Excitement at 5/3/Field

by

Mike Scinto

August 6, 2008

Those of you who have shown the exquisite taste of anticipating, and reading, my columns like pre-pubescent Harry Potter fans awaiting the next chapter of the wizard’s adventures, it will come as no surprise that I am a Dayton Dragons fan and charter season ticket holder. And unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know about the recent bench-clearing brawl at 5/3 Field. I’m here to point out the hypocrisy I’m hearing when it comes to that event.

Callers to my radio show, as well as folks who stop me on the street after seeing my Dragon hat or shirt, tell me what a disgusting display they witnessed that evening. They talked about how it’s a family event and parents should have picked their kids up by the scruff of their necks, shielded their eyes and headed for the gates at the first sign of a swinging fist. In fact, I had callers who said they abhorred that violence so much that they did, in fact, leave the stands and went home. “What kind of example is that for our young future ball players in the seats?” they asked. “I hope they throw the book at the whole lot” they opined.

And now for the reality check; the fans loved it! They ate it up. While I wasn’t there that night (but would love to have been) this was getting prime rib when you ordered ground beef at a restaurant. This is what makes baseball exciting.

After addressing this with my audience, I wondered if I really was a sadist who had convinced himself this was desirable behavior or if the majority of my callers were flat out telling lies. I decided the latter was correct.

We are a rubber-necking society. That’s why the north-bound side of the Interstate slows down to a crawl when an SUV is on its roof on the south-bound side. It’s why the Star, National Enquirer and Globe are the most read weekly magazines. It’s why Hard Copy, Extra and Entertainment Tonight populate the airways around dinner time each evening. It’s why fans of hockey demand a refund if there are no fists flying at a game and why soccer fans in Europe expect fisticuffs at matches there.

Here’s the catch. We act disgusted at the slow traffic (even though we’re glaring too), make sure we’re alone in the checkout lane before we pick up one of the weekly tabloids and switch the TV to The History Channel if somebody walks into the TV room. We don’t want to appear to be as nosey as we really are.

Baseball is a boring game to watch; especially a defensive game. It gets the old adrenalin going when (Dragons Manager) Donnie Scott runs out to home plate and starts gyrating like Mick Jagger after drinking a case of Mountain Dew. A little dirt gets kicked toward the ump, fingers fly and finally the official sends Donnie to the showers.

That’s all that happened at the game in question……….plus a little shoving by the Peoria team’s acting Manager, a few very “inside” pitches at Dragons batters, one hitter seeing stars as he’s beaned by one of those tosses, an aggressive slide into second, a broken leg on the Peoria team, 15 players on each team and both managers getting the boot. Other than that, it was a pretty routine first couple of innings.

My sources tell me that not only was there NOT an exodus to the gates but that the street level fence rail had every space taken with all eyes toward the field. The scuffle was on TV screens around the country, and around the globe for that matter. Dayton got its moment in the sun.

Since I am on the media list I had my politically correct “that was disgusting” email from the front office waiting for me in my in basket shortly after the game. But inside I’ll bet all those involved with the team were cheering to beat the band. In broadcasting, as in baseball, the old saying “The only bad publicity is no publicity” is an absolute truism.

And love the antics on the field or not, let’s not forget that our Dragons are BLAZING HOT in the second half. I mean, after all it wasn’t “our” fault; the visitors started it. And if you don’t like that, come do something about it. Go Dragons!

SPECIAL NOTE: My comments on the game do not in any way condone the ridiculous, and I believe criminal, actions allegedly taken by the Peoria player that sent one fan to the hospital.

VERY SPECIAL NOTE: This Saturday (8/9) Kathy, my beautiful bride, and I celebrate 33 years of marriage. Happy Anniversary, Honey!

Mike Scinto is a Radio Talk Show Host and hosts the longest running show in Southwestern Ohio. You can catch him weekdays from 12:00 noon until 2:00 PM on 1210-AM. Mike is a regular guest host on the national Mike Gallagher Show and is a contributor to cable’s Fox News Channel. You can visit http://myspace.com/mikescintoshow or email mike@themikescintoshow.com. You can also reach Mike by calling 937-506-4288.