Assorted Thoughts
Remember when this was the most discussed picture of Verlander and Upton? I mean, magenta pants? MAGENTA WITH A SHEEN?
So I looked. They were not hard to find. They are awesome pictures. It looks like a good time and they enjoy each other. They look happy. And very naked.
When I first heard the two were together, it felt like the law of nature made manifest. He’s been one of the best pitchers for the Tigers. She’s a supermodel from Michigan. And also a blonde, very American supermodel, in the Christie Brinkley mode. Another type of model would seem all wrong with someone like Verlander. It’s just so sporty.
I didn’t get the big deal about the pics- I mean, the naked aspects of them. I got the big deal about the stealing. I’ve seen many, many European actresses naked in films and also many models naked in magazines (fashion ones, not porn ones) and these weren’t any more extreme. I saw more of Verlander’s former teammate Prince Fielder in the ESPN Body Issue earlier this year (though that had better lighting and makeup. Fluorescent lighting is friend to no one.) We all saw more of Jose Bautista in that magazine the year before. And you know, boobs are boobs.
But then I thought about it. And I realized the big deal with the pictures is not the nakedness but the choice. Upton and Verlander chose to be naked together (awesome) and chose to capture that nakedness with their smartphones (cool.) But they didn’t choose to share those pictures of their naked together times with all of us (unfortunately) but instead had them stolen by jerks (asshole jerks.) And now not only has their personal information been hacked (we don’t know what kind of breach this was- are there phone numbers out there and is credit information involved? Apparently, it's an iCloud breach) but they also have to deal with people making comments and judgments about their naked together times and their bodies, when it looks like it’s two consenting adults having a private good time. I've read some of those comments. Not so many shared my sentiments of "hey look how happy they are!"
So I’m sorry I looked and violated their privacy. And I’m sorry we live in a society where healthy adult sexuality is seen as a commodity that needs to be stolen and displayed for judgement and derision. I hope these people get charged (the Scarlett Johansson phone hacker got ten years) and I hope everyone affected goes back to having healthy, sexy good times (in private, if that’s how they want it.) Because they don’t deserve the shame they are getting.
ETA- to all the people saying that Verlander is a "secondary" victim or a collateral victim- that's his ass, too and some suspect it could his iCloud that was hacked (apparently athletes are terrible at passwords.) So let's not completely dismiss Verlander being wronged here.
So anyway, baseball. Derek Jeter and the Yankees rolled in for a weekend series of struggling to remain relevant and were nice enough to lose two of three to the Jays. Jeter got an all expense paid trip to Banff in a castle (including cooking and mixology lessons) and a nice chunk of cash for his charity. Jeter thinks Halladay was tough.
Bautista has hit five homers in the last five games. It's a shame he's so "selfish". What a terrible human who brings no joy to any of us.
Buehrle started out well on Friday until the wheels fell off in the later innings. Buehrle might just be getting old.
September call-ups happened- Morrow! Norris! Hometown boys Pompey and Kottaras ! Brand new and almost new toys!
Brett Lawrie was transferred to the 60-day DL, so that's the end of his season. I think the Jays need to stop leaving this kid to his own devices. His workout routines might be too extreme and it's making his sides go crazy. The key to Lawrie's success is going to be learning to balance that crazy energy he's got (which is a plus) and to focus it so things don't get ripped up. Get him to meditate or something.
Blue Jays Plus wrote more about Lawrie and his obliques.
Casey Janssen just hasn't been the same since he went to the Dominican at the All Star Break. He tells John Lott that the food poisoning isn't an excuse for his poor performance.
Athletes have this stubbornness when it comes to these things- when is it an excuse and when is it just a fact? Admitting that getting sick and losing eight pounds in a day or two might just be the cause. And that's ok. It's just something you need to work with.
Also, who goes to the Dominican (who isn't Dominican) for two days in the middle of summer? Questionable behaviour.
August is over. It was awful. I want a hot September. I want to make it hell for the rest of the league and insanely fun for us.
I didn’t get the big deal about the pics- I mean, the naked aspects of them. I got the big deal about the stealing. I’ve seen many, many European actresses naked in films and also many models naked in magazines (fashion ones, not porn ones) and these weren’t any more extreme. I saw more of Verlander’s former teammate Prince Fielder in the ESPN Body Issue earlier this year (though that had better lighting and makeup. Fluorescent lighting is friend to no one.) We all saw more of Jose Bautista in that magazine the year before. And you know, boobs are boobs.
But then I thought about it. And I realized the big deal with the pictures is not the nakedness but the choice. Upton and Verlander chose to be naked together (awesome) and chose to capture that nakedness with their smartphones (cool.) But they didn’t choose to share those pictures of their naked together times with all of us (unfortunately) but instead had them stolen by jerks (asshole jerks.) And now not only has their personal information been hacked (we don’t know what kind of breach this was- are there phone numbers out there and is credit information involved? Apparently, it's an iCloud breach) but they also have to deal with people making comments and judgments about their naked together times and their bodies, when it looks like it’s two consenting adults having a private good time. I've read some of those comments. Not so many shared my sentiments of "hey look how happy they are!"
So I’m sorry I looked and violated their privacy. And I’m sorry we live in a society where healthy adult sexuality is seen as a commodity that needs to be stolen and displayed for judgement and derision. I hope these people get charged (the Scarlett Johansson phone hacker got ten years) and I hope everyone affected goes back to having healthy, sexy good times (in private, if that’s how they want it.) Because they don’t deserve the shame they are getting.
ETA- to all the people saying that Verlander is a "secondary" victim or a collateral victim- that's his ass, too and some suspect it could his iCloud that was hacked (apparently athletes are terrible at passwords.) So let's not completely dismiss Verlander being wronged here.
So anyway, baseball. Derek Jeter and the Yankees rolled in for a weekend series of struggling to remain relevant and were nice enough to lose two of three to the Jays. Jeter got an all expense paid trip to Banff in a castle (including cooking and mixology lessons) and a nice chunk of cash for his charity. Jeter thinks Halladay was tough.
Bautista has hit five homers in the last five games. It's a shame he's so "selfish". What a terrible human who brings no joy to any of us.
Buehrle started out well on Friday until the wheels fell off in the later innings. Buehrle might just be getting old.
September call-ups happened- Morrow! Norris! Hometown boys Pompey and Kottaras ! Brand new and almost new toys!
Brett Lawrie was transferred to the 60-day DL, so that's the end of his season. I think the Jays need to stop leaving this kid to his own devices. His workout routines might be too extreme and it's making his sides go crazy. The key to Lawrie's success is going to be learning to balance that crazy energy he's got (which is a plus) and to focus it so things don't get ripped up. Get him to meditate or something.
Blue Jays Plus wrote more about Lawrie and his obliques.
Casey Janssen just hasn't been the same since he went to the Dominican at the All Star Break. He tells John Lott that the food poisoning isn't an excuse for his poor performance.
Athletes have this stubbornness when it comes to these things- when is it an excuse and when is it just a fact? Admitting that getting sick and losing eight pounds in a day or two might just be the cause. And that's ok. It's just something you need to work with.
Also, who goes to the Dominican (who isn't Dominican) for two days in the middle of summer? Questionable behaviour.
August is over. It was awful. I want a hot September. I want to make it hell for the rest of the league and insanely fun for us.