SB Nation User Blog: Mayor of 311

Billy Mays's son approves of people dressing like his dad for Halloween.

Mayor of 311 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:18:47 -0000

Billy Mays's son approves of people dressing like his dad for Halloween.

I figure around 30% of the McCoven will be dressing as Billy Mays for Halloween this year, so here's some contest info.

Visual training in athletics-- the Holy Grail du jour?

Mayor of 311 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:11:06 -0000

Visual training in athletics-- the Holy Grail du jour?

Cool stats article: debunking "myth" that Wins are completely useless in evaluating starting pitching.

Mayor of 311 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:26:13 -0000

Cool stats article: debunking "myth" that Wins are completely useless in evaluating starting pitching.

Not long; worth reading; good points that are probably valuable for the mid-level stats users here and elementary for the high-level stats users here.

WARNING: On the sidebar at the time I read this, there was an ad for a Tampa Bay Rays t-shirt that says "Zorilla." I hope that for you it is a retrospective of Anne Hathaway (or, if you prefer, Hugh Jackman), but if not, you've been warned.

Milton Bradley for Aaron Rowand? Wouldja?

Mayor of 311 — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:52:05 -0000

Milton Bradley for Aaron Rowand? Wouldja?

This is all just talk, but rumors and chatter sometimes have a way of coming true. Your thoughts.

Shawon Dunston: Power Player in Cubs bankruptcy proceedings

Mayor of 311 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:08:38 -0000

Shawon Dunston: Power Player in Cubs bankruptcy proceedings

So he writes a handwritten letter to the bankruptcy court to object to the Cubs bankruptcy plan.

You want to watch a mailman walk? Write a letter.

"Talk a lot of thangs": Why grammar & good spelling are important

Mayor of 311 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:51:06 -0000

"Talk a lot of thangs": Why grammar & good spelling are important

Don't just dismiss this because it takes place in West Virginia, people. There are aspiring crooks everywhere.

(Think this guy has a sign on his house that says "Gon Phishin"?)

POLL: Sanchez trade, The McCC View

Mayor of 311 — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:38:59 -0000

OK, after 2500+ comments on the Sanchez-Alderson trade, it is clear that feelings are running high on this trade. But it is 2500+ comments, so it is hard to summarize quite where everyone is with it. Thus a poll. Yes, the poll forces you into a choice between two things; that's the point. Just pick the one that is closer to your view, even if only a little. I think I have done a fair job of distilling the two basic sides. (I have omitted the "middle" position of "I favor the trade, but wish it could have been more cheaply"-- nope, no alternative scenarios allowed. This is your sense of the trade as actually made.)

The sides are generally this:

Generally favor. Sure, Alderson was special, but There Is No Such Thing As A Pitching Prospect (TINSTAAPP), which has been absolute dogma on here for years, along with the warning that people tend to overvalue their own prospects. Look, you have to give up something good to get something good. This season has provided an unexpected but realistic chance at the postseason that can't be taken lightly.
Generally oppose. Alderson is more important to our future plans than Freddy Sanchez; Sanchez is better than the mess we have at 2b, but we need so much more than that, so this is kind of a pointless trade. Our chances at the postseason are technically realistic, sure, but our chances of winning the World Series with an offense that has 5 holes in it and Winnie-the-Pooh batting cleanup are very small, so losing a blue chip like Alderson is not worth it. (Again, I'm leaving out the 'would have loved to get Sanchez for Velez and Aurilia and a Cha Cha Bowl' alternative copout-- this isn't "What If Lee Had Won At Gettysburg.")

Poll

Which statement comes closer to reflecting your feelings?

I understand that Alderson is special, but TINSTAAPP, and we needed a decent-hitting 2b NOW; postseason in 2009 is realistic & worthwhile. Generally favor.

227 votes

I get that postseason chances aren't to be taken lightly, but Alderson is an exception to the TINSTAAPP rule and FSanchy can't cure our ills. Generally oppose.

131 votes

358 votes | Poll has closed

McC Night Wrap: Continuing the Tradition of Greatness

Mayor of 311 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:03:42 -0000

In 2007, McC Night was the night Barry hit homerun #756. In 2008, a young dancer named Goofus McPenisbutter cha-cha'd his way into television mock history. And this year, we saw Tim Lincecum's career-high 15 K's and honored the woman who, with her husband, saved the already sold Giants from moving to St. Petersburg.

Thanks to Goofus for two things: one is organizing all this again; the other is for not dancing.

Thanks to Grant for founding this community; thanks to the early leaders who shaped this community into one that values intelligence, humor, analysis, humor, wit, knowledge, humor, and a cool kind of mutual respect and regard that makes it different from other webzsites. And thanks to all of you who contribute any of the above to this community.

It really IS a community. It was great seeing so many of you at Zeke's. I wish that we all could watch a game on some giant TV's (televisions or transvestites, either way) and have a Live Verbal Gameday Thread(tm). That would be funny.

Kitspool took some great pictures. They are, or soon will be, below. EDIT from WalrusMan: Kitspool's pictures can be found here.

Moon Landing/Giants, Gaylord Perry angle (hilarious)

Mayor of 311 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:43:06 -0000

Moon Landing/Giants, Gaylord Perry angle (hilarious)

Funny-- Mets Banner Day = good sarcasm

Mayor of 311 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:23:15 -0000

Funny-- Mets Banner Day = good sarcasm

The Mets had a Banner Day, and some of the banners were McCovenworthy. Read the non-pictured slogans at the bottom of the article; my favorite was "Mets Fever: Catch it with both hands." (Apologies to wilriv and his ilk for citing the NY Times!)