I watched your appearance on the Megyn Kelly Show. Welch and Moynihan mentioned the brutality of the sports of the past. Wanted to bring up a couple examples from the 90’s. Reggie Brown was paralyzed, as he laid motionless for 17 minutes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Brown_(linebacker). I watched that happen, and I thought he was dead. This incident is forgotten about, because it occurred in the same game, where Barry Sanders became the third running back to rush for 2,000 yards (OJ Simpson and Eric Dickerson were the other two at the time). The other one is Claude Lemieux blowing up Kris Draper face (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkMSSxWPrqE). These incidents don’t have analogs in modern sports. Also, a person like Lemieux doesn’t have an equivalent, since today’s NHL doesn’t have unrepentant goons (penalties are also way down).
Disagree with Lemieux's hit on Draper being unique in modern sports/hockey specifically. Lemieux was a cunt, but the play developed fast and the conspiracies concerning his intent to injure are too big to fail at this point. Garbage hit that happened at a really bad angle relative to the boards.
Shea Weber took the back of Zetterberg's head in his hand and slammed his face into the glass. Chara rubbed Pacioretty straight into what was then a squared piece of glass stanchion at the end of the bench face first, and it fractured a vertebrae. Ovechkin shoved Brian Campbell in the numbers as they circled around the net and Campbell broke his collarbone.
Hell, Chris Pronger, one of my all time faves, and one of the best players in league history was dirtier and more dangerous than The Turtle. Pronger nearly killed Dean McAmmond in 07 and then he stomped on Ryan Kesler's leg in 08.
I have no love for the Turtle and also shout out to the old Norris Division, but the intensity of the rivalry has turned Lemieux into a supervillain for that one play. He suckered Brett Lindros which was far worse but without the playoff melodrama.
He could at least play the sport - look at what his shitheel contemporary Tie Domi did to Ulf Samuelsson.
Point taken about the hit. The broader point about the tolerance and frequency of violence still holds. All of the leaders penalty minutes leaders (top 10) began their careers in the 70’s and 80’s. All of the top 20 except one began their career in the 90’s or earlier. Moreover, all modern sports have become more analytical. That shift was bound to decrease the amount of goonish behavior and penalties. The leagues leader in 19-20 season had 122 minutes. Plus, the culture in all sports is different. The MVP Machine talked about how many baseball teams have mindfulness and mediation programs. That’s not exactly conducive to the Tie Domi’s of the world.
Agreed on all counts and I'm flying blind here with your original reference to the Megyn Kelly appearance.
There is certainly much less gratuitous violence, for a variety of reasons, not least of which are the analytics you've pointed to that have become essential, especially in hockey, where there's no bullshit luxury tax. Go hard cap or go home!
Abstracting a bit but I do think the fan v player divide on fighting in the game is interesting. Notably, I cant find an NHLPA poll after 2013 that asks the players about fighting, but the last one conducted was 98% opposed "banning" fighting and the instigator rule, though here's article talking about flaws in the poll: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/.amp/nhl/2012/02/21/flaws-clear-in-nhlpa-hockey-night-poll
I've gotten away from fandom due mostly to parenting, but while I certainly respect the level of play, I do find myself feeling more and more disillusioned with the same-ness of the arenas, and the broadcasts, and the roster constructions, and the "fandom."
Over here enjoying my coffee and embracing my impending geriatrics.
I will say on Kanter, who I watched closely in Boston: the primary reason he’s out of the league is that he is one of the worst defenders I have ever seen. I respect his cause, and he’s a great offensive rebounder and low post scorer... But he has absolute cement feet when he defends. AWFUL on that end of the floor.
While I’m sure the China/LeBron feuding doesn’t help his cause... if he were a replacement level or above defender he’d be getting minutes and money somewhere.
Oh, he’s a great minutes eater big for a regular season run because he can score and clean the glass. But for playoff teams with title aspirations (Boston last year for instance) he was totally unplayable in important situations. Billy Donovan’s being caught on camera whispering “Can’t play Kanter” to himself during a playoff run as OKC’s coach a few years back was illustrative of this. Good NBA teams hunt him in pick and roll with too much ease.
But there’s a lot of truth to the idea that guys who are sort of players on the margin don’t do their careers any favors by upsetting the conventional political order. If anything, makes me respect Kanter even more for doing it.
And I can’t really disparage individual teams for finding a suitable replacement that isn’t as controversial. Locker rooms can be fragile ecosystems, and adding a guy who does talking head spots on Fox News could be more trouble than it’s worth (regardless of the context of the interview). Adding all that up, there’s definitely a chilling effect for any political divergences... which I disdain but have no idea how anyone can course correct it right now
Matt's being modest: the best guest there was Jaye!
Any chance I can to take my super fan talents to South Beach, you know imma gonna
It's like a groupie, but wholesome
There’s a lot of words I use to describe myself but groupie isn’t one of them 🥲😅🥲
at approx 8hr 5m mark Matt’s interview with Enes Kanter Freedom. here’s the link https://youtu.be/XJ70aSRx-mk
Here! https://www.palomamedia.com/articles/enes-kanter-freedom-talks-with-matt-welch-at-libertycon
I watched your appearance on the Megyn Kelly Show. Welch and Moynihan mentioned the brutality of the sports of the past. Wanted to bring up a couple examples from the 90’s. Reggie Brown was paralyzed, as he laid motionless for 17 minutes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Brown_(linebacker). I watched that happen, and I thought he was dead. This incident is forgotten about, because it occurred in the same game, where Barry Sanders became the third running back to rush for 2,000 yards (OJ Simpson and Eric Dickerson were the other two at the time). The other one is Claude Lemieux blowing up Kris Draper face (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkMSSxWPrqE). These incidents don’t have analogs in modern sports. Also, a person like Lemieux doesn’t have an equivalent, since today’s NHL doesn’t have unrepentant goons (penalties are also way down).
Disagree with Lemieux's hit on Draper being unique in modern sports/hockey specifically. Lemieux was a cunt, but the play developed fast and the conspiracies concerning his intent to injure are too big to fail at this point. Garbage hit that happened at a really bad angle relative to the boards.
Shea Weber took the back of Zetterberg's head in his hand and slammed his face into the glass. Chara rubbed Pacioretty straight into what was then a squared piece of glass stanchion at the end of the bench face first, and it fractured a vertebrae. Ovechkin shoved Brian Campbell in the numbers as they circled around the net and Campbell broke his collarbone.
Hell, Chris Pronger, one of my all time faves, and one of the best players in league history was dirtier and more dangerous than The Turtle. Pronger nearly killed Dean McAmmond in 07 and then he stomped on Ryan Kesler's leg in 08.
I have no love for the Turtle and also shout out to the old Norris Division, but the intensity of the rivalry has turned Lemieux into a supervillain for that one play. He suckered Brett Lindros which was far worse but without the playoff melodrama.
He could at least play the sport - look at what his shitheel contemporary Tie Domi did to Ulf Samuelsson.
I think I just wanna talk hockey....
Point taken about the hit. The broader point about the tolerance and frequency of violence still holds. All of the leaders penalty minutes leaders (top 10) began their careers in the 70’s and 80’s. All of the top 20 except one began their career in the 90’s or earlier. Moreover, all modern sports have become more analytical. That shift was bound to decrease the amount of goonish behavior and penalties. The leagues leader in 19-20 season had 122 minutes. Plus, the culture in all sports is different. The MVP Machine talked about how many baseball teams have mindfulness and mediation programs. That’s not exactly conducive to the Tie Domi’s of the world.
Agreed on all counts and I'm flying blind here with your original reference to the Megyn Kelly appearance.
There is certainly much less gratuitous violence, for a variety of reasons, not least of which are the analytics you've pointed to that have become essential, especially in hockey, where there's no bullshit luxury tax. Go hard cap or go home!
Abstracting a bit but I do think the fan v player divide on fighting in the game is interesting. Notably, I cant find an NHLPA poll after 2013 that asks the players about fighting, but the last one conducted was 98% opposed "banning" fighting and the instigator rule, though here's article talking about flaws in the poll: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/.amp/nhl/2012/02/21/flaws-clear-in-nhlpa-hockey-night-poll
I've gotten away from fandom due mostly to parenting, but while I certainly respect the level of play, I do find myself feeling more and more disillusioned with the same-ness of the arenas, and the broadcasts, and the roster constructions, and the "fandom."
Over here enjoying my coffee and embracing my impending geriatrics.
Folx! It was bound to happen. Fencing is racist https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/17/us/fencing-ivy-league-college-admissions.html
Import MW_Dictionary
For i in MW_Dictionary:
headline = i + ' is racist'
print(headline)
Great week for the Fifth! Loved kmele on the lost debate or “my favorite Gen Z political podcast” as I like to call it (I think Ravi is a millennial).
They give me hope.
Ahaha! Me too
Y’know, I gotta say, Matt Welch, you are one sharp dressed man. 😎
I vote to overrule Izi’s veto!
Don’t tell me that a teenaged girl can’t be bribed
I'm afraid it's a line item veto, so the rest passed and there's nothing we can do.
“soon-to-be-released #138”
Who else has been refreshing the relevant apps all day long? ☹️
I will say on Kanter, who I watched closely in Boston: the primary reason he’s out of the league is that he is one of the worst defenders I have ever seen. I respect his cause, and he’s a great offensive rebounder and low post scorer... But he has absolute cement feet when he defends. AWFUL on that end of the floor.
While I’m sure the China/LeBron feuding doesn’t help his cause... if he were a replacement level or above defender he’d be getting minutes and money somewhere.
He was like 18th in WS/48 in 2020-21, which says to me the tradeoff can work in theory (but you better have *another* big guy who can defend).
Oh, he’s a great minutes eater big for a regular season run because he can score and clean the glass. But for playoff teams with title aspirations (Boston last year for instance) he was totally unplayable in important situations. Billy Donovan’s being caught on camera whispering “Can’t play Kanter” to himself during a playoff run as OKC’s coach a few years back was illustrative of this. Good NBA teams hunt him in pick and roll with too much ease.
But there’s a lot of truth to the idea that guys who are sort of players on the margin don’t do their careers any favors by upsetting the conventional political order. If anything, makes me respect Kanter even more for doing it.
And I can’t really disparage individual teams for finding a suitable replacement that isn’t as controversial. Locker rooms can be fragile ecosystems, and adding a guy who does talking head spots on Fox News could be more trouble than it’s worth (regardless of the context of the interview). Adding all that up, there’s definitely a chilling effect for any political divergences... which I disdain but have no idea how anyone can course correct it right now
Replacing that guy with The Blowfish was a big mistake, no matter what Kmele says.