Greetings from Scotland...

kilfara · 04-19-2003, 10:02 AM

...our Brazilian friend has asked me to introduce myself, so here goes! My name is Darren Kilfara, and I'm living in a very small town in the west of Scotland called Campbeltown, where I'm in the process of writing my second book. (Details of the first, for anyone who is interested, can be found at:

http://www.workman.com/catalog/pagemaker.cgi?1565123018

It's about golf, not baseball - sorry!)

My wife and I have a subscription to Sky (satellite TV), and I'm paying £13 a month especially for one of the newest channels on the platform, the North American Sports Network - loads and loads and loads of baseball, among other things. Thank goodness for day baseball - prime-time viewing in this country! Anyway, I love the science of sabremetric analysis, the whole concept that sport can (accurately!) be reduced, in a sense, to little more than numbers. Mostly I'm content to sit on the sidelines and just soak it all up, but as and when I have something to say, I'll chime in with it.

Also, FWIW I grew up in Atlanta and am therefore a big Braves fan; I also went to university in Boston and therefore quickly became a big Red Sox fan. If the Red Sox were to meet the Braves in the World Series I think I'd have to root for the Red Sox - just because, well, you know, it's been SO long! - but that's neither here nor there. (I did a fair bit of sports radio in college - I got to broadcast a Beanpot game at Fenway Park - needless to say, if you ever get an offer to watch a game in Fenway from the press box, TAKE IT!)

I wish the Braves could find a Billy Beane disciple of their own to replace Schuerholz, anyway.

Well, that's me...keep up the good chat!

Cheers,
Darren

JamesI · 04-19-2003, 10:31 AM

Welcome!

hmrsf · 04-19-2003, 10:36 AM

Welcome! welcome! welcome!

All are welcomed to the shrine! So sit tight in an upright position and let the baseball knowledge flow!

BTW: I would root for the BoSox too!

Ytown Tribe fan · 04-19-2003, 11:07 AM

Just giving you some grief -- that's all that Tribe fans have left anymore.

Welcome ... and you're welcome (for '95 that is).

WiredTiger · 04-19-2003, 11:23 AM

Welcome to the site. Your book sounds very interesting. I am sure you'll be happy here among the golfers and Red Sox fans.

Skip · 04-19-2003, 12:55 PM

Welcome. Is that reason the Braves have such a bad rep for selling tickets - the fans all live too far away??

sweaver · 04-19-2003, 01:34 PM

And a bonny time you'll have here, I trust!

Wolf Hopper · 04-19-2003, 01:41 PM

"Welcome!" from me.

Please be sure to read this thread (by clicking on the text):
http://www.netshrine.com/vbulletin2/...&threadid=4789
You should find it very helpful.
Happy posting!

gyb13 · 04-19-2003, 03:01 PM

well, darren, between NetShrine and the NASN, maybe we'll convert you away from that silly game with clubs....

KCBOOMER · 04-19-2003, 06:27 PM

Welcome aboard!!

kilfara · 04-19-2003, 07:28 PM

Thanks, guys, for your messages. A couple of quick replies:

--Atlanta fans love college football first and everything else a distant second. Really, it's SEC country - the Braves were a nice bandwagon while they lasted (for most people...), but about now everyone's starting to buy their Street & Smiths and plotting their NFL Draft boards. Yeah, it's a shame...but hey, most people don't have a say about where they grow up.

--By the way, I was a Braves fan BEFORE the bandwagon began. The NL West title season in 1982 (age 8) was my first real experience of rooting for the Braves; after that, there were lots and lots and lots (did I mention lots?) of lean years to feed on. And yet, for a guy who went to only 5 or 6 games a season, I saw some pretty amazing things: Dale Murphy hit two HRs in an inning; Derek Lilliquist hit two HRs in a game; Otis Nixon hit a HR (period!); David Cone argue with an umpire after a close call at first and allow a runner to score from second; and then, in 1991, a no-hitter (Mercker-Wohlers-Pena) and the game we won against the Astros on the penultimate day of the season to win the West. All sorts of weird and wonderful oddities that make baseball so great...

--I think we spell it "bonnie" over here, not "bonny", but don't quote me on that!

--You'll never convert me away from "the silly game with clubs"

, because I like any number of different sports. I've even taken up playing cricket - when I lived in London my company did have a softball team (and a real league and everything), but it's much easier to get 22 people together for cricket in most places (even Scotland) than to get 18 or 20 people together for softball. Anyway, if anyone ever wants to compare cricket to baseball, I'm your guy.

Cheers,
Darren

gyb13 · 04-19-2003, 07:51 PM

i dunno if i'd even call golf a sport

i've taken up cricket (watching, not playing, though i did once) after a couple of trips to southern africa... was in zimbabwe last month while the world cup was going on... what did you think?

rcartman28 · 04-21-2003, 11:14 AM

Greetings, and happy posting....

YankeeLinks · 04-25-2003, 11:55 AM

Welcome, and don't listen to the disparaging comments about golf. Those folks are just jealous that they can't play golf that well.

pwdennis · 05-12-2003, 04:28 PM

Welcome aboard

Braves fans always welcome

04-19-2003, 10:02 AM	#1
kilfara NetShrine Hot Prospect Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 17	Greetings from Scotland... ...our Brazilian friend has asked me to introduce myself, so here goes! My name is Darren Kilfara, and I'm living in a very small town in the west of Scotland called Campbeltown, where I'm in the process of writing my second book. (Details of the first, for anyone who is interested, can be found at: http://www.workman.com/catalog/pagemaker.cgi?1565123018 It's about golf, not baseball - sorry!) My wife and I have a subscription to Sky (satellite TV), and I'm paying £13 a month especially for one of the newest channels on the platform, the North American Sports Network - loads and loads and loads of baseball, among other things. Thank goodness for day baseball - prime-time viewing in this country! Anyway, I love the science of sabremetric analysis, the whole concept that sport can (accurately!) be reduced, in a sense, to little more than numbers. Mostly I'm content to sit on the sidelines and just soak it all up, but as and when I have something to say, I'll chime in with it. Also, FWIW I grew up in Atlanta and am therefore a big Braves fan; I also went to university in Boston and therefore quickly became a big Red Sox fan. If the Red Sox were to meet the Braves in the World Series I think I'd have to root for the Red Sox - just because, well, you know, it's been SO long! - but that's neither here nor there. (I did a fair bit of sports radio in college - I got to broadcast a Beanpot game at Fenway Park - needless to say, if you ever get an offer to watch a game in Fenway from the press box, TAKE IT!) I wish the Braves could find a Billy Beane disciple of their own to replace Schuerholz, anyway. Well, that's me...keep up the good chat! Cheers, Darren

04-19-2003, 10:36 AM	#3
hmrsf forum mom Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: relocation Posts: 4,298	Welcome! welcome! welcome! All are welcomed to the shrine! So sit tight in an upright position and let the baseball knowledge flow! BTW: I would root for the BoSox too! __________________ NDF who shares good karma! Get a coaster! My cup is not only 1/2 full it is brimming! We don't need no stinking Arods! Last edited by hmrsf : 04-19-2003 at 10:38 AM.

04-19-2003, 11:07 AM	#4
Ytown Tribe fan Guest Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Scrappers territory Posts: 2,515	1948 baby!! 1948!! Just giving you some grief -- that's all that Tribe fans have left anymore. Welcome ... and you're welcome (for '95 that is).

04-19-2003, 01:41 PM	#8
Wolf Hopper NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 6,191	"Welcome!" from me. Please be sure to read this thread (by clicking on the text): http://www.netshrine.com/vbulletin2/...&threadid=4789 You should find it very helpful. Happy posting! __________________ Steve, Forum Administrator POSTING TIP FOR THE DAY: When composing a post, think about what you would say if the intended recipient was an individual who was actually sitting just two feet in front of you, in person, rather than just some far away and anonymous audience who only can identify you as text on a PC screen - - and then write your post in that manner. It makes for remarkable and sincere discourse.

04-19-2003, 03:01 PM	#9
gyb13 NS Omnipresent Brasilian Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Crazy George's playground Posts: 10,903	well, darren, between NetShrine and the NASN, maybe we'll convert you away from that silly game with clubs.... __________________ Gustavo NDF Moderator Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin

04-19-2003, 10:31 AM	#2
JamesI Netshrine Vacuum Cleaner Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Potsdam, N.Y. Posts: 3,723	Welcome!

04-19-2003, 11:23 AM	#5
WiredTiger Guest Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The city of Kaline, Cobb and Greenberg Posts: 3,395	Welcome to the site. Your book sounds very interesting. I am sure you'll be happy here among the golfers and Red Sox fans.

04-19-2003, 12:55 PM	#6
Skip NetShrine Vagabond Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Louisville Posts: 7,866	Welcome. Is that reason the Braves have such a bad rep for selling tickets - the fans all live too far away??

04-19-2003, 01:34 PM	#7
sweaver Netshrine Cleanup Hitter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Mountain State Posts: 8,883	And a bonny time you'll have here, I trust!

04-19-2003, 06:27 PM	#10
KCBOOMER NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Home of the T-Bones Posts: 11,116	Welcome aboard!! __________________ KCBOOMER *Buck O'Neil: The Monarch of Baseball*

04-19-2003, 07:28 PM	#11
kilfara NetShrine Hot Prospect Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 17	Thanks, guys, for your messages. A couple of quick replies: --Atlanta fans love college football first and everything else a distant second. Really, it's SEC country - the Braves were a nice bandwagon while they lasted (for most people...), but about now everyone's starting to buy their Street & Smiths and plotting their NFL Draft boards. Yeah, it's a shame...but hey, most people don't have a say about where they grow up. --By the way, I was a Braves fan BEFORE the bandwagon began. The NL West title season in 1982 (age 8) was my first real experience of rooting for the Braves; after that, there were lots and lots and lots (did I mention lots?) of lean years to feed on. And yet, for a guy who went to only 5 or 6 games a season, I saw some pretty amazing things: Dale Murphy hit two HRs in an inning; Derek Lilliquist hit two HRs in a game; Otis Nixon hit a HR (period!); David Cone argue with an umpire after a close call at first and allow a runner to score from second; and then, in 1991, a no-hitter (Mercker-Wohlers-Pena) and the game we won against the Astros on the penultimate day of the season to win the West. All sorts of weird and wonderful oddities that make baseball so great... --I think we spell it "bonnie" over here, not "bonny", but don't quote me on that! --You'll never convert me away from "the silly game with clubs" , because I like any number of different sports. I've even taken up playing cricket - when I lived in London my company did have a softball team (and a real league and everything), but it's much easier to get 22 people together for cricket in most places (even Scotland) than to get 18 or 20 people together for softball. Anyway, if anyone ever wants to compare cricket to baseball, I'm your guy. Cheers, Darren

04-19-2003, 07:51 PM	#12
gyb13 NS Omnipresent Brasilian Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Crazy George's playground Posts: 10,903	i dunno if i'd even call golf a sport i've taken up cricket (watching, not playing, though i did once) after a couple of trips to southern africa... was in zimbabwe last month while the world cup was going on... what did you think? __________________ Gustavo NDF Moderator Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin

04-21-2003, 11:14 AM	#13
rcartman28 NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hudson, WI Posts: 1,408	Greetings, and happy posting.... __________________ I would have looked out for the water main. But that's just me..... Brett Favre

04-25-2003, 11:55 AM	#14
YankeeLinks NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Home of 27 World Championships Posts: 2,862	Welcome, and don't listen to the disparaging comments about golf. Those folks are just jealous that they can't play golf that well.

05-12-2003, 04:28 PM	#15
pwdennis NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winter Springs, FL Posts: 2,503	Welcome aboard Braves fans always welcome __________________ "I would submit that if the world survives for a million years, perhaps its finest hour may be that in the last half of the 20th century, when the power to blow up the world rested in the hands of a few men in two very unsophisticated and suspicious countries, we didn't do it, and one American, Richard Nixon, moved the cold war away from permanent confrontation toward victory. How could any wrong that he did compare with that?" - John Sears

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