[whmatthews]

I bought a book a few weeks ago written by Tom Glavine during the 1996 season. The title is "None But The Braves" (Title derived from a part of the book where he talks about his dealings with contracts, and how money isn't important to him - and that he wouldn't want to play for any other team).



I've just now got to the chapter on his dealings with the 94 strike, and it sheds new light on it for me.

That Tom Glavine is a d-bag.



First of all, Tommy boy - if money isn't important to you, why can't you be like Chipper Jones and take less money to stay with one team, instead of going to a divisional team with one of the highest payrolls in baseball. I guess you didn't think about that happening in 96. That's okay - cause I can let that pass.... while you were gone, we had to have someone that we could beat up everytime we played the Mets. Oh, and cool thing to do, when you finally come back to us, hurt your arm and win only 1 game for us. D-bag.


Second of all, Tom Glavine feels as if he is the most humble man alive. He just wanted what was best for baseball during the strike. According to Glavine, the strike wasn't about greed (and apparently anyone that says any baseball player that ever lived is greedy, then he should be punched in the baby-maker). He talks about, "it was about the principle." I never really followed the strike of 94, but according to Glavine, the main conflict between players and owners was all about the owners not contributing to the players' pension. (According to wikipedia, it was about a proposed salary cap that players were against). Even if the main idea of striking is behind pension - are you really gonna be bad off with 8 million dollars a year? How about get out of your $25 million dollar ranch and move to a $3 million dollar home on a nice country club and save $22 million dollars for what may come down the road.

Glavine, thanks for winning 300 games, mostly with the Braves - but dont give me, "It's about principle" bullcrap. You play ball because that's what you get paid to do. Fans don't spend their hard earned money for you to sit at home.

[Ed Dantes]

Well, pension is a big deal if you look at the NFL's labor woes. Back in the 1960s & 1970s, players only made about the equivalent of twice the average U.S. salary -- pretty darn good, but not so great when you consider that you were out of the league in two years because snapped your femur in half -- and you can't get another job because your brain turned into tapioca from all the hits... and the NFLPA is giving you the finger when you ask for your disability pay.

Still -- getting back on topic -- You can pretty much sum up the 1994 strike the way you can sum up the steroids era in baseball. Why were steroids so prevalent in baseball? Because the players association didn't want testing, and they didn't want testing because wanted players to keep putting up awesome numbers, which would translate into more money. Same thing in 1994 -- players wanted more money.

As a Mets fan, and a recipient of Tom's twilight years, let me just say that he never really connected with the fans. To us, he was a mercenary. I mean, he was the guy who terrorized the Mets for the better part of a decade... and now he's supposed to be one of us? (And it didn't help that he went 4-11 against the Braves, either).

[whmatthews]

But for the most part - a normal baseball injury is a pulled hamstring or tendenitis. But I hear your points. Also, I thought about this later... an excerpt from the book:

PG 161

I was listening to a talk show once and some guy called up saying I was driving around town in a red convertible giving the finger to people. One, I don't, and never have, owned a red convertible, and two, I was brought up to act that way. I don't think I could ever be pushed enough to do something like that.

PG 155

After we walked off the mound and back into the dugout, one thing led to another and he started screaming at me and I started screaming ack at him. "It's not that d--- easy to pitch," I yelled. "If it's so easy, why aren't you out there!" "F--- you!" said Leo. "F--- you!" I shot back. This is going on right near bobby who's looking at us like we're both crazy, but never said a word, hoping we'd reconcile this on our own. Leo and I went back and forth for ten minutes in the dugout while everyone was quiet and wondering, "Why are these guys doing this?" Finally, it ended, I'm not sure who got the last "F" word in, but I walked into the clubhouse and didn't have conact with Leo until the next day..."

Not brought up to give the finger, but to yell the mother of all curse words at your boss??