Why would somebody want an autograph from a player he clearly doesn't respect?  All J.C. Romero had to do was say "no" and [Robert Eaton] goes "steroids" on him, which tells me that he had it in his head to begin with.  Meanwhile, Eaton was on WIP saying what a great baseball fan he is. I turned it off in disgust.

- Anthony
Anthony,

The whole thing felt like Eaton wanted to pick a fight. But when Romero finally engaged him, Eaton decided he'd made a mistake and cried foul. I don't understand that. If you're going to push someone, you'd better be ready for him to push back. That's the way fights work. If you're not into that, you probably shouldn't start something in the first place.

- Gonzo

The bozo fans who think they somehow own players are getting out of control. What J.C. Romero [allegedly] did certainly wasn't prudent for someone in his position, but it was completely understandable.

- Jim
Jim,

Yeah, it probably wasn't the smartest move for Romero, but I could see myself doing the same thing. Some people are laid back and never get rattled. The rest of us have breaking points. I reach mine approximately five times a week.

- Gonzo

As an ardent Phillies fan, I cannot bear to watch anymore - they are a mere shadow of themselves. They play with no fire, no heart, no enthusiasm. The pitching, other than J.A. Happ, has been abysmal. Even Cole Hamels has performed atrociously of late. And the less said about Jimmy Rollins the better.

This is definitely not the same team we loved last year. It is time to make moves - no one should be deemed untouchable.

- Joe
Joe,

It's been ugly lately. No doubt about it. But hang in there. They go through slumps like this every season.

Last year, they went 12-14 in June (compared with 11-15 this June) - then they bounced back.

If they're still playing this way come August, you won't be alone in your sorrow. Until then, let's give them some time to fix this. There's plenty of baseball left.

- Gonzo

I just read your article on Kendra [Wilkinson]. I just wanted to say that Hank Baskett would be surprised how many women own their own pole. I was curious if you were aware just how popular it has become. Teachers, lawyers, doctors, accountants, bankers, forensic scientists, military women, as well as college students take our classes . . . and many of them purchase a pole for their home. 

Tammy Frazier

Founder/President/CEO

A Pole New You

- Tammy

Tammy,

It warms my heart to learn that pole dancing has gone mainstream. It's un-American for people to suppress their inner stripper.

By the way: "A Pole New You" is brilliant.

- Gonzo

From '68 to '75 I wrote around 50 major features for Philadelphia Magazine, most of these sports. I got to know a lot of people in the biz. Because I was "second-tier" press, not a few of the big boys (media, club PR people) treated me like something got stuck on the bottom of their shoes, even when I was on direct assignment. Absolutely the nicest guy, always accommodating, always generous with his time, was Chris Wheeler. As a broadcaster, he is both knowledgeable and informative. So what gives with these anti-Wheeler characters? Am I missing something?

- Barry
Barry,

I'm with you. Wheels has always treated me with respect, and he knows a lot about the game. That's all I could ever ask.

Re: second-tier press. I know how you feel. I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure Bob Ford thinks I'm his intern.

- Gonzo

I believe Hip-Hop is a great mascot.  He is always getting the fans involved and pumped up.  He also does some amazing dunks.  Hip-Hop is known throughout the Tri-State [area] as a great mascot.  He is also seen in the community giving back.  He is not one of the worst [mascots], he is one of the best. 

- Marc
Marc,

The guy in the suit is great. It's the costume itself that bothers me.

Ever watch The Simpsons? There's an episode where they created a character named "Poochie." It was supposed to be a super-hip dog that skateboarded and wore its hat backwards and used contemporary language. Poochie was designed to appeal to kids and young adults alike. The upshot was that the Simpsons writers were being sarcastic. It was their way of lampooning people who create characters like that and fail to realize how phony and artificial they are.

Hip-Hop is Philly's Poochie.

- Gonzo

Ranking mascots?  Come on, there's got to be some real sports news out there, doesn't there?

- Mike
Mike,

As I've written before, sports are fun. Every story doesn't have to be a super-serious piece about the Eagles' Super Bowl aspirations or what's wrong with Rollins' swing. Sometimes, you have to lighten it up.

To borrow from Kanye: "This is love-it-or-hate-it music - but at least we makin' music."

- Gonzo