Haters Gonna Hate
I can’t remember which rapper said that. Maybe it was all of them. But before our season gets underway there are a few things I want to get off my chest. And it has to do with the haters. Specifically, three kinds….:
1) The fans (non Giant). Mostly, they do their hatin’ on the internet. It’s one of the great failings of the internet–people get to say whatever they want nearly without consequence. It took me a while to develop the right mindset to deal with these numbskulls but I feel like I am much better equip to deal with them now than I was 6 or 7 years ago. I can thank my spam filter for that.
If you’re a non-Giants fan, your hate started with Barry Bonds. And I get that. His pompous march toward the HR crown had non-Giant baseball fans worldwide doing a slow burn. So by the time 2010 rolled around there was no way you were going to believe in this team. Three World Series wins later, I can only imagine how slow that burn must be now. And A’s fans have it the worst. This in all unfolding in their backyard. They’re almost forced to watch it. And look where they’re watching it from! Let me ask you something Giants fans: If I told you that when you attend a game at AT&T Park, the Coke bottle would randomly fire off human shit fireworks in between innings all over the crowd, would that make you more likely or less likely to go to the game? Because that’s basically what’s going on over at O.Co. Human shit spews and oozes all over that place. It’s like Old Faithful gone horribly wrong. At AT&T we enjoy garlic fries and a tasty Sheboygan. At O.Co the vendors are literally selling frozen shitcicles in the stands. Those sound positively awful. I’m not paying 8 bucks for that. If I ever went to an A’s game I ‘d be sure to wear me galoshes and construction goggles. Throw in the fact that they haven’t won a world series in a quarter century and you can see how easily the haters be hatin’ in Shitland (I mean *Oakland*).
The next group of Haters are the writers. Somewhere along the way, writers decided that their job was to predict what was going to happen. And because they get paid to write, they are probably pretty good at writing. Too bad that’s where their skill set ends. Again, I think a lot of the hate goes back to Bonds and the way he treated them. And to that point, I can understand it. But you’re a professional and are being paid to perform sans bias. It’s too bad the national media continues to fail at this.
The final group of haters are the analysts. The former players who get paid to babble into a microphone. These guys are arguably the worst of the 3. Whenever a former player barks into a mic “Listen, I played the game…” I know I’m about to be registered in a class I had no intention of taking. The fact that you *played the game* at the professional level means you understand certain nuances of the game better than i do. But it in no way legitimizes your predictions. These guys are wrong all the time. Guy like Erik Karros are so spectacularly wrong every time it amazes me that they have the balls to keep churning out their drivel publicly.
Now haters, I’m going to warn you in advance. Look away. Avert your eyes. Staring too long at what I’m about to show you could cause “Hater Blindness”. On a side note, I’d like to meet the dipshit that stared so long at the sun he finally went blind. Who does this? Who stares at the sun so long they actually go blind? Anyway…behold:
These are the 3 main reasons that the haters gonna hate. And the best part (for us) is that these 3 reasons will never go away. We might never win another one again. Unlikely, but possible. Through whatever the future holds for the Giants and their fans, these 3 beauties will sustain us. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some knowing dude head nods to prepare for that I’ll be doling out later today……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
The beautiful Three. A very beautiful pic.
This Clown gives a knowing dude head nod, to this Big Flavor Throw Down.
Represent!
I can’t even look at ESPN anymore. It just irks me.
Haters can keep on hating, I just keep on basking with my knowing dude nod..
Even if you looked at just who got into playoffs last year, 10 teams instead of 30, I still doubt anyone thought Giants would win it. Royals either for that matter, another WC underdog.
So this year it’s just another trip down that big river in Egypt for all these guys, like 3 in 5 never happened.
GO GIANTS!
Good topic for opening day, Flav!
I posted the other day that the Giants always have been and always will be dissed by the national media. Your reasons are right on point. But, the one I don’t really get is the Bonds thing. He was and is a polarizing figure. If I wasn’t a Giants fan, I’d probably hate him too. But he’s still the greatest hitter I ever personally saw, steroids or no. No hitter ever (IMO) controlled the pace of the game and spooked pitchers (and managers) like he could. Complete mastery of the strike zone, perfect plate discipline. Steroids don’t give you that, talent and training do. He was hated but he also sold out games everywhere he played. If I sound like a Bonds apologist, so be it. Bonds has been gone for a period of years now, media schmucks. Let it go!
More importantly, the Giants franchise is not that team anymore. They are as different from those Bonds’ teams as chalk and cheese. Different ownership (meaning, the McGowan era is over, God bless him), new manager with the unique ability to adjust his managerial style to the players he has, a team with a completely different makeup and a GM who continues to be pathetically underrated.
So screw the national media dipshits. Eric ‘The Douche’ Karros, you are the king of the dipshits. Hated you as a Dodger, hate you now. How having him cover any Giants game is not a conflict of interest, I’ll never know.
Giants fans know what they have and that’s all that matters.
/rant
Great rant, LJ. Hell, I could have written that! Good stuff…
Epic post, BF! Very well said.
The guy who went blind staring at the sun was probably Galileo. He was a scientific genius who helped INVENT science; but yeah, starting at the sun with a telescope until he went blind was not his best moment.
The friggin’ thing is 93 million miles away. I liked his chances…
LOL
D DAY. This is it. Baseball today, tonight and up to November. Spring is here. Hope springs and leaps and frolics. Not the time for hate or haters. Enjoy. Go Giants!
The supposed national media bias against the Giants seems to make fans either pissed off or, on the other hand, happy to be flying under radar yet again. I feel both. I actually have seen a vision (really, this was part of a wacky dream the other night) of what happens now that Sabean and Bochy will be here 5 more seasons (including this one), which is just quite simply win another 3 in 5, thus forever legitimizing with no doubt this era of Giants baseball is special and even requiring the haters (who would still be there) to add a phrase to the end of their “I hate the fucking Giants” along the lines of “but I gotta admit they know how to win”…. Of course, my dream was likely fueled by a bit of snake wine I’d chugged in a local beachside seafood restaurant in good ol’ Vung Tau, Vietnam… Enjoy your Opening Day (and NIght), Flap Universe…..
Well said, Paul. Tip a snake wine for me!
Great post, Flav. Happy Opening Day Flap Universe!
I am past hating on the haters. Ain’t nobody got time for that! I am still, and will continue, to BASK MY ASS OFF!
Three in Five Haters – put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Seriously ready for games that matter. Let’s Get it ON!
Not sure if this was mentioned on yesterday’s thread, but was so sad to hear about the passing of Lon “The Gray Panther” Simmons. He will forever be remembered as one of the all-time great Bay Area announcers. RIP. And interesting that he passed on Opening Day.
Chi, you might want to check out that last thread, some great posts about Lon….
Will do, Paul. Thanks.
I’ve got so many great memories of listening to Lon call Giants and 49ers games as a kid. The way his deep voice would swell with excitement as a play developed (witness Steve Young’s epic TD run) was unmatched and I’ve had the good fortune to have listen to various HoF announcers as my family was nomadic. Harry Kalas, Vin Scully, Chick Hearn. Lon had his own distinct style and that may be the best thing you can say about a broadcaster.
His call of the Niners’ game-winning drive in SB XXIII was an instant classic. There was no one better. RIP big guy.
Lon and Hank Greenwald were the best ever here.
I’ll always find room in my heart to dislike the A’s in a huge way, well, I guess it is more of a hate thing. I didn’t mind that they had the “better Stadium”, I was very comfortable going to the Stick but their fans always ragging at me about the Giants and talking shit about Candlestick, yes, that did piss me off. And now that they sit in a toilet bowl and use a DH, I say fuck em. I guess with Tony La Russa and Dave “Lucille” Stewart as part of the DBacks organization now, my dislike of that team has grown some more. Go out and rip Collmenter a new ass tonight, Giants.
Bozo, you do have a way with words. lol
Sandoval has an interesting opening day gig, going against Hamels, a lefthander. We’ll see how Sandoval’s righthanded swing is doing.
Woo Hoo! In the article “A look at 15 bold predictions for the 2015 MLB season” at number 13, our Giants are picked to miss the playoffs:
Prediction #13: The defending champion Giants won’t make the playoffs
SEEDS OF DOUBT: 1) For this decade, the Giants have won the World Series for every even-numbered year (2010, 2012, 2014).
2) For the last three odd-numbered seasons (2009, 2011, 2013), San Francisco has a so-so average of 83.3 wins — with no playoff appearances.
3) During spring training, Giants skipper Bruce Bochy publicly scolded his club, lamenting their readiness for the regular season.
4) It’s one thing to blame the baseball gods for the Giants’ quirky dynasty (and yes, three titles in five years qualifies as that). It’s another to appreciate how the Dodgers, Cardinals, Nationals and Pirates are presumed locks for the postseason … leaving the Giants, Marlins, Mets, Reds, Brewers and vastly improved Padres competing for the final slot.
Right where we want to be…under the radar…
Pads just got Kimbrel from the Braves. Jeez. They look good on paper. Let’s roll. . .
In case you are interested I posted a quick tribute to Lon Simmons s on my blog, with 2 of my favorite calls.
Ninersforever.com
Tanaka is getting lit up. Encarnacion and Martinez (Detroit game) have bombs already. Glad I kept one share of Martinez in a fantasy league LU . . . (pissed I took him out of 2 others I had).
Going to be a very, very long season for the Yankees IMO. Boss is turning over in his grave at what his two imbecilic sons have wrought.
Very strange seeing A-Rod bat #7, but he has a walk and a single so far.
OK- Call me a Homer, a Polly, a demented old fart- I can take it…..
NL West- Giants, Pads, Bums, Snakes, Rockheads
NL Central- Cards, Cubs, Bucs, Reds, Brewskis
NL East-Gnats, Mets, Fish, Phils, Tommy Hawks
WCs-Pads, Cubs
NL MVP- Heyward
CY- Who else? Paul Bunyan AKA MadBum
NL ROY- Don’t shoot me, Bro. Jimmy did it…Joc Pederson
NL Pennant- Jints
WS-Jints
MOY-Michael Scott- you try managing 8 feral cats while driving away 27 more.
BTW, Panda’s Guys in the AL East. Showdown in October
A real Polly would have gone with Duffy as NL ROY.
I wasn’t sure if he was available and also I’m not sure that he’ll start.
I gotta say, I agree 100% with your picks Twin. Demented old farts unite.
Another epic post. I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake it off. Let’s Go Giants!
Humm Baby
Let’s do it again
…It’s Gonna Be Fun
This was so much fun to read BF. I have to say that ESPN have the worst anal-ysts I have ever listen to. Except for Chris Berman, I know, I know, his home run call is old to listen to, but he is a Giants fan, so he is okay in my little world. Now Hate is such a strong word. So let’s go with I have a strong dislike for some teams. Dodgers and A’s are at the top of my list. This Giants Team is almost like the Niners, we really don’t know what this team is. I figure sometime in June is when we all will know about, CAin, Timmy, Aoki, and Maghee. Like I said on the last thread, Let’s PLAY BALL!!
Oh and GO DUKE
Sorry about Kentucky Gianthead, would have been fun to watch
Fuck ‘Em Bucky – Go Badgers!
Chuck, no, no you spell that B L U E D E V I L S. Go Blue Devils.
Frickin’ Rockies think they are at Cape Coors this afternoon.
With 3 hits and a couple of them Doubles, Tulo might hit the DL before the end of the game.
I wouldn’t doubt it. Cargo too.
Love this first sentence from an article on CSNBA…”The Los Angeles Dodgers set a baseball record with a $270 million Opening Day payroll, including nearly $44 million going to players no longer on the team.” And ESPECIALLY, the 44 mil going to players NO LONGER ON THE TEAM.
They’re the “New” Yankees . . . without the trophies. lqtm.
Love that “without the trophies.” Priceless…
From the Giants FB page, I think this is what we’re all talkin’ about.
The only hate to have is “HATE TO LOSE!”
From Henry S
PHOENIX — Happy Opening Day, folks. Or should I say, Opening Night.
The first order of business will be finding out who pitches for the Giants in Game 2 of the season Tuesday night.
It was supposed to be Jake Peavy. Then, general manager Bobby Evans said on MLB Network Radio on Sunday that Ryan Vogelsong might pitch that game to delay Peavy, and the Giants would go with a six-man rotation the first time through.
But that is not set in stone. I’ve gotten the sense that manager Bruce Bochy still needs to discuss this with Peavy.
The idea is to move the struggling starter back to Petco Park, more of a pitchers’ park, for his first game. It’s also Peavy’s former home for many years, to add comfort for the former Padre.
Return here throughout the day for pregame updates, including the starting lineups and all other important Opening Night notes.
The game begins at 7:05 p.m.
I don’t plan on making this a daily thing, but . . . Sandoval 0-5, 3 Ks.
Sandoval: 0-5 (3 K’s)
How did we do that????
Mind meld?
LF Norichika Aoki (L)
2B Joe Panik (L)
CF Angel Pagan (S)
C Buster Posey (R)
1B Brandon Belt (L)
3B Casey McGehee (R)
SS B. Crawford (L)
RF Gregor Blanco (L)
P Bumgarner (R)
I think I read somewhere that Bochy has no plans of using Aoki in RF ever if possible…
Dan Uggla starting for the Nat’s today? Shockingly, he went 0-3 with a K
Will he still be with the Nats when we are there in July?
No, they’ll have traded him to SF.
And you will be traded to Plaschke’s blog for a dickhead to be named later.
I’m ready to see the newest ring. Bring it on. Time for more bling on the right side of the blog
Bozo, he will probably be gone when Rendon returns from the DL.
I hope they’ve considered my ring suggestion: A diamond likeness of Bumgarner’s face…
Big o-fer for the fat panda.
“And you will be traded to Plaschke’s blog for a dickhead to be named later.”
Nice one Unca. 🙂
if the Giants doctors fucked this up….
http://www.knbr.com/2015/04/06/report-forearm-tightness-for-cain-leads-to-mri/
His forearm does look tight…
Maybe we should tie a rope to his forearm and pull in opposite directions Loo, might help loosen up his tightness.
Great just what we don’t need: Matt Cain getting an MRI ( Forearm tightness) Bochy says he’s iffy for his start Wed.
Shit we might need a 7 man rotation to start this season..
Career .500 pitchers aren’t hard to replace.
Heston and Crick could be in the rotation by July…
that might be a blessing in disguise. If these guys are studs they might be ready. Heston could take the ball on Wednesday.
Can’t ride the geezer train forever…
Also, be glad we didn’t trade any of our pitching prospects for Hamels (who got lit up today for 4 HRs).
Let me get this right, that’s Chris Heston not Charlton Heston?
Yeah I was thinking Crick for sure by the end of June/mid July.
He will get 10 starts easy with this broken down bunch..
Amazing how many MLB players are on the DL to open the season – A record 115 major league players.
Who’s going to the Cane/Peevy memorial service?
I’m not in the mood for your stupid shit tonight. There’s gonna be a memorial service in the spam filter for 10Boo if he doesn’t STFU and go away for the night
Kevin Correia just released. Just sayin’
That would make him the second Crick in Giants history.
The first was in Jesus Alou’s neck…
I still remember the thrill of opening a pack of baseball cards and seeing this one:
Is his glove on the wrong hand???
Always got a kick out of Jesus Alou in the batters box Loo.
His neck was always turning and teams/ especially catchers thought he was stealing their signs and maybe he was, though he was the worse hitter of the Alou brothers so it obviously didn’t help..
Don’t think Bochy was ready to tap in to Vogs& Petit this early to start for Peavy& Cain..definitely need those 13 pitchers now..
here ya go, Loo. This was right in Loo’s wheelhouse. And my tribute to Lon about an hour before the season that he’ll never see. The last game he saw was the Giants winning the world series. How cool is that?
Lon was one of the best, but I preferred Greenwald.
you’d prefer a 2 for the price of 1 shitcicle at O.Co
They were both excellent, but Hank had a better sense of humour.
Greenwald bored me quite often.
Didn’t dislike him, but wasn’t sad when he got canned…
Thanks, Flav. Never got to hear Lon except for the occasional highlight. Sounds like he really enjoyed a good brawl…
this is clever
Ann Killion @annkillion 14m14 minutes ago
Hazy skies over the Coliseum. I call it “sunny grey.”
Bring on opening night….
LOLKNBR @LOLKNBR 51s52 seconds ago
Kuip: “Right now, Lon and Bill and Russ are doing a game and having fun and laughing. And we just hope that game doesn’t end up in a tie.”
EVerybuddy ready for Giants baseball?
Baseball. Ok let’s go.
Amy G looks 20 years older, what’s wrong with her?
She opened her mouth.
Otherwise she’s fine.
That’s pretty damn funny, Willie!
Along these same lines, is it me, or is Tracy Wolfson getting hotter as she gets older? I mean, she used to look good to me, but now I find her totally irresistible.
And while I’m critiquing people’s looks, I think Timmy looks cool with long hair. Crawdad, not so much.
Nice catch by Angel. Good to see.
Tough start for Kelly tonight.
Yeah Kelly is gonna struggle, just doesn’t have the instincts of Flannery, who Im gonna miss except when he’s sending Buster home..
Certainly can’t complain about 1 thru 3 atop the batting order so far, 5 for 6, good start….
My slow-pitch team once hit back-to-back triples without scoring. This team looks as if they’re capable of hitting four or five consecutive singles without scoring.
What a NCAA Championship game!! Duke are Champions
Yeah it was a good game Kev, even though Duke won, not a Coach K fan.
Badgers just went cold down the stretch after having a big lead, but hand it to Duke who clamped down.
Duke should make sure the refs get rings, too.
Man, Pagan is smoking line drives all night 3-3, Panik hot as well 3 hits,Aoki 2 hits all good signs..
If haters gonna hate, then lovers gonna love. I heart Giants. CHAMPEENS!
I love how in a flash all spring training stats become meaningless.
Agree P/A
Giants as smooth as silk tonight as the “Defending World Series Champions”
Stomp those Snakes!!! 5-1 SF.
Right call on Crawdaddy’s double / slash error into triple for 2 RBI’s play, Trumbo looked like Aoki against Panik in the W/S butchering that play
I was pulling hard against Coach K, but I gotta hand it to him. 5 titles in this day and age is damn impressive.
Do we have any idea who is pitching for us tomorrow? Please don’t say Mike Kickham.
Heard it’s Voglesong Dawg..still a better choice then Todd Wellemeyer
Johnny D. working for MLB? Do they have a program for ex-cons?
After Bummy and Coalminer, these rotations are pretty much identical.
Not a bad night for the A’s as well.
7-0 lead and Sonny Gray working on a no-hitter thru 7 innings..
Rua single ends no-no.
It’s easy to second guess, but I’m not sure why Machi started the 7th instead of Affeldt.
Machi is a goddamn gas can.
It was Lopez who started the inning by giving up a single.
Yeah, good point. But it still seemed like an odd choice. But I’m probably just second guessing.
Exhale. Nice job from Affeldt.
Yeesh, tough 8th. Get a few more runs there, Giants.
First win in the books. First 1:30 AM ending for me.
yup
Ha! We’re Giants fans, we don’t expect things to be easy. 🙂
Cheers, Zumiee.
torture version 4.0
You East Coast Giants fans totally rock! Awesome job staying up to the wee hours!
Is it just me or is Flannery doing a good job in his broadcasting gig so far? He sounds really comfortable doing it.
Agree, he sounds like he might provide an insight or two that isn’t stale or wrongheaded.
Won for Lon.
Picture is classic Craig. Thanks. Feeling better already!