Skip Bayless, Attention Whore

Look at me, I an asshat

This would not have come to my attention had the NY Daily News' Mark Feinsand not tweeted it earlier this evening.

I NEVER watch First Take...I stopped when it was still called Cold Pizza and stunk just as much. Any show that would employ the intolerable Skip Bayless is a show that should not be watched. No one should care what Bayless says or how many times he mentions Tim Tebow (definitely could be a drinking game.).

But Bayless' latest comments are purely the work of an attention seeking asshole. With the Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon PED disasters, Bayless opined on how Derek Jeter could possibly be performing the way he is at age 38:

“I would have to be sight- and hearing-impaired not to at least wonder, because there is no HGH test in the sport of baseball,” Bayless said. “They do not blood test; they do it one time in spring training for HGH, not again the rest of the year. How could I not wonder, ‘Is he using something?’ If you’re Derek Jeter, would you think about using HGH right now? Because I would. How would you not? Would you not think about it?”

The Yankees' captain didn't take the comment lying down:

Jeter called it “unfortunate” that somebody can go on television and make such insinuations, joking that Bayless might be the one in need of a drug test. “Whenever you have people that anytime you bring something like this to light with guys that are doing things, it’s like, now you have everybody questioning everything,” Jeter said. “That’s the unfortunate thing. Maybe Skip should be tested.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/yankees-captain-derek-jeter-suggests-skip-bayless-check-hgh-usage-article-1.1142392?pgno=1#ixzz24KbxOU7q

The Joba Debate Continues

No not that one; the bullpen-starter debate has been tabled. Now the airwaves are being filled with discussions of Joba Chamberlain's yelling, fist-pumping celebration routine. It really came into focus yesterday when Chamberlain struck out David Dellucci to end the 8th inning. The Yankees had a 3-run lead at the time. Perhaps it would have just been quickly forgotten, but Dellucci had hit a game winning 3-run home run against Chamberlain nights before. Dellucci, for one, was not happy.

"That's what gets him going and that's what everybody likes to see, but if a hitter was to do something like that they'd probably say it was 'bush (league)' and you shouldn't do it," Dellucci said. "It's kind of funny how a pitcher can get away with it."

"If he wants to yell and scream after a strikeout and dance around, I guess that gets him going," Dellucci said. "My home run was in a much bigger situation, more a key part of the game and I didn't dance around and scream."

Dellucci does have a point. We've had mixed feelings about the whole thing, probably because we've been caught up in Jobamania ourselves. But we only have to think about opponent's displays of celebration that have ticked us off over the years. Manny Ramirez's home run stare, Dennis Eckersley's over the top celebration when he recorded a save. The same for K-Rod and Ugie Urbina. And there's no doubt that Dellucci's game winner was a lot bigger situation than than yesterday's at-bat.

Needless to say the topic provided much fodder on Mike and the Mad Dog yesterday (Michael Kay was still talking about Joe Torre calling Jorge Posada), and as we waited for breakfast this morning, ESPN's First Take (Cold Pizza renamed, but just as bad) was about to discuss it as well.
Mariano Rivera's schooling of Joba could have an effect on all of this. Mo has been known to say something to the effect of "you don't want to do anything to motivate your opponent more than they already are." Sounds like sound advice.

What do you think? Take our new poll at the top of the site and let us know.

The Joba Debate Continues

No not that one; the bullpen-starter debate has been tabled. Now the airwaves are being filled with discussions of Joba Chamberlain's yelling, fist-pumping celebration routine. It really came into focus yesterday when Chamberlain struck out David Dellucci to end the 8th inning. The Yankees had a 3-run lead at the time. Perhaps it would have just been quickly forgotten, but Dellucci had hit a game winning 3-run home run against Chamberlain nights before. Dellucci, for one, was not happy.

"That's what gets him going and that's what everybody likes to see, but if a hitter was to do something like that they'd probably say it was 'bush (league)' and you shouldn't do it," Dellucci said. "It's kind of funny how a pitcher can get away with it."

"If he wants to yell and scream after a strikeout and dance around, I guess that gets him going," Dellucci said. "My home run was in a much bigger situation, more a key part of the game and I didn't dance around and scream."

Dellucci does have a point. We've had mixed feelings about the whole thing, probably because we've been caught up in Jobamania ourselves. But we only have to think about opponent's displays of celebration that have ticked us off over the years. Manny Ramirez's home run stare, Dennis Eckersley's over the top celebration when he recorded a save. The same for K-Rod and Ugie Urbina. And there's no doubt that Dellucci's game winner was a lot bigger situation than than yesterday's at-bat.

Needless to say the topic provided much fodder on Mike and the Mad Dog yesterday (Michael Kay was still talking about Joe Torre calling Jorge Posada), and as we waited for breakfast this morning, ESPN's First Take (Cold Pizza renamed, but just as bad) was about to discuss it as well.
Mariano Rivera's schooling of Joba could have an effect on all of this. Mo has been known to say something to the effect of "you don't want to do anything to motivate your opponent more than they already are." Sounds like sound advice.

What do you think? Take our new poll at the top of the site and let us know.

Joba Chamberlain was recently interviewed on ESPN's First Pizza or Cold Take or whatever the hell it's called now.

Joba Chamberlain was recently interviewed on ESPN's First Pizza or Cold Take or whatever the hell it's called now.