The Whimpification of Language

I remember a commercial from the 1980s featuring L.A. Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser describing pitching as "like climbing a mountain" or "going to battle."  Hershiser's use of those analogies (similes?) irritated me at the time (believe it or not, I was more easily irritated back then) and I lashed out in verbal diatribes (since the blog had not yet been invented) whenever the commercial aired and anyone else was in earshot.  "Shut up Orel!  You've never climbed a mountain!  You've never been in battle!  How would you know what either one was like?"

So what does this trip down memory lane have to do with 2011?  The Arizona shooting spree seems to be taking its toll on the English language, at least as used in public America these days.  Apparently, language that when taken in any context as possibly or potentially or maybe-in-the-mind-of-a-sociopath violent is now taboo.  Take, for example, House Speaker John Boehner's new way to refer to Obamacare.  He used to call it "job killing" but now it is merely "job crushing."  (Link to Ben Smith's Politico blog here.)

Apparently, no one is allowed to use the word "killing" in political discourse anymore.  Even when it refers to the "death" of inanimate objects or ideas.  How, ever, can the wonderfully-named city of Town & Country discuss how to control its rampant deer population?  Or what would happen if a researcher today discovered a cure for cancer that "killed" malignant cells?  I guess they'd have to "disable" those cells instead.  Right?

English is not the most beautiful language in the world.  It is certainly not the most logical.  But it is certainly colorful.  But, in the aftermath of a deranged man's act of violence, the political correctness crowed is trying to scrub some of that color from our language.

If John Boehner had been referring to an "employee killing" piece of legislation, that would be over-the-line.  But no person in his or her right mind could possibly believe that a reference to a piece of legislation "killing jobs" is inciting violence.  It doesn't even mention violence.  How can it be violent to "kill" something that is not physical, not alive.

Now, whatever I can say about the Orel Hershiser commercial, his language was colorful and I still remember it about 25 years later.

Stop watering down our language!  Stop making us sound like a bunch of P.C. wimps!

I've got a pool table Albert, you're welcome in my basement anytime.

Onion SportsDome

Sam Bradford . . . a good sport

The Rams QB donned a Mizzou jersey today, paying off a bet with his formal rival, Mizzou alum Danario Alexander following Oklahoma's loss to the Tigers on Saturday.  (Link to story here.)

Tim Tebow is my new favorite quarterback

Why? Tebow will be appearing in a Pro-Life Super Bowl commercial for Focus on the Family. (Link to story here.) Apparently, the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback came after a difficult pregnancy. But his mother chose life.

Thank God for all the mothers who choose life.

One day, may they all.

Do you believe in miracles? . . . YES!

A Republican Senator from Massachusetts.  (Link to story here.)  Congratulations Senator-elect Scott Brown.

to talk about the past . . .

Mark McGwire has admitted that he used steroids in the 1990s, including during the faux-magical 1998 season.  (Link to story here.)

Americans are a forgiving lot.  St. Louisans probably more than most.  Admission of past mistakes is, of course, a giant step toward reconciliation.

Let the healing begin.  It is likely to take a long time.

Chubbs

There is a lot wrong with the world these days.  But it isn't all bad.  Link here to view or here to read a wonderful story about a dream come true for a learning disabled high school senior from Kirkwood, Missouri, David "Chubbs" Stillman, and the coaches and teammates who made it happen.

God bless you Chubbs, Ahmad Hicks, Coach Bill Gunn, Myles Artis, and the rest of the Kirkwood Pioneer family.

Thanks to Frank Cusumano for bringing the story to Channel 5 and Bryan Burwell for writing it in the Post-Dispatch.

Happy Holliday St. Louis

Slugger Matt Holliday has agreed to a seven-year, $120 million contract with the Cardinals.  (Link to story here.)

First, the Rams lock up the first pick in the NFL draft, then the Cardinals re-sign Holliday.  2010's off to a good start.

Next move?  A contract extension for Albert Pujols?  The Blues turn around their season?  Mizzou races to the Final Four?  Republicans take control of Congress?

Hope springs eternal.       

The St. Louis Rams are on the clock . . .

With the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle, Nebraska.

Things are looking up already.

Did the wheels fall off the global warming bus when . . .

the Phillies-Rockies game scheduled for October 10 was snowed out?

Or when the BBC's climate correspondent ran this piece headlined "What happened to global warming?"

St. Louis Sports

The Cardinals won the National League Central and begin a playoff series Wednesday in L.A.

The Blues started their season in Sweden against the Red Wings and beat the defending conference champs twice.

It is certainly a good time to be a sports fan in St. Louis . . . unless you like football.

Fantasy Football Break

Sorry to my regular readers.  Tonight was SLC's fantasy football draft.  No time to blog.  Hopefully, I'll have some time in the morning.

Welcome to St. Louis Mr. President

I must admit that my first response to this story was negative.  Barack Obama is coming to St. Louis for the All-Star Game and will throw out the first pitch at Busch Stadium on July 14.

St. Louis is my home and, frankly, I'd rather this particular president stay as far away as possible.  But, you know what, we need to rise above partisanship, whether Democrats do or not.  When the president comes to town to do his ceremonial duties, everyone in town should respect the office . . . if not the man who holds it.

So, welcome Mr. President.  Throw your pitch and then don't let the Arch hit you in the backside on the way out of town.

(By the way, 2004 was the last time a president threw out the first pitch in St. Louis.  George W. Bush came to town and the Cardinals won the N.L. pennant that year.  Will Obama's appearance bring the same [or better] karma?  Stay tuned.)

Is Checketts talking to Buffett?

Jim Thomas reports in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Blues' owner Dave Checketts' group of investors needs one very rich person to pony up about $255 million to make his bid to purchase the St. Louis Rams realistic.  (Link here.)  Thomas also cites NFL sources as saying that "Checketts has a line on a viable lead investor."

Just who could that investor be?  August Busch and Andy Taylor have been mentioned but was anybody else watching the Cardinals game on Fox Sports Midwest last night?  If you were, and were paying attention, you would have heard Dan McLaughlin and Al Hrabosky mention that the billionaire's billionaire, Warren Buffett, was in attendance last night.

Coincidence?

Go Duke!

I've never rooted for Duke University's basketball team in my life, but if Mizzou doesn't win the NCAA tournament this year, I hope that the Blue Devils do.

Why?

The reaction of Duke's legendary coach, Mike Krzyzewski, to news that Barack Obama "spent part of Tuesday making his tournament picks for ESPN, which posted his completed bracket online Wednesday and showed the First Fan [I didn't know that was an official title] filling it out with Andy Katz on the noon edition of "Sportscenter."

Coach K said, "the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than brackets."  (Link to story here.)

True enough Coach.  But you have to give Obama credit for working on something about which he might have a clue for a change.

Hell did not freeze over . . .

but reports are that it got a little frosty down there.

Congratulations to the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

At least the right candidate won one election this year!

Congratulations to Albert Pujols on winning his second Most Valuable Player award!

(Link to St. Louis Post-Dispatch story here.)