Vuvuzela Horns Distract … Well, Everybody In Florida
“It was awful, awful. I can’t tell you how awful it was,” said outfielder Cody Ross.
It makes sense for you to assume Ross was referring to having to play in front of only 450 people for most home games, but in fact you’d be wrong. Actually, Ross was decrying the fact that his home field was too damn noisy.
It’s those vuvuzela horns. They done crossed the ocean. And no one is happy about it.
It’s not enough that soccer taught our basketball players how to flop, and our refs how to foul up super important games, now those jerks our ruining the way we make noise.
Ed Rapuano lookin' scrumptious ... and plugged.
From the Palm Beach Post:
“That was the worst handout or giveaway I’ve ever been a part of in baseball,” said Dan Uggla, who wore earplugs. “This isn’t soccer. I know the World Cup is going on but this is baseball.”
“I couldn’t hear myself talk,” said Rays pitcher James Shields.
The horns might’ve cost the Marlins a chance to win.
They lost 9-8 in 11 innings. But with the game tied at 5 in the bottom of the ninth, Brian Barden drew a lead-off walk. But after he trotted to first base, he was called out for batting out of order.
Maddon argued that his lineup card showed Wes Helms batting in that spot. Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez insisted he told the umpires that Barden was hitting there.
Look folks, not to get all “get off my lawn, you crazy kids” here, but this noisemaking for the sake of being loud has got to stop. Clap, scream, go crazy when the situation deems such behavior appropriate. But I gurantee such behavior was not deemed appropriate at an interleague game involving the Marlins in Florida. Just … no.
Umpire crew chief Tom Hallion, however, said noise from the vuvuzelas might’ve caused the confusion between Gonzalez and the umpires.
“It was the most uncomfortable baseball game I’ve been a part of in a long time because of that. Whether that had anything to do with [the lineup card confusion], I don’t know … When’s the last time you heard something like that at a baseball game? Never. You don’t see this kind of stuff at baseball games.”
Honestly, horn blowers, ease off. The umps have enough problems doing, well, anything correctly. Don’t give ‘em yet another way to skew the game’s outcome unfairly.
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Photos courtesy of Flickr
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