DUmmies discuss the 2013 World Series (Long but interesting read)

[Ralph Wiggum]

Frank is right, the DUmp is BORING today.  So I delved into a thread that was ignited last night regarding the World Series, that touches off some good little skirmishes about baseball and sports in general.  Quite illustrative about the mindset of a lot of liberals and the DUmp.

kentuck (69,677 posts)

Anybody watching the World Series this year?

First time in a long time that I have been interested in baseball.

Boston vs St Louis. Do you have a favorite?

nadinbrzezinski (127,237 posts)
2. No

Not since the strikes, especially the second one. And stadium politics makes it even less desirable.

Tommy_Carcetti (17,764 posts)
102. Ironically, baseball has had the longest streak without a strike out of the 4 major pro sports.

Last edited Thu Oct 24, 2013, 09:02 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Although 1994 without the World Series was quite a doozy, I'll admit.

Thankfully, this guy helped the game's image come back pretty well the following year:

Tommy schools Nadin!   

Electric Monk (8,445 posts)
3. GD SOP

No posts about Israel/Palestine, religion, guns, showbiz, or sports unless there is really big news.

pintobean (10,262 posts)
12. The World Series is big news

Electric Monk (8,445 posts)
19. That it happens and two teams play in it? No, it isn't big news, nevermind it being really big news.

kentuck (69,677 posts)
20. The World Series is not a big sports story??

Hmmmm..

pintobean (10,262 posts)
21. Not to you maybe.

They call it the WORLD Series for a reason.
Trash the thread if it bothers you so much.

Electric Monk (8,445 posts)
22. There's a group for it if you want, and the GD SOP is pretty clear.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1206

re: WORLD, what teams from other continents are eligible to compete?

I love how you're consistently wrong, no matter the issue being discussed.

pintobean (10,262 posts)
24. "Electric Monk is not currently hosting any forums or groups."

A good portion of the world is watching.

Electric Monk (8,445 posts)
25. So you'd be cool with a bunch of Olympics threads all over GD? Luge, bobsled, hockey, biathalon, etc

Last edited Wed Oct 23, 2013, 09:20 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

I somehow doubt it, even though that gets many more viewers worldwide.

There's a reason sports has its own group and GD lists sports in the SOP.



edited to add: pintobean is not currently hosting any forums or groups. either.
(since you brought that up)

joshcryer (42,429 posts)
42. Erm, we had Phelps threads.

We had Usain Bolt threads.

We had McKayla Maroney threads.

We had World Cup threads.

Yes, in General Discussion.

No one complained about those.

I think if the discussion is noteworthy then it should be allowed.

Electric Monk (8,445 posts)
69. Ok, sure, because he won a ton of medals already. How does that compare to: "R U Watching?"

There are plenty of reasons for Sports to be on the list for GD SOP exceptions. This is a pretty good example of one.

joshcryer (42,429 posts)
70. I think there should always be some wiggle room.

I would agree though that if there were dozens of World Series threads it'd be an issue (except for right after a team wins; those get posted but sink very quick and the distraction is temporary, maybe an hour). Sometimes its best to just have a hands off policy when it comes to these things.

cui bono (8,939 posts)
27. Haha... that is a really weak argument. They call it the WORLD series for no reason at all.

What other nations participate?

 

That's hilarious.

I'm not trying to poke fun, but it really is funny. I really laughed out loud quite a bit.

pintobean (10,262 posts)
31. A lot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_Major_League_Baseball_players_by_nationality

cui bono (8,939 posts)
37. Wrong.

What nation's teams are play in the National League or the American League?

pintobean (10,262 posts)
40. None

Did I claim there were?

joshcryer (42,429 posts)
44. 209 FIFA teams, 16 WBC teams.

It's a mostly American sport with some Asian states and some Latin American states participating.

If there were more demand for it I would of course agree that it should be more encompassing, but as far as "number of games played and viewers watching" it is the most watched baseball show in the world (it even beats the World Baseball Classic in that vein).

joshcryer (42,429 posts)
48. Wow, I just learned, MLB = most attended sport on Earth.

Major League Baseball has the highest attendance of any sport in the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports_attendance_figures

Elwood P Dowd (7,264 posts)
72. You know absolutely nothing about baseball.

Last edited Thu Oct 24, 2013, 03:25 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Its been called the World Series for 110 years. For several decades the USA was the only country in the world that even had professional baseball players or a professional baseball league. The championship series, starting in 1903, was called The World Series because the winner was the best professional baseball team in the world. It was strictly an American sport. Today there are several countries playing the game, but none of them have anything remotely close to the talent in the Major Leagues or an organization anywhere remotely close to Major League Baseball. That talent is now combined from several countries but the majority of the players are still Americans.

Why change the name when anybody other than an idiot knows that Major League Baseball is the ultimate when it comes to that sport. The greatest players in the world, either Americans or otherwise, choose to play Major League Baseball.

cui bono (8,939 posts)
73. You just proved my point completely. Thank you.

And the other poster already agreed there are no other nations with teams in the National League or American League. What other leagues make it to the World Series then? The playoffs are between those two leagues.

So there is no reason to call it the World Series since it's purely an American competition for American teams and leagues. So of course the greatest players come here to play, where else are they going to go pro and make that kind of money? They also get scouted, so they are sought after and brought here.

Hahaha... I don't know why you are getting so bent out of shape about it. Lol. omg... this is too funny.

So anyway, now you can see I do know about baseball. I even know how to score a touchdown and make a slam dunk.

Elwood P Dowd (7,264 posts)
75. I don't think I've ever read a more stupid and insane post about professional baseball.

Last edited Thu Oct 24, 2013, 04:32 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

If other countries want to compete in Major League Baseball, then why don't you go help them get their team started. You can be the first to attempt it. Until then, the best professional baseball team in the world is the winner of the MLB World Series, and anybody other than an idiot knows it. Put down the bong and go to bed.

Edit to Add: It is also not financial possible to have Major League Baseball teams all over the world. A 162 game schedule already has teams flying from New York to LA on Friday, to Toronto on Monday, and to Miami on Thursday. Imagine flying to China on Friday, to Australia on Monday, and to Europe on Thursday. When the road trip is over, then you fly back to New York and play a game the next day. Trying to make Major League Baseball international like you want would kill it. Hell, for over 80+ years Major League Baseball teams were all located in the eastern part of the country. Financially, the only possible foreign expansion out of the USA and Canada would be Mexico.

cui bono (8,939 posts)
81. You obviously missed my point if you think I'm advocating teams from other countries

getting involved. I have no idea how you could possibly get that out of my post.

pintobean (10,262 posts)
76. Nations don't have teams.

Your question was:

What nation's teams are play in the National League or the American League?


Aside from really weird wording of the question, the answer is none, because there are no national teams. It's the Toronto Blue Jays, not the Canadian Blue Jays.

cui bono (8,939 posts)
80. Exactly. That's why it's not really a World series, which is why I said it's called the World series

for no reason.

You are right about the Toronto Blue Jays. When did they join? I would bet it was after they named the World Series.

You guys are really uptight about sports, which are supposed to be fun.

pintobean (10,262 posts)
98. I don't get uptight about sports.

I agree with Elwood, and I find your ignorance amusing.

Of course, we do have the Washington Nationals and their long history of representing this nation.

I'm wondering if you think the same way about the NHL.

chillfactor (617 posts)
29. no interest in the series what-so-ever....

I consider it a waste of my time when so many challenges are facing our country....

bigwillq (60,544 posts)
36. Aren't you a ball of fun.

 

Yes, there are more pressing issues. But nothing wrong with watching a game, doing a crossword puzzle, playing in the leaves, going bowling, etc.

Hippo_Tron (24,795 posts)
53. You realize they have sports in countries that are way worse off than we are, right??

You can't spend every single waking moment of your life trying to save the world. Everyone needs a break, and for some people sports provide that. If it's not your thing, I understand.

petronius (20,646 posts)
39. Not me. Baseball isn't my thing, and anyway I'm vastly too intellectual and

enlightened - superior, one might say - to watch a bunch of grown men play a game... 

(Plus, I'm too busy with a bottle of Scotch and the 4th season of Sons of Anarchy on Netflix.)

frazzled (10,012 posts)
50. Sheesh, people aren't interested if their team isn't in it?

That seems weird to me. I don't think that happens with, say, the Super Bowl.

And that leads me to an assumption. See, I never watch the Super Bowl, and not just because my team isn't in it. I don't have a team. It's just that I hate football.

But I do like baseball pretty much (though I don't have the patience for a whole long game these days). So I tune in to the playoffs a bit and now the series. I don't watch the whole game, but I check in.

My assumption is that people just don't much like baseball all that much these days ... unless their team is in it, I guess.

Do you watch the NBA playoffs and finals if your team isn't in it?

jberryhill (31,875 posts)
57. How many countries are competing this year?

snot (8,505 posts)
58. Nope.

Sports: another opiate of the masses.

delta17 (31 posts)
88. It is entertainment.

No different than watching a movie, going to a concert or a play, or reading a book.

Jim Lane (4,293 posts)
77. Red state team versus blue state team, easy call.

OK, it may be a little easier for me because I grew up in Massachusetts, but still... for those of you who don't care about baseball, just root for the Red Sox on political grounds.

darkangel218 (7,839 posts)
82. I dont know much about baseball, but why is it called World Series if its just in the US?

AngryOldDem (9,165 posts)
84. Most likely because back in the day the U.S. was the only nation that had organized baseball.

That's my guess, although now I think the term is antiquated, especially since Japan and Latin America are very much contenders. You do hear "Fall Classic" used, but I think World Series is here to stay.

It would be cool, though, if there could be a true "World" Series, like the little leaguers play.

AngryOldDem (9,165 posts)
87. I can take or leave baseball, myself.

I've gotten into football over the past couple years, and enjoy the Olympics when they come around.

darkangel218 (7,839 posts)
90. Football? Umm.. do you mean the real one, or the American version?

trumad (35,959 posts)
92. Prefer the American version

They score points.

Blue_Tires (33,548 posts)
124. Both teams are lowlife SCUM

But out of loyalty I typically pull for the NL team (i.e., the league that plays "real" baseball, along with being the first to integrate)

[Ralph Wiggum]

A couple more predicable "hate" threads about the World Series:

Warren Stupidity (34,370 posts)

I really hate "god bless america" at every ****ing ball game.


Osama bin laden did this to us. He wrecked this country with a bag of box cutters.

WilliamPitt (55,605 posts)

Fox and the World Series: a "**** You" in three paragraphs


I really have to say I think it's great that Fox has taken time to profit off of "honoring" America's veterans during these World Series games, seeing as how Fox News worked so hard to feed so many thousands of soldiers into the meat grinders of Iraq and Afghanistan...again, for profit.

You really want to honor our veterans, Fox? Send Rupert Murdoch and the rest of his henchmen out to home plate, have them get on their knees, and let them beg for forgiveness from the shades of the men and women who can't do something so simple as watch a baseball game because they're dead in wars your network promoted as if they were a ****ing game show.

**** you sideways, Fox. The only thing you honor is ratings, and I will literally thank God out loud the day Major League Baseball un-****s itself and finds another network for these great games. The troops deserve far, far better than the saccharine bullshit "honor" Fox is peddling.

[BlueStateSaint]

A couple more predicable "hate" threads about the World Series:

Wee Willie's skank told him to stop drinking?