Last Call: Being There
(Yup, this is the video Simmons is always talking about.)
Shortly after Michael Jackson’s death, there was an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal based on the conceit that Jackson was the last true celebrity, the last one who gained his immense fame before the age of 24-hour TV and the oversaturation of Americans. The article continued that the thousands of people branded into our collective consciousnesses by television, movies, and the Internet were not famous, but merely familiar. In short, celebrity had been debased.
I couldn’t help but think of the parallels to sports. We sports fans live in a world where we are bombarded from all sides with coverage and analysis unimaginable even 15 years ago. Just last weekend, I could sit in the comfort of my living room and watch a bike race from an Alp in France, a golf tournament from the coast of Scotland, and baseball from any number of cities, all at the click of a button. And more improbably, in a few more clicks, I could instantaneously get myriad reactions, not just from fans, but from the athletes themselves via Twitter. If I missed an event? I can let the brilliant people at ESPN condense it into a neat highlight package to air on SportsCenter or ESPNEWS.
This, of course, is a very easy choice to make. Why make the time commitment to actually go to a game and spend scads of money on tickets and food, when we can watch that game and much more without leaving the couch? In short, we have gained an unbelievable wealth and breadth of sports information at the tip of our fingers.
What we lose, and we certainly lose something because when we make a choice we fundamentally pass up on something, is that unquantifiable sensation of actually going to the game in person. We as sports fans have become jaded by the information inundation and the endless highlight reels.
The emphatic slam of an alley-oop or the opposite field home run, now simply a footnote on SportsCenter, routine and unremarkable, is infinitely more impressive in person. That sliding catch that seems passe simply because it appears on our TV almost every day? Its an actual moment of joy when you add in the sensory experience, the roar of the crowd, the spill of the popcorn as you rush to applaud. We of the ever-shortening attention span forget what makes sports great, only to rediscover it all at once when we venture out of our ESPN-induced comas.
Now, I’m not advocating that we return to the pre-Internet, pre-24-hours-of-sports-on-TV days, or that we give up the myriad sources of sports that we have come to know and love. Rather, I would offer that these two competing choices can each make the other one better. The experience of actually attending a sporting event, reveling in the sheer athleticism on display in person, is greatly heightened by escaping the SportsCenter Syndrome, but it also makes one appreciate the wealth of information even more.
So my exhortation to you is to go see a sporting event in person soon, be at a major league park, on a minor league giveaway night, or at a local college. Give yourself a chance to remember what it was like when you didn’t have every sport imaginable in the palm of your hand.
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Other Internet Establishments’ Fine Works
A two-part examination of college football traditions. (Souvenir City)
The Browns are changing. (The Phoenix Pub)
Roger Goodell is “upset” with Big Ben. (Style Points)
Ranking all of MLB’s perfect games. (4th and Fail)
On AP content and sports blogging. A great read. (Midwest Sports Fans)
Wish we could’ve made it to the “Foul-Up.” (Unprofessional Foul)
Our Week
Pink Mets apparel, Rick Reilly, Jay Mariotti, the LeBron dunk, and the flip side of perfection.
Your Job For Tonight
Party hard.
BDD approves.
And speaking of Andrew WK, follow him on twitter at AndrewWK. I was almost surprised he started following me.
Andrew WK is a stand up guy. He attended and played piano at the funeral of a kid who was in a band (and really looked up to Andrew WK) and died due to basically a freak accident.
It’s going to be a depressing night, I think. Halladay’s making what may be his last start in Toronto against the Rays. Oh well, at least there’s what should be a good CFL game on later for me to live blog (B.C. Lions and Calgary Stampeders, 10:30 ET).
I have a birthday dinner tonite – at least its hibachi – should be yummy
Gangsters, what’s up?
Just fucking bitches and using my glock. You?
Just drinking 40s and bangin’ lots of…shorties…
Girls please, First Derivative will integralize yo’ass so quick
Right on with being there. People are always amazed that I’d rather watch a college soccer game in person on Sundays in the fall. I’m glad I’m not the only one who just loves being there.
College soccer games are a blast. We had a contingent of students at my alma mater, myself included on days I didn’t have swim meets or practice, who banged on pots and pans the entire game and did Euro-style chants. The Big East eventually instituted a rule banning us.
No artificial noise in Big East Basketball arenas. Zoo brass here found that out the hard way.
Going to games are the best. Unfortunately, I am poor, so I plan on mooching off of my parent’s and/or Aunt’s satellite tv during the school year.
My framed photo with Andrew WK (a going away present when I moved) ties my apartment together.
I love when my flights get delayed where there’s no rain where i’m at or where i’m going…
Weird, but twitter seems to have fucked up my friends list. So, if you were/want to follow me, I’m MarissaAllison
If you lost followers it’s because last night they did a fix on follower numbers and got rid of spammers and stuff.
Oh, that makes sense. I need to take notes or something, I’ve been so out of it.
I have watched the entirety of Stephon Marbury’s UStream today. I’ve now realized a lot of my hate for him was media driven and I legitimately feel bad for the portion of my hate that was directed at him as a person. The part that still dislikes him for his unfulfilled potential, especially related to the Knicks, will never go away, but I’ve done a 180 on his character today alone.
He’s still 6 shades of insane, and he may have just changed a lot in the past year or so, but I admire his authenticity as a human being. And it took a damn UStream where he stretched for 45 minutes and shaved for 2 hours to realize it.
What was he saying? I have no much of an opinion on him, except for the head-tat and the shoes. I give him credit for the shoes. He said he was going to come out with a good, affordable shoe and he did exactly that. Kevin Durant (one of my favorite players) said the same thing and came out with an 85$ shoe. Steph kept his word. The shoes are actually better than some 60-80$ shoes i’ve had.
Take a look for yourself. He’s far from finished.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/have-at-it
Much of my hate for him stems from what the Knicks currently are, opposed to what they could be. Some of it is unwarranted, some of it isn’t. But he seems to have outgrown all the madness that has surrounded his life and his personality is very raw. It’s so refreshing to see an athlete be in the state that he displayed today, especially someone who has been cut apart like him.
I think I used to write here.
What? Hi,how was your vacation?
It wasn’t really a vacation as I was teaching english and helping out at a summer camp for elementary kids with down on their luck families, but I had a blast and it felt good to give back.
Also, Andy Hutchins fired me from this blog last night. Woo?
That sounds awesome. I want to do that at some point, but you know, in Mexico, but this year would not be a good idea. And, that sucks?
And how does one get fired from a blog?
@Sex Fabregas: When someone takes something too seriously, one gets all fire-y, to put it lightly. This thing ain’t the New York Times. I still love the majority of them to death, so it’s sad to see it happen. But life goes on.
Internet.
Serious business.
Forgot images don’t post.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P8gKX4A52OQ/SRIUIRFRViI/AAAAAAAAALA/qOWy0AAhnxM/s320/y-so-srs-tonight-people-are-going-to-die.jpg
When did you learn how to write?
Hey everyone. Hope you’ve had a good Friday. I am trying to figure out when I can finally see the SF Giants.
Why do people continue to try to run on Nick Markakis? He will throw your ass out from Afghanistan. Actually what I am saying, keep em coming.
Hey. Anybody know of some really stupid products I can make fun of for my column tomorrow? I think I’ve got one saved in my email archives somewhere but if I don’t get more soon I will be forced to desecrate the memory of Billy Mays and attack his product ideas. Too soon?
Brazilian Secret underwear.
It straddles the line of awesome and ridiculous with a panache seldom seen in stupid product commercials. Not sure if it qualifies for your column though…
Also, this just in: Affliction is DONE. They signed a deal to become the brand sponsor for UFC provided they cease their fighting promotion. Nice job, Barnett. They were doomed regardless but that tool ruined what was going to be a terrific PPV.
What other fights were on that card besides Fedor/Barnett? I was looking forward to that one, but yeah, that selfish dillhole had to go and get caught cheating. Guess I’ll go back to not seeing Pedro Rizzo, Vitor Belfort and the other Brazilian and Russian talents that called Affliction home.
Babalu was fighting Gegard Mousasi, who is an amazing up-and-coming fighter. He should be a star in the UFC someday. Yvel vs. Buentello…Yvel fights are interesting because he’s a lunatic. Belfort was going to fight Jorge Santiago, which is a UFC lower-main-card-caliber fight. Gomi, Horodecki, and Ben Rothwell were also fighting.
I’m somewhat glad after Barnett failed his test that they canceled, because I really didn’t like the available matchups for Fedor. He had nothing to gain and everything to lose. Yes, I have a mancrush on Fedor.
Is Brazilian Secret simply padded underpants or some sort of magic? Great stuff!
I think that Brazilian Secret employs Hollywood special effects like in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to lift dat ass to new heights…but there’s probably some padding too. I’ve only seen the commercial on air once, on GolTV (apparently stay-at-home futbol fanatics have a thing for booty, who knew?)
Wouldn’t have minded seeing Horodecki – I’m sure he’ll find his way into UFC or WEC, depending on what weight class he goes for…but the bulk of that lineup has Strikeforce or King of the Cage written all over it.
UFC is supposed to sign Belfort. Of the others, I expect Mousasi to end up there eventually, as well as a return for Santiago. Maybe Gomi and Rothwell show up but expectations are low…probably cans at this point. Babalu is still paying the price for choking Heath out.
I partied hard until approximately 8:30 this morning. May I stop now?
No, not until Andrew WK tells you to stop.
I really wish he would. 12 consecutive hours of bourbon and gambling is enough for any man not named Artie Lange.
Evening folks,
So the site looks fantastic…glad to see you guys are up and running again (I’ve been MIA lately…might be realizing that pretty late).
Also…everyone go get your hands on the newest issue of The Onion, they set it up as if they’ve been purchased by a nationally owned chinese fish byproduct company. Headlines include “Car Accident Leaves Man Inefficient From The Neck Down”, “YAO MING!”, “Internet Adds 12th Website”, “Nothing at All Happens to 28 Tibetan Protesters, Their Families”. They’re always phenomenally clever…but this issue is the best I’ve seen in awhile.
How do you manage to blow out your knee putting on a shinguard?!?
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AlLfrQ_iyj9dkV3×9ezjCS8RvLYF?slug=ap-royals-guilleninjured&prov=ap&type=lgns
And the Royals are blowing a perfectly useful outing from Grienke yet again – the story of the past three months. FML.
Greinke. How did I mess that up? Gah.
Joba Chamberlain is a fucking clown.
:-(
Baseball Tonight:
You don’t need to compare every good play that happens in your highlights to some Yankees- or Red Sox-related analogue. Seriously.
/wishes he had MLB Network at arm’s length every time he stumbles on BBTN
Milan didn’t look great tonight, but I think they’ll have a chance to be a player in Italy and Europe this year.
At the very least, they’re in a 10- or 12-team tier that’s always in it, sort of, right? The Big Four in EPL, Real/Barca, Inter/Milan/Roma/Juve, Bayern Munich…
I might be talking out of my ass, but that’s my impression.
Does anyone know how I could create a proper mashup? How do you isolate vocals on a music track? I mean from my computer, with .mp3s or wavs or something.
I’ve seen good notices for Audacity, but that’s about as much as I know.
I actually have Audacity, but I can’t figure out how to use the damn thing. Maybe I need to do some research on it… I was always hoping there was an easy way to do it.
It’s absurdly difficult to impossible.
Yeah, you’ll need your hands on a master track. After mixing it’s nearly impossible to do any of that. When I discovered this I died a little.
Ok, well someone with intelligence find a way to mash the new Chevelle song “Jars” with The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army.” I swear they have the same beat.
Playing one over the other (on high-fidelity, monaural YouTube!), you are on to something…
Try looking for “Seven Nation Army backing track”, that might give you something that is less than completely useless in your task.
You can find beats in some places, but I don’t know how you can split the vocals and music on a track.
depending if you were wanting to pay money and what not, you can get song trunks, which are say the guitar track or the vocal track or even the cowbell track.
Greetings dickpickles. Hope you’re havin’ a decent day!
Sorry.
Anyways. I agree with OC up there, you gotta grab a copy of The Onion this week, it’s china-tastic. Not only is every other article about fish and/or the general inferiority of US, but what got me was the main spots headline: YAO MING!! Fucking brilliant.
So what up with you guys??
/oh and free shakey goddammit no justice no peace
Ooh, seems I’m late to the party again.