This past weekend was the first opportunity during the 2006 season for fans and teams alike to renew relatively young but sometimes heated rivalries between teams of different leagues. It's hard to believe, but this is already the 10th season of interleague play, and the argument for and against the scheduling of games between different leagues continues to rage. The "purists" who decry interleague play generally lean on a few standard points to make their case, and we'll examine some of these below.
Argument One: Interleague play creates scheduling inequity.
Baseball lovers everywhere claim that interleague "draws" that are logically eschewed somewhat based upon geographic considerations create an unfair advantage. For example, this past weekend, the Cardinals got to play the lowly Royals while the Cubs had to play the World Champion White Sox.
Although the numbers may somewhat support the notion that as a result of these scheduling considerations, the teams have unequal strength of schedules, the fact remains that we are talking about a very small number of games within a 162-game season. Not to mention, a championship-caliber team in any sport needs to measure up to any test that's presented. If the Cubs are going to contend for the pennant, they need to step up for these few games and play well. Also, the chance to play a very good team from the other league creates an opportunity for invaluable experience. Teams that are battle-tested are better suited for a late-season surge, which is really what makes the difference between winning a division or not in October.
Argument Two: Interleague play devalues the World Series.
Purists claim that one of the historic draws of the World Series is the mystery that surrounds the match ups once they're determined. If two teams have already played each other, the teams will already have an idea as to how to approach specific hitters and pitchers before the World Series starts.
Purists need to look at a few surrounding facts before staking this claim. First, the World Series is the World Series. It's highly dubious that baseball fans will not be as interested in a World Series simply because the two teams playing had a series in May. Secondly, many Super Bowls have featured teams that have played each other during the NFL season, and this has never diminished the competitive nature of that game. NBA Finals series always feature teams that have played each other, and there doesn't appear to be any falloff in terms of competitiveness or fan interest in this setting either. If anything, a small dose of familiarity creates better games, as adjustments need to be made immediately.
Argument Three: Fan and player interest has waned as the novelty of interleague play has dissipated.
Purists argue that interleague play was a fun idea for the first year or two, but now fans and players treat each series as just another set of games on the schedule.
One only needs to look at this past weekend to completely debunk this argument. Anyone who watched the White Sox-Cubs series can tell you that there was definitely not a lack of intensity during these games, and the packed house of mixed fans in Chicago was frenzied for every game. The "Subway Series" between the Yankees and Mets is as feverishly-anticipated as any series in baseball, and every game was a battle to the end. Overall, attendance for these interleague games is higher than the average regular season figures, and that's no accident.
Basically, the chance to see players that fans don't normally get to see at their home parks, the opportunity for intra-city or intra-state bragging rights creates tangible interest for fans, and experience in adjusting to playing different teams under a different set of rules is valuable experience for the teams involved.
What else could you ask for during May, before pennant races heat up? Not to mention, baseball is a sport that's as important in regards to off-field debate as it is in regards to on-field results. Interleague play creates interest in the game, and hopefully it will continue for the foreseeable future.
The Great Thing About Virtual Offices
Imagine you decide to open a business offline, for example a store selling tools. You will have to find a location, commit to tens of thousands of dollars in rent and, most importantly, actually go to work everyday. After all, who else is going to open the front door each morning? On top of this, your pool of customers is limited to those willing to drive to your location. All of these limitations and aggravations associated with a physical store go by the wayside when you go online.
Having worked online for a very long time, I can tell you the freedom to work when you want to is by far the best aspect of the Internet. Here is the proof. As I am writing this article, it is 1:13 p.m. I am at home. I am wearing sweats. After being up all night on a project, I am thinking about going back to bed. This is all possible because I have an online business. In fact, our business is so virtual oriented that I have never physically met some of my programmers. They live in other countries! Sounds like a good excuse to travel, however.
Being online gives you massive freedom and flexibility because you are not limited geographically. Your business should revolve around your laptop. If possible, you should try to store every bit of information online. Taking this approach turns you into a virtual business with a virtual office and lets you access work whenever you want from wherever you want. What do I mean by this?
Assume you have an online business selling something on the web. Where is your physical office? To figure it out, take a look around you. If you are in an airport, that is your office. If you are at home, your office is there and so on. This flexibility is crucial because it gives you access to your business at all times. You will never get this with a physical location.
You are probably wondering about a business address and meetings with clients. Neither is a problem with a virtual office. You can use one of the various mail box services for your business address. Just make sure they list the box number as a suite. As to meetings, you just go to clients who will appreciate the fact you don't make them come to you. If you must host a meeting, you can rent conference rooms in ?executive office suites? in any town or city. Compare the cost of renting an office suite versus leasing a physical office for three or five years, and the virtual office advantage should be very obvious.
I love my virtual office and you will to. It saves you money, gives you flexibility and is one of the primary benefits of running a business on the net.
Both Jay Nault & Halstatt Pires are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.