The Pinwheel just spun off its base

[Bench]

Justice on ESPNNews right now:

1) The Astros never intended to trade Oswalt

and

2) Drayton never ordered that Lidge be traded.

And he never even batted an eye.

[Matt]

HA! As predictable as the Salmon of Capistrano returning year after year.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

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HA! As predictable as the Salmon of Capistrano returning year after year.

You mean the swallows of San Juan Capistrano?

[Alkie]

AHHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

OH.  MY.  GOD.

YOU STARTED THESE RUMORS, YOU DRIPPY SWOLLEN TWAT.

[ValpoCory]

Stupid swallows.

[Andyzipp]

This just in. Dick Justice swallows.  Film at 11:00.

[No? in Austin]

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HA! As predictable as the Salmon of Capistrano returning year after year.

You mean the swallows of San Juan Capistrano?

No, I think salmon of Capristrano (or Easter Island to common folk) is correct.  (turn the sarcasm meter on today, it's going full tilt over here!)

[astro pete]

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AHHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

OH.  MY.  GOD.

YOU STARTED THESE RUMORS, YOU DRIPPY SWOLLEN TWAT.

They actually asked him specifically whether he was the one who first wrote about McLane's demanding that Lidge be traded.  I kid you not, his cell phone went dead, he called back, and never answered the question.

[Matt]

Yeah I didn't think it was that obscure of a movie reference but maybe so.

[Alkie]

I always sort of felt indifferent to him.  I don't read his columns.  I don't read his blogs.  I don't watch him on PTI.

But this is just too much even for me.  

You can't START the rumors, PUBLISH the rumors, then go on TV/RADIO as the first person to DENY the rumors.  

Has he ever thought about running for office?

[astro pete]

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I always sort of felt indifferent to him.  I don't read his columns.  I don't read his blogs.  I don't watch him on PTI.

But this is just too much even for me.  

You can't START the rumors, PUBLISH the rumors, then go on TV/RADIO as the first person to DENY the rumors.  

Has he ever thought about running for office?

He also elaborated on the turmoil this trade talk will cause in the clubhouse, specifically with Oswalt.

[Limey]

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No, I think salmon of Capristrano (or Easter Island to common folk) is correct.  (turn the sarcasm meter on today, it's going full tilt over here!)

It should be the trout of Capistrano, because those suckers will bite on anything.

[ybbodeus]

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HA! As predictable as the Salmon of Capistrano returning year after year.

You mean the swallows of San Juan Capistrano?

No, I think salmon of Capristrano (or Easter Island to common folk) is correct.  (turn the sarcasm meter on today, it's going full tilt over here!)

Are they in season, though?  There's not a R in July even if the Pinwheel reported that there was earlier.

By the way this PARTICULAR pinwheel HAS no base.

[Limey]

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By the way this PARTICULAR pinwheel HAS no base.

Right!  He's more like a theme park ride: you go up, down, left and right in violent direction changes, but always end up going full circle.

[Bench]

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AHHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

OH.  MY.  GOD.

YOU STARTED THESE RUMORS, YOU DRIPPY SWOLLEN TWAT.

They actually asked him specifically whether he was the one who first wrote about McLane's demanding that Lidge be traded.  I kid you not, his cell phone went dead, he called back, and never answered the question.

That was the best part of the interview.

Karl Ravech: We heard that the owner ordering that Lidge be traded was first reprted in the Houston Chronicle. Richard, did you write that?

Justice: Silence. Silence. Some muffled movement. Phone goes dead.

[ybbodeus]

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AHHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

OH.  MY.  GOD.

YOU STARTED THESE RUMORS, YOU DRIPPY SWOLLEN TWAT.

They actually asked him specifically whether he was the one who first wrote about McLane's demanding that Lidge be traded.  I kid you not, his cell phone went dead, he called back, and never answered the question.

That was the best part of the interview.

Karl Ravech: We heard that the owner ordering that Lidge be traded was first reprted in the Houston Chronicle. Richard, did you write that?

Justice: Silence. Silence. Some muffled movement. Phone goes dead.

Is that a JUMP THE SHARK moment, or more like a Quayle-Bentsen thing?  Maybe this begins a new cycle for Richard, availability to the Tupelos and Enids of the sports-following world.

Oh, to dream!

[Navin R Johnson]

Here is the reply i just got in my inbox from SportsJustice himself.


 

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i'm okay with you ripping me on my own blog, but at least get the facts straight. i didn't deny anything to dan patrick. i said drayton denied the conversation took place. i reported that it did and believe that it did.

[No? in Austin]

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Here is the reply i just got in my inbox from SportsJustice himself.


 

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i'm okay with you ripping me on my own blog, but at least get the facts straight. i didn't deny anything to dan patrick. i said drayton denied the conversation took place. i reported that it did and believe that it did.

So he's calling Drayton McLane a liar.  Right?

[S.P. Rodriguez]

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Here is the reply i just got in my inbox from SportsJustice himself.


 

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i'm okay with you ripping me on my own blog, but at least get the facts straight. i didn't deny anything to dan patrick. i said drayton denied the conversation took place. i reported that it did and believe that it did.

So he's calling Drayton McLane a liar.  Right?

Are you surprised?  This will simply be used as the premise for yet another imaginary conversation where Pin-Wheel gets to be the story.

[Alkie]

He called him a liar.  

Can someone tell me why the Astros let this asshat into the clubhouse?  I mean, seriously.  How is this guy any more of a credible journalist than say....me?

[tophfar]

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He called him a liar.  

Can someone tell me why the Astros let this asshat into the clubhouse?  I mean, seriously.  How is this guy any more of a credible journalist than say....me?

they don't?  maybe thats why he gets his news from Polly Prissy Pants.

[No? in Austin]

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He called him a liar.  

Can someone tell me why the Astros let this asshat into the clubhouse?  I mean, seriously.  How is this guy any more of a credible journalist than say....me?

So Richard Justice just morphed before our very eyes into Fran Blinebury, eh?  Too cool.  He's calling the owner out, so let the fun begin.  Unless he spins his way out of just calling McLane a bold face liar too!

[Navin R Johnson]

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He called him a liar.  

Can someone tell me why the Astros let this asshat into the clubhouse?  I mean, seriously.  How is this guy any more of a credible journalist than say....me?

He drives a DODGE STRATUS! and He can do 100 push-ups in twenty minutes!!

[S.P. Rodriguez]

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He called him a liar.  

Can someone tell me why the Astros let this asshat into the clubhouse?  I mean, seriously.  How is this guy any more of a credible journalist than say....me?

So Richard Justice just morphed before our very eyes into Fran Blinebury, eh?  Too cool.  He's calling the owner out, so let the fun begin.  Unless he spins his way out of just calling McLane a bold face liar too!

Note: He did not do so in public.  Only in a personal response not in his blog.  Or, did I miss something?

[Bench]

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He called him a liar.  

Can someone tell me why the Astros let this asshat into the clubhouse?  I mean, seriously.  How is this guy any more of a credible journalist than say....me?

So Richard Justice just morphed before our very eyes into Fran Blinebury, eh?  Too cool.  He's calling the owner out, so let the fun begin.  Unless he spins his way out of just calling McLane a bold face liar too!

He didn't call him a liar. He just said that he didn't believe his denial. It's not like he accused Drayton of making it all up or anything like that. Then, Drayton would be a liar.

[No? in Austin]

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He didn't call him a liar. He just said that he didn't believe his denial.

Ahum, when you don't believe someone is telling you the truth, you're calling them a liar.  Drayton McLane said that he didn't *order* Purpura to trade Lidge, as Richard Justice reported.  Justice said he heard that from a high ranking source on another team.  He said he believes the source and not McLane.  So one is a liar and the other isn't.

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It's not like he accused Drayton of making it all up or anything like that. Then, Drayton would be a liar.

McLane denied that he *ordered* Purpura to do the hatchet job on a player.  It is a vicious portrayal of a man's intergrity.  Justice said in a private e-mail that he believes it really happened, so he believes McLane is lying when he says he did not order the code red.

It's that plain and simple.

Not that he's lying about ordering the code red mind you, but lying when he says he didn't do it at all.

[No? in Austin]

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He called him a liar.  

Can someone tell me why the Astros let this asshat into the clubhouse?  I mean, seriously.  How is this guy any more of a credible journalist than say....me?

So Richard Justice just morphed before our very eyes into Fran Blinebury, eh?  Too cool.  He's calling the owner out, so let the fun begin.  Unless he spins his way out of just calling McLane a bold face liar too!

Note: He did not do so in public.  Only in a personal response not in his blog.  Or, did I miss something?

No, you're correct, he called McLane a liar in the personal e-mail shared here.

[Alkie]

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No, you're correct, he called McLane a liar in the personal e-mail shared here.

We could make it public.

[No? in Austin]

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No, you're correct, he called McLane a liar in the personal e-mail shared here.

We could make it public.

I'm sure Navin could send him a response and ask him politely if he intends to stand by the remark that Drayton McLane is *lying* when he says he never ordered the code red.

And if he's willing to share it on his infamous blog too.  Just to clarify his position in the whole matter you know.  His reading public I'm sure is a bit confused by everything he said today that was out of both sides of his mouth.  If he just says "Look, I'm just saying that McLane is lying when he said that he never ordered Lidge to be traded.  I'm saying he's lying because I have a reliable source from another team that I believe before I do McLane."

That should clear *everything* for *everyone*, no?

[Bench]

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He didn't call him a liar. He just said that he didn't believe his denial.

Ahum, when you don't believe someone is telling you the truth, you're calling them a liar.  Drayton McLane said that he didn't *order* Purpura to trade Lidge, as Richard Justice reported.  Justice said he heard that from a high ranking source on another team.  He said he believes the source and not McLane.  So one is a liar and the other isn't.

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It's not like he accused Drayton of making it all up or anything like that. Then, Drayton would be a liar.

McLane denied that he *ordered* Purpura to do the hatchet job on a player.  It is a vicious portrayal of a man's intergrity.  Justice said in a private e-mail that he believes it really happened, so he believes McLane is lying when he says he did not order the code red.

It's that plain and simple.

Not that he's lying about ordering the code red mind you, but lying when he says he didn't do it at all.

Easy man, I came here to praise Richard, not to bury him. I guess I'm not as practiced at the circular logic Pinwheel employs when justifying himself. My paltry attempt at satire obviously failed. The second sentence was to point out that Justice makes things up, and thus is the actual liar.

[Alkie]

You know what's sad?  We give WAY too much credit to Richard Justice in here.  I think the only people who read him are folks in here who are looking for something easy to make fun of.

[JGrave]

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You know what's sad?  We give WAY too much credit to Richard Justice in here.  I think the only people who read him are folks in here who are looking for something easy to make fun of.

I disagree.  This is a guy who is on PTI and Around the Horn regularly and he's introduced as Houston's baseball expert.  He's also touted on 610 as Houston's baseball expert and that's no. 3 in the Houston market for men ages 18-35 or whatever.  There's a lot of baseball fans who are influenced by what this choade thinks.  That's simply not right.  He's forcefed to them and lots of people believe he is trustworthy.

[Arky Vaughan]

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You know what's sad?  We give WAY too much credit to Richard Justice in here.  I think the only people who read him are folks in here who are looking for something easy to make fun of.

Not necessarily. Read the comments on his blog. It appears that many of the people who read him -- or at least the ones who are passionate enough about reading him to post comments -- are spoiled brats who throw temper tantrums when their favorite sports teams don't execute the moves they'd make if only someone would put them in charge. All morning was spent in a collective hissy fit that the Astros would dare mention Oswalt in the same paragraph as the word "trade" -- with nary a scintilla of evidence that such a trade was actually ever on the table. But now that the deadline has come and gone, Purpura is an unfit loser because he apparently couldn't obtain some combination of talent for Lidge. I'm sure 610 and 790 are going double barrels right now over the same thing.

[Arky Vaughan]

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He's also touted on 610 as Houston's baseball expert and that's no. 3 in the Houston market for men ages 18-35 or whatever.

Men ages 18-35 who think like 8-year-olds, at least judging by the call-in crowd.

[JGrave]

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He's also touted on 610 as Houston's baseball expert and that's no. 3 in the Houston market for men ages 18-35 or whatever.

Men ages 18-35 who think like 8-year-olds, at least judging by the call-in crowd.

Granted but some of that 8 year old mentality is attributable to the quality of the sportswriting and the radio hosts/guests itself, no?

[pravata]

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You know what's sad?  We give WAY too much credit to Richard Justice in here.  I think the only people who read him are folks in here who are looking for something easy to make fun of.

I suggest he steer clear of Lidge,

Lidge heard the rumor that club owner Drayton McLane ordered general manager Tim Purpura to trade him, and the closer was leaning toward not believing the validity of that report.

"I don't really know if that's true or not," Lidge said. "I want to take it at face value. If there was a chance I might stay with the team and not be traded, why would the owner say that?"
The Link

Alyson Footer is high larious.

[Navin R Johnson]

 

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I'm sure Navin could send him a response and ask him politely if he intends to stand by the remark that Drayton McLane is *lying* when he says he never ordered the code red.
 

Well I sent him a response alright, it wasnt real polite though.

[Lefty]

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Alyson Footer is high larious.

[Ausmus] even volunteered to speak on behalf of Berkman's groin problems the other day. His extensive familiarity with that area of Berkman's game is actually kind of unsettling if you think about it.

[pravata]

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You know what's sad?  We give WAY too much credit to Richard Justice in here.  I think the only people who read him are folks in here who are looking for something easy to make fun of.

I suggest he steer clear of Lidge,

Lidge heard the rumor that club owner Drayton McLane ordered general manager Tim Purpura to trade him, and the closer was leaning toward not believing the validity of that report.

"I don't really know if that's true or not," Lidge said. "I want to take it at face value. If there was a chance I might stay with the team and not be traded, why would the owner say that?"
The Link

Alyson Footer is high larious.

These guys just can't help being funny,

Jose De JO published in the paper's front page "Astros roster intact as trade deadline passes"

McLane said of the struggling Lidge. .... ?We?re not down on him or trying to trade him. That?s totally irresponsible (to order Purpura to trade Lidge). I wouldn?t do that to Tim. I wouldn?t order to trade him. That would be very irresponsible. In 14 years I?ve owned the team I?ve never ordered a general manager to make a trade.?
The Link

JO in his blog earlier, "And yes, Mr. McLane would like Brad Lidge traded ASAP."
The Link

Justice blogs just now, "Did Drayton McLane order him traded? I was told he had. McLane has flated denied this."
The Link

[Lefty]

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Justice blogs just now, "Did Drayton McLane order him traded? I was told he had. McLane has flated denied this."
The Link

Purp on the radio just called it the "most bothersome" of all the rumors floated around recently.

[MusicMan]

Justice at his finest:

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(If I were you, I'd believe me, but that's just me.)

Yes Pinwheel... it is just you.

[pravata]

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Justice blogs just now, "Did Drayton McLane order him traded? I was told he had. McLane has flated denied this."
The Link

Purp on the radio just called it the "most bothersome" of all the rumors floated around recently.

"Bothersome" musbe his radio word for bullshit.  It was bothersome, and it's going to get even more so.  Ortiz in his summary article wrote that teams heard the Astros were dumping Lidge and began calling Purpura.  Now Purpura not only has the calls he needs to make to work deals, but he also has these other calls about something that wasn't going to happen clogging up his, and his assistants' phones.  They didn't need that.

[ybbodeus]

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Justice blogs just now, "Did Drayton McLane order him traded? I was told he had. McLane has flated denied this."
The Link

Purp on the radio just called it the "most bothersome" of all the rumors floated around recently.

Did Purp indicate Oswalt was offered to B'more (edit) or merely discussed?  Hearing conflicting reports.

[Lefty]

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Did Purp indicate Oswalt was offered to B'more?

No, just reiterated that they were open to listening to offers for anybody on the team that they were able to trade.  Said that "Roy's the man" and that any offer for him would have to be of the "blown away" variety.

[No? in Austin]

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Justice blogs just now, "Did Drayton McLane order him traded? I was told he had. McLane has flated denied this."
The Link

Purp on the radio just called it the "most bothersome" of all the rumors floated around recently.

I think most of the front office is a bit stunned how this media has managed to be at their worse in one day.  Most of it (the "at it's worse") is being touted as a bit vicious for vicious sake.  Most of the rumors were prepetuated as truth and now it's a runaway set of stories (Oswalt and Lidge stories reported by *other* media outlets, even National ones) that cannot be grabbed back and put into pandora's box.

And all of it is untrue too, which is the worse part of it all.  All it takes is a call to the front office to check the validity of what is being reported.  And that did not happen.  Blogs are dangerous in the hands of amatuers.  Especially those who are irresponsible.

[pravata]

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Justice blogs just now, "Did Drayton McLane order him traded? I was told he had. McLane has flated denied this."
The Link

Purp on the radio just called it the "most bothersome" of all the rumors floated around recently.

I think most of the front office is a bit stunned how this media has managed to be at their worse in one day.  Most of it (the "at it's worse") is being touted as a bit vicious for vicious sake.  Most of the rumors were prepetuated as truth and now it's a runaway set of stories (Oswalt and Lidge) that cannot be grabbed back and put into pandora's box.

And all of it is untrue too, which is the worse part of it all.  All it takes is a call to the front office to check the validity of what is being reported.  And that did not happen.  Blogs are dangerous in the hands of amatuers.  Especially those who are irresponsible.

Charlie Pallilo (sp as if I care) was talking about how he was starting a blog tomorrow.  He said he didnt know what he was going to put in it or how he was going to use it. Everybody else has one, I suppose is the thought.  I guess all these guys with reporter jobs are jealous of us inbreds.

[No? in Austin]

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Charlie Pallilo (sp as if I care) was talking about how he was starting a blog tomorrow.  He said he didnt know what he was going to put in it or how he was going to use it. Everybody else has one, I suppose is the thought.  I guess all these guys with reporter jobs are jealous of us inbreds.

I once told a manager of a company I was doing some work for that his "thought bubble was being read by everyone in the conference room."  He laughed, but I was dead serious.  Some people put what they *think* out there for everyone to read or hear.  It can be in a memo or in a conversation, doesn't matter, it is out there.  I told him thought bubbles are for him exclusively and not for publication in any way shape or form.  That is why we have thought bubble filters.

Those who are blogging nowadays violate the thought bubble rule everyday it seems, mainly because they don't know what they're doing.  Your thoughts should always be your own unless you want to make an argument that you're on to something worthy of publication.  And then, do your research and make sure it's solid enough to stand up to scrutiny.  If not, then at least strong enough deniablity is built in.  But never just publish your thought bubbles.

Pinwheel is dangerous because he thinks a blog is different than a column and it's not.  In fact, he may just think it's as fun as writing a column because he has free reign to spout out his thought bubbles without regard.  Now it's all over ESPN as truth and he has to make appearances on the tube and radio to talk about it.

It's a blogger faux pax and it's kind of sad to see the uniformed of this particular media using it incorrectly as it were.

[ValpoCory]

Here's another SportsJustice classic

"Even if Pupura goes to Oswalt and insists he was never going to trade him, the damage is done. Guess what? I'm skeptical he would have traded Oswalt."

Who is the heck is "Pupura"?

[No? in Austin]

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Here's another SportsJustice classic

"Even if Pupura goes to Oswalt and insists he was never going to trade him, the damage is done. Guess what? I'm skeptical he would have traded Oswalt."

The report *WAS* that Purpura *traded* Oswalt/Ensberg/Everett and that *Baltimore* backed away from that.  How, if the rumor was such, is there room for Purpura to say he would've never done it?  The rumor is that "HE DID IT* and Baltimore saved him from himself!

Justice should go talk to his own rumor mongers to get his blogging straight, he sounds like the left hand who doesn't know the right hand JDJO said differently.

[don_mynack]

Q: Who would win in a sissy slap fight between JJDO and the Pinwheel?

A) JJDO
B) The Pinwheel
C) The Rest of Us

[No? in Austin]

 

[Craig]

Quote:
Q: Who would win in a sissy slap fight between JJDO and the Pinwheel?

A) JJDO
B) The Pinwheel
C) The Rest of Us

Pinwheel would win, because he would tag out and bring in Polly Prissy Pants.

[ybbodeus]

How DOES the office handle this in the most direct and effective manner?  I presume that they can't simply chalk it up to unplugged Pinwheel and Jesus (the Jesus who writes for the paper, not the one HH wants to see bald-headed).

If the intensity of Ausmus' dislike for the Pinwheel is as strong as is indicated here, surely the Ivy Leaguer can see through it all, as can the veterans who've been around the block a time or twelve.  I take it the players trust Bradley's judgement about such issues as much as, if not more than, anyone else's on the team, even "the cornerstones'" and Roger's and Lancelot's.

We keep hearing the damage is done, but if it's Pinwheel Des Artistes firing the weapon, won't the innocent (the dumbies who read them to get their sports "news") be the only ones who get hurt?

[No? in Austin]

Lidge is already on record as being somewhat dubious of Pinwheel's accuracy.  It's on Astros.com for all to see.  However Oswalt is another thing altogether.  He's upset.  Verry upset and he said some things to Alyson Footer that will be hard to iron out without a face to face meeting with Purpura.

And the genesis of that little spark of disdain on Sparky's part is in direct response to JDJO's reporting of Purpura actually making the offer of Oswalt/Ensberg/Everett and having the Birds reject it.  It is not benign, it is truly a huge misinterpetation of what really happened.  A gross mischaracterization of the truth in what was more than likely not even a serious conversation at all (from all accounts).  Again, Alyson Footer goes far enough in her Oswalt report to say so, the Astros never offered Oswalt up for a trade with Orioles and talks were never serious.  How could JDJO be so wrong and stir up the juices in Sparky like that, especailly whilest filling him with promises of good tiding in Metlandia?  Who knows, but he did.

I don't think the Astros veterans can figure out just how JDJO manage to do this, other than to judge him a twerp similar to the Jimmy D story retold by Craig the Bastard.  It is all one needs to know to realize how this go to this point.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

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Lidge is already on record as being somewhat dubious of Pinwheel's accuracy.  It's on Astros.com for all to see.  However Oswalt is another thing altogether.  He's upset.  Verry upset and he said some things to Alyson Footer that will be hard to iron out without a face to face meeting with Purpura.

And the genesis of that little spark of disdain on Sparky's part is in direct response to JDJO's reporting of Purpura actually making the offer of Oswalt/Ensberg/Everett and having the Birds reject it.  It is not benign, it is truly a huge misinterpetation of what really happened.  A gross mischaracterization of the truth in what was more than likely not even a serious conversation at all (from all accounts).  Again, Alyson Footer goes far enough in her Oswalt report to say so, the Astros never offered Oswalt up for a trade with Orioles and talks were never serious.  How could JDJO be so wrong and stir up the juices in Sparky like that, especailly whilest filling him with promises of good tiding in Metlandia?  Who knows, but he did.

I don't think the Astros veterans can figure out just how JDJO manage to do this, other than to judge him a twerp similar to the Jimmy D story retold by Craig the Bastard.  It is all one needs to know to realize how this go to this point.

Might it be, just possibly, that JDJO doesn't like Houston?  Maybe he doesn't like working for a third rate newspaper like the Chronicle?  Or maybe he doesn't like actually be treated as he deserves, instead claiming racism?  Whatever it is, he strikes me as a man who is frustrated with his position, not much unlike Justice, who's so driven to be "recognized" that he's sold his sould and now makes his living using his one true talent in life, being the pain in someone else's ass.

[chuck]

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Lidge is already on record as being somewhat dubious of Pinwheel's accuracy.  It's on Astros.com for all to see.  However Oswalt is another thing altogether.  He's upset.  Verry upset and he said some things to Alyson Footer that will be hard to iron out without a face to face meeting with Purpura.

If I were Drayton I would do two things tomorrow. First, I would go to San Diego and sit down with Roy (and, preferably, his agent, too). I would tell him what happened, and I would tell him that I am serious about signing him at the end of the year and that we'll talk about it then.

Second, I'd call the Chronicle and tell them that I pull all my advertising until further notice.

I'm usually not one for big business bullying the media, but the paper does a disservice to people trying to follow the team. And it's impossible for me to think of the Chronicle as "the media" in anything other than a very parochial sense, anyway.

[cc]

The Chronicle Sports section is nothing more than a blog portal.  The columns, as infrequent as they are, always appear further down the online page, which equates to below-the-fold placement.  They don't even pretend to purport to journalism anymore.

[astro pete]

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Second, I'd call the Chronicle and tell them that I pull all my advertising until further notice.

Probably not the best idea.  Antagonizing the only paper in town isn't the best PR move.  Also, surely the Chronicle gives Drayton more money than he gives it.

[BudGirl]

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Might it be, just possibly, that JDJO doesn't like Houston?  Maybe he doesn't like working for a third rate newspaper like the Chronicle?  Or maybe he doesn't like actually be treated as he deserves, instead claiming racism?  Whatever it is, he strikes me as a man who is frustrated with his position, not much unlike Justice, who's so driven to be "recognized" that he's sold his sould and now makes his living using his one true talent in life, being the pain in someone else's ass.

Then get the hell out.  No one is making him stay here.  He is part of the reason the Chronicle is a fourth rate paper.

[BudGirl]

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Lidge is already on record as being somewhat dubious of Pinwheel's accuracy.  It's on Astros.com for all to see.  However Oswalt is another thing altogether.  He's upset.  Verry upset and he said some things to Alyson Footer that will be hard to iron out without a face to face meeting with Purpura.

If I were Drayton I would do two things tomorrow. First, I would go to San Diego and sit down with Roy (and, preferably, his agent, too). I would tell him what happened, and I would tell him that I am serious about signing him at the end of the year and that we'll talk about it then.

Second, I'd call the Chronicle and tell them that I pull all my advertising until further notice.

I'm usually not one for big business bullying the media, but the paper does a disservice to people trying to follow the team. And it's impossible for me to think of the Chronicle as "the media" in anything other than a very parochial sense, anyway.

It's not just ad revenue the Astros have.  I am pretty sure the Chron does the printing of programs, media guides, etc.  Find someone else to print it.

[Andyzipp]

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Second, I'd call the Chronicle and tell them that I pull all my advertising until further notice.

Probably not the best idea.  Antagonizing the only paper in town isn't the best PR move.  Also, surely the Chronicle gives Drayton more money than he gives it.

There's a history of this in Houston (the antagonizing the paper bit).  There's a reason Dale Robertson doesn't cover the Rockets any more, and I'm struggling to remember the baseball beat writer who was banned from the clubhouse, but it's happened before.

[Andyzipp]

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Lidge is already on record as being somewhat dubious of Pinwheel's accuracy.  It's on Astros.com for all to see.  However Oswalt is another thing altogether.  He's upset.  Verry upset and he said some things to Alyson Footer that will be hard to iron out without a face to face meeting with Purpura.

If I were Drayton I would do two things tomorrow. First, I would go to San Diego and sit down with Roy (and, preferably, his agent, too). I would tell him what happened, and I would tell him that I am serious about signing him at the end of the year and that we'll talk about it then.

Second, I'd call the Chronicle and tell them that I pull all my advertising until further notice.

I'm usually not one for big business bullying the media, but the paper does a disservice to people trying to follow the team. And it's impossible for me to think of the Chronicle as "the media" in anything other than a very parochial sense, anyway.

It's not just ad revenue the Astros have.  I am pretty sure the Chron does the printing of programs, media guides, etc.  Find someone else to print it.

Programs are printed by MLB, pretty sure Media Guides are as well.

[astro pete]

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There's a history of this in Houston (the antagonizing the paper bit).  There's a reason Dale Robertson doesn't cover the Rockets any more, and I'm struggling to remember the baseball beat writer who was banned from the clubhouse, but it's happened before.

What's the story with Robertson, by the way?  I met the guy back when he used to write non-tennis articles on the front page, and liked him.  This was c. 1999, after JPL and his infamous articles villifying McLane during the Camacho incident.  I asked him whether Lopez had some journalistic obligation to write some sort of apology afterwards.  Robertson said Lopez is a good guy, but that he would have "handled it much differently."

[Andyzipp]

From what I remember, the Rockets Front Office told the Chronicle that it would be best for their relationship as an advertiser in the paper if Robertson was no longer covering them.

He was overly critical of someone he shouldn't be...

Of course, Robertson was the same guy that Dan Pastorini physically threw out of a press conference years ago...i imagine that Robertson has mellowed a bit.

[strosrays]

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You know what's sad?  We give WAY too much credit to Richard Justice in here.  I think the only people who read him are folks in here who are looking for something easy to make fun of.

Like we do Barzilla.  I tend to think of ass-zilla and Pinwheel as two parts of a whole, anyway.  Except the former is a 'published author', of course.

[No? in Austin]

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Second, I'd call the Chronicle and tell them that I pull all my advertising until further notice.

Probably not the best idea.  Antagonizing the only paper in town isn't the best PR move.  Also, surely the Chronicle gives Drayton more money than he gives it.

There's a history of this in Houston (the antagonizing the paper bit).  There's a reason Dale Robertson doesn't cover the Rockets any more, and I'm struggling to remember the baseball beat writer who was banned from the clubhouse, but it's happened before.

I don't remember either, maybe it was Duarte?  Any way, I do remember one story about Berman at Fox26 a while back.  Seems the Astros players were just a bit miffed at Berman constantly coming into the clubhouse and having his cell phone always go off.  Berman couldn't have a 10 second conversation with anyone before he cell went off and he would interupt his conversation and answer.

So several of the Astros players waited for him one day and tied him to an office chair and then taped the cell phone to his ear and rolled his arse right out of the clubhouse.  Other media guys just passed Berkman up in the hall bemused that the players had done that to him.  The scheme, as told to me, was hatched by Ausmus and Bagwell.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

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He was overly critical of someone he shouldn't be...

Of course, Robertson was the same guy that Dan Pastorini physically threw out of a press conference years ago...i imagine that Robertson has mellowed a bit.

Too bad Conners and McEnroe are long retired, there's no one left in tennis to kick his ass... well maybe that manly lady from France, or a healthy Serena Williams.

[strosrays]

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I once told a manager of a company I was doing some work for that his "thought bubble was being read by everyone in the conference room."  He laughed, but I was dead serious.  Some people put what they *think* out there for everyone to read or hear.  It can be in a memo or in a conversation, doesn't matter, it is out there.  I told him thought bubbles are for him exclusively and not for publication in any way shape or form.  That is why we have thought bubble filters.

Those who are blogging nowadays violate the thought bubble rule everyday it seems, mainly because they don't know what they're doing.  Your thoughts should always be your own unless you want to make an argument that you're on to something worthy of publication.  And then, do your research and make sure it's solid enough to stand up to scrutiny.  If not, then at least strong enough deniablity is built in.  But never just publish your thought bubbles.

Word.

In my day-to-day observations, two things stand out as wisdom from the ages that somehow is being lost or not passed along.  One his how to square off a fucking left turn when driving.  For every driver who properly pulls straight forward before turning sharply left at an intersection, there are fifteen or thirty water-heads, often jabbering on a cell phone in one hand and steering with the other, who cut sharply across your bow, then glare at you like you are some kind of asshole for pulling all the way up to the intersection before stopping, causing them to actually have to go around you.

The other thing being lost is how to be tacit.  Reticent.  Restrained, reserved, understated.  How to self-edit, and know when to shut the fuck up.  My maternal grandfather told me once, "If someone asks you how you are doing, you tell them 'Fine, and you?' and keep on going.  You sure as hell don't tell them how you are really doing."

I agree very much with everything you say about "thought bubbles."  If my grandpa were still around, he'd want to shake your hand and buy you a cold one.

[Andyzipp]

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Second, I'd call the Chronicle and tell them that I pull all my advertising until further notice.

Probably not the best idea.  Antagonizing the only paper in town isn't the best PR move.  Also, surely the Chronicle gives Drayton more money than he gives it.

There's a history of this in Houston (the antagonizing the paper bit).  There's a reason Dale Robertson doesn't cover the Rockets any more, and I'm struggling to remember the baseball beat writer who was banned from the clubhouse, but it's happened before.

I don't remember either, maybe it was Duarte?  Any way, I do remember one story about Berman at Fox26 a while back.  Seems the Astros players were just a bit miffed at Berman constantly coming into the clubhouse and having his cell phone always go off.  Berman couldn't have a 10 second conversation with anyone before he cell went off and he would interupt his conversation and answer.

So several of the Astros players waited for him one day and tied him to an office chair and then taped the cell phone to his ear and rolled his arse right out of the clubhouse.  Other media guys just passed Berkman up in the hall bemused that the players had done that to him.  The scheme, as told to me, was hatched by Ausmus and Bagwell.

If it wasn't Duarte, it was the guy before Duarte, but it was very obvious because all of a sudden Carlton Thompson was the beat writer like over the span of a weekend.

[davek]

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The other thing being lost is how to be tacit.  Reticent.  Restrained, reserved, understated.  

That's why JimR is my hero...

[Alkie]

Funny, it's why you are mine.

[davek]

Nice try Chimay boy...

I still owe you for that one...

[Alkie]

Man, if there was ever a case for "get the fuck over it," I think this might be it.

YES, DAVE, YOU HAVE NO TASTE.  We know.

Perhaps you should have a Pearl Lite and forget the whole thing ever happened.  It will ease the pain.

[Nate in IA]

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Word.

In my day-to-day observations, two things stand out as wisdom from the ages that somehow is being lost or not passed along.  One his how to square off a fucking left turn when driving.  For every driver who properly pulls straight forward before turning sharply left at an intersection, there are fifteen or thirty water-heads, often jabbering on a cell phone in one hand and steering with the other, who cut sharply across your bow, then glare at you like you are some kind of asshole for pulling all the way up to the intersection before stopping, causing them to actually have to go around you.

One of my favorite things to do is properly square off a left turn from the inside lane of a two-lane turn.  The people "fortunate" enough to be in the outside lane invariably react wildly when they figure out I'm not going to cut the corner like they want to.  They hit their brakes or swerve quickly to the outside.  To their credit, a few figure it out and go along but I do enjoy the idiots.

And amen on the lack of restraint in society today.

[Limey]

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One of my favorite things to do is properly square off a left turn from the inside lane of a two-lane turn.  The people "fortunate" enough to be in the outside lane invariably react wildly when they figure out I'm not going to cut the corner like they want to.  They hit their brakes or swerve quickly to the outside.  To their credit, a few figure it out and go along but I do enjoy the idiots.

Ahhh, a fellow road-pedant...

I am currently enjoying the intersection of the West Loop North feeder and Memorial.  Both lanes turn left, but the right lane is specifically marked for those going to North Post Oak while the left lane is for Memorial and u-turns back down the Loop.  Lots of people, accidentally or on purpose, come down the left lane and then try to cut into the right lane under the freeway to turn onto North Post Oak.  Not on my fucking watch, pal.

[Arky Vaughan]

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Ahhh, a fellow road-pedant...

I am currently enjoying the intersection of the West Loop North feeder and Memorial.  Both lanes turn left, but the right lane is specifically marked for those going to North Post Oak while the left lane is for Memorial and u-turns back down the Loop.  Lots of people, accidentally or on purpose, come down the left lane and then try to cut into the right lane under the freeway to turn onto North Post Oak.  Not on my fucking watch, pal.

This is one reason I'm still happy to be driving a 12-year-old, 6,000-pound beat up car that only gets 10 mpg rather than something newer and nicer. It enhances my road enforcement activities.

[austro]

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...descriptions of various poor driving decisions...

Hey, some of these idiots have moved to Austin.  Please take them back.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

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...descriptions of various poor driving decisions...

Hey, some of these idiots have moved to Austin.  Please take them back.

You mean decisions such as using the far right lane as a passing lane even though there is an feeder road entrance and exit?  I really like the refusal to allow anyone to enter the highway.  Seriously, they ride bumper to bumper in the right hand lane.  It's insane.  

I don't even comment on left hand turn lanes.  I just gauge on whether I actually can complete the turn before the outside/inside driver decides to change lanes mid-turn.  Screw proper turning technique.  I'm in constant defense mode.  I'll follow the line as best as possible but I will not guarantee a squared off turn.  In this state, the only thing more prevalent than licensed hand guns is uninsured drivers.  I may be in the right but that doesn't mean I won't be filing a claim, none the less.

[Limey]

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This is one reason I'm still happy to be driving a 12-year-old, 6,000-pound beat up car that only gets 10 mpg rather than something newer and nicer. It enhances my road enforcement activities.

I've often thought that it would be pretty cool to rent a good-sized car, buy the damage waiver, and then simply fail to take evasive action every time some numbnuts fucks with my right of way.  I'm not sure I'd get 1/2 a mile before my first "accident".