Tunes

Part of the increasingly lousy experience is that the music is lame at STBNGNP. Although I do like the addition of the organist.

But aside from one appearance by Chuck Brown at RFK in '05, has there been any acknowledgment of DC music? I can't remember any.

So without further ado, here's what I'd like to hear:

Following TMOTTBG in the 7th inning stretch - Shake Your Groove Thing by Peaches n Herb.
When the opposing team sends in relief - Da Butt - E.U.
Between the 6th and 7th - Afternoon Delight, Will Ferrell version
Opposing coaching visit to the mound - Waiting Room - Fugazi

Throw in some more Chuck Brown, some Bad Brains and Chocolate City by Parliament and that's a good rotation.

Thoughts?

Baby, it's a lost cause

Read WaTimes' Zuckerman. This could be the worst team in the modern era.

Just like Beck says.

Nats win

Great game. O's fans are a pleasant lot, especially compared to the knuckle draggers from Philly and NY. STBNGNP still can't run a concession stand with any efficiency if there's more than 30K. I was waiting for a hot dog vendor to come to our section, but the only food guy was hawking a $5.25 pretzel...which seems criminal. A pretzel for more than a hot dog? I mean a turkey, cow, pig and raccoon all died to make that dog. The line at Ben's behind 108 wasn't moving.

An experiment in positive thought

Or positive blogging at least. Yesterday, we posted a piece on Joe Torre's rocky start as a manager. It took him six seasons to reach .500. This is Manny's third. Will Manny be as successful as Torre? Stupid question. Will the Nats be as successful tonight as they were last night if I resist the urge to write a snarky post about them and instead say something positive (or at least constructive?) Let's give it a try.

I know a little about marketing. At least I pretend to in my day job. I think the Nats marketing campaign is an awful failure. I don't think anyone there knows much about this market. The DC area is the most hyper-educated in the country. There are more advanced degree holders here than anywhere else - by a wide margin.

"Washington, D.C., has the highest percentage of adults on the top rung, with 22.2 percent holding advanced degrees"

So why they think something as pedestrian as "NatsTown" would work is proof positive they don't get the market. Also Clint. And shooting sausages at the crowd. And, and, and.

DC is the smartest city in the room. I used to joke to a good friend in NY that while women there were more attractive than women in DC, the women in DC could probably tell you how to restructure debt in the developing world. And that beauty always fades.

This presents both challenges and opportunities from a marketing point of view. Think of the little things other trams do...specifically the Wizards line at the beginning of a game about being the most powerful city on the planet. That drives people from other cities bonkers. So at the start of the game, why not say, "All rise for the National(s) anthem"? The stupid Phillies couldn't say that.

The Nats need to elevate their game on and off the field. There are glimmers of a decent on the field product. Now Stan needs to get cracking on the other side. And why they didn't get NutraSystem to sponsor the Screech rebrand is beyond me.

Manny and some historical perspective

Thanks to a commenter over at NJ, here's a look at how Joe Torre began his career as a manager.

Fire Stan

All weekend long I was reading anecdotes of just how poorly represented the Nats fans were through the four game sweep by the effing Phillies. By some accounts, Sunday was 80/20. Could you imagine RFK before the 'Skins left seeing a game where the Beagles fans outnumbered us good guys by that margin? No? Right. Because it would have never freaking happened. Can you hear Jack Kent Cooke on a Philly radio saying anything other than outright ridicule for that wretched city and the despicable denizens therein? No, because he had class.

Stan, this isn't like inviting the nice folks from Chattanooga or Charlotte to come to Atlanta. It's Philly you schmuck. If you had any pride, you'd rather see an empty stadium that what went on here this weekend. Call Ted Leonsis and ask him. Or Dan Snyder after the Steelers game this year. They get it. They were pissed and in Ted's case worked to have it fixed.

How can Ted Lerner, a man who once ran the scoreboard at Griffith abide this? Would Bill Collins or Fred Maleck be letting this happen?

Fire Stan. Fire Manny.

If you aren't going to represent DC then get the hell out of DC.

Fire Manny

I hate feeling this way. I really like the guy. But something needs to change. Bring in Willie Randolph or Davey Johnson for the remainder if either would take it...they may not.