Sports Loyalty....

[Darren.]

Baseball on the radio is awesome...i try and get my 3 year old to listen as long as he can jsut so he knows what it is like to see a game happening through radio announcers.  Unfortunately there aren't many great radio guys out there anymore.

 

Oh man, Phil Rizzuto was electric! Loved his play by play of the Yanks.

 

Same for former Bills radio announcer Van Miller. Best game I ever listened to was greatest comeback ever, 1993 Bills over Houston.

[AK-Jax86]

IMO baseball is dead. It was America's past time but the argument can be made that Football and even basketball has taken over, more so NFL than NBA (eventhough NBA has been the most popular it has been in years).

I know a lot of people here are older so probably love baseball but during the "steroid era" with McGuire Sosa Bonds and those boys baseball was AMAZING! I am a Yankee fan and when I was in NJ I went to atleast 15 games a season, my friend had season tickets. Over the past couple years I don't really care about baseball nor do I watch it until the World Series, unless the Yanks are in the playoffs or it's a Yankee Red Sox game. Baseball is dying unless they bring back the long balls, STEROIDS, lol. Like I mentioned before during the BIG 3, we will call those roiders, era especially that one year people that had no clue about sports knew what was going on with the home run race. Stations that don't report on sports were covering that

[flyfisher]

Oh man, Phil Rizzuto was electric! Loved his play by play of the Yanks.

 

Same for former Bills radio announcer Van Miller. Best game I ever listened to was greatest comeback ever, 1993 Bills over Houston.

 

I watched that game because, well it was the playoffs and it had Buddy Ryan who i always liked.  I also think that was the game where he tried to punch gilbride in the face on the sideline....

 

And one ofthe all time greats in phillies broadcast history....Hary Kalas.  Most people recognize most from his voice overs on the NFL films which he did a ton of since that was started down in south philly.

[flyfisher]

IMO baseball is dead. It was America's past time but the argument can be made that Football and even basketball has taken over, more so NFL than NBA (eventhough NBA has been the most popular it has been in years).

I know a lot of people here are older so probably love baseball but during the "steroid era" with McGuire Sosa Bonds and those boys baseball was AMAZING! I am a Yankee fan and when I was in NJ I went to atleast 15 games a season, my friend had season tickets. Over the past couple years I don't really care about baseball nor do I watch it until the World Series, unless the Yanks are in the playoffs or it's a Yankee Red Sox game. Baseball is dying unless they bring back the long balls, STEROIDS, lol. Like I mentioned before during the BIG 3, we will call those roiders, era especially that one year people that had no clue about sports knew what was going on with the home run race. Stations that don't report on sports were covering that

so you make a valid distinction in that there are fans of teams and sports and then those that are fans of both.  I am fan of both the sport itself and the teams regardless of their success or failures.

 

And seriously, you are going to call out roiders and not mention A-Rod, probably the worst one of them all? 

 

I will argue that there is no better sport to attend in person than baseball with hockey being a close second then basketball and then NFL.

 

I will bet that more people participate in baseball/softball than football by a long shot and it will always remain America's past time.

[J Francho]

As a college basketball fan you will appreciate this.....I was at the famous Duke-Kentucky game when Christian Laetner hit the shot to win it and was perfect from the field.  I had no rooting interest for either team but after laetner stepped on the guy from kentucky, i did lose respect for duke till he left.

 

Duke is just evil.  They are a team I'll watch.  Those late 80s, early 90s teams were something to watch.  I'm a 'Cuse fan, though.

[MarkH024]

Da Bearrrrrrrsss........Da Hawwwwwwks.......Da Soxxxxxxxxx.........Da Bulllllllllllss (dont really watch bball since the jordan era split)

[flyfisher]

Duke is just evil.  They are a team I'll watch.  Those late 80s, early 90s teams were something to watch.  I'm a 'Cuse fan, though.

so you are familiar with those epic rivalry games between 'cuse and 'nova then.....so sad to see it all split up

[J Francho]

Yep, it'll never be the same.

[tomustang]

Speaking of broadcasts, Merrill Reese is the best thing the eagles have, hah

[AK-Jax86]

so you make a valid distinction in that there are fans of teams and sports and then those that are fans of both.  I am fan of both the sport itself and the teams regardless of their success or failures.

 

And seriously, you are going to call out roiders and not mention A-Rod, probably the worst one of them all? 

 

I will argue that there is no better sport to attend in person than baseball with hockey being a close second then basketball and then NFL.

 

I will bet that more people participate in baseball/softball than football by a long shot and it will always remain America's past time.

I wasn't knocking the steroiders AT ALL. I actually love what they did for the sport! As Ryan Braun proved anybody can be on steroids you don't have to look like a football player lol.

I know steroids gives people an "advantage" but at the end of the day the bat has to hit the ball and the ball has to go out the park.

As far as your comment of more people playing baseball than football that's obviously true you need to be a physical specimen to last in football any old joe can play baseball if you can catch, throw, and hit at an elevated level because we all can do those things. As far as basketball and football go you need to be a different type of athlete.

But there's no need to get into a back and forth because everything I said was facts supported by ESPN's outside the lines. They were saying that the youth has gravitated away from baseball and have become more involved in football and basketball at least in the US anyway. That may explain why the Latino population dominates baseball.

When I was younger I enjoyed playing baseball and soccer. Then I got old enough for football and became big and that took over to college.

My favorite sports to play and watch are football and basketball. But when it comes to going to a live event baseball is at the top of the list. I have only been to a few Flyers games when I was younger so I can't speak much on hockey, but all my friends who like hockey tell me that going to a game is a great time.

[AK-Jax86]

Baseballs demise is due to their stubbornness to get on board with technology. They are stuck in "Americas past time" that they forget about the PAST part. Things have changed, the athlete has changed, and more importantly technology has changed but baseball is unwilling too.

[J Francho]

I'm less upset at the PED use than I am all the lying about it.  Drives me nuts. 

[AK-Jax86]

I'm less upset at the PED use than I am all the lying about it.  Drives me nuts.

Me too man we all make mistakes just fess up to it.

But the reason why they lie is because steroids are technically illegal and they can be brought up on federal charges if taken that far.

But what Braun did was inexplicable! He not only lied but threw an employee under the bus ruining his reputation to save his own thats what disgust me the most about Ryan Braun

[flyfisher]

Braun is a sleezeball and cheating has no place in any sport, plain and simple.

A-roid is the worst offender in my mind.  Not only did he cheat, he tried to cover it up, came out and said he was clean and took it in the past and is now clean.  He even had the balls to go and join some ant-steroid programs and talk to kids all while making sure he got out in time to make his weekly appointment to get shot up with the stuff.

 

I do think baseball has taken it's time with technology but i don't want to see pitch trax making calls, most of the itmes the umpires are pretty good anyways.  I don't want replay on every play and i think the ay they have it now is ok and does it's job.

 

I guess i am just a purist and like baseball for what it is, baseball, nothing more and nothing less.  If they really want to spice it up some then juice the ball, not the players as that worked in the past.  I don't need to see a 7-5 game to enjoy it, i like the strategy and gamesmanship, some of which is being removed.  If any sport could use less rules it would be baseball.  Let a guy plunk the opposing team if your guy got hit or if they went high and tight a few to often but that is being removed from the game.

[MCS]

Braun is a sleezeball and cheating has no place in any sport, plain and simple.

A-roid is the worst offender in my mind.  Not only did he cheat, he tried to cover it up, came out and said he was clean and took it in the past and is now clean.  He even had the balls to go and join some ant-steroid programs and talk to kids all while making sure he got out in time to make his weekly appointment to get shot up with the stuff.

 

I do think baseball has taken it's time with technology but i don't want to see pitch trax making calls, most of the itmes the umpires are pretty good anyways.  I don't want replay on every play and i think the ay they have it now is ok and does it's job.

 

I guess i am just a purist and like baseball for what it is, baseball, nothing more and nothing less.  If they really want to spice it up some then juice the ball, not the players as that worked in the past.  I don't need to see a 7-5 game to enjoy it, i like the strategy and gamesmanship, some of which is being removed.  If any sport could use less rules it would be baseball.  Let a guy plunk the opposing team if your guy got hit or if they went high and tight a few to often but that is being removed from the game.

 

I think it is allowed and acceptable a little, spit balls, bullfrog and rozin, corked bats. That is about as far as I go. It is kinda fun....the tricks of the trade so to speak.

 

AK I think you are absolutely wrong about baseball man, it is all about tradition. The things that have ruined the game are interleague, the 90's and really societies mindset in general of hurry up and glitz/glamore attitude.

 

I still love it, 100 times more than any other sport.

[AK-Jax86]

I think it is allowed and acceptable a little, spit balls, bullfrog and rozin, corked bats. That is about as far as I go. It is kinda fun....the tricks of the trade so to speak.

AK I think you are absolutely wrong about baseball man, it is all about tradition. The things that have ruined the game are interleague, the 90's and really societies mindset in general of hurry up and glitz/glamore attitude.

I still love it, 100 times more than any other sport.

You may not agree but ESPN knows they got people who research that stuff.

Baseball is for the older generation can't be argued

[flyfisher]

Interleague and the wild card is killing the game....

[AK-Jax86]

You go to NFL games and you have a younger crowd you go to baseball games you have an older crowd and family atmosphere which I enjoy because as I stated before baseball is my favorite event to go to in person something about Yankee stadium lol only other two Ive been to was the old and new Mets stadium and Phillies games when I was young.

[aquaholic]

People who switch teams i think are band wagoners or just really not that big a fan of the team. I was lucky that 2 teams i follow made it to the championships last year, but only 1 won. And like previously mentioned this new two team wildcard single game screwed my team out of making it in last year. 

[deaknh03]

Baseballs demise is due to their stubbornness to get on board with technology. They are stuck in "Americas past time" that they forget about the PAST part. Things have changed, the athlete has changed, and more importantly technology has changed but baseball is unwilling too.

 

I wouldn't call it a demise, but baseball's waning popularity is caused by one major factor. American's these days don't have a long attention span. Baseball has a minimum of 162 games, whereas football has 16 games. You know when football is on, Sunday's, most people's day off, where baseball is played any day, when most busy people are working, or busy watching some other, more interesting show. you can easily watch every game of your favorite football team, unlike baseball where there's no chance you can watch every game, unless your jobless.

[flyfisher]

I should be more clear on the wildcard in baseball.  I don't dislike it as much as the format is bad.  There is not as much of an advantage given to the division winners but it is a little different now that the wild card teams most likely burn their #1 starter in the play in game.

 

It should either be a 7 game series, like all the other series or if it stays 5 game then the division winner should get 4 out of the 5 games at home.  It is to easy for a team to get hot and win 3 games out of 5 but add in that extra game and it usually favors the division winners.

 

the other option would be get rid of divisions entirely and just have the top 5 times make it to the playoffs and re seed after each series like hockey.

 

I know many say the wildcard makes it more exciting for more teams which is true but at the same time it kind of kills trade deadline deals because so many teams are still in it.  All this does is keep the weaker teams weak and strengthens all the other teams.  If the teams knew they had to win the division they would be more apt to give up some of their higher ranked prospects in exchange for better players which makes both teams better, one in the short term and the other in the long term.

 

I also think the reason you see younger people at football games is the cost.  To take a family of four to a baseball game you are probably looking at about 125-150 for tickets where for football you are talking 500-600.

[flyfisher]

I wouldn't call it a demise, but baseball's waning popularity is caused by one major factor. American's these days don't have a long attention span. Baseball has a minimum of 162 games, whereas football has 16 games. You know when football is on, Sunday's, most people's day off, where baseball is played any day, when most busy people are working, or busy watching some other, more interesting show. you can easily watch every game of your favorite football team, unlike baseball where there's no chance you can watch every game, unless your jobless.

or if you have the MLB package like i do and every night is baseball time, even if i am not actively watching, it is on TV.  Unless of course, I am out fishing then i just get the updates on my phone  

[AK-Jax86]

I wouldn't call it a demise, but baseball's waning popularity is caused by one major factor. American's these days don't have a long attention span. Baseball has a minimum of 162 games, whereas football has 16 games. You know when football is on, Sunday's, most people's day off, where baseball is played any day, when most busy people are working, or busy watching some other, more interesting show. you can easily watch every game of your favorite football team, unlike baseball where there's no chance you can watch every game, unless your jobless.

You pointed out the EXACT problem too many meaningless games! Every game in the NFL means something there's only 16. I think even the NBA is a bit much with 82. But baseball and 162 that's a bit much. Like you said Americans these days don't have a long attention span so that's probably why they are lacking in the MLB

[deaknh03]

or if you have the MLB package like i do and every night is baseball time, even if i am not actively watching, it is on TV.  Unless of course, I am out fishing then i just get the updates on my phone

No offense, but that's not the norm these days.

[deaknh03]

I should be more clear on the wildcard in baseball.  I don't dislike it as much as the format is bad.  There is not as much of an advantage given to the division winners but it is a little different now that the wild card teams most likely burn their #1 starter in the play in game.

 

It should either be a 7 game series, like all the other series or if it stays 5 game then the division winner should get 4 out of the 5 games at home.  It is to easy for a team to get hot and win 3 games out of 5 but add in that extra game and it usually favors the division winners.

 

the other option would be get rid of divisions entirely and just have the top 5 times make it to the playoffs and re seed after each series like hockey.

 

I know many say the wildcard makes it more exciting for more teams which is true but at the same time it kind of kills trade deadline deals because so many teams are still in it.  All this does is keep the weaker teams weak and strengthens all the other teams.  If the teams knew they had to win the division they would be more apt to give up some of their higher ranked prospects in exchange for better players which makes both teams better, one in the short term and the other in the long term.

 

I also think the reason you see younger people at football games is the cost.  To take a family of four to a baseball game you are probably looking at about 125-150 for tickets where for football you are talking 500-600.

Thats right on about the wild card, the play in game kills the winner, their best pitcher is done, thereby taking him out of games 1,4 and maybe 7 of the next series. teams do hesitate to trade now as well, because they do think they are still in it.