Two Flaps Up: Good Bye Friend.
Some very nice sentiments left on the last thread about Twinfan. He left the blog, I want to say around 2014, but his *aura* has always been here. My relationship with him was…..complicated.
I have 1,016 emails from him. ONE THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. You guys have no idea the number of complaints he fired at me over the years. They often came across like direct orders. Here’s a screen shot of just a few of them. If you can read the subj line you get a flavor of them:
In this next excerpt, you’ll notice the subj line “quick computer question” that has 45 exchanges in it with the preview being nothing computer question related. LOL.
I could go on and on but you guys get the gist. I will just say this: Twin was high maintenance. But not always in a bad way. I just think he demanded the greatest awareness and knowledge of the game from those with whom he interacted. If you didn’t give that, he’d let you know you have to be better. In the *twinnest* way possible.
His contests were great. I miss setting those up with him. He REALLY got into those behind the scenes. He was an unbelievably generous person. I always tried to remember that his bitterness came from having to participate in a war he didn’t start or want. And in the end, 45 years later, it’s what killed him.
I’ll find a way to properly honor him here at the Flap. Nothing’s hit me yet. He’s just biding his time. Somehow, some way, like a doink on my dundering head, he’ll let me know.
He wouldn’t have it any other way….
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Nice, Craig.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts, Craig. Nicely done my friend.
Good morning Flap Universe. Blade reached out this morn and informed me of the sad news of Michael’s passing. RIP, Twin.
My memories and interactions with Twin started back in the pre-Flap days on the Chron’s Splash. We tussled often, but I always respected the man for his accute knowledge of the game we all love.
Over the years I earned some respect, and developed somewhat of a bond with Twin. We were in contact a lot when he lost his home to a fire.
Yes, he could be contankerous, but underneath I believe there was a good-hearted man.
Over the years I have learned much about the wonderful game of baseball from Twin, and from all of you.
I have been out of the loop since the holidays, but this place has never left my conscious, and I knew I would (and needed to) get back.
Blessing to you all. I will make the effort to be here more frequently, as you Flappers have become family over the years, and have become a part of the fabric of my life.
Thanks again Flavor for keeping this community alive.
Wow. I’d say I got about 120 from him re my blog. Over 1,000? That’s nuts. He was never wrong and never started anything! I still use the system he gave me all those years ago. His generosity and anger were always just below the surface.
Ha, you were one of his favorite targets. I never understood why. Probably because you didn’t take any of his shit. Didn’t he call you Chuckles?
Fucktard mostly!
Paul mentioned The Bat on last thread, something I was thinking about this morning. McClain himself, epitome of career minor league guy who plays for pure love of the game and its environment, was a great and refreshing story endemic to baseball and spirit of ST.
My godson hits ST every year to watch his Pads. Man do I hope 2018 Giants reverse trend of last year and a half and get some payback on them.
Somewhere about 2006, after I retired to Oregon, I discovered The Splash. I quickly noticed some guy named Twinfan dominated the forum with scathing/snarky comments. He was so over-the-top that when I started posting, it was natural to take him on. Eventually, we pissed each other off so much he once threatened to come up to Oregon and settle my hash.
When he started talking about his “gamma knife” operation(s) I realized he had serious physical problems. I actually called him at the hospital once and told him that I was OSF and hoped he got better. I’m not sure he believed me. He seemed rather surprised.
After BF started up The Flap we continued our “dialog”. Eventually, one day BF threatened to ban me if I didn’t lay off him so I quit posting here for years. I would check in occasionally and noticed he quit posting also. I figured that he and BF had another of their flame-throwing disagreements. Have you still got that bat he gave you, BF?
So now he has taken that last cruise that we will all take. Smooth sailing, TF.
OSF
I still have the bat. It sits in different places in my office. People come in, pick it up, examine it. It’s a great talking piece.
He had some really good nicknames for you, Clubber 🙂
One subject TF could discuss here without the vitriol was food. Those were always good threads, centering around Holiday meal, ‘cue, etc. I’m sure it would have been a treat to visit any place he ran and worked.
I salute your unsentimental candor and honesty, Magnus — and everyone else’s too. It’s a sign of The Flap’s specialness: smart, unsparing, authentic. A faux mournfulness obit would be, faux. As for me, I found him sweet the two or three times we spoke, but either here or at the Splash, I exited during towel-snapping-in-the-boys-lockerroom nastiness. Bc of that I quit the Splash. And stayed here. I felt welcome here, but I sat in the corner when it got acerbic, typically from TF.
Great hed, except for the missing vocative comma.
Regarding Loo’s 9:19 yesterday, E.L. Doctorow calls midgets Diminutives in his last novel, Andrew’s Brain. My friend Susan, on Cayman Brac, is fascinated by them. Oddly, I’ve seen two movies this week with dwarfs: The Great Beauty and Three Billboards…..
Tremendous job as always, Flavor and all you guys who write so well. I never spoke to Twin. Just a few very pleasant e-mails about a couple of items we exchanged through the mail. He really loved to talk about cooking and his garden. Don’t remember him getting involved in music discussions too much, although he did let me have it about my preference of Karen Carpenter by far over Barbra Streisand…
TF seemed to have a pre-rock and roll love of music; more into big band music like Sinatra and Streisand.
I remember him ripping Bob Dylan one day and taking on all Flappers that day that were defending Dylan.
Someone noted yesterday (xoot?) that Twin likely has a computer woth him wherever he departed to. So presuming we have a God and afterlife, Twin firing off his missives to God complaining about something not goimg rigjt about his arrival…I don’t believe in the concept of Hell but he would still be firing off his missives probably about the heat…
Sorry to hear about Twin’s passing. I never received anywhere close to 1,000 emails but when we went through our battles it sure seemed like I’d wake up to millions of them. I’m pretty sure we were good by the last communications we had, so I’m glad about that.
I just read the posts from yesterday and today and I agree there are some nice memories y’all are sharing. Hell, even OSF checked in for a glass of gin and chocolate milk.
RIP Twin. For some reason, I thought you’d outlast everyone
Hope the rest of you are well, take care.
I’m sorry to hear this sad news about Michael. As Zum mentioned yesterday, such a complex person. Incredibly knowledgeable about baseball and extremely generous with his contests — I was a computer winner in 2010, I think it was for nailing the win total — while all too often being ridiculously disagreeable. It took me way too long before I figured out it was pointless to get into any debate with him, but there was no doubting his passion for the Giants and baseball and life in general.
Like many here, though, I was blown away by Twin’s baseball knowledge. I wish there was a way to collect all the insights he offered here, but there are two that come to mind.
During that first magical World Series season, when the rest of us were ready to jump off the ledge any time Wilson went to a 3-2 count and/or allowed yet another walk, Twin insisted Wilson knew exactly what he was doing and refused to give in to a hitter. Maybe he was right, maybe he was wrong, but it was another perspective I hadn’t considered.
I also seem to remember Twin saying that giving up a walk with the bases loaded was never the worst thing, as long as there was no further damage. With that in mind, I’ll always remember Game 4 at Cincy with Zito struggling in the first inning and facing a two-out bases-loaded jam against Todd Frazier, who hit his first career HR off Zito the previous season. Zito walked him and gave up the run, but got the next out to limit the damage.
RIP, Twinnie.
There has to be some hilarious stuff in those thousand e-mails…
I can only imagine.
I love “Far be it for me to question you” in item 2…
Oracle and I had our tussles. After I decided fairly early to pick my spots to take him on, I generally enjoyed the repartee. Kind of like the old Dusty bromide after a Giants bean-brawl: “Hey, we don’t start nothin’, but we don’t take nothin’, either.” Except those times he went over the top into some amazingly rough territory and name calling, which I don’t need to review here. We all know about that, probably all targets of it on occasion. No doubt his personal position and health problems colored a lot of his dialog. Baseball – he knew his shit – hence the moniker I bestowed on him. I definitely took on some new POVs from his takes on the game. Turned out over time that he and I were pretty simpatico on a lot of life views. Our agreement on the life symbolism of the McClain perseverence stands out to me. And, we certainly had a fairly shared political view, which filled out in our dialogs here when baseball and Giants took a back seat to current events. I think he flamed me a lot because in a way he respected my effort to engage his ass, and question his baseball opinions, his facts, his insults, and his bullshit. Plus, it had to be he just liked the back and forth, it kept him engaged and maybe away temporarily from his life’s real issues. He definitely added spice to the movable feast that is the Flap – from a little salt and pepper, to an oversized pour of Habanero sauce that made it unpalatable. Oracle, truly a unique individual…
I had a few good exchanges with TF before things blew up between us. Many years ago, I called him at the hospital. He was out of his room, but the person who answered promised to put a note into the messages file. Months later on the Splash he found a way to thank me, unobtrusively. In fact, I remember him occasionally carrying on essentially private conversations while in midst of general, public baseball posting. Very clever mofo. That blog, and then this one, were very important parts of his life, I think.
I remember the gags–the tuna squeezers, the copy of May Sarton’s poetry he allegedly kept on his bedside table, the yokel dish–what was it, ambrosia?–El Presidente’s fictitious mother fixed, etc. I also fairly recently recalled, just out of the blue, one of his tirades on food. It was on this blog. He was responding to stories about Lincecum’s typical lunch of two In and Out double-doubles with two sides of fries. TF railed about the poor nutrition in that meal and predicted that such negligent habits would bring any athlete down, quickly, even one as gifted as Tim L.
I never understood how TF wound up on a Mekong swift boat, or whatever it was. But that really was just one short, if crucial, chapter in a long, eventful and accomplished life. RIP.
I knew that BF patiently, over a long period, dealt with loads of Oracle drama in the background — IMO BF is underplaying the effort given to that interplay — which he really did not have to support, when it comes right down to it. So, here’s a shout out to BF on that …
All you guys have commented on how TF knew his sports shit. I guess most of you knew his father was the Scott that used to announce the NFL games in the 60’s. So he was around big time sports all his life. He was with his father when he did Super Bowl I in LA. I was across the field with the love of my life (No, it did not work out).
Anybody remember my “Christmas Carol ” monologue with TF as Scrooge? I think he gave me a left-handed compliment on it.
Did you get a BOYKIN award for it, Seal?
I forgot what that means. What does it mean?
twinfan1 said, on August 20, 2011 at 9:22 pm (Edit)
I’m accumulating numbskull posts for the Boykins…
“B.O.Y” was short for Blogger of the year. I think Twin just lengthened it out to BOYKIN…
Ah, thanks!
Ah, I remember the Lincecum/burger wars. I got in on that one. 🙂 Torres vs. Pagan and Smith vs. Kapaernick come to mind also. TF had his favorites that he defended like a bull dog with a bone.
Yeah, that was fun.
I remember especially the tussle about commenting on Bochy’s moves that blew up. In those days, I’d call those moves out by Bochy as typical “Bonehead” moves, or some such. Anyway, Oracle demanded that to be legit, any such questioning of Bochy’s managerial skill had to be logged in real time before the result of the move became known. Otherwise, the critique was barred. Hey, if you didn’t object immediately on the Flap to Bochy putting in a lefty to pitch to a RHB, the resulting bomb could not be panned here post hoc as a Bochy boo boo. Kind of like a statute of limitations, or making your land claim public to prevent your neighbor from claiming an easement by adverse possession. Never mind if you weren’t watching the game at the time or not online, then Bochy was off the hook for your later critique on the Flap. So, if that rule became law, at least half the Flap conversation goes away, but Oracle held fast. Good times…
lol I forgot about the *real time call out* demand he put out! That was CLASSIC! I remember being like “yeah, I’m not honoring that.”
zum, well, during the latter stages of my feud with Oracle over the post-2010 usefulness of Torres to the Giants, for the helluvit and amusement I think I posted the flimsy allegation that sans any observable baseball reasons, the reason for Oracle’s blistering support had to be that he was secretly Oracle ‘s long lost son… 😉
“I think he gave me a left-handed compliment on it.”
I remember he once complimented someone (maybe me) by saying “That’s not your worst post ever.” That’s pretty funny.
I just saw that TF has passed. So sad. I first encountered him on the old Splash Blog, then followed him and Craig over here as well. Like a lot of you, he cut into me a few times which was never pleasant, but I also remember his tremendous knowledge of and passion for baseball and that’s what I’ll miss. A real character. RIP dude.
I appreciate the “shout out” Snarkk but something really interesting came from my back and forth with Twin. I found myself becoming a much more tolerant person, especially of other people’s views. I used to get so pissed off that someone could say something so stupid and want to argue about it forever. But with Twin, I just realized he’s always going to see it his way and really what’s wrong with that? So yes he was a complete pain in the ass. And yes it’s been a few years and now that he’s actually gone I can maybe look back on that time with a more positive tint. But I really have been a lot more mellow over the last 5 years or so I don’t let shit get to me the way I used to. Part of that was Twin, part of it has been learning and evolving on the web and social media and realizing there’s really no recourse to dealing with stupid or angry people online. And I’m not putting Twin in that category but he was definitely stubborn and stubborn is a pretty big % of social media….I’m getting older too, maybe that’s what it is. Does everyone mellow as they age? I turn 50 (fifty!) on Feb 21st….
Getting older definitely factors in.
Think we can all agree it was never boring with TF. Maybe he was difficult when he was healthy, but I’ll cut him a lot of slack for what he must have been going through with the lung cancer and then the brain tumors. And I don’t know, but it seemed he was pretty much on his own. That’s a lot of pain fear and isolation to deal with. And the drugs he must have been on alone with all the side affects could have a pronounced affect on mood personality etc. Tough and courageous to go through all that and brave for baring it in a public forum.
In any case, nice to see the heartfelt tributes.
thanks for bringing this info to us. Not sure how this got out since there’s no obit and anyone he corresponded with was via email. Good sleuth work on your part
You never really feel somebody’s suffering; you only feel their death…
(stolen line)
As many times even going back to the splash when Michael was at his cantankerous best and we bickered back&forth on Who was right on a baseball fact,are a move/trade that should be made his fiercely competitive juices while it got under my skin and I wanted to throw my computer/phone afterward I knew I was up against a old cartoon character named “Colonel McBragg” Who has done/been to everything on earth and will always tell you that!!
But still overall TF had a good side just took some effort to peel back some layers.I remember winning one of his computers,(closest total Giants runs for the W/S) and I told him thanks for the honor, but I don’t need the computer and you can give it to whoever ever came in second,(think it was Blade) at1st I think he was alittle shocked ok maybe pissed, but he understood and later thanked me for the kind jesture…
Oh btw…Michael’s dad, Ray Scott was a truly legendary sportscaster, Who broadcasted “The1967 Ice Bowl” game Green Bay vs Dallas on the frozen tundra along with Jack Buck and Frank Gifford..He also was the Packers regular season broadcaster for over 10 years..
RIP Michael you came from quite the family gene poll..
I wonder what became of Twin’s “Splash wife” – Ferrethead (Miss Woo-hoo)…
i messaged her about it on facebook, don’t know if she checks facebook anymore
My tuna squeezer still works as fine as the day I received it in the mail!
Anyone remember Twin’s old avatar from the Splash? If memory serves it was a Frank Zappa looking ballplayer smoking a joint. Black and white photo if I recall. I never looked at it close enough to care who it was. For some reason it is stuck in my head.
i got a lot of emails from him that sounded like this:
On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 10:14 AM, Michael wrote:
BTW, henceforth, I will note immediately ON THE BLOG when the true instigator starts the argument that you always put on me. And I will bookmark it and save it in a document also. You shouldn’t have a problem with that if you are truly interested in seeing who the real shit makers are. The lies about me are going to end.
ps I’ve been having a ball going through all these old emails. I rarely delete shit so my disorganization is starting to pay off. I’ll post some of them later….
he used to always make me feel so good about myself….
Michael
6/16/12
to me
Well, I will not abide being called a liar. And if you decide to ban me, I would not appreciate you taking advantage of my generosity after doing so. *You* have been extremely abusive-go to bed and enjoy your Father’s Day, then try to reflect on your terrible behavior.
So great…
Ouch. That’s like the definition narcissism right there.
the “write me a letter” rec’d at the end was classic
Michael Scott
10/17/13
to me
i say things when i need to. this is a perfect example of you going over the top. you are an abusive person far too often . dude- i’ll say it again- if your crowd thinks calling people fascists is just casual conversation, you’re hanging with a bad crowd. and stop this bullshit that z called card fans ‘right-wingers.’ he called them fascists- and NOT *casually’ if he had just called them right-wingers, there wouldn’t have been any response. and i just made a suggestion , a great suggestion, about not carrying an argument over to the next thread. instead trumpeting what a brilliant job you do. try listening to a good idea.
finally, stop with your nonsense where you think you’re telling me something i don’t know. listen- i know your real problem with me- i don’t kiss your ass and tell you what a wonderful brilliant post every one is. but thanks- it was a pleasant day of posting and you just fucked it up. way to go. this time-please- if you can’t email without being an abusive bully- write me a fucking letter
one from me to him. I always tried to get him to relax, he rarely heeded my advice.
From: Craig
Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 9:25 PM
To: Michael Scott
Subject: Re: tacit approcal of ignorant comments.
I understood the remarks, you did not. Good night. And stop emailing me about this stupid shit and do not fuck up the current thread with more of this. Just let it go.
these read pretty bad but it was so constant and the themes were always so predictable that I got comfortable dealing with him. And they are providing me with classic entertainment now, I can’t believe I forgot about all of this. It’s pure gold.
PLEASE DON’T STOP!
“try listening to a good idea.” 1000 of these lol…should be collected and published. I’d sooner read this than Tolstoy version of Useless S Grant’s life.
Wasn’t just day before Sarge posted about L cohn calling out Pagan…iirc Twin had called him out before Giants even acquired him. How ironic is it Crazy Horse has 2 rings, and so many of the OFs Giants rolled off assembly line from late 50s and on into 70s had 1 or less?
Michael Scott
6/17/13
to me
If you intend to respond abusively, don’t, please. You were out of line last night, there was zero call for “clueless fuck”, “fuck yourself”, etc. NONE. Stop.Forever. If you don’t feel it’s in you to cease your behavior towards me when you get a bug up your ass, go ahead and ban me now, because I’m not putting up with it like I did last night when I remained civil despite your foul behavior.
Maybe you just a bad night. Brussels Sprouts are vile if overcooked.
Michael Scott
5/7/13
to me
I’ve decided to leave the idiot alone unless he says something really dumb. The O/U on that is 2.5 comments.
This is great!
Fascinating behind the scenes stuff. Who was he referring to?
Chuck. Sorry Chuck. Wear it like a badge of honor, that’s what I did
Ha!
sorry Yogi…
Michael Scott
3/16/13
to me
Why did you accuse me? Again- I would never be afraid to use my regular name. But Yogi, besides being insane, is still crafty. He could use a proxy.
during a rough patch with Loo
Michael Scott
3/13/13
to me
I was wrong, you should have banned him in the first place. What a crock.
Sorry, I’m not getting over what he said, and continues to say. And if I hear one word from a Loo apologist that isn’t deleted, you might as well ban everybody. I’ve been the abused one and I don’t want to hear one goddamn peep otherwise.
I was constantly having to justify to him what posts stayed and what posts got zapped. It was draining.
Craig
3/13/13
to Michael
His 5:18 stays. You brought that one on
having second thoughts about giving computers away to strangers…
Michael Scott
3/12/13
to me
I‘ve told you that’s not good enough. Here’s the letter I intend to send out.
“I have informed Craig that I am leaving the blog for good but first all of you who have computers from me will return them safely and at your cost. It’s obvious from the lack of support from anyone on the blog even when I ‘m right and/or attacked personally, that while I may be pitied for my illnesses, I’m also despised. And I have no intention of having it demonstrated on a PC I generously gave away with nothing in it for me except the pleasure of doing something nice. It’s been forever ruined for me and I’m getting them back. I can use the money for equipment Medicare won’t cover for my disabled wife. A far better use for it, to be sure.
I have all the addresses I’ve shipped to, but it would better if you just pack safely and ship insured to
M Scott
PO Box 360
Middletown,
CA 95461
Craig and Ferret may keep theirs.
I wonder if Pagan could match his career .730 OPS as a Giant…right now. Which would probably make him best option for LF.
in hindsight he had kind of a “Capt Queeg” feel to him, eh?
Michael Scott
3/11/13
to me
You jumped on legit opinions of mine all year last year-over and over. You harassed me about missed predictions, you harassed me on Belt, Lincecum, Zito, Crawford, Pagan, Dirrty…you were abusive and you never quit.
So can the fiction that you wouldn’t jumped me for what was a Brain-dead, stupid, comment like Kat’s. I expect to be treated fairly this year. Try to do that because I’m putting up with zero shit this year. If you can’t find a way to treat me right on the blog, just ban me from it just like you did because I asked for some respect for women. I still can’t believe that you think it’s amusing to make fun of unattractive women.
Your stuff went out, BTW.
Yikes!
dust up with Snarkk. I tried to help.
Craig
3/11/13
to Michael
I don’t think I’m dumb, but who knows. His comment read the way I read it and I told you what I thought he meant and, I’m not certain cause I only scanned his responses to you, but he appeared to indicate the same thing I thought he meant.
And I didn’t take a side. Re-read my comment. I said I was sending a warning to both benches. That means him and you. He didn’t post shit about it that day and you went on and on until I had to threaten to edit you.
It’s all there in black and white if you want to go re-read the facts of that time line.
I let your “try to be even handed for a change” comment go because you’ve had a hard time lately but that comment was so absurd it was hard to ignore.
“Try to be even handed”? Lets see, you brought the topic back up the next day on a new thread. You ignored my “warning” and kept posting shit till I ultimately had to threaten you with an edit. Snarkk didn’t post a single thing about it that morning. So if anything, I had giving him a warning about something he wasn’t even doing. He’s the one who should have complained about my “un-even handedness” of that warning.
And stop telling me about stuff I might have done or you would have expected me to do. I’m not spending a second on something as nebulous as conjecture.
the day he sent me a Zito baseball card. He really did send me a lot of stuff, as I said, very generous guy.
Michael Scott
3/11/13
to me
On an On? two posts.Two posts that were righteous.. On and on is whar you pull.. I had every right to be insulted and and just because he later covered it up doesn’t make it right. Rest assured, if he if gives me shit again, I’ll respond in kind. And get this straight, I’ve done FAR more favors for you and your blog than you’ll ever do for me. .
BTW, how do you even have the fucking gall to call Torres “Vungo” after the shit you put me through on that?
Anyway, enjoy your Zito card. I’m sure he’ll give many more years of that great performance as last year. Hell, maybe they’ll win his last fourteen games if they give him 6 RPG again.
ok I’m done for now. Maybe more later.
Yeah, I remember he didn’t like when I said midwestern sports fans were acting like fascists for showing up all wearing the same color. He didn’t see the humor in what I intended as a joke. I had forgotten all about that. I remember he went off on that.
But then he would turn around and say that Kapaernick spoke with a “Central Valley accent,” a comment I didn’t dig, but I just let it go.
Btw- there’s no such thing as a Central Valley accent, just as there’s no such thing as a Bay Area accent.
“Tolstoy version of Useless S Grant’s life.”
Chernow’s book is great, even at 950 pages. 🙂
I never imagined all this was going on, BF…
i hadn’t thought about this stuff in forever
Wow, Cousins out for the season with a torn Achilles.
i saw it live, the expression on his face as he lay on the ground was a very nervous look. He knew.
So much of playoff success for teams is just being healthy for the playoffs.
When the Cavs defeated the Warriors for the title, Curry wasn’t fully healed from a knee injury.
this one he’s telling me about the falling out he had with his daughter and her husband (Charles!)
Michael
12/31/12
to me
Craig,
it started with Charles- among other things he haphazardly packed an 8,000 dollar PC, that FedEx denied the claim on because of the packing. Lisa thought I was too hard on him. then she married another man, moved to London, left him, and I paid to bail her out of that. It goes on and on but doing so little to help here was pretty much the final straw. I did see her briefly on Thanksgiving and she’s clueless as to why I’m pissed.
As to your blog, I really don’t fit there much anymore, and it’s hard for me to post. I put up a link to a little blog I started just to chat once in a while and to keep my health issues out of your blog and no one has ever even visited. No biggie, I just think folks have heard enough from me, I really don’t have much to contribute anymore, my writing is lousy now, and I’m just tired.
Happy New Year to you and Katy and the rest of your family. Treasure them all,
Michael
don’t mess with me about $$$$
craig vaughan
9/12/12
to Michael
I still can’t get over that. If you can’t see what an instigating simple fuck you are for suggesting I borrow money from you to make a bet with you then you are the dumbest mother fucker on the planet. Do not EVER fuck with me again with that type of disrespect. You are absurd and you are a fool and you are about one email or post away from me banning you forever and this time there will be no revival………
iirc, there were many reasons, some imagined and some real, that contributed to TF’s eventual rage against me, but the last two exchanges I recall were in the 2011 PS. I posted some arrogant anti-Apple remark after TF posted a glowing eulogy of sorts to Steve Jobs (just deceased). Then I sarcastically suggested that Tony LaRussa’s handling of the bullpen in one game evinced developing dementia. That didn’t sit well with a guy fighting the return of a brain tumor. TF actually found some ways to assail me outside the blog (and outside my email address). I really didn’t give a shit. I figured he was drugged up.
Anyone else remember the photo he linked of Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell and some other luminaries? He claimed to be the guy in the back, with his face obscured by the brim of an anonymous ball cap. He was not a scrupulous historian. Still, enough of what he recounted rang true enough to make him remarkable, and he was an excellent writer.
sorry. I thought the revelation of the archives had ended for the night. I wouldn’t’ve knowingly interrupted that.
lol. I hope i did but I bet i didn’t…
Michael
9/11/12
to me
You’d better warn him. (I’m not putting up with Chuck today)
he really was quite sensitive….
craig vaughan
9/11/12
to Michael
I just checked the blog, there was a post from him about Pablo being fat and a post about their record. Christ, he’s allowed to post at the blog. If he says anything directed at you then I’ll moderate it. But I’m going to soccer practice now and I’m not spending a second more on this 2nd grade bs till I get home around 7. I’ll send him another email reminding him to leave you alone
Michael
9/11/12
to me
. Of course I wouldn’t put it on the blog. My ethical behavior is beyond reproach.
“Brain dead comment by Kat”
Not sure how I got under his skin to provoke that one are what I said to the almighty Moses?,cause usually I was just a dickwad to him..
Stable Boy days. I had to set him straight.
craig vaughan
7/2/12
to Michael
Do you realize what a complete fu*king asshole you come across as? I attempted to explain why I send you the emails that I do, I tried to be genuine and detailed in breaking it down and you respond with this bullsh!t piece of sh!t email about me not knowing why you dislike your responses (but fail to offer a reason why I don’t) and then dismiss my email with a “don’t pretend to know me” bullsh!t line.
Look pal, I am spending a lot of time dealing with your weird, difficult, paranoid sh!t. All you do is complain and blame other people without ever owning a hint of any personal responsibility about ANY of the problems that you are DIRECTLY involved in at the Flap. Chuck AND Bozo were right, you are fucking drama queen, at least when it comes to how bent you get about a post or an email or any kind of inference or benign reference about something.
Listen up, I have a life beyond the four walls in my house. I try PAINSTAKINGLY to explain all this sh!t to you and you come back with a dismissive “don’t pretend to know me” comeback. Why am I spending all this time emailing you if you don’t process ANY of it and just keep coming back with “you’re wrong, I’m right, etc…”. Again, this isn’t a *my perspective vs your perspective* thing. I have COUNTLESS emails from lurkers AND flap vets about all of the disruptions you cause. And today is a PERFECT example. You deleting Chuck’s post and then threatening to delete any future posts was an over reaction of major proportions. And the fact that don’t *get* that is why I have taken back ALL moderating duties at the Flap. You are fu*king “Capt. Queeg” with that sh!t.
Michael, If EVERYONE is wrong and you’re the only person who is ever right then I’m not going to spend any more time responding to your emails. It’s a complete waste of time and I have other things to do than try to explain why I do sh!t to someone who has no interest in processing it. .
If you don’t want to do any of this then just stand down and stop being an Editor at the Flap. I spend HOURS dealing with your complaints and weird, paranoid emails. You sit around wanting all these *thank you’s* for doing what you’ve done? Look, first of all, no one asked you to do sh!t except participate in The Stable–something you should have been the FIRST guy to VOLUNTEER for since I bailed on the blog because of YOU. If you did something else since I *left* then you *just did it*, end of story. It’s not like you saved someone’s life or something, you answered a few emails and slapped a late night thread up once. Do you know how much I did to keep this fu*king place going? Have I ever once begged the blog for a thank you? No. Resoundingly.
So quit the whining and stop fabricating stories that I am against you. I am DONE fielding these bullsh!t emails that I get from NO ONE ELSE but you.
Michael
3/11/12
to me
I’m far nicer to Snarkk than he deserves, that’s all I’ll discuss about it. You have blindfolds when it comes to his posts.
Anyway, I’m not attacking anyone so I really don’t need a lecture from you. Discontinue telling me what I am, BTW. What I am is the smartest baseball person there. Even if I’m not FUNNY.
Oh, man. There’s some lulz out loud stuff in there. The subject lines are the best. I can only imagine the one about authorship privileges. Intending to demand that people send back the computers is a good one. Did he ever post that? I seem to remember something along those lines.
me trying to help him
craig vaughan
3/11/12
to Michael
I don’t have blind folds on when it comes to any poster. One of the things I’ve had to do over the last few years is be able to take my own emotions out of the equation when determining if someone has cross a line or not. Snarkk, in my opinion, NEVER crosses a line with his posts. He’s just negative and cynical and let’s face it, that’s why you hate him. And I say *hate* because you go after every single one of his posts, no matter how trivial. I have told him that you have a right to respond to him just as he has a right to respond to you and for a long time I have said nothing to you about it, though I have always thought you go after him and he never goes after you. But with the argument with Zumie (seriously, how did you get THAT guy pissed off at you, he’s like the nicest person at the blog) the recent emails complaining about you and then WillieD (again, WillieD *who came to the flap party* is the most laid back guy at the blog) complaining ON THE BLOG today about you, then I had to tell you to stop.
When everyone is saying it and you don’t think it’s true (and you are, as I am, a self described stubborn person) don’t you think there’s even the slimmest chance that it’s not them it’s you?
Celtics shot 62% in the first quarter and the Warriors’ D wasn’t that bad. That’s just a team shooting insanely well.
one thing I have realized reading through all this stuff. I was extremely patient with him, most of the time.
When he said “My ethical behavior is beyond reproach,” I guess he truly believed it. The human race must have been endlessly disappointing to him.
That last one now reminds me of that period. For a while he ripped every single one of my posts regardless of how innocuous. I could say what a great sunrise, a great day dawning, the Giants should kick butt today — and it was rip city with no holds barred. I’ll give him benefit of the doubt, maybe that was a particularly bad health period. I could not have been that patient in the background BF — you were both blogrunner and counselor…
Dodgers might hang onto Kemp.
“KenleyJansen on Matt Kemp: “He’s in great shape. He lost a lot of weight.””
“Should Kemp remain, he joins an outfield mix that already has Joc Pederson, Kiké Hernandez and Andrew Toles fighting for playing time along with regulars Yasiel Puig and Chris Taylor. This has been made clear to Kemp since he was acquired in December.
“Part of the issue is we have a crowded outfield. For any outfielder coming into our situation, it’s not a great spot. There aren’t at-bats readily available. He understands the dynamic,” Zaidi said. “He’s going to have a chance to prove himself if he’s still in this organization.””
Sounds probably similar to what the Giants are telling Sandoval.
In my world this stuff is like the Pentagon Papers.
Absolutely stunning…
lol. Well then I’ll keep digging….tmorrow tho
Wildly entertaining NBA game.
the Cavs are old and slow and boring. Boston has taken the torch from them, IMO. Kyrie is incredible.
FYI I am and always have been a “loo apologist”. And now the whole world knows!!!!!!!! lqtm
All my friends are…
Dubs / Celts final would be epic.
Curry pulled out his MVP chops tonight, for sure.
He’s still the leader of this squad…
“Brussels Sprouts are vile if overcooked.” I’m gonna make a t-shirt out of that TF quote….
He was right. My mother used to cook the crap out of Brussels Sprouts. Her generation cooked that way. I hated them. I learned how to make ’em with crunch — with garlic, bacon or pancetta bits, onion, and pecorino/romano or parmesan cheese. Awesome. My mother would be amazed…
Yeah, in my house too. We solved that problem by just smothering the brussel sprouts (cauliflower too) with melted cheese….
I think Twin used to speak of having some contact with the blog host at the Splash. The guy’s name might’ve started with a “V”? I wonder if this went on back then. My head is spinning from this revelation…
Vlae Kershner. A lot of us corresponded with him. Big A’s fan, Snodfart ahole, head of sfgate news. He policed the splash after 2009 or so.
That’s it, Xoot – think he has a collection like Flavor’s?
Flying V?
Only one I remember..
He was on Chuck’s blog as well till he banded his ass..
You have way more patience than I ever have, has, or would. And more dedication. The behind the scenes archives show how much time you, Magnus, have devoted to The Flap. What’s it now, 10 years? Bravo.
As I’ve noted, I have always walked out the door when the verbal bricks started flying — not the same as reasonable debate. It just isn’t my tea. That said, TF to my knowledge always gave me a pass, was kindly and deferential to me. Not that I deserved it in any way.
And, yes, he sure could be lyrical, about baseball and food.
I first noticed the splash blog toward the end of the 2007 season, when Vlae Kershner, alleged baseball fan and actual enforcer on sfgate, launched a Barry Bonds limerick contest. After hundreds of terrible pieces of doggerel, TF weighed in with what he called a prose poem in the style of Charles Bukowski. I know Bukowski. That was no Bukowski. TF’s post actually was a parody of the movie Barfly, which adapts Bukowski’s memoirs to the screen.TF’s dialogue between the characters (played iirc by Faye Dunaway and Mickey Rourke in the movie) was a mellow drunken debate over the need for a statue of Barry Bonds outside the ballpark. The parody was brilliant. (From ancient memory: “You’re always so negative.” “Positively.”)
Re Wilco’s 4:52: Is this the one?
the following emails are some light Sunday morning reading for you….
Michael Scott
6/15/10
to me
Despite the popular misperception, I rarely start this shit. I just don’t take crap, especially when what I’ve posted is misrepresented. This guy may not be Yogi but he’s gotten defensive about stuff that only the “author” of the post should be defensive about. And Yogi nearly always has a “running mate” he creates to make it seem that he has an ally. It’s part of his M.O. Whatever, though. As long as the fuck stays out of my face, it’s fine.