Unpopular Opinions (sports edition)

[on_wisconsin]

Manica designed stadia (check the OG quote) i.e.Raiders, New Nissan, whatever the Indiana Bears are doing...

[NWI_Irish96]

Manica designed stadia (check the OG quote) i.e.Raiders, New Nissan, whatever the Indiana Bears are doing...

Best guesses would be one of the following: Allstate, Xfinity, United, Exelon, Chase (yes, Chase is based in NYC but Bank One was by far the largest bank system in Chicago when Chase bought them out)

McDonalds seems like an obvious choice but they've never been big into buying naming rights. Same with Walgreens

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

I like it when weird sports like Lumberjacking is on the TV in restaurants.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

In baseball errors should be scored as hits, you get on base anyway.

[formulanone]

I like it when weird sports like Lumberjacking is on the TV in restaurants.

Old ESPN (or whatever regional sports cable network) was great for this kind of thing at some weird hour.

In the last twenty years, it's been all about "discussion about the discussion" and "let's talk about the thing that's two years away" and "fantasy what/ifs" and "we haven't talked about ___ in 38 seconds, what is he up to?" instead of something that actually looks competitive and interesting.

[NWI_Irish96]

In baseball errors should be scored as hits, you get on base anyway.

The issue with that is that makes the pitcher responsible for runners that the fielders should have retired.

[Henry]

In baseball errors should be scored as hits, you get on base anyway.

The issue with that is that makes the pitcher responsible for runners that the fielders should have retired.

That's like saying a run scored in a GIDP should be scored as an RBI because even though two runners are put out on the same play, the other runner still scores.

[JayhawkCO]

In baseball errors should be scored as hits, you get on base anyway.

The issue with that is that makes the pitcher responsible for runners that the fielders should have retired.

That's like saying a run scored in a GIDP should be scored as an RBI because even though two runners are put out on the same play, the other runner still scores.

I have never understood why it's not. Yeah. Hitting into a double play sucks. But the whole definition of an RBI is a run batted in, which you did.

Game 7 of the World Series. Bottom of the 9th. Tie game. Bases loaded. No outs. You decide to do bunt down the 3rd base line but accidentally get a little too much of the ball. 3rd baseman fields it and tries to go for a 6-4-3 triple play, but you beat out the throw to first. You win. You're the hero for beating the throw, but you didn't get an RBI for it? Seems kinda nuts.

[NWI_Irish96]

I have never understood why it's not. Yeah. Hitting into a double play sucks. But the whole definition of an RBI is a run batted in, which you did.

The rationale behind that is that the defense chose to trade the run for the two outs but could have gotten the runner at home if desired. Kinda like how getting to first on a ground ball that results in another runner being put out is not a hit.

[JayhawkCO]

I have never understood why it's not. Yeah. Hitting into a double play sucks. But the whole definition of an RBI is a run batted in, which you did.

The rationale behind that is that the defense chose to trade the run for the two outs but could have gotten the runner at home if desired. Kinda like how getting to first on a ground ball that results in another runner being put out is not a hit.

I guess I look at it as a "good for you" that you hit the ball in a place that you can still score a run. You could have hit into a double play by lining out and getting someone picked off instead.

[NWI_Irish96]

I have never understood why it's not. Yeah. Hitting into a double play sucks. But the whole definition of an RBI is a run batted in, which you did.

The rationale behind that is that the defense chose to trade the run for the two outs but could have gotten the runner at home if desired. Kinda like how getting to first on a ground ball that results in another runner being put out is not a hit.

I guess I look at it as a "good for you" that you hit the ball in a place that you can still score a run. You could have hit into a double play by lining out and getting someone picked off instead.

There are a lot of quirks in baseball scoring. If you're batting with a runner on 3rd, he scores on a wild pitch, and then you get a hit, you get credit for an RBI even though you didn't actually bat him in since you would have if the wild pitch hadn't happened.

[JayhawkCO]

I have never understood why it's not. Yeah. Hitting into a double play sucks. But the whole definition of an RBI is a run batted in, which you did.

The rationale behind that is that the defense chose to trade the run for the two outs but could have gotten the runner at home if desired. Kinda like how getting to first on a ground ball that results in another runner being put out is not a hit.

I guess I look at it as a "good for you" that you hit the ball in a place that you can still score a run. You could have hit into a double play by lining out and getting someone picked off instead.

There are a lot of quirks in baseball scoring. If you're batting with a runner on 3rd, he scores on a wild pitch, and then you get a hit, you get credit for an RBI even though you didn't actually bat him in since you would have if the wild pitch hadn't happened.

I was unaware of that one. Even dumber. Alas my love of baseball has waned pretty strongly in the past 20 years. Kirby Puckett was my first hero, but now I just can't get excited about the game.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

The Pro Bowl belonged to the week before the Super Bowl.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

I actually like the idea of dual-use stadiums for football and baseball, while I despise it for hockey and basketball. The reason why I say this are the uniqueness of a multi-purpose baseball/football stadium. Another reason is when I was watching classic games from the 80s, I instantly fell in love with those dirt pits and Astroturf. (I guess the 80s were the time to be a baseball fan). For hockey and basketball it isn't unique as most of the teams in both leagues share the same stadium. I wish they made more baseball/football stadiums like that. I also wish they built less basketball/hockey stadiums like that.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

Pro athletes shouldn't be paid more than $50,000 a half season

[Max Rockatansky]

Pro athletes shouldn't be paid more than $50,000 a half season

That's a shitty take.  Anyone regardless of profession should pursue the highest amount of money they can receive.

[GaryV]

Pro athletes shouldn't be paid more than $50,000 a half season

So team owners can make billions more off of them?

I actually like the idea of dual-use stadiums for football and baseball

Why? Have you ever watched a football game played in a baseball stadium?

[elsmere241]

I actually like the idea of dual-use stadiums for football and baseball

Why? Have you ever watched a football game played in a baseball stadium?

In my lifetime, I've seen many a football stadium built with taxpayer money (often borrowed on the taxpayers' backs), and/or on land taken by the government on the principle of eminent domain.  And they are used for their primary purpose eight to ten times per year.  I've also seen stadiums torn down because they are "out-dated" and another one is at least in the works.

When I was in the college dorms (granted, about thirty years ago) a student on my floor was from Jordan (there for a Masters in Law).  Near the end of his time there he asked me why (for starters) we'd used artificial turf here in the first place.  The best answer I could give him was that we (as a whole) had money to throw around.

[NWI_Irish96]

I actually like the idea of dual-use stadiums for football and baseball

Why? Have you ever watched a football game played in a baseball stadium?

In my lifetime, I've seen many a football stadium built with taxpayer money (often borrowed on the taxpayers' backs), and/or on land taken by the government on the principle of eminent domain.  And they are used for their primary purpose eight to ten times per year.  I've also seen stadiums torn down because they are "out-dated" and another one is at least in the works.

When I was in the college dorms (granted, about thirty years ago) a student on my floor was from Jordan (there for a Masters in Law).  Near the end of his time there he asked me why (for starters) we'd used artificial turf here in the first place.  The best answer I could give him was that we (as a whole) had money to throw around.

Most new football stadia built now have either permanent or retractable roofs, so they can be used for much more than just football. The new stadium that Indiana is building for the Bears will attract all kinds of events that Chicago has never been able to host before because of Soldier Field being outdoors.

[elsmere241]

Most new football stadia built now have either permanent or retractable roofs, so they can be used for much more than just football. The new stadium that Indiana is building for the Bears will attract all kinds of events that Chicago has never been able to host before because of Soldier Field being outdoors.

Progress, at least.

[GaryV]

I've seen many a football stadium built with taxpayer money (often borrowed on the taxpayers' backs)

I agree that far too much public money is spent on these private enterprises. But that's another topic entirely - it has nothing to do with playing football in a baseball stadium. The "best" seats for baseball are around the infield; they are the worst seats for the football games that are played in the outfield.

[elsmere241]

I've seen many a football stadium built with taxpayer money (often borrowed on the taxpayers' backs)

I agree that far too much public money is spent on these private enterprises. But that's another topic entirely - it has nothing to do with playing football in a baseball stadium. The "best" seats for baseball are around the infield; they are the worst seats for the football games that are played in the outfield.

All I meant there was to point out that football-only stadiums seem to be the most expensive ones built, and have the lowest amount of primary use.  The rest (including the question about artificial turf) applies more to American sports arenas in general, and I'm not going to go farther down that road here. 

[gonealookin]

Most new football stadia built now have either permanent or retractable roofs, so they can be used for much more than just football. The new stadium that Indiana is building for the Bears will attract all kinds of events that Chicago has never been able to host before because of Soldier Field being outdoors.

Progress, at least.

Erie County and the State of New York didn't get that message with regard to the new Bills' stadium.  I guess the charm of playing all-outdoors games in December and January there was too alluring.  Roofs are expensive, but that might be the part of a stadium in western New York that would improve the financial results.

[Max Rockatansky]

Most new football stadia built now have either permanent or retractable roofs, so they can be used for much more than just football. The new stadium that Indiana is building for the Bears will attract all kinds of events that Chicago has never been able to host before because of Soldier Field being outdoors.

Progress, at least.

Erie County and the State of New York didn't get that message with regard to the new Bills' stadium.  I guess the charm of playing all-outdoors games in December and January there was too alluring.  Roofs are expensive, but that might be the part of a stadium in western New York that would improve the financial results.

Those wintery games are way more tied to the identity of the Bills franchise versus the Chicago Indiana Bears.

[GaryV]

Erie County and the State of New York didn't get that message with regard to the new Bills' stadium.  I guess the charm of playing all-outdoors games in December and January there was too alluring.

Maybe the calculated weight of 5 feet of lake effect snow was a factor.