Simon's brat-like act against 'sausage' leaves a bad taste

USA Today ^ | 7/10/03 | Rod Beaton

[KC_Conspirator]

Simon was leaning over the railing of the Pirates dugout between the sixth and seventh innings when the customary sausage race was being contested, with four people in costumes running around the infield warning track. When the Italian sausage (19-year-old Mandy Block) passed Simon, he struck her with a bat, knocking her and the hot dog (a 19-year-old woman) down. The women suffered a few scrapes.

[KC_Conspirator]

Is there something wrong with me? I find this story absolutely hilarious and laugh everytime I see the videotape.

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[Xenalyte]

Yes, there is, and so do I. It cracks me up.

[bigfootbob]

What's wrong is all major male sports writers squat to pee. Why they are sports writers confuse me. Most should be working for the Lifetime or Oxygen Networks.

[Mr. Bird]

It is hilarious and I nearly cried laughing last night watching an ESPN feature on it. They turned it into a parody of a quasi-JFK assassination, with dotted lines to potential conspirators and somber music.

The sausage race has always been a source of comedy, and this incident elevated it to new heights...

[WhiteGuy]

There's nothing remotely funny about the abuse of sausage!

I'm a big fan of sausage............

In fact I LOVE SAUSAGE!

(maybe Simon had a bet down on the brat........)

[LBelle]

You are not the only one. My husband and I giggled all through the morning news. The girl in question is a good sport and has a good sense of humor about the whole thing.

[DonQ]

I don't think it's funny. This girl in the sausage costume wasn't prepared/trained to do a pratfall or any other slapstick. This player assaulted her. It wasn't very hard and didn't do her any lasting harm, but it was VERY unsporting. If he had used his bat against a cheerleader we wouldn't think it was funny.

[IYAS9YAS]

I'd say that, if the two who were knocked down don't wish to press the issue, no one else should either. I haven't seen the video, but it sounds like it wasn't much.

[Grando Calrissian]

Just another example of how the media overreacts to the most mundane stories (preferably if they've been captured on tape). The funny part is that the girl didn't want charges and only wanted the bat he hit her with.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I don't think it's funny. This girl in the sausage costume wasn't prepared/trained to do a pratfall or any other slapstick. This player assaulted her. It wasn't very hard and didn't do her any lasting harm, but it was VERY unsporting. If he had used his bat against a cheerleader we wouldn't think it was funny.

Why do you think he would have used a bat against a cheerleader? They don't usually carry that much stuffing. He intentially swung the bat several feet over her head, so as to just hit the foam. And the girl was laughing about it yesterday. My response in another thread:

I just saw the interview with the girl on Sportscenter. She was all cheerful and laughing about it, said she was all excited because they are going to give her 2 autographed bats. Basically she sounded like she thought it was all overblown and not that big a deal, saying that he probably was just doing it as horseplay, couldn't believe that it was being made into a big deal, and couldn't believe that he was arrested.

Came across as a reasonable and 'cool' 18-year old, who 'get's it', unlike a lot of harumping and harping nannies(especially some of the 'serious journalists'). The same types who have completely watered down everything from playgrounds to recess, suspending for months elementary school kids who shoot a watergun or kiss a girl on the playground.

I bet she has older brothers that she loved playing with growing up.

[ghost of nixon]

Simon's mom obviously never warned him about the dangers of whacking the sausage.

[N. Theknow]

Vienna world would someone show their wurst side using a baseball brat like that. I never sausage a despicable thing...whacking someone's sausage....in public. Frankly it disrupted the race so no clear weiner could be declared as two participants landed on their buns.

[HamiltonJay]

I actually saw the footage for the first time on TV today, looked to me like the italian sausage was tripping even before he hit her.... and I don't think based on what I saw that he intended to hit her hard or knock her down..

It was still a very immature and childish jerk thing to do... but after finally seeing the videotape on TV, can't find it to be any more than that.

Not that it matters really, the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things are where my baseball entertainment dollars are going! No spoiled brat players, affordable tickets and consessions, people playing out of love, and best of all not in any way associated with MLB!! The entire league is independent, not a minor league club!

[HamiltonJay]

Make that Frontier League

[ko_kyi]

yuk,yuk, yuk

[newgeezer]

There is nothing amusing about this incident! This asshole should be kicked out of baseball. This is the typical behavior of ill-mannered, immature, and irresponsible athletes! And one of the main reasons I am no longer a fan of baseball!

Yeah, sure.

Checked your profile and noticed you're into golf. I might have known. ;O) :-D

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

I never sausage a thing in my life!