So Shut Up and Enjoy the Show

When Ruben Amaro, Jr., was asked about the future fate of the Phillies, he responded: "That's not for anybody's business."

Interesting perception. Junior wants to keep us barefoot and pregnant and cooking in the kitchen! "What's for  dinner tonight, hun?" Anything beyond that is "not for anybody's business."

Is he suggesting that we all follow the Show blindly?

And it's a Show, indeed. Take the little girl in the photo above with the Phanatic — shot by yours truly at the business person's special on Wednesday. Odds are she will grow up a Phillies fan. She might even be the next Mo'ne Davis and lead her team to the World Series in Williamsport — up near God's country.

She might even — someday — have an opinion about the fate of the Phillies, even though it's none of her business.

But here's the thing. I don't know Junior, or Utley, or Papelbon, or how the club does business. I've never met Sandberg or Dave Montgomery, or even the Philly Phanatic.

But wait just a darn minute, I do have some inside connections. I once met Larry Bowa, didn't I? Well, kind-of-sort-of.

Denise and I were at the King of Prussia movies a few years back — in the stadium seats, of course —  when, during the previews, Bowa came up the aisle with a soda and popcorn and sat in front of me. It was in the off season when he was with the Dodgers.

I leaned forward and whispered, "Do you think I'm the only one in this theater who recognizes you?"

He turned back around, smiling, and  replied, "I hope so." I'll give him this much, he never once texted during the movie, but he did slurp his drink every so often. I would have said something, but, you know, Larry Bowa...

I didn't say another word — it wouldn't have been right to distract him from the movie. And as we left, we walked past him and I turned to say goodbye, but he was cleaning the popcorn off his shirt and didn't see me. Hmmm, he was more worried about his shirt than saying goodbye to me. I'll remember that.

I do know the best PA announcer in baseball, Dan Baker. I wonder — who was the first Phillies' player Dan introduced? Probably Pancho Herrera. Besides, anyone working at Drexel — especially those who went to school there —  is smarter than a fifth grader at the National Quiz Show. Dan is a Drexel professor.

Because of my past association with Penn State, I've been in Chris Wheeler's company several times. I have always been a Wheels' fan, even though I don't like calling him Wheels. His name is Chris and maybe he even prefers Christopher. I don't know, I've never asked him.

I wouldn't want anyone calling me Costels.

My first recollection  of Mr. Wheeler wasn't at Penn State, but many years before that listening to his on-the-air comments in hundred's of Phillies' games.

The man knows baseball — I miss what he brought to the Phillies' telecasts. So now, instead of Mr. Wheeler,  we get Mr. Stairs.

Let me ask you something. Where the hell is the justice in that?

Oh, wait, I forgot, that's none of my business.

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The end.