Yesterday Badger brought up an article as to who got voted the dumbest motherf*&$#$@ in the history of baseball. It was a very interesting topic and brought a lively discussion. I have no idea if there is a perceived difference between dumb and stupid, but for this exercise, I am considering that the authors meant stupid. The definition of dumb is …”temporarily unable or unwilling to speak”, and I seriously doubt that it was an inability to speak that the article was referring to.
I have no clear way of discerning who is stupid and who is not. Is it intelligence? Lack of an education? People letting addictions take over their lives? Anger and depression? I know a little about the last one; depression which was expressed in anger. Okay I know a lot about it. From everything I have read, Milton Bradley was not stupid, but very angry and undoubtedly depressed. What was the genesis of that anger? Steve Howe and Darryl Strawberry were addicts. Does that make them stupid? I am sure the drugs made them do stupid things like destroying their careers. John Rocker said some very stupid things and certainly made some bigoted statements. That in and of itself does not make him stupid. Pete Rose betting on baseball while being a manager, certainly qualifies as a stupid act. But is he stupid because he has a gambling addiction? Even if he does not acknowledge his addiction?
For nearly a quarter century I have been diagnosed with depression and have been on meds since that diagnosis. After years of therapy, I know the genesis of my depression and with the meds I am much better able to cope. I did some very stupid things before the diagnosis (and undoubtedly some after), but I certainly do not consider myself stupid. Others certainly may, but I will leave that for another discussion. Nothing I ever did was hurtful to anyone other than myself. Milton Bradley, Steve Howe, John Rocker, Manny Ramirez, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry said and did some very stupid things, but it is hard to know if they are stupid. Before we label people as stupid, we need to define the term, and understand the history of the individual.
My son was working his way through MiLB at the pinnacle of the PED era. He was asked by countless number of players (and others) to take PEDs. Nobody questioned his ability, but there were certainly questions as to how he looked in a uniform. It was argued that steroids would absolutely change his physique and get him to MLB where most thought he belonged. When he refused, it was certainly said in no uncertain terms by many as to how stupid he was for not taking the steroids. After he retired due to his final injury, he asked me if I thought he was stupid for not taking steroids. I told him it was the LEAST stupid thing he ever did by saying NO. Do I know MiLB players who took steroids to get to the Show? I will never tell. But there were certainly players who were not nearly as good as my son that got bigger and played better after winter “conditioning”. They did not get that big from exercise alone, and some stayed at MLB for some time, and got very wealthy.
When the topic first came up, one of the first players that came to mind for me was Yadier Alvarez. But then I reconsidered by asking; Is Yadi Alvarez stupid or does he lack motivation to succeed or does he have a fear of success? There is no denying his pure ability, so why did he seemingly throw it all away? I do not think it is being stupid. All teams have medical doctors on staff as well as physical therapists and physical trainers. But how many teams have psychological and behavioral therapists? Many players have the ability, but there is something blocking that ability. Quite often it is in the head, and a sports psychologist just might be able to get that player to get past his demons. We can surgically repair torn UCL’s, ACL’s, broken arms, broken hamate bones, etc. But for many it is the head that needs to be mended. Willie Calhoun will come to mind. His jaw will certainly heal, but will he be able to get back in the batters box the same as before? I hope he can, but it is going to take some time for him to step in and be comfortable.
How we respond to outside pressures will dictate how successful we are. Some face the challenges head on and are able to maneuver through the obstacle course of life. Baseball players are no different. They are physically talented but maybe not so well psychologically. There are many MiLB players with as much talent as those who have made it to the top. What obstructs their path? By not taking steroids, my son was called stupid for not doing so.
I believe in healing the mind as well as the body. Ron Artest credited psychological help for some of his success on the court, some commentators took that as evidence that he was crazy. But athletes don’t just consult sports psychologists when they’re having difficulties. Sport psychologists can also help athletes:
• Enhance performance. Various mental strategies, such as visualization, self-talk and relaxation techniques, can help athletes overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential.
• Cope with the pressures of competition. Sport psychologists can help athletes at all levels deal with pressure from parents, coaches or even their own expectations.
• Recover from injuries. After an injury, athletes may need help tolerating pain, adhering to their physical therapy regimens or adjusting to being sidelined.
Could a sports psychologist have helped Milton Bradley, Steve Howe, or Darryl Strawberry? First they have to want to be helped. There is no indication that any sought help. And even then there is no guarantee. Psychological help is not a sign of weakness but a recognition that the mind needs as much attention as do broken bones. But IMO, none of them were stupid. They just committed stupid acts.
As a disclaimer, I am in no way criticizing the authors of the article or any of the responses. I am not that stupid.
Good column, AC, excellent points. A person with a doctorate may have certain knowledge and skills, but so do plumbers and electricians. As to those who are lazy or lack work ethic, some get it, some don’t. Sometimes a coach or a teacher or another player will find a way to motivate them.
Being on a college board, I’ve always found that some students, for example, may not be ready for training or higher level course work when they are 18 or 19. They lack focus, confidence, maturity etc. What’s interesting is that two or three years later, a light goes on and they become motivated and driven to succeed. The work ethic changes and they pursue opportunity. Baseball players experience similar awakenings.
Then there are those who aren’t teachable, embrace negative influences and never really succeed.
In the case of some players, they embrace self destructive paths (drugs/alcohol). Yadier Alvarez is certainly an interesting case. Big time arm, but apparently lacks something and becomes one of those great potential types who never quite makes it on the field. I often wonder if giving a player with his background and situation $16 million might eliminate a certain hunger to succeed? Maybe he figures it out at some point, maybe he doesn’t. But that signing came at a time the Dodgers were throwing around a lot of money in the international market and not getting much for it. They’ve definitely changed their approach and are creating a quality pipeline into the system.
Andrew Toles comes to mind as someone who is struggling with something. I don’t know what, maybe anxiety. I would love to see him back in the majors, but even more importantly I hope he finds the help he needs just to have a good life.
Jeff,
Thank you for sharing that, It takes courage to share personal stories that some “dumb” people think reveal weakness. Hopefully, others who experience depression and the resultant anger can take your story to heart and find the solution.
Your son not only was smart but courageous and of high character. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Thanks for sharing your insights… and you don’t have to “out” the steroid puppies – we already know! 😉
On the last thread, DavidE posted this:
There was a pitcher, in the late 50s and the early 60s. He was a member of the Baltimore Orioles organization. He was a living legend, but he never made the major leagues. His nickname was “white lightening”, and his name was Steve Dalkowski.
He threw the ball well over 100 miles an hour. Now this of course is prior to the use of radar measurement for pitchers, but some experts believed he could hit 110 mph.
The problem was he was wild.
Wild to the point of leading the leagues of class D, C, B, and A in both strikeouts and walks. For instance, one year he K’d 262, walked 262, in 161 innings. Another year he pitched 61 innings, struck out 123, and walked 129. Thus he only won one game. He threw a one-hitter and lost 9-8. His wildness in that game included six wild pitches.
Earl Weaver was his minor league manager. One year he gave all his players an IQ test. Dalkowski tested below normal. So Weaver simplified his pitches and signs. He just had him throw his fastball and a slider. It worked, his control improved, as long as Weaver was around.
He was eventually cut by the Orioles, and was picked up by another team, I believe the Phillies. Later he was with the LA Angels of Chavez Ravine system.
Tim Robbins character in “Bull Durham” is based on Steve Dalkowski. He suffered from alcoholism. After his baseball career was over he lived in Bakersfield for awhile. I read once that he would hang out behind the fence at Sam Lynn Park and the coaches would bring him beers.
He suffered from dementia later and couldn’t recall his glory days.
I read the list of “stupidest” baseball players. I did not recognize any ballplayer as cognitively deficient, but as guys with issues. Besides having “issues”
Dalkowski definitely lacked “normal” intellect.
I’ve read about this man periodically, as far back as when the Angels played at Chavez Ravine (they did not call it Dodger Stadium). That was about the time I fell in love with everything baseball and everything Dodgers. The Angels were my AL go to.
I skimmed the Wikipedia page before I wrote this post, so I hope I got the stats right.
By the way, Welcome DavidE! Great info – Thanks!
Thank you Mark Timmons, but you’ve actually welcomed me before.
Thank you AC, for a very human article.
The movie “Fear strikes out” is about this subject in baseball.
I enjoyed reading both AC’s and DavidE’s article. Thank you so much. I can truly empathize the situations that these young men fall into whether self-inflicted or not. I have great admiration for your son, AC, for standing up for what he believed in and what he thought was right.
Excellent column AC
Much comes to mind, some of which I am not qualified to speak. Some I can. First, addiction is a sickness, and treatable. Secondly, as a former educator I was taught to believe every student can be reached on some level. I learned from experience that there were those I could not fully reach. I also learned it is true that there will be those who will be lost, but I would advise to never give up on a human. You never know what might work with someone.
After years of making questionable decisions, and paying for it, I’ve come to believe in karma, which is really nothing more than action reaction. My spiritual beliefs are eastern in origin, I believe in reincarnation so some karmas are from past lives. We come into these bodies pre-wired. I also believe in two basic behavioral philosophies, Cayce’s “define your principles and live them”, and Marcus Aurelius’ “if it’s not right, don’t do it, if it’s not the truth don’t say it”. Being human means these things are not easily done. The 5 passions, anger, lust, greed, attachment and ego are continually grinding on us, especially in our youth.
All that said, what to do with young athletes who continue to make poor decisions. Coaches must look to what has proven to be effective. As a former coach and mentor I know I don’t have all the skills necessary to successfully deal with the many imbalances you will encounter if you’re in the business long enough. If you’re lucky, just being part of a team will be enough for a young screw up. If you’re lucky you will have strong parents, and a talented staff of teachers, one of whom may be able to get through to your young troubled student. And you never know who that might be. Could be the music or calculus teachers. IF your lucky. If you’re not, AC is right about where you turn next – sports psychologist. This is a subject that would need its own column written by someone more knowledgeable than me.
So many things to consider when signing a young professional, not the least of which is a familiarity with cultural backgrounds. It’s just a guess but my gut tells me Friedman and his staff never read Roopnarine and Chadee’s “Caribbean Psychology- Indigenous Contributions to a Global Discipline”. If they had they might have known better than to give millions to kids from an impoverished island. If you’re going to do it, make sure this kid and whatever agent he might have, knows what’s expected of him. Know what to write and how to write it, then have all parties sign it. And have a team of Caribbean sports psychologist on staff. Don’t have them? Get them.
I’ve talked enough without saying much here about stupidity. You don’t have to have an IQ over 100 to hit a baseball. But, you need an IQ much higher than 100 to successfully run an organization the size of the Dodgers.
AC, thank for sharing! I’m sure these issues have touched us all directly or indirectly.
I hope MLB teams have a psychologist at every level of the majors and minors. These young guys are the exact age when mental illnesses usually start to set in and they’re away from home for the first time and under a lot of pressure.
My first two years in high school I got straight A’s. Then I took geometry and flunked. I got 6 A’s and 1 F. Does that mean I am “stupid”? Maybe, but I think my brain just isn’t wired to understand it. Doesn’t mean I’m a bad person or “dumb”.
Today we have a better understanding than ever of mental illness, disease, autism, anger, abuse, etc. Except for terrorists, nobody is a “bad” person or “stupid” and deserving of ostracism. The good Lord said to “Love one another, as I have loved you”. May we all live by that rule!
In addictions and certain other mental health conditions, many people observe that the afflicted person must take ownership of the problem and want help before he/she can be successfully treated. Unfortunately, the lack of desire for help is a part of the disease. For that reason, in some schools of therapy, the practitioner takes responsibility for healing rather than blaming the victim for the failure to get well.
AC excellent and thoughtful post!!! Thank you for sharing your heart on depression. I have first hand experience with depression as my wife has suffered with severe and extended bouts of depression during our entire 40 years of marriage. The impact on her life is, at times, overwhelming. It takes a real man to be willing to share his battles with depression, as depression is not as easily accepted a condition in society as a whole. I’m very glad you are obtaining some help. My wife is yet to find the genesis of her condition, and that search continues. daily.
Bravo to your son for staying true to himself by nothing bowing to the pressure of taking PEDS. My admiration for him, and you, increased exponentially this morning!!!
I’m a little hesitant to chime in on the subject of “dumb” athletes as my life is filled with stupid decisions that I made in my youth (and some as an adult), for which I’m still paying. I’m reminded however of a Muhammad Ali story about Leon Spinks, when he said: “I can’t believe that I lost to Leon Spinks! Leon Spinks is a stupid man. He’s so stupid, that they took away his driver’s license and he walked into a telephone pole!”
I am convinced that the major ingredient in depression is often brain chemistry. We can manage it, but at this point we can’t cure it. My father was hospitalized multiple times for depression. His mother suffered from severe expression. I have struggled with depression and anxiety. There seems to be a genetic strand there.
“Dumb” of course is a pejorative, used in all sorts of disparate contexts. In regard to baseball players, are we going to refer to IQ, or knowledge, or behavior, or what? We’ve all seen players and managers make what most would refer to as dumb decisions, on the basepaths, or with regard to strategy. Some of them are probably reasonably intelligent, but don’t have “game sense,” just like some bright people lack “card sense.” Gene Mauch was a very smart manager, but he is generally looked upon as having made wrong decisions at key points. But he was clearly more intelligent than many of the managers in any era, and maybe the decisions he is criticized for, were reasonable ones which just did not work out. Or maybe he tried to be smarter than he needed to be in those situations.
One thing that has long bothered me, is that while most people will generously admit that others are better in sports than they are, or better singers, or better looking, almost no one wants to admit that someone is smarter than they are. This is actually a problem, almost akin to someone walking into a baseball game and demanding to be allowed to bat, because they think they are as good as those on the team. But they don’t have that kind of ridiculous arrogance; what they do, is to insist that they understand history or economics or governance as well as, or better than anyone else, so that they can ignore them , or be comfortable that they are smarter about things than those who are experts in their field. . It is the triumph of the ignorant and unknowledgeable, and if that sounds elitist, fine. I’m certainly not saying that highly intelligent people cannot be wrong, or even selfish and evil. Intelligence does not equate to morality, though there is probably some correlation. But I certainly wish that high intelligence were considered more of an essential quality in the people we vote for.. Eventually, the country is dragged down to the level of people who don’t know very much, but will not admit that others might know more, or hate them for it.
Willie Mays once said about his batting strategy,, “I see the ball and I hit it.” He didn’t need to spend hours analyzing his swing or studying metrics, even though they of course were not used in those days. In baseball, intelligence is no substitute for physical gifts. Moe Berg may have been the brainiest baseball player ever, and that helped him carve out a respectable career as a catcher, but of course he couldn’t hit more than around .240. Others have had more gifts, but squandered them due to poor work ethic, failure to learn and improve. But in general, intelligence is not so important in the world of sports. I admire high intelligence, unless it is accompanied by cold and calculating sociopathy and cruelty. Some of the Nazis were intelligent but morally twisted and wholly evil people.
Maybe intelligence is more a matter of genetics, or early positive influences from parents. I do think that reading a lot of books, fiction and non-fiction, is very important, because it improves vocabulary, understanding of nuance and meaning; and most importantly of all, can provide more empathy for other people, a deeper understanding of the human condition. Show me someone who does not read books, and I will usually not have much respect for their ideas, because they were never examined or tested against conflicting viewpoints. Just various thoughts of mine, as we go without baseball, without the NCAA tournament, and with so much uncertainty in our world.
I’m more smarter and more stupider than some people.
Some of the smartest people are best suited for lonely research while others are best suited to lead and motivate people.
Some are better at winning battles and some are better at winning wars.
Sometimes great intelligence does not include common sense.
Sometimes intelligence leads to continuously sharpening saws without ever using the saw.
Sometimes Ready Fire Aim is more efficient than Ready Aim Fire.
I cannot see the season opening before June 1. It has been projected that this virus is going to need another eight weeks before infectious disease professionals believe that it can hopefully run its course. If season were to start before more is known, then why delay the season at all? I agree with the decision to delay the start because of the unknown. But it would seem illogical to start before professionals were able to deduce that the threat was on the downturn.
Eight weeks takes us to mid-May and two weeks to ramp up with a freeway series before June 1. The season could be 108 games with two off days in June, four in July for the All Star Break, and two off days in August and September. The schedule would be 2 home and away 3-game series within the division, and 1 home and away 3-game series with the 10 intra-divisional teams within the respective leagues.
The pitchers are going to be most affected. Will they be able to go 5 innings their first two to three starts? Does MLB allow for an extra pitcher for the first two to four weeks to help with a healthy ramp up? Or do teams push their pitchers to a potential injury? Does the 28 man roster which was originally projected for September start earlier?
What does this do to service time? No one can assume that any rookies were certain to break camp with the clock beginning. A June 1 start guarantees no rookie will achieve 172 game service time, even with a September call up last year.
What happens to MiLB contract opt out clauses? Many MiLB contracts with former major leaguers have those opt out clauses so they can try to land with another team. Some clauses are at the start of the season while some are pushed back to June 1 (as was Brandon Morrow’s when he was with LAD).
Contrary to many beliefs, MLB salaries are unknown. Baseball contracts specifically state that the salaries are for the “Championship Season”. If there is no Championship Season, salaries are not earned. This is certainly uncharted. Teams are going to have a real problem paying 100% of the players salaries if there are no revenues being generated. And the MLBPA is not going to agree to no compensation. Apparently there are ongoing discussion with MLBPA to come to an agreement on this issue.
The same is true for the MiLB season. Again the player contract specifically states that the salary is for the Championship Season. MiLB players’ salaries are paid for by their MLB organizations. This is another potentially contentious issue. Below is an article from MLB TradeRumors on the subject of MiLB salaries.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/03/covid-19s-effect-on-minor-leaguers.html
I would hazard a guess that MLB owners could go a long way in garnering some favorable consideration if MLB salaries, service time, and roster size issues are resolved favorably to the Players Union. Do the financially healthier teams put together a fund to help those do not have the resources? What impact will the lost revenues have on next year’s FA contracts? Lots of questions in a new era of sports.
I hope they expand the rosters, at least in the beginning. I don’t see how pitchers are going to be properly stretched and forcing them to throw more innings than they are ready for will be a recipe for injuries. The bullpens would also be overused since starters won’t be able to pitch deep into games. The Dodgers depth should help them here.
I don’t know about sports but stupidity is not a handicap in politics!
It’s a prerequisite!
Politics?
Excellent article. Well written and you can tell it comes from the heart. I am far from as educated as most of you. I dropped out of high school in 1965 and joined the Army. I dropped out not because I was struggling in school, but because of an intolerable situation in the foster home in which I was living. I was about to be transferred to a Catholic home for boys in Downtown LA> I would have to change high school’s mid term of my senior year. My caseworker was supposed to take me back for my second visit, but she was busy and I was supposed to take a bus. I just never got on the bus. I walked to my aunt’s house in Torrance about 12 miles from where I was. I stayed there a couple of weeks, and a friend of hers knew the Army recruiter. So I joined up. Probably the smartest move I made in my life. It got me out of the foster system, allowed me to get some training in something I at least had a chance to make a living at after I got out. I got my GED, took some electronics courses and did fine. I was going to stay in the service, but the Army went all volunteer in 1974. And my particular MOS was getting guys who had no clue what a soldering gun was nor how to repair a broken wire. They were essentially chassis changers. So, I left in 1974. Through that entire time, I played sports, watched and read everything I could. The Dodgers had been my team since I was 6, and even more so when they moved to LA> Sports and music where what kept me sane. But I too had anger issues. My temper would flare all of a sudden. And sometimes it took very little to set me off. It took me years to learn to control it. In the Army, and for a while afterwards, I used alcohol to sooth the beast. Usually worked, I was more a happy drunk than aggressive. In the midst of my second marriage which was going down the tubes fast, I finally went to seek some help. Once I realized where the demons came from, it was a lot easier to keep them in check. I had always considered my self to be a pretty strong person. But I found out I could be pretty emotional at times. I also realized that being in a live in relationship was toxic to me. I have learned from my mistakes. I quit drinking completely in 1990. Never have been into drugs, so that was never a problem. I found I could never be angry on stage. Just no way you can sing a ballad and be mad. I am no Einstein, but I am also no dummy. I know there are those who analyze and read every stat, and that has never been my thing, I have watched the game and enjoyed that. If a player did not pass my eye test, well, so be it. Not always right of course, but it is not hard to tell a thoroughbred from a nag. I find peoples story’s and the things that they have had to endure amazing sometimes. And sometimes it makes me think what I went through was a piece of cake compared to them. It took me going to the VA and talking with the psychologist there to realize I was suffering from survivors guilt. I served 9 years and never got close to going to Nam. They just did not need HAWK mechanics there since they left Nam in 69. I lost more than a few friends over there, and I just guess I wanted to get in a shot or two for them. Badger, who was there, told me I should be glad I did not go, and he is probably right. But to me it was kind of a family thing since my dad and uncle both served during WWII and both saw plenty of combat. My uncle flew B-24’s out of India, and my dad, who was on the USS Nevada at Pearl Harbor, participated in many Navy operations. And yes, I have a very strong sense of patriotism. That being said. I am a much different person than that young man of so long ago. Grizzled one might say. I still have my music, and when this pandemic is over my baseball back. I have been touched by so many talented people in my life, and still am. Some of the musicians I work with here in our little town in Colorado are some of the best I have ever worked with, and there have been quite a few. Someone earlier mentioned the movie, ” Fear Strikes Out” . The story of Jimmy Piersall’s fight with mental illness. I saw Piersall play later in his career. The guy had some real talent, and his demon’s pretty much limited his career. One thing he did I though was illuminating. When he hit his 100th homer, he ran around the bases backwards. Takes a lot of gumption to do that in front of all those people.
Michael that is a really touching post, beautifully written.
AC – another great and more importantly, thought provoking piece.
As I’ve got older, I’ve realised that we all have our own demons. When you’re younger you don’t know how to control them, but age gives you wisdom and experience.
Thank you both for sharing – very good of you.
Bear,
Thank you for your service! I was part of the draft and in 1972 they got to #161… I was #164.
I lost a lot of friends to the war and later to other things like the bottle, drugs, and suicide.
My dad served in the South Pacific during WWI and did not talk about it much.
You are to be commended for overcoming so many things in your life.
Jimmy Buffett says “some of it’s magic and some of it’s tragic, but I’ve had a great life all the way.”
I hope you feel the same way!
Godspeed!
https://lasportshub.com/2020/03/13/los-angeles-dodgers-schedule-delay/
Bear, thank you for your service, for your honesty, for your willingness to share your personal trials and successes that you went through. Glad you have your music. Someone once said, “Life is a song, Love is the Music. I believe that as much as I believe in the Dodgers.
DBM – hope life is good.
I love music – in fact I’m off to a Rave in a minute.
Bobby – plenty of water lol
pound it my brother!! Tell everyone you love them!
Have fun Watford. Stay safe, stay hydrated. Right Mark?
Glug, glug, glug…
Bumgarner no longer a Giant but Puig might be.
Someone posted earlier about Alvarez maybe being afraid of success. Or maybe he just has never adjusted to the crowds. There have been a few baseball players who had issues with that. But years ago I was working with a band in SoCal and our band leader was a brilliant musician, and a very prolific song writer. He had the things necessary to be a huge hit, talent, looks and a great voice. The club we played in was packed every night. We had 7 members of the band, and 6 of us could sing. So our harmony’s were off of the charts. We opened for Tanya Tucker, and Dwight Yoakam, and were doing really well. We were a finalist in the Marlboro Talent contest at the Palomino in West Hollywood. We did a very good job, and despite being an audience favorite, another band won. Cool with me, I had been in enough talent shows to know that they are like the playoffs, a real crapshoot. Won my share and lost a few. But Johnny had some major meetings set up with a couple of major record labels. I mean they really wanted him. Instead, he blew them off, never went to the meetings. Gave some lame excuse. But it did not take long for me to figure out that he had a real fear of succeeding. And it was all about the pressure to consistently turn out high quality music. He just could not handle that. Eventually he quit where we were playing and returned to an old haunt, Orlando, Florida. He got a gig set up at a hotel down there and asked me to come down. So I took a leave of absence from my job and flew down there. We were about a week from opening, and rehearsing every day. The sound was tight, and I made friends with the guys. Then opening night, we were getting ready to get down for a final sound check. And about 5 that afternoon, the Orlando Police arrested our band leader for back child support, and there was no bail. So for 6 weeks we played without him, did really well and pulled in decent crowds. Myself, his girl friend Trish, and the bass player handled most of the vocals. But the hotel pulled the plug after 6 weeks because they hired him and his reputation. I went home to Calif and back to driving my truck. I still played when ever I got the chance. I lost contact with Johnny for a long time. A few years ago, I found him on Facebook. We have reconnected and he now lives in Texas. He lost his voice to throat cancer, but is still an excellent guitarist. He has been through a lot, and at least now, he has found a good woman and has outlets for his talents. But it always struck me weird that someone so good, could be so afraid.
I am pretty sure I would have been a rock star, except for two things:
1. Can’t play an instrument; and
2. Can’t sing a lick.
Other than that, I would have been great!
😉
Not everyone is as blessed as I……Somethings just cannot be taught. I got mine from my mother who had an excellent voice. I probably could have been a lot better had I had some formal music training. Hell, I cannot even read music. But I have a natural ear, and am never off key. I have been nervous on stage twice. Once at the Palomino before a talent contest, and that was probably because I went on first, and the second time was when I sang the Anthem at Dodger Stadium, and I had a minor panic attack when the intro was being played by Nancy Hefley because I thought she was starting in the wrong key. But when she hit that last note, I knew we were fine. By the way Mark, you certainly have the ego for being a rock star……
That may be my persona here, but people who really know me totally understand that is not true.
Like you, I am comfortable in my own skin.
I have strong opinions… BUT I hire people who are not afraid to disagree with me.
Some call it ego, I call it confidence and I am not afraid to admit when I am wrong… which is frequently.
I am a college dropout but have a good grasp of what makes sense and what doesn’t.
Like you, I am not afraid to fight a dozen guys. You have to admit that is you too…
Well said Mark. We all have some sort of ego. Impossible not to if you are really good at something. I was blessed with a really good and powerful singing voice. It just came natural. It did not get nurtured until I went to high school and was in the choir. One benefit of having that voice was I became less shy. As an only child, I spent a lot of time alone as a kid. My mom was an alcoholic, and would peddle me off to the movies on Friday and Saturday nights so she could go drink. I built so many plastic model kits I had no where to keep them all, so I would play war with my toy soldiers and occasionally blow up a Jap Zero with a firecracker. Best thing about choir at that age is there were 10 of us boys and maybe 35 girls in the choir. So I got less shy around girls pretty fast. The second year I was in choir, she moved me to what would be considered the Madrigal choir, in our case, we were the Mi-Co-Aires. Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach. There I graduated from just being a tenor, to singing some solo’s and having to be out front in front of crowds. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. That’s where we were when President Kennedy was killed. Practicing for a Thanksgiving concert we never performed. Perhaps my longest lasting friend was in that choir. I still keep in touch with her. She lives in North Carolina now. She and her sister were my 2 best friends. She wrote me the entire time I was in the Army until the day I got married. Lost touch for years. Went to a reunion in 97 that was the 40th anniversary of the schools opening. Found her name and address and phone number in the alumni book, and called her. Shocked her pretty good, and we have kept in touch ever since. Joe Moeller went to Mira Costa. One of our more famous graduates. When we were getting ready to play our schedule, Joe would come work out with us before he left for Vero. I gave him grief for giving up a homer in 64 to Duke when he was a Giant. Yes, confidence is a big part of who I am. I know what I am good at, and what needs work. I never want to do a song unless I know I have it down right. At my age I would rather walk away than fight, but if pushed, I am not backing down. The one thing that has never left is the patriotism. Something not seen like it was years ago. I believe in the constitution and the Bill of Rights. I stood at the display in the National Archives, and because it was raining and there was no one there in line, the guard let me read as long as no one was behind me. I read the entire Declaration of Independence. All the names of the signers, and it sent chills up my back. There was history, the basis for this country right there behind a think piece of glass. As well if not better protected than the President. That was 1968. I have never forgotten that. I never will. Even at my age, I would pick up my weapon and defend my country, my family, and our freedom if needed. I have seen too many boys not come home.
It is not a person’s intelligence that defines them but their integrity
While I can’t sing or make good music… I love it and my taste in music is eclectic!
Some great conversation here today and a lot of it not even baseball related but other stuff we can all identify with. Kudos Mark. It wouldn’t be happening if you didn’t “draw a good crowd” here.
I hope you folks will indulge me for a minute and give me some feedback on what’s going on wherever you live. I’m here in the San Fernando Valley and it looks like full panic has set in. My wife and I were about to head out for our weekly trip to the supermarket this morning but I decided to call a friend in the produce department to see if they were more crowded than usual. He told me that there were about a thousand people in the store and the checkout lines were snaked all around the store. This was at about 9:30 AM. My wife just spoke with her sister who happened to be at the market (she lives in Glendora) and she said there was absolutely nothing on the shelves.
Is this just happening in greater LA? What about other parts of the country?
Hope you’re all feeling OK. Batten down the hatches.
It is happening up here in El Dorado Hills. My wife just got back from Sams Club and Target and said that people are crazy. Costco was already basically empty with huge crowds. This AM Sams Club was all out of meat, most produce, and most other household needs. And Target is out of everything. What is happening seems to be people were panicking and hoarding and now others who were not previously panicking are beginning to panic that the original panicers are getting everything. The virus is real, the hysteria is unnecessary (IMO). I overheard my daughter say that she is going to have to become one of the hoarders or there will not be anything left. I refuse to panic, and told her to climb off the panic pony. We survived the Northridge earthquake when we were in a red-tagged home and without electricity and water for nearly a month. This too will pass.
I don’t know what the situation is with the schools up there AC, but they just officially closed all LA schools as of Friday. I think that hit people between the eyes and for the ones who weren’t all that concerned it made them sit up and take notice.
We were living about 4-5 miles from the epicenter of the Northridge quake and were incredibly fortunate to just suffer a few thousand dollars damage. Just the luck of the draw I guess. Difference between that and this situation is a few days after the quake you pretty much knew what the damage was. With the virus, no one has a clue how horrifically bad or relatively minor this will turn out to be. The unknown tends to freak people out.
This. The human brain needs certainty. I read somewhere that this might be comparable to the 1957 flu pandemic in severity. I don’t remember reading about it in any history book, and it didn’t cause a depression or recession.
When there is uncertainty, that’s what creates the anxiety, which fuels the irrational behavior.
Not as much mass media then Patch. Now people have the internet and access to news 24/7. It will pass, but one thing can be said, it is sure boosting the monthly sales of all of these stores..They usually only see nuttiness like this at Christmas.
Schools are closing here as well. My daughter is a teacher and my wife is an admissions director at a Catholic elementary school and both are affected.
I did not know the full impact of the Northridge earthquake for several months. We lost our house and the cost to rebuild was more than the earthquake insurance we had. We slept in a neighbor’s backyard for half of January and well into February as our little cul-de-sac was the last of the Valley to get back power and water. Our house was not rebuilt until August/September. Every time we saw our contractor there was something new discovered.
Wow, I’ve heard a number of stories with regard to the quake but haven’t heard anything like that one. Just one more reason that it’s good to get along with your neighbors. Sorry you had to go through that. As I said, we knew how incredibly lucky we were, considering how close we were to the epicenter.
Based on the statistics people need to let their rational side of their brains take charge over the emotional side. Translation: DON’T PANIC.
It’s a sad way to live, letting anxiety and fear rule a person.
The dumbest mistake I have made in the last few weeks, was trying to go to a supermarket on Friday, where I found that it was packed, one could not even get through the aisles without waiting for people to move past. I found virtually nothing, and seeing that the lines were about thirty minutes, just left without any purchases. I hope this alleviates, and that stores will continue to stock items.
Seeing the various public reactions, I am now thinking that there will be no baseball season. No football season. I do not know when the authorities will decide that it is safe enough to allow and invite large groups of people to collect together. I don’t think it is going to be any time soon. Israel and France are closing all restaurants. I have no real idea whether all this is warranted, but of course it would be foolish to ignore it.
I am wondering how long it will be until major cities close all the restaurants, all the schools, and when they will allow them to open again. If we had sufficient tests and facilities, more would be known and done, but we do not, and I will not speculate here as to why. It is a dark time, because it is uncertain, and because certain entities do not seem to have much interest in dealing with it. Like everyone else, i will have to make decisions about where to go or whom to see. Some of these decisions are being made for me when various sites and events are closed. I’m not saying it should be otherwise, but the next six to nine months of no sports, no movie openings, no theatre or concerts, maybe no restaurants, are going to be difficult, even if essential for the safety of the public. One of my favorite things to do on a weekend is to go to fruit markets, but some of them are being closed, and even worse than that, apparently some farmers may have to close their farms, because they cannot sell their products for one season, which could bankrupt them. The loss of California farming, at least on a non-big agra scale, would be really tragic. Not as tragic as many deaths, certainly, but a great loss to this state.
William, you say you have no real idea if the public reactions are warranted and then speculate that things will be closed for 6 to 9 months.
I have an idea that the public reaction isn’t warranted and in 6-9 weeks we will be back to normal sanity, if not sooner.
I hope you are right, but suspect you are very wrong. If you are right, though, it will be because the social distancing measures worked and thus were warranted. So I guess you are wrong even if you are right. Impressive.
I’m ok with being wrong as long as I’m not living in fear worrying about it.
As a child in the late 1940’s & early 1950’s I remember polio creating this type of fear.
I am a little north of Sacramento. The stores here are crazy too. My husband went shopping and only found 3 boxes of Kleenix in the paper goods aisle. No tp, napkins or paper towels. I think if they have not done this already, the stores need to limit how many items a person can buy at one time. I, myself, can only go out for dr apts and lab work as I am in the high risk group due to health problems. My son in southern Calif in the Bonita school district was told on Friday that my grandchildren’s elementary school would be closed for two weeks starting on Monday and he and his wife have jobs so we will see how that works out.
Hope for warm weather. The Corona virus is like most virus’s and have trouble dealing with the heat. While I believe May may be the earliest start date, I am thinking mid June is more likely, unless the country gets a handle on it early. We have had one confirmed death here in Colorado in Colorado Springs. An elderly lady. My approach is this, and it works for me. First off, I already had stocked up on TP. And living alone, I ain’t using that much. But my mental state is such that I do not fear things I have no control over. I do not go out in public that much anyway unless I am going to Dollar Tree or Wal-Mart. An occasional movie when there is something playing at our giant 3 screen cinema. I have well over 5000 DVD’s and Blu Ray’s to amuse me. Including a disc called Dodgers: The Championship Years narrated by Vinny. I use a ROKU and stream my TV shows rather than use cable. So I have tons of free stations to chose from. I love TCM and classic movies, so I downloaded that onto my Roku, and now I can watch what ever TCM has on without having to actually watch it live. Last night I enjoyed 2 really old baseball comedy’s starring Joe E. Brown. Alibi Ike, and Elmer the Great. Pretty funny stuff. Not to mention how many baseball movies I have on DVD and Blu Ray. I was really sick this last week and the first thing many thought was the virus. Turned out it was not that. I had a sinus infection, and a bladder infection, and the meds are beginning to work. Those in more highly populated area’s are at more risk it would seem. Hopefully we see a downturn in cases. And soon we can get back to being normal again…what ever that is.
Your dvd/blu ray collection is bigger than mine. I am impressed. I also live alone,. I just lost my awesome Jack Russel Terrier who stayed by my side for twelve years. School keeps me occupied. I renewed my MLB streaming yearly subscription with anticipation for a great Dodger season. I’m patient though. I would rather the season start too late than too early. Even if the season is only 50 games, the Dodgers are too good to lose it. Knock on wood.