What is the stereotype of a major league baseball player? For old timers it was a tough looking guy with a crew-cut and tobacco stains down his chin. A cheek full of chew was almost a given for most players. Later it became “just a pinch between the cheek and gum” popularized by Dallas Cowboy running back Walt Garrison who later died from mouth cancer. Now, its the little packets of chew that have become popular. Minor league baseball tried to cure the problem years ago by banning chewing tobacco at their ballparks but an agreement could never be reached with major league players. Now the state legislature in California is doing something that the baseball poo-bahs havent been able to do. Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill last week that would ban the use of smokeless tobacco at all ballparks in the state. Noble…a worthy effort…but ultimately toothless (no pun intended) since there is no provision for enforcement. It will be up to players, coaches and managers to follow the law. Some seem like they want to try and quit and maybe a law against it will be the impetus to do that. The death of Tony Gwynn (who blamed his mouth cancer on years of dipping) and the recent cancer scare of Curt Schilling have helped as well. The libertarian in me says that the government should not tell adults what they can an cannot do when it comes to this kind of thing..that we should be able to decide for ourselves…and yet when we continue to engage in destructive behavior even though we know what it will eventually do…and the health costs to society are so great…I have come to believe that government does have a role in behavior modification. Will the California Law work? Probably not. The good ole boys in the bleachers who ignore the ramifications of their choice to indulge won't be stopped by a sign. If cancer won't stop them why would a piece of paper from Sacramento?
Theo Epstein…the ender of Curses? He slayed the Curse of The Bambino in Boston…can he do the same with the billy-goat in Chicago? The team of young stars that Epstein has put together is moving on, using the long ball again to eliminate the Cardinals last night. At the beginning of the season I was sceptical that all of these young guys would flourish at the big league level…but they have. The Brewers would do well to look to the South for a blueprint of re-building. But it still comes down to recognizing young talent, and Epstein is a master at it.
Are you gonna see “The Bridge Of Spies”? Spielberg's latest looks like a good one. Of course, you're gonna see “Spectre”. For a guy who many thought wouldn't be able to pull off the role, Daniel Craig has really made the Bond character his
Songs Of The Day (from my I-pod)
The Road To Ensenada-Lyle Lovett (1996) title track from an album that actually won the Grammy for Country Album of The Year…goes to show the Grammy voters aren't always clueless
