“Do not boo; vote.”
Former president Barack Obama said those words last night during his speech at the Democratic convention. They were in response to people booing former president 45 after Obama mentioned him in his speech, “he (45) killed a bipartisan immigration deal, written in part by one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress. That would have helped secure our southern border, because he thought trying to actually solve the problem would hurt his campaign.”
Obama’s request of people to vote is a reminder that voting is the single most important thing we as citizens can do to influence the direction of this great country of ours. Spreading rhetoric and hate will not get us to where we need to be. Nor will name calling and belittling someone whose opinions are different. We need to encourage everyone to get out and vote on November 5, 2024.
In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, about 66.8% of eligible voters cast a ballot, which was the highest turnout since 1900. This represents roughly 158.4 million votes cast out of approximately 239 million eligible voters. The percentage of registered voters who participated was even higher, around 74%. Although the numbers are encouraging, it also means that 80.6 million of eligible voters and 56 million of registered voters did not vote.
This presidential election is the most important election of my lifetime. The future of this country is at stake. Democracy as we know it is at stake. Optimism and hope are at stake. A country run by leaders who defend the constitution and honor their oath of office versus a country run by leaders who ignore their oath of office and try to manipulate the constitution for their own benefit is at stake. A country run by a former prosecutor versus a country run by a convicted felon is at stake.
Do not boo; vote.
Sunday’s Little League Classic: Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees
I cannot remember when I thoroughly enjoyed watching a major league baseball game more than the game Sunday night between the Tigers and Yankees on ESPN.
The game was played in historic Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series at the stadium of the Williamsport minor league team. The only fans in attendance were the players, coaches and family members of the 16 Little League teams who made it to this year’s world series.
The Tigers and Yankees arrived early in the day and were met at the airport by a large contingent of Little Leaguers seeking autographs and selfies. The Yankees and Tiger players then spent the remainder of the day talking and interacting with the Little Leaguers as the pros got ready for their game that night.
ESPN broadcast the game and had Matt Vierling of the Tigers and Juan Soto mic’d up during one of the middle innings. First up was Vierling, who was playing left field while the game was going on. At one point as the announcers were talking to Vierling a ball was hit to him, and Vierling said I got to get this. He handled the ground ball and calmly threw it back to the infield to keep the batter at first base. As the announcers were teasing Vierling about the ball always finding someone, a batted ball was hit down the left field line. While talking Vierling sprinted to the ball and made a spectacular catch as he crashed into the wall. Vierling got up from the crash and calmly threw the ball back to the infield while continuing his conversation with the ESPN announcers.
When the Tigers came to bat, the Yankees right fielder Juan Soto was mic’d up. To no one’s surprise, Soto had a fly ball hit to him while he was talking to the announcers. There was also a fly ball between Soto and centerfielder Aaron Judge that Judge caught. Through the live microphone you could hear the communication between Soto and Judge while the ball was in play.
In addition to Vierling and Judge, the managers were also mic’d up. The highlight was injured Yankee outfielder Jazz Chisholm, Jr. who spent most of the game wandering the stands during the game interacting with the Little Leaguers and their families. At one point, Chisholm did an in-game interview with ESPN while sitting in the stands surrounded with Little Leaguers. Based on the smiles, I am not sure who was having more fun, Chisholm or the kids. Chisholm told one kid, he would be the kid’s big brother, and he would supply the kid with whatever his baseball needs were for the rest of the kid’s baseball career.
In the end, the Little Leaguers were treated to one hell of a game as the Tigers won the game 3-2 with a walk off single in the bottom of the tenth.
ESPN, Little League and MLB get my Orchid of the Day. A second Special Orchid of the Day goes to Jazz Chisholm. Jr.
Some people just cannot be pleased, no matter how hard you try.
While I am handing our Orchids for the Little League Classic, some people can still find something to complain about.
Per The Sporting News, of the many things New York Yankees star Aaron Judge is known for, his character may be at the top of the list in what sets him apart from the league.
While many fans, players and coaches agree with that sentiment, Staten Island’s South Shore Little League coach Bob Laterza took shots at the superstar outfielder for not meeting with his team during the Little League Classic game in Williamsport over the weekend.
Throughout the busy weekend, every Yankees player, including Judge, made time to hang out with the droves of young players competing at Lamade Stadium.
However, he wasn’t among the players to attend a meet-and-greet with the Staten Island team and Laterza said Judge didn’t interact with the players when they called out to him from the stands during the game.
“How about turning around or wave to New York and the kids that think you’re a hero,’’ Laterza told the SI Live. “They are the ones who pay your salary. They were disappointed. Maybe he’ll want to make up for it and come and see them.”
The Yankees responded in strong defense of their captain in a statement, according to Newsday.
“Aaron Judge is one of the great ambassadors of our sport. He is a role model worth celebrating – not simply because of his skills and accomplishments on the field – but because of the way he wholeheartedly embraces making a positive impact on those who look up to him.
“Our entire roster spent the day in Williamsport connecting with as many Little Leaguers as they possibly could prior to our game, including the team from Staten Island. We commend all of our players for devoting their complete attention to the hundreds of kids who literally walked step-by-step alongside them from the moment the Yankees landed in Williamsport through the entirety of the evening. Our players were unequivocally committed to making the experience what it was intended to be – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young baseball players and their families from around the world to have meaningful and genuine interaction with some of Major League Baseball’s greatest players.
“Neither the Yankees nor our players organized the schedule on Sunday. In fact, because Staten Island played on Sunday our players went out of their way to spend time with them in the moments immediately before our game with the Tigers.”
According to the New York Post, “Judge and others were occupied signing autographs for Little League players throughout the afternoon after Staten Island won its game.”
It didn’t end there. The Yankees then took aim at Laterza, offering advice to follow Judge as a role model while still extending an invitation for the team to visit Yankee Stadium in the future.
“We wish Staten Island success in winning the championship. Win or lose, we intend to invite them to Yankee Stadium. However, it would have been much better if Staten Island’s Coach called us to understand the facts before bitterly reacting in such a public fashion. Reaching out to us would have been the prudent way to act and would have set a fine example for his young players. Aaron Judge always acts with kindness and respect. The coach could learn a lot from him.”
I agree with the Yankees. Coach Laterza gets my Onion of the Day
A Sign of the Times
Per the Detroit News, Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday its cutting capital expenditures in electric vehicles, delaying the launch of its next-generation all-electric pickup truck set to launch in Tennessee and has changed plans for a forthcoming three-row SUV to be hybrid, not all-electric.
EV sales are growing, but it’s at a slower rate than what the industry had expected as consumers remain hesitant to adopt the alternative powertrain. The Dearborn automaker says the new launch schedule will allow it to introduce the vehicles to be profitable within the first year, adopt advances in battery technology and ensure it can continue to sell vehicles under regulatory greenhouse-gas tailpipe emissions and fuel economy standards.
As I have said multiple times, until I can easily drive 400 miles without having to recharge and charging stations are readily available, this old guy will continue with his fuel-efficient Taurus SHO.
Steve Kerr
I have always admired Steve Kerr. At 18 years old, after starting his first year at the University of Arizona on a basketball scholarship, his father who was the president of American University in Lebanon, Beirut was assassinated by an jihad extremist.
Kerr went on to have a highly successful playing career in college and in the NBA where he won five championship rings with the Chicago Bulls. He then became a very successful NBA coach with three championship rings as an NBA coach of the Golden State Warriors. Just recently, he coached the USA men’s basketball team to a Olympic gold medal in France.
Kerr has always been outspoken on social issues, especially gun control, and social injustice. He is not afraid to use his platform and megaphone which comes with his position to reach as many people as possible.
When I heard that he was going to be a speaker on Monday night at the Democratic convention I knew I had to hear his speech. I was not disappointed.
His speech is my Video of the Day
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Quote of the Day: “Don’t boo: Vote.” Former president Barack Obama. See the above story.
Orchid of the Day: Little League, ESPN and MLB. See the above story
Special Orchid of the Day: New York Yankee, Jazz Chisholm Jr. See the above story.
Onion of the Day: Staten Island Little League Coach Bob Laterza. See the above story.
Question of the Day: What are you going to do to make sure eligible voters are registered to vote and registered voters vote on November 5, 2024.
Video of the Day: Steve Kerr at the Democratic National Convention.
FULL SPEECH: NBA coach Steve Kerr greeted with applause at DNC (youtube.com)