Baseball Vs. Football

There's a great video that they're talking about on Deadspin where Joe Mauer appears to be tipping pitches to Jason Kubel.  It's a really interesting view of the game, and it got me thinking about baseball and football.

I've long held that football is the way we wish our lives could be, with big moments accounting for people's opinion of us, moments sprayed across the stage where everyone takes notice of our amazing accomplishments.  That's why it appeals to us: After we accomplish a task, we wish we could run around, giving high fives and getting encouragement and cheers.  However, in baseball, those moments are few and far between.  It's a grind, a marathon built up of little moments that add up to an overall reputation.  Do you play the same in April as October?  Do you always care about excellence, or do you only do the big things and none of the little things?

After the Mauer/Detroit incident, I thought of another apt comparison.  Football is usually likened to war, with an emphasis on offense and defense.  Quarterbacks are referred to as field generals.  Players are referred to as "warriors."  However, baseball isn't the same way.  It has an attitude more like diplomacy, where two teams put on the airs of gentlemen playing a gentleman's game.  However, peel back the genteel exterior and you'll find deceit, double-crossing and backstabbing.  Every time it's uncovered, everyone says that they're shocked, SHOCKED to be finding such things in such a dignified game.  Then, things go back to normal, where both teams are trying to backstab each other.

I love baseball.