Sports this 'n' that

 With the return of fans in the stands in ballparks as the 2021 season begins, there are going to be incidents like the one in Anaheim on Monday.

To many, the Houston Astros remain public enemy #1 because of the 2017 cheating scandal that led to the team's 1st World Series title. As the Astros were introduced, ex-Angel Martin Maldonado was spared the wrath of the Angels' fans. One wonders what will happen if former Astro manager AJ Hinch will be similarly greeted when he brings the Detroit Tigers to town later this season. Current Houston manager Dusty Baker understands the lingering anger. 

However, things got goofy during Monday's game.

Photo courtesy of Yahoo!

Some of these venting fans found a creative way to send a message, but it was also a dangerous means of conveying that message. Garbage cans, both metal and inflatable plastic, were launched onto the field, forcing the Angels' ground crew to clean up the mess, delaying the game. The same scene will repeat itself over and over again until commissioner Rob Manfred and city officials in each MLB city, including, of course, Boston and New York, do something to prevent such dangerous misconduct. 

It's been three and a half years. Let it go.

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Everyone assumed Gonzaga would win the NCAA men's basketball championship on Monday. 

Someone forgot to consider their opposition, Baylor.

The Bears, whose women's teams have been among the elite in recent years, captured their first men's title in a stunning title game.

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Several prominent GOPers, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, are throwing their support behind Georgia Governor Brian Kemp after MLB decided to move this year's All-Star Game from the Peach State after Kemp signed a controversial voting rights bill that, reportedly, is meant to restrict the rights of minority and elderly voters in an attempt at the GOPers regaining control of the state. America's Oldest Baby, Donald Trump, put his two cents in over the weekend, just so he'd have something to get his name in the paper.

Do yourselves a favor. Give it up. While voter ID makes sense to ensure there's no attempt at fraud, it's the idea of restricting access for minority voters that has critics upset. Kemp, of course, is denying that he's done anything wrong, but transparency would be a good idea in this case.

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It's just one game, but a Mets sub on Reddit was loaded with angry fans after the bullpen blew a 2-0 lead in the 8th inning, enabling the undefeated Philadelphia Phillies to beat the Mets, 5-3. Mets ace Jacob deGrom didn't quite do his best Shohei Ohtani impersonation, although he had two hits and an RBI at the plate, but he was lifted after 77 pitches through 6 innings. As usual, these fair weather fans were claiming that someone in the front office was giving 2nd year manager Luis Rojas his marching orders. I doubt that. The Mets' announcers discussed the fact that Rojas had made his plans known earlier in the day.

No, what these fans want is for deGrom to go at least 8 innings in each start, and for the Mets to have 5-6 or more runs on the board by the time he's done. That would be fine later in the season, but these idiots don't see the point of protecting their star pitcher this early in the season.

Same whining, different year. Nothing ever changes.