Man ejected from Yankee Stadium for lack of patriotism

Brett Singer — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:00:00 GMT

I tried to come up with something funny to say about this but I was too annoyed. Sorry about that.

The sportsblog Deadspin interviewed one Bradford Campeau-Laurion who was manhandled by the police (or possibly just Yankee Stadium security; it's not entirely clear). His crime? Getting up during the singing of "God Bless America." Apparently staying motionless during the song (usually a recording of Kate Smith, pictured), played during the 7th inning of baseball games after the 9/11 attacks, is a Yankee Stadium rule imposed by George Steinbrenner last year as, "an expression of patriotism."

Here is Bradford's description of what happened to him:

I attempted to get up to use the restroom, rather urgently, during the 7th inning stretch as God Bless America was beginning. As I attempted to walk down the aisle and exit my section into the tunnel, I was stopped by a police officer. He informed me that I had to wait until the song was over. I responded that I had to use the restroom and that I did not care about God Bless America.

As soon as the latter came out of my mouth, my right arm was twisted violenty [sic] behind my back and I was informed that I was being escorted out of the stadium.

In other words, he had the nerve to (a) move during a patriotic song and (b) to state that he didn't care about said song. No matter how patriotic you consider yourself to be, I hope that you find the behavior of the officers/security personnel to be objectionable.

Source: Deadspin

Image: e-musicpedia

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Another Reason To Hate Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Brett Singer — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:15:00 GMT

I'm going to dive right in here:

First of all, she spells her name with an "s". Who does that? (Probably lots of people, but when she does it, its annoying.) Second, she's a big dope who is only on "The View" because she was a contestant on "Survivor" (although she does seem to know that the world is round, unlike newer "View" moron Sherri Shepherd). Now she's pimping her new baby out to the highest bidder, and encouraging parents to take their underage offspring to the theater:

Week of January 28: FINALLY! A DATE!

With Grace! We hit Broadway running, as Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID filled our afternoon with magic. I had Grace on my lap for most of it, and for two hours, my otherwise independent little girl was my baby again. Just to have one on one time was the greatest gift.

Where to start?

Let us begin with a question: why is your ~~infant~~ under 4-year old child (thanks to commenter Christina for the correction) at the theater? Imagine paying upwards of $400 ($100/ticket, family of four), not including dinner or transportation, to see a show and have it be disrupted by a petulant rugrat. I'm all for introducing young people to the arts, but (a) a huge Disney production is so commercial that it's only nominally "art" and (b) at that age they won't remember the experience. I don't want to be a "hater," but it's just inconsiderate. UPDATE: In fact, it's the theater's policy that "Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre."

Next: unless I'm missing something, the wife of the less-talented of the two Hasselbeck brothers (Matt Hasselbeck plays for the Seahawks and went to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, Tim is a career backup who was dumped by the Giants and is now the third-string guy on the Arizona Cardinals – not a lofty position) seems to be saying that, in order to have "one on one time" with her baby girl, she needs to be in a dark room with a thousand other people. Much like this drawing (don't go there, it's one of those things you can't "un-see"), that's just disturbing.

And another thing: "I had Grace on my lap for most of it." So the rest of the time you checked her with your coat?

By the way, I found Hasseldreck's blog on Strollerderby; Madeline Holler agrees that it is awful, but also somehow draws you in, like a restaurant with terrible food and portions that are too small. FYI, Elisabeth is done posting, but we're fairly certain she'll find some way to annoy us again very soon.

Strollerderby : annoying