It's Maddoning

[jersey cubs fan]

Yeah, I mean, the guy who goes out of his way to create goofy photo ops throughout spring training and the regular season wishes kids would just watch the game for the game's sake.

[Sammy Sofa]

He really is just Michael Scott.

[jersey cubs fan]

At the risk of summoning the anti-anti-fun brigade, is it really that objectionable that he says "I'd prefer if people liked the sport for the sport, and not the celebrations"? He doesn't even say or imply the celebrations are bad or too much.

that simple sentence wouldn't be objectionable but that isn't what he said. And we know a lot more about how this guy thinks about a variety of related issues to draw some conclusions.

Just to further this point. The quote began with a variant of the "act like you've been there before" sentiment expressed by every mouth breathing POS boomer. If you can read that without seeing an implication that celebrations are bad or too much, then, I don't know how you can.

 

This wasn't a person simply wishing people liked his sport.

[ConstableRabbit]

Celebrations are the icing, not the cake. Baseball is a hell of a lot better with celebrations but pretty damn good without them, too.

 

MLB’s current virality is based on celebrations, which is fun but likely not a sustainable way to grow the game (e.g. being conditioned to think that a walkoff isn’t cool without a bat flip is probably not great).

[squally1313]

Celebrations are the icing, not the cake. Baseball is a hell of a lot better with celebrations but pretty damn good without them, too.

 

MLB’s current virality is based on celebrations, which is fun but likely not a sustainable way to grow the game (e.g. being conditioned to think that a walkoff isn’t cool without a bat flip is probably not great).

 

But...no one actually thinks that?

[Sammy Sofa]

Celebrations are the icing, not the cake. Baseball is a hell of a lot better with celebrations but pretty damn good without them, too.

 

MLB’s current virality is based on celebrations, which is fun but likely not a sustainable way to grow the game (e.g. being conditioned to think that a walkoff isn’t cool without a bat flip is probably not great).

 

[jersey cubs fan]

MLB’s current virality is based on celebrations

 

Really? I don't think so. It's all about the dongs. And then every once in a while a ridiculous defense play, and then there are the series of pitch movement gifs. Celebrations are celebrated, but I don't see that as the lead dog.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

MLB’s current virality is based on celebrations

 

Really? I don't think so. It's all about the dongs. And then every once in a while a ridiculous defense play, and then there are the series of pitch movement gifs. Celebrations are celebrated, but I don't see that as the lead dog.

My facebook page knows that I appreaciate seeing two separate guys get hit in the dick and the throat, respectively, with the same pitch. Stimulates the buhjesus out of my brain.

[Janelle-Alexis]

At the risk of summoning the anti-anti-fun brigade, is it really that objectionable that he says "I'd prefer if people liked the sport for the sport, and not the celebrations"? He doesn't even say or imply the celebrations are bad or too much.

 

It's dumb gatekeeping. There's no correct way or reason to be a fan of something. And baseball needs all the fans it can get, so being even slightly picky about how you get one is especially dumb.

[Sammy Sofa]

I hope to someday become a fan of Joe Maddon riding his stupid bike into the river.

[Bertz]

Knowing that Russell is due back in like a week and then seeing a bunch of new posts in this thread scared the horsefeathers out of me

[biittner77]

At the risk of summoning the anti-anti-fun brigade, is it really that objectionable that he says "I'd prefer if people liked the sport for the sport, and not the celebrations"? He doesn't even say or imply the celebrations are bad or too much.

 

It's dumb gatekeeping. There's no correct way or reason to be a fan of something. And baseball needs all the fans it can get, so being even slightly picky about how you get one is especially dumb.

 

I'd also add that old guys telling young guys not to do something because "we used to not do that" has a long history of not working.

[Old Style]

I'm an old fart who grew up learning the unwritten rules of baseball from my old man. While I do think some celebrations are unnecessary I absolutely love watching guys like Javy play at 100mph with emotion and flair, if you will. That is so much fun to watch. I think he's able to do it without a "look at me" vibe which can be distasteful to me. I don't see a huge problem with bat flips but the batters then need to be OK with pitchers showing emotion when they get a big K too. I think most of my "old man yells at cloud" moments come while watching the NFL.You don't need to pimp every 6 yard catch that results in a garden variety first down. Make a highlight reel catch or score a TD, then by all means do some celebrating. But I don't need to see Zeke Elliott "eating" after a 2-yard dive up the middle.

 

[Andy]

At the risk of summoning the anti-anti-fun brigade, is it really that objectionable that he says "I'd prefer if people liked the sport for the sport, and not the celebrations"? He doesn't even say or imply the celebrations are bad or too much.

I don't have a problem with what he said, or with bat flips/celebrations. He specifically said he wouldn't tell his guys not to do it, and that's enough for me.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm an old fart who grew up learning the unwritten rules of baseball from my old man. While I do think some celebrations are unnecessary I absolutely love watching guys like Javy play at 100mph with emotion and flair, if you will. That is so much fun to watch. I think he's able to do it without a "look at me" vibe which can be distasteful to me. I don't see a huge problem with bat flips but the batters then need to be OK with pitchers showing emotion when they get a big K too. I think most of my "old man yells at cloud" moments come while watching the NFL.You don't need to pimp every 6 yard catch that results in a garden variety first down. Make a highlight reel catch or score a TD, then by all means do some celebrating. But I don't need to see Zeke Elliott "eating" after a 2-yard dive up the middle.

 

 

I think a first down is worth celebrating. I think a 6 yard catch that doesn't result in a first down is a bit much for party time.

 

When I played sports, I put a lot of effort into being Johnny Stoic. I believed in the act like you've been there philosophy but I think the driving force was my overwhelming fear that while I might look good on this play I will get embarrassed on some other later play and would not want to look the fool for celebrating prematurely. I was a coward.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

I'm an old fart who grew up learning the unwritten rules of baseball from my old man. While I do think some celebrations are unnecessary I absolutely love watching guys like Javy play at 100mph with emotion and flair, if you will. That is so much fun to watch. I think he's able to do it without a "look at me" vibe which can be distasteful to me. I don't see a huge problem with bat flips but the batters then need to be OK with pitchers showing emotion when they get a big K too. I think most of my "old man yells at cloud" moments come while watching the NFL.You don't need to pimp every 6 yard catch that results in a garden variety first down. Make a highlight reel catch or score a TD, then by all means do some celebrating. But I don't need to see Zeke Elliott "eating" after a 2-yard dive up the middle.

 

At least you are self-aware enough to realize that complaining about things you "don't need to see" is really soft and fragile.

[squally1313]

Do we have a lot of evidence of batters not being ok with pitchers showing emotion, especially in a hypocritical sense?

 

I totally get where jersey's coming from in terms of not wanting to be embarrassed, but I think at this level it only adds to the intrigue/drama of the game. These guys are the best in the world. Let them pimp it, and if they get it back later on, all the better.

[Old Style]

I'm an old fart who grew up learning the unwritten rules of baseball from my old man. While I do think some celebrations are unnecessary I absolutely love watching guys like Javy play at 100mph with emotion and flair, if you will. That is so much fun to watch. I think he's able to do it without a "look at me" vibe which can be distasteful to me. I don't see a huge problem with bat flips but the batters then need to be OK with pitchers showing emotion when they get a big K too. I think most of my "old man yells at cloud" moments come while watching the NFL.You don't need to pimp every 6 yard catch that results in a garden variety first down. Make a highlight reel catch or score a TD, then by all means do some celebrating. But I don't need to see Zeke Elliott "eating" after a 2-yard dive up the middle.

 

At least you are self-aware enough to realize that complaining about things you "don't need to see" is really soft and fragile.

Soft & fragile? Lol, OK. I don't sit around and complain about it while watching games. It annoys me at times but I'm not yelling about the good old days when players didn't do that.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

When I played sports, I put a lot of effort into being Johnny Stoic. I believed in the act like you've been there philosophy but I think the driving force was my overwhelming fear that while I might look good on this play I will get embarrassed on some other later play and would not want to look the fool for celebrating prematurely. I was a coward.

Yeah, I was also Johnny Stoic, but that's just the way I'm wired. There were the occasional times that I would get amped and excited and maybe do a small fist pump, so I can understand when peeps who run hotter than me, which is almost everyone, get flamboyant. Its fine. Its sports.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm pretty sure I cried until snot was pouring out of my nose during every game I played in and I've just blocked out the trauma.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I rarely do anything that looks cool so while I never celebrated anything I ever did, I always celebrated the horsefeathers out of my teammates doing cool horsefeathers.

 

Though one time I successfully trolled a pitcher into throwing me the same belt-high fastball on the inside corner on consecutive pitches and after donging on the 2nd, I winked at him when he was staring at me rounding 2nd and just said "thanks".

[jersey cubs fan]

I rarely do anything that looks cool so while I never celebrated anything I ever did, I always celebrated the horsefeathers out of my teammates doing cool horsefeathers.

 

Though one time I successfully trolled a pitcher into throwing me the same belt-high fastball on the inside corner on consecutive pitches and after donging on the 2nd, I winked at him when he was staring at me rounding 2nd and just said "thanks".

 

that's beautiful

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Do we have a lot of evidence of batters not being ok with pitchers showing emotion, especially in a hypocritical sense?

 

I totally get where jersey's coming from in terms of not wanting to be embarrassed, but I think at this level it only adds to the intrigue/drama of the game. These guys are the best in the world. Let them pimp it, and if they get it back later on, all the better.

 

One of our guys (I think it actually was Javy) got pissed at Amir Garret last season, if I remember correctly.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Do we have a lot of evidence of batters not being ok with pitchers showing emotion, especially in a hypocritical sense?

 

I totally get where jersey's coming from in terms of not wanting to be embarrassed, but I think at this level it only adds to the intrigue/drama of the game. These guys are the best in the world. Let them pimp it, and if they get it back later on, all the better.

 

One of our guys (I think it actually was Javy) got pissed at Amir Garret last season, if I remember correctly.

I think that was because Garret was literally screaming at Javy and Javy basically gave him a "FU" response.

[Brian]

Do we have a lot of evidence of batters not being ok with pitchers showing emotion, especially in a hypocritical sense?

 

I totally get where jersey's coming from in terms of not wanting to be embarrassed, but I think at this level it only adds to the intrigue/drama of the game. These guys are the best in the world. Let them pimp it, and if they get it back later on, all the better.

 

One of our guys (I think it actually was Javy) got pissed at Amir Garret last season, if I remember correctly.

 

Javy pissed him off first though