Saturday, March 25, 2006

Jim Leyland, the Detroit Tigers and the Old Spice Controversy

Some folks just got to have something to complain about. Baseball season isn’t even yet here and people are already complaining about Jim Leyland, the new manager for the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers are a franchise that has set the wrong kind of records over the past decade or so. They’re a perennial favorite for the cellar. Even Tony the Tiger of Frosted Flakes fame is more feared than the Detroit Tigers. Leyland had to do something to shake things up getting ready for this year so he encouraged his team to get some pizzazz, complaining that they smell like "Old Spice."

In the spirit of fairness, I should disclose that I’m not exactly an apologist for the after-shave industry. I’m approaching two decades since I’ve needed any such products and even then didn’t particularly care for the smell. I preferred to go natural. The only bottle of Old Spice I’ve owned was a gift from some well-meaning relative for graduating from high school. If I’d know that was the prize, I wouldn’t have studied so hard. Come to think of it, I didn’t study very hard, but received this nice gift set none-the-less. There were two cream colored bottles in a nice box. One bottle contained after-shave and the other cologne. I don’t remember what happened to those bottles, but I’m sure they were discarded before they were emptied. The only bottle of Old Spice that I came close to emptying belonged to my grandfather. I was about ten years old and in my youth and naivete, thought the stuff made me smell manly. Using such flawed logic, I assumed the more I used, the more manly I would smell. I don’t think I had to say "excuse me" once that day, as people just opened up a path for me to walk through. It was the closest experience to royalty I had until last November when I got to pet the "first-dog elect" of Honduras.

Back to Leyland’s comments about Old Spice. Michigan’s Old Spice fans couldn’t believe their ears. Was the Tiger’s Skipper, known for his terrible smoker's breath, saying that Old Spice was feminine? Is there something wrong with this after-shave that lures pretty women to sailors as they walk off the docks? Well, yeah, cause he ain't in charge of Merchant Marine morale nor does he want a fancy smelling team who can whistle a tune. Instead, he wants a team that stinks up the locker room after playing hard and beating their opponents. And if I’m going to become a Tiger fan, that’s what I want too. Otherwise, I’ll just go on living in a fantasy world, reliving the days when Jim Leyland managed the Pirates and took Pittsburgh to the National League finals for three straight years. Yeah, those were the good old days.

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In case any of you wondered where I've been--we went on the road for a few days, taking my beloved daughter on a birthday trip to an INDOOR waterpark. It was an exchange to keep from having another party this year, so instead of three hours, it cost three days and no telling how much in greenbacks. But I’m back and waterlogged and tired, but had a blast. I read about this on Thursday (I think this link will only be active for 14 days) and wrote my response last night in the hotel after everyone crashed.

16 comments:

  1. Instead, he wants a team that stinks up the locker room after playing hard and beating their opponents. And if I’m going to become a Tiger fan, that’s what I want too.

    Word to that.

    The Tigers are like New Hampshire to me. Like I keep forgetting that New Hampshire is a state in the union, I keep forgetting that the Tigers are a part of the American League.

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  2. obviously i've never heard of them.
    but i like the sound of the stinky locker room somehow...
    i liked what i've read so far too.
    thanks for dropping by.
    i have heard nothing about this here but i don't read turkish papers or watch local tv. my 'local' perpective depends on conversations with friend and i've been a bit reclusive reclusive for the last couple of days. so i'll get back to you on that.
    and yes i'm from cornwall*

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  3. oh, that's why there were no people. You know, you can slid real fast down the water slide when its iced over...

    Murf, I think I forgot an important modifier here, it was an indoor waterpark in some faux-German town to the east of us.

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  4. Glad you got to have some time away with your daughter.Michele sent me tonight.

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  5. Well, here in Milwaukee, we're quite used to being "cellar dwellars." But, perhaps this year we'll be better. I kind of like the smell of Old Spice....but that's just me.

    Glad your time away with your daughter was fun, although expensive. Michele sent me....

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  6. Hey Sage,
    Glad your family had a great trip together...Can't really comment on all the sports stuff though. My husband's footy (Aussie rules) is gearing up in the next few weeks so I'm sure I'll be tortured with that enough :)

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  7. I'm afraid thatI wouldn't use Old spice if you paid me and I have less than zero interest in Baseball! Here from Michele's today.

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  8. Welcome back! Hope you had a nice time with your daughter!

    I remember buying my dad Old Spice for father's day so many times when I was a kid. I just never realized where those bottles went.

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  9. I got the exact two bottle set for graduation too. I also don't know what became of it but I'm certain it wasn't used up. Maybe graduation is what keeps them in business.

    By the way, Old Spice is in the deoderant business well. When I first read your post, I thought that was what you were referring too.

    As for the baseball reference, I didn't even know Michigan had a professional team. Not being witty here... I truthfully didn't know.

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  10. I enjoyed your story of your use of Old Spice when you were a ten year old. As for sports, I'm afraid that for the most part I don't keep up with that.

    Now a water park, that sounds like fun. And I think it's neat when parents take time away to spend with their children.

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  11. The Tigers still play baseball? Who woulda known? :-P

    The only thing I'm complaining about is Barry Bonds. I wish he'd take his butt out of the game, forfeit any titles he's bound to get, and be a man and admit to his steroid usage.

    But I'm guessing that's a bit much to ask of a ego maniac.

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  12. Nice take on this. I hadn't heard about this "controversy" but I guess I shouldn't find it surprizing. As you said it seems everyone has to complain about something. They should be pleased to have Leyland up there in Detroit, he's probably pretty close to the only manager around that might actually have any chance of turning that team around.

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  13. Hey Sage,
    I've infected your blog :)
    http://daydreamerofoz.blogspot.com/2006/03/ahhhhh-im-infected.html

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  14. Daydreamer, not sure what this "infection" thing is about. I haven't been able to access your blog since this morning, when I first read about it. I tried going back early this evening, but it wouldn't come up--Is blogger still having problems? I have to confess, I'm not the type to "tag" other folks.

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