crossing over

my other blog has a r.i.p. tag. i didn't want to have to add one to this blog. now i have. let's all hope i need never use it again.

josh hancock was this team's cal eldred, in one respect, having the strength of ego to do the mop-up role but the ability to get the outs when they were most important. josh was a team player and from all accounts an extremely nice guy. i liked him, i liked that we had him in cardinal red.

the question has been raised: was josh hancock drunk? the answer, in my opinion, is meaningless. will his death be less tragic if he was intoxicated? will his friends and family grieve any less?

in the last twenty years or so, a vocal minority has arisen in our country blaming alcohol for any manner of social ills, using drunk driving as an easy target for their spearhead. drunk driving is foolish and unsafe, but that doesn't make drinking evil. if we're playing fair, let's go ahead and condemn driving as well, since it's hard to get a dui on foot. driving is worse for more people (and the environment) than drinking, which primarily affects the drinker.

i've railed about this once too many times this year. go cardinals. resquiat in pace, josh.