Rant of the Week

Admiring Yourself

 

Are there people who think it's really cool when a batter like David Ortiz stands in the batter's box and admires his own hit?  Even when it doesn't go out.  And it hits the wall in left-center field and stays in, and the delay cost Boston a base, as it did tonight against the Jays?

It's repulsive.  I hope I never see a Blue Jay do it.

I once copied a bunch of old video tapes of NHL hockey from the 1970's to DVD for a friend at work.  These were tapes of games from 30-40 years ago.  The most striking thing about hockey then compared to now?  When a player scored a goal, he modestly skated back to his bench, or to center ice, and his team-mates practically had to chase him down to be able to pat him on the back and congratulate him.  It was considered unseemly back then for a player to open celebrate his own achievements.

Who likes this showmanship, this preening, arrogant posturing?  Are there fans out there who thrill to Ortiz's snarling self-satisfaction?  There was a near-brawl in Anaheim in late July when Jared Weaver reacted to some show-boating by Carlos Guillen by nearly beaning Alex Avila.  In the head.  With a fast ball.

He shouldn't have done it.  But why is there so little comment about the showboating? 

 

 
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