The People's Voice, four-letter word edition
This is the four-letter word edition of The People's Voice – and I don't mean L-O-V-E. From Dale Jr. swearing on TV, to baseball fans swearing at one another to some readers (gasp) even swearing at me, it is enough to keep the Yahoo! Sports censors working overtime.
I am not mad about it, though. I swear.
On a positive note, in the name of true family entertainment, we are also able to provide Rodney Dangerfield one last encore.
Now on to The People's Voice ...
CURSED NASCAR ("Driving personality" Oct. 6, 2004)
So what if Junior used a four-letter word? Most people use them on a daily basis, mostly out of anger. This was not the case with Junior; his was out of celebration. How much more can we take of the boring and senseless dribble that some racers spout?
Christine Guerrero
Los Angeles
I am a father of four and as a family we watch NASCAR together. After the comment that Junior made I will say that I was shocked (only because I knew it would cost him); however, I was not offended.
A few moments later I was offended for the umpteenth time as I had to sit there and see my family exposed to "Bob sporting his new wood" and Viagra warnings of erections lasting for four hours and naked couples all but having intercourse in bathtubs while advertising Cialis.
Of course these types of ads don't go all throughout the race. There is the occasional autopsy photos of a half-severed human head promoting one of the network's "CSI"-type shows.
It seems to me that watching NASCAR definitely is not a family-friendly atmosphere, but none of it has anything to do with Jr. dropping an "S" bomb or even an "F" bomb for all that I care.
Shane Johnson
Mount Hope, Kan.
Your comments about how unfair Junior's penalty was were completely out of line. I am a Dale Jr. fan, but do you think that is all right to tell your children that it is OK to curse when you are excited, but not otherwise? NASCAR gets criticized about every penalty. I hope he comes back and wins the championship, but the penalty was correct.
Jim Cole
Gulf Shores, Ala.
All I can say is "my sentiments exactly." NASCAR deducted 25 points for saying s*@t but did not deduct points from a driver who deliberately spun out another driver, which took out several others.
Shareen Beauchamp
Stockton, Calif.
Not only did Robby Gordon deliberately spin out another driver, he said he would do it on the radio.
As a parent of two children (17 and 11 years old), I am deeply bothered that we have commercials on television talking about erections lasting more than 4 hours than anything that Junior said on television. We hear s--- 1,000 times a day and to me, I'm only offended by the way it was said or used. This was NOT one of those cases.
Scott Haynes
Rockwall, Texas
"By suspending Jose Guillen, the Angels joined a reassuring trend of rejecting star treatment in favor of team values." Sound familiar? Try Sept. 27.
Therefore, by assessing the stiff penalty and fine to "Jr.," NASCAR is rejecting star treatment in favor of American values. Get off the fence
Dan Breazzeal
Tulsa, Okla.
I did write that, but this is a different circumstance. However, I'll give NASCAR some credit. Although I think the rule is asinine, NASCAR did stick to it. It stands to reason that NASCAR actually wants Junior, perhaps its most popular and marketable driver, to win the Cup. But they docked him the points anyway.
You are "Dan" right about Junior's comment. Bowling on TV took the same tack that NASCAR is taking – nothing controversial. Where is it today? They fined and suspended Marshall Holman. They fined and suspended Pete Weber. NASCAR, history repeats itself. You too can only be on ESPN2 at 2 a.m.
F.O.G. Racing. (Fast, Ornery, Grampa)
Marty Apgar
Grants Pass, Ore.
Just a classic letter.
ROOTING FOR THE YANKEES ("Asking for it" Oct. 7, 2004)
Hey Red Sox fans, let's be careful what you wish for! How many times can the Yankees beat a dead horse? And what makes this stage even grander are hopes that this Boston team finally has what it takes to defeat their dreaded nemesis. The fact of the matter is they've had gutsier teams, they've had better personnel, they've had all the chances in the past to pull it off, and still 86 years of broken dreams.
Anthony Iuffredo
Hoboken, N.J.
Real Red Sox fans never, ever root for the Yankees. It's in the by-laws. Page 1, Section 1, Article 1, Line A.
Mark Merz
Phoenix
I like your article on the Red Sox fans rooting for the Yankees. I am a long-suffering fan. One problem though- this following quote:
"I was busting their balls," Partington said. I said, "You are not rooting for the Yankees?" They said, "We are, but we're Sox fans. We want to see the Sox-Yankees in Boston."
I'm a teacher. No wonder the kids think words like "suck" and "balls" are ok in everyday speech. They see it in mainstream articles like this. I am by no means a prude, but is it really appropriate? An outburst at ballparks can be understandable, but you edited this. The point would've gotten across without "balls."
Enjoyed the other stuff. Go Sox! Yankees S... well, you know.
Charles Raras
Lowell, Mass.
Just so you know, I wrestled with this a little and maybe I got it wrong. Certainly it is a blunt and crude statement, but it is what she said. You go talk to bartenders about the Sox-Yankees, this is what you get.
WILD ASTROS ("The sky's the limit" Oct. 5, 2004)
You are totally correct that as much as Roger Clemens' on-field performance, the winning attitude he brought to the Astros this season is the reason they are in the playoffs. As a longtime fan I can tell you there was a difference to this team from the start of spring training. Rocket should be MVP.
Tom Blanchard
Houston
This was an interesting article, and yes, Houston seemed like it had no chance, but try writing an article about the St. Louis Cardinals. No one, except all the St. Louis fans, thought the Cards had a chance at the beginning of the year. We knew they could go all the way and just look at what a year they had!
That would be a great story!
Carol Dufoe
St. Louis
Try looking back through my archives – a whole week – before asking when I'll write an article on the Cardinals. If you are not going to keep up, don't write in.
YANKEES-RED SOX (Baseball's best show" Oct. 11, 2004)
Loved your article on the hammer and the nail. I've been a Yankee fan since 1961. Had the pleasure of watching the M&M boys put on a great show and was hooked ever since. However, I never dreamed this rivalry would become such an obsession with people in both cities. This is what makes the game still worth watching. The competitive nature of both these teams is amazing; however, the competitive nature of their prideful fans is just as intense. Keep up the good work, a loyal reader.
Gus DiIorio
New Port Richey, Fla.
Ever since you started off with the hammer and nail analogy, I can't get Simon and Garfunkel off my mind, or the Great Gonzo who also did it on "The Muppet Show."
Ed Lopez
Manila, Philippines
The only rational explanation for the Red Sox play(s) in the postseason is the CURSE. If a fan were to look to the normal flow of baseball games it would just drive the fan crazy or at least to despair. My heart is with the Red Sox, but my wallet is on the Yankees. Otherwise I couldn't remain a Red Sox fan.
Peter C. Tallman
Keene, N.H.
Why do people always trot out the 26-0 World Series wins since 1918 for the Red Sox/Yankees? While it was the last year the Red Sox won, it still seems rather arbitrary simply to start counting then. Why not start with the first World Series? Or I could easily say that since the Yankees last won a World Series, it is 0-0.
Chris Vitek
Worcester, Mass.
Fair enough, counting the 1903 Boston Americans (who would become the Red Sox); the Yankees hold a 26-5 lead in World Series titles. Feel better?
I guess if you live in the Bronx or South Boston this ALCS might be the pinnacle of baseball. To everyone else in the world it is just another series. I suppose you have to write about something, but dang, every one of y'all (the media) seems to think this series is everything to everyone. Frankly, the rest of the world, or at least myself, truly does not give a damn about the Saux or da bombers.
Ray Manear
Houston
Typical New York bias. Try being objective and not a transparent Yankee fan.
Howard L. Thomas
Quincy, Mass.
Could you be a bigger Red Sox fan, jerk?
Elias Jones
New York
R.I.P. RODNEY ("The People's Voice honors Rodney" Oct. 6, 2004)
Thanks for the Rodney lines. I was in my college library and had to leave my area for the tears his lines brought . . . the wife's bridge club bit . . . I nearly wet myself . . . great stuff. In this fast-paced world, celebs die and life goes on. Rodney's lines will live on forever.
Pat Campbell
Rochester, N.Y.
Thank God for DVDs.
"If it weren't for pickpockets I'd have no sex life at all."
Stephen Williams
Austin, Texas
"I'll tell ya, my wife and I, we don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless, and I donate money to the topless!"
"One night I came home and I figured I'd let my wife come on to me for a change – you know, let her make the first move. She went to Florida!"
"I was making love to this girl and she started crying. I asked her, What's the matter, are you going to hate yourself in the morning?' She said, No, I hate myself now.'"
David Snow
Wilmington, N.C.
"My dad was tough, but nice. Tough, but nice. My dad put my sister through college. He put me through a wall!"
Dave Willard
Hopkins, Minn.
"My wife and I had an understanding. Tuesday was MY night out with the boys. Thursday was HER night out with the boys."
Dave Blanchard
Philadelphia
"Now I know why tigers eat their young."
Rick Williams
Charlotte, N.C.
"I called suicide prevention and they put me on hold. "
Jim Essany
Eagle Point, Ore.
"While you're looking out for number one, be careful not to step in number two."
Charles Weed
Dothan, Ala.
"With friends like you, who needs enemas?"
D.L. Francis
Canton, Ohio
