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Conference 7.286::sports_90

Title:OURGNG::SPORTS - Digital's daily tabloid
Notice:Please review note 1.83 before writing anything.
Moderator:VAXWRK::NEEDLE
Created:Thu Dec 14 1989
Last Modified:Fri Dec 17 1993
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:438
Total number of notes:50420

77.0. "Sports Commentary" by ISLNDS::COOK (JoeyintheAM>GhinsuKnife) Tue Dec 19 1989 19:20

    I didn't find any topics related to this, soo...
    
    From time to time in the "Gardner News" editorial commentary is
    published.  I just consider it more food for thought.
    
    		*reprinted from the "Gardner News" without permission*
    
    	Timing Is Everything, Especially In Sports
    
    				By Bob Greene
    
    	Maybe it's simply that I no longer understand baseball.  Iused
    to; when I was a kid, I seemed to know quite a bit about baseball.
    That's the only logical explanation.
    
    	What brought this to mind was a newspaper story reporting that
    one Mark Langston had become the highest-paid player in the history
    of baseball.  Langston, a left-handed pitcher, had signed a five-year
    contract with the California Angels for $16 million.  No other player
    has ever received a total package of $16 million before.
    
    	The story was filled with dollar figures, and there was a nice
    quote from Mark Langston's agent, and then finally - in the
    next-to-last paragraph - was the one piece of information that I
    had been looking for:
    	Langston's record last year was 16-14.
    
    	I thought that might be a typo.  A pitcher has a season in which
    he wins 16 games and loses 14, and he becomes the highest-paid player
    in the history of baseball?
    
    	I did some research.  Mark Langston, the highest-paid player
    in the history of baseball, has never had a season in which he won
    20 games.  The season before last, Langston had a record of 15-11.
    Two years before that he was 12-14.  In '85 he was 7-14.  His career
    record is 86-76.  The highest-paid player in the history of baseball.
    
    	I called a friend whom I consider a true baseball expert.  His
    name is Rob Fleder; he is former articles editor for Sports
    Illustrated, and now is executive editor of The National, the
    soon-to-debut sports daily.  Basically Fleder told me that, yes,
    I was stupid.
    
    	"This is a case where the records lie," Fleder said.  "Mark
    Langston has played most of his career for the Seattle Mariners,
    a terrible baseball team.  You can't judge Langston's skills by
    his won-loss record."
    
    	That seems to make sense - at least a little sense.  Certainly
    if Langston has spent most of his career with a bad team, it figures
    that he might not have won as many games as he might have with a
    good team.  Still, though... a player whose lifetime record is 86-76,
    a player coming off a 16-14 season, getting the biggest contract
    in history?
    
    	"He's really pretty good," Fleder said.  I'm sure he is.  Ted
    Williamswas pretty good, too - many say he was the best hitter who
    ever played baseball.  In 1941, the year that Williams hit .406,
    he was just coming off a contract that paid him $10,000 a year.
    That's not so important, though - $10,000 in 1941 meant something
    different.  What is so important is what happened much later - in
    1959.  Williams, for the first time in baseball career, was having
    a bad year.  For the first time ever, Williams hit below .300. 
    The Boston Red Sox, knowing how valuable he had been to the team
    and the city, offered him a raise for the next year - a salery of
    $125,000, which would have been his highest salery ever.  Williams
    turned it down.  He wanted less.  He said he had not performed well,
    and he demanded a pay cut.  He got it.  The Red Sox paid him $90,000.
    
    	Mark Langston (16-14), the highest-paid player in the history
    of baseball, will make $3.2 million a year.  "The thing you've got
    to remenber," Rob Fleder said, "is that Langston's timing was perfect."
    
    	Fleder was not referring to Langston's timing on the pitchers
    mound.  He was referring to the fact that CBS television has just
    signed a $1.1 billion, four-year deal to broadcast Major League
    baseball.  This TV deal has made baseball's owners incredibly wealthy
    before they sell a single ticket - so wealthy that they can afford
    to make Mark Langston (16-14, 86-76 lifetime) the highest-paid player
    in the history of baseball.
    
    	"then it really comes down to Kim LeMasters, doesn't it?" I
    said.  "In a way it does," Rob Fleder said.
    
    	Kim LeMasters is the CBS entertainment executive who resigned
    recently because he had a bad streak of luck in choosing the shows
    on CBS's prime-time schedule.  Because of Kim LeMasters lossing
    streak, CBS has been finishing last in the ratings.  Because CBS
    has been finishing last, it needed a symbolic programming stroke
    in an attempt to turn the network around.  Because CBS needed the
    symbolic programming stroke, it swallowed hard and paid $1.1 billion
    for the rights to telecast baseball.  Because it paid the $1.1 
    billion, the California Angels could afford to hire Mark Langston.
    
    	Kim LeMasters may be temporarily out of work, but thanks to
    him Mark Langston (16-14, 86-76 lifetime) is the highest-paid player
    in the history of baseball - a sport about which I am stupid.  Was
    Ted Williams stupid too?
    
    
    
    
    Tom
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
77.1COOKIE::MJOHNSTONIuseTactHammersButaSledge'sMoFunTue Dec 19 1989 19:313
                     I think it'ssps   DEEEE-SSSPPSICABLE

MIKE JN
77.2AUSTIN::MACNEALBig MacTue Dec 19 1989 19:403
    I think the author is confusing baseball the sport versus baseball the
    business.  I think some fans also confuse the two at times, much to
    their detriment.
77.3Can they be separated?ISLNDS::COOKJoeyintheAM>GhinsuKnifeWed Dec 20 1989 14:4513
    Mac,
    	I'm not convinced that they can be separated (sport vs. business).
    I heard some commentary on the radio about why should kids aspire
    scolastically (sp?) when they can earn fantastic money being average
    in sports!  As education suffers in the US, I have to wonder if
    the sports team owners have some civic responsibility, to not let
    this get out of hand (saleries).
    
    
    JMO
    
    Tom
77.4AUSTIN::MACNEALBig MacWed Dec 20 1989 15:005
    Tom, it's just that I think that a fan who gets so caught up in the
    business end of baseball that he loses sight of the game end is really
    missing something.  Worrying about how much players are getting paid
    has obviously taken the fun out of the sport for some people, but why
    should it?
77.5FREE::GOGUENtis the season: Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-20Wed Dec 20 1989 16:156
    RE: .0
    
    The Gardner News, eh??  Wow, have times changed.....  The local men's
    softball league used to get more ink than major league baseball...
    
    -- dg_who_grew_up_in_Gardner
77.6Good movie, "The Gardner"AJCVAX::COTEAlWed Dec 20 1989 16:230
77.7CAM::WAYOne Bourbon, One Scotch and One BeerWed Dec 20 1989 16:511
Actually, I like Gayle Gardner myself....
77.8(-:CRBOSS::DERRYHappy Christmas!Wed Dec 20 1989 17:291
    Gardner?  I thought it was Granek?
77.9CAM::WAYOne Bourbon, One Scotch and One BeerWed Dec 20 1989 17:356
Shows you how often I watch NBC these days....;^)

You know who I meant at any rate...

later,
'Saw
77.10COBRA::DINSMOREMcfall=francessa , true sport wizardsThu Dec 21 1989 09:335
    hmmm.. gale whatever.. i will take either one :)
    
    
    d0g= dinz_on_gale  ha
77.11I dont want Boggs!!ASABET::WORRALLThu Dec 21 1989 12:584
    "This guy Boggs is the best hitter the last 50 year"  "Oh come on, I
    dont want Boggs."
    
    The Sportswriter
77.12STAR::YANKOWSKASThe restroom door said GentlemenThu Dec 21 1989 13:036
    re .11:
    
    Then again, Bentley likes Bill Lambeer... :-)
    
    
    Paul, who likes "The Sportswriters On TV" but can't figure out why...
77.13CAM::WAYPhilly Eagles to hunt for NoriegaThu Dec 21 1989 14:276
Yes, that spot always makes me laugh.

Can anyone tell me (as I've never watched the show) who the writers are?

thnks,
Chainsaw
77.14POW! BAM! POP!MILPND::VLASAKRoad WarriorThu Dec 21 1989 14:376
    RE .12  RE .11
    
    Bentley is the Boxin' guy...that why he likes Lambeer!
    
    Bob V.
77.15STAR::YANKOWSKASThe restroom door said GentlemenThu Dec 21 1989 15:169
    re Frank, the usual cast of characters on "The SportsWriters On TV" is:
    
    	Ben Bentley
    	Rick Telander (Sports Illustrated)
    	Bill Gleason (sportswriter for the South Bend, IN newspaper)
    	Bill Jauss (sportswriter for one of the Chicago papers)
    
    
    py
77.16SALEM::RIEUWe're Taxachusetts...AGAINFri Dec 22 1989 10:253
       Yeah I watch those guys every Monday, good lead in to MNF!
    Gotta git one o' them hats!
                                         Denny
77.17SPORTS Writers this week...CAM::WAYBe excellent to each otherMon Mar 26 1990 14:219
Did anyone see the Sportswriters this weekend?  

It was great.  Rick Telander named his all-hair team.  I was 
rollin bigtime.

They mentioned several times that he used to play a lot of hoop.
Does anyone know where?

'Saw
77.187983::RIEUIn search of...Mr Trout!Mon Mar 26 1990 14:343
       Telender was a defensive back at Northwestern, don't know about his
    hoops.
                                          Denny
77.19REFINE::ASHEHere he comes... there he goesMon Mar 26 1990 14:591
    Was Kurt Nimphius on that list?
77.20CAM::WAYBe excellent to each otherMon Mar 26 1990 15:079
Walt --

Is he the one with like 8" of hair going straight up?  Or is he the
one with the "stairstep" cut...Telander says "yeah, his height is
listed as 6'2", 6'5", and 6'9" "....

I was rollward with the show....

'Saw
77.21SASE::SZABOMon Mar 26 1990 15:585
    DrJ and Pistol Pete, both vintage early '70s, would make my all-hair
    team.  Put Artis Gilmore on that list also, and his point guard
    teammate from Jacksonville U. (I forget his name).
    
    Hawk
77.22FSHQA1::JHENDRYJohn Hendry, DTN 292-2170Mon Mar 26 1990 16:243
    Rex "Sexy Rexy" Morgan, former Boston Celtics heartthrob.
    
    John
77.23LUNER::BROOKSLMU, ya did it w/class !Mon Mar 26 1990 17:161
    Sexy Rexy ? Ha, he shoulda made All-Nickname too ...
77.24REFINE::ASHEHere he comes... there he goesMon Mar 26 1990 17:504
    I think so... He was with Dallas, the Pistons and I think he's on
    Philly now... don't know how much spray he used...
    
    Slick Watts has to be on that list somewhere..
77.25Oscar Gamble belongs on any all-Hair team!HOTSHT::SCHNEIDEROur chief weapon is fear and surprise.Mon Mar 26 1990 19:350
77.26CAM::WAYBe excellent to each otherTue Mar 27 1990 12:313
How 'bout Kareem when he still had hair?
77.27Mel and Jerrycurl ("Hollywood Shuffle" fame) are twinsFRSBEE::BROOKSLMU, ya did it w/class !Tue Mar 27 1990 12:333
    How about Mel (The Jehri Curl) Hall ?
    
    I thought his baseball cap was leaking 10W-30 oil .....
77.28Murray wins PulitzerAUNTB::HAASsame as talking to youFri Apr 13 1990 19:105
For something completely different...

Jim Murray of the LA Times has won a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.

TTom
77.29MCIS1::DHAMELIs Nothing Sacred?Fri Aug 03 1990 12:4430
    
    I didn't see a sports TV topic, so I figured this note was close
    enough.
    
    In Bob Greene's syndicated column yesterday, I read about a new
    innovation being tried out in Canada called interactive TV baseball.
    
    For around $16.00 per month, you get a special converter and remote
    that allows you to play 'director' in your own living room by switching
    and choosing the camera angle you want while watching the game.
    
    One camera shows the overall playing field, another may be focused
    on the pitcher, or the batter, or perhaps the looking-in view from
    center field.  Push another button, and a number of stats and graphics
    appear on whoever happens to be at the plate at the time.  It's
    just like you're the guy sitting outside the stadium in the control
    truck selecting the pictures provided by the camerapersons in the
    park.
    
    Personally, I don't know if I could handle this without a bank of
    monitors and some professional training, since at times I am amazed
    at times how the director can be so quick on the trigger.  For example,
    a batter hits a smash down to third, and a microsecond later they
    show the third baseman make the diving stab.  It might be fun to
    try though.
    
    Could this be the end of couch-potatoism as we know it?
    
    Dickster
77.30SASE::SZABOFri Aug 03 1990 13:117
    I can just see it now..........
    
    I switch to camera panning on cleavage.  Wife slaps me upside the haid.  
    
    I could get hurt with this kind of technology.....  :-)
    
    Hawk
77.31It's a double !!!SHALOT::HUNTWyld Stallyns RulesFri Aug 03 1990 13:286
    Yeah, I was going to say the same thing (sick minds think alike) ...
    
    I wonder what would happen if Morganna showed up at one of these
    "interactive" games ???
    
    Bob Hunt