Dodgers Throwback Uniform a Slap in the Face to Brooklyn

The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced that during mid week home games, the team shall honor its history by wearing the uniforms of its predecessor the Brooklyn Dodgers.  The Brooklyn Dodgers left Ebbets Field for Chavez Ravine (eventually, I suppose) in 1957 and vowed to move forward in California.  Obviously this is a marketing ploy to get more seats filled during the week, and I understand that, but many commentators, including myself, believe that the Dodgers history in Brooklyn ended in 1957 and should stay that way.

Now, I don't agree that the Dodgers' attempt at honoring its history by wearing Brooklyn Dodger jerseys and hats is tantamount to what happened to the Seattle Supersonics.  In Seattle, Clay Bennett pretended to look for a new stadium deal in Seattle and have the City and State work with him to improve the old Key Arena knowing full well that the team was going to break its lease and move to Oklahoma City shortly after his purchase.  Conversely, the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Walter O'Malley wanted to stay in New York City, but refused to turn over ownership of the land and the stadium to the City.  He was eventually forced to go elsewhere when it became clear that a new stadium in Brooklyn was not forthcoming.

What I strongly agree with in the Bleacher Report article is the disdain for the belief that wearing vintage jerseys make things all right with the jilted city and even worse, expressing that wearing these jerseys will prove to be an olive branch to the Borough.  We all know that wearing these vintage jerseys are meant to being people to games on Tuesday night against the Pirates and even more importantly will spur a buying frenzy from fans who want to wear a different baseball jersey.  It's ridiculous to think that wearing jerseys from a former location will endear the team to its old location and the Dodgers front office knows this.  The lip service it is paying to Brooklyn is sad - because we all know what's going on here.

But don't feel sorry for Brooklyn.  They are about to do the same thing to New Jersey that happened them when the New Jersey Nets (who are no longer the worst team in NBA History) move into the Barclays Center in 2012.   

Were the Los Angeles Rams the Cause of Heartattacks?

In a recent USA today Story it was suggested that catastrophic sports losses may be a cause of increased cardiac events, particularly during the Super Bowl.  The example given was the spike in heartattacks and other cardiac issues in  Los Angeles County after the 1980 Super Bowl between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Rams .  The game was a close back and forth affair, as the Los Angeles Rams blew a half time lead to lose in its only appearance in the Super Bowl (at least as the Los Angeles Rams)

Now generally, watching football games live are better than watching Football games at home but one exception is the quintessential Super Bowl party.  There are massive amounts of beer, massive quantities of processed foods like chips, hot dogs and Doritos that make even the skinniest person feel like crap.  Combining that gluttony with the emotions of the Super Bowl, particularly if your favorite team is playing, can make you feel all of the emotions from happiness to heartache to indigestion.  Don't forget all of the gambling that takes place too.  From the lines, to the friendly $20 squares game, everyone has something to win and lose while watching the big game.  But to blame football games for lack of heart health and a spike in heartattacks goes a little overboard.  It's not these close games and the rabid fan bases that are causing a spike in health issues.  It's the overeating of these crappy foods, together with the consumption of that 12 pack of Budweiser that's causing all of these cardiac issues.  You have a bunch of overexcited fat guys pounding down meat sandwiches like they're peanuts.  If you had them run a 100 yard dash, instead of watching a Super Bowl, the same spike would occur, I'm sure.  I know that that has happened to me, after that third sausage, I probably couldn't walk up a flight of stairs, much less watch an emotionally charged game. 

All in all, I think we should place the blame where it really should lie - not on a team's performance (like the Rams in this case) - but rather on the those great American traditions, gambling and gluttony.