Cancel the Season

How many fans think that a 60 to 70 game season is going to be meaningful this year? Anybody? I will tell you as a long-time, long-suffering New York Mets fan, it will be an extended spring training season with a make believe, meaningless playoff season which could end in November. AGAIN.

Even if my Mets were to be a playoff team, win the pennant and then win the World Series against the New York Yankees, it would not mean the same. In fact, as a baseball purist who thinks that Maris still holds the single season home run record, Aaron is the all-time Home Run King and Johann Santana DID NOT throw the Mets’ first no-hitter in 2012 (due to an obvious blown call by the umpire), there is no way I could not think the winner would not be tainted.

In the strike season of 1981, when baseball canceled a total of 713 games or about 7 weeks of baseball, there were still enough games remaining from August 9 to the end of the season to have meaningful baseball that year. In fact, the All-Star Game was played on August 9, and the season resumed the next day. Then, there was a playoff between the first half winner and second half winner in each division and the winners then played for the pennant. The total games played for each team was anywhere from 102 to 111, with the average at around 106. Meaningful baseball.

Then in 1994, the players went on strike again on August 12, and did not return that year, causing the cancellation of the remainder of that season, the playoffs and the World Series. The average games played in 1994 was 113, while 144 games were played in 1995, along with the post-season and the World Series. Again, meaningful baseball.

So, how does MLB justify playing baseball this year with a maximum of 70 games and consider this a fair and meaningful season? After all, batting averages will certainly be blown out of proportion with the possibility that several players could potentially hit over .400 and that starting pitchers would only get around 12 or 13 starts when they average 35 in a typical 162 game season. How is that real and meaningful?

What about all the Season Awards, like Cy Young, MVP, and Rookie of the Year? How could one be judged on a season as lost as this one is?

In fact, for a league so fascinated by and hung up on metrics, what metrics would be considered valid? Would some metrics be ignored? It really would be unfair to pick and choose the metrics that counted, especially if a player were in a “walk year.” And if a player, like Yoenis Cespedes, who missed an entire season due to an injury and rehab, is eligible for free agency, what metrics does he bring to the table? His make believe season? Or his last “meaningful season”, you know, the one where he was injured and played 39 games?

Unlike basketball and hockey which were nearing the end of their seasons when their seasons were placed on hold and may come back to play a couple of games to get into shape before their playoffs, baseball isn’t going to come back for almost another month.

Maybe it is time to face the reality that baseball is done for 2020. I know, as a fan not only of my Mets, but of the game itself, the integrity of the season truly is on the line if they play it at all. Right now, the owners and the players are “negotiating” about money and games and all that this entails. But no one, not even the writers, have mentioned the integrity of the game.

I know fans are disappointed the games not played are lost forever. I am one of them. But, it would be more disappointing to sit down some day with your grandchild and explain the real history of the game you love and the records which are cherished, now, like Ted Williams hitting .401 in a 154 game season, or Bob Gibson with a 1.12 ERA in a 162 game season. How could you explain and justify Joey Bigelow hitting .430 or Frank Fredricks pitching a 0.98 ERA in a 60 or 70 game season? I know I could not. Nor do I want to.

Cancel the season and get ready for next year.

What One Bad Cop and One Bad Prosecutor Has Wrought

Any politician or Hollyweird celebrity who calls for defunding of police must immediately lead by example and give up their 24/7/365 protection. Otherwise sit down and STFU. We do not want to hear from you again unless you have the b@//$ to do to yourself what you want to do to the rest of us... leave us with inadequate protection.

By the way, anyone else in the private sector calling for the defunding of the police should be taken to a psych ward to have your heads examined because you have obviously lost your minds. Otherwise, don't call the police when you are in trouble and need assistance. Figure it out like you want the rest of us to do. 

Understand that I believe in equal rights for everyone, no matter your race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or preference. I also believe that every one of us has certain inalienable rights as citizens of this country which are defined in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which includes the First Amendment.

Within the First Amendment, there are additional defined rights, including the Freedom of Speech, Freedom OF Religion, Freedom of the Press (Media), the Right to PEACEABLY Assemble, and the Right to Petition the Government for a Redress of Grievances.

Nowhere does ANYONE have the right to destroy someone’s property because we do not like them OR disagree with them. Nor, does ANYONE have the right to terrorize or harass another. Nor, does ANYONE have the right to disobey laws which are enacted for ALL of us to follow by our elected representatives, whether those laws are local, state or Federal.

Essentially, we are ALL expected by social norms which should have been the way we were raised, to behave respectfully to each other, even when we feel we were disrespected. In other words, we are ALL expected to act like HUMAN BEINGS and not some wild, untamed, undomesticated animals.

Which leads me back to the reason we have police. In a civilized society, which we are supposed to be, the police are there to make sure EVERYONE is protected, that nobody’s rights are denied, that laws are faithfully executed. And, at no time is a police officer supposed to act unlawfully, especially when he KNOWS what the laws are. In the case of George Floyd, I agree that this cop, Derek Chauvin, acted unlawfully, as well as the other three who stood there and did nothing to stop Chauvin. And presently, they have all been fired and are facing maximum charges for what they did.

It has been revealed during the investigation that this cop has had a history of various degrees of brutality, but the prosecutor in several cases looked the other way. That prosecutor was Amy Klobuchar who chose not to criminally charge any fatalities involving law enforcement. Instead she routinely put the decision to a grand jury, a process widely criticized for its secrecy and for mostly allowing the police version of events. Klobuchar also didn't take on any of the misconduct claims. Essentially, she failed her responsibilities to the people of Minneapolis and to the United States.

Had Klobuchar done the right thing the very first time Derek Chauvin was brought up on charges while she was the County Attorney, this latest series of riots and destruction across this country never would have happened because George Floyd would have still been alive.

So, to sum up: If the loonies get their way to defund the police throughout the country, it will be a knee-jerk reaction which will endanger us all, taking away more of our rights to live freely, believing we are safe from harm because one bad cop was never prosecuted by one bad prosecutor who is presently a Senator from Minnesota, who recently was first running for President and now is under consideration for Vice President.

Maybe EVERYONE needs to take a step back, take a breath and rethink the stupidity of the calls for defunding or disbanding the police. Otherwise, the few bad apples will be able to take away ALL our freedoms, all because of one bad COP and one bad PROSECUTOR.

The Consequences of Having a Big Mouth

It amazes me how politicians think they can say whatever they want like, you know, they think their words (or actions) are sacred or blessed by God… or Something.

Every time a politician opens his or her mouth, they have the propensity to insert foot and bite down hard. That was the case this week when the lovely Mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot assumed (ah yes, the Odd Couple routine of making an ass (of) u (and) me) she could spout off her anti-church, anti-white, anti-cop, anti-business, anti-American mouth and spew whatever venom came out all over everyone within shouting distance, or even those with a pencil and paper who could write it all down.

She figured, I guess, she could say all the crap she did and be cheered on by the zany leftists in her city and all throughout the country.

ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! Here is a bulletin for you, Mayor Lightfoot… The next time you want to say something racist, bigoted and mean-spirited, remember that you were forced to beg Walmart and other businesses not to leave your city. 

 By them leaving, they are listening to your hate and decided that by staying, their brand would be perceived to be silently supporting what you said.

By them leaving, they are taking their brands away from your citizens to be able to conveniently shop locally like the rest of Americans, Black, Brown, White, Green, and every other race, color and creed who just want to get along with everyone else.

By them leaving, these big boxes and other retail entities are depriving your citizens, your VOTERS of something we and they all need, a job to be able to earn the money they and all of us need so they can buy the food to put on the table to feed THEIR families.

You have proven that you have no idea how to govern (yes, mayors govern) your city effectively, as you allow black on black crime continue every single weekend, at the rate of 70 cases on average, and say nothing of it, while you have no problem shooting your mouth off on issues not directly affecting the management of your city. Perhaps, you should worry about your own backyard and not so much someone else’s.  

I agree that black lives matter, but then, so do white lives, Hispanic lives, cops’ lives, soldiers’ lives, your life and my life. All our lives matter. The last time I looked, I bleed red. So does my friend, Jamal, my friend Jose’ and so does everyone else I know. I also know that all of us bleed American, without regard to race, color, creed, gender, sexual preference or even national origin.

You have the chance to resolve this huge mistake, but now leading by example, rather than thinking you lead by the dumb things you say. You should have learned by now, that while executives of huge retail companies may support the ideals we should all support, in the end, they WILL NOT allow anyone damage their brands. If they did, soon enough they would be hoofing the streets looking for employment. They won’t let THAT happen, either.

One other thing, Mayor Lightfoot. This is still America and this is still the land of the free because of the brave. This includes our military, and our many decent and honorable state and local police forces. Because of your police force, your city isn’t in a condition of mayhem and anarchy. Keep insulting them, though, and they WILL desert you.

You should remember these two major political axioms going forward: money talks and bull$#!+ walks. No one wants to listen to your bull$#!+ anymore. 

Or you will be walking at the next election.

Cuomo, De Blasio and the NYPD

I am a law-abiding man and have worked in non-union jobs all my life. I consider myself to be a moderately conservative individual who supports the Constitution, AS WRITTEN, not interpreted. I am a registered Libertarian because, to paraphrase the GREAT Ronald Reagan, I didn’t leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left me.

I really don’t care what people think of me because I am a person who stands for what I BELIEVE, without consideration how others may react to my opinions.

I am pro-Trump and proud of it. If you don’t like me for that and will unfriend me for my beliefs, frankly, I really don’t care. Your choice. Your loss.

So having given you a foundation of how I tick, I am now proposing this:

I want to see what De Blasio and Cuomo would do if the entire NYPD and, in support, other rank-and-file police in the New York metropolitan and NYS areas decided to suddenly go on strike TONIGHT because these two @$$wipes don’t support the tireless, and overly tired, police officers they claim to supervise.

Would they arrest them all, all 38,000 plus, and throw them into jail? Well, under current, anti-law law (forgive the malaprop) they would be out in 15 minutes. In the meantime, the rioters, the criminals these jerks admit to support, would overrun the Greatest City In the World.

And then in solidarity, what if the other city unions, like the FDNY, DSNY, MTA and other uniformed and non-uniformed UNION workers refused to cross any real or imagined picket lines? What would these two stooges do then? Would they condemn ALL these UNION workers, showing themselves to be who they really are? Using unions and their members for their own political benefit? What about THAT, Mr and Mrs Frontporch?

This disaster would be Cuomo and De Blasio’s fault alone. Not yours. Not mine. Not President Trump. Just theirs and theirs ALONE.

Maybe, these idiots should consider the consequences of their words and actions (or is it INACTIONS?). Or lack thereof. Maybe, and I am spit-balling here, Cuomo should support the NYPD and other police forces throughout the state under his command by mobilizing the ENTIRE NYS National Guard of which HE is the Commander-In-Chief.

Maybe, here is an idea, he should stop talking about his mother’s Sunday meatballs and instead grow a pair of his own. Maybe HE should stop pontificating about nonsense and criticizing others.

Maybe, he should get around to doing HIS fecking job.