Event Feedback Thread

by Matthew on Sep 4, 2010 11:00 PM PDT in Lookout Landing News

In case you want to discuss things about the event, here's a handy thread.

Please do not talk openly about what was said however as we try to keep these things privy to those able to attend and to encourage our guests to be comfortable with being candid. What you can talk about are ideas to make these better or how strikingly attractive Jeff and I are.

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"... or how strikingly attractive Jeff and I are."

well, that is a given.

by msb on Sep 4, 2010 11:04 PM PDT reply actions

Right, I hadn't seen Jeff and Matthew before, and they are strikingly attractive.

Plus, there was a free blanket and T-shirt involved, so there’s that, and at the end of the day…it is was it is.

by TrustBaseball on Sep 4, 2010 11:47 PM PDT up reply actions

I wasn't there, but some of this seems like it should be in quotes. Should this be banned?

by Edgar2HOF on Sep 5, 2010 12:26 AM PDT up reply actions

I personally thought both were adorable.

LL clearly has the best looking bloggers.

by Patrick Stites on Sep 5, 2010 1:55 AM PDT up reply actions

I completely understand the need to keep it hush-hush and all. It's amazing to me that the Front Office people actually participate, especially in this media age.

But for those of us unable to make it, can you speak to a general gist, theme, or tone?

by truemsfan on Sep 4, 2010 11:13 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

The first rule of USSM/LL night is you don't talk about UUSM/LL night.

by wetzelcoal on Sep 4, 2010 11:16 PM PDT up reply actions

At all? If I had known that I would have gone. Next year I'll go and maybe then it'll be all happy stuff.

by truemsfan on Sep 4, 2010 11:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes, I agree with this.

i didn’t go tonight for 2 reasons (not the least of which is I am going tomorrow and I can’t afford parking down there too often) but I had really hoped to get some feedback from what Z said.

Maybe next year… I will try to remember that I won’t know unless I am there in person. I hope you guys had fun!

by ambrosia2112 on Sep 4, 2010 11:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Parking is super cheap, It just depends on how far your willing to walk.

There is a waltz near by and I always get free parking there.

If its after 6 there is always free parking by the BMW dealership

by LeftArrow2 on Sep 5, 2010 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions

When I go to the games I bring my 2 children, ages 2 and 4.

So I can’t park down by the SoDo like I used to for free parking when I was single…

by ambrosia2112 on Sep 5, 2010 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions

But what's the second rule?

by themanleyman on Sep 5, 2010 12:40 AM PDT up reply actions

Not supposed to talk about it.

If I was a hungry man with a gun in my hand and some promises to keep...

by misterjonez on Sep 5, 2010 12:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Second rule of UUSM/LL night is you don't talk about UUSS/LL night.

by Janic on Sep 5, 2010 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions

McNamara talked about scouting,

Blengino talked about stats, and Zduriencik talked about it being the end of the day.

by Double06 on Sep 5, 2010 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions

So you are saying the audio will not make it to itunes?

by Poochie on Sep 4, 2010 11:22 PM PDT reply actions

Jay Yencich was the best looking

by micahjr on Sep 5, 2010 12:05 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs

For some reason I always had the image in my head of Jay Yencich as a body builder.

He is just the cutest.

by Double06 on Sep 5, 2010 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Gosh.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors

by JY on Sep 5, 2010 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions

I understand why you guys chose to have it at Safeco

and it was awesome being able to take in a game afterwards but I wonder if the presence of the players taking batting practice behind Tony, Tom and Jack may have caused them to be a little less candid than they otherwise might have been.

I did not go to last years event however, so perhaps they were just as candid this time as they were last time?

by faceplant_04 on Sep 5, 2010 12:42 AM PDT reply actions

Don't think it had any effect.

by msb on Sep 5, 2010 8:05 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't think it had any great effect either.

But just out of curiosity does anyone think that the players on the field could even hear us?

by themanleyman on Sep 5, 2010 8:34 AM PDT up reply actions

First event I've been to and it was great.

So did Jeff get like, super drunk from all the beer that was bought for him? Welcome to the big time rockstar!

Other than the giant speaker in my face I thought the Q&A portion was excellent, was a nice atmosphere being able to watch batting practices and warm ups, and of course the Ichiro dingers! I also enjoyed being able to chill and hang out until the game started.

by Patrick Stites on Sep 5, 2010 2:04 AM PDT reply actions

So who turned up from the front office then?

by EnglishMariner on Sep 5, 2010 7:06 AM PDT reply actions

Jack, Tony Blengino & Tom McNamara

Blengino & McNamara hung around for a bit after Jack had to leave for a promised interview

by msb on Sep 5, 2010 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions

Blengino and McNamara were kind enough to come chat with the plebes at the mixer afterwards as well.

Hard work never killed nobody, but I won't take my chances.

by JAH on Sep 5, 2010 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions

I feel it was missing something

by Fett42 on Sep 5, 2010 7:21 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

A good baseball team?

by wetzelcoal on Sep 5, 2010 7:28 AM PDT up reply actions

I saw McNamara had a world series ring on. Anyone know where he got it?

by jackyz on Sep 5, 2010 10:35 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

Anyone ask for a refund?

by ThundaPC on Sep 5, 2010 10:36 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

God, I'm really, really bummed I missed this.

On the bright side, 72-0.

Work.
My Twitter.

by thehemogoblin on Sep 5, 2010 10:37 AM PDT reply actions

Blow your brains out with your mother's cock.

by Robert on Sep 5, 2010 10:55 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions 8 recs

Calm the hell down.

Work.
My Twitter.

by thehemogoblin on Sep 5, 2010 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions

I was amazed that the rumors of Ichiro being a home run machine in batting practice were all true.

I don’t think we saw Branyan take hacks, but he out-homered everyone else. Not that that’s hard to do, but still.

by Double06 on Sep 5, 2010 10:54 AM PDT reply actions

I watched him take BP almost everyday from 04-06 and this was one of his less impressive showings.

by Robert on Sep 5, 2010 10:57 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

He hit a line drive off of the Hit It Here Cafe that was still rising

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 5, 2010 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions

I saw that too!

It was awesome.

by faceplant_04 on Sep 6, 2010 1:00 AM PDT up reply actions

In 2002 I was standing on the HiH terrace, and I swear Ichiro purposely tried to hit me with a HR.

430-440 feet away, and the ball would’ve hit me in the face if I didn’t move.

I am going to come into your house at night and rec up the place.

by HititHere on Sep 7, 2010 9:53 AM PDT up reply actions

We did see Branyan take BP, same group as Ichiro I think

Hit a few out to left and out to center, but beat the ball into the ground for the most part.

by c_dowley on Sep 5, 2010 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions

That's probably why I didn't recognize him!

by Double06 on Sep 5, 2010 11:36 PM PDT up reply actions

That was Kotch.

by Kirk on Sep 6, 2010 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions

No beard

Kotch was in the next group

by c_dowley on Sep 6, 2010 9:06 PM PDT up reply actions

I knew it!!!!

by Robert on Sep 8, 2010 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions

The only question I want to ask, and when giving answers, don't be specific due to the gag order.

Did you come away from the event feeling as though all your concerns had been addressed / answered?

Fans are typically idiots.

by The Typical Idiot Fan on Sep 5, 2010 12:23 PM PDT reply actions

No.

My opinion only, though. That said, it was still more than worth it. And sometimes they accidentally give us some gems to take home. Didn’t happen this time though. This is my third time going to a USSM/LL event and I will certainly do my best to attend the next one.

by Double06 on Sep 5, 2010 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Not my biggest concern, no.

In fact, my biggest concern was, if anything, worsened somewhat. That said, the majority of my lesser concerns were at least somewhat sated.

by c_dowley on Sep 5, 2010 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions

I thought it was thoroughly inappropriate for Dave to chirp in with snide comments

re: the team’s playing this year, when the event was on the loudspeaker while the team was taking batting practice

I mean yeah the team hasn’t been good this year, but cutting in with snide remarks when the team can hear you just screamed overcompensation for the #6org debacle

by ManifestDestiny on Sep 5, 2010 12:34 PM PDT reply actions

I disagree.

Zduriencik even gave him a light punch in the arm when he made the first one. And you’re assuming that the team can hear from the third deck, even with what they’re concentrating on and listening to instruction, and there were distractions on the field such as music. And even if they can hear, it’s not like this is the first time they’ve gotten criticism from fans or media. I don’t want to make assumptions, but to me it looks like your comment is mixed with confirmation bias.

However, while I enjoy listening to the bloggers speak, I personally don’t attend for them. Zduriencik and co. are the main attraction for me. And if Dave’s little needles are impeding on better responses from them, then you and I can agree that events in the future will be better without them. That said, we don’t know if this is the case.

by Double06 on Sep 5, 2010 2:56 PM PDT up reply actions

I do have a question for the people who went.

Regarding confidence level, did you come away more encouraged, less encouraged, or about the same? For those who went to the prior events, did your opinions change at all?

by ThundaPC on Sep 5, 2010 1:33 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

About the same, but my confidence level is pretty high in the grand scheme of things,

and I wasn’t expecting my confidence level to change either. I went to the one at Benaroya Hall in January and I enjoyed that one more, but only because Zduriencik had more time. (I didn’t time it so that may only be my perception.) That and the euphoria over Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins may have helped.

by Double06 on Sep 5, 2010 3:00 PM PDT up reply actions

I told both Jeff and Dave, but will reiterate here

I know it might not be feasible during the early-year meetings, but sitting at the ballpark and talking about baseball while the Ms were taking BP was really awesome. Some of us were sitting at such a vantage point so that we were unable to see the speakers, but the PA was loud enough that I just kicked back and listened while watching the Mariners take their drills, and took photos of whatever was going on around me. It was a really good idea to do it that way -plus, everyone gets to sit together during the game, and I got to meet a bunch of people during the mixer thingy that I might not have met otherwise at a meeting-only event.
Also, love the t-shirt. It’s white, so I’ll likely ruin it easier, but it fits well and I do like the logo. Just my two bits…

~Garrett Olson is my secret boyfriend~

by section331 on Sep 5, 2010 4:01 PM PDT reply actions

I should also add

That like msb, I doubt the players could hear everything that was being said – the music being played at field level likely drowned most of it out – and I can’t think the PR folks would have put us up there if they felt it would be a detriment to the on-field activities…

~Garrett Olson is my secret boyfriend~

by section331 on Sep 5, 2010 7:16 PM PDT up reply actions