Jim Joyce

Two blogs in one day? What year is this? 2001?

Jim Joyce just blew the most obvious call in professional sports in the past 17 years -- since Chris Webber's traveling violation in the waning seconds of the NCAA championship came against North Carolina. Armando Galarraga threw the first 28 out perfect game in MLB history tonight.

ESPN won't let me embed the video of the controversial play so I've posted the link instead.

Jim Joyce, I just wanted to let you know that when my Detroit Tigers lost the 2006 World Series, I cried at Red Door East. I sat in complete shock at the bar for about an hour and a half after they lost to the Minnesota Twins in the play-off play-in game last year. I don't get much Tigers coverage here in the south and, damnit, I didn't want it this way. This coming on the heels of the passing of Ernie Harwell; one of the games greatest announcers. We Tigers fans have had it pretty rough the past several years.

I know there are going to be a few apologists (Peter King of Sports Illustrated, I'm looking at you) who say that we should forgive and forget Joyce's blown call but let's look at this from a business perspective for a second. We have to. If Peter King were to somehow come across this blog (let's face it, stranger things have happened) he can't really argue the point that it's because the business of sports that he has a job. It's a fact.

Let's say that it's Saturday afternoon and I'm at the flower shop. Let's say that I've had a really kick ass day of deliveries and I'm just on my game. I've been out to Bellevue, Brentwood, East Nashville and, oh, Vanderbilt's campus. I've made three women cry tears of joy when they receive their arrangement. And, for argument's sake, let's just say the boss comes up to me at says "I've got three more deliveries for you and they're all within walking distance of the shop. you don't need to drive and once they're done, you can go home and eat a burrito." Sounds pretty good, right?

Well, let's say that I take these arrangements and instead of doing my job, I decide that I'm gonna go throw them out in the dumpster on my way to my car so I can go get that burrito. That's the only possible explanation that I can think of as to why Jim Joyce blew that call. He was preoccupied on noms. And I don't write in internet speak very often. Because it's ridiculous, that's why.

You know what else would happen, internetland? I'd probably get in trouble for not, you know, doing my job. I could apologize a hundred times but I'd still get in trouble. And that's the way it should be. If you don't do your job, you get reprimanded. And that's where we are with Jim Joyce right now.

Now, Peter King, who I've never been a fan of, says that we should forgive Joyce and let it go. It's not like the guy ran over my dog (Sammy is a very good boy, by the way) and it's not like I'm going to lose sleep over it. And if I do, I can always make up for it tomorrow 'cause I'm not working. It's not like I have any need to forgive the guy. I just want Joyce to be professionally disciplined for what he did. And maybe shave that mustache. Only a man can have facial hair and I'm not sure his man card should be in good standing anytime soon.