A lot has happened in the last two weeks.
All the college basketball teams I had a rooting interest are out, the last being San Diego State. As an aside I thought Nick Canepa’s post-script celebrating the season was far more appropriate than Tim Sullivan’s one focusing on the two technical fouls. this despite the fact those two fouls torpedoed and severely hurt State’s chances to win.
I completed my paperwork to finish my Navy service, and took the Mrs on a whirlwind trip through central Florida. You may have seen updates via Facebook.
That trip was made without a computer in tow, which was great for the relationship. Didn’t miss it, but it did disconnect us from all the goings on in the baseball blogging world. It was via Facebook that I saw posts at Pitchers Hit Eighth and C70 At The Bat about the latest Screed from a former NY Times author about this site’s namesake. Vitriol painting Musial with a racist brush.
I felt compelled to respond, for the author attack my favorite player from my favorite team, who long ago I chose to honor here. But I had never heard nor read about Curt Flood’s experience at the restaurant bearing Stan’s name, so I would not be able to adequately defend him. But I KNEW my favorite sportswriter could, and would.
He did, and Joe Posnanski’s post is so good I implore you to read it. Read it now. I’ll wait.
(waits)
Thanks.
It must be hard for an author to descend into irrelevancy. It must be hard for anyone to see their power and influence wane, to futilely grasp at those remaining rays of light in the hope their former audience will remember and return. When trying to remind the Nation of who they were via normal means fails, some turn to sensationalism, which does work for a time. Dennis Rodman photographed in a wedding dress. Michael Jackson hanging a baby out the window. JD Pierre Salinger claiming TWA flight 800 was shot down by the Navy. But it is fleeting fame, and a reminder of how far out of the mainstream that particular individual has fallen. It’s sad, really.
Sensationalism was tried by this man too, when he attacked blogs (from his blog, which he delusionally insists is not one) and by attacking progress in analyzing on-field performance as ruining the game (which does not affect play on the field, and actually helps fans better appreciate the good players).
Didn’t work either.
Why attack Stan Musial next? I have no idea. The howls of protest and the number of replies rebutting the ‘blog’ post have been swift, and impressive. Because nothing is ever deleted from the internet, the most ethical thing Murray Chass could do is to post an apology/retraction of that story and delete it from his site. I’m sure he won’t, it would be out of character for him.
The other solution is simple. Murray Chass must be relegated to the trash bin of sports writing. I am not interested in anything he has to say from this point onward and I encourage all of you reading this to ignore the man and his opinions. There are too many small men in the world, too many who spit bile and hate and make no constructive contribution to the human experience. We could all use one less knucklehead.
Murray Chass: your 15 minutes are up. Exit the stage.
Stan Musial's Stance 