Mike rips peaceniks (Piazza)

New York Post ^ | 03/22/2003 | MICHAEL MORRISSEY

[rightisright]

March 22, 2003 -- PORT ST. LUCIE - Mike Piazza won't sensationalize it, but he says "I was close" to enlisting in the military before deciding on a baseball career.

Piazza took the U.S. Armed Forces officer's test as a senior at Phoenixville (Penn.) High School circa 1986, and was "highly recruited" by the military, the Met catcher said yesterday.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Right on. I like Mike more than ever now.

[KsSunflower]

Me too!!! A conservative, Italian, catcher...who says he isn't gay! It' don't get much better than that! :0)

[Veggie Todd]

Next time he rushes the mound, I'll root for him instead of the pitcher.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I wouldn't be surprised if the NY Post was printing this to trash Mike when the article actually accomplishes the opposite.

[annyokie]

Mike is a poser. I worked for his dad for years and the SOB refused to sign a baseball for my boys "on principle".

Go figure.

[Paradox]

Piazza fashions himself a non-partisan libertarian, but he probably is more accurately described as a moderate conservative.

I knew I liked this guy! This guy sounds just like me. I think I'm moderate, but my family thinks I am a raving fascist, heh.

[smith288]

Dont think he is gay, nor is it any of my business. But i applaud his view. As long as he isnt rushing to a microphone (like Sheen, peering over his bifocle glasses like he is smart or something) to announce hiss position, he is alright to me.

[neehaow]

I'm an avid Mets fan and this was expected of him! I'm very proud *grin* Did anyone see him go after that Dodger pitcher last week? (first post!)

[I_Love_My_Husband]

NOT GAY!

This IS the PROOF now!

[CHICAGOFARMER]

* * 288,000,000 American Citizens are not protesting the war, including this Iraqi-American woman.

*Click here to Iraqi Woman prayer answered *

http://images.radcity.net/5149/359372.mp3

******

Now you know the rest of the story, why this woman is praying for Mr Bush.

* *

[Texas_Jarhead]

I don't understand why his dad pleaded with him NOT to enlist.. anyone?

[opinionator]

"They made a huge push, and I was very proud of that," he said. "I remember getting phone calls from recruiters."

Is he talking about the military? Or another group of guys, that claim that they don't do any recruiting? I wonder if Mike is a pitcher or a catcher?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

What principle was he standing up for?

[annyokie]

The "principle" that I wouldn't cross his palm with silver.

[AM2000]

I'm guessing because of the element of danger involved. He is a parent, after all.

[hoosierpearl]

"Mike is a poser. I worked for his dad for years and the SOB refused to sign a baseball for my boys 'on principle'."


You could be right. I recently read the new book out about Joe DiMaggio, written by his former lawyer. It dealt a lot with the world of baseball memorabilia, as that is how some retired players earn their living. If they restrict what they sign, and then only sign a certain number, it drives up the price on an item. For instance for most of his life Joe D refused to sign bats, but he did sign a few to give to close friends as gifts. That drove up the price of the item and the value of the gift to the recipient. Some of his close friends asked for a signed bat, and he always refused them. He'd give them something else, but not a signed bat.

He might have refused because it was a baseball. Could you have tried to get him to sign something else? A picture or something? I'm not trying to disagree, but wondered if there was another answer besides the SOB idea.

[LaraCroft]

Well.. you could always volunteer to do your job for free.... you don't work just to get money do you?

[annyokie]

Once an SOB, always an SOB, IMHO

I moved later to Pittsburgh and had signed, in my presence, a picture of Franco Harris.

Reads: "Good Luck, Bobby!"

Hail Mary, THIS, Mikey!!!!!! It's worth more.

[hardhead]

Sports memorabilia is a tough and LUCRATIVE business. Getting an autograph depends sometimes who you are asking and where you are asking. I saw Cal Ripkin once an an Army exchange and he signed everything and anything anyone asked. On the other hand, we were at a Phillies game when the Reds were in town (this was way back when Pete Rose played for Philadelphia). We hightailed it down to the lower concourse where the team bus for the Reds was offloading and my son took a program to Joe Morgan and asked him to sign it and Joe said 'get the hell out of my way kid'. There are stars and there are pseudo-stars.