EL BARRIO, EL FALLS – It was fitting that the text I got from Short Matt was picture of Kim Jong-Un, waiting eagerly for something. Short Matt runs this place similar to a Korean work camp with no food – no pay and being demanding. He also sent a recommendation for a topic which I decided to use. I ‘ll leave it to you to figure out which one it is. Drama aside, today’s topics are: Pujol’s 2000th RBI, Bubba Wallace and Fan Favorite Players.
Pujol’s 2000th RBI: Baseball is so weird with its unwritten rules. So, apparently the usual tactic after catching a milestone baseball like a HR record-breaker, is to sell it back to the player or MLB in return for loads of apparel and signed hats, gloves, etc. Now Albert is putting on a brave face and saying he hopes the guy keeps it. However, let’s hear the guy’s point of view. He says he wants to give to MLB Hall of Fame or Pujols, it was just the immediate pressure put on by the Detroit Tigers in the negotiation that made him say “no, I am not selling it.” He felt he was being pressured to make a decision while he still had everything thing fresh. I think the kid will give it to Pujols, he just wanted it on his terms and there is nothing wrong with that.
Bubba Wallace: Somebody needs to go get Bubba. The boy don’t seem right. I ain’t talking about his poor performances, but they are a result of the kid being a dark place. He broke down at an interview the other day, as he talked about the pressure of racing and depression. There is no doubt that Wallace is under immense pressure. He is the only black driver in NASCAR, which means he carries the ambassadorship of NASCAR to Black America and vice versa. He is on the Petty Team and being selected to be part of the legendary Richard Petty company team is a big honor.
And finally, he has had a very poor run of from. Wallace is a heart-0n-the-sleeve guy, so those who know him aren’t shocked by it. However, he is not in a sport that is open to that, nor is America really. We prefer our athletes to go on drunken benders fueled by coke (not the soda kind) and flanked by a gaggle of call girls. I hope the kid gets some help, some pills and can get back to racing at his best.
Fan Favorite Players: The player called The People’s Captain, Ander Herrera, is gonna be allowed to be a free agent from Manchester United. As a United supported, he leaves with my blessing and I hope he goes on to be a difference maker for his new club, Paris-Saint German. With that said, what is it about fan-favorite guys that makes them favorites? Short answer; it comes down to fans seeing themselves in a player. Working tirelessly so things can get done, though the accolades go elsewhere, but those that work with you let you know you are important. There is the humility that they play with. They never call attention to themselves, just go out there, do the job and do it well. There is the heart and hustle as they play every game like it’s their last. Most of all, they speak with words like “we,” “the club,” and “our.” These are why guys like Charles Oakley, Ulf Samuelson, Jim Burt (for Giants fans), Nick Mangold (Jets) and Tim Tueffel are big to me. I think being a fan favorite is a greater honor because only fans that appreciate the game know what you do.
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