Actually Steve, if we’re going to use analogies, your insults are more like a bomb being dropped from a plane…sure the people that deserve it get hit, but there are plenty of people who get hit that DON’T deserve it. I personally don’t think Cashman deserves the level of criticism you regularly throw at him and I don’t think I’ve ever personally insulted you, but I get pissed when I see stuff like “Royal Order of the Cashman Kool-Aid Brigade.” You’re basically trivializing my opinion and ANY opinion on the matter that differs from yours, and you’re being condescending when you do it.

Whoever is being insulted is probably going to think what’s been hurled at them is the worst. An insult is and insult. Maybe we should strive to avoid them completely.

Realistically, it’s silly to think people aren’t going to stay stupid stuff about you Steve because no mater how intelligent a site like this is, dumb-asses always show up, but you don’t have to feed into it by throwing stuff back.

Again…just my opinion. In the end, you’re the boss here.

Some of you are comparing apples to oranges here.

If I refer to the “Royal Order of the Cashman Kool-Aid Brigade” that’s like throwing a water balloon out of a space ship. By the time it reaches earth, it doesn’t have enough concentration left to get anyone wet. And, if someone wants to claim that it personally comes after them…that’s a reach.

However, when someone says “Steve, you’re a hater” or “Steve, you’re an idiot” – that’s the same as standing two inches in front of my nose and pissing on my shoes. That’s personal – direct – with no question.

How anyone can say that the two are the same…well…I dunno.

~~But is this what you want? To develop this blog and your readingship over the years to this point, and then drive people away with this little annoying piece of behavior you have?~~

You missed the whole point of this entry? What do I want? I want an outlet for my analysis/findings and feelings/beliefs as a Yankees fan.

If people like it, fine. If not, that’s fine too. But, I’m not in this to develop a readership, etc. Whether people want to read this blog, or not, is not going to change my life…and stuff. And, in the big scheme of the world, it means nothing. It’s just a blog. One of millions…

I still think you are off base here Steve. We all come here to READ YOUR OPINIONS. But we know how you feel on certain issues and beating them to death goes beyond just posting an opinion. And then throwing in addition ‘insults’ about ARod, Cashman, etc in unrelated posts is too much.

Hey, if the old lady is overweight, and it bothers you, you can tell her once. But if you tell her everyday, are you just ‘stating your opinion’?

You have a great blog and you are a prolific and creative blogger. And this IS indeed your blog. And while you have eased up a bit, a few months ago your constant harping put a very dard cloud over this blog.

Yup…. you can say what you like.
Yup…. we don’t have to visit.

But is this what you want? To develop this blog and your readingship over the years to this point, and then drive people away with this little annoying piece of behavior you have?

You want to make a post about Cashman or ARod and back it up… well, that’s legit. But these sideswipes from leftfield are just a very porrt way to relate ‘your opinions’.

NEW GUY,
I’m not turned off by Steve’s anti-Hughes or Brain Cash Man blogs. I think taht Brain(sic) Cash Man is at best a mediocre GM. Steve doesn’t sound smug or antagonist , it’s just his opinion (some of it is also fact).

It’s cool to see that some people appreciate Mr Hand, Spicoli, Ratner, Pizza Guy and Brad on this blog! Hell with Cash Man……

I would agree with bfriley. Many times it’s not your actual opinion that gets me but the way you sound so smug or antagonistic when writing about Hughes, IPK, Cashman, etc. Many times I come here specifically to get a not-so-rosy picture of the Yankees. That said, some comments (like The Royal Order of the Cashman Kool-Aid Brigade), sometimes turn me or others off. I’m not telling you how to run your blog… do whatever you want. I just feel that sometimes you bait your readers too much and then turn around and say “who, ME?” as if you aren’t responsible. Obviously, your readers are partly responsible too, but I would say, as the blogger, you bear at least slightly more responsibility.

Otherwise, on the whole, whatever someone wants to share in the comments section – as long as it’s not rude, etc., is fine by me.
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Fair enough, and that is the way it should be. There’s no reason why we can’t have a civil discussion.

So, if I don’t know what I’m going to write until I write it, how the heck could anyone know what I’m going to write before I write it. Again, that’s unfair for someone to assume on my behalf…
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True, but it’s human nature to fall into a pattern. We all have our ways of expressing ourselves, and after a certain number of entries and responses and comments, a certain style develops. I know over a certain period of time I’ve gotten to “know” your writing style and as such, have you “profiled” for lack of a better word. And I’m sure you noticed the tone or style of commenters like baileywalk, Don, MJ, butchie, myself, among others.

I guess my point is that while assuming what you may write may be unfair, it isn’t unreasonable to assume that an entry on ______ may be ______.

1. Someone attacking me, personally, for having an opinion that may differ from their take. Things like “You’re a hater” or “You’re an idiot” or “You’re always negative” are uncalled for – as it suggests that I don’t have a right to have an opinion. And, that’s pretty unfair of the person leaving those comments.
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Fair point Steve. It is your blog after all, and you can write whatever you want, but don’t you think your comments like “The Royal Order of the Cashman Kool-Aid Brigade” fall under the same category, or at least serve as bait for people to lash back at you?

MJ – FWIW, I enjoy the comments – and I welcome them – always.

And, I’m fine if someone wants to disagree with what I wrote – and if they want to leave comments along those lines.

I’m always happy to agree to disagree – if someone disagrees with me.
And, sometimes, someone will leave a comment that forces me to reconsider my thoughts, etc. – and I have changed my mind and/or corrected myself when this happens.

That said, the following types of comments DO piss me off:

1. Someone attacking me, personally, for having an opinion that may differ from their take. Things like “You’re a hater” or “You’re an idiot” or “You’re always negative” are uncalled for – as it suggests that I don’t have a right to have an opinion. And, that’s pretty unfair of the person leaving those comments.

2. Someone claiming that I wrote/said something that I never said. Things like “You said that Hideki Matsui was a low-life bum and would never do anything good for the Yankees again. So, how do you feel now that he’s hit homeruns in 16 straight at bats!” Com’on, did I ever say that about Godzilla? Of course not. And, it’s unfair to claim that I ever did…

3. Someone assuming to know what I will write when something happens. Things like “Just wait. When Phil Hughes is found in a parked van with two sheep and a DVD of ‘The Notebook’ you’re going to start ripping him again!” Really? Will I? I got news for ya’ll – I don’t know what I’m going to write until I write it. Seriously, there are times when I posted something from the news thinking I might say “XYZ” about it – and, when I started typing it, I change my mind and then write “ABC” about it. So, if I don’t know what I’m going to write until I write it, how the heck could anyone know what I’m going to write before I write it. Again, that’s unfair for someone to assume on my behalf…

See the trend here? It’s all about fairness. Attacking me, laying false claims, and making assumptions about me are all unfair. And, if someone does that in comments, I will call them on it. Otherwise, on the whole, whatever someone wants to share in the comments section – as long as it’s not rude, etc., is fine by me.