Spring Training tends to drag on. I understand its length can help a coaching staff better decide who should fill what holes in the field, and who should be sent down to the minors or cut for good. I also understand practice is never a bad thing.

But when we start stretching over 30 games in the spring, it’s time to close up shop and head home already, right? Time for these games to actually mean something? That’s what I would assume the Orioles radio announcing crew thought over the weekend. Because after a game against the Mets hit a rain delay, they never came back when the game resumed, and according to the NY Post (via AA), they told their bosses the game was canceled.

Perhaps they just wanted to go home and nap. One can hardly blame them. Or maybe that wasn’t the case at all, because after this news broke, the boys took to explaining.

To ALL Orioles Fans…..Fred And I had nothing to do with the decision to discontinue the broadcast on Sunday March 29th. It was completely out of our hands … On Sunday,….we filled for about 40 minutes and then we were told to discontinue the broadcast and simply sign off. The engineer left, the equipment went with him. Fred And I did NOT make that decision……we are not in a position to make that decision.

Whatever, I still like the nap explanation better.

Let’s go ahead and coin that phrase, shall we? Henceforth and from now on and whatnot, “pulling a Namath” shall forever and always refer to someone making out with an announcer. Likewise, “getting Namathed” can work here as well. Although I’m sure there are some folks that would argue for “getting Suzied.” Anyway, that’s what happens when an MLB Network sideline Suzy decides to chat it up with Herb Deshaies, father of Astros announcer Jim Deshaies during a Spring Training game today. Via AA, naturally:

A month ago, Puck Daddy, as is his wont, discovered something amazing: Florida Panthers announcer Randy Moller was inserting random, context-free pop-culture quotes into his goal calls. How did he decide which ones to use? He was taking suggestions from Dan Lebatard’s radio audience, and then incorporating them into the broadcast.

Now, via 100% Injury Rate, there is a second batch of these goal calls, and they are pure, unfettered gold. Randy Moller is a true American hero, and I am merely glad to share a continent with him:

“I just had coffee with McCauley HALF AN HOUR AGO.” Like I said: American hero.

OK. Breathe, people. I know that the immediate reaction is: “OHMYSWEETGODNOMOREBRETTFAVRE!” That’s what I said too. Favre is played out, especially considering ESPN’s coverage of his 4,000,000th retirement. Nothing would be better except to see the guy go home to a tractor and a nice quiet life in Mississippi.

But on the other hand, if he was hired by ESPN, would it be that horrible? Um, maybe not. Norby Williamson said that to Michael Heistand: “He’s a funny, dynamic guy and would add to anybody’s coverage.”

This is probably true; Favre is a charming SOB, even if he’s a bit annoying, and you have to imagine that his natural scruff would look even more charming if you let the WWL makeup magicians work him over (they’ve done great work on some heinous mugs in the past, excluding Mel Kiper’s lack of a tan).

Also, he would be replacing Emmitt Smith. Which means that it’s illiterately impossible to set the bar any lower for on-camera journalism.

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