Bob Costas on Dan Patrick Show re Jackie Robinson's legacy, Branch Rickey's initiative and the new "42" film; Dodgers-Padres brawl and Zack Greinke injury; Costas blasts CBS Sports' long history of censoring racism and sexism at The Masters; Thomas Boswell on Zack Greinke's poor judgment and the price to be paid

TheDanPatrickShow YouTube Channel video: Bob Costas on The Dan Patrick Show 4/12/13, re Jackie Robinson's legacy, Branch Rickey's initiative and the new "42" film

by Brian Helgeland, starring Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford; Dodgers-Padres brawl, Carlos Quentin and Zack Greinke injury; Costas blasts CBS Sports' long history of censoring racism and sexism at The Masters Golf tourney in Augusta, GA. Uploaded April 12, 2013. http://youtu.be/npWu09W4rCE

San Diego Padre batter Carlos Quentin takes offense at not only being hit for the third time by LA Dodger pitcher Zack Greinke, but Greinke's smart-ass comments to Quentin afterwards, prompting Quentin to charge the mound and resulting collision breaks Greinke's collarbone. Long-term result: Highly-paid Greinke is out for at least eight weeks, and Dodgers season outlook takes an immediate downturn, while defending World Champion San Francisco Giants fans are laughing at their good fortune and laughing at the Dodgers penchant for self-destruction borne of ego.
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/04/12/greinke-breaks-collarbone-in-brawl-with-padres/


ESPN: Fallout From The Brawl  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caa1972TWn4

The Washington Post

Zack Greinke loses his head — and then use of his arm

By Thomas Boswell, Columnist

April 12, 2:25 PM

The difference between culpability and common sense can be enormous in sports. You can do nothing wrong yet lose your judgment in a split-second and pay a huge price for your unnecessary bravery. Listen up, Zack Greinke. As your broken collarbone heals, and the Dodgers contemplate the fortune they agreed to pay you to pitch, not to fight giants, the moral will become clear.

Baseball has long had an unwritten rule. In fact, there is even a date associated with it: May 17, 1956. That day 170-pound Ruben Gomez hit 210-pound Joe Adcock with a fastball; then, as Adcock charged the mound, Gomez ran all over the Milwaukee infield and into the safety of his own Giant dugout, leaving the murderous Adcock in futile pursuit. Gomez lived.

Read the rest of the article at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/zack-greinke-loses-his-head--and-then-use-of-his-pitching-arm/2013/04/12/9e066026-a398-11e2-82bc-511538ae90a4_story.html

WaPo's Tom Boswell sounds the Bryce Harper alarm: Davey Johnson will soon write out a lineup card "and, on it, two names appear together for the first time: Strasburg and Harper, too. Ready or not, here he comes." Tonight!

MASNsportscom video: Davey Johnson speaks with the media about Bryce Harper's call up. April 27, 2012. http://youtu.be/DMwTM650Jrk

WaPo's Tom Boswell sounds the Bryce Harper alarm: Davey Johnson will soon write out a lineup card "and, on it, two names appear together for the first time: Strasburg and Harper, too. Ready or not, here he comes." Tonight!

Looks like I'll have to record "Nats Talk" on MASN at 10 a.m. before going out to run some errands before the heavy downpours hit this area later in the afternoon.

The Washington Post

Bryce Harper call-up is leap off the ledge: thrilling and dangerous

By Thomas Boswell

Posted Friday, April 27, 9:34 PM

They’re going to make a movie about this someday — maybe a happy one, maybe not. It’ll be incredibly corny, and you’ll love it. Or you’ll cry, maybe, if the happy ending gets screwed up. But you’ll watch because this is absolutely not the modern way.

What we’ve got now is authentic sports theater. Oh, it’s much, much cooler that Bryce Harper is coming to the big leagues Saturday just the way it has been happening in real baseball for 125 years: with everybody scared to death, worried they’re about to screw up big time, but doing it anyway.

Read the rest of the column at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/bryce-harper-call-up-is-leap-off-the-ledge-thrilling-and-dangerous/2012/04/27/gIQAmK1PmT_story.html

Bryce Harper's first Triple-A Home Run

http://youtu.be/5NoyVYMHPno

What a beautiful swing!

Get ready to see lots of that.

Meanwhile, over at the MASN website, Dan Kolo at Nationals Pastime reveals what's at stake financially for the ballclub by bringing the 19-year old phenom up from Tripe-A Syracuse to the majors for a game against the Dodgers in LA, to replace third baseman Ryan Zimmerman who's now on the DL... millions and millions of dollars.

And just to remind you again, Strasburg will be pitching Saturday night, too.

http://www.masnsports.com/nationals_pastime/2012/04/bryce-harper-to-be-activated-ryan-zimmerman-to-the-dl.html

See also: Bryce Harper's MLB Promotion All About The Phillies Series

By Kevin Jones

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/203868/25/Bryce-Harpers-MLB-Promotion-All-About-The-Phillies-Series

Saturday night's game will be aired on MASN2, DirecTV Channel 641 at 9 p.m.

MLB Network at Channel 213 will also be airing the game, too.
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http://www.facebook.com/MASNNationals

http://www.youtube.com/user/MASNsportscom/ 

LA Dodgers questions great & small: wither McCourt, padding of attendance; Alyssa Milano's +1 is most heartening Dodger news; McCourt = Steven Ross

Above, thru thick and thin, actress & activist Alyssa Milano remains TRUE BLUE!

Los Angles Times

Dodgers Blog

Will we ever know had badly Dodgers' attendance is down?

By Steve Dilbeck

July 29, 2011 | 9:16 am

Oh, we know it’s down. Have evidence that it’s way down.

But the published numbers don’t tell the full story; not even close.

Buoyed by a pair of 50,000-plus bobblehead crowds (for Andre Ethier and Fernando Valenzuela), the Dodgers are averaging 36,623 per game.

That’s 8,102 fewer fans than last season, and actually better than the 9,319 it was down earlier this season. The Dodgers' total attendance is off 453,694 for the season...

Read the rest of the post at:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2011/07/will-we-ever-know-had-badly-dodgers-attendance-is-down.html

The above is not the Ghost of Christmas Past, but rather The Ghost of the Dolphins' Future.

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FYI: Fox owned the LA Dodgers from 1998 to 2004, and also owns the the sole national broadcast rights as well as the broadcast rights to 14 MLB teams on its regional sports channels -including the Florida Marlins- most of which I watch on DirecTV.

New York Times

TV’s Supporting Role in Dodgers’ Drama

By Richard Sandomir

July 3, 2011

The fight for control of the Los Angeles Dodgers that reached United States Bankruptcy Court in Delaware on Tuesday pits Frank McCourt, an owner desperate to keep his team, against Commissioner Bud Selig, who believes that McCourt has turned the iconic team into a financial wreck.

But away from the legal battle is the story of a long relationship between the Dodgers and Fox Sports, which underscores the rising value of sports television rights and what a media giant will do to keep them.

In the case of the Dodgers and Fox, it is a tale of mutual self-interest in which each side has taken turns at being the alpha male: the team knows it is valuable but needs money; Fox needs the team and has the cash.

Read the rest of the post at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/04/sports/baseball/dodgers-plight-highlights-influence-of-tv-in-sports.html

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Los Angeles Times

Frank McCourt has worn out his welcome

With Frank McCourt, the solution to his Dodgers dilemma is always somewhere over the rainbow. But fans aren't buying the loaves-and-fishes spiel. If he knew enough to exit quickly, he might earn some gratitude, but never forgiveness.

By Bill Dwyre, Times columnist

August 5, 2011, 2:14 p.m.

The most stunning aspect of the current Dodgers situation is not the greed of Frank McCourt, but the blind stubbornness.

Now, he is planning to sue his lawyers and projecting that, just maybe, the proceeds of that might be enough to pay off debts and get out of trouble. That's similar to his stance that, if he is just allowed to make his $1.7-billion-to-$3-billion deal with Fox, he'll be free and clear.

With McCourt, the solution is always somewhere just over the rainbow. He turned a Boston parking lot into ownership of the Dodgers and now wants us to believe he can keep them by multiplying loaves and fishes. He is a huckster's huckster, a poster boy for the buy-now-and-pay-later.

Read the rest of the column at:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre-frank-mccourt-20110806,0,5892585.column

Long before financially self-serving LA Dodgers owner Frank McCourt's antics finally kept devoted Dodger fans away from Dodger Stadium this year in droves, after he fired Davey Johnson as Orioles manager in the off-season after he was named AL Manager of the Year for 1997, after getting the Orioles to the '97 AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Indians, Oriole fans were loathing Peter Angelos and Co. and refusing to come to Camden Yards -my home away from home for most of the 1990's- and fork over one cent to him, preferring instead to watch all the games on cable channel HTS (Home Team Sports, now MASN) at home or sports bars.

Under current Dolphins owner Steven Ross, the Dolphins have morphed into the worst on-field aspects of the Detroit Lions and the worst off-field aspects of Frank McCourt's tenure as Dodgers owner.

Ross is an acute embarrassment to the teams most loyal fans -like me- and seems NOT to have learned a whit since becoming owner, continuing the Dolphins era of complete insignificance.

Dolphins use outside agency to chase season ticket holders

Posted by Mike Florio on August 6, 2011, 5:46 PM EDT

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/08/06/dolphins-use-collection-agency-to-chase-season-ticket-holders/

Touch by Alyssa Milano Miami Dolphins Women's Sleeveless Top

Orange you glad that I decided to add this one?

Although it hurts her to see her Dodgers so often used as a punchline this season, on her always amusing posterous website, one of my favorites, actress Alyssa Milano, is having the best year of all among celebrity Dodger faithful.

Check out the photo at the link, one I sent out to sports media friends within just minutes of her posting it.

#Dodgers I Love L.A. (picture)-->, from late July 2011

http://alyssamilano.posterous.com/dodgers-i-love-la-picture

Like bambino-to-be, like mother...

Above, Los Angeles Dodgers Royal Women's Primary Logo Tri Blend Long Sleeve Layered T-Shirt- by Alyssa Milano

I've written about or referenced Alyssa on the blog several times, the most popular post on her being this one form Sept. 18, 2010 titled, Proof positive that no photo of Alyssa Milano is without its magnetic CHARM. Not that we EVER doubted it!

http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/proof-positive-that-no-photo-of-alyssa.html

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http://alyssamilano.posterous.com/

2012 Spring Touch collection: http://alyssa.com/?p=2569

http://www.fansedge.com/

http://www.fandalia.com/

http://alyssa.com/

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-columnist-bdwyre,0,7769040.columnist

Robert Redford will play Branch Rickey in Jackie Robinson film written/directed by LA Confidential Oscar-winner Brian Helgeland; but who plays Jackie?

This is among the best bits of news that I have heard all year.

Really!

Forget the hesitation mentioned below, for many reasons, Robert Redford will definitely play the role of Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey.

For the non-baseball/People Magazine crowd it will also seem very logical -the matching bookend to 'The Natural.'

But the casting question remains: who will play Jackie Robinson and his wife Rachel?

Until I hear a better suggestion, I'm rooting for Michael B. Jordan, late of Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, both of which I love. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0430107/

Los Angeles Times

24 Frames film blog

Robert Redford will play Branch Rickey -- or Bill Bryson

By Steven Zeitchik

June 1, 2011 | 5:17 pm

In April, Robert Redford tipped 24 Frames that he’d star in a movie about the relationship between Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey and second baseman Jackie Robinson. The film would be written and directed by “L.A. Confidential” writer Brian Helgeland, and produced and financed by Legendary Pictures, we wrote. The company squirmed at our posting on the subject, saying it was early days to talk about the film.

Read the rest of the story at:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/06/jackie-robinson-movie-branch-rickey-dodgers-redford.html

Entertainment Weekly

Robert Redford is Branch Rickey, but who should play Jackie Robinson?

by Jeff Labrecque

April 7, 2011

Robert Redford has been talking about making a Jackie Robinson movie for seven years, and according to the Los Angeles Times, it’s finally in motion. Brian Helgeland (A Knight’s Tale) will write and direct, focusing on the special relationship between the Hall of Fame player who broke baseball’s color barrier and Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey, who orchestrated the historic move with both pragmatic and noble intentions.

Read the rest of the article at:

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/04/07/who-should-play-jackie-robinson/

What's my Line? Jackie Robinson

http://youtu.be/9LaRkuU-YjM

What's my Line? Branch Rickey

http://youtu.be/rPV-O_caBrs

You can watch the original 1950 film in which he played himself, The Jackie Robinson Story with Minor Watson as Branch Rickey here on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/hCBoskYx3Is

Meanwhile, the woes continue at Chavez Ravine

Los Angeles Times

Dodgers Blog

Attendance at Dodger Stadium continues to plunge

By Steve Dilbeck and The Times’ Dodgers reporters

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2011/05/attendance-at-dodger-stadium-continues-to-plunge.html

I've been receiving the Ebbetts Field Flannels catalog for years and a customer since my days up in D.C., so check out their website for something that fits your style.

http://www.ebbets.com/

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/080410