Squirrel

Moderator note: Please be respectful of fellow posters with whom you disagree, whose takes and comments you might not even like. Let's stop with the 'ready to tar and feather' or 'drinking the Kool-Aid' comments to describe posters both specifically or generally. We disagree and the spectrum is wide, so if you don't like a comment, disagree with it, but let's leave these disrespectful comments out of it. Passion is good, disrespect is not. Let's keep it directed away from one another and keep it to the subject matter. Clueless, idiots, stupid, moronic, etc. Do you want to be called these things? No one poster here is right, and no one poster is wrong. Everyone has an opinion, let's just be respectful how we voice that.

Posting photos from your phone is a royal pita. You need to switch out of the mobile version to the full version to do it.

I think Berto. Just because I wouldn't want to confuse the two, and I just kinda like Berto.

Ha ... just meant that it doesn't have to be clever, witty, comical ... and can be straight up baseball.

Okay, threaders, Chief and I are awaiting your PM's to fill out the schedule in July. Whether you've never started a thread, or have once or twice, or have many times ... whether you are funny or straight-up ... whether you are 10 or 975 (Chief) ... let us know. These are the remaining July dates available (and you can take a look at August, too): 7/4 LAA 7/7 BAL 7/8 BAL 7/9 BAL 7/19 NYY 7/22 DET 7/23 DET 7/26 @LAD Check out this thread for the meager requirements and any technical instructions you might need. You'll also find available dates beyond July. http://twinsdaily.com/topic/25228-2017-game-thread-volunteers-needed1/

Congrats! Are you going to have a mortgage burning party?

Best year ... hmmm ... maybe 37? That's when I won the audition for my job here in Chicago, my dream job. Been here ever since. I'd go back and relive my 40s, if we are talking decades. I wouldn't ever want to go back and relive my 20s, though. No way. Maybe if I were 32 I'd say that, maybe. But no way at this point would I want to do that. Nuh uh.

I like Boston. Not sure I'd put it in my 'favorites' category, but I like it. But I wouldn't want to drive in it, ever. If I had to drive all over Boston I might have a different opinion.

I don't think he's looking for controversy, per se; I don't even think he meant much by it other than trying to joke around, and I think Serena took it as such as well. I pretty much rolled my eyes, and said 'Not this again.' I like McEnroe, a lot, as a tennis commentator and competitor; despite his antics he was a great tennis player, still is. The NPR commentary even concedes the physical differences between men and women athletes. I don't think the article is trying to force what McEnroe meant as much as just trying to use it as a springboard into the discussion of how do you compare the two and saying you can't. It's not that one is better than the other, or would win in a head to head contest, or would be ranked higher or lower if they would be playing against a different gender of competition. It goes to the heart of how men women athletes are characterized. 'Plays like a guy' or 'Plays like a girl' have connotations that I think should be retired. I hear that on here quite frequently in the more commonly phrased 'Throws like a girl' and various other things. No one actually thinks about what that means and just throws that out there as if that's an acceptable characterization. Comparing men and women athletes ... you just can't do it, so why even say things like that? I think because we are just conditioned to it. Women athletes aren't good because 'they play like a guy,' they are good because they are good. Period. Serena is one of the best tennis players, ever, male or female, not because she could play and destroy in men's tennis, because I'm not sure she could, I don't know if she could, it's really a different game. You can't compare them like that. She's one of the best ever, male or female, because of how she goes about her game, how she plays it. Same with the woman basketball player mentioned. Same with any pro female athlete. They are good because they are. Period. As I said, I still hear this so often ... 'She's pretty good, for a girl' ... 'She's good because she plays like a man.' Those are just stupid and pointless comments.

Sigh. Not what I said and not the point of the commentary. Did you even read it?

I've been impressed with both him and Royce ... they both seem very mature for their ages, both with very strong work ethics and desire. Nice interview. Thanks.

No, it's not controversial ... and you've completely missed the point.

I read the original interview. No, he wasn't asked to compare, not explicitly. And he had the opportunity to put it in a better context, like the commentary does. I think the quote from the commentary I put in the OP was a response we should all reach for. He should have just said, 'You can't compare them.' Because you can't. But the broader point, which I put in the title... plays like a ... what? Girl? Guy? These types of comments need to be retired. Serena Williams plays a heckuva game of tennis. She's one of the best, ever, period. It doesn't matter if she has the equal strength or speed of a man ... physical differences do make a difference in who would win or lose, but as the original commentary suggests there is more to it than that, how you play the game, mental toughness, strategy. How she goes about winning as she does makes her one of the best ... not because she could or couldn't beat the top male player, but because she plays the game the way she does ... not like a girl, not like a guy, but like she knows what she's doing. I don't watch tennis religiously, but from one who knows the game and plays the game, she is one of the best ever. Period.

Fairly succinct NPR commentary touching on the 'Plays like a girl' - 'Plays like a guy' comments. I mostly like McEnroe. And his recent comments chastising Margaret Court wins high praise in my book. (Have you seen/heard that video he made?) But this hash up of comparing men and women athletes needs to really go by the wayside. This quote sums it up: "Female athletes almost always will lose the women vs. men argument in high level sports because the men almost always have more strength and speed. But as Voepel points out, that omits other significant attributes such as mental toughness, feel for a sport, understanding of a sport. So perhaps, once again, we resolve the issue by agreeing not to compare. But to appreciate Diana Taurasi for what she does, and Golden State Warriors star guard Steph Curry for what he does. And leave it there." http://www.npr.org/2017/06/27/534571590/dear-john-mcenroe-putting-serena-williams-on-the-mens-circuit-is-a-losing-game

I've updated this list of 'new' prospects from this year's draft. If anyone wants to adopt any of these new guys, have at it. Two have already been spoken for, but plenty more to be taken, including our #1 draftee, Royce Lewis. Wavedog already has his Rooker thread up and running and there has been some good discussion so far. Just let me know in this thread which of these guys you want.

Speaking of tuba concerts, the CSO is playing the soundtrack to the movie 'Jaws' this week. Our tuba player has been so excited for this ever since it was announced. His teacher played on the original soundtrack.

Diving into that liquid pool of ish? Ick.

Literally and figuratively that would be much appreciated from my perspective!

Lol ... that's the one that makes Brian's head explode ...

I don't think disappointed is the word I'd use.

ftfy

Houpefully theu reud ounes.

Part of the problem is pulling anyone over without cause, which was part of the problem in the Castile case, and is part of the problem in many of these highly publicized cases as well as in general. Yes, there are those, black or white, who are pulled over justly, but part of the problem begins when black men are wrongly profiled and are pulled over with far more 'due diligence' than is right. This whole thing could have been avoided if he wasn't pulled over to begin with. It's a huge problem and leads to tragedy when coupled with an officer not sound to deal with any situation objectively.

There are exceptions to every rule. Sheik is another.

Well, of course we're playing in October. Our last game of the season is in Oct. 1.