TDA Bullpen - Our Writers' Blog

Monday, September 12, 2005

Told Ya So

Regular readers of this space will no doubt recall my constant harping on Congress back when the Steroids hearings were being held: doesn't Congress have something better to do with its time? Apparently, the answer is yes -- providing oversight for FEMA, funding for Army Corps of Engineers Projects, or working on long-term environmental restoration of barrier islands in the Gulf would've been three things it could've been doing instead of making Sammy Sosa scared on national TV.

But, of course, the I Told You So crowd crowed after Palmeiro was busted for steroid use. (Without making any apologies to Jose Canseco, who was called a liar repeatedly.)

The truth is the truth, whether it's ugly or not, but in the end all I care about from my government is getting it right on something that matters. Steroid use in baseball was about ten millionth on my list of major problems I felt required government oversight. I told ya so. Too bad that won't help any of the dead, but you know what, I feel like this is an excellent time for the Blame Game, if that's what you want to call what I call accountability.

Whose Salvation?

MLB has added little red crosses to the batting helmets as the usual symbolic reminder about Katrina victims; I also note that at least the Yankees have added Salvation Army patches to their shoulders. It reminds me of a bumpersticker popular back in the early 1980s: "I Dream of a World Where the Pentagon has to hold Bake Sales and the Schools Get Full Funding from my Taxes". I'm very glad that MLB along with every other big corporation in America has decided to co-brand itself with hurricane relief, since apparently FEMA needed to have a few corporate sponsors to help keep it ready.

Ill Wind Blows Nickname Off Map

Will the New Orleans Zephyrs (warning: dead link) play next year? Their field is being used as a staging ground for relief efforts, and the stadium apparently didn't have a lot of damage, and the club announced plans to play there next year a few days ago, but it remains to be seen if anybody will be around to go to games in the spring. The Zephyrs are now the Nats' AAA club, but once upon a time, with horrible foreshadowing, you could read about a Zephyrs' player getting the call and making the trip up I-10 to the Astrodome. I can't imagine they'll keep the team nickname. It's strange times we live in, anyway, when the Jazz play in Utah and the New Orleans baseball club plays in the Pacific Coast League.

posted by The Crank 2:57 PM