Monday, August 27, 2007

True Brett

Brett Myers’ mouth was working about as well as his arm Saturday night.
Myers, the Phillies edgy would-be ace turned closer, was steaming after giving up two homers to seal another loss to the Padres.
Myers clearly did not believe the balls were hit that good, but they still went out of the Phils band box at Citizens Bank Park. Myers was steaming when he met the media after the game. Things quickly went downhill from there.
Conjuring up visions of some of the all-time verbal meltdowns from folks like Lee Elia and Dallas Green, Myers went off on a member of the media.
I wasn’t there. I didn’t witness it. I’m not exactly sure what set Myers off. It seemed like he was asked a legitimate question about the two homers. He responded he didn’t think they were hit that well. He then asked the reporter, Sam Carchidi from the Inquirer, if he did. Carchidi said he thought one was and one was not.
For some reason, Myers then snapped.
Look, these kinds of things happen between athletes and the media. But thanks to our ever-present technologu, and a convenient tape recorder, this showdown was captured for anyone to hear on the local newsradio station’s Web site.
And once again, Myers proved himself to be something less than a class act. Myers referred to the reporter as a “retard.”
Nice. He also berated him because he was “filling in” for someone and that he doesn’t know a “bleeping” thing about baseball. It was the first in a series of bleeps offered by both men.
Myers was right about one thing. Carchidi is not the beat guy. But he was covering the game, and he was attempting to do his job.
Things escalated from there, with the two shouting at each other. A couple of players restrained Myers.
Of course this is not Myers’ first brush with such thuggish behavior. Last year he was involved in a highly publicized incident in which it is believed he roughed up his wife in a Boston street. Eventually he took a leave from the team. His wife declined to press charges.
Looks like Myers still has some work to do in the anger management area. With a day to think it over, Myers admitted his use of what is clearly a hurtful word for a lot of people was a mistake.
But he flatly refused to apologize. He believes the reporter put his finger in his face, sparking the confrontation.
Myers said he should have referred to Carchidi as an idiot.
Yep, that’s Brett Myers, Mr. Nice Guy.

*
Moving Beyond 10,000 Losses: An occasional look at why it’s so difficult to be a Phillies – hell for that matter a Philadelphia – sports fan. The Phils could have been cooked if they had lost again yesterday. But they managed to resurrect themselves and pasted the Padres, 14-2. They’re now 3 back in the Wild-Card chase. A huge series with the Mets kicks off tonight. Maybe Myers can turn his wrath on them, instead of a member of the media.

The Daily Numbers: 17,000 people standing in line for their shot at auditioning for the next ‘American Idol’ today at the Wachovia Center. It’s early for an ‘I don’t get it,’ but I don’t get it. Do we really crave fame that much?
1 more day of summer in Ridley, where the school year starts tomorrow. Most Delco schools do not start until after Labor Day.
2 Delco school districts that start the year without teacher contracts. Those would be Chester Upland and Chichester. Village Charter in Chester also needs a new deal.
1 winning ticket sold in Saturday night’s $300 million Powerball drawing. It was sold in Indiana.
14 state universities, including Cheyney and West Chester, which could still face a strike by faculty despite a tentative deal. The union has yet to approve the deal.
2 teens killed by a driver going the wrong way on the Roosevelt Boulevard early Sunday.
800 more parking spaces coming to Philadelphia International Airport. They will be at the former overseas terminal, which is going to be torn down.
2 teens shot and killed over the weekend in Philadelphia.
100 feet, distance a motorcycle and rider plunged off the Ben Franklin Bridge after the bike clipped a car and went out of control. The driver was killed.
1,552 building permits issued in Bucks County, that’s down 26 percent from the year before.
13, age of boy found chained to a bed in a house in Philadelphia. He was eventually charged a day later on charges of vandalism and attempted auto theft.
1 out of 3, what the Phils did against the Padres over the weekend.
1 carry for Eagles running back Brian Westbrook against the Steelers before he took a spot on the bench.
4 games for Phils against the Mets, starting tonight at Citizens Bank Park, which could determine their season.


I Don’t Get It (with apologies to Jack McCaffery): Let me see if I have this right. First you stand in line Saturday in 100-degree heat just to register for a tryout for ‘American Idol.’ Then you show up and stand in another massive line today to actually get your 30-second shot at fame. Yeah, sign me up for that.


Today’s Upper: Kudos for the group of folks from India, now living in Chester, who are donating backpacks and other school goods for kids in the district.


Quote Box: “I would say the two organizations in a school that are most in the public eye are the football team and the marching band.”
-- Tim Pry, band director at Sun Valley High School.

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