Thursday, March 13, 2008

0 comments So Is He White or Disabled In Some Fashion?

http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/03/12/anderson_0313.html

Dave O' Brien has done a wonderful job profiling Josh Anderson. Who you ask? Exactly. This is the type of article that annoys me, which is a puff piece that does not answer my major question. What stereotype is he busting? O'Brien does not say exactly, but let it be known, there is some major stereotype busting going on. My guess is that he is white. I will let you decide.

You heard he led the minor leagues with 78 stolen bases in 2004 and immediately conjured an image of Josh Anderson. Then you met him. It was not what you had in mind.

No Davy boy, I heard the Braves traded Oscar Villerreal to the Astros (not on my team, don't care to spell it correctly) and conjured an image of Chris Burke or Hunter Pence playing for the Braves. Then I heard the name Josh Anderson and thought of this kid in Junior High that used to whip the other guys in the locker room with their Umbros, and began to wonder what had happened to him since Junior High...most likely jail if I had to guess. Then I wondered why the Braves traded a middle reliever that was effective for them last year, which made me wonder why they did not keep Dotel to be the set up man. It seemed like they traded away a good portion of the bullpen which does not seem smart. At this point, I was at the end of the article and could not remember what I had just read, so I got back to the name Josh Anderson. I have never met him, but when I heard he was a 4th outfielder that had barely played in the majors, that was not what I had in mind, no. On that you are correct.

Oh, yes, he's fast.

He better be, Jeff Francoeur can not cover the entire outfield himself, because Matt Diaz is not going to help.

The former Astros prospect — and former high-school basketball star and slam-dunk champion — has emerged as a leading candidate for the Braves' fourth-outfielder job.

Awesome! So the Braves have that covered in case the Mets come to town and would prefer not to play baseball but give us the choice between a slam dunk contest or a pick up game of basketball. I want to hear more about this slam dunk champ in case this ever happens. By the way, can the Braves sign Julianne Hough in case the Nationals come in town again and we "get served" in another dance contest by Dmitri Young? That was embarrassing for everyone.

"I'm a big Dukes of Hazzard fan, and that was filmed near Atlanta."
Before you think stereotype after that reference, know this: Anderson was recruited by Princeton to play basketball. Ivy League.


That literally makes no sense. The only way that sentence would make sense is if you are racist and think a white boy playing basketball or an African American watching Dukes of Hazzard is odd. Is this like one of those "pick your own conclusions" books I read as a youngster where we get to choose what happens next? If so, I want him to be Phillipino...and I would want him to win a Slam Dunk Contest.

Won a slam-dunk contest at the 2000 Showcase Games for Central Kentucky All-Stars.
A write-up about the event called him "high flying Josh Anderson." Anyone sense a pattern of stereotype-smashing here?
If he makes the team, the Braves might finally have someone who can beat John Smoltz in one-on-one at the pitcher's backyard full court.


Thanks for telling me more about the Slam Dunk victory. No, I do not sense a pattern of stereotype smashing though. I need to know what his race is so we can stereotype him. Hurry it up, I think he may be Haitian and I need to know. I hope he can beat John Smoltz at basketball, Smoltz is 40. Unfortunately Smoltz could not identify him from this article because he would not know what he looks like to invite him over to lose play basketball.

His advantage over prospect Brandon Jones in the fourth-outfielder race is the fact that Anderson plays center. Brandon Jones is a corner outfielder, and the Braves might use Matt Diaz as an everyday left fielder, rather than platoon.

Brandon Jones is also a potential five tool outfielder, so I would rather he play and get experience, while Diaz has hit .300 in his limited playing time. Either option seems preferable honestly to Anderson. I don't think Jones can dunk though, so put in Anderson!

He doesn't hit for power — just 15 homers in 602 minor-league games — but the Braves wouldn't want him to try.

As long as he can do a reverse slam windmill, we don't need no stinking homeruns from the centerfielder. Last chance Davy boy, what is his race and what did you write this article for if you are not going to tell me? It is hard to see what stereotype is being busted if you don't tell me what race the person is. Let me stereotype dammit!!

Anderson has the speed to go get it.
Yeah, buddy.


I give up. It does not really matter but you can't write an article about stereotypes and not include the stereotype being busted. If Davy O' Brien did a biography on Helen Keller she would just seem lazy.

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