The Decline Of Baseball, Baseball & Topps, Jason Heyward at 14, Bobby V... and Hosting The Oscars

The Decline of Baseball:


Baseball had always been considered America’s favorite pastime, but has that perception changed in the last twenty years? During the booming years of the early 20th Century in America, the game of Baseball was unanimously considered the most popular sport, uniting immigrants and unifying a vast multitude of once distant people. The game of baseball was rivaled by no other sport and if you would have asked the average ten year old boy in New York city for instance, what he wanted to do with his life, he would have told you without a second of hesitation that he wanted to become the next member of Murderers Row just like Lou Gehrig or Babe Ruth. - link

Baseball and Topps:

USA Baseball and the Topps Company, the leading creator and marketer of sports cards, today announced an exclusive multi-year licensing deal to make Topps the Official Baseball Card of USA Baseball. Topps will have exclusivity on USA Baseball trademarks, logos and other intellectual property, for use on cards featuring USA Baseball players.

From 1984-93 Topps was the exclusive card manufacturer for USA Baseball, producing cards for the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team. The new agreement calls for cards, autographs and game-used equipment of USA Baseball's Collegiate, 18U and 16U National Team players to be featured in a variety of Topps products each year.

"Twenty-five years after collectors were first introduced to USA Baseball, our organization is pleased to have Topps, the industry leader, return as the exclusive home for USA Baseball trading cards," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. "We look forward to working closely with Topps as together we provide collectors with a look at the future of America's game on trading cards." - link

Jason Heyward at 14:

Jason Heyward began coming to Perfect Game’s premier events when he was just 14 years old. Even then, our scouts were very impressed with his immense talent and potential. Our admiration continued to grow over the years, and now he’s considered the top prospect in the major leagues.

Without bragging too much, we saw it coming.

“He has an outstanding athletic body at 6-0, 170 with easy actions and about as much projectability as you’re going to see on a 14-year-old,” David Rawnsley, PG’s National Director of Scouting, wrote after seeing Heyward at the 2004 Underclass National Showcase. “Don’t be surprised when Heyward ends up at 6-4, 210.”

Heyward, now 20, met that projection and kept growing. He’s now 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, more graceful than ever as he bids to stick with the Atlanta Braves this season. He’s considered the No.1 in the big leagues by many observers, slightly ahead of Washington pitcher Stephen Strasburg on most lists. - link

Bobby V:

The man is a virtual demi-god in Japan, having spent six years managing the Chibe Lotte Marines. There are bronze statues in Japan made in his honor. Maybe I’m off base but doesn’t that usually require one to be six feet under to achieve?

So knowing all of that can Bobby V sit in an office in a suit, on the phone, talking to guys who never put on a pair of cleats without having a golf club with them? That would be a challenge worthy of Sun-Tzu himself. Bobby V loves challenges.

Is it really a runaway ego or is it just a pure testosterone enhanced single mindedness that sets Bobby V apart from so many other ex-managers out there? I think it’s a blend of both. Something very yin-yang wouldn’t you agree? How would his style differ from Omar’s? Would there be similarities? Would he be able to contain himself and let his manager run the team on the field? I think it would be the most frustrating job he’s ever had and I think he would ultimately excel in it. Who wants to see that…and the “stache” again? - link

Hosting The Oscars:

Hosting the Oscars is a thankless job. The film industry does not like to laugh at itself. They don’t find it funny that they waste billions of dollars a year on projects like LAND OF THE LOST. And they don’t like to be reminded of it by some smart ass in a tux. And if you can’t talk about that their mistakes and foibles, then what’s left? “I see Meryl Streep is here. How many nominations is this for you now, Meryl? A hundred?” HAHAHAHAHAHA. (Probably that joke would be deemed inappropriate because it makes reference to an actor aging. These are people with thin skin, folks.)

The film industry does not want edgy humor. So imagine writing a roast for Mother Teresa. And they especially don’t appreciate edgy humor from “outsiders”. If you’re not a legit “film star”, if you’re not invited to Spielberg’s for Passover they want nothing to do with you. Chris Rock, David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres, Jon Stewart – doomed before they even opened their mouths (although, in fairness, Letterman was just plain bad). It’s like Jackie Mason can make Jew jokes, Larry the Cable Guy can’t. - link