Take Me Out To The Ballgame, Then Take Me Out Of My Job

by Dick Mac

I have nothing good to say about David Paterson, the current Governor of New York. I think he's a buffoon whose political skills aren't even as good as mine (and that's pretty bad), a man whose desire for personal success has caused him to betray all New Yorkers.

His buffoonery and inability to govern are an embarrassment, and his punishment is that he will not be re-elected.

Last year, Paterson attended a Yankees World Series game. Governors do that. I always thought that governors, presidents, and mayors, police chiefs, movie stars, diplomats, and rock stars attended these games for free, as guests of the team; and I think this is absolutely OK.

"The Governor Attends The World Series" is not a headline that I find disturbing. "Governor Appoints Douchebag Right-Winger To Replace Your Nominally Liberal Senator" is much more disturbing, almost criminal. A baseball game? Really? This is a problem? And Kirsten Gillibrand is OK?

Now, the price of Yankees tickets is criminal, and perhaps Paterson is guilty of general shitheadedness for even wanting a baseball game ticket with a face value of $425; but, then many New Yorkers are guilty of that decision. But is it a crime? Really?

This really required an investigation that now has Paterson facing possible criminal charges because he answered poorly (dishonestly?) when grilled about the event?

Now, you know how I feel about Paterson, but he had to be shocked, as shocked as me, to find out that a governor attending a baseball game for free would become an investigation!

What the fuck?!?!?!

I think we should pass a law that says: "Governors attend championship sporting events and nobody asks why or how." Perhaps we can require companies like the Yankees, who suck off the taxpayers, to provide those tickets for free so that everyone knows how the Governor got the tickets.

I am surprised to find myself defending the governor; but, I mean really people, is this what it's come to? Is this all we can get on this guy - free Yankees tickets?

Clearly I think more highly of New Yorkers than I should.

Paterson Misled Inquiry Over Tickets, Report Says - New York Times

Report Finds Paterson Testimony Over Yankees Tickets 'Inaccurate and Misleading' - WNYC

She Killed Him! That'll Show Him!

In these days of less-than-boring electoral politics, it is hard to take a break from the he-said-she-said fun and games that make America such a great, or at least amusing, place.

I must take a break though to discuss another rivalry, one slightly older than the rivalry currently eating the media.

Red Sox v Yankees: allegedly one of the oldest American rivalries.

Yankees-Red Sox argument ends in murder?

A New York Yankees' fan was accused on Monday of murdering a Boston Red Sox supporter and injuring another by running both down with a car after a heated argument over one of America's oldest sporting rivalries.

Ivonne Hernandez, 43, pleaded not guilty on Monday to reckless second-degree murder, aggravated driving while intoxicated and two counts of reckless conduct after the incident in a Nashua, New Hampshire parking lot last Friday.

Prosecutors say Hernandez was drunk when she drove her car across a dirt parking lot outside the Nashua City Hall into Matthew Beaudoin, 29, and Maria Hughes, 21, after exchanging words with them about the Yankees and Red Sox baseball teams.

Read more.

So, let me get this straight: some people are drinking in a bar, they argue about sports, then one kills another over the dispute.

Perhaps the Democrats could learn something from this!

Three Card Monte At Yankee Stadium

According to an article in the New York Times:

Tony Peña was interviewed on Wednesday for the Yankees’ managerial opening and a decision may be made as early as Friday between Peña, Don Mattingly, and Joe Girardi.

I started reading the Times sports page last night when Game 1 of the World Series became a Red Sox festival and the score reached 13-1. The muted drone of the television will draw me back if anything of import happens, which is unlikely. The sound of the fan is more exciting. Baseball is really now just inserted dialog between commercials, Fox television turns it into an orgy of faux-patriotism, and listening to Tim McCarver is sheer hell. Add to all of that the timing of the first pitch and the hours upon dull hours of "play", and I am not even sure why I bother.

I guess if it wasn't the Red Sox I would be waiting until a final game to watch, but having grown-up in Boston I have a passing interest in the result.

Living in New York, I enjoy watching the Yankee fans (who insist there is no rivalry with the Red Sox) go on and on and on about how they don't care who wins. Why do they squirm so much when they say that, and why do they go on and on if they don't care?

In reality, I don't care!

But the above-referenced article caught my eye. I am a fan of all three of the former players who are now candidates for the job of manager of the Yankees.

Tony Peña was a brilliant catcher and, like many catchers, moved easily into the ranks of coaching. Same with Joe Girardi. Don Mattingly is my second-favorite first baseman of all time (after Willie McCovey).

I would rank them like this:

For smarts, hire Peña.

For good-looks (so often important in New York City), hire Girardi.

For sentimentality, hire Mattingly.

I hope they give Peña the job, but it is impossible to predict what happens in the Yankees front office.

Good luck to all the candidates.


Dick Mac Recommends:

Beckham
David Beckham