Joint problems are always a concern.

Thanks for your thoughts. Definitely understand the desire on AR’s part to deflect the scrutiny, but jeez. Throwing your dad/head coach under the bus doesn’t seem like the wisest way to go about it.

Honest question, not a snarky one – why do you think he’s saying this, then?

This.

The best decision I ever made (apart from finally seeking treatment for the mental disorder I was too ashamed to confront) was to get out of the field everyone told me was a smart, socially responsible career choice (neurology) and go back to something I remembered liking in high school (acting), which I dropped…

Even if my own career weren’t so disappointing and useless, my opinions about her future would be. The entire conversation is horseshit. I am nothing but a future stick-in-the-mud, back-in-my-day piece of human detritus.

I’m pretty sure the poem says “head,” but he said “hand” (according to the linked article). So was it quoted to him incorrectly (“Mr. Knowles, has your daughter ever been a slave to your hand?”), or was it a Freudian slip on his part, or did he say “head” too and the original reporter made the typo?

Infantilizing or not, the world would be an objectively better place if we called all bathrooms wee-wee huts.

Look, I don’t get what you guys think is so funny. Some of those mid-2000s Mariners teams were lucky to finish 5th in the AL West.

Honestly, Jim is going to have to do better than this to win the bigoted old white guy vote.

Not to say that making them sound like rednecks isn’t in itself a worthy goal.

I just wanted to join the chorus and send some love your way. You have nothing to feel guilty about!

Well said :)

That’s the worst, isn’t it? You know you’re hearing the vitriol because you hit a nerve and made them uncomfortable, but the words hurt anyway.

“You aren’t nobody. You’re Alex from Denver and you’re sick of this shit.”

I don’t think it’s tone policing to say “In my experience, this has been less effective,” or “I prefer to do things this way,” or even “This bothers me.” I’m not saying, nor would I ever say, “stop doing this.” I get just as frustrated. It doesn’t change the fact that I don’t believe the confrontational approach does…

Fair enough :) I didn’t read through the whole conversation, just the original question and your reply.

I agree with almost everything you said. I certainly hope you didn’t understand my comment to be a denial of your basic humanity.

I didn’t see that. You’re right, meh. I was mostly writing about the situation in general – how to react when someone asks “What should I do?”

I’m grateful for your polite reply. And I certainly agree there’s much to be said for doing your own homework.