Playing for Nothing

Just finished reading "The Yankee Years," by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci. It's the story of Torre's triumphant seasons as manager of the New york Yankees from 1996-2000 and the less than successful years that followed. Less than successful means the Yankees didn't win a World Series under Torre after they beat the Mets in October of 2000. They did get to the Series twice only to lose both times. The book details the departure of such stars as Bernie Williams and Andy Petite and the arrival of Gary Scheffield and Alex Rodriguez. As soon as I put that down I started reading, "They would have played for nothing," which follows the careers of some of the greats of the 1950s and 60 like Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson and Stan Musiel. Though I enjoyed both books I felt like reading the second one was like taking a shower on a hot day. It was so refreshing after reading about all the nightmarish stories about George Steinbrenner's frequent tirades and torre's constant effort to keep his players and owner happy.

Reading the second book also got me in a mood to buy old baseball cards again. Seems like they're the only ones that maintain or grow their value. Anything printed after 1975 is too plentiful to make it worth anything.

Every Precious moment

Who remembers that last day of school, the first day of summer vacation? Most of us have fond memories of stepping off the bus for the last time in late June without a care in the world. It's not that things in the world weren't a challenge, or dangerous, or frightening it's that we didn't know enough about it to care. The only thing that mattered was fishing and baseball and bike riding and friends. Summer meant 4th of July fireworks and a population of people who actually knew what they were celebrating on that day. Summer meant you were outdoors from dawn till dusk riding your bike with no helmet, making no contact with your parents until supper time and living every precious moment. We didn't have our faces on our cell phones all day because there was no such thing. We didn't waste hours on video games because there were none. We ran through poison ivy, got mumps and measles, went to the doctor and actually got treated without being asked how we were going to pay for it. I know, I sound like a baby boomer who's past was happier than his present. Not true. I'm very happy today but I think it's fun to point out that the "care free" season is here and for gosh sakes we ought to let our kids and grandkids enjoy it. Someday they'll write about the good old days when Twitter and Face Book will have gone the way of the Hula Hoop. By the way I bought a Hula Hoop on Craig's list the other day. Got a good price.

New title for FOX News

Why is everyone on the FOX news network so ticked off? Every time I see one of the poor souls they're upset over something. Lately they're up in arms because President Obama had the nerve to reach out to the Muslim world and suggest that they may be people too. Hey FOX news, I've got news for you, your act is old, negitive, boring and irrelevent. I'll go one step further, you're hate mongers disguised as news reporters and anchors. I'm happy to live in a country that allows FOX news to do what it does but I'm also happy to have quick fingers and a remote. As soon as I see Sean or Bill or Ann on HATE TV, I switch over to something that makes sense, like Family Fued or The Price is Right.

Quiet I Can't Hear the Music

Growing up in the 1950s I had plenty of opportunities to listen to disc jockeys fill time between songs. When Cousin Brucie or Dandy Dan Ingraham made a funny remark in between Elvis or Beatles songs that constituted "talk radio." For me and my generation it was all the talk radio we needed. I still listen to Cousin Brucie on Satalitte radio and he still makes more sense than any of the "talk" people I mistakenly tune in to today.

How much talk is too much talk? That's an open question of course and the answer is si9mple. When I get tired of hearing about the same topic I change the station.

In my home market, Seattle a lot of people are changinbg the station these days. They're changing to music and away from talk. In times like these I guess people feel more comfortable not hearing about "times like these." Music soothes the soul, settles the nerves, evokes the emotions. Talk too often has the opposite result.

I tuned out of talk radio about ten seconds after the last election. I love the new president but I'm sure I'll disagree with some of things he does in the next three years. I'll disagree on my own however, not with any prompting from Rush or anyone else.

So what about sports talk radio you ask? There's too much of that too. Two hours before the game starts I do not need to listen to "expert" anlayists tell me why one team will win and the other will lose. And when the game is over, I'm done, let me go on with my life. Please don't bore me with post game analysis let alone sound bites that don't change from week to week.

Good luck to all the radio talk show folks out there. I know you work hard and I wish you the best, just don't talk me anymore it distracts me from the music I'm trying to listen too.