Remember manager in your speech
Chicago White Sox Manager Robin Ventura insisted that Adam Dunn attend the Academy Awards on Sunday, but he told Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com he wouldn’t let his slugger leave without making one promise.
“Ventura said Thursday that one condition for Dunn to attend the movie industry’s biggest night is that he absolutely must go on stage if Dallas Buyers Club wins the award for best picture,” Padilla wrote. “As part of the production team for Dallas Buyers Club, Dunn certainly would be allowed on stage for the moment. Dunn is an investor in the production company Truth Entertainment, which made the film after the 2012 baseball season.
“The film stars Matthew McConaughey (nominated for best actor) and Jared Leto (nominated for best supporting actor). Dunn had a cameo in the film as a bartender and his character was listed in the credits as Neddie Jay.”
According to Padilla, Dunn had been noncommittal to leaving camp, but Ventura and General Manager Rick Hahn insisted that he go. Dunn confirmed his travel plans Thursday.
“He’s a great teammate,” Ventura told Padilla. “He came in and talked it over and he wanted to make sure everybody was all right with it, but I think he should go. It’s probably once in a lifetime. I don’t know how many more movies he’s going to be in. I don’t know if his career is going to take off after Neddie Jay.”
While watching the film, Ventura told Padilla that he was instantly distracted when Dunn came on the screen. He even laughed at the sight of Dunn flipping a towel over his shoulder while working the bar. Ventura admitted he was scolded by his wife for laughing during a moment that wasn’t supposed to be comedic.
“While Dunn brought a tuxedo with him to spring training, he said he is going to rent a higherend model instead,” Padilla wrote. “As far as what he will wear when he gets back to camp, Ventura liked the idea of hanging a jersey with “Neddie Jay” across the back instead of Dunn’s last name.” Hardball holiday?
Budweiser sponsored a White House petition to make MajorLeague Baseball’s first regular season day a national holiday.
“Opening Day brings with it the promise of a new beginning,” it reads. “Every fan is in good spirits. It’s a day of celebration.
It’s a day of hope. It’s a day that, for generations, has been looked forward to by baseball fans every off-season. It’s an American tradition, and it deserves to be recognized as an American holiday.”
As of Thursday afternoon, there were nearly 46,000 signatures for the petition on whitehouse.gov. It needs 100,000 by March 26.
Charles Curtis of NJ.com provided five reasons why he would not sign the petition.
“1. It’s signed by the same people who call in sick the day after the Super Bowl because they’re hung over.
“2. If Opening Day is so American, how come this year’s opener is in Australia?
“3. There isn’t just one Opening Day anymore, there are usually several.
“4. If you want to stay home Opening Day, use a vacation day like everybody else.
“5. Should it really be a national holiday when the Mets start another doomed season ?”Quote of the day “It was hell, but it gave me an opportunity to be a head coach.” Dennis Winston on moving from defensive coordinator to interim coach last season at Grambling State
Sports, Pages 20 on 02/28/2014