I haven't got a problem. I've got fucking problems. Plural.

[Foghorn]

(1)  Worst team in baseball for the 3rd year in a row.  This may actually be the worst of the 3 teams.

(2)  The AL fucking sucks.  The DH fucking sucks.

(3)  MMPUS has the worst customer service I've ever seen.  When the park is half full there should not be long lines at the concession stands.  I want to give you $8 for some nachos.  Is it too much to ask for the chips not to be stale and the queso be hot?  Can I get a $5 hot dog that wasn't cooked the day before?  Can an usher actually provide decent directions?  Can the bathrooms be clean?

(4)  I have zero desire to watch an over-matched group of has been's, never were's, and aint never gonna be's.  Its like watching SD Jones take on King Kong Bundy.  Sure, Special Delivery will make a valiant effort, and perhaps get one or two good shots in.  But the match is ending with the big splash, and a three five count.  Not going to pay main event pricing for a squash match.

(5)  Can't even enjoy the game at home, since we don't have Comcast.

(6)  Crane better be making $50M or so this year, cause when we get good again I expect that sumbitch to support a $150M payroll and not bitch about it.  If we need to rent a player for 2 months, then let's do it.  If we gotta sign Yadier Molina to a high free agent contract because we can't develop a catcher, then do it.  Pinch your pennies now, I get it.  But you better have an open wallet in the future.

(7)  There arent cheap free agent pitchers we can get to build a decent bull pen?  Not saying we need to sign Papelbon or some shit like that, but damn.  This bull pen sucks.

Real hard to be an Astros fan right now.

[MusicMan]

Real hard to be an Astros fan right now.

It's supposed to be hard.  If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it.
The hard... is what makes it great.

[Foghorn]

It's supposed to be hard.  If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it.
The hard... is what makes it great.

Raising kids is hard.

Keeping a strong and loving marriage is hard.

Working 40 to 50 hours (or more) a week for a living is hard.

Being a fan of a baseball team should not be.

[chuck]

It's supposed to be hard.  If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it.
The hard... is what makes it great.

You've got to suffer a little because otherwise you miss the whole point to life.

[Ty in Tampa]

What time is first pitch tonight?

[Fredia]

past my bedtime for sure

[Ron Brand]

What time is first pitch tonight?

Fuck oh five or fuck thirty, I fucking forget.

[OregonStrosFan]

What time is first pitch tonight?

7:10 PDST.

[BudGirl]

7:10 PDST.

Have fun at the game.

[Limey]

7:10 PDST.

Post Dramatic STress?

[BudGirl]

(1)  Worst team in baseball for the 3rd year in a row.  This may actually be the worst of the 3 teams.

(2)  The AL fucking sucks.  The DH fucking sucks.

(3)  MMPUS has the worst customer service I've ever seen.  When the park is half full there should not be long lines at the concession stands.  I want to give you $8 for some nachos.  Is it too much to ask for the chips not to be stale and the queso be hot?  Can I get a $5 hot dog that wasn't cooked the day before?  Can an usher actually provide decent directions?  Can the bathrooms be clean?

(4)  I have zero desire to watch an over-matched group of has been's, never were's, and aint never gonna be's.  Its like watching SD Jones take on King Kong Bundy.  Sure, Special Delivery will make a valiant effort, and perhaps get one or two good shots in.  But the match is ending with the big splash, and a three five count.  Not going to pay main event pricing for a squash match.

(5)  Can't even enjoy the game at home, since we don't have Comcast.

(6)  Crane better be making $50M or so this year, cause when we get good again I expect that sumbitch to support a $150M payroll and not bitch about it.  If we need to rent a player for 2 months, then let's do it.  If we gotta sign Yadier Molina to a high free agent contract because we can't develop a catcher, then do it.  Pinch your pennies now, I get it.  But you better have an open wallet in the future.

(7)  There arent cheap free agent pitchers we can get to build a decent bull pen?  Not saying we need to sign Papelbon or some shit like that, but damn.  This bull pen sucks.

Real hard to be an Astros fan right now.

I agree with 1, 2, 3, and 6.  I have no idea what 4 is referencing.  I have Comcast, so I should probably host a watch party or something.  I hope 7 is something Luhnow has attempted and just had no luck.

I don't think it is hard to be an Astros fan, I think it is frustrating.  (Yes, I know there really isn't much difference.)

[OregonStrosFan]

Post Dramatic STress?

*gold clap*

[subnuclear]

A stranger made fun of me for wearing an Astros cap yesterday. I'm not sure how, but I somehow survived this indignity.

[Limey]

A stranger made fun of me for wearing an Astros cap yesterday. I'm not sure how, but I somehow survived this indignity.

Did he?

[subnuclear]

Did he?

He was a Mets fan, so sort of.

[Limey]

Fuck oh five or fuck thirty, I fucking forget.

How many people fit in the Venn between those who have Comcast and those who will stay up until fuck-ten...plus 3 hours...to watch these Astros play the Mariners?  A dozen?

Crane should've got his cable deal done before the horrendous numbers come in for these west coast trips.

[The Spleen]

7:10 PDST.

A typical Astros game starts at 7:10 PDST and ends with 10:10 PTSD...

[JackAstro]

...I have no idea what 4 is referencing...

This right here. The Astros are the plucky, optimistic fellow who initiates the action. The gentleman with the glandular disorder who crushes our upstart protagonist is every other team in the league.

[chuck]

This right here. The Astros are the plucky, optimistic fellow who initiates the action. The gentleman with the glandular disorder who crushes our upstart protagonist is every other team in the league.

And how does Hank Williams Jr fit in?

[flysig]

Being a lifelong Astros fan has been a rollercoaster of emotions to say the very least.
And taught me the value of drinking through things.

[austro]

This right here. The Astros are the plucky, optimistic fellow who initiates the action. The gentleman with the glandular disorder who crushes our upstart protagonist is every other team in the league.

Preceded by an Olay Regenerist commercial? I wonder what algorithm paired those two.

[strosrays]

Three possible responses:


1.) Fuck it. They don't play that many more post 9:00 p.m. starting games than they did in the NL Central, right? I think I heard that somewhere. 'Course, it doesn't matter. I can't watch it, anyway; even if I want to. And I don't think I do.

. . . .

2.) Fucking fuck me. Like a lot of poor people over the years, I have wondered from time to time how the hell it is rich guys like Crane ever got rich in the first place.  Then again ...

"If the smart guys are so fucking smart, how come they are always trying to figure out a way to trick the dumb guys, who already have their hands on the cheese?"  -- Dan Jenkins, I think

. . . .

3.) Fucking fuckity-fuck. I don't like philosophy, anyway.  I'm taking the clark's suggestion and going for another quart of Bud Light. Third one tonight, baby.

[drew corleone]

(3)  MMPUS has the worst customer service I've ever seen.  When the park is half full there should not be long lines at the concession stands.  I want to give you $8 for some nachos.  Is it too much to ask for the chips not to be stale and the queso be hot?  Can I get a $5 hot dog that wasn't cooked the day before?  Can an usher actually provide decent directions?  Can the bathrooms be clean?

On OD I went to get some over-priced nachos, because I'm a sucker for processed cheese, chili made of dog food, and enough jalapenos to give me an ulcer. The kid fixing the nachos looked late HS/early college, and on top of being slower than Carlos Lee legging out a grounder, he wasn't the friendliest chap.

When I got to the front he informed me that they were out of chili. I asked for extra cheese as a substitute. He said no. I asked why not? He said he couldn't; he'd lose his job. I told him that made no sense. He stood his ground. I asked to speak to a manager and he said there wasn't one close. After about two more minutes of arguing he sensed that I wasn't leaving without extra cheese or a manager and gave me a half-dollop more.

I got back to my set to find that the chips were stale and the cheese was lukewarm.

[Curly]

*gold clap*

People shouldn't discuss their personal health issues in a public forum, but I heard Milo say if you rub a little Blue Star on it, it should probably clear up for ya in about a week.

[Navin R Johnson]

I really never imagined that the Astros/Rockets wouldn't get picked up.  Despite CSN's claims to be "working around the clock" and Crane becoming directly involved, there doesn't appear to be an end in sight to this horseshit.  What an absolute clusterfuck. 

First Bud forces the team to move the AL, now the city or neighboring cities can't watch the fucking games without switching providers or breaking the law.  Just awesome.  Thanks Gerry.

[Navin R Johnson]

Mayor Parker weighs in...

http://blog.chron.com/sportsmedia/2013/04/parker-invites-directv-u-verse-and-suddenlink-officials-to-summit-meeting-on-csn-houston-carriage/

[jbm]

Does a mayor or city government have any leverage over carriers?  Is there any potential ordinance they could write which would provide them leverage?

If the answer is no to both questions, interjecting herself into the process has more downside than upside.  To consumers at least, maybe not to her. 

[Navin R Johnson]

What is the downside?

[jbm]

There is always a downside when a politician gets in the middle of things. 

If they really are zeroing in on a compromise, as the Astros' replied to my email, and she can't apply any leverage, it could easily just add a delay.  Or it could add a public spectacle element to the negotiation and piss off one or both of the parties. 

However, I doubt they really are making progress and this is just another attempt by CSN to apply public pressure to the carriers.

[NeilT]

However, I doubt they really are making progress and this is just another attempt by CSN to apply public pressure to the carriers.

I'm pretty confident that's it exactly.  I'm lost as to why that's a bad thing.  I'd like to watch baseball.

[jbm]

If they are not making progress and one side keeps acting desperate, I conclude the carriers have the leverage. By itself, I guess that means nothing, but coupled with Crane's apparent and stated desire to hold fast, it just looks bleak. Of course, I have no experience reading negotiations.

[roadrunner]

I'm pretty sure the ballpark nachos have sucked as long as baseball existed.  Of all the things to complain about, that would probably be the last on my list.

If anything, they need a better burger place in the stadium than Prince's.  That is one awful burger.

[GreatBagwellsBeard]

I'm pretty sure the ballpark nachos have sucked as long as baseball existed.  Of all the things to complain about, that would probably be the last on my list.

If anything, they need a better burger place in the stadium than Prince's.  That is one awful burger.

The Little Big's sliders are good, but only available in one place as far as I know.

[moriartp]

The Little Big's sliders are good, but only available in one place as far as I know.

Didn't even know they had 'em.

[roadrunner]

The Little Big's sliders are good, but only available in one place as far as I know.

The El Real tacos are pretty good for ballpark standards as well.  Do they still have those this year?

[MusicMan]

The El Real tacos are pretty good for ballpark standards as well.  Do they still have those this year?

Bryan Caswell knows his shit.

[Bench]

The El Real tacos are pretty good for ballpark standards as well.  Do they still have those this year?

Yeah.  Still the best deal in the ballpark.

The sliders are good but wildly expensive.

[JimR]

There is always a downside when a politician gets in the middle of things. 

If they really are zeroing in on a compromise, as the Astros' replied to my email, and she can't apply any leverage, it could easily just add a delay.  Or it could add a public spectacle element to the negotiation and piss off one or both of the parties. 

However, I doubt they really are making progress and this is just another attempt by CSN to apply public pressure to the carriers.

you know, reading your posts would make Pollyanna commit suicide. your attitude makes Mr. Happy appear to be a giddy cheerleader.
can you please STFU with the incessant negativity? find some other outlet for your bile.

[roadrunner]

you know, reading your posts would make Pollyanna commit suicide. your attitude makes Mr. Happy appear to be a giddy cheerleader.
can you please STFU with the incessant negativity? find some other outlet for your bile.

Hey, we agree on something.

[Gizzmonic]

There is always a downside when a politician gets in the middle of things. 

We shouldn't be letting cities sign franchise agreements with cable companies/telcos.  If we had any sense, we'd have one company maintaining the physical network (fiber) state or country-wide and open-access for ISPs that want to provide services on that network.  But that's a whole different discussion...

[NeilT]

We shouldn't be letting cities sign franchise agreements with cable companies/telcos.  If we had any sense, we'd have one company maintaining the physical network (fiber) state or country-wide and open-access for ISPs that want to provide services on that network.  But that's a whole different discussion...

Cities used to be able to sign franchise agreements.  The notion was that the city controlled the street rights of way that were necessary for cable stringing, and should get paid for the access.  The City didn't want just everyone and anyone stringing cable, so it would control who had access to the streets.

That was preempted by federal law, as I recall in the 80s.  Cities may still get some kind of franchise payments, but they don't have any control over who delivers service.

[Duke]

Does all this remind any one else of the Oilers?  Bud demanded that additional seats be added to the dome so they yanked the scoreboard out to make room.  Then the Oilers started to suck so they didn't sell out which meant the games weren't telivised in Houston.  People lost interest and cockbite Adams moved the team.

[subnuclear]

Does all this remind any one else of the Oilers?  Bud demanded that additional seats be added to the dome so they yanked the scoreboard out to make room.  Then the Oilers started to suck so they didn't sell out which meant the games weren't telivised in Houston.  People lost interest and cockbite Adams moved the team.

No, there were a lot of things going on then with Oilers. This is just fighting over the big pool of cable subscription money that live sports generate.

[Andyzipp]

Does all this remind any one else of the Oilers?  Bud demanded that additional seats be added to the dome so they yanked the scoreboard out to make room.  Then the Oilers started to suck so they didn't sell out which meant the games weren't telivised in Houston.  People lost interest and cockbite Adams moved the team.

This is some revisionist bullshit.  The Oilers played to 102% of capacity from 1989-1995.  The new seats were added in 1987.  The period from 1982-1986 was pretty bad, but the city always supported that damn team.  When they made the playoffs again in 1987, even with a total dick for a head coach, the city embraced them.

The Oilers moved because Bud Adams is a greedy ass, and tried to bluff his way into a new stadium. From someone pretty reliable, even up to the hour before he contractually obligated himself to Tennessee, he was expecting Houston to step in and give him what he wanted.

[Bench]

The Oilers moved because Bud Adams is a greedy ass, and tried to bluff his way into a new stadium. From someone pretty reliable, even up to the hour before he contractually obligated himself to Tennessee, he was expecting Houston to step in and give him what he wanted.

This exactly.