Dodgers Exit the Stage With a Touch of Class
The ending was as unpredictably classy as the journey.
First, the Dodgers congratulated the St. Louis Cardinals, jogging on to the field to shake hands for what may be the first time in baseball history.
Then, the Dodgers congratulated their fans, clapping at them, waving to them, showering them with wristbands and batting gloves and caps.
Jim Tracy... Manny Mota... Jose Lima... Shawn Green... Adrian Beltre...Paul LaDuca....Thanks for a great Season...I really Luv You Guys Man!!!!!
the whole idea of doing that was brought up by Larry Walker, who says he wanted to start that tradition ala NHL Hockey.
It was really great.
BTW Sport, Manny Mota and Laduca arent on the team anymore.
Some could say, had they not traded them, we could be looking at a game 5 today.
I liked the shaking of the hands. Classy. Dodgers are a fun team. Love to watch them when Lima is pitching.
I criticized them earlier in the year for all the hype Gagne got, but I respect him.
Really? I used to do it in Tee Ball.
Hahah.
What's odd is that I was listening to ESPN radio today and everyone seemed to hate this gesture. They didn't even want kids in little league to shake hands. Seems crazy to me.
They HATE the gesture?
Whoever said that should be shot. It's a classy gesture from one of our oldest franchises. Sports needs more of that, and if somebody disagrees, go to the Battle Blogs.
You know what, I'm going to go even further with this right now.
At the end of the season, in a game that meant nothing since they had lost the night before, the San Antonio Missions players stayed on hand (even if it was just a promotion) to hand their game jerseys to selected fans. During that time, some of the players didn't want to be there, but I'm sure there were some Dodgers who thought the same way.
A return of open gestures - especially one as seemingly non-forced by the Dodgers - while idealistic and "sugary", are exactly what a sport in need of re-connecting with an already thinning base needs.
Nobody can make the argument that any sport is too compe ive for this not to be welcome. Hockey players bash the out of each other and can stand to acknowledge their opponents as their series ends, why not others?
I caught a bit of the Georgia-Tennesee game this weekend, and even though the Bulldogs essentially lost their national championship hopes on the last play of the game, the bulk of players - clad in orange and red - took their spot and dropped to a knee to pray. Even forgoing the prayer (and I'm not making this religous), what was so hard for them to shake each other's hands following the contest?
What was so hard for the Dodgers to acknowledge a fanbase that resides in one of the most fair-weather cities in our nation?
Not a damned thing.
And if anybody feels that the gesture was bad or not welcome in a sport such as major league baseball, then they are perfect examples of exactly why open gestures such as these must make a return to our national pasttimes.
I believe I heard that too JB.
Michael Irvin and Rob Dibble thought shaking hands with someone who just eliminated you was horrible.
"You should hate that person" is what Michael Irvin said.
Of course, anything that comes out of the piehole that is slimeball Micahel Irvin, is taken with a Rock of salt.
Hearing that from somebody who was "cheered" as he lay motionless on a cold, turf field in Philadelphia SHOULD breed altruistic thoughts, but again, I fear that would be too optimistic for times such as these.
T-Park...Paul LaDuca played for the Dodgers a major part of this season & he is deeply missed...
Manny Mota is a batting Coach with the Dodgers & A favorite personality with the fans & the players...
manny mota your right.
I was getting him confused with Guillermo my bad.
I thought the Dodgers looked like pussies for shaking hands. When I played ball we would never do this!
That's because your opponents knew where your hand had been...
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