Dumbest reader ever

[Tom Petty]

There is nothing like the feeling of getting a call like this on the day you leave the business. You get to tell the really unreasonable assholes, "It's my last day, and I really don't give a ****." Then you get to listen to them go ballistic, screaming that they'll have you fired once they talk to your editor. Even then, they don't comprehend a ****ing thing.

Edit to add: I believe the caller was asking something about the TV listings.

you gotta watch that ****, too, though. i know a guy (wink, wink) who was quite flippant with a dickhead source on his final day (the dickhead called him just to get in "a few last words") and then the dickhead e-mailed every person at the guy's new place of work with a "i think you should know this about your new hire tom petty" and pretty much included everything the guy said in the conversation, but failed to write down his (the dickhead) own hostile words that started the exchange, which turned ugly at times.

the guy i know said that made for quite an interesting first day at his new job.

I had the luxury of (finally, according to some) buying into the family business 1,000 miles away. Otherwise, I wouldn't have done that.

so, you're saying you're smarter than, er, the guy i know?

If it makes you feel better, know that when I quit my final restaurant job 10 years ago, I poured salt in the lemonade.

sweet!

Salty!
See, that works on two levels, if you think about it.
I'm so clever. Aren't you glad I'm here to make such clever posts?!?

for the love of christ.

 

[DemoChristian]

You're claiming me as a gift of Christ?
I'm touched, Tom. Thanks.
Nobody has ever called me evidence of His existence before.

 

[greenlantern]

Looking at that photo of Barack Obama, Tom might actually be that 13% of people who would call you a Muslim.

 

[DemoChristian]

Looking at that photo of Barack Obama, Tom might actually be that 13% of people who would call you a Muslim.

Honestly, I don't know what you mean by that. The photo looks like a Muslim?

 

[greenlantern]

I recently saw a survey that 13% of Americans think Obama is Muslim. It was an insult to those idiots, not to you or Obama. It wasn't that particular photo of Obama. It's just that it is a photo of Obama. Personally, I'm puling for the guy. And I probably should have been more clear. Sorry.

 

[joe_schmoe]

Just 13 percent? Wow. I am honestly shocked the number is that low.

 

[DemoChristian]

I recently saw a survey that 13% of Americans think Obama is Muslim. It was an insult to those idiots, not to you or Obama. It wasn't that particular photo of Obama. It's just that it is a photo of Obama. Personally, I'm puling for the guy. And I probably should have been more clear. Sorry.

I knew some people still think he is a Muslim. In fact, my grandfather, who is absolutely one of the smartest people I know, does. He insists he was sworn in on a Koran.
Anyway, I thought your comment was more specific to Tom or myself.

 

[Tom Petty]

Looking at that photo of Barack Obama, Tom might actually be that 13% of people who would call you a Muslim.

that's real brilliant.

99 percent of the people on this board know i'm a flaming ****ing liberal.

you? i guess we'll count you in the one percent of the folks who blather on without knowing what they're talking about.

 

[MacDaddy]

1. I was coming back from covering an out-of-town HS playoff game around 1 a.m. As soon as I drove into town, a cop car came up behind me and followed me, through the entire town, including several turns onto streets until I pulled up to my apartment. If he had pulled me over, I would have shown him my newspaper ID, , whip out my notepad, and then ask if it was common for a cop to follow a car throughout the entire town when the car was driving five miles below the speed limit. It might have gotten me arrested, but it would have been a great story.

Driving under the speed limit is one of the big DUI tipoffs.

 

[kingcreole]

At the paper I used to work at, a reader once accused me of working with a high school's A.D. and boys basketball coach to dictate playing time.

I think that dude had this Giants fan beaten by a Big Brown margin.

 

[fishwrapper]

Looking at that photo of Barack Obama, Tom might actually be that 13% of people who would call you a Muslim.

that's real brilliant.

99 percent of the people on this board know i'm a flaming ****ing liberal.

you? i guess we'll count you in the one percent of the folks who blather on without knowing what they're talking about.

You're a liberal?

 

[Tom Petty]

Looking at that photo of Barack Obama, Tom might actually be that 13% of people who would call you a Muslim.

that's real brilliant.

99 percent of the people on this board know i'm a flaming ****ing liberal.

you? i guess we'll count you in the one percent of the folks who blather on without knowing what they're talking about.

You're a liberal?

naw. hell, i just thought i'd **** with him a little bit.

worked, though, didn't it?

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

I have a new contender for dumbest reader ever. I wrote a story recently on a 15-9 baseball game (yeah, it was as bad as it sounds).

For the losing team, the starting pitcher allowed nine runs and his team was trailing 9-7 when he was pulled. The guy who relieved the starter allowed five runs.

Anyway, I wrote in my story that the reliever was the losing pitcher. He was, because he allowed the opponent's 10th run when his team only finished with nine.

On the public display of dumbassery also known as the reader comments section of our website, somebody commented on my story about how stupid I am, that I can't even get the losing pitcher right. Reader says that since the losing team was losing when the starter was pulled, and never regained the lead after that, he is the loser. Doesn't matter that he didn't give up the 10th run. Even says "it's always been that way, will always be that way. idiots." Another reader pointed out that that's not how it works, and explained the process of choosing a losing pitcher. First reader comes back and lambastes the second for how big an idiot he is, and that he must be a family member of mine or myself (it wasn't me).

It's one thing to be wrong about how the losing pitcher is chosen. No need for the name calling in such a post at the end of my story, but I can understand that maybe the reader had been ill-informed about the process for choosing a loser. But then when it's explained to you, to come back with even more vitriol without obviously double-checking to see if you're right.... that's just pathetic.

I must say, since I've gone into journalism I've lost all hope in the intelligence of the world at large.

 

[Della9250]

Umm, the starter is the losing pitcher. He was never off the hook for the loss, despite what the reliever did. He left with his team losing, his team never tied or went ahead. Therefore, he is the loser. Unless there has been some major rule change that I missed.

 

[Chi City 81]

Umm, the starter is the losing pitcher. He was never off the hook for the loss, despite what the reliever did. He left with his team losing, his team never tied or went ahead. Therefore, he is the loser. Unless there has been some major rule change that I missed.

There hasn't been. If the team never tied the game, the starting pitcher still gets the loss; it doesn't matter if he leaves down 1-0 and the team loses 10-9. You were wrong, Rusty.

 

[Write-brained]

Cripes. That's why there's a rule book. Very easy to find.

10.17 WINNING AND LOSING PITCHER
(a) The official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher that pitcher whose team assumes a lead while such pitcher is in the game, or during the inning on offense in which such pitcher is removed from the game, and does not relinquish such lead, unless
(1) such pitcher is a starting pitcher and Rule 10.17(b) applies; or
(2) Rule 10.17(c) applies.
Rule 10.17(a) Comment: Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as the winning pitcher is concerned. Once the opposing team assumes the lead, all pitchers who have pitched up to that point and have been replaced are excluded from being credited with the victory. If the pitcher against whose pitching the opposing team gained the lead continues to pitch until his team regains the lead, which it holds to the finish of the game, that pitcher shall be the winning pitcher.
(b) If the pitcher whose team assumes a lead while such pitcher is in the game, or during the inning on offense in which such pitcher is removed from the game, and does not relinquish such lead, is a starting pitcher who has not completed
(1) five innings of a game that lasts six or more innings on defense, or
Rule 10.17
119
(2) four innings of a game that lasts five innings on defense,
then the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher the relief pitcher, if there is only one relief pitcher, or the relief pitcher who, in the official scorer’s judgment was the most effective, if there is more than one relief pitcher.
Rule 10.17(b) Comment: It is the intent of Rule 10.17(b) that a relief pitcher pitch at least one complete inning or pitch when a crucial out is made, within the context of the game (including the score), in order to be credited as the winning pitcher. If the first relief pitcher pitches effectively, the official scorer should not presumptively credit that pitcher with the win, because the rule requires that the win be credited to the pitcher who was the most effective, and a subsequent relief pitcher may have been most effective. The official scorer, in determining which relief pitcher was the most effective, should consider the number of runs, earned runs and base runners given up by each relief pitcher and the context of the game at the time of each relief pitcher’s appearance. If two or more relief pitchers were similarly effective, the official scorer should give the presumption to the earlier pitcher as the winning pitcher.
(c) The official scorer shall not credit as the winning pitcher a relief pitcher who is ineffective in a brief appearance, when at least one succeeding relief pitcher pitches effectively in helping his team maintain its lead. In such a case, the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher the succeeding relief pitcher who was most effective, in the judgment of the official scorer.
Rule 10.17(c) Comment: The official scorer generally should, but is not required to, consider the appearance of a relief pitcher to be ineffective and brief if such relief pitcher pitches less than one inning and allows two or more earned runs to score (even if such runs are charged to a previous pitcher). Rule 10.17(b) Comment provides guidance on choosing the winning pitcher from among several succeeding relief pitchers.
(d) A losing pitcher is a pitcher who is responsible for the run that gives the winning team a lead that the winning team does not relinquish.
Rule 10.17(d) Comment: Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as the losing pitcher is concerned.

 

[Moderator1]

Wow. Talk about one you'd like to have back.
That's pretty much scorekeeping 101.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

So a pitcher gives up one run, top of the first. He's pulled in the first after the one run. His team loses 15-14 or something high scoring like that -- he still gets the loss, for one run in the top of the first in a 30-run game because his team never took back the lead?

Mea culpa. Learn something new every day I guess. Where's the dumbest sj members thread?

 

[Write-brained]

To be fair, there's not a reporter around who hasn't made a mistake because they were so sure of knowing an answer from having years on a beat.

I had one of these recently with the number of years you get a conviction on a particular charge. I was sure I knew the answer and didn't double check. Stupid me. You have to train yourself to look everything up, no matter how easy the answer comes to you.

That said, as soon as someone from the public challenged it I sure as hell looked it up, if for no other reason than to show it to the person I was right.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

The more I sit here and think about that, the more upset I get. I've been keeping score since little league, and I never knew that. I've probably gotten that wrong in print 50 times at least. And for winning pitchers, too.

I always thought it had to do with when the winning run scores (that is, the run that is one more for the winning team than the losing team goes on to score) that determines winner and loser.

Seriously, that's frustrating. I must look like a 'moran' to the baseball and softball people around here.