Can't anybody here govern this game?

Idiot — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:08:28 GMT

You people are Idiots. And I am not smart enough tospell the word Idiot. The US is facing the worst economic era in history and we are spending time and money on a ball and bat game. No wonder the country is going down the drain.

Can't anybody here govern this game?

Dave Palmer — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:24:39 GMT

Hey Mike, you did it again, LOL! You're killing me me (laughing to hard)with your sarcastic wit.

I too watched the hearings and came away with the same observations but could never have relayed the essence of them as succinctly and humorously as you have done.

Can't anybody here govern this game?

James Griffin, Chesapeake VA — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:24:43 GMT

Dear Mr. Celizic,
Last year you wrote an article on why Michael Irvin should be inducted in the Hall of Fame. It apparently worked. I sent you the following email, which still has merit, and your response is below. I am asking you to consider doing whatever you can to promote Art Monk's induction in the Hall this year. My son informs me that this is his last year of eligibility. It would be a travesty if this opportunity to recognize his accomplishments were missed. Besides, with Joe Gibbs gone, Redskin fans need something to cheer about. Thanks for your help.
Sincerely,
James Griffin
Redskins Fan

On Feb 8, 2006, at 11:14 AM, mike celizic wrote:

I agree Monk belongs in. The assignment was to write about Aikman and Irvin, and that's what I did. I should have pushed for Monk, too.

Mike Celizic,

From: <jdgriffin3@mac.com>
To: <openmikeblog@hotmail.com>
Subject: Open Mike (re: Open Mike: one man's sports blog - Sports - MSNBC.com -- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7632897/)
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2006 07:56:51 -0800

Name: James Griffin

Hometown: New Bern, NC

Comments:

Mr. Celizic, Should Michael Irvin be in the Hall of Fame? Perhaps- I can appreciate your recent plea for his induction along with Troy Aikman as there is a certain symmetry there. But Irvin can not hold a candle to another Hall of Fame finalist who you and everyone else seems to be overlooking: Art Monk. Based on numbers alone, Monk should go first: he has 940 catches to Irvin's 750, 12721 yards vs. 11904 and 68 vs 65 TD's. The only number they share is 3 Super Bowl Rings. But the hall of fame is more than numbers, and let's not even consider Mr. Irvin's many indiscretions. Art Monk is simply in a class by himself. A consummate professional who's work ethic and quiet devotion to his craft made him stand head and shoulder above the other players at the time (and over an inch taller than your Michael Irvin), he was and still is a man we can all look up to on and off the field. He also had a grace and athleticism on the field that few could match. Former Redskins general manager Charley Casserly, the man who helped build a team that won 3 Super Bowls said that "few players in the franchise's history have come to symbolize the Washington Redskins more than Art Monk. There was never a classier player in this franchise's history, or in league history, than Art Monk." He was the impact player of his day, he was the fore-player of current stars like T.O., and it is he that should have been inducted most recently into Canton. Thanks for your time, James Griffin

Can't anybody here govern this game?

davebull \orangeburg,sc — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:35:30 GMT

amphetamines are a c2 narcotic why are they being ignored

Can't anybody here govern this game?

Drew G. — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:00:15 GMT

I am glad that there are no pressing problems like a war on terror, a trade deficit, health care reform, Social Security reform, etc. that need the attention of our Congress, so that they can focus all their attention on steroids in baseball.(SARCASM) The continuing investigation of steroids in baseball is unethical and immoral because it detracts from serious issues facing the nation and doesn't aid one single American even one iota.

Can't anybody here govern this game?

Dan Elliott, Cypress, Texas — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:39:47 GMT

Mike got it right, but left out commenting on the parallels to McCarthyism. And what about Mitchell setting himself up to determine who gets in the Hall of Fame. Say something about this Mike. If you are on his list, guilty or innocent, you don't get in. If you were left off the list for any reason, you remain eligible.
Mitchell and Selig are idiots. Fehr was the only one with any sense. He fed our elected jerks with bs, to keep them off his back, but he was right on target with the unfairness, lack of justice, and without using the term- McCarthyism.

Can't anybody here govern this game?

Jack Spratt — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:25:57 GMT

After the 1994 strike, Selig and his buddy owners new the MLBPA and Fehr controlled the game. If they were to challenge the union, labor problems would continue and fans would stay away in droves. However, enough die-hard fans would remain to mantain the inflated salaries for the elite players. The middle and lower level players would have taken a big salary cut. Fehr is no dummy. He and his membership realized to continue insisting on no drug testing. Bud had his hands tied. When fans returned in larger numbers and MLB.com and Extra Innings cash continued pouring in, Bud said 'keep the money train coming' as did the owners. As a businessman, what would you have done? Does anybody actually think the Royals, Pirates, Marlins and Twins lose money? They all are rolling in dough. It was and still is the fans who supply those revenues. Everybody shares the blame.

Can't anybody here govern this game?

Eric Rush, Raleigh, NC — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:11:14 GMT

I can't agree more that the people running this show are the wrong people. How can we even keep a straight face when Congress is looking into steroid abuse in a professional sport. I think that baseball, football, and all major sports need to take a page out of the play book of professional cycling. Rather than looking at all of the positive drug tests, and forced withdraws in the past Tour De France as a black eye for the sport I think that cycling should tout the fact that they have the strictest most successful drug no-tolerance policy in all of major sports. And what is more they do it within their own governing body. It is not necessary for the US government or any other government to become involved for the testing and questioning to begin. When I make this point to other people the major objection people come up with is the cost. But I put this before all those who read this, how is it that cycling with the limited (compared to either football or baseball) revenue generated is able to find the money to keep the sport honest while these two behemoths can not. I grew up almost religiously following both football and baseball, and I lived in Pittsburgh and was a fan of Barry Bonds before steroids inflated his head and stats, but I can no longer watch as the incompetent handling of the leauges leads to the idolization of people who do not deserve to serve the cheeseburgers at McDonalds.

Can't anybody here govern this game?

John Doe — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:40:58 GMT

Baseball used to be a great american sport that was one of the great pastimes. Seem nowadays there is no spirt in the game and the player are just in for the money and dont stay with a team and build a sense of community with there teammates and city

Can't anybody here govern this game?

Tim Coyne — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:11:04 GMT

Congressional hearings into steroid use in baseball are a joke. I can't see how this is Congress' business in the first place, besides the fact that these hearings actually accomplish very little. I agree with Mike - seems like the only point is for our reps to get more face time in front of the cameras, since they apparently have nothing better to do than berate people in public.

Baseball and union officials were wrong to turn a blind eye while steroid use became rampant, but I hardly see how Congress should be involved now, several years after the fact.