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Tradition Makes Baseball The Best
I know this nation has had a love affair with the National Football League. Me, too. I enjoy the NFL immensely - despite the Lions foibles. Honestly, and I know it surprises a lot of people, but if asked to make a choice, I would probably say hockey is my favorite sport in the sense I would rather watch a hockey game than anything else - especially at the game. College football is special. I cannot get enough of it. I used to feel the same way about college basketball, but to be honest, it seems like only the NCAA Tournament counts anymore. I do not get as fired up for the regular season as I used to when I remember many important Big Ten games, some I was fortunate enough to cover for The Oakland Press. I still watch an inordinate amount of college basketball, though. I just cannot name the starting lineup of every Big Ten team - and half the ACC - like I used to be able to. And the NBA is always interesting, for one reason or another, and the Pistons remain, in my opinion, championship quality. But when you come down to it, baseball is the best sport. What separates it is the tradition. Take the Hall of Fame, for example. What a great debate the balloting sparks every year. Should Lee Smith be in? How about Goose Goosage? Is Jim Rice a Hall of Famer? How about Andre Dawson? And that is before you even touch the Mark McGwire question. Go to the book store. There are as many books about baseball as there are for all the other sports combined. Honestly, I cannot wait for the baseball season to start if for no other reason than to see how the Gary Sheffield deal turns out.
Happy Holidays
This will be my last blog posting until after the New Year. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday week and a happy New Year. I will be back posting blog entries every Monday, Wednesday and Friday following the holiday season. And I would like to thank you all for supporting this blog this past year, and for reading The Oakland Press. I enjoy the interaction this blog allows with our readers, who have provided great insight on many issues.
Pat Caputo
posted by Pat Caputo at
10:46 AM
8 Comments:
Merry Christmas Pat. Love the blog and the show on XYT.
Interesting last topic to close the season. PErsonally I love all sports. I can watch and enjoy most everything. Including the PBA on sunday afternoons.
I'd say as far as going to the game there is nothing like going to the Big House saturday afternoons. Plus I love college football. Tigers are second. Because lets face being at the game and watching on TV are two different things in my minds.
Listening to the show. I think the biggest travesty on the baseball hall of fame so far is not weather McGwire gets in or not, because he has done it to himself. I think it is the fact that not one 84 tiger is in or even a couple 68 guys deserving. Whitaker one of the best 2b to ever play. Alan is more deserving the Ozzie Smith. Plus guys like Morris, and Lolich who put up as consistent as of numbers as you can put up in big momemnts.
Anonymous,
Thanks for the compliment. It is greatly appreciated.
Caputo
Mudhenfan,
Minor league baseball is a great tradition in this country. The best times I have had as a sports writer came a few years back when I was doing the Top 10 Tiger prospect list for Baseball America and felt compelled to go down to Lakeland and see the players for myself each season. I'd see each Tigers minor league team during the season. Just sitting there with the scouts and watching those games was wonderful. Same with going to Toledo or Grand Rapids or Erie (I like catching them when they visit Akron). Great stuff.
Caputo
Thinkingman,
Same you and yours and thanks for your insight on this blog. It's always interesting.
Caputo
Maddog52,
Sometimes I think it's just because I am from here, but I really think the Tigers players from the past have been jobbed when it comes to the Hall of Fame. Lolich and Whitaker deserved much more consideration. Trammell and particularly Morris should get in. But I doubt they will.
Caputo
Favorite sport you ask? For me my favorite sport is whatever I'm watching. The playoffs always trump the regular season of another sport.
I find the NBA tough to watch these days, but I will watch the NFL, college basketball, hockey, baseball, NASCAR, and many other sports on a regular basis.
As for the history of baseball and the Hall of Fame, there is no doubt that it is the most revered sport and has the deepest history of all the sports.
Afterall, that is why they call it the past time.
Pat, let's not forget that its called the Hall of Fame for a reason.
Not the Hall of very good. Certainly guys like Jack Morris might be worthy of consideration, but where do you draw the line?
How much are you willing to LOWER that line just so someone gets in?
I think the Hall of Fame should be to celebrate the greatness of the people in there, and if you need to make a case for someone being in, then they shouldn't be in.
It should be rather clearcut.
Does so and so deserve to be in? If you can't definitively say yes, then no they shouldn't be in.
Period.
Lastly Pat, I enjoy your blog and your radio show when I'm able to catch ya.
Have a great holiday season and I'll be talking to you again in the near future.
Sportznut,
You know, I think it goes in cycles. For example, there have been times when the NBA hasn't grabbed my attention during the regular season. But, for some reason, I am really into it this season. Also, I love the bowl season. I swear, I could watch a college football game every day.
Caputo
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