R.I.P. Kirby Puckett

[CardsFanInChiTown]

jimmmmmy jimmmmmy edmonds

 

how bad is it if i thought about how wrong that was, then abruptly lol'd anyway?

 

Considering I even laughed - not very. :wink:

[soccer10k]

After my parents divorce my dad moved to Minnesota. According to him Kirby Puckett is an icon in the Twin Cities like Ernie Banks is here in Chicago.

 

That's exactly what he was. Both of my parents grew up in Minnesota (all my relatives still live there) and they were Twins fans and Kirby Puckett is an icon in Minnesota. It was devastating for the franchise when he was forced to retire with glaucoma. It's unfortunate that his career ended so abruptly. Say what you will about his personal problems or how he let himself go after retiring, but the man was one of the best baseball players of all time and went out and played his butt off day in and day out. He will never be forgotten.

 

RIP Kirby Puckett

[NCCubFan]

OK, let's cut out the insults. Nobody is obligated to feel sorry for somebody who dies if you don't like what he did in life. However, that's a reason to not say anything, not a reason to disrespect the dead person. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything.

[seattlecub]

i agree with wolf on most aspects of this thread, although i wouldn't have posted on this thread to bring up ill of the dead. athletes are not heroes1, and "playing the game" is nothing particularly special. that said, perhaps he had his own demons. we all have troubles, despite what i might think of stuff, we all have different situations.

 

1. don't even start me on the lingo equating athletes with people in a warzone. (e.g., fallen (euphemism in its own right), warrior, battle, etc.)

[rocket]

Well, when OJ Simpson dies, no one's going to just focus on him being one of the top 5 running backs of all time.

[Elrhino]

Well, when OJ Simpson dies, no one's going to just focus on him being one of the top 5 running backs of all time.

 

Is Mickey Mantle known as the guy who drank til his liver blew up? Or is it perhaps possible that he meant more to some people than just another alcoholic and womanizer jock?

[rocket]

So we're comparing alcoholism to sexual assault and battery?

[Elrhino]

So we're comparing alcoholism to sexual assault and battery?

 

You don't know much about Mantle.

[rocket]

So we're comparing alcoholism to sexual assault and battery?

 

You don't know much about Mantle.

 

Whatever the case is, people can remember him however they want. I'll personally remember Kirby as a very troubled human being who deceived everyone into thinking that he was a hell of a guy. A lot more will remember him as a great baseball player, and that's fine too.

[shnsajax]

Its pretty obvious what this thread is about. Both opinions are valid, but is there really any reason to state the ugly of the two. If you have nothing nice to say, is there really any need to say anything at all. What are you actually accomplishing?

 

Everyone here has already established their opinions, prior to his death. There is really no reason to say anything hateful to the man. Just let the other's remember him the way they want to.

[wekse]

Its pretty obvious what this thread is about. Both opinions are valid, but is there really any reason to state the ugly of the two. If you have nothing nice to say, is there really any need to say anything at all. What are you actually accomplishing?

 

Everyone here has already established their opinions, prior to his death. There is really no reason to say anything hateful to the man. Just let the other's remember him the way they want to.

 

here here, we, the people who disliked him as a human being should start our own thread!

[da bears]

jimmmmmy jimmmmmy edmonds

 

Insensitive or not, I got a good laugh out of this as well.

[soccer10k]

jimmmmmy jimmmmmy edmonds

 

Unless Jim Edmonds dies tomorrow, this is just a joke that shouldn't be taken seriously.

 

And yes I laughed.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

jimmmmmy jimmmmmy edmonds

 

Unless Jim Edmonds dies tomorrow, this is just a joke that shouldn't be taken seriously.

 

And yes I laughed.

 

And if he dies tomorrow, I'm singing "Roy, Rooooyyyy Oswalt" tomorrow.

[Knightlife_in_Lubbock]

Kirby was my favorite non-Cub of all time. He was one heck of a ballplayer.

 

 

People who live in glass houses...

[Diffusion]

People who live in glass houses...

 

...don't get much privacy?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

 

 

People who live in glass houses...

 

Shouldn't get naked.

[J.R.]

Cowherd is ripping him to shreds as we speak.

[RynoRules]

When I was young, Kirby was my favorite baseball player not named Ryno. I loved the fact that he was short and stocky, yet ran his a** off, hit like a fiend and ran into the hefty-bag Metrodome walls to get fly balls. His performance in the 91' Series is one I will never forget.

 

Its very difficult to resolve that adoration against the man he apparently was in private life. Its too bad that the fondness I have/had for him has been stained by later revelations.

Edited March 7, 2006 by RynoRules

[CaliforniaRaisin]

When I was young Kirby was favorite baseball player not named Ryno. I loved the fact that eh was short and stocky, yet ran his a** off, hit like a fiend and ran into the hefty-bag Metrodome walls to get fly balls. His performance in the 91' Series is one I will never forget.

 

Its very difficult to resolve that adoration against the man he apparently was in private life. Its too bad that the fondness I have/had for him has bee nstained by later revelations.

 

I agree completely, that's my opinion (though plug in Andre Dawson for Ryno and you have my exact case).

 

All the same, R.I.P.

[RynoRules]

When I was young Kirby was favorite baseball player not named Ryno. I loved the fact that eh was short and stocky, yet ran his a** off, hit like a fiend and ran into the hefty-bag Metrodome walls to get fly balls. His performance in the 91' Series is one I will never forget.

 

Its very difficult to resolve that adoration against the man he apparently was in private life. Its too bad that the fondness I have/had for him has bee nstained by later revelations.

 

I agree completely, that's my opinion (though plug in Andre Dawson for Ryno and you have my exact case).

 

All the same, R.I.P.

 

I forgot to add Hawk and Sutt. I loved them as much. I guess it would be accurate to say fave non-Cub (and by a wide margin).

[rocket]

Cowherd is ripping him to shreds as we speak.

 

ugh, i don't want the same opinion as colin cowherd. :(

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Unrelated to the Puckett discussion, but Cowherd is an idiot.

[goonys evil twin]

Its pretty obvious what this thread is about. Both opinions are valid, but is there really any reason to state the ugly of the two. If you have nothing nice to say, is there really any need to say anything at all. What are you actually accomplishing?

 

This isn't his funeral. What is wrong with pointing out his negatives? Personally I think it's a little odd how overboard ESPN has gone with the non-stop praise ("Everybody knew he was the greatest guy"). I think they might feel they underreported the stroke and are making up for it after the death.

[CubbieRich]

I'm pretty torn about hearing the whole truth about a ballplayer's personal life or having the media/team cover it up. It's a difficult answer, depending on which player you look up to and those you don't.

 

Kirby had a mistress for more than 16 years and was a little violent with women. Big Yak admitted repeatedly cheating on his first wife. Babe Ruth, Pete Rose and others were pretty wild and so were many other ballplayers. I guess the temptation has always been there.

 

Even Cal Ripken wasn't lilly white. During the terrible losing streak the Orioles had to begin one year, Jonathon Brandmeier(a Chicago DJ) called Ripken's hotel room in Minneapolis at 7AM. This was just after Ripken had gotten married. The phone rang in Ripken's room, a woman answered the phone and Johnny B. asked if Cal was there. She said he was in the shower. Johnny asked if this was Mrs. Ripken and the woman just coughed and hung up the phone. The Orioles did not allow wives to travel with the players. It was probably the maid, huh?

 

I think I want to know if a player is breaking the law or taking roids and all that. The rest is cloudy to me.