Baseball Toaster: The Griddle : Friendly wagers, interblog version

Friendly wagers, interblog version

2007-05-31 09:16

by Bob Timmermann

In today's Los Angeles Times "Morning Briefing" Chris Foster lists the following "friendly wagers" over the Stanley Cup Final.

The book is mercifully now closed on all political wagers on the Stanley Cup finals.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty made a "friendly wager" with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger …

Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle made a "friendly wager" with Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien …

California State Assemblyman Jose Solorio made a "friendly wager" with Canadian Provincial Parliament Member, Jim Watson …

However, there is one more as the Griddle is taking on Phil Birnbaum's sabermetric research blog. Phil is from Ottawa, although he is not a Senators fan, and actually a Leafs diehard. And I'm not really a Ducks fan as I grew up rooting for the Kings and even saw the Kings in the pre-Gretzky era. I even went to an L.A. Sharks game once.

But we both thought we should have some sort of wager because how often does someone from Southern California and someone from Ottawa have the chance to have a sports rivalry in anything?

The loser has to buy two "Stanley Cup Champions" caps and the loser also has to wear the cap around during the SABR convention in St. Louis in July.

Of course, it takes a big man, like me, to talk about a friendly wager, when the team he's backing is up 2-0 in the series.

Go team that has guys named Niedermayer on it! But in the meantime, check out Phil's blog, which unlike mine, requires thought.

Comments

2007-05-31 10:35:34

1. Brent is a Dodger Fan

Bob!

I, too, attended Kings games in the pre-Gretzky era. I had a Rogie Vachon poster and was a fan of Marcel Dionne. Coincidentally, a college friend of mine met and married a cousin of Marcel Dionne ("Say, your last name is Dionne... any relation to Marcel Dionne?")

Though I don't remember it well, I believe I also attended an LA Sharks game in my youth (perhaps I was four years old). I had (still have?) a pennant from the LA Sharks, and it was because of that that I always felt funny about the San Jose team appropriating the name. Cooler logo for the LA Sharks. (http://www.geocities.com/braniff73/sharks.html)

2007-05-31 10:41:26

2. TellMeTheScoreRickMonday

Is the SABR convention related to the recent Star Wars Celebration convention?

There should at least be a saber/SABR discount, as the demographic likely has a lot of overlap.

2007-05-31 10:48:27

3. Bob Timmermann

2
You would think there would be a crossover, but not really.

SABR members are more likely to spend their offhours drinking or gambling.

2007-05-31 11:10:36

4. Joshua Worley

But in the meantime, check out Phil's blog, which unlike mine, requires thought.

I disagree! I think dry humor requires thought.

2007-05-31 11:50:20

5. JHWaugh

If you saw Willie O'Ree play for the LA Blades or followed Stu Nahan as an LA Monarch then you qualify as true hockey fan or you have experiences from a past lifetime when you were a cigar-chomping sports reporter for the Evening-Herald and Express.
I wonder if the Niedermeyers are related to former Dodger ace Jim Neidlinger?
I haven't followed hockey since the New Haven Nighthawks folded. Now, that was hockey!

2007-05-31 11:50:57

6. Johnny Nucleo

Bob, any chance of you presenting a paper on catcher's interference at the SABR convention?

As a kid growing up near Toronto, for some strange reason I had a fixation on Los Angeles. Besides following the Dodgers (which continues to this day) I also cheered on the Kings during the Marcel Dionne era (ah, the legendary Triple Crown line!). Then their star winger Charlie Simmer (my favorite player at the time) broke his leg during a game against Toronto and I kind of lost interest.

2007-05-31 12:08:16

7. Bob Timmermann

6
It would have to be a few year's down the road. The information on catcher's interference isn't systematically disseminated. And it's hard to tell if they happen more or less randomly.

I don't think they do.

As for hockey, my best friend in elementary school played youth hockey (and eventually in the NCAA) and his dad got us tickets for a Sharks-Toronto Toros game at the Sports Arena.

Marc Tardif was the Sharks big star.

Someone in my family went to a Kings game in the early 1970s because we had a Kings yearbook around the house. Bob Pulford and Jerry Desjardins were the big stars.

2007-05-31 14:53:38

8. Ken Arneson

I went to a California Golden Seals game once, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, so I can lay claim the Northern California version of "I even went to a LA Sharks game once".

2007-05-31 15:08:39

9. Bob Timmermann

8
California Golden Seals or Oakland Seals?

2007-06-03 23:33:50

10. das411

9 - My limited research (aka Wikipedia) says they are the same team, before and after Charlie Finley got to them. Unless of course Bob is trying to pin down EXACTLY which game Ken went to...

and who did you bet on, Bob?

2007-06-04 08:33:42

11. Bob Timmermann

10
I always bet on the thugs.

Andrew Shimmin

Milton Bradley of Texas by Chris Coste of Philadelphia on June 28, 2008