Absolutely right about mixing in more crafty guys in the pitching plan.
Teams are so stupid in how they pursue, draft and develop pitching it’s almost unfathomable. Of course arm talent is important, but there is no way the hit rate on these guys should be so low given how sophisticated scouting has become.
The pitchers union The Creeper likes to reference should get together and file a class action suit against the people who decided pitch counts are anything for adult pitchers to worry about because that has obviously not had a positive impact on arm health, but at least it has stunted the growth of nearly everyone!
Liked the encouragement to help others with what you've earned. As a former Steeler who became the EEOC Commissioner said, "... you make a living by what you earn, but you make a life by what you give.”
Seriously, thanks for reading. I'm flattered a guy with your writing talent would even glance at TML. Tell all your friends to join you. I'm a big fan, Peter.
Doc. In relation to LIV eating the PGA’s lunch then agreeing to foot the bill; what happens if both liberals and conservatives magically come together to cancel the LivPig over human rights issues? It’s not as far fetched as one would think. All it takes is one tweet, Kid Rock machine gunning some PGA Tour shirts on Instagram, and AOC saying golf tees are made of wood from a sequoia tree.
The fastball is not the strength of a good pitcher. It is only one of the pitches a good pitcher should command. As a fan I’d rather watch Bronson pitch a game than Hunter. Slider, curveball, two seam fastball, four seam fastball, cut fastball, change up, knuckleball, etc.
Both of my children went to and graduated from Ohio U. in Athens. I only mention that because, while they were living Athens, their mom and I got to see that southeastern part of the state quite often. Since Joey B. grew up there, there is simply no way, he didn’t see the poverty around the Athens area. The fact that he has taken an interest in the well being of the people in that area, as well as the Louisiana area speaks very well for him as a citizen. I don’t know Joe or his parents but I did get to know some of the people in the Athens area and there is a kind of decency to them, one that Joe and his family seem to exhibit in their lives. Good on Joe and his foundation for trying to DO GOOD.
And, yeah, I’m excited for the arrival of ELLY! Ya never know what impact these young athletes coming up will have on the Reds but I’m sure glad they are getting the opportunity. So far, this team has played beyond my expectations. I like their hustle and their “take no prisoners” attitude. This “could” be the start of something real exciting for we Reds fans. Let’s hope so.
Joe's dad is originally from Hampton, VA and was drafted by the GB Packers. After a year there he played for 3 CFL teams. Joe was born in Ames IA while his dad coached there and with also itinerent coaching stops in Lincoln NE and Fargo ND before taking the OU defensive coordinator job he recently retired from, when Joe was 1o. Joe and family may be 'from' Athens, but his family roots are not 'of' there
Great column! I spent my career years making money... I'm spending my retirement making a difference. And yes, Jackson Browne has some pretty awesome songs!
Joe Burrow hung out at a golf course for a day to raise money for the hungry. A very staid, Republican course on the East Side, no less. Wow! Let's throw him a parade. Meanwhile, places like The Free Store Food Bank do it 365 days of the year. Every year. Keep in mind the people working there make far less and get almost no notoriety for an often thankless task. Does that make them 365x more a saint than Joe?
Not saying Joe isn't honorable; he is a really good guy. But let's not overpraise him...yet. Was it all real or was some of it optics, too? He's dickering with the Bengal org to get paid $300 million, which, as someone today said already, would feed a whole lot of people. If he signs that new $300 million dollar contract and then funnels $275 million to charitable causes, leaving $25 million which is far more than most any individuals/family needs to survive, (and we are talking about a survival issue here-hunger), then we need to talk about his canonization. Until then, this article seems more like too much jock worshipping and not enough recognition for the real heroes in this city fighting hunger and poverty. They need recognition far more than Burrow. Joe is a good man, but this article goes way overboard. I think even he would agree.
I'm still waiting for the day when a big time jock takes a huge contract and donates/trust funds most of it back to charitable and other social interests, such as improving the community he grew up in. I expect to be waiting a really long time.
It's always wonderful to be cynical when someone goes above and beyond and appears to be genuinely glad to do it. Does it occur to you that the Freestore is free partly because someone is writing checks? Ask the folks in Athens Co. and Baton Rouge if they're cynical about Burrow. Jeez.
Don't get your dander up so easily. I wasn't being the least bit cynical. I fail to see how some suburban jock charity thing rates the kind of praise you gave it. Or else you have a very low standard for what "above and beyond" means for jocks. I think had you branched out and really dug in, wrote something about hunger issues here in Cincinnati, piggybacking on the theme, and told folks how to get involved, where to donate to, etc, that would have been a powerful move, and I would have praised you to the high heavens. Having high standards ain't cynicism. It's the opposite. And I did mention I think Joe is a good guy up to date. But one reservation: let's see what he becomes once he's uber, uber rich. "Be good" on a T shirt is nice. Being good 24-7 is a whole lot harder for each one of us. Actions always speak louder than words. PS You know I'm always gonna side with the guys getting dirty down in the trenches versus the rich boys in their seersuckers suits, as Pete Gil used to say. Privilege is overrated and often stunting.
You might be minimizing the (approaching) half of that $3oom Joe will be contributing back into the US treasury supporting the domestic tranquility and all that
You might be minimizing tax dodges, loopholes, and great tax accountants. I do see your point re domestic tranquility. People who are going hungry rarely remain tranquil.
I'm feeling pretty certain it's a lot more than you think.....a whole lot more. We have the illustrious Donny The ManChild Trump as Prime Example on how to be a billionaire and not pay taxes. And no, this is not a lead-up to the old SNL Steve Martin routine.
Trump is a horrific businessman, one of the single biggest money losers of all time ... that's how he 'accomplishes' that. I'm thinking that particular avenue won't be available to Joe. First step in the Trump method would be losing billions of dollars
Golf will be like the NFL before you know it. The game has changed a lot over the past few years and I don't think for the better. Led by Barstool and their peer group, "bro culture" is starting to take over golf. In my recent golf outings I have noticed a larger contingent of loud & poorly dressed males who seem more interested in how many beers they guzzle and their vapes. I feel like the golf course has turned into a more accepted drinking establishment for meathead dudes in their 20s & 30s when football isn't on. I also see this culture increasing at all tournaments (except for Doc's toonamint) - take a look at what is happening at the Waste Management. I realize I am coming off as a wet blanket with this OG rant, but golf was one of the last sports that had any decorum and its quickly fading. With the PGA agreeing to this merger they have clearly shown they don't care at all about legacy/tradition. Golf will be come Spring NFL here pretty soon - welcome to the jungle over the loudspeakers on number 1 seems fitting.
They should rename it the Wasted Mismanagement Tourney.
Nothing sez "I love golf" more than drunks littering a course with a bunch of beer and spraying it all over everyone in sight. Sigh! Maturity comes later and later for each ensuing generation of entitled American grown-up children in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Maybe the current group will finally reach adulthood when they turn 50.
How do you feel about fans no longer wearing ties and jackets to baseball games like days of yore? Tennis players wearing non-white clothes? Athletes with facial hair? The proliferation of tattoos? Times and standards change in all sports so there is nothing wrong with crowds changing on golf courses.
I have said it before, but will repeat it. I love the Waste Management Open. I would choose to attend it every time over the Memorial which bored me to tears the last time I was there.
I would gladly where a sports jacket to a baseball game. I love my country club because it requires white on the tennis courts. I shave every day of my life. Ink is okay I guess.
If I wore one, I would doff my hat to you to honor your old school ways.
For me, hard pass on the sports coat to any sporting event and shaving every day. Also, hard pass on ink for my family. My trust has an anti-tattoo clause in it where the children forfeit part of their inheritance if they get a tat before we die. Athletes can do what they want to their bodies.
Me too. I watch the Waste to see the wasted and to hopefully catch a certain fan wearing a Bearcat hat while twirling his shirt over his head and spilling an expensive Pinot on the people around him. 😉
Burrow just seems to get it. It's likely a combo of his parenting (they seem like good folks themselves), being raised in his formative teen years in southeastern Ohio, and life experiences at OSU/LSU, where he likely had teammates that came from backgrounds and upbringings not as stable as his own.
He obviously soaked it all in, realizes how blessed he is, and just wants to utilize his position in life now to at least "Do Good" in some area or areas. Kudos to him ... those efforts are being felt somewhere, by someone, for the better.
His Dad played pro football and was a college football coach before taking the Ohio U DC job in Athens (where he retired after 14 years) when Joe was ~1o years old. Multiple major college athletes in the family reflecting something the Bengals look for in players they acquire, namely this family familiarity with having played and coached the game. Joe grew up deeply rooted as an insider in particularly SEC college athletics (check out his wiki page for just how extensive this exposure has been). Joe also was all state Ohio as a point guard his senior year
I would agree that no one in America should be hungry, Doc. It’s perfect world thinking but in a country with the natural resources and know how we have, it should be doable. Having said that, it is a struggle for me not to hold the able bodied in our adult population accountable for making a contribution to the effort. Not talking about the elderly or children or disabled but just those who can and should be responsible. Free rides are a cancer depending on who gets them in my humble opinion.
As for the PGA Tour, to quote Gordon Gekko, “greed is good”. I would agree that watching the best play together is my primary desire as well, but it’s going to be hard to listen to these men and respect their character as much as I might have in the past. As John Prine was famous for saying, “you are who you are, and you ain’t who you ain’t.
Yah, I'm pretty turned off to pro golf this year. Haven't watched at all. The war over money and recognition, long with the battle of words between players on the divided tours, was a huge turn-off. The poison lingers for us average fans. The whole LIV thing was idiotic and selfish. I hope to see some of those guys struggle and fall apart when they come back.
Couple of problems with the notion that those who receive charity are able-bodied and irresponsible:
1) Most people who draw assistance are ashamed of it. They do work. But they work shit jobs for shit companies who pay shit wages and don't provide health care coverage.
2) In any society, there are going to be deadbeats. And, yes, they are a bit disgusting. But they have children. And if they aren't interested in or capable of providing the basics for those children, those of us who are more fortunate should be encouraged to do so without being considered gullible or soft. Joe B seems to get that.
As for Gordon Gekko and his silly quote about greed being good, he was a classic movie villain, based on the hardened scum of Wall Street - hardly one who was created to be revered or emulated.
People living in somewhere like rural southeast Ohio have a limited number of options in terms of jobs, well paying or otherwise. I know a lot of folks might suggest they “just move elsewhere” but we all know that takes money as well.
Couldn’t agree more with comment in 2) about the children of anyone who may fit the “deadbeat/grifter” mold. We should be better as a people than to simply abandon the children of those who won’t give their all to care for them. Why wouldn’t we want the next generations to have the chance to meet their potential? Or at least have the chance to do so.
How many years until the Saudi government establishes the Saudi University of America and pays kids 5x more NIL money than anyone else and their team, The Hijackers, starts winning national titles?
Coldstream was the club where I worked from 5th grade through college. I worked hundreds of events and charity outings over the years. Saw pics popping up on Twitter yesterday - from 10 tee, the practice green and 18 green - and got a rush of nostalgia. For the course, my fellow shop kids and caddies, our pros, the staff and our members. But also for the excitement that filled the place when big-time stars were on site. We all tried to be cool, but sometimes cool flew out the window. I hope that happened for those the kids working yesterday. That Burrow has that aura about him and creates those feelings all these years later is pretty special.
Grew up in Anderson and while not a golfer (nor the country club set) I spent a lot of time enjoying the pool. Also enjoyed too much time using the course as a short cut or refuge for the teen cigarette, warm beer or cheap booze break while short cutting to the occasional house party somewhere on the other side. Few friends I had that did caddy or frequent still speak fondly of the place though.
Whom I used to be was someone who cared about grammar, until one stopped writing for money. Thanks for the flattery. Love TML
Absolutely right about mixing in more crafty guys in the pitching plan.
Teams are so stupid in how they pursue, draft and develop pitching it’s almost unfathomable. Of course arm talent is important, but there is no way the hit rate on these guys should be so low given how sophisticated scouting has become.
The pitchers union The Creeper likes to reference should get together and file a class action suit against the people who decided pitch counts are anything for adult pitchers to worry about because that has obviously not had a positive impact on arm health, but at least it has stunted the growth of nearly everyone!
Thanks, Doc, for the J. Browne tune/lyrics. Suits my melancholia between a sky of Canadian forest smoke
and memories of chasing a dream 50 years ago in the Arizona desert.
NOTE TO WEBMASTERS:
Make it easier for OGs like me to edit our comments. Please.
Liked the encouragement to help others with what you've earned. As a former Steeler who became the EEOC Commissioner said, "... you make a living by what you earn, but you make a life by what you give.”
(No qualms re: Browne's alleged stuff w/ Hannah? Never knew who to believe).
Whom.
Whom to believe.
Seriously, thanks for reading. I'm flattered a guy with your writing talent would even glance at TML. Tell all your friends to join you. I'm a big fan, Peter.
Doc. In relation to LIV eating the PGA’s lunch then agreeing to foot the bill; what happens if both liberals and conservatives magically come together to cancel the LivPig over human rights issues? It’s not as far fetched as one would think. All it takes is one tweet, Kid Rock machine gunning some PGA Tour shirts on Instagram, and AOC saying golf tees are made of wood from a sequoia tree.
The fastball is not the strength of a good pitcher. It is only one of the pitches a good pitcher should command. As a fan I’d rather watch Bronson pitch a game than Hunter. Slider, curveball, two seam fastball, four seam fastball, cut fastball, change up, knuckleball, etc.
Both of my children went to and graduated from Ohio U. in Athens. I only mention that because, while they were living Athens, their mom and I got to see that southeastern part of the state quite often. Since Joey B. grew up there, there is simply no way, he didn’t see the poverty around the Athens area. The fact that he has taken an interest in the well being of the people in that area, as well as the Louisiana area speaks very well for him as a citizen. I don’t know Joe or his parents but I did get to know some of the people in the Athens area and there is a kind of decency to them, one that Joe and his family seem to exhibit in their lives. Good on Joe and his foundation for trying to DO GOOD.
And, yeah, I’m excited for the arrival of ELLY! Ya never know what impact these young athletes coming up will have on the Reds but I’m sure glad they are getting the opportunity. So far, this team has played beyond my expectations. I like their hustle and their “take no prisoners” attitude. This “could” be the start of something real exciting for we Reds fans. Let’s hope so.
Joe's dad is originally from Hampton, VA and was drafted by the GB Packers. After a year there he played for 3 CFL teams. Joe was born in Ames IA while his dad coached there and with also itinerent coaching stops in Lincoln NE and Fargo ND before taking the OU defensive coordinator job he recently retired from, when Joe was 1o. Joe and family may be 'from' Athens, but his family roots are not 'of' there
Great column! I spent my career years making money... I'm spending my retirement making a difference. And yes, Jackson Browne has some pretty awesome songs!
Joe Burrow hung out at a golf course for a day to raise money for the hungry. A very staid, Republican course on the East Side, no less. Wow! Let's throw him a parade. Meanwhile, places like The Free Store Food Bank do it 365 days of the year. Every year. Keep in mind the people working there make far less and get almost no notoriety for an often thankless task. Does that make them 365x more a saint than Joe?
Not saying Joe isn't honorable; he is a really good guy. But let's not overpraise him...yet. Was it all real or was some of it optics, too? He's dickering with the Bengal org to get paid $300 million, which, as someone today said already, would feed a whole lot of people. If he signs that new $300 million dollar contract and then funnels $275 million to charitable causes, leaving $25 million which is far more than most any individuals/family needs to survive, (and we are talking about a survival issue here-hunger), then we need to talk about his canonization. Until then, this article seems more like too much jock worshipping and not enough recognition for the real heroes in this city fighting hunger and poverty. They need recognition far more than Burrow. Joe is a good man, but this article goes way overboard. I think even he would agree.
I'm still waiting for the day when a big time jock takes a huge contract and donates/trust funds most of it back to charitable and other social interests, such as improving the community he grew up in. I expect to be waiting a really long time.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I thought us millennials and younger were the cynical ones.
It aint cynicism if it's true, it's just facts. Thangyewveddymooch.
Truth of the matter is debatable but it’s too late for debate.
Tomorrow's another day. Rain or shine.
It's always wonderful to be cynical when someone goes above and beyond and appears to be genuinely glad to do it. Does it occur to you that the Freestore is free partly because someone is writing checks? Ask the folks in Athens Co. and Baton Rouge if they're cynical about Burrow. Jeez.
Don't get your dander up so easily. I wasn't being the least bit cynical. I fail to see how some suburban jock charity thing rates the kind of praise you gave it. Or else you have a very low standard for what "above and beyond" means for jocks. I think had you branched out and really dug in, wrote something about hunger issues here in Cincinnati, piggybacking on the theme, and told folks how to get involved, where to donate to, etc, that would have been a powerful move, and I would have praised you to the high heavens. Having high standards ain't cynicism. It's the opposite. And I did mention I think Joe is a good guy up to date. But one reservation: let's see what he becomes once he's uber, uber rich. "Be good" on a T shirt is nice. Being good 24-7 is a whole lot harder for each one of us. Actions always speak louder than words. PS You know I'm always gonna side with the guys getting dirty down in the trenches versus the rich boys in their seersuckers suits, as Pete Gil used to say. Privilege is overrated and often stunting.
You might be minimizing the (approaching) half of that $3oom Joe will be contributing back into the US treasury supporting the domestic tranquility and all that
You might be minimizing tax dodges, loopholes, and great tax accountants. I do see your point re domestic tranquility. People who are going hungry rarely remain tranquil.
For a single in '23, anything over ~586k is in the 37% bracket ... there's only so much can be done
I'm feeling pretty certain it's a lot more than you think.....a whole lot more. We have the illustrious Donny The ManChild Trump as Prime Example on how to be a billionaire and not pay taxes. And no, this is not a lead-up to the old SNL Steve Martin routine.
Even their bonuses are paid on an employee basis, so taxes are taken out before they get the checks, Mr Certainty
https://smartasset.com/taxes/nfl-jock-taxes
Trump is a horrific businessman, one of the single biggest money losers of all time ... that's how he 'accomplishes' that. I'm thinking that particular avenue won't be available to Joe. First step in the Trump method would be losing billions of dollars
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/as-a-businessman-trump-was-the-biggest-loser-of-all
Golf will be like the NFL before you know it. The game has changed a lot over the past few years and I don't think for the better. Led by Barstool and their peer group, "bro culture" is starting to take over golf. In my recent golf outings I have noticed a larger contingent of loud & poorly dressed males who seem more interested in how many beers they guzzle and their vapes. I feel like the golf course has turned into a more accepted drinking establishment for meathead dudes in their 20s & 30s when football isn't on. I also see this culture increasing at all tournaments (except for Doc's toonamint) - take a look at what is happening at the Waste Management. I realize I am coming off as a wet blanket with this OG rant, but golf was one of the last sports that had any decorum and its quickly fading. With the PGA agreeing to this merger they have clearly shown they don't care at all about legacy/tradition. Golf will be come Spring NFL here pretty soon - welcome to the jungle over the loudspeakers on number 1 seems fitting.
They should rename it the Wasted Mismanagement Tourney.
Nothing sez "I love golf" more than drunks littering a course with a bunch of beer and spraying it all over everyone in sight. Sigh! Maturity comes later and later for each ensuing generation of entitled American grown-up children in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Maybe the current group will finally reach adulthood when they turn 50.
How do you feel about fans no longer wearing ties and jackets to baseball games like days of yore? Tennis players wearing non-white clothes? Athletes with facial hair? The proliferation of tattoos? Times and standards change in all sports so there is nothing wrong with crowds changing on golf courses.
I have said it before, but will repeat it. I love the Waste Management Open. I would choose to attend it every time over the Memorial which bored me to tears the last time I was there.
I would gladly where a sports jacket to a baseball game. I love my country club because it requires white on the tennis courts. I shave every day of my life. Ink is okay I guess.
If I wore one, I would doff my hat to you to honor your old school ways.
For me, hard pass on the sports coat to any sporting event and shaving every day. Also, hard pass on ink for my family. My trust has an anti-tattoo clause in it where the children forfeit part of their inheritance if they get a tat before we die. Athletes can do what they want to their bodies.
Respect the hard pass on ink for my family - I will be taking a page out of your playbook. I don't care about athletes.
I knew you'd chime in on this one. LOL.
Me too. I watch the Waste to see the wasted and to hopefully catch a certain fan wearing a Bearcat hat while twirling his shirt over his head and spilling an expensive Pinot on the people around him. 😉
Jackson Browne is my all time favorite musician. Sky Blue and Black brings tears to my eyes whenever I hear it. Brilliant! Thanks for reminding me.
Burrow just seems to get it. It's likely a combo of his parenting (they seem like good folks themselves), being raised in his formative teen years in southeastern Ohio, and life experiences at OSU/LSU, where he likely had teammates that came from backgrounds and upbringings not as stable as his own.
He obviously soaked it all in, realizes how blessed he is, and just wants to utilize his position in life now to at least "Do Good" in some area or areas. Kudos to him ... those efforts are being felt somewhere, by someone, for the better.
His Dad played pro football and was a college football coach before taking the Ohio U DC job in Athens (where he retired after 14 years) when Joe was ~1o years old. Multiple major college athletes in the family reflecting something the Bengals look for in players they acquire, namely this family familiarity with having played and coached the game. Joe grew up deeply rooted as an insider in particularly SEC college athletics (check out his wiki page for just how extensive this exposure has been). Joe also was all state Ohio as a point guard his senior year
I would agree that no one in America should be hungry, Doc. It’s perfect world thinking but in a country with the natural resources and know how we have, it should be doable. Having said that, it is a struggle for me not to hold the able bodied in our adult population accountable for making a contribution to the effort. Not talking about the elderly or children or disabled but just those who can and should be responsible. Free rides are a cancer depending on who gets them in my humble opinion.
As for the PGA Tour, to quote Gordon Gekko, “greed is good”. I would agree that watching the best play together is my primary desire as well, but it’s going to be hard to listen to these men and respect their character as much as I might have in the past. As John Prine was famous for saying, “you are who you are, and you ain’t who you ain’t.
Yah, I'm pretty turned off to pro golf this year. Haven't watched at all. The war over money and recognition, long with the battle of words between players on the divided tours, was a huge turn-off. The poison lingers for us average fans. The whole LIV thing was idiotic and selfish. I hope to see some of those guys struggle and fall apart when they come back.
Couple of problems with the notion that those who receive charity are able-bodied and irresponsible:
1) Most people who draw assistance are ashamed of it. They do work. But they work shit jobs for shit companies who pay shit wages and don't provide health care coverage.
2) In any society, there are going to be deadbeats. And, yes, they are a bit disgusting. But they have children. And if they aren't interested in or capable of providing the basics for those children, those of us who are more fortunate should be encouraged to do so without being considered gullible or soft. Joe B seems to get that.
As for Gordon Gekko and his silly quote about greed being good, he was a classic movie villain, based on the hardened scum of Wall Street - hardly one who was created to be revered or emulated.
Just to piggy back on point 1)
People living in somewhere like rural southeast Ohio have a limited number of options in terms of jobs, well paying or otherwise. I know a lot of folks might suggest they “just move elsewhere” but we all know that takes money as well.
Couldn’t agree more with comment in 2) about the children of anyone who may fit the “deadbeat/grifter” mold. We should be better as a people than to simply abandon the children of those who won’t give their all to care for them. Why wouldn’t we want the next generations to have the chance to meet their potential? Or at least have the chance to do so.
Bravo, Pat. Good points.
Over/Under: 7
How many years until the Saudi government establishes the Saudi University of America and pays kids 5x more NIL money than anyone else and their team, The Hijackers, starts winning national titles?
Coldstream was the club where I worked from 5th grade through college. I worked hundreds of events and charity outings over the years. Saw pics popping up on Twitter yesterday - from 10 tee, the practice green and 18 green - and got a rush of nostalgia. For the course, my fellow shop kids and caddies, our pros, the staff and our members. But also for the excitement that filled the place when big-time stars were on site. We all tried to be cool, but sometimes cool flew out the window. I hope that happened for those the kids working yesterday. That Burrow has that aura about him and creates those feelings all these years later is pretty special.
Grew up in Anderson and while not a golfer (nor the country club set) I spent a lot of time enjoying the pool. Also enjoyed too much time using the course as a short cut or refuge for the teen cigarette, warm beer or cheap booze break while short cutting to the occasional house party somewhere on the other side. Few friends I had that did caddy or frequent still speak fondly of the place though.
If those woods along the left side of 15 fairway could talk...