Dog, I felt that way playing sports an still feel that way now.

It's what's expected.

Never, once did I celebrate a common occurace in any sport. The only time was when we won state and I caught the last out. Good times.

My friend Bob Terwilliger here on the realms said his grandfather was good at baseball. Like Babe Ruth good. He didn't go into the pros because he had a family to support and needed better money. That's how bad these athletes have gotten.

I think there are times where excitement over a big play is acceptable, but this little stuff irritates me.

Yeah. Those poor NBA players need to feed their families.

Ha! Seems to me like they have more time for endorsements. I'll bet their cash-flow hasn't skipped a beat.

Agree. Not your standard open field tackle where you run around the stadium pumping your chest the whole time.

There are a number of movies and documentaries that do support this statement. I can't name one at the moment, but I'm certain Bill or Dana would be able to.

Fear Stikes Out is ringing in my head as such.

I think it may have been a coal mine he picked over baseball.

I might be willing to pay to see some of these guys work and honest day in a coal mine.

Now, that would be a good choice back then. Honest, hard work, good except for the black lung.

Hey, guys!

Well, while this Red Sox fan celebrates Valentine's Day, on which the Sox have FINALLY filled the manager's seat...it's worth noting that since The Great Collapse of September 2011, it's not just Tito Francona and Theo Epstein who have left the Red Sox.

Quite a few heads have rolled down the devil's bowling alley over the past two to three months. Besides firing the fellow in charge of international scouting, the Sox also nuked the medical staff and dumped the strength and conditioning guys.

I always love how, when a baseball team -- especially one with an unusual amount of injuries -- goes in the toilet, the newspapers will play to the bloodthirsty crowd by running polls on who should get canned among the players, manager, general manager and coaching staff.

Meanwhile the team doctors, along with the strength and conditioning gurus, get to keep on keeping on.

Not this time.

Take that, you devilish Red Stockings!

And thanks for quoting that, Bill, I can plainly see I am terrible while typing on an iPhone.

Well, if it's movies you want...I can think of no better film on the subject than John Sayles' "Eight Men Out," based on the excellent book by Eliot Asinof regarding the Black Sox scandal. To fully understand why a group of key players -- including ones who were on the road to the Hall of Fame -- would agree to throw THE WORLD SERIES, it's good to have an understanding of the economic factors that tempted them.

True, that was 1919. But it took a long time before professional ballplayers saw enough money so that they didn't have to work "regular" jobs during their off-season. And that's guys who had "made it" to the majors. Part of the reason people in Brooklyn loved their Dodgers so much until the day they left was because so many of the players lived in the area and were regarded as just plain folks.

Today? Pro sports can't be viewed as anything but show biz, IMHO. The players are no less entertainers than any TV/film actor or actress.

But once upon a time...an outstanding young athlete might very well have to turn down an opportunity to try to make it to "The Show" (aka baseball's major leagues) simply because he couldn't afford to make what a minor leaguer was paid.

Several years ago, I had to do some research in connection with a writing project about aspiring baseball players and the tough choices they faced if they wanted to get married and raise a family pre-World War II --- some gifted ballplayers who simply couldn't afford to pursue their baseball dreams.

Typically, a player in the 1930s might have been given the opportunity to play with a farm team in a big league club's system --- and get paid something like $75 a month. Many of them turned to semi-pro ball, so that they could hold down a job yet still play the game they loved -- one that showcased their talents -- while making a few bucks in doing so.

Sad to say, Bob Terwilliger's grandfather was not alone in having to make a job decision that precluded a baseball career.

BTW...Jon, please give Ryan my regards!

Curt, I will always be here for you.

On another note...I went to the venue to hang out a bit and while there, picked up just a few GF Hulk boosters.

As previously noted, I'm hardly a Hulk fan but I was pleased to take home She-Hulk, General Thunderbolt Ross and Skaar.

Gotta say, for those who put a value on sculpts and paint jobs, Skar is quite impressive, I think.

Yuck, I gotta go to Sexual Harassment Prevention training in the morning for work. The Governor of NY has deemed it that all state employees need this training every year now. Fun fun...

But on a happy note, I bought 2 of those mini bricks of the Hulk CTDs. Got a full set plus extras of Skaar and Hulk. Now I just want one more Hulkbuster Squad Leader to play on a Hulkbuster theme. Anyone got an extra of him to trade for one of my extras?