Comments on: Change of plans: Dirk Nowitzki to throw out Game 3 first pitch http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/ Baseball. Baseball. And then a bit more baseball. Sat, 25 May 2013 09:10:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: natstowngreg http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-213098 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:27:20 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=93796#comment-213098 Translation: Dirk doesn’t play in New York, Boston, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Or for the Miami Heat.

]]> By: mkd http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-212952 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:59:20 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=93796#comment-212952 I think this went something like this:
1. Rangers want Dirk to throw out first pitch because he’s hugely popular, just brought Dallas its first NBA Championship and is by all accounts a massive Ranger fan.
2. Some senior staffer at MLB HQ rejects the request out of solidarity with the NBA. They don’t want to do anything that casts players in a positive light.
3. Word leaks of the decision. No logical rationale is offered in defense of the decision except that “solidarity” has nothing to do with it. Because solidarity has everything to do with it.
4. Bud finds out the decision and realizes there is no logical rationale to be offered beyond the solidarity thing. Caves. Offers trite BS about Lacking a Broad National Appeal to save face.
Alternate 4. Bud finds out that HIS order to reject Dirk is getting push-back and that he is staring at a massive PR shitstorm that would blow the issue up way beyond just letting some NBA player do something that I’m pretty sure isn’t even televised live.

]]> By: largebill http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-212846 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:04:33 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=93796#comment-212846 Kind of doubted there was any connection to supporting the NBA in their labor situation. When have management in one area supported management of an organization which is somewhat in competition with them? More likely it is an issue of “Who is that?” on MLB’s part. Sure, Dallas won an NBA championship, but if I walked up to 100 baseball fans around the country I’m certain far less than half would know who Nowitski is. NBA has a following, but it is a fairly narrow fan base.

]]> By: cur68 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-212829 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:28:21 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=93796#comment-212829 I will not sit here and let the good name of Tim Wisecup be besmirched…ok I’ve reverted to lying down on a couch in my office. You can talk smack about him now.

]]> By: The Common Man http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-212828 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:21:48 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=93796#comment-212828 Sure, Texas doesn’t care about unemployed white immigrants.

]]> By: bigleagues http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-212827 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:20:39 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=93796#comment-212827 Good for Dirk.

Meanwhile Breaking News out of Chicago and Boston: Press Conference believed to be scheduled for Friday . . .

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/7126311/chicago-cubs-expected-hire-theo-epstein-thursday

]]> By: The Common Man http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-212826 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:20:21 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=93796#comment-212826 “Of course, he also said that Nowitzki lacked the “good broad-base national appeal” to be a first-pitch candidate, so who knows.”

Well, he’s no random Pepsi contest winner, that’s for sure. Whoever that person is beloved by millions.

]]> By: nagrommit http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/20/change-of-plans-dirk-nowitzki-to-throw-out-game-3-first-pitch/comment-page-1/#comment-212825 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:19:39 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=93796#comment-212825 Glad to see MLB’s decision to let an unemployed German immigrant throw out the first pitch of game 3 of the World Series.

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