MovieChat Forums > Catching Hell (2011) Discussion > The Lawyer's Ridiculous Report

The Lawyer's Ridiculous Report

posted 13 years ago by jbrickey
7 replies | jump to latest

Just wondering if anyone else thought the two self-appointed commissioners let their fandom get in the way of 180 pages of "facts". I agree with them that the rule states fan interference is when a fan reaches into the field. Looking at the replays it looks like Alou's glove is over the railing not on the field side of the wall. That will be debated for years and so far I've not seen any camera angle right down that railing so I can't say for sure either way.
That's not the part I think is the most ridiculous. What I think is evn more outrageous is when they said with the fan interference call making it two outs the Cubs win the World Series. I would say it would have made it a lot easier to win that game and the NL pennant with only four outs to go. But then to award your team the Series? Perhaps they were looking at interleague where the Cubs won 2 of 3 from the Yankees or that the Yankees went seven with the Red Sox and would be worn out, but that doesn't mean if Steve Bartman gets out of the way the Cubs automatically advance to and win the World Series.
I also look at the Marlins who scored 4 runs with two outs in that inning. Do they score four if Alou catches the ball? It's a question we can't answer but the Marlins went on to win the NLCS by coming back in both game six and seven. One of the Marlins on the documentary said their dugout said that play would swing momentum their way. To me that sounds like they just wanted to see something good. If Rodriguez still gets that single does Gonzalez make the next play or does it happen the same way? There are just too many what ifs that really can't be answered and that's why I think not only is the report ridiculous but blaming Bartman for losing the World Series is even more ridiculous.

[–] Rgrfan1940 13 years ago

Ummm.....you didn't see the humor in their presentation, did you?

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] doggie_rodriguez 9 years ago

Ummm.....you didn't see the humor in their presentation, did you?

These guys were bored and trying to make themselves relevant. I see no humor in that.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Hurley8957 13 years ago

Leave it to a pair of lawyers to write up 180 pages about a single baseball play.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] senorjuez 13 years ago

Their interpretation is way off the mark. One of these guys claimed by way of a blackboard illustration that Bartman's arms extended onto the field and prevented Moises Alou from catching the ball. Footage clearly shows that Bartman's hands came up and out to about the railing and that Alou had to jump up and extend his glove over the wall to have a chance to catch it. Another thing to factor is this wall is about 6-8 ft. high at the point where Bartman was sitting. Therefore if someone is looking straight up, he would not see Alou trying to catch it. In fact, most of the crowd surrounding Bartman was trying to catch the ball and many did not see Alou until the moment they collided.

Compare this incident to the Jeffrey Mayer incident several years earlier: That ball was in fair territory and he clearly stretched his gloved hand onto the field to deny the opposing team's outfielder the chance to catch it. The umpires did not call fan interference, even though there was one close enough to see it as there are two additional umpires during the playoffs stationed on each foul line in the outfield. They ruled it a home run although it would not have cleared the outfield wall if left alone. Interference should definitely have been called and the batter would have been given a double and the young man would have been escorted out.