This past Sunday something interesting happened in baseball. Rookie shortstop Troy Tulowitski made an "unassisted triple play" where he got all three outs in a single play. He caught a line drive (batter out), stepped on second base (runner on 2nd out), and then tagged the runner from first (3rd out) in quick succession. Kind of cool, and when you consider that only 13 of them have occurred in baseball's recorded history - a pretty rare thing too.
But here's where baseball media's head gets too big for it's britches again. An article written for mlb.com, a sports reporter is gushing about this play so much that frankly, I felt a little uncomfortable - like when you're sitting in your dorm room trying to finish a term paper and you can't help but hear your roommate making out with some freshman he picked up at an off-campus party. You know, that "Ew. Just...stop...please" sort of feeling?
Here's the worst quote from the article:
All right, I'll give you that it was pretty cool to see an unassisted triple play. But isn't it just pushing it a little bit to refer to it as a "heart-stopping moment of inescapable wonder"? I mean, my heart hasn't stopped, and my wonder was pretty fleeting. I mean, it didn't last nearly as long as when Randy Johnson hit that dove.
Now, *that* was a heart-stopping moment of inescapable wonder!
But here's where baseball media's head gets too big for it's britches again. An article written for mlb.com, a sports reporter is gushing about this play so much that frankly, I felt a little uncomfortable - like when you're sitting in your dorm room trying to finish a term paper and you can't help but hear your roommate making out with some freshman he picked up at an off-campus party. You know, that "Ew. Just...stop...please" sort of feeling?
Here's the worst quote from the article:
It was just the 13th unassisted triple play in Major League history, and all
those who witnessed it shared the heart-stopping moment of inescapable wonder
the play produced.
All right, I'll give you that it was pretty cool to see an unassisted triple play. But isn't it just pushing it a little bit to refer to it as a "heart-stopping moment of inescapable wonder"? I mean, my heart hasn't stopped, and my wonder was pretty fleeting. I mean, it didn't last nearly as long as when Randy Johnson hit that dove.
Now, *that* was a heart-stopping moment of inescapable wonder!
Comments
I suppose if you're die-hard baseball fan, the unassisted triple play was like witnessing the ivory-billed woodpecker in person for an ornithologist. Or if you're a sports-writer, it was a great opportunity for the worst metaphor and outrageous hyperbole of them all.
What if sports-writing dropped hyperbole and became more like scientific journal writing?
I have to admit, though, I get into sports a lot and experience a lot of heart-stoppage. Just curious, are you able to be more rational in your enjoyment of sports?
For your edification, another exploding animal.
Sure, there was the Twins in '87 and '91 - and I admit I got *really* excited when they won. But I didn't watch any of their other games other than the ALCS and World Series.
Even now when I go to Cubs games I just enjoy that game, and only get really excited when they win. When they lose, I just take it as a sign that the world has gone back to normal.
Of course, SS Tulowitski had no idea what happened either by the looks of it. I mean, he even through the ball to 1st base thinking he needed the out there!
I do think though, the Randy Johnson hitting the bird moment was way, way cooler.
And I'm assuming with your roommate comment, that must have been one from your junior year, because I don't recall bringing any freshman to the room (or going to an off-campus party for that matter). But who knows, especially when there was a little liquor in me.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9600151/