According to Maxim, Garner is the "crappiest" manager

[TheWizard]

Uhh, so since when is Maxim Magazine a sports resource?

http://www.maximonline.com/articles/index.aspx?a_id=7640
1. Phil Garner, Houston Astros (last year: unranked): Where to begin? With his insistence on keeping Craig Biggio and his .288 on-base percentage in the leadoff slot, thus forcing still-promising young'un Chris Burke to an unfamiliar position and then the bench? With his curious decision to yank Brad Lidge from the closer role after a single blown save, then his stubborn refusal to reinstate him until he completed a series of agility and cognitive drills? Garner, for all his lauded scrappiness, seems incapable of admitting that he is wrong about anything—his bull pen pecking order, the way he lines up his starters, you name it. As a result, the 'Stros keep losing games for the same reasons, night in and night out. This must be inordinately frustrating for Houston fans to watch.

[Arky Vaughan]

As a result, the 'Stros keep losing games for the same reasons, night in and night out. This must be inordinately frustrating for Houston fans to watch.

So if Garner's so crappy, how'd he manage to coach the team to back-to-back miracle comebacks in 2004-2005?

[Arky Vaughan]

So if Garner's so crappy, how'd he manage to coach the team to back-to-back miracle comebacks in 2004-2005?

And besides, who asked for the soft-core porn community's views on baseball managers anyway?

[TheWizard]

And besides, who asked for the soft-core porn community's views on baseball managers anyway?

He jumped from unranked to worst manager in one year.  I suppose underproduction of players and injuries had nothing to do with it.

[pravata]

...This must be inordinately frustrating for Houston fans to watch.

No, not particularly.  If it was inordinately frustrating what variety of nutjob would watch?

[Arky Vaughan]

No, not particularly.  If it was inordinately frustrating what variety of nutjob would watch?

rambo2?

[Houston]

http://www.maximonline.com/articles/index.aspx?a_id=7640
1. Phil Garner, Houston Astros

...the way he lines up his starters, you name it...

Isn't that called a rotation?

[JackAstro]

This must be inordinately frustrating for Houston fans to watch read.

Fixed.

[Mr. Happy]

Uhh, so since when is Maxim Magazine a sports resource?

http://www.maximonline.com/articles/index.aspx?a_id=7640
1. Phil Garner, Houston Astros (last year: unranked): Where to begin? With his insistence on keeping Craig Biggio and his .288 on-base percentage in the leadoff slot, thus forcing still-promising young'un Chris Burke to an unfamiliar position and then the bench? With his curious decision to yank Brad Lidge from the closer role after a single blown save, then his stubborn refusal to reinstate him until he completed a series of agility and cognitive drills? Garner, for all his lauded scrappiness, seems incapable of admitting that he is wrong about anything—his bull pen pecking order, the way he lines up his starters, you name it. As a result, the 'Stros keep losing games for the same reasons, night in and night out. This must be inordinately frustrating for Houston fans to watch.

What a load of crap.

[Bench]

So if Garner's so crappy, how'd he manage to coach the team to back-to-back miracle comebacks in 2004-2005?

You are not paying heed to Kevin's inflatables-peddling butch lesbians. He is merely a situational manager, who I guess was in the right situations at the right time those two years.

[Fredia]

You are not paying heed to Kevin's inflatables-peddling butch lesbians. He is merely a situational manager, who I guess was in the right situations at the right time those two years.

so are you saying that like water seeking its own level garner managerail skills are doing the same?

[juliogotay]

I'm sure they meant "scrappiest" manager. As in "scrapiron".

[Frobie]

When I look at pictures at maximonline.com, this is not the type of thing I want to see.

[Navin R Johnson]

When did rambo2 start writing for Maxim?   I bet Noe knows.

[94CougarGrad]

When I look at pictures at maximonline.com, this is not the type of thing I want to see.

Eek.

[Fredia]

When did rambo2 start writing for Maxim?   I bet Noe knows.

when did noe become omnipotent ?

[WulawHorn]

You are not paying heed to Kevin's inflatables-peddling butch lesbians. He is merely a situational manager, who I guess was in the right situations at the right time those two years.

I think that the idea of a situational manager is not necessarily wrong imo.  Some guys are meant for teaching and developing (Jimy Williams, Art Howe) etc and some guys are meant for more veteran teams that kinda run themselves (again, just my opinion).  Maybe Gar isn't the right guy for a retooling/rebuilding job. He didn't seem to have much success in Milwaukee or Detroit when charged with that. I really like Gar, but I don't know that in game decision making is necessarily a strength.  More, getting everyone on the same page, to show up and play hard and more or less keep their mouth's shut, which is, to my way of thinking, more important than how often you double switch or when you hit and run.

[JimR]

I think that the idea of a situational manager is not necessarily wrong imo.  Some guys are meant for teaching and developing (Jimy Williams, Art Howe) etc and some guys are meant for more veteran teams that kinda run themselves (again, just my opinion).  Maybe Gar isn't the right guy for a retooling/rebuilding job. He didn't seem to have much success in Milwaukee or Detroit when charged with that. I really like Gar, but I don't know that in game decision making is necessarily a strength.  More, getting everyone on the same page, to show up and play hard and more or less keep their mouth's shut, which is, to my way of thinking, more important than how often you double switch or when you hit and run.

well, thanks for sharing

[WulawHorn]

well, thanks for sharing

Ok- that article is bullshit.  Happy?

[pravata]

Ok- that article is bullshit.  Happy?

It's the rankest of bullshit. Just another in a long series of examples of people having opinions on things they shouldn't. They are criticizing Garner for playing and leading off Biggio.  Everyone with a functioning frontal lobe knows that's not his decision.  Then for his  strategy that "fixed" Lidge when everyone else wanted to trade him for a half eaten bowl of Sheriff Blaylock's.   I like that they think the Lidge decision was because of a "single blown save".  To their credit they didn't mention The Smirking Goon.

[WulawHorn]

It's the rankest of bullshit. Just another in a long series of examples of people having opinions on things they shouldn't. They are criticizing Garner for playing and leading off Biggio.  Everyone with a functioning frontal lobe knows that's not his decision.  Then for his  strategy that "fixed" Lidge when everyone else wanted to trade him for a half eaten bowl of Sheriff Blaylock's.   I like that they think the Lidge decision was because of a "single blown save".  To their credit they didn't mention The Smirking Goon.

Oh- I agree completely. It's just that there were 14 other posts skewering it- didn't feel the need to restate the obvious, that the guy is full of shit. Maxim sports always suck. I remember reading it heading into the 02 NCAA tourney talking about how bad and overrated the big 12 was only to see UT, KU and OU in the final 8, texas out in the final four and Kansas out in the finals. Their college football pieces have always been garbage.  Basically, articles in Maxim are designed to give the writer a chance to include a couple of snarky comments and a your mother blast.  Somewhat funny at times, but rarely if ever enlightening. That's not what they are going for- they are going for a laugh and showing a lot of skin. Don't expect anything profound.

I saw the line about the inflatables peddling lesbian and I think she has more ability/room to comment then the maxim guy, and might be onto something vis a vis different horses for different courses. A managerial change might be made at the end of this season, and it might turn out ok.  To say Garner is crap as a manager is bs though.   

[pravata]

Oh- I agree completely. It's just that there were 14 other posts skewering it- didn't feel the need to restate the obvious, that the guy is full of shit. Maxim sports always suck. I remember reading it heading into the 02 NCAA tourney talking about how bad and overrated the big 12 was only to see UT, KU and OU in the final 8, texas out in the final four and Kansas out in the finals. Their college football pieces have always been garbage.  Basically, articles in Maxim are designed to give the writer a chance to include a couple of snarky comments and a your mother blast.  Somewhat funny at times, but rarely if ever enlightening. That's not what they are going for- they are going for a laugh and showing a lot of skin. Don't expect anything profound.

I saw the line about the inflatables peddling lesbian and I think she has more ability/room to comment then the maxim guy, and might be onto something vis a vis different horses for different courses. A managerial change might be made at the end of this season, and it might turn out ok.  To say Garner is crap as a manager is bs though.   

OK, so it's actually a magazine of people having opinions on topics they're not qualified (yeah I can decide that) to have opinions on for some other people who find this sort of thing amusing.   

[WulawHorn]

OK, so it's actually a magazine of people having opinions on topics they're not qualified (yeah I can decide that) to have opinions on for some other people who find this sort of thing amusing.   

Near as I could tell, from having a subscription for a year, yes, that's exactly right.

Some of the articles are ok (actually- I'm probably being a bit too charitable as I'm saying this about stuff I didn't know anything about- maybe it all sucks if you knew anything about the subject) factually, but really it's just a platform for sophomoric humor and nearly naked women.  Really, some of the lines are funny, some of the articles are funny (in a way that a movie like knocked up or the 40 year old virigin is funny), but nothing that you should take too seriously. I kind of doubt that the writers of the article even take the stuff seriously.

They'll give you your sex tips, give you your style tips and music tips and movie tips and all that stuff. Teach you how to conform to a 20 somthing hipster metrosexual lifestyle while trying to also provide humor along the way.  Looking back it is really a shallow and vapid magazine. Seeing a link to it made me laugh a bit that anyone would get worked up over the magazine.

So after all that you might ask- why did I subscribe. Well, it was dirt cheap (like 12 bucks for the year with my subscription deal for a cheap priceline flight when I was in school), the articles are funny at times, and the women were hot on the magazine. Not the worst product to try to target to a 21 year old.

[pravata]

Near as I could tell, from having a subscription for a year, yes, that's exactly right.

Some of the articles are ok (actually- I'm probably being a bit too charitable as I'm saying this about stuff I didn't know anything about- maybe it all sucks if you knew anything about the subject) factually, but really it's just a platform for sophomoric humor and nearly naked women.  Really, some of the lines are funny, some of the articles are funny (in a way that a movie like knocked up or the 40 year old virigin is funny), but nothing that you should take too seriously. I kind of doubt that the writers of the article even take the stuff seriously.

They'll give you your sex tips, give you your style tips and music tips and movie tips and all that stuff. Teach you how to conform to a 20 somthing hipster metrosexual lifestyle while trying to also provide humor along the way.  Looking back it is really a shallow and vapid magazine. Seeing a link to it made me laugh a bit that anyone would get worked up over the magazine.

So after all that you might ask- why did I subscribe. Well, it was dirt cheap (like 12 bucks for the year with my subscription deal for a cheap priceline flight when I was in school), the articles are funny at times, and the women were hot on the magazine. Not the worst product to try to target to a 21 year old.

You're a 21 metrosexual?  Or is that just something you aspire to?  There are people who are taking this article "seriously".   At least serious enough that they are using it to vindicate their opinions regarding Garner.   Nobody in this forum mind you.  I like to think we've all made clear what a large mistake that would be.

[JimR]

Near as I could tell, from having a subscription for a year, yes, that's exactly right.

Some of the articles are ok (actually- I'm probably being a bit too charitable as I'm saying this about stuff I didn't know anything about- maybe it all sucks if you knew anything about the subject) factually, but really it's just a platform for sophomoric humor and nearly naked women.  Really, some of the lines are funny, some of the articles are funny (in a way that a movie like knocked up or the 40 year old virigin is funny), but nothing that you should take too seriously. I kind of doubt that the writers of the article even take the stuff seriously.

They'll give you your sex tips, give you your style tips and music tips and movie tips and all that stuff. Teach you how to conform to a 20 somthing hipster metrosexual lifestyle while trying to also provide humor along the way.  Looking back it is really a shallow and vapid magazine. Seeing a link to it made me laugh a bit that anyone would get worked up over the magazine.

So after all that you might ask- why did I subscribe. Well, it was dirt cheap (like 12 bucks for the year with my subscription deal for a cheap priceline flight when I was in school), the articles are funny at times, and the women were hot on the magazine. Not the worst product to try to target to a 21 year old.

do you ever read what you have posted and ask yourself "why?"

you should.

[Arky Vaughan]

You're a 21 metrosexual?  Or is that just something you aspire to?  There are people who are taking this article "seriously".   At least serious enough that they are using it to vindicate their opinions regarding Garner.   Nobody in this forum mind you.  I like to think we've all made clear what a large mistake that would be.

Actually, a saving grace is that whoever is relying on Maxim to vindicate his opinions about Phil Garner is probably not capable of taking anything seriously. Or at least is not liable to be taken seriously himself.

[WulawHorn]

You're a 21 metrosexual?  Or is that just something you aspire to?  There are people who are taking this article "seriously".   At least serious enough that they are using it to vindicate their opinions regarding Garner.   Nobody in this forum mind you.  I like to think we've all made clear what a large mistake that would be.

No- I thought I made that clear that it was in the past tense. I'm a 29 year old lawyer. And I've never been a metrosexual.  But I think the magazine is geared toward them and aspiring metrosexuals.

[WulawHorn]

do you ever read what you have posted and ask yourself "why?"

you should.

Why did I make that post?  In a word, context.

I was responding to pravata explaining what to expect in the general maxim article.

I've always valued what you've posted here and been polite to you. If you cannot return the favor feel free to ignore me- it absolutely, positively will not hurt my feelings.  Your last three posts in response to me have been totally and completely unnecessary.

[JimR]

Why did I make that post?  In a word, context.

I was responding to pravata explaining what to expect in the general maxim article.

I've always valued what you've posted here and been polite to you. If you cannot return the favor feel free to ignore me- it absolutely, positively will not hurt my feelings.  Your last three posts in response to me have been totally and completely unnecessary.

what appears to me to be unnecessary is your apparent recent decision to reply to every single post on the page. is there any topic that does not motivate you to share your opinion on it? i did not read pravata's comments to request a discussion of the magazine and why you were a subscriber, but i may be wrong. perhaps you just have an overpowering urge to share what your opinion du jour is, off-topic or not. 

thanks for the suggestion.

[Craig]

And I've never been a metrosexual.  But I think the magazine is geared toward them and aspiring metrosexuals.

Goddamn fucking Mets.

[JimR]

Goddamn fucking Mets.

way to rein it back in. good job.

[Matt]

Did anyone notice that they have Ken Macha ranked 7th worst as manager of the A's? 

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

No- I thought I made that clear that it was in the past tense. I'm a 29 year old lawyer. And I've never been a metrosexual.  But I think the magazine is geared toward them and aspiring metrosexuals.

Is that the magazine that has a cover photo rotation of Jessica Alba, Scarlet Johansson, Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, Jessica Simpson, Cameron Diaz, and a couple of others? Yeah, good baseball rag... that Maxim. I'm interested in their analysis of the integrity of the infrastructure of the interstate highway system. Can't wait for that.

[94CougarGrad]

Is that the magazine that has a cover photo rotation of Jessica Alba, Scarlet Johansson, Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, Jessica Simpson, Cameron Diaz, and a couple of others? Yeah, good baseball rag... that Maxim. I'm interested in their analysis of the integrity of the infrastructure of the interstate highway system. Can't wait for that.

That's scheduled for the upcoming Anna Kournikova issue.

[JimR]

Is that the magazine that has a cover photo rotation of Jessica Alba, Scarlet Johansson, Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, Jessica Simpson, Cameron Diaz, and a couple of others? Yeah, good baseball rag... that Maxim. I'm interested in their analysis of the integrity of the infrastructure of the interstate highway system. Can't wait for that.

"aspiring metrosexuals"

i'm glad Wulaw alerted me to this category of folks. are there characteristics to watch for so i'll know them when i see them? other than their Maxim subscription, of course.

[Arky Vaughan]

"aspiring metrosexuals"

i'm glad Wulaw alerted me to this category of folks. are there characteristics to watch for so i'll know them when i see them? other than their Maxim subscription, of course.

Lots of health and beauty products for men, and I don't mean Old Spice.

[MikeyBoy]

"aspiring metrosexuals"

i'm glad Wulaw alerted me to this category of folks. are there characteristics to watch for so i'll know them when i see them? other than their Maxim subscription, of course.

A Dallas address would likely be a red flag.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Lots of health and beauty products for men, and I don't mean Old Spice.

Oh, then Right Guard, Absorbine Jr, Barbersol, Butch Wax... stuff like that, right?

[Jose Cruz III]

What is a metosexual? When I read that word I think of Anna Benson.

I am out of the loop on this but it wouldn't shock me to see Garner fired at the end of the year. I think he is a good manager but he certainly wouldn't be the first manager fired for the mistakes of others.

[Arky Vaughan]

What is a metosexual? When I read that word I think of Anna Benson.

I am out of the loop on this but it wouldn't shock me to see Garner fired at the end of the year. I think he is a good manager but he certainly wouldn't be the first manager fired for the mistakes of others.

His contract runs through the end of next season.

[Navin R Johnson]

What is a metosexual? When I read that word I think of Anna Benson.

Roger Clemens and his frosted tips is one sign.    Body sprays and manicures are another sign.   Imagine one of the dudes from Will and Grace, now imagine that they were into chicks.   That would be a metro.

[Jose Cruz III]

His contract runs through the end of next season.

That won't stop them if they decide to do it.

[Jose Cruz III]

Roger Clemens and his frosted tips is one sign.    Body sprays and manicures are another sign.   Imagine one of the dudes from Will and Grace, now imagine that they were into chicks.   That would be a metro.

So a metrosexual is actually just a homosexual that likes chicks instead of dudes?

[Arky Vaughan]

That won't stop them if they decide to do it.

Right, just like a stop sign won't stop me if I decide to run it.

But the fact that the contract is there means they're not as likely to decide to fire Garner. McLane doesn't like paying people for doing nothing.

[WulawHorn]

"aspiring metrosexuals"

i'm glad Wulaw alerted me to this category of folks. are there characteristics to watch for so i'll know them when i see them? other than their Maxim subscription, of course.

Frosted tips (like on clemens is good). Guys that get manicures. People that wear "ironic" t-shirts (whatever the hell this means), guys that buy $200.00 jeans.  All the previous posts about body spray and hair care products and all the like also fit.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Frosted tips (like on clemens is good). Guys that get manicures. People that wear "ironic" t-shirts (whatever the hell this means), guys that buy $200.00 jeans.  All the previous posts about body spray and hair care products and all the like also fit.

And butt plugs.

[Limey]

Roger Clemens and his frosted tips is one sign.    Body sprays and manicures are another sign.   Imagine one of the dudes from Will and Grace, now imagine that they were into chicks.   That would be a metro.

See Seacrest, Ryan.  Although I'm not so sure about the "metro" part.

[WulawHorn]

And butt plugs.

See, that's the thing about metro sexuals- they aren't into butt plugging (nttawwt). You'd think they were into butt plugging, but they aren't.

[Craig]

See, that's the thing about metro sexuals- they aren't into butt plugging (nttawwt). You'd think they were into butt plugging, but they aren't.

We must be thinking about different types of Mets.

[JackAstro]

I can't walk 10 feet in any direction at my office without running into a metrosexual, and can tell you with absolute certainty that none of them would be caught dead with a subscription to Maxim or any other magazine like it (anything with a focus on tits, beer, gadgets and shit blowing up). Details, GQ, and lifestyle porn like Metropolitan Home are in their wheelhouse.

[WulawHorn]

We must be thinking about different types of Mets.

No- Metro's and Met's should also not be confused. Everyone knows that they Mets that play in Queens love taking it up the tailpipe

[WulawHorn]

I can't walk 10 feet in any direction at my office without running into a metrosexual, and can tell you with absolute certainty that none of them would be caught dead with a subscription to Maxim or any other magazine like it (anything with a focus on tits, beer, gadgets and shit blowing up). Details, GQ, and lifestyle porn like Metropolitan Home are in their wheelhouse.

You've got to keep up. You are working with older people so they are beyond that stage. Maxim is for "aspiring" Metrosexuals.

Look it up on wikipedia if you don't believe me.

[JackAstro]

You've got to keep up. You are working with older people so they are beyond that stage. Maxim is for "aspiring" Metrosexuals.

Look it up on wikipedia if you don't believe me.

No, I work with designers in their 20s. I'm veeeeerrrry well aware of what an actual developing metrosexual in its natural environment looks like. Fascinating creatures.