Open Gameday Thread, 8/16

An exciting day here around the McCovey Chronicles home office, featuring the Brian Sabean screen name contest, the announcement of the winners of the All-Star Logo contest, and my first ever banning (or, as the kids call it, "Goin' all Kenshin on someone's ass"). Here are the highlights:

1. I understand I'm just a temp around here and I don't want to overstep my bounds, but I felt I had to make an executive decision today and went ahead and banned the joker who posted this diary, if for no other reason than I believe he represents exactly what we don't want at this site. Being misinformed and inaccurate is one thing, but coupling ignorance with a spiteful, know-it-all attitude is just a bad combination. While I mind needless diaries popping up all the time, I don't mind it nearly as much as a crude and rude attitude toward respected members of this community. Some people think calling each others' ideas stupid is being discourteous. I disagree -- though probably only because I do it all the time. I think we're all big boys and girls (Hey, ladies!) here, and a little verbal fisticuffs is all part of a good, spirited give and take. But when you start disparaging people's personal lives, that's where we're going to have problems. I put up with it a couple of days ago when in this thread, the poster in question made some ludicrous baseball-related statements, then defended himself against my criticisms by accusing me of being "the type that would spank his crank because you are afraid to take a chance" with a girl. But today, when he really showed his baseball ignorance in the diary linked above, and then defended himself by calling fan favorite El Lefty Malo a "nut-sack", and accused him of being a 35-year-old sci-fi geek still living in his parents basement, I'd had enough. If his lack of style and inabilty to engage in intelligent discourse weren't distasteful enough, he's also a tremendously poor judge of character. Anyone who reads Lefty's terrific site, knows he's a cultured, worldly, Renaissance man (losers who live in their parents' basement don't generally read Updike and appreciate Felini films), and I am, in fact, very happily married to the woman of my dreams. I'll let Grant know about the situation, and he can decide upon his return if he wants to reinstate this guy or not. That's why he makes the big bucks.
2. In happier news, Mayor of 311 announced the winners of his All-Star Logo art contest. Big congrats go out to Salemicus and thatdog for taking home the prizes.
3. I also picked a winner for my Sabean screen name contest and will contact him or her (yeah, right!) as soon as I get the opportunity. In keeping with the Sabean theme, you'll notice I've attached a poll to today's thread about possible Sabean moves in the offseason. Rock the vote!

As for tonight's game, the Giants will send Mr. August, Noah Lowry (8-0, 2.57 ERA, .209 BAA lifetime), to the hill as they go for their third win in a row over the Padres. And if Benitez saves another one-run lead in the 9th tonight, I'm stocking up on bottled water and canned foods, because the apocalypse in nigh.