My Final Farewell…
Starting a few weeks ago, Bluto posted three comments that were very instrumental in my decision to close LADT. He wrote this: “The drama or negativity people invent is something else.” Message boards or blogs have always been havens for people who hide behind a keyboard and…
Starting a few weeks ago, Bluto posted three comments that were very instrumental in my decision to close LADT. He wrote this:
“The drama or negativity people invent is something else.”
Message boards or blogs have always been havens for people who hide behind a keyboard and feel like King Kong as they anonymously post whatever they want with no repercussions. To Vinny’s Ghost, Zeke, John, Bobby, NH Dodger, DodgerDad, JayB, Woddy in VT, MushersPop, WatfordDodger, SBuffalo, and others (I can’t remember them all), I appreciate you all and am sorry to leave. I have threatened to stop this blog several times, but it just did not seem right at the time. This time, I am done. I will explain…
Bluto also wrote this:
“What are your priorities in life, if not optimism, about sports teams and enjoying the company of friends?”
The Dodgers played badly against the Astros and Padres, but the team is clearly trying. You know they all want to win. You know Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts want to win. With a multitude of players in the IL, it’s clearly been a struggle.
But when I watch a Dodger game, I am there to have a good time. I want them to stay in the game until the 9th inning, but my experience isn’t terrible because they lost or are in the midst of a losing streak. I don’t understand people who, even when the Dodgers are winning, would find something to be mad about.
These are the same people who will say ‘trade —— because he’s having a bad year‘ and then next year scream ‘look what we gave away‘, or ‘Let’s trade all of our prospects’, and then ‘why don’t we develop players’.
It’s just insane. If you are stressing out about baseball this much you need to re-evaluate if sports are for you. Some fans just think being miserable is part of being a Dodger fan and I’ll never understand that. They may not be the best team in baseball today but they are fun to watch if you enjoy the sport.
I feel like most people who are constantly yelling about how the team sucks aren’t fans of the game because even when the team is bad, someone who loves the game can still enjoy it.
There’s a difference between self-deprecation and finding a perverse sense of happiness in the team being bad. Many Dodgers fans appear to be more excited when the team is bad because it gives them an excuse to be miserable, angry people. That is really what they are to their core: miserable, angry people!
They seem to think that being miserable is part of being a Dodgers fan. Actually, I think being an entitled toxic whiner is what should not be.
Finally, Bluto wrote this:
“Yeah, I can see why Mark may walk away from this stuff!”
BANG! When the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change… you change!
The fundamental fallacy of most sports fans is that if the team isn’t winning, it’s because the players somehow lack character or aren’t trying hard enough. It’s childish, particularly in baseball, where you’re trying to identify a pitch and whether to hit it in .2 seconds, failure is the norm, and trends play out only over huge sample sizes. To think otherwise is moronic.
I want to thank Bear – he is a real friend. Jeff Dominique is a good guy, but I stand by what I said. He made a comment about me, and I responded. If you don’t understand that, well, you are obviously a moron… and we all know…
Watford Dodger summed it up very well in a post several commenters sent to me:
“Very disappointing to read the negative comments about Mark and LADT.
Its amazing how many posters are willing to pile on, yet all seemed to visit his site every day to see what his latest Post had to offer.
To come up with new content every day for 20 plus years and have that amount of dedication takes a lot of effort and energy. His writing style was deliberately polarising but unfortunately some people were unable to see this and seemed to take affront or take it personally.
The use of the word Moron seemed to really upset people. Really!! Come on, it’s about as light as your gonna get, and of course the more people whined the more he used it. He was also right about the Dodgers far more than he was wrong.
I read there and contributed occasionally for 13 years in which time I learned so much more about the great game and enjoyed the to and fro with many of of you guys.
I would like to thank Mark for his efforts.
cheers”
Thank you, Watford – We did not always agree. In fact, sometimes we disagreed a lot, but he was respectful and generally gave a solid explanation of his opinions. People who think that I am a narcissist or thin-skinned are not morons. They are idiots and clearly have no clue. I won’t even attempt to defend myself because they literally have no comprehension.
I am seventy years old and having the time of my life. To be miserable over sports is just silly, especially when the Dodgers have as good a chance of winning it all this year as any team in baseball. They may be better than any other team. Watch and learn. LA Dodger Talk was once very important to me. That time has passed. I will still follow the Dodgers, but that phase of my life is over, and I am at peace with it.
Godspeed to everyone. Goodbye!
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Discussion (139)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Thanks for your dedication and hard work for this amazing Dodger site. Enjoy life and each precious day!!!! You will be missed.
Good luck Mark!
And thank you for allowing me to express my hatred towards a certain shitty team, without having kicked me out of this blog.
Hi, Mark,
Sorry to see you go. Although this site could be testy at times, I almost always enjoyed my daily dose of LADT. If it’s not fun for you anymore, it’s definitely not worth it. I’m sure it took a lot of your time. As Edward R. Murrow used to say “Good night and good luck”. Enjoy your old age. You look to be in terrific shape.
Best regards,
Woody
Appreciate the shout out above. I agree with you sports should be fun and entertaining. When it starts to seep into other things in life and cause stress, then it’s time to rethink things and prioritize the more important aspects. Take care and enjoy your new house and thriving business as I am sure they keep you plenty busy enough.
WORD
Good on ya Mark!
Maybe I will contact your son:-) about a water system when I am living in Panama (hopefully) by this time next year.
Been a hoot!
Cheers
I will stay in touch, I have been more of a reader than writer over the past few years but never the less this is my morning read most days. I wish you the best my friend.
best of wishes mark! i was hoping you would open this back up. i found this site and was so excited to finally have people to talk to about the dodgers! being on the east coast most people could give a rats. -ss about the dodgers! i live and breathe dodger baseball! always trying to find a bright spot in a bad loss. last night it was kopech. clayton deserves a little more rope, and the wounded shall return. i’m probably done too! yesterday i retired after 40 years of ballistic testing. immediately after leaving i drove 4 hours to watch my grandson play. they got whipped! the parents were moaning and groaning , careful of what they said in front of me, since my son is the coach. i simply told them, 2hours from now, throw them in a pool and they’ll forget all about the bad games. 3 hours later, pax was swimming and having a blast. maybe the adults should take notes!! i take losses pretty hard too. but at the end of the day, its a bunch of overpaid men playing a childs game. pretty rotten way to make a living, RIGHT? God bless you Mark and your family! i’m done too, i tried the other site, no thanks! Healthy ? they can win it all! As they stand now ,? crapshoot. Enjoyed it everyone had a blast!
Thank you Mark
I have enjoyed your blog for a long time.
I hope you will post your takes at Dodger Chronicles from time to time. I enjoy your prospective on our team.
Best Wishes
God Bless you and your family
Hey Mark. I totally understand your reasoning for permanently shutting down LADT. You have a lot of positive things in your life right now and at 70 I would think it would be a good time to concentrate on those. With your current feelings about LADT it doesn’t make sense to continue to have the site affecting your personal in the way that it is.
This was the first blog of any type I consistently read and finally contributed to. Thanks for the platform that allowed me to express my feelings and thoughts about Dodger baseball. It was fun to interact with many well informed and interesting people. I appreciate the time and energy you have dedicated to this site for the past 20 years.
As you enter the final innings, here’s to you enjoying many extra innings!
Take care.
And, of course, CARRY ON!!
Miserable angry people. Sadly I think that is becoming the norm. 2 months ago I made my first post ever right here. I tried to chill people out and be the voice of reason. Mainly to back up Mark. He is right about you guys. I live in Northern Michigan. Maybe I’ll see you at a Loon’s game. This will also be my last foray at posting.
Book em
Jeff Dominique is a good guy, but I stand by what I said. He made a comment about me, and I responded. If you don’t understand that, well, you are obviously a moron… and we all know…
______
Mark, with all due respect but that is not true. You took an unprovoked and totally uncalled swing at Jeff Dominique first. Then he responded.
I found your site only a couple years ago and I liked it very much. Thanks for the good times and the informative blogs and the chance to interact with other Dodger fans. Not that easy for me living in Southern Bavaria . MOF it has never been easy for me to follow my Dodgers. In the 80s and 90s and before internet the only way to do that in this region of the world was via AFN Radio and TV. I remember many sleepless nights listening or watching the games. When there were 1-2 games a week it was a blessing. Other than that USA today and the boxscores was all there was to follow.
As I said I really enjoyed your blog but allow me to say it would have been even better if you did not call some of your followers “morons” and “idiots” just because they sometimes had other opinions than yourself. For that your last blog was consistent with you and your blogs in the past. 🙂
I wish you and your family and your new puppy nothing but the best. Live long and prosper as Mr. Spock would say.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What nah no I have to find a new blog to post on dang. I like this one. Oh Bear hey we got Amed Rosario back bet yesterday love that pickup. I like all these guys on here its for fans that’s what a blog is for some people afmgree and other don’t that’s why I post and read other coments. I hope it doesn’t leave Mark.
This was the best Dodger blog/site/forum out there no doubt about it.
Sorry to see you go Mark, but I understand.
My gosh we are 4.5 games in first place with a shell of the team we should have….and may have come October….its all good!!!
They told me the regular season doesn’t matter its all about October right???
Wish ya well Mark.
Mark I totally get where you’re coming from and have really appreciated this site,will miss it. I am 63 and was let go from my job recently and am at peace with it. I am retired and really excited for the next phase of life as I am sure you are. Family first, sports are nice distraction but not end all, be all. Godspeed thank you again
Come on Ram. You’re comparing a website to a person’s home. Seriously? I lied. This is my last post.
Book em
P.S. email me if you want to meet up at a Loons game in the future.
Bye Mark
Thanks for a great blog.
Good luck.
Sorry to see you leave Mark, and shutting down LADT it was a great sports page for me, It’s like losing your best friend enjoy life to It’s fullest.
Will they just bring Dusty Baker in to manage this team. Dave Robert’s has lost this team. They need a drill Sargent hello Dusty Baker and a exdodger. And oh yes won a world series. Fans would love that to bring in Dusty now. Dave Robert’s needs to go manage like in Pittsburgh or Minnesota but not here in LA.
Thanks and Cheers!
Well looks like I’ll just have to settle for my wife calling me a moron from here on out. After 43 years it just doesn’t have the same zing to it tho. Thanks Mark for all your dedication and hard work for keeping LADT alive for all these many years. Maybe one more celebration article when the Dodgers win it all this year. Fitting finale! Enjoy your retirement and your beautiful family.
Sorry to lose my daily connection with all things Blue. I mostly listened, and this fan of 77 years is deeply appreciative of all the knowledge and insight presented on the blog. I am amazed at the effort that Mark put into this wonderful forum, and thank him for his dedication. Looking for a new chat room!
Sad to see this come to an end, but there are more important things in life that we have to learn to appreciate.
Best of luck in your future endevours Mark!
Bradley. i always enjoy your posts , almost as much as the real stuff! lol! Dave Roberts may not be the right guy for this job. But who is? DOC. , nor anyone else can lite a fire under the current lineup they HAVE to run out there currently!!! last nights lineup included THREE, count em, Three players who were starters coming out of spring training!! the other 5 couldn’t make other playoff team’s roster! So this will be the last time i get to post this, Doc gets his full complement of players and pitchers back and they wither away in the playoffs, yeah, he might get the axe. That does not include zDusty! it would be another “DOC “ like manager. AF doesn’t want an old school manager!! PERIOD! So Bradley, i really have enjoyed your posts!! As crazy as some are, there were some that made sense! Your love for the dodgers is obvious. … Bear, will miss you too! Admire and respect your knowledge of the game. APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE!!!! Hopefully you live a long and healthy life!! AND, Bichette will be a DODGER in the off season!!!! lol! Closing , i say to all you dodger fans, quoting the great Christine McVey, DONT STOP BELIEVING!!
Gonna miss you Mark, ive always had your back, we are both old school true blue fans, good times or bad. I get it, the new age Dodger fan has zero patience when the team is struggling and always defaults to Fire Roberts, which automatically tells me they have zero clue on how a team works. I see it more and more, just negativity and hate on the team they root for, I can see how exuasting that must be for you, so ride off into the sunset my friend. You had a great ride.
Mark: I will miss you and your perspective on the baseball team we love. I absolutely agree with your decision. I have owned businesses with over a thousand employees and unfortunately those experiences have taught me that some people just get off on being unhappy.
As I’ve previously said, I have been a Dodgers fan since my Grandfather used to take me to Ebbets field as a young boy. This is absolutely the “golden era” of Dodgers baseball. For some people to not understand that just blows my mind and fully supports that some people just get off on being unhappy.
A blog should be a great place to express opinions on things that can be done to improve results and just have a general discussion. However when it deteriorates to a place to just bitch about moves that are made and the people that made them, that’s when fun leaves the equation. And it amazes me that some people just have to get the last word in (ie dodgerram’s last post).
Leave LADT fully knowing what a great thing you have done and have incredible pride in having done that. I live in Phoenix during the spring and if you are ever in town I would love to take in a ballgame with you. Thank you and be well.