff Jenkins was a bust, they can bring just enough out in a timely moment to get you through. 

 - Is Brad Lidge up there with Tug?  A bit early to be making comparisons, and McGraw was there for the first title, but Lidge did look photogenic enough, so that counts.  Giving Lidge the Comeback Player of the Year award is only a footnote in encapsulating his return to dominance.  Hinske looked resigned to fate as he took those last three strikes.  Side note on Hinske:  Some guy in the chat room for the game feed I viewed said it was only fitting that an ex-Blue Jay should strike out to a Philly closer in this World Series.

 - I didn’t see the Utley-to-Ruiz throw live (ARGH!), only the replay after.  Teaching while watching games is a difficult task.  Personally, I’ll remember that Zobrist liner to right, with one out and the runner Perez on second, picked up neatly by Werth.  If Werth is not exactly there or makes a misstep, the game is most assuredly tied.  And I don’t think Philadelphians could have handled the emotional drain.

 - No matter who you think it favored, the umping was terrible during this series.  A number of missed calls and shifting strike zones (and for both sides, too, Rays fans!).  One occasional snafu is one thing, but for the first time I am leaning somewhat towards instant replay.  Never for ball-and-strikes, though, the pitcher and catchers work to earn that zone.

 - The only game I saw with no interruptions was Game 3.  I was fortunate; the game had been delayed by rain, and my friends in Seoul and I headed to Gecko’s in Itaewon.  For those of you who don’t know, Gecko’s on a Friday or Saturday night is a great place to hang out if you are a tool.  It’s much better to go to on a Sunday morning, with a big-screen TV showing the game.  Prices are awful too.

 - Anyway, Game 3 made me appreciate all over again how fun it is to watch Jamie Moyer pitch.  Even at 45, he’s still throwing the ball effectively, and that stuck out tongue was priceless.  I would immediately hire him as a pitching coach if he made himself available.

 - On the Fox broadcast, they replayed Harry Kalas’ call of the last out, and that was an unexpected joy.  I’d take Harry the K alone over the whole Fox baseball crew any day of the week.

 - I haven’t seen or heard the Patti LaBelle rendition of the National Anthem, and I don’t care to (unless you tell me it’s really funny).  Hardly anybody sings it well anymore. and the fact that they are still throwing “God Bless America” into the mix is just too much patriotism for me.  I’m there for the game.

 - Did Fox play the Rocky theme enough?  Of course it should be played from time to time, but man, is that the only thing you people can identify the City of Brotherly Love with?  At least play some Survivor!

The aftermath:

 - First of all, I still contend that Jimmy Rollins should be named Team Captain.  I know some of you Philly folk are smarting from those “front-runner” comments, but it was a bit deserved.  And at this point, Rollins in essentially the old veteran on that team, always fun on and off the field, and brought you an MVP.  I remember Manuel benching him for one game earlier this year for not running hard enough, and J-Roll admitted he deserved it.  It’s stuff like that that makes a leader.

 - You might not want to hear this, Philly, but the club should at least make an offer to Pat Burrell.  It shouldn’t be as much as the last contract, and I know Pat the Bat isn’t always clutch with his standing strikeouts and 50 year old knees.  But year in and year out he still puts up decent HR and RBI numbers, and you cannot guarentee you will replace that.  And don’t tell me he’s not “clutch”; you need people to produce all the time.  Those runs count.

 - Even as champs, the Phils still need another starter.  The rotation solidified by season’s end (I don’t know if they solidified so much as coagulated), but most of the season it was a work in progress.  You can be hopeful that Myers has returned to form and Blanton will grow, but Moyer is pushing his age limits and they don’t have much consistency beyond that.  They need at least one more above-average starter to complement Hamels and frighten the competition into thinking this team is not a one-shot wonder.  Given that they just won and are young, no one (not even C.C.) is out of reach.

 - I can only imagine the level of public drunkenness, property damage and street rioting to be had tonight.  And it better happen, too, Philly!  You complained a lot to me with your “oh-when-will-we-ever-get-a-break” attitude!  I better see videos of people in Yuengling-stained Ryan Howard jerseys, passed out on the street, or I will be displeased.  A turned-over car or two is a bit much.

And now that the Phils have won:

 - There will be much rejoicing.

 - Let no one say that this was undeserving, or that the Phils are a weak and boring champion.  I hate that kind of garbage; resentful bile from people who did not see their favored team accomplish the pinnacle.  I despised the yearning these sportswriters and TV people had for an L.A./Boston series.  “Oh, I can’t wait to see Manny!  Will he be Manny?”  Those footnotes are tiresome.  I enjoyed seeing the Phils and Rays bring to fruition what has been a long road of tinkering and toiling at putting together a perfect team.  Philadelphia hadn’t won a title in 25 years, and the turnaround for the Rays, the worst-to-almost-first story, will be remembered despite the loss.  You can’t sell that package, Fox and ESPN?  You need Manny being Manny so badly?  Yeesh.

 - People outside of Philadelphia spew a lot of bad publicity about this town, mostly because some inebriated bozos threw snowballs at Santa (which isn’t even the whole story).  They don’t realize that these people who get into these drunken fights and engage in such clownish antics can be found in just about every major city.  The difference in that Philadelphians are constantly being told that they are fat, stupid, ugly people who live in an armpit of a city that offers nothing aesthetically pleasing or, even worse, no A-list celebrities!  They are constantly being painted as losers, and that’s made even worse by the fact that their teams have often been losers.  Philadelphians live and breathe their sports franchises, and even when they boo one game, they come back the next.  So lay off with the pretenious “Oh what a boring champion” commentary.  If you need your own city represented so much, don’t even bother making a comment and go back to watching “Desperate Housewives”.

 - Philadelphia, you have your championship.  I’m thrilled for you.  I wish I could be there and celebrate with you.  Enjoy it.  Enjoy it thoroughly, soak it in, and then shut up the whining for a year, because some of the those outsiders say about you is true.  You are winners now.  If the Eagles miss the playoffs, ignore that guttural, compelling voice in you that wants to say “here we go again” or “it’s so unfair” or other such nonsense.  You’re classy, Philly, much more than people may ever know, but you tend to give off bad vibes from time to time.  Stifle your “Negadelph” and “Illadelph” tendencies for the time being.

For me, personally:

 - Seeing the Phillies win a championship is not like, say, the Yankees winning in 1996, the first baseball championship I could enjoy.  And being in Korea cheapens the thrill a bit; I’d rather be hopping around town and mixing it up with the peeps.  But when Lidge got down on his knees, I jumped out of my seat.

 - I’ve longed cared about Philadelphia sports (and the Phils in particular) because I’ve wanted to see Philly win, and feel like a winner.  Not being there leaves an empty feeling.  I want to see my old friends and shake their hands.  I want to get in Chris or Pat or Bob’s face and say, “OK, you happy, now?” in a sarcastic manner that they are accustomed to as they scream at the top of their lungs and don’t even comprehend me.  I want to ask Nicole if she finally feels like her optimism has paid off.  I feel a bittersweetness as I sit, so many miles away, forced to celebrate through computer keys.

 - My greatest memory of the 2008 World Series will always be sitting in an empty classroom, on a Thursday morning local time, watching the game on a slow-as-molasses Justin.tv stream, following the tension and revelry and inane chat comments, while the stream host pauses from time to time to refill the bong he’s been hitting (or, to give the benefit of the doubt, a 2-liter of Pepsi), which had been placed rather close to the microphone.  During the 9th inning and the ensuing celebration, I noticed the strange sounds occuring more often.

 - I want to go party-harty, too.  I miss you, Philadelphia.  Congrats.

 

Seriously, Philly…

I love you guys.  I really do.  And I love the fact that the Phils are one win away from their first baseball title in over 25 years.  That’s great, I wish I was there.

But what’s with these weak fan signs I’m seeing during the games?  “Ryan Howard for President”?  “Super Champs” (with a “yay chase” afterthought)?  “Utley Amazing”?  “There’s No Cowbells in Philadelphia”?  Where can I find some ingenuity, or even decent grammar?  I hope that, in Game 5 with Cole on the mound and destiny almost in grasp, that we have some people showing something a bit more clever.  C’mon, Philly, I’ve been defending your rep from across the ocean, you are not dumb!

By the way, how’d you guys like this Jamie Moyer-Gene Simmons moment?  I love Moyer.

 

Jinx Time!

The NLCS has just started, so that means my predictions for the World Series contendors are tardy.  Of course, the Angels and Cubs utterly butchered my series predictions, so no one should take this posting seriously, I guess.  That being said, I’m going with a bit of a surprise and say it’ll be a Phillies-Rays World Series.  The Dodgers have a slight edge in pitching and people are talking up Manny he’s just now amazing, but the Phillies can match them with arms and have Brad Lidge to seal close games.  I like the Phils’ lineup to light it up more than the Dodgers, especially the lefties.  The Red Sox have been there and done that, but they just look gimpy this year.  I think the young, unknown teams are often the scariest, and even though these teams know played often in the season, I think the Rays will still surprise Boston pitching and play well enough to win a long series.  Go Phils!

 

Fire This Man!

Good gravy, why is Rich Dubee still a coach with the Philadelphia Phillies? Kevin Millwood comes to town years ago after a great year with the Braves. He then stinks. He heads over to Cleveland and has a career year. Gavin Floyd was a promising prospect that stank as well in Philly. Now he’s pitching for no-hitters.

Charlie Manuel doesn’t know a damn thing about pitching except when it comes to the fact that you have to hit against it (and that man loves talkin’ about hittin’!). So if you’re in need of a pitching coach that can actually help you with gauging pitchers, talking them out of scary spots and other general improvements, an upgrade over Rich Dubee is needed.

Seriously, guys like Hamels are gems that bring their own game. Don’t let Rich Dubee ruin them. Because he’s a ruiner. He brings ruin.

 

Come on, Pennsylvania, Get This One Right!

As a former resident of the U.S., primaries are out of my reach.  Pennsylvania was my former state of residence, so let me implore you Penn Dem peeps to vote Obama for the Democratic nomination.  I would likely support Clinton should she lock up the nomination, but Obama’s the better choice of the two in my book.  Also, Obama has to win because I wrote a VERY interesting article on the implications of his Presidential run, which I choose not to publish until after he’s locked in.  So come on then!  Dooooooo iiiiiiiittttttt….

 

Healing The Ravaged Field

Here’s a Philly story worth reading, folks.  The Inky’s Dan Geringer has written a great article about Nelson Playground and its baseball field.  You have to give props to Anthony Washington and Victor Martinez and those with them; area residents and the champions of the endeavor to repair the damaged field in time for baseball season.  It’s always great when the locals stand up for something they feel is important in their neighborhood.

It’s hard not to get behind this story.  Fairhill is one of those many Philadelphia neighborhoods that has endured decline and severe crime problems for years.  It’s a precipitous trend that’s hard to break, and only community leaders that speak up and act can do it.

Part of taking back the neighborhood means having an active community.  People should not live in hopelessness all the time, keeping children from playing outside and fearful of fighting for safety and support.  A baseball season, backed by the people that live there and a playground that can be played on, allows for a refreshing vibrancy for the people of that neighborhood.  And who cannot be enthused by the thought of children playing little league, huh?

 

Articles of the Opinionated: Cheesesteaks Should Not Be Political Topics

In 2006, Joey Vento, the owner of Philadelphia’s well-known “Geno’s Steaks“, put up a sign saying “This is America. When Ordering, Please Speak English.” The sign was coupled with “Management Reserves the Right to Refuse Service.” The message angered those who feared discriminatory business practices, and a complaint was filed. The event garnered national notice as many parties weighed in on the debate.

Well, it seems that a three-member panel of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations decided (not unanimously) that the postings and Vento’s business practices were not discriminatory and dismissed the complaint. Vento is now something of a cause celebre for free-speech activists and illegal immigration alarmists. That’s all well and interesting, perhaps, but as an issue of political correctness (or incorrectness), the whole matter feels somewhat overblown, and on all sides. The reasons why:

1) Proving and alleging discrimination are two different things. While many people against the posting weighed in on the issue and witnesses were called, no one could prove that Vento practiced illicitly discriminatory actions. If customers were turned away upon ordering or experienced abusive or derogatory remarks during service, then no one should feel compelled to defend Vento in any way. If, however, they were still served, then an argument against his business practices is weak.

There are those that have argued that the notice potentially discourages some customers (particularly those of Mexican decent) from attending, but that’s another thin argument; I might as well say that I feel discriminated against because I want to go to the club and don’t look cool enough. Do dress codes discriminate against the poor, or poorly-dressed? Any customer should feel the right to ask for services and then file a complaint if such services are denied or unfair.

2) “Speak English” is not quite the same as “Whites Only”. This was the argument of UPenn professor Camille Z. Charles, who equated the two. And you can see something of a correlation; denying Spanish speakers is essentially the same as denying people based on ethnic identity. One problem, however, is that service is still being rendered, though likely cumbersomely and even begrudgingly. These difficulties would exist regardless of the posted notices.

However political-correct some of us want to be, businesses cannot always provide equal servicing if customers cannot provide common queries. We used to have this problem at a bank I once worked at; if a translator was not available at the moment, a Spanish speaker might not get his or her problem attended to. It was not from lack of trying. And I’m certain that a cheesesteak will be sold if a person has the capacity to look and point.  Again, unless demonstrated otherwise, the signs make little difference in the matter.

3) If a customer cannot order in English, then the customer probably cannot read the sign. C’mon, isn’t this maybe true? Look, I live in Korea, and I’ve yet to learn Korean due to my lackadaisical nature. On a near-daily basis, I ask things of someone who has little to no clue as to what I’m talking about. If they cannot understand and therefore help me, I have no right to complain. At least they tried.

The sign therefore is more a reflection of Vento’s own haughty political stance than an actual demand of his client base. It’s certainly obnoxious, but not quite derogatory. At the same time, people offended by the notice require the ability to understand its meaning and therefore are likely able to order. The only exceptions would be a non-English speaker informed by others beforehand, or a demonstrated act by the establishment to demand English be spoken. Regardless, no one in this world can expect exactly what they want if they lack the ability to convey it.

4) Ordering in other languages teaches nothing. I remember hearing about small mutterings of potential flash mobs (there were some Craigslist postings, I think) regarding going to Geno’s and ordering in a different language. The “that’ll teach ‘em” mentality is ill-conceived and inciting. Should the company go in the opposite direction and have a translator on staff at all times? Should the same be expected of all businesses?

I’m not saying it wouldn’t have been funny to watch a large group of people ask for help in an impossible manner (actually, that would be funny no matter where they went). But hoping someone will “learn their lesson” with this tactic is helpful to no one, and is just as self-congratulatory as Vento is himself.

4) Non-English speakers can hardly be a great problem for cheesesteak-purchasing. I like the idea that Vento feels so overwhelmed with people coming in and demanding orders in other languages, and that only a sign requesting spoken English can clear the matter up.  The silliness continues with the selling of bumper stickers to “spread the word”, essentially encouraging people to be indignant about foreign speakers not using English.  Then those same bumper-sticker owners travel abroad at one point and demand services in their own native language.  That’s fair, huh?

I’d bet money that, if you asked Vento and his staff what were some of the biggest problem customers they can recall ever having, speakers of foreign languages wouldn’t even break the top ten (else, they’d be lying).  To feel the need to post a request for English language-ordering seems moot and pompous, and to make an issue of it is more self-serving than people may care to admit.  I’d rather not talk about Vento as a free-speech, pro-America advocate; his fighting for the right to ask for English is not on the same par as, say, civil rights and women’s rights leaders.

5) This doesn’t deserve notice of illegal immigration issues. Plenty of people in America have legitimately emigrated here with a lacking in English language skills. The specific issues at hand are those of free speech, discrimination and business practices. The contention is that Vento has turned away either people who cannot speak English or people of Mexican or Hispanic descent all together.

So how does this ruling become a victory in the fight against illegal immigration? If people cannot order a sandwich, then they will see the error of their ways and turn themselves in? The nut-job mayor from Hazleton, Pa., Lou Barletta, who seems to think his town is overwhelmed by an illegal immigration epidemic despite being nowhere near an international border or port, got in touch with Vento on the matter. What could they have talked about?

Lou: Hey, Joe, congrats on fighting off those illegals.

Joe: Actually, I don’t know if they were illegals or not, Lou.

Lou: Oh.

6) It’s a cheesesteak. Maybe that little fact doesn’t matter to some, but we need a little perspective here. This is not a municipal service, nor a medical one. It’s not a supermarket and it’s not a bank. The place sells cheesesteaks. Artery-clogging, grease-tastic, fat-enriched (though quite tasty) cheesesteaks. What is being lost other than a PC-desired attitude?

I once entered a bar with a group of my friends here in Seoul. We were a large group, all foreigners, entering a private, quiet, for-professionals establishment, looking for drinks. We made our orders (the waitress kind of understood the orders), but then she returned saying that all of those drinks were unavailable. She was politely saying that they wanted us out.

We left feeling rather insulted (“What, is my money not good enough?” and blah blah blah) and confused at the matter. And then we went to the next bar, which was happy to serve. We lost no money and only a modicum of our time (I lost a little of my buzz). If we had filed a complaint here (in English, no less!), what good would that have done? Little, I tells ya!

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My opinion on the whole matter is this: Vento is a self-righteous and self-congratulatory individual who likes the attention and knows it’s good for business. It’d be more than polite and prudent to take the signs down, but if he’s not causing any illicit harm, I shrug my shoulders and make fun of him.  I can think of worse things (Confederate flags, for one) that can send the wrong message to potential patrons.

I don’t think people are wronged if they cannot order a sandwich that’s not even good for you. Sometimes we all need to take a step back and weigh such matters on our priority lists, and being asked to speak English while ordering is not one of them. In the end, if you hate the intent but love the cheesesteak, you can best show how you feel by going to Pat’s across the street instead.

 

Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross, Together? Scandalous!

Read about this on Johnny Goodtimes’ website. According to the Inky’s Michael Klien, Ralph Archbold (who famously portrays Benjamin Franklin) and Linda Wilde (who has on occasion portrayed Betsy Ross) are getting hitched. That’s a cool Philadelphia story; Archbold’s name might not be well-known even amongst Philadelphians, but he’s a recognizeable and appreciated Franklin in the city.

I kind of like the idea of the names Franklin and Ross being linked together. It ushers in (nerdy) thoughts of the originals being linked in the same way, especially given Franklin being married and many years older than Ross. CONTROVERSY!

 

Go Temple Owls!

This is slightly belated, but many congrats to my Temple Owls for winning the A-10 and returning to the NCAA Tournament. Expect my boys to go George Mason on everyone this year! That’s one of three teams representing the city of Philadelphia in the madness, the others being St. Joe’s and Villanova. Too be sure, I’m excited from afar.