Striking out. (Here Below).MOST SPORTS FANS ARE good people who cheer respectfully and add much to the color and enjoyment of our games. They are the good guys. Unfortunately, they don't always compensate for the bad guys--the maniacs who throw things on the field, start fires, shout vilely, and start drunken brawls. In between the good and the bad is the pathetic--the show-biz elite who flutter around our star athletes like groupie moths. It is astonishing a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. to watch big-name stars like Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22 1937), known as Jack Nicholson, is a three time Academy Award winning American actor internationally renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals of neurotic characters. , Billy Crystal, and Spike Lee cuddling around the Mickey Mantles, Billy Martins, and Dennis Rodmans. They sit in their $1,000 courtside court·side n. The area immediately bordering the official court of play, as in tennis or basketball. seats where the cameras can find them and then show up in the locker rooms to be quoted on their love for sports and how they too might have been big-time athletes if they hadn't been two feet too short. It is pathetic listening to an otherwise nice, bright guy like Billy Crystal babbling babbling Neurology Quasi-random vocalizations in infants that precede language acquisition. See Lalling stage. about his deceased "pal," Mickey, and what a lovable drunk he had been, or how another of his "pals," Muhammad Ali, liked to put his arms around him and quote T.S. Eliot in his ear. In the old days it was different. The hero worshippers would attach themselves to ballplayers and live to serve them--get them tickets to hot shows, dates with girls, gifts for their kids, and look after their apartments when they were on the road. The most dreadful hero-worshipper we ever met was a small-time small·time or small-time adj. Informal Insignificant or unimportant; minor: a smalltime actor. small millionaire whom we once had the misfortune to sit next to at a sports luncheon. Some time during the lunch, he leaned over and said, "Would you like to talk to Ted Husing?" We were startled star·tle v. star·tled, star·tling, star·tles v.tr. 1. To cause to make a quick involuntary movement or start. 2. To alarm, frighten, or surprise suddenly. See Synonyms at frighten. . The legendary sportscaster had recently suffered a devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. stroke that had confined him permanently to bed under 24-hour nursing care. "You actually see him and talk to him?" we said. "Yeah! I visit him every day, I am the only person who does." He smiled radiantly. It was a huge moment in his life. A superstar loved him. "Would you like to visit with me tomorrow?" We could only stare at him. He wasn't stupid. He wasn't a bad guy. And he was rich. Why did he have to be so appalling? We knew. He suffered from a total lack of self-esteem. He had to have attention and feel important. And the only way he could get it was by buying it--do favors for people, suck up to suck up to Verb Informal to flatter (a person in authority) in order to get something, such as praise or promotion the stars. Even when the person is dying? Because he is dying. ("He needs me.") |
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