Series Thread: Mariners vs A's in Japan

[PolarVortex]

The guys ensuring we have a decent draft pick.

Well if that is the strategy then so far, as usual, they are blowing it.

What's new in your world, 234? I actually mentioned The Plague in a post a couple days ago. Alas! Such fond memories...

 

[seahawksfan234]

Well if that is the strategy then so far, as usual, they are blowing it.

What's new in your world, 234? I actually mentioned The Plague in a post a couple days ago. Alas! Such fond memories...

Same old, same old.

I've probably mentioned this before, but I completely stole your nickname for Tarvaris Jackson among my real life friends. I probably disliked him more than you. To this day whenever he comes up, my friends refer to him as "The Plague."

Your Fraud Mode nickname didn't work out too well though.

 

[PolarVortex]

Same old, same old.

I've probably mentioned this before, but I completely stole your nickname for Tarvaris Jackson among my real life friends. I probably disliked him more than you. To this day whenever he comes up, my friends refer to him as "The Plague."

Your Fraud Mode nickname didn't work out too well though.

True, but he was Fraud Mode in Oakland.

 

[wazzu31]

Interesting perspective.

I still find it to be kind of a waste though. The NFL will always be such a niche product in a continent that loves soccer so much. I've spent around 7 months or so living in Europe in two different trips, and I never got the impression there would be much interest in American football over there.

I will say that being in Kosovo during the World Cup was a blast. Despite not having a team in the matches, the way they rooted so hard for players with Albanian/Kosovar roots was incredible. When Switzerland beat Serbia, they went absolutely nuts (there were a couple of Albanians on the Switzerland team + the tension between those communities played into it). I was in a village of about 7,000 people or so, but the entire town went around waving Albanian flags and shooting guns for the entire night. Was quite a spectacle.

I don’t disagree that it is a waste. But I just don’t think the NFL has given Europe really much to get vested in with the minor league they put over there and nearly every NFL season game they’ve put over there.

It’s no doubt that football will never be as popular as soccer but that’s just because Europeans are morons. I get third world countries having soccer as the number 1 sport or Canada having hockey but at least Asia has a continent where baseball and mixed martial arts is higher on the totem pole than dudes in shorts pretending to get injured and celebrating a tie like a victory.

 

[blstoker]

Ahh I see.

Boy that's a nasty drive. One of my friends said he'd drive down myself and a few others to LA for the Rose Bowl, but I declined because to me spending the $250 or something for a last minute round trip flight sounded better than sitting in a car that long.

I also go stir crazy sitting in a car for that long. Longest drive I've had is probably from Seattle to Whistler or Seattle to Eugene. Surprisingly sitting in an airplane for 12+ hours is much easier to me than sitting in a car for 7 hours. Probably because I can get drunk on the plane and not bother anyone when I have to piss every hour.

I wish I could fly, but my wife has had both of her lungs collapse when she was younger and the doctors have told her to avoid flying.

 

[Podunkparte]

Festa and Rosscup showed some potential this morning. Altavilla was straight trash and should be cut yesterday. Finding a valuable pen arm or two would be a nice bonus this year.

 

[Destroydacre]

Festa and Rosscup showed some potential this morning. Altavilla was straight trash and should be cut yesterday. Finding a valuable pen arm or two would be a nice bonus this year.

I'll admit to not really following the M's much this spring, but I laughed when I checked the box score and saw Altavilla was still on the team.

 

[blstoker]

I'll admit to not really following the M's much this spring, but I laughed when I checked the box score and saw Altavilla was still on the team.

Why? I admit that I haven't watched much the last couple years due to no longer getting ROOT, but his numbers wouldn't suggest that he wouldn't be here.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I wish I could fly, but my wife has had both of her lungs collapse when she was younger and the doctors have told her to avoid flying.

Ahh I see. That's a bummer.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I don’t disagree that it is a waste. But I just don’t think the NFL has given Europe really much to get vested in with the minor league they put over there and nearly every NFL season game they’ve put over there.

It’s no doubt that football will never be as popular as soccer but that’s just because Europeans are morons. I get third world countries having soccer as the number 1 sport or Canada having hockey but at least Asia has a continent where baseball and mixed martial arts is higher on the totem pole than dudes in shorts pretending to get injured and celebrating a tie like a victory.

I lol'd at the Europeans being morons comment.

I actually think part of the love for soccer there is it's more of a competition between regions and countries. I don't really know enough about soccer, but I have to believe there is a nationalistic/identity component behind it.

Similar to how college football rivalries make NFL rivalries look trivial. NFL rivalries don't really have an identity component behind it. They're mostly the result of divisional standings. College football on the other hand is "my school against your school." Similar to how with a lot of soccer match ups in Europe, it's "my country against your country."

 

[seahawksfan234]

True, but he was Fraud Mode in Oakland.

You'll have to step up your nickname game in 2019. I need some good content from you to rip off and pass on to my friends as if it's my own.

 

[wazzu31]

I lol'd at the Europeans being morons comment.

I actually think part of the love for soccer there is it's more of a competition between regions and countries. I don't really know enough about soccer, but I have to believe there is a nationalistic/identity component behind it.

Similar to how college football rivalries make NFL rivalries look trivial. NFL rivalries don't really have an identity component behind it. They're mostly the result of divisional standings. College football on the other hand is "my school against your school." Similar to how with a lot of soccer match ups in Europe, it's "my country against your country."

Without question it they take pride in their local teams. I just find soccer an incredibly lame sport to take pride in. Fans are into but when there are game where the coaches and players entire game strategy is to play for a tie it just seems the opposite of a sport where you should put your rabid loyalty to.

 

[rightstuff]

The M's did the EXACT right thing with respect to Ichiro.

Well Done.

 

[Destroydacre]

Why? I admit that I haven't watched much the last couple years due to no longer getting ROOT, but his numbers wouldn't suggest that he wouldn't be here.

Because he's a blown save waiting to happen every time he pitches in tight games. His FIP last year and in his career is over 2 pts higher than his ERA, meaning he gets hit hard and has gotten pretty lucky getting outs. But still he has almost as many blown saves as holds in his career. The guy should not be counted on in close games. I'm actually ok with him being a bullpen innings eater, but I already know that's not gonna be how the M's use him. He will be a relied upon 7th-8th inning reliever in close games, and it will blow up spectacularly.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Without question it they take pride in their local teams. I just find soccer an incredibly lame sport to take pride in. Fans are into but when there are game where the coaches and players entire game strategy is to play for a tie it just seems the opposite of a sport where you should put your rabid loyalty to.

Only time I've really been into soccer is when I was in Kosovo and there was a rabid following of fans of players who had Albanian/Kosovar roots. That was really fun to be around.

I've only gone to one Sounders game and unfortunately went with a girl who is a huge lightweight and passed out on me about 5 minutes into the game, so I didn't exactly have a blast.

 

[wazzu31]

Only time I've really been into soccer is when I was in Kosovo and there was a rabid following of fans of players who had Albanian/Kosovar roots. That was really fun to be around.

I've only gone to one Sounders game and unfortunately went with a girl who is a huge lightweight and passed out on me about 5 minutes into the game, so I didn't exactly have a blast.

I don’t really know much about Kosovo or that whole bloc, I am just basing my thoughts on Europeans because A. I think golf is more of a sport than soccer. B. My in laws moved to Ireland but go to England and France a lot and and speak about soccer.

I as well heard Sounders games are fun, but from everything I’ve heard is it is the exact opposite of hockey. Soccer is fun pre and post game while hockey to me is lame all the way up until the puck drops then it’s intense.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I don’t really know much about Kosovo or that whole bloc, I am just basing my thoughts on Europeans because A. I think golf is more of a sport than soccer. B. My in laws moved to Ireland but go to England and France a lot and and speak about soccer.

I as well heard Sounders games are fun, but from everything I’ve heard is it is the exact opposite of hockey. Soccer is fun pre and post game while hockey to me is lame all the way up until the puck drops then it’s intense.

I've only gone to one NHL game in my life which was last year in Vancouver. I had a blast before, during and after the game. I just went around to a bunch of bars and got drunk before the game.

Really excited to get the NHL in Seattle.

 

[wazzu31]

I've only gone to one NHL game in my life which was last year in Vancouver. I had a blast before, during and after the game. I just went around to a bunch of bars and got drunk before the game.

Really excited to get the NHL in Seattle.

T Bird games are awesome, and more convenient since they are now in Kent. Never done anything afterwards but a bunch of my buddies have Sounders tickets and basically treat it like a Seahawks games with the tailgating pre and post game.

I’m excited to for the NHL but just despise they are putting it in the least accessible location in the city of Seattle.

 

[seahawksfan234]

T Bird games are awesome, and more convenient since they are now in Kent. Never done anything afterwards but a bunch of my buddies have Sounders tickets and basically treat it like a Seahawks games with the tailgating pre and post game.

I’m excited to for the NHL but just despise they are putting it in the least accessible location in the city of Seattle.

I didn't know there were any accessible locations in Seattle.

Although I will say if you take the light rail to the downtown stop, it's only like a mile and a half or so from that stop.

 

[wazzu31]

I didn't know there were any accessible locations in Seattle.

Although I will say if you take the light rail to the downtown stop, it's only like a mile and a half or so from that stop.

Right next to the current stadiums. They zoned the entire area off strictly for sporting and concert events. But they chose Key Arena which is the least accessible location in the city for a sporting event. Even with using light rail, it is going to be a nightmare for 20,000 people getting into a (I hope Kraken) game.