It's About Mark & Alan

["Granier, Rob" <rob.granier@xxxxxxxx>]

On 10 Sept. in V7 #91 Warren Reid of Australia wrote:

	> I might of missed something in one of the Digests, so I apologise,
but who
	the hell is Mark McGwire?

	This of course was in response to what was an earlier posting about
the Major League Baseball single-season record for home runs being broken by
MacGwire.  Which I concur 
	is most likely irrelevant to this digest.  

Glen Wasserman gave what I thought was an appropriate answer to the
question.  But later in 
In #91, this appeared:
 >>>>A steroid eating fellow (precursors actually) with big arms who hits a
small, leather covered            ball far into the air and somehow
mesmerizes many Amuricans into thinking that's really     important.
" You can never go wrong underestimating the intelligence of the human
race." ( slightly modified-ed.)
Regards,
Alan G. Lambert___________________________________<gerard@domain.elided
<mailto:gerard@domain.elided> >
		*******Los Altos, California (office)*******

Well, I was happy that in subsequent posts this did not dignify a response.
But after further review and a conversation with a friend, I figured I'd
like to re-but.
		Mr. Lambert of nearby Los Altos, (geez, first it was the guy
who wanted to sue the  restaurant in Sunnyvale - a town or two one town over
from Los Altos, for wind-screen damage on his Alfa that occurred in their
parking lot, now this) does realize he's ripping his country for being
mesmerized over it's own-invented game, which is called "The National
Pastime" by the way!  

		As for myself I played baseball for nine years (not
professionally) and, while the business and arrogance of Major League
Baseball is distasteful, I'm still a fan of the game. As the Profit Manager
of oh, about $400 Million worth of commercial satellites, and a possessor of
an advanced degree I guess I'm just another dumb ol Amurican, yuk, yuk!

		By the way, our former President Bush was a COLLEGE BASEBALL
PLAYER, and can be seen these days at many Houston Astros games sitting
behind home-plate.
		You know, George Bush?  That dumb 'ol Amurican?  The guy
many people say laid the groundwork for the outstanding economic health the
U.S. has enjoyed most of this decade.   

		But here's the "kicker".  A friend of mine played "amurican"
football at the
		University of Southern California (USC) the same time
MacGwire was matriculating and playing baseball there in the mid-80's.  He
knew MacGwire, and tells me that Mac was on the Dean's List....and did not
major in Phys. Ed by the way.

		My point is that the athletes who play the game: are not
dummies compared to the rest of this society, and also, think the home-run
record is important.  
		But why does Amurica think this Home-run record is so
important?  It's about outstanding achievement in a certain profession that
millions of Americans can personally relate to because they have
participated in the sport.  
		Is road-racing, or racing in general any less crazy? Is it
not even more of a "head-scratcher" to try to figure-out why some folks
auto-cross in their commute cars (or worse, their beautiful Alfas) on
weekends, taking high-speed risks around a race course with little training
and experience while their families sit at home? It's fun, that's why.
		In the grand scheme it probably isn't that important, and
what we are mesmerized with is puzzling compared to what is really
important. But does that make us any less intelligent? Please. 

		Rob G.
		San Ramon, CA
		'88 Milano Verde
		 

	 

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