Kenny, Kenny, and Bud (feat. Ludacris)

You wanted the best, you got the best! The High Cheese is here to get you up out of your seat and dancing. Or at least to talk a little baseball with you.

Barring any unforeseen explosions or an appearance by Bud Selig, tonight's Allstar game really should be one for the ages (read: it should be okay). So, maybe the very fact that the Allstar game's success (read: its possibility of being okay) hinges on the commissioner of baseball not actually showing up should tell us something about the state of the game. Oh well, we can't change who is commisioner can we--oh wait! This is the comissioner of baseball, not the pope; baseball can change that anytime it wants to. Amazingly, the owners want to keep this guy around. They enjoy the power he gives them aparently more than they enjoy the game of baseball being around in thirty more years.


Perhaps the biggest buzz in the league is that Kenny Rogers (not the one with man breasts and a fading country and western career--that pic of him skydiving in his site's biography section has me disoriented...whoa!) is going to be pitching in the Allstar game. Some people think that because he shoved around two cameramen during pregame warmups, he should have backed out of the Allstar appearance. To me, this is ludicrous (notice, not Ludacris--the biggest and baddest from the ATL...holla! Now that I hear the two names, Luda should really think about teaming up with the real Kenny Rogers! Not that the pitcher isn't real, but I mean, we're talking about the gambler here people! You could call the album "Gamblers and Thugs"...or even better "Gamblaz 'n' Thugz!"). Where was I?

I am certainly all for freedom of the press, but if the guy says not right now, then leave him alone for a minute or two. But these two guys keep cramming their cameras further into his place of business (more on this in a minute), until finally he shoved them around a bit. About it being his place of business: I make a strong distinction between what Randy Johnson did earlier this year when on the street, the day after signing the biggest deal of his career with the biggest team in baseball in the biggest city in America, he lashed out a shoved some cameraman. He was on the street! He half apologized and everyone kinda went "okay...boys will be boys." Now Kenny Rogers is in the office (on the field) and a guy is interupting his pregame warmup (the sacred cow off all pitchers). If someone kept bugging me at work, I might get upset too (read: I would throw them to the ground.)

Hear me on this: I do not advocate the use of vioolence to rectify any situation (except unfaithful boyfriends in which case you ladies let me know and I will cut their tires--I am not above that at all!). I am not arguing that Kenny Rogers is right for shoving a few reporters (maybe I am...). But what if "no means no" to the media as well?

So, I am willing to give you the fact that Kenny Rogers was wrong to do what he did to those guys, but should he have to miss out on the Allstar game for that? No way!!! Since when has baseball grown a conscience about the its players' activities off the field and rewarding their abilities on the field. Was it when Ty Cobb was the world's biggest jerk? Was it when the Babe was a lush and a womanizer? Was it when countless star athletes were beating their wives (maybe people think cameramen are more precious than wives...)? Was it when Darryl was snorting the baselines because they kinda looked like cocaine? No. The only time anyone has been kicked out of baseball was when Pete Rose gambled on the game and when the 1919 Black Sox gambled on the game. But wait! Even Pete Rose got to be at the Allstar game a couple of years ago you have to admit, that was pretty good argumentation there at the end).

Bottom-line, this was out of character for Rogers. He said he was sorry (much more convincingly than Randy Johnson as well...If Randy had thirteen wins could he go to the Allstar game? Hmmmm...). Sure he appealed his suspension but that is union policy. He will pay his fines, serve his suspension, and be done with it. The guy pitches in a hitters' park, keeps his ERA low and his team in the playoff hunt. He made a mistake, but still deserves to be recognized by his peers for his tremendous ability on the field. This does not cost baseball its conscience--steroids already did that.

Whew! That's out of my system. I feel better (read: I am still angry about it). Feel free to challenge me, but all challenges will be viewed as cheating on your girlfriend or wife, and tires will be marked and slashed.

Just a side note: I am pleased to announce the arrival of my brother's blog--the Eskimobot. It is not as family friendly as the beloved High Cheese, and may include some words you won't hear here, but he is a funny and very odd guy. Perhaps the funny thing runs in the family...the odd thing though is all him... I love you all.