Sports should be more fun.

Formerly known as Shaggsky. 36. He/him. Ohio resident, St. Louis native. Love sports, but fans are too angry and need to lighten up. I answer all questions, tweet @TomLindholm314, and Bleet @ tommylindholm314.bsky.social

[tommylindholm]

I'll enjoy the World Cup Final in an hour like everyone, but first, I gotta say something about MLB cracking down on AI assistance in the dugouts. Primarily wondering why it was ever allowed in the first place.

If you need AI to help you run a baseball team, you shouldn't be running a baseball team.

[tommylindholm]

Now that the World Cup is over, I can focus on other things (for now).

I've been trying to get my alt channel off the ground, with varying degrees of (but generally limited) success.

It's a channel where I talk about my pop culture interests, called World's Worst Nerd. Gaming, Star Trek, pro wrestling, etc. But it's struggling, and I really enjoy doing this. This video is my newest one, where I talk about Major League Baseball's relationship with AI, and how much it sucks because fuck AI. I hope someone out there enjoys it!

[tommylindholm]

I'll enjoy the World Cup Final in an hour like everyone, but first, I gotta say something about MLB cracking down on AI assistance in the dugouts. Primarily wondering why it was ever allowed in the first place.

If you need AI to help you run a baseball team, you shouldn't be running a baseball team.

[tommylindholm]

If you're a Major League Baseball manager and using generative AI to help you make game-time decisions, you shouldn't be managing an MLB team.

MLB restricts using dugout iPads for AI-assisted in-game strategy

Major League Baseball is restricting iPad usage in dugouts to prevent the tablets from running artificial intelligence to help make strategy

[tommylindholm]

Are the commercials for Polymarket and Claude AI supposed to be that creepy and unsettling?

Because that's exactly what vibes they give off.

[tommylindholm]

I can't get over how angry Star Trek fans get when you tell them that The Orville isn't actually, y'know, Star Trek.

I've mostly seen this on Twitter and the Trek subreddit (r/startrek). They act like both franchises are fused into one. And sure, Trek was obviously a tremendous influence on Orville. Seth McFarlane is a lifelong Trekkie, and even appeared in a few episodes. But holy crap, the dickriding that Trek fans do to that show is just embarrassing.

I get it. Trekkies are a diverse bunch who like a lot of different sci-fi properties. And maybe I'm in the minority who doesn't really care about sci-fi outside of Trek. I don't care about Star Wars, Babylon 5, Stargate, Battlestar, Dune, etc. And I don't have a lot of company in that regard. And that's fine.

But Trekkies really need to shut the hell up about Orville.

They're two different franchises. Act like it. If you want to talk about Orville, go to their sub, and keep it out of the Star Trek sub. I don't know why this needs to be said.

[the-great-and-powerful-andrew]

Please for the love of all that is good in the world go outside and touch grass.

[tommylindholm]

Well that was a bit uncalled for but okay.

[tommylindholm]

There's a lot of hate from fans at the hydration breaks being taken at the World Cup. And I don't know why.

At most of those stadiums, it's hot. Especially in Florida, Texas, and Mexico. There's literally zero reason to dislike the breaks.

[tommylindholm]

I can't get over how angry Star Trek fans get when you tell them that The Orville isn't actually, y'know, Star Trek.

I've mostly seen this on Twitter and the Trek subreddit (r/startrek). They act like both franchises are fused into one. And sure, Trek was obviously a tremendous influence on Orville. Seth McFarlane is a lifelong Trekkie, and even appeared in a few episodes. But holy crap, the dickriding that Trek fans do to that show is just embarrassing.

I get it. Trekkies are a diverse bunch who like a lot of different sci-fi properties. And maybe I'm in the minority who doesn't really care about sci-fi outside of Trek. I don't care about Star Wars, Babylon 5, Stargate, Battlestar, Dune, etc. And I don't have a lot of company in that regard. And that's fine.

But Trekkies really need to shut the hell up about Orville.

They're two different franchises. Act like it. If you want to talk about Orville, go to their sub, and keep it out of the Star Trek sub. I don't know why this needs to be said.

[tommylindholm]

In the spirit of the FIFA World Cup, I want soccer jerseys. But only for countries that Republicans hate. Even if they're not in the tournament this year.

Mexico, Palestine, Iran, Somalia, Venezuela, Canada, Cuba, etc. If the right wing hates them, I want their football shirt.

[derinthescarletpescatarian]

"The trannies should be able to piss in whatever toilet they want and change their bodies however they want. Why is it my business if some chick has a dick or a guy has a pie? I'm not a trannie or a fag so I don't care, just give 'em the medicine they need."

"This is an LGBT safe space. Of COURSE I fully support individuals who identify as transgender and their right to self-determination! I just think that transitioning is a very serious choice and should be heavily regulated. And there could be a lot of harm in exposing cis children to such topics, so we should be really careful about when it is appropriate to mention trans issues or have too much trans visibility."

One of the above statements is Problematic and the other is slightly annoying. If we disagree on which is which then working together for a better future is going to get really fucking difficult.

[june-egbert-official]

Someone who says they don't care if dudes wear dresses and makeup is a better ally than someone who says they're a safe space for women and non-binary people. I am not joking.

[redrook]

yeah I went to a gay bar recently with my husband tumblr user beemovieerotica, and a VERY confused capital S Southerner straight man in cargo shorts and a trucker hat showed up

apparently he (who through my drunken memory I remember only as Earl) liked some woman, and she told him that he wasn't cultured enough and needed to attend his first drag show (she also flaked on him)

Now I'm reasonably androgynous and was wearing makeup, a short leather skirt, and black heeled boots, but still when this guy came up to me when I was standing off alone and asked "So. Do you come here often?" with a very earnest expression, I thought. Surely not. This guy doesn't think I'm a straight woman does he????

Anyway I start talking with this guy and he has no idea what the fuck is going on but he is just a very kind and earnest dude and asked a lot of questions (while asking if it was alright if he asked those questions). I track down my husband and friends and I'm like y'all. We need to make sure that Earl has a Good Fucking Time tonight.

Man was completely out of his depth. At one point they put on a puppy auction to raise money for Pride, that started with a 6 ft drag queen in all her glory leading a leather pup out on a leash to the tune of that damned RSPCA "in the arms of the angels" song

We look at Earl. Nervous. He squints, laughs, and then goes "I was wondering why people were dressed like that!" He turned to me and asked "So they're like dogs?" And I said yeah pretty much. And he just chuckled and went "Yeah I thought so with the tails! Never seen this before!"

When the first drag king came out, Earl looked at me wide eyed and went "There's a dude version too?!" And I said yeah they're called drag kings. And he said, low, "Drag kings."

During one of the queens performances, he frowned, shook his head and told me, "Your legs are better than hers." in a tone that implied he thought there was some travesty taking place and I should also be getting paid

When he found out I was there with my husband (and that I am not a woman) he profusely apologized and said "I'm so sorry, it's dark in here and I thought you were a hot chick! I wouldn't have said nothing if I knew you had a husband, I'm so sorry about that."

When beemovie invited me to the dance floor with him later and I still had a drink in my hand, Earl said "Oh don't worry about that I can hold your drink, you get on out there and shake your ass with your husband!" Then before we left, Earl bought me drinks for "Putting up with me all night and answering everything. Y'all helped me have a great time tonight."

like. You gotta recognize there's going to people who have never had interacted outside of their of their own community. This includes you. And just because your community is familiar with all the right vocabulary and how to correctly say something, it doesn't mean they're actually going to support you. If someone like Earl shows up, confused and out of their depth but kind and curious and earnest, you gotta have patience and truck through the small things, so when he goes back to his friends and his coworkers and they snicker asking how the drag show was, he can genuinely talk about how included we tried to make him feel and that he had a great time

The person matters more than the language

[plasticpursesweetpea]

I will fuckin never not reblog this.

[tommylindholm]

Had a fun time at Dayton Pride today!

Despite the best efforts of the criminals in the White House, every queer and ally in the Miami Valley showed out, converging in the Gem City and celebrating!

They can't silence us, and they never will. Even in red Ohio.

Happy Pride!

[tommylindholm]

No Christians at Pride.

No exceptions.

[tommylindholm]

Another June had arrived, and another Pride Month is here to be celebrated.

Now, we're all aware of the slogan "no cops at Pride." And it's true. ACAB is always in full effect. But I feel it's equally important, if not more so, to add Christians to that.

This may make some people upset, even angry. But it needs to be said.

The single biggest obstacle to literally every ounce of progress we've fought for and earned, is religion. And in my country, the United States, no religion is as pervasive and oppressive as Christianity. Despite the fact that the First Amendment to the Constitution forbids religious interference in public policy and law, believers in the Christian faith blatantly use it to deny us what we rightfully deserve. They use it to harm us, and deprive us of liberty.

Now, some Christians reject such hatred and cruelty. They open their churches to us, wave our flags, and claim their deities love us, despite the blatant contradictions in their own holy texts. "We're not like other Christians," they claim. "We accept you." "Our god is an all-loving god."

That's all fine and dandy, but it's a lie. It's proof that they never actually read the bible.

Its deeper than a single, simple passage in Leviticus. The bible has shown repeatedly that their god is actually a sadistic, cruel god who hates LGBT people (not to mention women and foreigners, but that's another conversation). If you don't believe me, read it yourself. There is nothing in that book that suggests a love, or mere tolerance, for LGBT people.

And if you conveniently ignore the passages of hate and cruelty, that doesn't make you a better Christian. It actually makes you a worse one because you're denying parts of what your god demands from you.

If you're a so-called "progressive Christian," you're still part of the problem. You still promote a book and religion that hates you, and hates us.

And if you're a gay Christian, that's the worst betrayal of all. No different than a Jewish nazi.

Christians don't belong at Pride. Christians should not be welcomed at Pride. They can cherry-pick all they want, but their god still hates us. And there's no room for hate at Pride. Stay away from our space, until you see reason and let go of your hateful beliefs.

NO CHRISTIANS AT PRIDE.

[tommylindholm]

Today, the St. Louis Cardinals play their biggest rivals, the Chicago Cubs, for the first time this season.

So of course they advertised it on Twitter the only way they knew how.

AI slop. It was AI slop.

[tommylindholm]

And as if that's not enough, the WNBA did the same thing mere hours later.

[tommylindholm]

Today, the St. Louis Cardinals play their biggest rivals, the Chicago Cubs, for the first time this season.

So of course they advertised it on Twitter the only way they knew how.

AI slop. It was AI slop.

[tommylindholm]

Y'know what? I love the Tarps Off movement in Major League Baseball. Not only because it originated in St. Louis (go Cards), but because it's just a bunch of fans having fun. It's silly, it's goofy, it's bringing excitement and laughter to games.

I hope that, by October, every fan in Busch Stadium (or every stadium for that matter) goes full #TarpsOff. Men, women, non-binary babes, everyone.

[tommylindholm]

For the second time in two weeks, someone hit an inside-the-park grand slam, this time it was James Wood.

Also, credit that Mets outfielder for being more concerned with his potentially hurt teammate than getting the out.

[tommylindholm]

Generative AI has its uses, but blatantly disrespecting people isn't among them.

Sportsnet disrespected Nick Suzuki, his wife, and their newborn by sharing an AI-generated image of the three, knowing that they go out of their way to NOT share pictures of their literal newborn on the internet.

Conrad Thompson disrespected Ted Turner (RIP) by allowing generative AI images of him in an event that had no photographic evidence, and really didn't need any.

AI slop is out of control. And if you like it, you're hopeless.