If Coney becomes pitching coach, who will school Michael Kay about the Violent Femmes?

I believe the 2019 Yankee season will be remembered for three major cultural events: 

1. The "Next Man Up" rallying cry, which turned several nobodies into career Yankees.

2. The end of John Sterling's amazing streak of calling consecutive games, at 5,058, due to illness. For the first time, at age 81, The Master became mortal. Even now, I wonder if we've realized the implications. Nothing lasts forever.

3. The YES Network comedy team of Coney & O'Neill.

Let's discuss No. 3. This was the year David Cone became an official Yankee character. (O'Neill had already achieved this, as a beast who devours foodstuffs, plays golf all day, yells at players, and who - despite a now-deceased sister who wrote for the NY Times - seemed oblivious to life outside ball.) Cone, on the other hand, constantly dropped hints of something few color commentators ever dare disclose: Intellectual curiosity about - gasp - culture.

One of my favorite moments of 2019 came one hot afternoon when Cone casually mentioned "Blister in the Sun," as if everyone would catch the reference. Michael Kay was dumbfounded. Upon questioning, Cone replied (paraphrasing): "The Violent Femmes! What? You never heard of the Violent Femmes?" 

Because this is reputed to be a geezer blog, let's have a show hands: How many of you have heard of the Violent Femmes? 

They were - still are - an alt-folk-punk rock band from the 1980s, based out of Milwaukee. Kay's reaction that day was a head-shaking, "You crazy hippies" routine that belonged in a Dragnet rant from Sgt. Joe Friday. You'd think Cone were a disciple of Sid Vicious. In fact, the Violent Femmes have sold more than 10 million records. It was Kay who somehow missed the eighties - (and nineties and more) - and without Cone, the YES Network could easily become the sports version of Fox News, an electronic babysitter for grandpa.

Cone also became YES's "Mister New-Fangled Technology." He would report the "exit velo" of batted balls, regularly to the pants-peeing astonishment of Kay and O'Neill. You'd think such information challenged the underpinnings of their world, when in fact, those stats have become the norm. Coney became the one person who pondered American culture beyond the YES Seniors Day Bingo Parlor. At times, during blowouts, O'Neill and Cone became the best part of a broadcast. 

Which brings me to today's old man rant: Supposedly, the Yankees have interviewed Cone for the job of pitching coach. Listen: I have no idea whether Cone would make a good coach, or if he's being seriously considered for the position. (Sometimes, the interview is a courtesy.) Cone is smart, resilient and intellectually younger than his age (56). That said, I am intrigued by the notion that the Yankees would hire a thirtysomething, tech-driven college coach. What do I know? Not enough to warrant an opinion.

But that never stopped me before. Why start now? I say this: If Cone becomes pitching coach, he will no longer school Kay about pop culture over the last 40 years. Also, if things go south with coach Cone - (and eventually, things always go south) - it could end his affiliation with the Yankees. One of the great things about the Yankees has been our cultural appropriation of ex-Mets - Tom Seaver, Ken Singleton and Coney - for the TV booth. I would hate to see Cone's time with the Yankees end due to hard feelings, if and when a change needs to be made.

If Coney becomes pitching coach, who will tell us about the Violent Femmes? Should we care? I dunno. Listen for yourself. "Blister in the Sun" is a pretty good song.