Kevin Baker's book is here!

Kevin Baker's book is here!
"... an exemplary sports book..." Kirkus Reviews

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Question: Could Tanaka Be the Mo of Yankee Starters?

Yes, it's way too soon for that kind of speculation, which is precisely why it's the perfect time to bring it up. And there's no juju danger in it because Tanaka is, unlike the false claim about Clapton in the 60s, God.

By the way, did any other old timers find it...kind of...bizarre...to hear Street Fighting Man playing on the Stadium sound system behind the YES wrap up of the Old Timers game? Do you think the Steinbrenners know what the lyrics are? Just wondering...


4 comments:

Local Bargain Jerk said...

I'm not sure I understand either of the rock and roll references you included in your "post".

I mean, I was able to digest the fundamental message in your "post" by the time I finished reading the headline. But, the rest of it, well, WTF?

First, there was this:

Tanaka is, unlike the false claim about Clapton in the 60s, God.

Huh? Last I checked, Clapton was, and still is, God. You might want to check him out at a concert sometime.


Second:

...kind of...bizarre...to hear Street Fighting Man playing on the Stadium sound system behind the YES wrap up of the Old Timers game? Do you think the Steinbrenners know what the lyrics are?

What the hell does this mean? Why does it matter if the Steinbrenners know what the lyrics are? Which part of the lyrics did you find ironic? Which part are inadvertently insulting to the Steinbrenners? Which part are inappropriate? Why are you mentioning this?

But most of all, what does this have to do with Tanaka being Mo?

Sheesh, Anonymous must be sleeping.

JM said...

Street Fighting Man is a song about revolution and violence in the streets, something the incredibly conservative Steinbrenners would hardly be expected to endorse.

Clapton has become a blues-legend-copying lounge performer, technically skilled but whose days as an innovating firebrand, notably with Cream, are far, far behind him. (Though the God graffiti, to be fair, appeared when he was with John Mayall and English kids weren't used to a white guy who could play blues with such a good command of the genre.)

Now, the apparent lack of goofiness or whimsy or whatever by LBJ (interesting initials, I like it) in not allowing for meandering asides aside, the real critique here is that I proclaimed Tanaka exempt from Juju, when right after this admittedly lightweight post he went out and got clocked by the Birds. In fact, the timing couldn't have been more terrible.

But, in defense of Tanaka (words I knew would have to be written some day, but didn't think so soon), even Mo had his bad days, just like God has for the last six billion years or so. But the premature consideration of the Professor as being in Mo's league is the main idea, exactly the type of blogger and fan speculation that I always find so silly yet enjoyable. So the question posed is somewhat akin to Craig Ferguson ripping up the index cards that have the information about his guests to show his "contempt for the format", although bemusement is more my reaction and not contempt at all.

For further explanations and meta-deconstructions of my very often loopy, goofy and oddity-stuffed posts, write to:

Hey Whaddya Mean
P.O. Box 1245
Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10168

Please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope for your personal deconstruction and explanation of my eccentricities and non-mainstream sense of humor and criticism. Allow 4-6 weeks for a reply.

Anonymous said...

God, you suck.... Why? WHY!?!?! How are you still a 'writer' for this site?

Anonymous said...

John M. writes in his long winded, barely readable defense
"For further explanations and meta-deconstructions of my very often loopy, goofy and oddity-stuffed posts, write to:"

How can you deconstruct something that has no construction?