The Braves, Brewers and Memory

With all of the sensational news lately -- Roger McDowell's tirade, fans cheering bin Laden's death -- I started thinking of happier topics. At the top of the list are my earliest memories of heading to the ballpark.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in Milwaukee where big league baseball was part of the fabric of the city. The Braves are a fuzzy memory for me. I was only 6 when the Braves headed South, but I can remember going to a game. The only images in my mind's eye are walking in the concourse at County Stadium. It's a pleasant memory, if scant on details.

The next Braves memory I have is of my cousins, who lived in Atlanta, telling me my team was headed their way. I can still feel the shock of hearing that. Maybe it was city pride, but I was saddened when my Dad confirmed the bad news.

Scandals Barely Noticed

Has anyone noticed the number of arrests and general reports of bad behavior involving players and coaches that have been reported since the season started?

They have ranged from Atlanta Braves coach Roger McDowell getting into it with fans, Mike Leake of the Cincinnati Reds being picked up for shoplifting a few shirts, and, back to the Braves, the arrest of pitcher Derek Lowe on a DUI charge.

That's only part of the list. Former major leaguer Carl Everett was arrested on an assault charge that involved a weapon. Elijah Dukes, another former big leaguer, was arrested on a charge of driving with a suspended license.

All of this off-the-field news can't make baseball happy. The amazing thing is that all of this police blotter activity has made barely a ripple on some sports media sites. It seems that it wasn't long ago that the arrest of a player would be big news. And the idea of a coach or player having a fracas with fans would have produced a huge reaction.