Beware of parking scams around park

In case you missed it, several women were scammed into parking in a tow-away zone near Alltel Arena for Saturday's Women of Faith event, according to this story from KTHV. When these women went to their cars after the event, their cars had been towed from the $10 spots they were told was "secure parking." Police haven't caught the guys, who were wearing orange parking vests, who caused a total of $2,000 in tow charges originating from behind the Greyhound bus station. The Argenta News blogger is calling on Argenta residents to be on the lookout to make sure this doesn't happen to neighborhood visitors headed to Dickey-Stephens Park.

In a related story, I paid $10 for parking on opening night at Dickey-Stephens. My car was still there after the game, yet somehow I still felt scammed.

Comments

[SamNLR]

Hey, if you feel scammed it is your own fault I can find free parking foy as many as necessary on any night within two blocks of D-S on a well lit lot. Pay if you want, but you don't need to.

[NationalOriole]

Since there is not an open thread, I will post this here.

I stated I would reserve comment on Porter for later. Well folks, it's definately later. I began this season by giving mr. aggie a little bit of a reprieve because he was starting a new position. What I saw tonight was one of the worst abuses of the game of baseball I have seen in my life. No one can honestly defend Porter's play tonight. I counted three times he missed the ball in right field tonight. I used to say his offense at least was decent. No more. 190 BA, 2 RBI, 0 HR. If there is one thing we have learned in the Arkansas Basketball coaching search it is to NEVER trust an aggie!

Wow NationalOriole, Im very impressed with your comments. Just for my own knowledge, where did you play baseball in the minor leagues? and for that matter... what big league team did you play for and when will you be inducted into the hall of fame?? I love that you sit back and bash a player who had a bad game Give it a rest and get off Porters back. One other thing, leave the Aggies out of it.

[NLRfan]

F Porter and F the aggies. If I see Porter hit into anthor double play to end the game I about to go postal!! BTW, F the post above mine; Porter hasn't had a bad game, just a bad career!!!

[NationalOriole]

Played for the West Tennesse Goat Ropers from 1931-1935. Went from there to the Birmingham Grape Spitters from 1936-38. Got a cup of coffee with the St. Louis Browns in 1938. Inducted into the Arm-Chair Hall of Fame in 1951.

Greg Porter:

1) Dogs a play in right field allowing a single to drop two feet in front of him

2) Gets picked off first base while representing the tying run

3) Grounds into a double play to end the game while representing the winning run

4) Legs out a triple

What was most important?

Porter, the open target for haters. Has a great bat, give it time to warm up. Where was the hate when Pali struck out to end the game while having the bases loaded? Who cares. It's a damn game and some of you arsewipes need to lay off. Let the dude learn the new position. Let him learn the new damn park. Easy to gripe in the stands as you it on your fat ass drinking your beer. Makes us fans, right?

[Scotto]

Y'all catch that underhand toss that Midland starter threw at Porter..?
What's up with that..? Porter almost took it to the yard.

[TravelerFan06]

In the past I have enjoyed following this blog, more to be amused at the braying by jackasses than anything else. But now I have grown tired of the constant ranting by people who don't have even the slightest hint of baseball knowledge or experience. It's all too easy to sit back in the stands in your drunken stupor and spew your vitriolic B.S. It's people like you (and you don't qualify as fans) who seem never to learn that it is far better to remain silent and have others think you a fool than to speak out and confirm their suspicions. If you are so disgruntled with the players and the park, take your fat asses somewhere else and let the rest of us enjoy the game and the great new ballpark.

[Karch]

We are a few games into the season. A few. People will be praising the bat of Porter before long......as for his fielding...I will go with the thought of letting him learn the new park and position......only fair. The dude gives it everything he has......that's all I ask for.

[NationalOriole]

I have not uttered a word against the park or management, rather I have complimented each. I have as much right to complain about someone's play as you do to defend it. I have watched this man for three years now, and even I used to admit that he had a decent bat. He doesn't even have that going for him anymore. I stated before the season started that I would reserve judgement for later. From what I have seen so far, I am not impressed.

[NationalOriole]

On another note, some have said "Give him time to learn his new position." He's not playing a new position at the plate...same stance, plate's still the same size, still same distance from the mound.

NationalOriole.......Geeze, man. How many freaking games into the damn season are we? Is it uncommon for some players to start slow out of the gate? No. Your "reserving judgement for later" bit is worthless....when you start 4 series into the season.

Hell...Soriano is not hitting well right now...but I figure he will before it's all said and done......

Patience. Learn it.

[NationalOriole]

The difference in Porter and Soriano is that the curse of the Cubs is biting Soriano (sorry Karch)

National, if you look at Porters stats last year he didn't hit well in April like low 200's but in May he hit high 300's. Give it time,not only that when you only have 40 AB's your average fluctuates a lot. He can go 2 for 4 and be batting 250 tomorrow.

And if he were to dive for that ball that dropped for a base hit, and missed it then 2 runs could have scored in the 7th. Wouldn't you rather the score be 2-0 then 4-0 in the 8th. What happened next? Oh yea a double play inning over.

I am pretty tired National of your belligerent postings. Get a life or new passion. This one stresses you out way to much.

[NationalOriole]

I would at least like to see the effort of diving for a ball. As far as being belligerent goes, I quit drinking 21 years ago.

Why isn't Porter the DH? His hitting seems to be his strength.

And I don't drink, as if that had anything to do with my comments about anything. I'll match my baseball knowledge and decades of "fandom for the Travs" with you anytime TravelersFan06. Maybe you should take your blog reading elsewhere if you can't deal with discussions and disagreements.

Rackensacker

[cracker]

"I quit drinking 21 years ago."

So you're a quitter.

[Scotto]

Nice crack, cracker.

[NationalOriole]

Yea, pretty much...after heroin I just didn't feel the need!

hey NLRfan....
"F the post above mine," you are very mature. It is obvious from your post that you have a lot of baseball knowledge and have a good reason for hating Porter. Give it a rest, its getting weird with how obsessed you people are with him. Hes a good ball player and a good person. I might add that I was quite impressed with your use of the letter F... very nice. I have one more questions for everyone on here....

How much experience do each of you have playing professional baseball?

If you can really do that much better than Porter Im sure the travs would love to have you. On a final note, thanks for going to the games and helping pay these guys salaries!!!

[Voice of Reason]

"How much experience do each of you have playing professional baseball?"

Honestly, the above statement and the resulting answer means nothing. You don't have to have played or coached baseball to have a reasonably good idea of how it should be played.

Do you need an English degree in order to have a decent opinion on a book? Must a person be an actor to know what bad acting looks like? Do you have to be a chef to know if food tastes good or bad?

[Karch]

I will disagree to an just a little with you, Voice....I think it does help in some instances if someone has played the game or not...though, I don't think it matters if they were good or not. The reason is that I think are times during a game that it takes being in a particular situation....to know the situation exist....Now..I am not saying National is not aware of this particular situation (the fly ball that is hit into a particular spot at a particualar angle or whatever that will cause a player to have difficulty in judging whether to dive or let it drop and keep in front of them) I also think that there is a reason that many manager or coaches are former players...however, overall..you are right..it doesn't matter. Natiaonal, I am sure, has seen enough ball to know what I am talking about...he just may disagree that this was a that type of situation and Porter just did not hustle.

I do think it helps to understand...even if it is just having played sandlot baseball as a kid.

[Voice of Reason]

Karch,

I have a real problem with fans that automatically defend a ballplayer with the defense that only a person who is/was a pro athlete is allowed to be a critic. That usually comes either from jock sniffers who just bow to any athlete because he is an athlete. Or it comes from the player's parents and family.

There simply is no logic to that argument.

On Greg Porter, who just seems to be a lightning rod on this board. I don't think there would be any criticism of him if some of it wasn't justified. Does Porter get a bad rap sometimes? Yes...just the other day he made a nice play in right field and triples, but also bounces into a 4-6-3 to end the game and didn't dive on a ball that maybe, possibly could have been caught. This is how he's played since he got to the Travs during the 2005 season. This is who he is...he's a decent AA ballplayer who should be given a chance at AAA. But I think he is open to criticism because of some parts of the game in which he lacks.

Did I play professional baseball? No. But I've seen thousands of minor and major league ballgames. Enough to know what effort looks like. And yes I understand the situations players find themselves in during a game. I will continue to be a good fan and I will offer my criticisms when they're appropriate like any fan should be able to.

As for those who hide behind the iditotic "you never played" defense...get your nose out of the player's jocks and use your brain!

[Karch]

I don't believe that you had to play pro ball to be able to be critical....but I do believe that playing a game helps a person understand some aspects of the game. That is why I said playing sandlot ball as a kid helps.....it does. To deny that is silly, in my opinion.

I am not going to continue debating a ball that could have been caught....really no point in it. It does seem tome that people don't truly understand that is does take time to learn a new position....especially from being an infielder to an outfielder.

Being critical of a batting avg. two weeks into a season is foolish.