Christ, so now we have "the call to the bullpen," "brought to you by

[Redstone]

Wachovia Bank."

What, if Wachovia Bank hadn't "brought the call to the bullpen to us," the Yankees wouldn't have been able to use a relief pitcher?

This sponsorship crap has gone entirely too far.

Redstone

[DisgustedTX]

1. I give you "1-800 54GIANT. 1-800-54GIANT!"

Admit it - you know you love it!

SUPPORT THE TRUP!

[evlbstrd]

2. Do you have a sponsor for

"This Loogie on Home Plate" yet?
I should market baseball.

[Redstone]

4. I'll go one better than that: How about: "This Ballscratch Brought to You

by Jock-X, America's Number-One Jock Itch Treatment!"

I just DARE some company to do that.

Redstone

[evlbstrd]

5. Brought to you by Gold Bond Powder.

I swear, there's a gold mine to be made.

[Left Is Write]

9. The 7th Inning Stretch brought to you by Ben Gay?

[Redstone]

12. Oh, now that's really low. I love it.

Redstone

[evlbstrd]

14. Or Stadium Buddy.

[Left Is Write]

3. I thought it had gone too far when we got the Visa Halftime Report

on Fox. And I thought it had gone too far when stadiums began getting sponsorship names. Even the arena at BSU is now known as "Taco Bell Arena."

It has definitely gone way too far.

I don't even follow major league baseball anymore. I have a sentimental attachment to the Twins, but if I'm watching a game, I'd rather go to a St. Paul Saints game. That's real baseball.

[evlbstrd]

6. Our stadiums haven't succumbed, yet.

Still Arrowhead and Kauffman.
But the Northern League T-Bones have a sponsored ball park. CommunityAmerica Bank Ballpark just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

[GOPisEvil]

7. Taco Bell Arena?

[Left Is Write]

8. Yes, isn't that lovely?

edited to add that my daughter's graduation was held there. Yes, my daughter received her high school diploma at Taco Bell Arena.

[GOPisEvil]

10. Ugh...I should have put two little pukey guys in my post.

One for the concept of brand names on stadiums and another for actually having an arena named for Taco Hell. Taco Hell is not really food; it's protein sustenance at best.

Edit - I graduated in an arena that was torn down. Ah, the late, lamented HemisFair Arena.

[Left Is Write]

11. I have not eaten at a Taco Bell in over five years.

And I'm okay with that!

[GOPisEvil]

13. I can get much better Mexican food almost as quickly.

Sometimes faster isn't better.

I will say that, in a pinch, 2 of the old 59-cent burritos made a nice, cheap meal when I was poorer.

[Redstone]

15. What, you guys's high schools don't have a football field

with some bleachers?

This is the first I've heard of high-school graduations being held in professional sports stadiums.

Is this some kind of trend?

Redstone

[GOPisEvil]

17. It's hot in June in Texas.

No one wants to be sitting outside for that long. Smaller high schools use large theaters and auditoriums.

[Redstone]

18. Aha. That explains it. I can certainly understand that you

wouldn't want the proud graduates to be broiling under those gowns and fainting from the heat. Which they'd do in droves in a Texas June, I do understand that.

That would kinda ruin the occasion for everyone, wouldn't it?

Redstone

[Graf Orlok]

16. It's really sad when you go to a national park/monument...

and watch their welcome video that was sponsored by some company.

How sad is it that corporations have to sponser national parks/monuments just so they can stay open?

[BigMcLargehuge]

19. Mike Timlin's 9th inning robust nutsack scratching brought to you by

Outback Steakhouse...

Yeah, it gets to me too...

Citizens Bank play of the game etc... sheesh.

[HuskerDU]

20. Jon Stewart nailed this a couple of years ago after the Super

Bowl. (paraphrase) 'I'm sure Vinitary has dreamed his whole life of making the Taco Bell Think Outside the Box play of the game.'

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

21. Don't forget: the 15th out was brought to you by Geico.......

....and Benny Hanna supports Hideki too.......

[Blue_Tires]

22. that's nothing new

i remember when the 'call to the bullpen' was sponsored by Rolaids, and that was close to 20 years ago