NEW YORK -- Huston Street believes in some of baseballs oldest, tried-and-true
traditions, and the reliever knows team building can be a real benefit, so he
considers the elimination of rookie dress up in the new labor deal the loss of a
healthy ritual.
Wholesale Shoes Cheap .The Los Angeles Angels
closer, like many players expressing their views Tuesday, disagrees with Major
League Baseballs ban on the hazing ritual of dressing up rookies in costumes
that could be considered offensive, including womens outfits.An effort to show
our childlike spirit, or humble ourselves in wearing something funny as a team
building moment, is now gone, Street wrote in an email to The Associated Press,
but rest assured some other ritual will rise, will be kept far more secret and
hopefully its as safe and harmless as uncomfortable clothes.Baseball owners and
players ratified their five-year labor contract Tuesday, which contains a new
Anti-Hazing and Anti-Bullying Policy formulated by management, rules the union
agreed not to contest.New York Mets rookie outfielder Brandon Nimmo was among
the last group to participate this past season. In September, he had to wear a
wig and dress in the style of the 1992 movie A League of Their Own while
fetching coffee and doughnuts in Philadelphia.I guess Im sad to see that go. Im
glad that I got to partake in it last year. Wouldnt trade that, Nimmo said at
the teams Citi Field holiday party. I felt like it just kind of brought the team
closer together, lets have a little fun together.Many retired players were
outraged, taking to social media to show their disgust.What a joke!! tweeted
Mark Mulder, a big league pitcher from 2000-08.Yet for baseball officials, the
decision goes far beyond just good-natured fun.Billy Bean, a big league
infielder and outfielder from 1987-95 who came out as gay in 1999, spoke with
MLBs labor lawyers as the policy was developed as part of his role as vice
president for social responsibility and inclusion.To me its important to be
cognizant of the images that our players project to our fans, and I think where
for many where it would seem that its common sense that its just all in good fun
and being silly, there are many sides to the story and I just think that its a
responsible thing to do, he said during a telephone interview. Many players
didnt like this tradition but were afraid to speak up.Still, players were
stunned.Remember, youre doing this not because you look different or because
youre from some far corner of the globe. In fact youre doing this for reasons
that couldnt be more opposite, former pitcher Dallas Braden wrote to The AP.
Youre one of us. Youre here now, youve made it, youve earned it. Youre a BIG
LEAGUER and in the big leagues we dress up and sing just like the Cy Youngs
& MVPs who came before us.Many took to social media to express
disappointment.Seriously?! Had to wear a Hooters outfit going through customs in
Toronto and wore it proudly (because) I was in the Show, former Boston star
Kevin Youkilis wrote before deleting the tweet, adding Way more important topics
and problems in the world that need attention.Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ross
Stripling tweeted a photo of himself and teammates sporting cheerleading
uniforms , saying, honored to be one of the last players ever to be dressed up
as a woman.Cody Ponce, taken by Milwaukee with the 55th overall draft pick in
2015, tweeted: I looked forward to the whole dressing up as a rookie in the MLB!
I never saw it as hazing, just some fun!MLB executives were concerned about
photos of rookie dress-ups that appear on social media and might offend some
fans and business partners.The world has gotten 2 damn sensitive! This has been
a time honored tradition, tweeted Aubrey Huff, a major leaguer from 2000-12 who
liked to show off his lucky red rally thong. The world is full of sensitive
snowflakes.Vernon Wells, a three-time All-Star during a career that spanned
1999-2013, wondered what was next.BREAKING NEWS: Fans are no longer allowed to
heckle players because it hurts their feelings, he tweeted.Many outside the
sport thought it was about time baseball comported with the norms of other
industries.By banning the hazing of rookies by having them dress in feminine
presenting clothing, MLB draws closer to minimizing and hopefully ending
discrimination and harassment based on gender identity and expression, wrote
Hudson Taylor, founder and executive director of AthleteAlly, an advocacy group
that describes itself as a straight ally that stands in solidarity with the LGBT
community.Colorado general manager Jeff Bridich views costumes as distinct from
hazing that involves violence.If were getting so P.C. either as an industry or
as a society that we cant make fun of ourselves at times, that would be, I
think, harmful to the game in a certain way, he said.Mets general manager Sandy
Alderson, a veteran of Dartmouth, Harvard Law School and the Marines, said he
had not heard any complaints but still had some concerns.Ive seen it in the
military and, for all the camaraderie its supposed to promote, its divisive and
I think undercuts morale and so youve got to be very careful about that, he
said. Is it constructive? Is it useful? Is it juvenile? Its probably juvenile.
Its probably not useful or constructive in too many ways.Superheroes such as
Batman and Spider-Man are still allowed, but Wonder Woman, Hooters Girls, Dallas
Cowboys cheerleaders, the U.S. Olympic womens gymnastics team, ballet tutus and
Lady Gaga are now banned.Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard described teammate Curtis
Granderson as the ringleader when the rookie right-hander dressed as the title
character from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe at Cincinnati in 2015.Its
not really embarrassing for us, Syndergaard said. It was a fun time. Its part of
it. Just got to embrace it.---McCauley reported from Oakland, California.AP
Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report.
Wholesale
Fashion Shoes Free Shipping . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran
away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in
the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record.
Wholesale
Shoes China Free Shipping . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch
of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to
be getting worse.
http://www.wholesaleshoesfashion.com/ . The
Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the
starting lineup. NEW YORK -- Its a few weeks before Notre Dame and UConn face
each other and a lot could change before then. For now, the two perennial
basketball powers sit atop The Associated Press womens basketball poll.Both
teams received 16 first place votes from the 33-member national media panel
Monday. The Irish remained the No. 1 team in the poll after knocking off
then-No. 17 Washington to win the Preseason WNIT on Sunday. That victory came a
few days after a slim four-point win over Green Bay.UConn also was unbeaten on
the week, topping Florida State in the Huskies opener before beating then-No. 2
Baylor last Thursday. UConn capped off its week with a victory at LSU on Sunday
for the teams 78th consecutive victory. The Huskies would still have to beat two
other ranked teams -- No. 18 DePaul and No. 14 Texas before facing the Irish in
South Bend, Indiana on Dec. 7. Notre Dame has a bit of an easier schedule.South
Carolina garnered the other first place vote and is third in the Top 25.
Louisville and Baylor are next in the poll. The Gamecocks and Cardinals square
off Sunday in the Basketball Hall of Fame Womens Challenge. Thats nnot the only
good game between top teams this week.
Wholesale
Shoes China. Baylor, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 11 Syracuse and DePaul
are all playing in the Gulf Coast Showcase over Thanksgiving.What makes this
tournament a great tournament is the level of competition top to bottom, said
DePaul coach Doug Bruno, whose team opens up against Western Kentucky. You got
really strong teams that arent recognized, but are really good like George
Washington and Florida Gulf Coast and Western Kentucky. Then you also got the
elite nationally ranked teams Baylor, Ohio State and Syracuse.Maryland,
Mississippi State, Ohio State, UCLA and Florida State round out the top 10
teams.Michigan State and Gonzaga entered the Top 25 in the bottom two spots this
week while Indiana and Missouri fell out. The Zags knocked off No. 11 Stanford
on Friday night. They were one of five unranked teams to beat Top 25 opponents
last week.---Find the womens basketball poll online at:
http://collegebasketball.ap.org/...sketball-poll-week-3 ' ' '