The many reasons to love Greg Maddux

[Swampdog]

AOW....I hope you are correct. Thats another angle, of course, that kids dont factor in when they commit acts of vandalism. Insurance pays for the damage initially, and then....who pays ultimately?

[beerchaser]

Ok, so if I follow someone around and rear end him at stop signs until his bumper falls off, thats what a "funny" guy does? If someone gets in YOUR car and spits tobacco juice everywhere and leaves boogers all over the car, thats funny to you? Its ridiculous behavior, as juvenile and inane as it gets. I see nothing at all "harmless" about hitting another vehicle at a stop sign. This reminds me of the movie "The Program", in which college athletes showed their bravery by lying in the middle of a highway, screaming while traffic roared past. Then, when a few kids in real life emulated this and tried this ****, and were killed, and others injured, they cut that scene from the movie, and it wasn't so "funny" or harmless" anymore.

whoa dude, who peed in your cornflakes this morning? Lighten up. Practical jokes are NOT on the same level as idiots trying to get themselves killed. Not even close, and that kind of parallel should not even be attempted to be drawn. If people are stupid enough to be doing something like lying down in the middle of traffic, then I hate to say it but they are diluting the gene pool to begin with. As for whatever damage Maddux may have done to the car, I'm sure that was taken care of financially, either by him personally or by the team. He is a multi-millionaire, after all. He could afford to buy that rental car outright, just for the sake of a joke, if it pleased him to do so. And he was not hitting just anyone, he was doing it to a friend who knows him for what he is and could also easily afford to pay for any damage done. Sheesh.

[Swampdog]

If you choose to believe that, BC, thats your prerogative.

[beerchaser]

It is and I do.

[Swampdog]

Athletes are so often called down on their behavior...and their belief, or seeming belief....that they can do anything they want, and get away with it. The rules don't apply to them. So when a likable guy like Maddux does something tasteless in the form of a practical joke, so many roar with laughter, and imply that we should love him for that. Tell me, if your teenager had done those things, would you say it was so funny and harmless? I rather doubt it.

You know what would be really funny? Maybe next time Maddux can set the Smoltz vehicle on fire. Imagine the look on John's face when he sees his rental car (at a safe distance, of course) with 10 foot flames leaping from it. Picture the side splitting laughter when there is an explosion, and pieces of the broken vehicle fall harmlessly all around the stricken Smoltz.

Or maybe, instead of boogers and tobacco juice, why not just defecate and urinate all up in Smoltz' car? Who wouldn't think its hilarious when John, late for a meeting, sits right in the middle of all that. Thats just good, clean fun, I guess.

Sorry, I don't see it. I can appreciate a good joke as much as anyone (trading the guy to a Japanese team was fun, I thought), but why do people giggle like schoolgirls when Maddux does this, when you would be mad as h.e.l.l. if someone did the same thing to you? And the harmless part....how do the same people view this if Smoltz, with his multimillion dollar contract happened to get hurt in some way, as a result of these "funny" antics?

[HoustonGM]

Yeah, I agree with beerchaser. It's not like Maddux is driving around towns rear-ending strangers. He's busting his friends chops, and I'm sure he has to pay for the broken bumpers, but really, that's chump change to him...

[HoustonGM]

but why do people giggle like schoolgirls when Maddux does this, when you would be mad as h.e.l.l. if someone did the same thing to you?

I'd be mad if someone broke my bumper because I don't have the money to pay for it, and I'd bet that they don't either. If I was a multimillionaire and my best friend rear-ended my rental car until the bumper fell off, I would laugh.

And the harmless part....how do the same people view this if Smoltz, with his multimillion dollar contract happened to get hurt in some way, as a result of these "funny" antics?

I don't think Maddux would do anything to Smoltz that put him at any risk of getting hurt. None of these things that Smoltz said Maddux did pose any injury risk, not even the rear-ending thing. I'm sure Maddux wasn't going full speed into Smoltz's car, and from the sound of it, it sounded like it took Maddux multiple stop signs to knock a bumper off, so I'd imagine it wasn't anything dangerous to either him or Smoltz.

[beerchaser]

good grief.

[Reade]

lighten up, these guys make enough money to pay for a bumber and cleaning, as long as no one gets hurt because of said behavior. I believe someone just doesn't like Maddux, maybe because he has made a career of beating your team.

[Swampdog]

Think again, Reade. I already said that I always liked Maddux. I am a Red Sox fan.... so how many times do you think that Maddux "beat my team"?

You must be used to dealing with devious people to say something like that. There's no hidden agenda on my part. I dont admire inane, juvenile behavior from adults that should know better. Maybe you do, and as I previously stated, thats your prerogative as well. I sincerely hope that no one does these type things to you, because, despite the expected protests, I do not believe that you would laugh.

[HoustonGM]

I sincerely hope that no one does these type things to you, because, despite the expected protests, I do not believe that you would laugh.

If it was a friend doing it, I would laugh. Friends play jokes and mess around with each other all the time. Obviously, it's wrong to do these sorts of things to strangers or people you aren't close with, but I don't think that's what Maddux was doing.

[Alloutwar]

Guys, I was a little perturbed when I read the original Maddux stuff too...I thought it sounded like a pretty crappy guy, to be honest. Only when I thought about it, and figured that he pays for his damages and does them all in good fun, did I let go of that feeling.

Maybe I (and the other poster) have something of a high moral standing, or just don't play any practical jokes of that nature, or maybe the article was just worded to give us the wrong impression - either way, it's not completely unforgiveable. But at this point we can most likely safely assume that he 'cleans up' in one way or another, or else there would be police reports, negative stuff posted by old teammates, etc.

In case you didn't know, practical jokes can be dangerous.

[Swampdog]

Ok I looked it up. In 8 starts against Boston, Maddux is 5-1 with a 3.38 ERA. Yeah, now I REALLY despise the guy. Gawd.

I have also previously posted...somewhere...that Maddux is, in my opinion, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. Certainly top 10, and, to me, in the top 5. Does THAT satisfy you, Reade?

What I despise is ridiculous behavior by athletes, and actually, by anyone. I do not admire Maddux ...or ANYONE.....for that garbage....., and its just that simple. How difficult is that to comprehend?

[Kotoll]

My God if the Red Sox have a flag pole I think they can find it up this guys ***

[Swampdog]

You know, Kotoll, I dont know you, and I'm sure you're trying to be funny. I started not to even reply to this, but since I'm a little bored right now, with free time.....

Your comment:

"My God if the Red Sox have a flag pole I think they can find it up this guys ***"

This is precisely the type of statement I would expect from someone that thinks that spreading boogers around the inside of a car is hilarious. No offense.