Comments on: Scenes from Spring Training: Beer, Voros McCracken and almost getting my butt kicked over a misunderstanding

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:00:22 +0000

Hell no. Jonny here is an unabashed, unapologetic Phightins Phan, whereas chrisny3 sounds a mite like one of the Wilpons.

By: mrfloydpink

mrfloydpink — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:16:55 +0000

Jonny, are you and chrisny3 the same person? Sure seems that way.

By: apbaguy

apbaguy — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:11:22 +0000

The best part for me is that my girlfriend is totally into Chelsea. So we have a nice in-house rivalry. But like you, it’s definitely my second favorite sport, in part because of the time of year that they play, but also because of the skill level of the top players. I’m always seeing something that amazes me.
And next time one of the commenters knocks one (or all) of you Philly fans, you can always point out that no matter how bad some clown thinks you might be ( I lived in the mid Atlantic and saw some games at the old stadium, so I know you guys are passionate), you’re all saints compared to English soccer hooligans, er, fans.

By: stairwayto7

stairwayto7 — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:19:03 +0000

Were you in a strip club?

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:05:16 +0000

Soccer is my second favorite spectator sport—but then again, I was never good enough at any one particular sport to successfully participate. But I loves me some futbol.

By: tomemos

tomemos — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:03:45 +0000

“Seemed” is to “assumed” as “estimated” is to “guessed.”

By: goldstar4robotboy

goldstar4robotboy — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:43:13 +0000

It is LEGAL to carry firearms into Arizona bars: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33074414/ns/us_news-life/ (Note the link is from MSNBC – synergy!)
That’s the default setting, but bars can decide if they will allow pistol-packin’ patrons.

By: PanchoHerreraFanClub

PanchoHerreraFanClub — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:30:22 +0000

And the losers of honorable fist fights often bring out the old equalizer to settle the score.

Sorry, to bring is up, but it is also a felony in AZ to open fire in shopping center parking. Shockingly, some people don’t obey the law even in AZ.

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:26:10 +0000

Hey, not knowing it was racist as Craig clearly states, “the writer’s take seemed to come from a rather racist — or at the very least, paternalistic — perspective.”

Means he also assumed the man was writing in a racist tone. Just like the “gentleman” who got all up in his grill for assuming Craig was talking in a racist tone. It’s the same thing. Except Craig never threatened anyone as for as we know. And an interesting dose of Karma imo.

By: apbaguy

apbaguy — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:14:39 +0000

Aaron implied last night that bail was a part of your evening, but we see that you avoided that. Since you are still a free man, if you do get Fox Soccer channel, try watching some games. If not, ESPN’s broadcasts of the Champions League have been very good, especially Arsenal’s heroic triumph over Barcelona earlier this year. Unfortunately, the Gunners have to travel to the Nou Camp for the return leg, minus Van Persie and Walcott, and possibly Fabregas. That could result in ugliness. Anyway, start with the English Premier League, lots of speed on the pitch and all the diva-tude you’d expect in young guys making $ 10M per year.

By: The Baseball Idiot

The Baseball Idiot — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:10:34 +0000

It’s a felony in Arizona to take a weapon into any place that serves alcohol. Also, not everyone who carries a gun is going to pull it and start shooting people over an argument in a bar.

Some men still have enough honor to fight with their fists.

By: Chris Fiorentino

Chris Fiorentino — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:53:43 +0000

Maybe in a town out West, it is normal for some random stranger from another table to walk up to a table of three dudes drinking beers and tell them they are “pathetic” as is what Craig said happened here. In Philly, however, if I am having drinks and a PRIVATE conversation with some friends, and somebody walks up to our table and calls us “pathetic”, that somebody is going to get punched by somebody at my table. That’s just a fact. Not that it is the right way to deal with it, of course, but that’s just the way it is where I am from. That’s why I commended Craig on the self-control he and his friends showed by not telling the guy to go to hell. You can call it “internet bravado” or whatever you want. But I would advise you that when you are at a bar, and you overhear something being discussed at another table and you don’t like what you heard, ignore it. If you go up to the table and call them “pathetic” you are more than likely going to get into a fight.

By: BC

BC — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:20:45 +0000

In the winter I usually fall back on Ketel One, college basketball, Storm Stories and whatever is on AMC. Until at least mid-February when NASCAR starts up.

By: tomemos

tomemos — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:10:09 +0000

Nothing in Craig’s story suggests that he was “assuming” anything, and nothing in it suggests that he was wrong either. He was classy enough not to name the writer, so we just can’t know, but Craig’s usually savvy about this stuff so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:43:23 +0000

Well, all I have to say is you got a little of your own medicine here Craig. Assuming “it’s racism” in the article, got you on the other side of the pointing finger now didn’t it?

By: bigharold

bigharold — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:28:50 +0000

“Or maybe it was just the Guinness talking.”

Manny a night been disasterized because of that very same thing.

By: guileless22

guileless22 — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:24:01 +0000

Craig, you should check out a book called Bloody Confused by Chuck Culpepper. I also started following soccer as a way to pass time until baseball started.

By: bigharold

bigharold — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:23:39 +0000

Actually that linked worked fine. Except the part where I had to change my shirt because I laughed so hard I spilled coffee all over it.

That was funny, ..

By: stevejeltzjehricurl

stevejeltzjehricurl — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:17:19 +0000

Next time, Craig, send out a call for your Hardball Talk minions. They’re guaranteed to scare anyone, including Jeff Pearlman.

Oh, as for soccer… there’s about 3 million things that are more interesting to keep me distracted when there’s no baseball in wintertime. For example… basketball… football… hockey… drinking… shoveling snow… the list of errands my wife wanted me to complete… watching old reruns of Hogan’s Heroes… reading the Federal Register…. you get the idea.

By: Gobias Industries

Gobias Industries — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:51:52 +0000

Gadzooks, a “sit down,” a “shut up, a “mind your own beeswax,” AND a brawl?! Man, I wish my internet persona was that badass.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:40:19 +0000

In a couple short hours a handful of misconceptions I’ve harbored about the game were cast aside and, I think anyway, I got at least a tiny glimpse into what makes it so damn intriguing for several billion people the world over.

Obviously this isn’t the place, but would love reading about this. Maybe a future article on your personal blog?

By: PanchoHerreraFanClub

PanchoHerreraFanClub — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:37:26 +0000

It is this ever changing world it is nice to see that some things remain constant. Sportswriters getting liquored up in a bar and getting into fights is almost a cliche. But, Craig a word of warning, the right to carry concealed weapons in AZ is very broad. You and your buddies are lucky that someone didn’t try to execute their second amendment right and shut up a cracker from Atlanta.

By: Chris Fiorentino

Chris Fiorentino — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:12:24 +0000

Well, they say when people assume something, they make an ass out of U and Me. Those two idiots at the other table assumed that you were a racist because you actually had the audacity to utter the words “black guy” during a conversation. What they did was make a asses out of themselves. My friends and I probably would have told those dudes to sit down, shut up and mind their own frigging business, which of course would have turned into a brawl that I would have regretted the next day. Kudos to you for taking the high road not getting into a fight.

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:44:23 +0000

Well, that didn’t work, obviously, just try “The sheriff tends bar” on You Tube.

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:41:57 +0000

Kind of reminds me of this-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE_2uqCc_K4