The World of Tattletexting

[Link] http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4012452

ESPN columnist Rick Reilly has shone a light on a new trend sweeping across sporting events in his most recent piece. A company called In Stadium Solutions offers a service at many stadiums, fields and arenas where angry fans can text a general number with complaints about fellow fans who are being annoying, rude or even violent. "Any fan can anonymously snitch out the overserved idiot who won't stop offering to fight Roy Williams at 120 decibels and pouring his Coke down your neck. You don't have to sit and take it anymore!" 

These are actual texts from fans who have used the service:

Lady in turquoise tank is flipping people off and cursing sec 235 row 14.

Section 446 Guy is trying to fight everyone -- send someone to remove him please.

This is ridiculous. We are being spit on from the 254 section.

Drunk guy passed out in my seat & can't wake him up sec 442.

Guy in black jacket is exposing himself to people. Section 408 row 4 seat 7. He has spikey hair.

Reilly asks: is this another form of big brother in our lives, the further creation of the surveillance state? I don't think so. This is actually an incredibly useful service that hasn't yet been abused, and it works for things like medical emergencies as well. And fans don't get thrown out of the event without proof of said altercation. At many stadiums, when a text comes in to security, a closed-circuit camera is put on the very seat in question to see what the problem is. 

I don't see this becoming a major problem whatsoever; if anything, it's helping to enhance our sporting event experience, by eliminating rude fans who sometimes ruin the games. (If you've ever been to any Philadelphia stadium, surely you know what I'm talking about.) The only way I can see it having a short lifespan is if it starts getting abused. Thoughts?

Should Jordan gets his own day?

Yes, I used the picture of MJ from Space Jam. Wanna fight about it?

[LINK] http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jackson/090403

ESPN columnist Scoop Jackson raises an interesting question in his latest column: when Michael Jordan is inducted into the Basketball Hall Of Fame in September (after what will surely be a unanimous vote come Monday) should he really be inducted with other people on the same day? It's unprecedented for an athlete to ever get his own separate day for enshrinement, but Michael Jordan was also an unprecedented athlete, and arguably the greatest athlete of all time. Jackson argues that if the Hall Of Fame really cares about players and being true to transcendence of the game, it should induct Jordan alone. He writes:

That would be the fairest thing to do, for all involved. The distraction of MJ and the overall pageantry surrounding Jordan will be too great for any of the other inductees to enjoy themselves. For the others to get the attention and respect they deserve, Jordan must not be around on their day. Not in the crowd, not in the state, not even passing through. If he is (and he will be), for the others, it'll be like a bride getting upstaged on her wedding day … by her own mother. I'm not saying that Jordan is greater than the game of basketball. I'm just being honest about everything he did and how he changed, elevated, sustained, supported and practically financed an entire league. Nothing would be more appropriate. After playing most of his career in a league that paid him way less than market value (Jordan's salary, for all but two seasons of his career, was $4 million or less), it seems like the least that could be done to single him out.

It's a really interesting question that probably won't be subject for much debate, because of its low likelihood of actually happening, but I'm more inclined than not to agree with Jackson. MJ did so much for the game of basketball and sports in general that his impact is immeasurable; this would be the least that the NBA could do for him in return. And plus, it's gonna straight up suck for the rest of the inductees to share their day with Jordan. They'd receive little-to-no attention, undeservedly so, simply because of the behemoth sitting beside them in Springfield on that day in September.

Anyway, what does everyone think? Would this be fair? Is there anyone else in other sport who would deserve this honor more than Jordan?

Should The Union Identify The Other 103 Names?

A-Roid is like, "Yo, this isn't fair."

[LINK:] Fehr rejects drug suspicion talk

Major League Baseball union head Donald Fehr says the union will try to ensure that the list of 103 names of players who tested positive for steroids in 2003 will remain confidential. But is this fair? The biggest name on the list, Alex Rodriguez (hereafter referred to as A-Roid, or A-Fraud, you pick) has already been revealed, forever tainting the baseball star's career and legacy. Test samples and records were supposed to be destroyed, but Fehr says the players' association didn't have enough time to make arrangements after the results became final Nov. 13, 2003. Obviously the guilities don't want their careers to be jeopardized if their names are released, but as much as I hate the guy, not revealing the rest of the list isn't fair to A-Roid. In all likelihood, he would've been the biggest name on the list under any circumstance, but the fact that there are 103 other guys who tested positive for banned substances who aren't getting scrutinized means that 'Fraud is the media's sole scapegoat in this snafu, and he'd sure like to have some company to take some of the burden off his back. My main man Brad Lidge is also heralding the release of the names for the sake of his fellow players. Says the closer:

"I wish they would just come out and say who the 104 players are because it's not fair for the other players," Lidge said last week. "We're all lumped in with them, and people think most players did it during the steroid era. But all of us didn't cheat. I don't care how they do it, they should name all of the players on the list." [link]

What do you guys think? I know we're all tired of the steroids talk. I want to see this go away as much as anyone so we can all just enjoy normal baseball again.