04/25/24
August 20, 2015
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Norris has quite a sweet stroke for a pitcher.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:33 AM on August 20, 2015
ESPN finally apologizes for the incorrect DeflateGate reporting. At 12:20am EDT.
posted by yerfatma at 12:24 PM on August 20, 2015
The ESPN apology has nothing to do with Deflategate.
It is for another scoop they ran before confirming the credibility of reports about the Patriots filming opponents pre-Superbowl workouts that ESPN aired earlier this week.
posted by cixelsyd at 12:37 PM on August 20, 2015
But I think that was in regard to the story about the Pats filming the Rams walkthrough before the SB way back when. Not about the bullshit 2 PSI shortfall in ball inflation levels pertaining to deflategate that ESPN rushed to the forefront with and then never retracted.
I am following the Berman hearing like a hawk. Among other things, I want to see ESPN honchos living out of a shipping container in Ft. Lee by the time all the suits are filed and the dust settles.
I don't know if Kraft can ever get his 1 mil and draft choices back. But simply firing Goodell would not be nearly enough payback at this point. I want ISIS to come get him.
posted by beaverboard at 12:40 PM on August 20, 2015
It is for another scoop they ran before confirming the credibility of reports about the Patriots filming opponents pre-Superbowl workouts that ESPN aired earlier this week.
Oh wow, that seems even worse. I'm sure they've learned their lesson though and will wind up on the right side of history. Just like their two legal mavens who've spent the last 6 months telling us Brady has no hope.
posted by yerfatma at 03:53 PM on August 20, 2015
Jets Coach on New QB Matt Flynn: He's the Only One Available'
Vote of confidence!
posted by Mr Bismarck at 04:09 PM on August 20, 2015
Denard Span learns something new.
posted by grum@work at 09:29 PM on August 20, 2015
Just like their two legal mavens who've spent the last 6 months telling us Brady has no hope.
From all that has been reported from Judge Berman's courtroom, it sounds as if the NFL is in trouble. The little voice in my head says there is something going on that is not being heard. My feeling is that the NFL has put itself into a position where it must have the full 4-game suspension in order to maintain some semblance of credibility. Brady might or might not accept a lesser suspension or no suspension and just a fine. If he has to admit guilt, there will be no such settlement. Meanwhile, Berman is trying to tell both sides in no uncertain terms that they won't get a settlement on those terms and they have to back off. Berman truly wants a negotiated settlement if one is possible. If he is forced to rule, it will be an all or nothing call -- 4 games or a complete vacation of the suspension. The last thing he wants is to have to make a judgement against either party and wind up having the case go to the Court of Appeals. If the case does go to a higher court, the possibility is there that Berman's ruling will be reversed, and no judge ever wants that to happen, right or wrong. Thus, I suspect that Brady isn't quite out of the woods yet. Even if Berman throws Roger Goodell out of his courtroom, there will be an appeal, and on and on we go. Consider it a welfare project with long-term employment for lawyers and sports writers.
posted by Howard_T at 10:45 PM on August 20, 2015
That Norris at-bat was insane; the stroke was so sweet, he looked like he was barely swinging, and it goes right over the dead-center wall. And first ever professional at-bat? That's remarkable.
The Denard Span one cracked me up; where did they get all that video of him asking people about it...? It's like when someone learns some amazing new fact on the front page of Reddit, and they keep telling people.
Eventually, ESPN is going to have to run a retraction; there is no doubt they were getting blatantly false info from the NFL front office- including the bullshit "2 pounds" number- that grossly colored the entire DeflateGate story. Ah, who am I kidding- they'll never apologize. Fuck 'em, I canceled my cable months ago, they aren't getting anything from me anymore.
posted by hincandenza at 11:16 PM on August 20, 2015
That Norris at-bat was insane; the stroke was so sweet, he looked like he was barely swinging, and it goes right over the dead-center wall. And first ever professional at-bat? That's remarkable.
He was sort of pulling away from the plate, but otherwise it reminded me of another Toronto sweet swinger...
posted by grum@work at 12:22 AM on August 21, 2015
This Daniel Norris sounds like an interesting cat. The link is to a discussion on the front page of Reddit right now; apparently he lives on $800/mo, and during spring training lived in a van behind a WalMart*. What is it with pitchers and their seemingly greater-than-normal penchant for quirky personalities?
* Then again, if you watch that video when he's showing off the machete he keeps in the van for protection... I'm not sure how I feel about another pitcher with a fondness for sharp weapons...
posted by hincandenza at 04:15 AM on August 21, 2015
Worked so well for Rod Beck.
posted by yerfatma at 08:11 AM on August 21, 2015
>What is it with pitchers and their seemingly greater-than-normal penchant for quirky personalities?
Especially the lefties.
posted by tron7 at 11:12 AM on August 21, 2015
In his first professional plate appearance (majors or minors), Detroit Tigers pitcher Daniel Norris hit a home run to dead center at Wrigley Field, becoming the first American League pitcher to EVER hit a home run in that ballpark.