Comments on: In a time of upheaval, a constant remains — Chipper Jones

By: 5 Norton-free reasons the Braves won't make the playoffs | Mark Bradley

5 Norton-free reasons the Braves won't make the playoffs | Mark Bradley — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:14:13 +0000

[...] He was hitting .335 before the game on June 10, at which point this correspondent proclaimed him “as splendid as he ever was.” He’s hitting .268 now. Moral of story: You never want ol’ MB to write something nice [...]

By: Rod

Rod — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:50:09 +0000

Ted Striker – for someone who gave up on Major League baseball after the 1994 season, you sure do know alot about it! How do you even know who Chipper Jones is if you don’t follow the game?

BTW – you’re blamming the players? The guys who were supposed to be paid for their play? If you would remember correctly, the owners instigated the situation, but didn’t have the guts to stop the season, forcing the players to strike – and take the bad PR from folks like you.

In 1994, the owners had an agreement to pay $7.8 million into the players’ pension and benefit plan – they refused. The owners wanted to instigate a salary cap – telling players their salaries would be limited. Collusion by the owners was rampant (they were caught and found guilty). The strike ended in 1995 when a FEDERAL JUDGE issued an injunction against the owners. Yeah, AGAINST THE OWNERS.

Some people you can kick forever (I guess like you). Others will kick back (like me and the players). It’s not about money – it never was. Only simpletons think it was. It was about power – the owners tried backing the players into a corner and they stood up for themselves.

You may hate unions, but they’re what has allowed workers to be treated with respect. Whether you’re working for $5/hr or $5mil/year, it doesn’t matter. Respect is respect.

By: Thrashniac

Thrashniac — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:32:57 +0000

I didn’t get to read this morning’s paper until this evening. I’m glad I didn’t miss the Chipper column. I’ve had the good fortune to see the best switch hitters to ever play the game -Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose, Eddie Murray and now in my middle age Chipper. I always admired the switch hitter – I suppose because I couldn’t do it. Of all of them, Chipper has become my favorite – the most beautiful,fluid swing I’ve ever seen – a swing to show as an example – no muscling up to try and crush the ball – just smooth and level, with a firm back leg and still head for max impact. Only a few are touched by God to be able to do this and certainly Larry Wayne Jones was so touched. As Bob Costas put it – “Baseball is a beautiful thing” – Chipper’s swing illustrates that statement perfectly. He can play some 3rd too.

By: Mark Bradley

Mark Bradley — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:25:31 +0000

I’ll ask, P Rose. But I’d say the market is tight.

By: P Rose

P Rose — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:19:20 +0000

Thanks, Mark. I just envy your job. Sure wish I could earn a living writing. Any writer jobs available down there at the AJC?

By: Mark Bradley

Mark Bradley — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:22:12 +0000

Thanks, Barry.

Great work again, P Rose. But you should never wish to be Mark Bradley. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I, for my part, wish I could write songs. Or comic books. Or McDonald’s jingles.

By: scoreboard

scoreboard — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:22:06 +0000

Once again, we agree for the most part, Ted. I would much rather go to a minor league game than a big league game. And I used to attend many Macon Braves games a year. But, unfortunately, Macon was cursed with a buffoon of a mayor who (essentially) told the Macon Braves to go screw themselves…which lead to them becoming the ROME Braves. Oh well…you have a great day as well.

By: Ted Striker

Ted Striker — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:47:09 +0000

Hey, Scoreboard: There was plenty of blame to go around with both ownership and players in ‘94. But when the players risked the World Series, I was done with that generation of baseball players. I invested my discretionary time and money in other things, some sports, some not. And you know what? Minor league and college baseball is actually more enjoyable to me.

You made the point that Beckham would participate in a strike if the players association told him to. Perhaps. But it’s my (possibly naive) hope that Beckham’s players association has learned from the past. Trust me, my friend, I’m not the only guy who didn’t come running back to the park after the strike. We may not be the majority, but there are still a lot of us…

I rarely draw lines in the sand when it comes to sports, in fact I’ve only done it twice. The ‘94 strike was one. My latest line in the sand is this. I stopped watching the live BCS championship game 2 years ago. Won’t watch or attend again till they have a playoff. Only exception to this is if my team is in it, because I’m loyal to God first, Country Second, and the Georgia Bulldogs third.

Haven’t missed the BCS championship game either. (There are a lot of other great football games to watch and I enjoy them more!)

Have a great day.

By: ChrisfromSacramento, CA

ChrisfromSacramento, CA — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:36:51 +0000

Chipper is the best. Hall of Fame. To bad those Bozos at Espn and other media outlets lve talking about the Mutts, Sox, and Yanks so much or Chipper would get more credit. Oh ya David Wright good luck you will never be as good as Chip!

By: Barry

Barry — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:32:13 +0000

Great article Mark. You are my favorite writer in the AJC, even on the few times I don’t agree with you. I totally agree with you here, though. I wonder how many of these great young baseball players coming out of the Atlanta area were influenced by Chipper, and his approach to hitting. We are so fortunate to get to see him put us good at bats so consistently. I think he and Manny are the most fun guys to watch hit in the last 20 years. And I get the Steelers-Braves comparison. Frenchy Fuqua had shoes with goldfish in the heels.