Fist Pump On A D**k? That's A Bit Much

A message to Goose Gossage and David Dellucci. Shut up. The bitching and moaning over Joba Chamberlain's celebrations needs to stop. This issue is bigger than Joba so don't take us for Yankee apologists. Yankee fans have a hard-on for Joba. He can do no wrong in their eyes. He could give a newborn baby a spinning roundhouse kick out the window at St. Vincent's, fist pump, yell and Yankee fans would blow a load about his heart.

Goosage whines about Joba's celebrations not being the "Yankees way" and he's right. They aren't and that's what makes him refreshing. For all the talk about tradition, the Yankees are a stodgy, corporate faceless club with no personality. There's no denying their history or accomplishments but to root for the Yankees is to root for the mind-numbing efficiency one expects from a clock. Any excitement is generated by John Sterling warbling "The Yankees win!" or Suzy Waldman blubbering over a deserved loss as though someone ran over her mother. Even when the Yankees are winning, it seems like punching the clock at the sweatshop. No doubt real Yankees fans love their team but to decry shows of emotion and excitement on the field seems odd considering how rabid the fans get.

Drooling local sports radio idiots and ex-players like Gossage yell about "acting like you've been there" and respect for the game. Implying players like Joba respect the game less than other players is absurd. Save that for Pete Rose and Art Schlichter. These critics try to elevate the game to the level of heart surgery. It's as though calling it a game and treating it as such is an affront or insult to their work. There's a fear of not being taken seriously. No one denies the hard work and dedication it takes to become and stay a professional athlete. It's something most can only hope to do. However when it comes down to it, it's still a game and people seem to forget that. I'm sure Dan Patrick wasn't alone when he was going on and on about celebrating your office job. Can we please drop this bullshit comparison? No one really thinks the job of pro athlete compares to humping your desk eight hours a day. Sport is more than work. Sport is about winning. Sport is entertainment. Sport is emotion. Consulting is not being able to explain what you do. I digress.

Of course there's a limit and there is a thing as too much. Taunting would fall under that category. A fist pump doesn't come close to the wrong side. A fist pump on your dick? That's a bit much. There's also something to be said for pitchers that don't bat. It should be equal opportunity but life ain't fair.

Current players like Dellucci and Nelson Figueroa of the Mets need to chill. If a fist pump gets you worked up, you might have some other issues. Figueroa called the Nats "softball girls" because they were celebrating in the dugout. Guess what? It worked. Maybe he should have spent less time paying attention to them and more getting them out. Sexist twat. Me thinks that's fear of the minors talking. Bottom line? Everyone needs to chill the fuck out. It's a game. Yeah it's a job too. Let the kid do his thing. He'll grow out of it or batters will beat him like a rented mule. It's not like he's taunting the batters or throwing broken bats at them. If he does, then the batter must do what he must. Just don't be Robin Ventura.