Letters to the Editor
Eric Samuelsen
Published Letters: 32 Editor's Choice: 6
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What about big people?
[Read the article: Ask the pilot]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Okay, I'm 6'6". I go around 350. I'm an academic, an officer in two academic organizations, one in Norway and one in England, plus I do research occasionally in Japan. I also have to fly domestically from time to time. No money for business class or first class, except occasionally when I have enough frequent flyer miles to upgrade. And you think you have it bad?
It's agony. It's sheer hell, for hours on end. Not the least because I can also see the looks on your faces, the rest of you, when you see me coming down the aisle. "Oh, please, God, not my row. Merciful heavens, please not my row." I know what you're thinking, and I don't blame you. I'd hate me too.
So I don't know about these new Delta seats, but I have a feeling they're not designed for me. My guess is, they're designed for different backs than mine. As for the rest of these changes, what I want is leg room. Three more inches makes a huge difference.
And I know economically it's not feasible, but can I tell you how much I hate first class? Can I tell you how great flying Southwest feels, without rich bastards up ahead hogging all the legroom? Except for the rare occasions when I get to fly first class, and then I just feel guilty.
I know you know this, but for most of us, we loathe flying. We hate it. We'd happily do anything else but fly, if that were even remotely possible. There's not a single part of the experience of air travel that's not humiliating, physically painful, rage-inducing, or all three. The airline that starts treating passengers like human beings will have my business forever. Except I also probably won't be able to afford it.
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500 dingers
[Read the article: Manny hits home run No. 501!!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Of course Jimmie Foxx. And sure, it's an absurd milestone. And yes, Griffey hit number 600 the same week, so that's another absurd milestone. But what would life be without absurd milestones to celebrate. Tomorrow's my brother's 50th birthday. Think I won't give him shit about it?
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Baseball names
[Read the article: O Perez! My Perez!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Odalis and Oliver Perez, I can keep straight, because Odalis has the better curveball. But what are the odds:
That there would be two guys in the history of baseball named Ontiveros, and that both would have the first name 'Steve.' No relation, one was a third baseman and the other one a pitcher. Have you ever met anyone in real life named Ontiveros?
The Rockies have the first battery in history made up of a Yorvit and an Ubaldo. Here's hoping Yorvit gets traded to Minnesota, so we can have a Yorvit/Boof battery. Or that Boof Bonser gets traded back to the Giants in a couple of years, so we can see Boof/Buster.
Essentially all pitchers named Wright are tall, right handed pitchers named James. Can be Jim, can be Jamey, can be James, but they've been Jameses. Four of them. The exception is Jaret Wright, who's also a tall right handed pitcher. No other James Wrights have played; only tall righthanded pitchers.
I also love the guys whose names translate comically from other languages. Like the epic battles between Jim Gott and Tim Teufel. Or stone-faced Pedro (Happy Peter) Feliz.
There was also Dave Heaverlo, whose best pitch was a rising fastball and not, as his name would suggest, a sinker. Cecil, and now Prince, Fielder, neither of whom are exactly known for their glove work. Slow footed Rob Deer. And Starrs. Football had just one, and he's in the Hall of Fame. Baseball's had four guys named Starr, all of them mediocrities.
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Baseball vs. basketball
[Read the article: Superstar rules help the Lakers]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Last week, I'm watching a baseball game, Rockies Giants, at Coors Field. Key situation in the game, Pat Misch pitching for the Giants, Matt Holliday batting for the Rockies. 2 and 2 count, 2 outs, runners on first and second. Misch throws a fastball low and on the outside corner. Borderline pitch, could be called either way. And the ump rings Holliday up. No hesitation, strike three.
Matt Holliday is a star--second in last year's MVP voting, a great player, and the Rockies were a great story last season. Pat Misch is a replacement-level rookie, a kid with a 5.5 something ERA. Not even a great prospect-just a kid trying to survive in the Show. But was there any doubt whatsoever that the umpire was going to call the pitch honestly?
David Stern insists that referees don't cheat, that they did not, for example, give game six of the 2002 Conference finals to the Lakers to create a better series, that Donaghy is lying. Probably Donaghy is lying. But as fans, we know officiating in the NBA is already corrupt. Not that refs decide to favor LA over Utah, or Boston over Cleveland to create better match-ups. I doubt that happens. But when they failed to call a foul on Kobe, just because he's Kobe, when we can see a double-standard every single game we watch, then the officiating is already corrupt. They don't have to throw games. They just have to hold some players to a different standard than other players receive.
Baseball has many problems, we all know that. But Stern needs to realize that his sport is essentially where baseball was in 1920, after the Black Sox scandal. We already know the officiating is dishonest. And that goes right to the heart of the integrity of the game.
Stern's head is buried too deep in sand to realize any of this. The owners need to step up here--nobody else is likely to. Fire Dick Bavetta. Fire most of the current refs in the NBA, and subcontract officiating to some entity independent organization. Call games honestly. If that means an occasional traveling call against Kobe Bryant, that's a small price to pay.