Bill Simmons' new column

[BJ Sands]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...=simmons/060825

I used to be a huge fan of the Sports Guy, but now I'm not so sure. Some of the things I used to like about him are no longer true. For one, he used to be just a regular guy. Now, he has connections all over the place. (What average fan can actually step onto Lambeau Field?) Also, this is at least the second column where he casually mentions arriving late to a game. I don't know many true fans that do that unless there is a pressing reason. Simmons is also 37 years old with a kid. Isn't it about time he gives up the drinking and partying?

As I read this column, one question kept popping into my head: Was there a sober driver? It didn't seem like that was a concern to him and his friends. It just seemed irresponsible.

[WSU151]

I used to like him, then he moved to LA, wrote his book, and fell in love with himself. He was 100000000000000 better when he lived in Boston.

[pcgd]

The "New England teams are the best teams in the country thing" is getting old. Mainly the whole "Can we legalize steroids in the NL yet?" thing that not only him, but everyone is saying. The NL is awful this year, and yes, basically AAAA ball. But one league is ALWAYS better than the other. The American League will suck again, don't worry.

I still enjoy his column however because his sense of humor is right on with mine. I liked this one alot because its Wisconsin, where I spent 4 of the best years of my life.

And he nailed it with "Its 1992 in Wisconsin."

[rmackman]

And he nailed it with "Its 1992 in Wisconsin."

Maybe that's why I love it there!

[Sport]

The "New England teams are the best teams in the country thing" is getting old. Mainly the whole "Can we legalize steroids in the NL yet?" thing that not only him, but everyone is saying. The NL is awful this year, and yes, basically AAAA ball. But one league is ALWAYS better than the other. The American League will suck again, don't worry.

I still enjoy his column however because his sense of humor is right on with mine. I liked this one alot because its Wisconsin, where I spent 4 of the best years of my life.

And he nailed it with "Its 1992 in Wisconsin."

Everyone says the NL is worse, I just think the National league is spread out. Look at the american league, you have big spenders like New York, Boston, Chicago, and then you have alot of talent of a few teams, and then not very much talent on a few teams. Basically the AL has some teams that are good and some teams that suck. The National league has one good team, the mets. The rest are all just even. The national league has more parity, which is why when they play the top american league teams, they lose.

Bill Simmons. I enjoyed the article he wrote about the clippers a few months ago, but if I read the first paragraph of one of his columns and he mentions the redsox, patriots, or celtics, then I don't finish the article. He, like the rest of New England needs to realize that there is sports outside of New England.

[marlinfan]

The NL has a lot of developing teams that will be as good or even better than most teams in the AL next year or 2008. See: Milwaukee, Arizona, Los Angeles Colorado, Florida

[jkrdevil]

(What average fan can actually step onto Lambeau Field?)

I believe if you take a tour of Lambeau you can go on the field. I know people who have gone on the field although that was years ago it might have been changed, I doubt it though.

Everyone says the NL is worse, I just think the National league is spread out. Look at the american league, you have big spenders like New York, Boston, Chicago, and then you have alot of talent of a few teams, and then not very much talent on a few teams. Basically the AL has some teams that are good and some teams that suck. The National league has one good team, the mets. The rest are all just even. The national league has more parity, which is why when they play the top american league teams, they lose.

The Kansas City Royals went 10-8 against the NL this year. The only NL team to have an above .500 record in interleague was the Rockies. The NL isn't spread out it just sucks. Yes the AL has teams that flat out suck in Kansas City, Baltimore, and Tampa. Outside of those 3 there isn't anyteam that can't do some damage. The NL has Pittsburgh, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta, and Florida among others.

IMO the primary reason is beause because the DH makes it a deeper league. When the 2 leagues play each other the AL either has a lethal batter off the bench of a stronger lineup with a DH because the NL doesn't have that extra hitter on their roster. This also causes the AL to be a bigger spending league. Not only do they have to spend the big money for a DH but they also have to spend big money on pitchers that can handle an AL lineup. In the NL a team can send out a mediocre pitcher and he can be succesful. Just look at the NL bust that have come over to the AL in recent years and look at the pitchers at the end of their careers go from the AL to the NL have have a ton of success.

[BJ Sands]

(What average fan can actually step onto Lambeau Field?)

I believe if you take a tour of Lambeau you can go on the field. I know people who have gone on the field although that was years ago it might have been changed, I doubt it though.

I meant before a game.

[Tazz013]

Also, this is at least the second column where he casually mentions arriving late to a game. I don't know many true fans that do that unless there is a pressing reason.

At Miller Park, you can still see droves of fans walking across the bridge in the second and third innings. If you're in the 'Mets' or 'Dodgers' lots tailgating, it takes about 25 minutes just to get to the park.

[Pat]

(What average fan can actually step onto Lambeau Field?)

I believe if you take a tour of Lambeau you can go on the field. I know people who have gone on the field although that was years ago it might have been changed, I doubt it though.

Yeah, I did that just a couple weeks ago But on field passes, before the game, not sure how he got those...

I was also at that Brewers game, and myself along with him, was so surprised by Brewers fans. Ive seen games at SkyDome (Rogers Centre), Tiger Stadium, Comerica Park, Camden Yards, Wrigley Field, and Miller Park, and Milwaukee. Milwaukee was home to the best fans Ive seen, and the best atmosphere surrounding the area for a baseball game. It was really interesting. Wisconsinite sports fans are the most devoted Ive seen, probably because there's not much else to do there

Camden Yards was the most beautiful Park Ive been too, Wrigley was very interesting, because hell its Wrigley. I love SkyDome, cause my team plays there, but Miller Park was outstanding overall, I was entertained from start to finish.

[SabreGuy]

I've kind of had a love/hate relationship with SportsGuy's columns over the time that he's been writing for ESPN. When he started off, he was really funny. He talked too much about basketball and Boston, but I cut him some slack because that's what he knew, and what he cut his teeth writing about. Then he started to branch out to writing about other teams and other leagues, and it was brilliant. I still lamented that every once in a while he'd do something that was all NBA (which I can't relate to, so I don't even understand half of the jokes, because I don't know any of the players) or that was too homer-Boston. But for the most part, it was good.

Then three things happened that made him "jump the shark" for me. The first was that he publically stopped following the NHL and the Bruins. Now, I hate the Bruins, but I at least respected that the guy rooted for his hometown team. But at some point he just gave up on them, and as a sports fan, I just can't respect that. You pick your team, and you stick with them. You can have flings with other teams, and you can even have less interest in a sport a particular year because your team sucks (Kind of like how I will be with the NFL this year)... but you don't just GIVE UP on them. That was bull, and it rubbed me the wrong way.

The second thing was, after a couple of patriots super bowl wins, the Red Sox won the world series. Now, I know this wasn't his fault... but he has been insufferable about it. Dude, you're a national columnist now, not a Boston columnist. Most of us can't relate to you calling the ALCS victory that year some kind of miracle. Whatever, it was a good series. But it was two years ago. Time to move on.

And then the third thing... the final nail in the coffin... was the move to L.A. I understand why he did it... I just don't understand why it turned him in to an a-hole. I think that was the real defining moment when he "jumped the shark." I still read the non-NBA columns, but it's mostly out of habit now.

[Gothamite]

Hey, SabreGuy - off-topic, but your signature reminded me of this:

Brett Favre Fitted For New Suit Before Sold-Out Lambeau Field Crowd

[SabreGuy]

Hey, SabreGuy - off-topic, but your signature reminded me of this:

Brett Favre Fitted For New Suit Before Sold-Out Lambeau Field Crowd

Aaaah, the Onion. I still love The Onion, but part of me thinks that it, like Bill Simmons, has "jumped the shark." But occasionally they come up with something really hysterical. I liked that article, and it was definitely along the same lines as the quote in my sig.

I've actually been looking for a place to mention that the quote in my sig comes from a Terry Pluto Akron Beacon-Journal column talking about how difficult it is for the Indians to draw fans. About how they can draw fans well when they're playing well, but that conversely, the Browns could be playing horribly and they'd still sell out games. So when the Indians are playing poorly, as they have been lately, they can barely get a crowd. That's kind of sad for me, because I love baseball WAY more than I care for football. I guess I kind of missed out on understanding why Browns fans are so rabid. Probably because 1) I already had my own team, the Bills, when I moved to Cleveland, and 2) I lived in Cleveland for the years that the Browns didn't exist.