Showing posts with label Indians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indians. Show all posts
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Friday, August 15, 2008
Stuff Slider
Really, stuff the ballot box for Slider. He's earned it -- a chance for mascot immortality, his very own seat in the Mascot Hall of Fame.
Oh ye of little faith in your fellow humankind, there actually IS a Mascot Hall of Fame. According to their own news release they are four years old and casting for new Hall of Famers.
The Indians mascot Slider (pictured at left in all his glory) has been a Tribe fixture for 18 years. I remember when he first came "out" at the old Municipal Stadium, and must admit I was among those horrified over what the Indians had done. I was happy to hear that I was not alone, given Indians VP Bob DiBiasio's discussion earlier this week on WAKR (link here if you want to open the .mp3 in Media Player or Quicktime), but the big pink guy has actually grown on me as well as the rest of Indians fans.
Slider has some serious competition, primariy from Hugo the Hornet -- but I don't think that's likely since Hugo and the Hornets have left New Orleans.
Voting is now underway; it makes sense to stuff the ballot box, especially since it is online and you can vote and vote and vote and vote without having to worry about James Carville spoiling your party with spin. It would be wrong to directly link to the site where you vote, and it would be shocking to encourage multiple balloting.
Oh ye of little faith in your fellow humankind, there actually IS a Mascot Hall of Fame. According to their own news release they are four years old and casting for new Hall of Famers.
The Indians mascot Slider (pictured at left in all his glory) has been a Tribe fixture for 18 years. I remember when he first came "out" at the old Municipal Stadium, and must admit I was among those horrified over what the Indians had done. I was happy to hear that I was not alone, given Indians VP Bob DiBiasio's discussion earlier this week on WAKR (link here if you want to open the .mp3 in Media Player or Quicktime), but the big pink guy has actually grown on me as well as the rest of Indians fans.Slider has some serious competition, primariy from Hugo the Hornet -- but I don't think that's likely since Hugo and the Hornets have left New Orleans.
Voting is now underway; it makes sense to stuff the ballot box, especially since it is online and you can vote and vote and vote and vote without having to worry about James Carville spoiling your party with spin. It would be wrong to directly link to the site where you vote, and it would be shocking to encourage multiple balloting.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Post Holiday Monday Musing
Maybe it's just me emerging from the post-holiday haze of gunpowder residue from neighbor Joe's fireworks display Friday night but is there something amiss when most people are talking about Sabathia rather than police shooting a father of 12 to death?
With coverage pushed for the most part to the Monday following the holiday, there are still many questions to be answered in the shooting death Saturday morning of 42-year old Jeffrey Stevens and getting to the bottom of just what happened and what went wrong on Celina Avenue.
The Beacon Journal reports over the weekend paint the picture of a man who was worried about his son, reports of gunfire and a summer night filled with fireworks. APD is holding back on statements, unlike the Vinson case this year when early observations turned out to be either wrong or misguided (depending on your own personal bias) and led to hard criticism of the Department. Chief Matulavich tells reporter Larry States there will be no statements until all the facts are in, something City Council President Marco Sommerville is happy to hear.
Whatever happened it's a tragedy, for the Stevens family and for the officers first responding to the call then feeling cause to use their guns. Most accounts back the first story that Stevens was carrying a weapon and that may have played a role in the shooting but we will have to wait and see; community observers of the APD, however, shouldn't be kept in the dark for much longer in hearing and seeing the timeline that led up to Stevens' death.
- - -
As I write this we're an hour away from C.C. Sabathia moving from Pierogi land to Bratwurst paradise. No real surprise, given the Indians horrible performance leading up to the All-Star Break and losing eight in a row to Central Division teams. We were supposed to be going to the World Series in October 2008, but then that's one reason why fans shouldn't pay attention to what the "experts" say in March. Good luck to Sabathia, who likely wasn't going to get a deal done to keep him in Cleveland -- and thanks to some hard thinking by Mark Shapiro in the front office for remembering when we lost Albert Belle, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez to free agency it didn't net the Tribe even one minor league prospect. At least C.C. has the good sense to help the Indians get something out of his time here other than memories.
- - -
My favorite fun on the web recently is the vanity campaign made possible by an enterprising bunch of webkins who figured out how to personalize your very own write in campaign, complete with TV news report and even a granny with your name tattooed in true "tramp stamp" favor proclaiming she's your biggest fan. My buddy Kevin from Nashville turned me on to this one complete with my name, ready to roll, and you can prank your pals with this. I can't wait to get Jody Miller and Eric Mansfield on the ballot. VERY funny use of "fill-in the blank" technology!
With coverage pushed for the most part to the Monday following the holiday, there are still many questions to be answered in the shooting death Saturday morning of 42-year old Jeffrey Stevens and getting to the bottom of just what happened and what went wrong on Celina Avenue.
The Beacon Journal reports over the weekend paint the picture of a man who was worried about his son, reports of gunfire and a summer night filled with fireworks. APD is holding back on statements, unlike the Vinson case this year when early observations turned out to be either wrong or misguided (depending on your own personal bias) and led to hard criticism of the Department. Chief Matulavich tells reporter Larry States there will be no statements until all the facts are in, something City Council President Marco Sommerville is happy to hear.
Whatever happened it's a tragedy, for the Stevens family and for the officers first responding to the call then feeling cause to use their guns. Most accounts back the first story that Stevens was carrying a weapon and that may have played a role in the shooting but we will have to wait and see; community observers of the APD, however, shouldn't be kept in the dark for much longer in hearing and seeing the timeline that led up to Stevens' death.
- - -
As I write this we're an hour away from C.C. Sabathia moving from Pierogi land to Bratwurst paradise. No real surprise, given the Indians horrible performance leading up to the All-Star Break and losing eight in a row to Central Division teams. We were supposed to be going to the World Series in October 2008, but then that's one reason why fans shouldn't pay attention to what the "experts" say in March. Good luck to Sabathia, who likely wasn't going to get a deal done to keep him in Cleveland -- and thanks to some hard thinking by Mark Shapiro in the front office for remembering when we lost Albert Belle, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez to free agency it didn't net the Tribe even one minor league prospect. At least C.C. has the good sense to help the Indians get something out of his time here other than memories.
- - -
My favorite fun on the web recently is the vanity campaign made possible by an enterprising bunch of webkins who figured out how to personalize your very own write in campaign, complete with TV news report and even a granny with your name tattooed in true "tramp stamp" favor proclaiming she's your biggest fan. My buddy Kevin from Nashville turned me on to this one complete with my name, ready to roll, and you can prank your pals with this. I can't wait to get Jody Miller and Eric Mansfield on the ballot. VERY funny use of "fill-in the blank" technology!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Why I Can't Watch The Tribe
I love the Indians. Have since we moved to Ohio in the 60s. Cut my Ohio broadcast teeth working Indians games for the former WWWE in the 90s. Loved the old stadium, too. Was there for the opening of Jacobs Field, both the '95 and '97 World Series runs, even last year's low times.
But I just can't watch the Indians on TV for this run.
It's because I'm convinced it's a jinx.
My cousin Gene (the Yankees fan) admits he does the same thing; tune in, see our teams with big leads, then stare in horror as it all fades away. It happened in the NY series for that one game for me; last Friday I watched against the Red Sox when they creamed us. Tuesday I tuned in late to see three Boston homers back to back to back before I turned it off, afraid another second watching meant the end.
At this point I can hear my buddy Bob Salsberg of the AP in Boston screaming at me to turn the damn game on; he's probably calling the switchboard at Fox 8 in Cleveland to figure out how to beam those pictures directly into my jinxing eyeballs so his Sox can come closer to going back home to play more baseball instead of heading south to play golf. Sorry, Bob, it just ain't gonna happen. My mind's made up: my eyes will be shut tight to any images of Chief Wahoo sending your boys packing.
The jinx doesn't work on radio; I listen, then win (most of the time this season); the jinx doesn't work in person: they win them, too. Going online to check it out? They win. But turn on the tube and the tables turn.
In the full interests of my fellow fans, I will NOT watch ANY of the game tonight. I've already got the DVR ready with reruns of Law and Order, Shark, even Two and a Half Men. I might even watch the rerun of Desperate Housewives despite Diane's wishes to keep it fresh until she comes back from an out-of-town business trip. Even she watches the games, then tells me about it the next day. She's watched her beloved Tigers and even Twins move on to win World Championships so her fandom has proven to be non-fatal. As for me: the pain of true support for my team.
Not watching. But still waiting.
But I just can't watch the Indians on TV for this run.
It's because I'm convinced it's a jinx.
My cousin Gene (the Yankees fan) admits he does the same thing; tune in, see our teams with big leads, then stare in horror as it all fades away. It happened in the NY series for that one game for me; last Friday I watched against the Red Sox when they creamed us. Tuesday I tuned in late to see three Boston homers back to back to back before I turned it off, afraid another second watching meant the end.
At this point I can hear my buddy Bob Salsberg of the AP in Boston screaming at me to turn the damn game on; he's probably calling the switchboard at Fox 8 in Cleveland to figure out how to beam those pictures directly into my jinxing eyeballs so his Sox can come closer to going back home to play more baseball instead of heading south to play golf. Sorry, Bob, it just ain't gonna happen. My mind's made up: my eyes will be shut tight to any images of Chief Wahoo sending your boys packing.
The jinx doesn't work on radio; I listen, then win (most of the time this season); the jinx doesn't work in person: they win them, too. Going online to check it out? They win. But turn on the tube and the tables turn.
In the full interests of my fellow fans, I will NOT watch ANY of the game tonight. I've already got the DVR ready with reruns of Law and Order, Shark, even Two and a Half Men. I might even watch the rerun of Desperate Housewives despite Diane's wishes to keep it fresh until she comes back from an out-of-town business trip. Even she watches the games, then tells me about it the next day. She's watched her beloved Tigers and even Twins move on to win World Championships so her fandom has proven to be non-fatal. As for me: the pain of true support for my team.
Not watching. But still waiting.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Week's End Thoughts & Tribe Stuff
This has been a rough week for the news business, leading off with the horror of the Success Academy shootings in Cleveland Wednesday. It sparked the usual gab-fest shows opinions on whether gun control would have stopped this; are our schools safe?; why weren't warning signs heeded; what led this troubled 14-year old to attack others and then take his own life.
I'm not sure there are any answers to these questions.
From a media coverage perspective we heard about this right after the first shots, thanks in large measure to WKYC's proximity right across the street from Success Academy. Frank Macek has very informative posts in his Director's Cut blog from Channel 3 on their coverage. The other Cleveland stations -- WEWS, WJW and WOIO -- also had strong coverage of this breaking news, coming at the same time a major train derailment forced a thousand people from their homes near Painesville.
One of the common threads of coverage has been the use of the 9-1-1 calls from parents relaying to police information they were getting from their children and others inside Success Academy. There is a bill in the Ohio General Assembly that seeks to restrict broadcast or web airing of 9-1-1 audio, on the grounds it discourages calls by people afraid of retribution after being tagged "snitches". One thing I took away from the use of the 9-1-1 calls and the job Cleveland dispatchers did in handling the distraught parents was the system worked, and the folks on the other side of the phone stepped up to remain calm and still try and get information to pass along which might be helpful to S.W.A.T and other emergency responders on the scene.
I've got to think some of the lessons from Columbine are still fresh, including the razor's edge situations posed for police who often don't know if someone running from the scene is victim or perp. Having the information relayed by eyewitnesses inside may not always be the most reliable (eyewitness testimony is notoriously all over the board) but it does help those on the front line try and paint a more complete picture of what happens behind the closed doors and windows of a hostage situation. Knowing the 9-1-1 system works on this level should be seen as a positive, and not an objection. Our tax dollars pay for it and most importantly it is public record -- and public understanding and support of 9-1-1 is critical to helping the system work.
On a couple of totally goofy notes:
The Indians begin their best-of-seven series with the Boston Red Sox Friday night at fabled Fenway Park. My good pal Bob Salsberg of the Associated Press in Boston enjoyed watching the Tribe dump the Yankees; of course it's not because he's a big Indians fan but more to the point it was us beating New York, and for folks in Red Sox Nation that pretty much makes the Indians fans -- until this weekend.
Some funny photos are coming out of the NY series; for example, this up-close version of Insectus Tribefanus. We owe a tremendous debt to this little fellow, captured by AkronNewsNow web designer Andrew Seese, for the Game Two 11-inning win over the Bronx Bombers. If only we could be assured warmer October nights for when the BoSox visit but alas, the forecast will be a fairly chilly Monday and Tuesday at Carnegie and Ontario so it's unlikely we'll see our little buddies lend a hand against Manny and company.
My cousin Gene forwarded this gem. It had to be one of the most painful things he's ever attached, ever.
He's a big Yankees fan and was, I'm sure, planning to find some creative way of rubbing a New York series win in my face. Without a single comment from me he forwarded this photo that kind of says it all. Please feel free to forward to your friends and family who wear pinstripes.
Finally Mark Biviano earns my thanks and gratitude for forwarding this image that bears the ultimate lesson of how money can't buy happiness.
I'm not sure there are any answers to these questions.
From a media coverage perspective we heard about this right after the first shots, thanks in large measure to WKYC's proximity right across the street from Success Academy. Frank Macek has very informative posts in his Director's Cut blog from Channel 3 on their coverage. The other Cleveland stations -- WEWS, WJW and WOIO -- also had strong coverage of this breaking news, coming at the same time a major train derailment forced a thousand people from their homes near Painesville.One of the common threads of coverage has been the use of the 9-1-1 calls from parents relaying to police information they were getting from their children and others inside Success Academy. There is a bill in the Ohio General Assembly that seeks to restrict broadcast or web airing of 9-1-1 audio, on the grounds it discourages calls by people afraid of retribution after being tagged "snitches". One thing I took away from the use of the 9-1-1 calls and the job Cleveland dispatchers did in handling the distraught parents was the system worked, and the folks on the other side of the phone stepped up to remain calm and still try and get information to pass along which might be helpful to S.W.A.T and other emergency responders on the scene.
I've got to think some of the lessons from Columbine are still fresh, including the razor's edge situations posed for police who often don't know if someone running from the scene is victim or perp. Having the information relayed by eyewitnesses inside may not always be the most reliable (eyewitness testimony is notoriously all over the board) but it does help those on the front line try and paint a more complete picture of what happens behind the closed doors and windows of a hostage situation. Knowing the 9-1-1 system works on this level should be seen as a positive, and not an objection. Our tax dollars pay for it and most importantly it is public record -- and public understanding and support of 9-1-1 is critical to helping the system work.
On a couple of totally goofy notes:
The Indians begin their best-of-seven series with the Boston Red Sox Friday night at fabled Fenway Park. My good pal Bob Salsberg of the Associated Press in Boston enjoyed watching the Tribe dump the Yankees; of course it's not because he's a big Indians fan but more to the point it was us beating New York, and for folks in Red Sox Nation that pretty much makes the Indians fans -- until this weekend.
Some funny photos are coming out of the NY series; for example, this up-close version of Insectus Tribefanus. We owe a tremendous debt to this little fellow, captured by AkronNewsNow web designer Andrew Seese, for the Game Two 11-inning win over the Bronx Bombers. If only we could be assured warmer October nights for when the BoSox visit but alas, the forecast will be a fairly chilly Monday and Tuesday at Carnegie and Ontario so it's unlikely we'll see our little buddies lend a hand against Manny and company.
My cousin Gene forwarded this gem. It had to be one of the most painful things he's ever attached, ever.He's a big Yankees fan and was, I'm sure, planning to find some creative way of rubbing a New York series win in my face. Without a single comment from me he forwarded this photo that kind of says it all. Please feel free to forward to your friends and family who wear pinstripes.
Finally Mark Biviano earns my thanks and gratitude for forwarding this image that bears the ultimate lesson of how money can't buy happiness.
The greatest quote coming out of the ALDS series comes from Mark Shapiro, who noted how much he enjoyed the loudest applause he savors most was the devastating silence from Yankee Stadium Tuesday evening. I'm only sorry it didn't come on the last game ever at the House that Ruth Built (that's next year) but it was great fun seeing all those empty seats as the overconfident New York fans slunk back into their subway holes to escape reality underground.
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