So, I saw “Social Network” tonight, and I liked it quite a lot, and it made me think of about this concept: VOOB. That would be: Value Over Originating Book. I think “Social Network” has a very high VOOB. I’m a fan of Ben Mezrich, who wrote the excellent Bringing Down The House (which was…

I love the Yiddish word “mensch.” It is defined as “a person of integrity and honor,” but to me it really means something more subtle than that. It’s more like … if someone borrows your car and fills it up with gas before returning it, that’s a mensch. If a family is sitting apart on…

Here’s a funny thought that struck me the other day: I don’t think I have ever met a baseball fan who does not like baseball stats. Not once. I have never really thought about it exactly in those terms before — I have friends who I always would have called anti-stats and others who I…

Less than two years ago, I wrote what in some ways was the saddest blog post I’ve written. I wrote about how I was breaking away from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. In the time since I wrote it, people keep asking me to write again about it and, more, to give my heart back…

So I am writing this quick post on my iPad, using the wireless on a plane, which means two things. 1. I am balancing on the very cusp of modern technology. A flying car just might be waiting for me in San Francisco to take me to my hotel room. 2. The usual assortment of…

Here’s a beautiful thing about baseball: It’s probably happened. Whatever you’re thinking. It’s probably happened. Nine hits in a game? Yep, that happened: Johnny Burnett of the Cleveland Indians smacked nine hits against Philadelphia in an 18-inning game (same game that Jimmie Foxx had six hits, three of them homers, and eight RBIs).* *Philadelphia’s Eddie…

OK, well, many of you probably know that I have been on a long quest to find the next Snuggie. Oh, yes, I’ve seen the Cami Secret which finally ends that long unsolvable problem women have had of hiding their cleavage (and also offers perhaps the greatest before and after photographs in the history of…

After the game, (James) Harrison said he tries to hurt opposing players because it helps the Steelers win, although he doesn’t try to injure players.— AP story about James Harrison saying he might retire from football. * * * It’s all there, I think. The whole NFL issue — right there in one seemingly incongruous…

I noticed this comment from Brilliant Reader Keith K. about the intentional walk, and it is something I have thought about quite a bit over the years so I wanted to mention it here: First the comment: I am with Joe in his anti-IBB stance in that it often is a bad strategy that leads…

Look, sometimes the intentional walk “works.” No matter how much I might despise the thing, I cannot deny that basic reality. One job of a manager is to, best of his ability, put his team in position to prevent the other team from scoring runs. And there’s no question that walking to avoid the other…