Like a lot of people, I was totally engrossed by Tom Watson’s performance at the Open Championship. While it was too bad he wasn’t able to finish the job, his status among fellow golfers and golf fans around the world couldn’t possibly be any higher. And now on to this week’s questions.
From: Nathan
Comments: Hey Jim, I wanted to get your real opinion on something, what do you think about Justin Morneau being upset about the national anthem at the All Star game?
Answer: Well Nathan, I could not agree more with Mister Morneau’s anger over our National anthem. I simply could not believe that Major League Baseball could pull off such a bush league stunt like that at the All Star game. A freaking, cheesy taped version of Oh Canada, that was awful. Are you telling me that Bud Selig and his little minions couldn’t pull their collective heads out of their butts long enough to realize that, oh, I don’t know, maybe hiring someone to sing the Canadian national anthem would be a good idea. Nathan, you and Justin shouldn’t be too surprised. After all, consider some of the moronic decisions that have come out of the commissioner’s office the last 15 years. My solution would be to force Bud Selig to stand along the Highway of Heroes when one of our soldiers is being taken home to their final resting place. That will change his lame attitude towards our National anthem in a real hurry.
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From: Ash
Comments: Who’s your favourite NHL player
Answer: Hi Ash, it’s tough for me to pick just one. I have a few: Jarome Iginla, Martin Broduer, Brad Boyes, Sheldon Souray, Willie Mitchell and Brad May. Of course, Sid the Kid is right at the top of the list. I have always been a fan of players who not only give it their all every night, but have treated the media with total respect and professional courtesy over the years. Until he retired, I would have ranked Gary Roberts right near the top of my list. Do you know who is a rock solid dude and a good player? Bill Guerin. He earned my ever lasting respect and admiration when he bought me a Heineken while I was stuck sitting in a hotel lobby for 12 hours during the lock out. Bill Guerin is good people.
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From: Jared
Comments: How are baseball commentators always able to tell what pitch a pitcher just threw? When I watch on TV the pitches generally seem to have similar movement, but the guys can usually tell if it’s a curve ball, fastball, change-up, etc.
Answer: Hi Jared. Toronto native Dan Shulman is arguably the finest-play-by play voice this country has ever produced. Dan is the voice of Major League baseball, the NBA, and NCAA Basketball on ESPN. This is what he had to say when I asked him about how he tells what pitch is being thrown.
" It’s just a combination of a couple of things… just years of watching games, knowing what kinds of pitches move which ways, and also going and talking to pitchers, catchers, etc., to find out what certain guys throw.. you can’t always know, but most of the time you can tell if you’ve been around it long enough."
Spoken like a true pro.
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From: Jason in BC
Comments: Why on earth do the Blue Jays keep J.P. as their general manager? Over the past 2 seasons he has had to eat 2 huge contracts (Frank Thomas & now B.J. Ryan). That’s $25 millions dollars they have had to eat (10 for frank, 15 for B.J.) Think of the players they could have brought in with this money. Like most fans, I believe it’s time to get a new man in charge for the Jays. Sincerely, a Long Time & frustrated Blue Jays fan
Answer: Hi Jason, relax and get off the ledge. I agree with you, it’s time for a change in Toronto. However, who would take the job? Paul Beeston still can’t find someone to be the team President. As Tony Montana said to Manolo; "first you get the president, then you hire a GM, then you have the power to build a consistent, winning franchise". The even bigger question is whether or not ownership will have the stomach to give any new GM the budget necessary to go after what Tony Montana would like to refer to as, "the world and everything in it."
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From: Dre
Comments: Hey Jim, I watched the home run contest and decided to clean my house because it was BORING! What do you think about having some other skills competitions ie; longest throw, fastest pitch or you can have guys hitting some targets at various places on the field. How about fastest guy around the bases? Something Please!
Answer: Hi Dre. To be honest with you, I think the players would do anything to get out of the home run derby, or any other kind of skill competition. The All Stars just want to play the actual game with out getting hurt, and then get back to their respective teams. The biggest complaint you hear from players and managers is the belief that if you take part in the Home Run derby, it will mess up your swing.
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From: Robert
Comments: Hey Jim, some people who are in television have strange hobbies like scientology, or being UFO enthusiasts. Do you have any strange hobbies like that?
Answer: Hi Robert, great question. I don’t know if you would call my hobbies "strange", but I will let you make the call. I golf whenever I can. That in itself isn’t strange, but my brutal slice is. I like to work out and I am really into core training. I don’t think that is all that strange. My other favourite hobby is what I like to do after I get home from the gym. It’s a new hobby that is sweeping Southern California and parts of Arizona; it’s called "Transition Time". Now this is a hobby strictly designed for married men only. It entails sitting down with something to drink, grab something to read, I like ESPN the magazine these days, and then sitting down in a comfortable chair. It’s a lot more complicated than it sounds. In order to reach the true Zen state of "Transition Time", the man has to free his mind of all of the things in life that cause him stress. That means never, ever thinking about your wife’s never ending "honey-do" list. The man also has to decide whether to sit out on the back deck or sit inside. It can be a very intense hobby, but I love a good challenge. I like to plan my day in such a way that I can get a good 10 or 15 quality minutes of "Transition Time" in before I have to start carrying flag stone around my front yard or walking around my basement with a sheet of drywall balanced on my head. You might call "Transition Time" strange, but I find it helps to keep me sane.
Just a final note before I leave you. My wife simply can not understand why I refuse to read any kind of instruction manual, especially for those evil cabinets made by IKEA. I keep trying to tell her, that under Man Law number 92 – it clearly states that:
"No man shall ever read an instruction manual. If the man does not know how to use the item trial and error shall be used until the correct function is determined"