I believe too much emphasis has been put on the defensive play of certain individuals from the day in which I was a part of. Brooks Robinson, the Wizard of Oz and (pardon me old timers) but even Willie Mays. Yeah, I said it and I stand behind it. Take a look at the back-to-the-plate catch he made at the Polo Grounds. Outstanding catch. If you would like more I could send you a highlight tape of Jim Edmonds. He made and still makes catches that good all the time.
If you watch Baseball Tonight on ESPN you see plays that Robinson and Ozzie Smith made every night on Web Gems. Many of the players featured there are barely recognizable names. The average fan wouldn't even know many of them. But, night after night plays are made showing shortstops diving and snagging the bouncer, standing up behind third base and throwing an off-balance ball that barely beats the runner. Amazing! Yes it is amazing. That is why I wonder why folk like Brooks Robinson and Ozzie are in the Hall of Fame. I mean, surely it wasn't their hitting prowess.
Again let me say that I am old school. I love Willie Mays, arguably the best center fielder (defensively) who ever laced up the shoes. He is the best offensively. I mean that. I say that with an asterisk that Mickey Mantle would have been the greatest if his body would have held up. He (Mays), like Edmonds, made those types of plays consistently. He even said on an interview that "the catch" wasn't his best one. It was the best caught on film, but he said he made better. I believe him! When Brooks and Ozzie played they filmed every game so what you saw was the best they did.
Did you ever wonder how today's best outfielders would have done playing the terrace in old Crosley Field? Remember? There was no warning track to remind the player he was nearing the wall. Just a grass incline of 6 or 7 feet, all the way to the wall, which provided the inspiration for the "hill" in Minute Maid Park. As I recall it didn't go all the way around. I believe it petered out somewhere in right or right center field. Left fielders had a real blast. Frank Robinson won gold gloves in '57 and '58 while playing half his games dealing with the "terrace". But I am starting to get off track here. Pardon me while I get out and throw the switch. There.
All I am trying to convey here is that all of the real good players had and have real good defensive ability. A player should not be called great because of good defensive work. I'm so glad I got this off my chest as it has been bugging me for years.
I believe too much emphasis has been put on the defensive play of certain individuals from the day in which I was a part of. Brooks Robinson, the Wizard of Oz and (pardon me old timers) but even Willie Mays. Yeah, I said it and I stand behind it. Take a look at the back-to-the-plate catch he made at the Polo Grounds. Outstanding catch. If you would like more I could send you a highlight tape of Jim Edmonds. He made and still makes catches that good all the time.
If you watch Baseball Tonight on ESPN you see plays that Robinson and Ozzie Smith made every night on Web Gems. Many of the players featured there are barely recognizable names. The average fan wouldn't even know many of them. But, night after night plays are made showing shortstops diving and snagging the bouncer, standing up behind third base and throwing an off-balance ball that barely beats the runner. Amazing! Yes it is amazing. That is why I wonder why folk like Brooks Robinson and Ozzie are in the Hall of Fame. I mean, surely it wasn't their hitting prowess.
Again let me say that I am old school. I love Willie Mays, arguably the best center fielder (defensively) who ever laced up the shoes. He is the best offensively. I mean that. I say that with an asterisk that Mickey Mantle would have been the greatest if his body would have held up. He (Mays), like Edmonds, made those types of plays consistently. He even said on an interview that "the catch" wasn't his best one. It was the best caught on film, but he said he made better. I believe him! When Brooks and Ozzie played they filmed every game so what you saw was the best they did.
Did you ever wonder how today's best outfielders would have done playing the terrace in old Crosley Field? Remember? There was no warning track to remind the player he was nearing the wall. Just a grass incline of 6 or 7 feet, all the way to the wall, which provided the inspiration for the "hill" in Minute Maid Park. As I recall it didn't go all the way around. I believe it petered out somewhere in right or right center field. Left fielders had a real blast. Frank Robinson won gold gloves in '57 and '58 while playing half his games dealing with the "terrace". But I am starting to get off track here. Pardon me while I get out and throw the switch. There.
All I am trying to convey here is that all of the real good players had and have real good defensive ability. A player should not be called great because of good defensive work. I'm so glad I got this off my chest as it has been bugging me for years.
Posted at 7:15 AM | by
Cliff Eastham
Let me start this article by saying that I see nobody read my first one. That's sad, but life goes on. Today I'd like to talk about how unfair the media (mostly tv) is.
Every fall when the world series begins we have to see poor ol' Bill Buckner as the grounder slides cleanly between his legs. I mean with a decent career like he had, is that all we can find to talk about?
Let me start this article by saying that I see nobody read my first one. That's sad, but life goes on. Today I'd like to talk about how unfair the media (mostly tv) is.
Every fall when the world series begins we have to see poor ol' Bill Buckner as the grounder slides cleanly between his legs. I mean with a decent career like he had, is that all we can find to talk about?
Posted at 8:08 AM | by
Cliff Eastham
Since this is my first "rant" let me begin by saying I am not qualified to be a writer. I lack the formal education that is generally associated with literary refinement. In this modern day people are more apt to pass on you if you do not have a college degree. That being said, I hope your dog dies. Just kidding of course, wanting to make sure you were still awake.
Let me start first by taking a shot on sports commentators and sports writers. That is what I was called to do, but again my lack of education prevents me from being heard....or read that is.
Commentators especially from ESPN continue to wear out the old, old, tired cliche.....A buck fifty nine.....meaning maybe an ERA of 1.59, One hundred and fifty-nine yards rushing, a pitiful batting average of .159. Are the rest of you tired of that or is it just me? Just rambling.
I do like Chris Berman. If you aren't sure which one he is, he is on ESPN and coined the phrase. "...back, back, back, back...back" ........and ..."he ....could...go....all......the....way". He always seems to bring something fresh to the table. Uses his own stuff, know what I mean? For example he is always throwing in something extra with people's names, such as..."Bo Diddly Jackson", or Ray 'its been a hard days Knight'". Things like that make watching and listening more palatable.
The best football man is by far John Madden. He can tell you what the left offensive tackle did on the play before the replay man can roll it. I've never seen anything like it. Al Michaels sucks. He is everyone's favorite but I can't deal with him. Fire him and bring in Pat Summerall. Madden and Sumerallm that was the best team ever. Before them if was Summerall and Tom Brookshire, but I digress.
What happened to split John and Pat was Fox's nonsense. They weren't going to re-sign Summerall so Madden decides to jump ship and go to ABC (he said he always wanted to do Monday nights). He would rather go to ABC than stay at Fox with some other hoser. Cudos to Madden! Continuing with the story, Madden leaves and Fox signs Summerall and sticks him like on the last team Fox uses for football coverage. You know what I mean, the game nobody gives a crap about and the only time you see it is if all the other games ended early and they had to fill a hole. Thumbs down to Fox.
I can't stand Joe Buck. His father was great, but he doesn't deserve all the attention. I can still hear his old man talking immediately following Kirk Gibson's famous homerun, "I don't believe what I just saw." I remember when Fox rolled Joe out with all the other kids. Joe Buck son of legend Jack. Tom Brenneman son of hall-of-fame announcer Marty Brenneman. So many sons there I half expected Little Ricky to come on the show. Joe is showcased on nearly everything Fox puts their hands to. Football, baseball whatever. The man drives me nuts. So you will know, the second best football guy is Dan Dierdorf, very knowledgable man. Knows the game inside out.
For boxing I still like Barry Tomkins. HBO should never have let him leave. Lampley is good but reminds me too much of a calculator, always telling you that Toney threw eighty-four more jabs than Holyfield and landed thrity-nine more. How can you figure that crap up that fast. Oh yeah, that's where I miss the college education. Larry Merchant reminds me of a wise ol' owl, always throwing in his two cents. He always gets kinda smart with boxers too, if they try to say hi to too many people. It is a little disrespectful if you ask me. I mean they don't have sponsors so time is really a non-issue. He kind of puts me in the mind of Jack Whitaker (not the Powerball winner). He was an "owl" type as well. Always throwing in his perspective on anything and everything.
I didn't care too much for Curt Gowdy until he died. Now I miss him.I don't miss his old boothbuddy, Al D'Regatis (never even knew how to prounounce it, let alone spell it). Just hearing his voice somehow takes me back to an Oakland-San Diego game. How depressing is that? Blanda setting up for a 38 yarder to tie the score. Please.
Bob Costas is great. He, not Michaels, is the king as far as this observer is concerned. Vin Scully is very good but I can't deal with a man who refuses to sweat in 95 degree weather. "Just getting ready to break the seal on this one at Candlestick Park". I always liked that description for opening up a ball game.
Hockey sucks. Did you hear me? It sucks. Legalized thuggery is all it is. Fights every three minutes. I like to watch a good fight, but give me boxing or Ulitimate Fighting. Also, I wouldn't watch a soccer game live or on TV if you paid me real money. Boring! And Nascar, are you kidding me? Don't get me started! When did driving a car become a sport? You can call it entertainment around me but don't offend the word "sport". About like the Spelling Bee. I know, I know, ESPN shows the Spelling Bee so it must be sporting. I'm gonna sign off before my chest explodes and my heart falls to the floor and the Hellhounds dive into it like it is a chew-toy.
Since this is my first "rant" let me begin by saying I am not qualified to be a writer. I lack the formal education that is generally associated with literary refinement. In this modern day people are more apt to pass on you if you do not have a college degree. That being said, I hope your dog dies. Just kidding of course, wanting to make sure you were still awake.
Let me start first by taking a shot on sports commentators and sports writers. That is what I was called to do, but again my lack of education prevents me from being heard....or read that is.
Commentators especially from ESPN continue to wear out the old, old, tired cliche.....A buck fifty nine.....meaning maybe an ERA of 1.59, One hundred and fifty-nine yards rushing, a pitiful batting average of .159. Are the rest of you tired of that or is it just me? Just rambling.
I do like Chris Berman. If you aren't sure which one he is, he is on ESPN and coined the phrase. "...back, back, back, back...back" ........and ..."he ....could...go....all......the....way". He always seems to bring something fresh to the table. Uses his own stuff, know what I mean? For example he is always throwing in something extra with people's names, such as..."Bo Diddly Jackson", or Ray 'its been a hard days Knight'". Things like that make watching and listening more palatable.
The best football man is by far John Madden. He can tell you what the left offensive tackle did on the play before the replay man can roll it. I've never seen anything like it. Al Michaels sucks. He is everyone's favorite but I can't deal with him. Fire him and bring in Pat Summerall. Madden and Sumerallm that was the best team ever. Before them if was Summerall and Tom Brookshire, but I digress.
What happened to split John and Pat was Fox's nonsense. They weren't going to re-sign Summerall so Madden decides to jump ship and go to ABC (he said he always wanted to do Monday nights). He would rather go to ABC than stay at Fox with some other hoser. Cudos to Madden! Continuing with the story, Madden leaves and Fox signs Summerall and sticks him like on the last team Fox uses for football coverage. You know what I mean, the game nobody gives a crap about and the only time you see it is if all the other games ended early and they had to fill a hole. Thumbs down to Fox.
I can't stand Joe Buck. His father was great, but he doesn't deserve all the attention. I can still hear his old man talking immediately following Kirk Gibson's famous homerun, "I don't believe what I just saw." I remember when Fox rolled Joe out with all the other kids. Joe Buck son of legend Jack. Tom Brenneman son of hall-of-fame announcer Marty Brenneman. So many sons there I half expected Little Ricky to come on the show. Joe is showcased on nearly everything Fox puts their hands to. Football, baseball whatever. The man drives me nuts. So you will know, the second best football guy is Dan Dierdorf, very knowledgable man. Knows the game inside out.
For boxing I still like Barry Tomkins. HBO should never have let him leave. Lampley is good but reminds me too much of a calculator, always telling you that Toney threw eighty-four more jabs than Holyfield and landed thrity-nine more. How can you figure that crap up that fast. Oh yeah, that's where I miss the college education. Larry Merchant reminds me of a wise ol' owl, always throwing in his two cents. He always gets kinda smart with boxers too, if they try to say hi to too many people. It is a little disrespectful if you ask me. I mean they don't have sponsors so time is really a non-issue. He kind of puts me in the mind of Jack Whitaker (not the Powerball winner). He was an "owl" type as well. Always throwing in his perspective on anything and everything.
I didn't care too much for Curt Gowdy until he died. Now I miss him.I don't miss his old boothbuddy, Al D'Regatis (never even knew how to prounounce it, let alone spell it). Just hearing his voice somehow takes me back to an Oakland-San Diego game. How depressing is that? Blanda setting up for a 38 yarder to tie the score. Please.
Bob Costas is great. He, not Michaels, is the king as far as this observer is concerned. Vin Scully is very good but I can't deal with a man who refuses to sweat in 95 degree weather. "Just getting ready to break the seal on this one at Candlestick Park". I always liked that description for opening up a ball game.
Hockey sucks. Did you hear me? It sucks. Legalized thuggery is all it is. Fights every three minutes. I like to watch a good fight, but give me boxing or Ulitimate Fighting. Also, I wouldn't watch a soccer game live or on TV if you paid me real money. Boring! And Nascar, are you kidding me? Don't get me started! When did driving a car become a sport? You can call it entertainment around me but don't offend the word "sport". About like the Spelling Bee. I know, I know, ESPN shows the Spelling Bee so it must be sporting. I'm gonna sign off before my chest explodes and my heart falls to the floor and the Hellhounds dive into it like it is a chew-toy.
Posted at 6:16 AM | by
Cliff Eastham
