Lookout Landing: for Seattle Mariners fans

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Lookout Landing Podcast 98: The Astros cheated! Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

0:00-12:00: Kate’s feeling ill right now, and she doesn’t mean ill like really cool and awesome she means like she’s coming down with a sickness. Luckily, Starbucks (not one of our sponsors…yet), is here to help. John sort of Kramers his way in here around the five-minute mark and we shoot the breeze about the Mariners' relatively boring offseason. If you wanted Kendall Graveman and Carl Edwards Jr. buzz, you came to the right place. Matthew then makes a shocking confession about furniture.

12:05-25:55: Will Kyle Seager be traded before the season? A Twitter user asks us what kind of midseason moves we could see from the Mariners this year.

26:00-44:50: The Astros, they cheated! This is no longer an industry secret! Let’s make fun of them! Making sure we’re on the same page about Mike Fiers being good and A.J. Hinch being a good guy in performative ways only. Asking former college baseball player John Trupin how much sign stealing actually helps. Appreciating Tom Lawless and wondering what could have been had the Mariners done better against the 2014 Astros.

44:55-1:05:15: How much blood will spill on the streets of Houston? Matthew opines that this entire scandal is actually good for baseball. John tries to go inside the mind of an Astros fan. Let’s hope Yordan Álvarez isn’t spending his offseason preparing for battle, because that man is quite large. Are these punishments actually going to do anything? Do we feel the Astros got what they deserved?

1:05:20: The world premiere of Before He Cheats (Houston Astros Remix).

Music: “Protect Ya Neck” by Wu-Tang Clan // “Before He Cheats (Houston Astros Remix)” by Matthew Roberson

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Lookout Landing Podcast 97: "Why I'm a Mariners Fan" with Jordan Shusterman Jan 17, 2020

Show notes

0:00-18:15: Jordan Shusterman aka half of Cespedes Family BBQ aka Gringo Mr. Worldwide aka Yung Mariners Fan aka Mango White Claw joins the show! As the Astros keep pantsing themselves in public, we laugh at the fact that nobody has ever come close to embarrassing themselves quite like our Seattle Mariners. When unearthing Jordan’s fandom, we discover that he is maybe a bad decision-maker. Not in terms of how he got there, which was partially due to this beautiful publication, but because he went out of his way to support the M’s while growing up on the east coast. Shout out Jeff Sullivan and Trayvon Robinson.

18:20-33:55: Becoming true to the blue while also developing an online presence. Matthew references some of his best work from the teen posting days. Who is Jordan’s favorite bad Mariner? What was it like to meet James Jones in 2015? What about being at All-Star Media Day with Justin Smoak? How the Mariners mirror life in Seattle and also invoke Natasha Bedingfield. How is this crop of prospects different than the ones that let us down in the past?

34:00-48:25: How do we (try to) avoid the defeatist vibes? Is there a way to evaluate Jerry Dipoto without letting the failures of last regimes color your judgment? Justice for Robinson Canó, who should be remembered as a vision of hope and not a bastion of failure. Being a Mariners fan gets so wrapped up in what they don’t do that we must remember all the things that they did, can, and will do.

48:30-1:10:18: What will a Mariners postseason run do to our well-being? Matthew unleashes a bold take about his preferred outcome should they lose a playoff game in the near future. We then both decide that just making the playoffs will sate our sports needs. How do people that root for other teams manage actual expectations? Ending with expectations for the 2020 team and coming to grips with our uncertain, prospect-reliant future. Goodbye, Tommy and Wade. You were so, so good at being available. Jordan ends by previewing some of his upcoming Mariners content!

Music: “Time to Pretend” by MGMT // “Little Trouble” by Better Oblivion Community Center

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Lookout Landing Podcast 96: "Why I'm a Mariners Fan" with Nat Baird Jan 13, 2020

Show notes

0:00-16:25: Welcoming Nat Baird to the show for his first appearance on the Lookout Landing podcast! Nat is the newest hire and also probably the coolest person on staff, as he gets to travel the world with his rock climbing school. As a teenager, Nat has also never inhabited the planet at the same time as a Mariner playoff game. He still managed to become a fan though, partially due to his own mishaps.

16:30-25:35: Surprise! We’re a rock climbing, Seahawks, and Utah Jazz podcast now. What “were” the Mariners when Nat first became aware of them in *gulp* the mid-2000s? Kate then explains what Seattle felt like as a baseball town, even though Nat wasn’t alive and Matthew could barely read at the time.

25:40-43:15: Why won’t Brodie van Wagenen add Matthew to his LinkedIn network? He’s been on TV after all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbzLEkRty1Q&feature=youtu.be

Never sleep on the A’s and never talk about the Mariners as a sure thing. Is it a sure thing that they’ll be better than the Orioles? Who is Nat’s favorite prospect?

43:20-49:00: Let’s make some predictions. Nat, who has been the least beaten down by modern life, is the most optimistic of the bunch. In looking around the league, we wonder who is even on the Tigers and what are the Angels going to do with their pitching?

49:10-1:08:13: Questions from our staff, since none of you answered our plea on Twitter. What’s the worst thing we’ve eaten at the stadium, and which Mariner would we choose for a game of badminton? Nat ends by explaining why Jarred Kelenic would be a bad climber, and we wrap by guessing which Mariner is likeliest to drive a Tesla.

Music: “The Jump Off” by Lil’ Kim // “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

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Lookout Landing Podcast 95: "Why I'm a Mariners Fan" with Hillary Kirby Jan 02, 2020

Show notes

0:00-11:00: Welcoming Hillary Kirby, one of the founders, OGs, and co-leads of the Maple Grove to the Lookout Landing podcast! Hillary grew up in Ferndale with a British family, which is not typically a recipe for baseball fandom. As she describes, an elementary school teacher provided the entry point. Less than eight minutes in, John Olerud’s outstanding invitation to come on the podcast gets rescinded. Both Hillary and Matthew commiserate over their childhood heroes being not-so-great people. Edgar Martinez, though, would never do a shirtless interview. Duh.

11:15-28:00: Chatting shit about cricket, the wonders of cinema, and Mike Cameron stories! Then, getting into the Maple Grove’s humble beginnings. How did it start? Who was involved? Surprisingly, part of the reason has to do with Canadians being mean. Matthew recalls his first Maple Grove experience, which came during a seminal James Paxton start. Hillary effuses her extremely distant relative George Kirby, talks about Nintendo characters, and laughs at vacuum salespeople.

28:30-44:55: Why James Paxton? What about him spawned such a passionate group of fans? What was it like to actually meet him before a game? How does the Mariners’ ineptitude affect the current players who have rarely seen a good team in Seattle? We also find out that Hillary hates John Halama.

45:00-1:01:38: Time for trauma, babyyyy! We’re re-living the James Paxton trade. But first, a Leonys Martín love fest. Other highlights include: an “Eh” card going to the Hall of Fame, Hillary & Co. doing a press circuit, and watching James Paxton pitch at T-Mobile Park as a Yankee. We end with the most important question: what do we think of beardless Pax?

Music: “Water Baby” by Tom Misch (ft. Loyle Carner) // “Vossi Bop” by Stormzy

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Lookout Landing Podcast 94: "Why I'm a Mariners Fan" with Jeffrey Veregge Dec 12, 2019

Show notes

0:00-13:45: Jeffrey discusses his upbringing on a Native American reservation, where baseball is competing for people’s interests with pro wrestling and Elvis, among other things. While he describes himself as a baseball fan (by way of the Bash Brothers) before a Mariners fan, Jeffrey came to love the M’s with a little help from his wife. Then, we move to baseball cards being a portal into the game. 13:50-24:10: A natural shift to young player talk and how that teaches patience. Full nostalgia comes next, with Jeffrey recalling his admiration for Mark Langston. The temptation of “What if?” rears its ugly head, but that’s nothing new around here. 24:15-32:15: Eat your heart out nerds, we’re talkin’ INTANGIBLES! Jeffrey mentions how much he likes a certain player that will not be named here. The one thing we agree, on though, is The King. Also, as Mariners fans, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing players leave Seattle and wind up in the playoffs. How do you approach that? 32:20-44:45: Where does Jeffrey’s excitement with the current Mariners lie? At what point do you start to question the Mariners and your allegiance to them? Jeffrey details the way his wife has helped his baseball fandom and knowledge grow. For instance, she patented the Justin Verlander-Tom Brady comparison. That spawns some lively banter about which team we hate the most. It’s worth noting that our back and forth about the Angels was recorded before they signed Anthony Rendon. 44:50-1:02:52: Looking to the future, or in other words…JULIOOOOOO! As per usual, the end of the podcast becomes a discussion on the discussion of fandom. Finally, Jeffrey remembers his darkest moment as a Mariner fan, which came in a game that didn’t even count. Music: “Don’t Sweat the Technique” by Eric B. & Rakim // “Mystery Man” by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

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Lookout Landing Podcast 93: "Why I'm a Mariners Fan" with Spike Friedman Dec 05, 2019

Show notes

Spike Friedman joins the podcast! It was great! Follow Spike on Twitter for a look into his brain, or on Instagram to see his dog Edgar Martinez Friedman. 0:00-11:45: Obviously, we start with some Kendall Graveman and Wally Joyner goss. As always, then we get into Spike’s entry point to Mariner fandom and reminisce about our favorite guys who weren’t actually very good. Then, somehow for the first time in this podcast series, we mourn the Ben Broussard trade. 11:50-25:15: A love letter to Bret Boone, one of the few people who was probably stoked to become a Mariner. Jerry Dipoto may not be as accomplished as John Schneider, but at least he’s not a movie quote frat bro. Spike shares the story of moving away from the Northwest in 1995, a year in which things happened. How the Mariners' rise mirrored that of grunge music. 25:20-34:40: The requisite Edgar Martinez appreciation chat. Spike’s highest volume of Mariner consumption did not coincide with wins. The same can sadly be said about or deposed king of pitching. We liken the final Félix game to the series finale of a beloved television show. 34:45-48:55: Going all in on…Bill Bavasi and falling victim to the quasi-gaslighting of the mid-2000s. If you’re playing a weird drinking game where you do a shot every time Jarrod Washburn is mentioned, pour up! Stupidly, we then talk about all of the Mariners’ draft failures. “This team ruined my life in many deep and profound ways […] horrible, darkness, tragedy.” 49:00-1:11:54: Carlos Triunfel, where you at? Matthew plugs his own Sporcle quiz, and Spike flexes his deep-rooted knowledge of Mariner shortcomings. To wrap things up, we talk about a Grantland article Spike wrote about Dustin Ackley in 2013, and put our hand longingly on the Cliff Lee window. Music: “Calabria 2007” by Enur // “Day I Die” by The National

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Lookout Landing Podcast 92: "Why I'm a Mariners Fan" with the Peltoncast Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

0:00-14:00: How Kevin and Tristan began their lives as die-hard Mariner fans in Boulevard Park, all thanks to Rich Amaral and Russ Davis. They also explain the beauty of Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball. Would they have gravitated to baseball so hard if the Mariners were terrible in the 90s? 14:05-19:55: A reminder that Matthew’s birth saved the franchise. What do Tristan’s kids think of the current Mariners? Are children lacking an obvious entry point to baseball? 20:00-33:55: When did apathy kick in for Kevin and Tristan? Kevin mentions a gradual decline while Tristan praises baseball’s endless churn (sports, always better than no sports) before realizing he probably just doesn’t like baseball that much. 34:00-42:10: The spice levels elevate off the charts! Tristan starts by wielding a flamethrower toward all people that abandon their hometown squad for the Flavor of the Month team. Then, he goes off about 1995 and 2001 actually being the worst things that ever happened. Finally, Tristan spouts the unquestionably worst opinion to ever grace these, yours, and everyone’s ears. Podcasting is the most important artform on the planet. 42:15-55:20: What does Félix Hernández mean to these broken Mariner fans? In Tristan's mind, success and bettering yourself is bad, but also the Mariners are bad because they haven’t bettered themselves in years. He also devours the NFL all Sunday. This was exhausting. 55:25-1:05:13: The mental gymnastics required to be a Mariner fan. Finally, it wouldn’t be a Lookout Landing podcast if Matthew didn’t bring up his past as a troublemaking teen, and it wouldn’t be a Peltoncast without a couple more Mariner hot takes. Music: “Them Changes” by Thundercat // “Be the One” by Dua Lipa

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Lookout Landing Podcast 91: "Why I'm a Mariners Fan" with Brittney Bush Bollay Nov 20, 2019

Show notes

0:00-10:40: Matthew welcomes Brittney Bush Bollay to the spacious, opulent recording studio. Brittney is the first guest in our “Why I’m a Mariners Fan” series who did not grow up in Washington at all. Somehow, someway, Brittney’s path to baseball went through the Mets and she still decided “This is good.” Her introduction to the Mariners, specifically, came in 2013. Again, the perseverance and tolerance for treachery is unmatched. 10:45-24:00: How having a kid provides a different lens into fandom. The art of keeping score remains undefeated. Expressing genuine gratitude and appreciation for Twitter dot com. How Brittney formed an attachment to the Mariners without having an obvious everyday player to get behind. As a pioneer of the Maple Grove, Brittney was also able to merge baseball and the community together to create something beautiful. 24:05-32:10: When bad sports things cross over into real life, and how to explain that to a child. Has cancel culture seeped into our nation’s playgrounds? What of the concept of fairness, one of childhood’s guiding lights? Sports does not care for your child’s early-stage disposition, as it turns out. Brittney then drops a bomb about success actually being no good. 32:15-42:25: Favorite moments at Safeco Field/T-Mobile Park, and picking up the rubble from 2018. Matthew asks Brittney why she comes back every year, subjecting her child to this life, going to 60+ games per season. Her answer hits him like a train, but also sparks an interesting sartorial conversation. Finally, remembering that happiness doesn’t need to be a direct product of your sports teams. Brittney uses her platform to trick Jerry Dipoto into signing one of her favorite players. The grand finale: rolling out our plan for a new mascot. Music: "Little of Your Love" by HAIM // "Guns and Cigarettes" by Atmosphere

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Lookout Landing Podcast 90: "Why I'm a Mariners Fan" with Brian Floyd Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

Thank you to Brian Floyd of Banner Society, Seattle fandom, WSU allegiance, and now parenthood, for joining us on the podcast! 0:00-10:55: Brian ignores his kid to provide some steaming hot content for us. We start by talking about the omnipresence of baseball in Seattle during the Griffey years, and how baseball is the perfect sport to come across accidentally. The fervor around the 90s Mariners feels like the current version of the Seahawks. Is rooting for the Mariners hipster now? It takes Brian less than ten minutes to start thinking about existential crises. 11:00-23:00: Mariner fandom and WSU fandom are cousins; we all accept this now. Matthew also relates the Canó-Cruz era to edging. Be good, be bad, but never be boring. Or if you’re the Mariners, be an iceberg. Making the minor leagues a major part of your fandom, or not. 23:10-36:45: Getting meta about covering the Mariners. The season ticket holders are the bravest people on this entire space rock. How do you find something to latch on to the same way you did as a child? When will the Mariners find the pure elation of dumb luck? Brian thinks we used it all up on the "Everybody Scores!" play in '95. 36:50-46:00: How do we feel about the Nats breaking out of their ineptitude? How long until we can have some of that? Is it completely reliant on the current minor leaguers? Do we actually trust the team to figure any of this out? 46:05-57:28: Matthew isn’t totally sure about Scott Servais, but as Brian counters, does that matter? How are the vibes, though? Finally, what keeps bringing us back every season, and a fun prediction by Brian! Music: "Junie" by Solange // "Missed the Boat" by Modest Mouse

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Lookout Landing Podcast 89: Mariners Prospect Gunn Omosako Nov 06, 2019

Show notes

0:00-12:25: Introducing outfield prospect Gunn Omosako, who is already an incredible podcaster despite recording this in his third language. Gunn is from Brazil, where baseball is not very popular, so how did he end up signing a contract with the Mariners? His early success terrifies Kate and Matthew, who were not excelling as teenagers. The secret is to have good friends like Arturo Guerrero and Noelvi Marte, among others. 12:30-18:05: Weird things that white people do. The joy of non-American players is actually a big part of what drew Gunn to the game. What is a regular day for a Mariners prospect in the Dominican facility? How would Gunn describe his style of play? What MLB players does he like to watch? 18:10-33:00: Gunn explains the injury that kept him out for all of 2019. His rehab process involved a lot of reading and going to the movies by himself. He also found light amid the darkness of American corporate food. 33:05-43:50: Getting into Gunn’s interests off the field. Shout out Kansas, CCR, Skynyrd, and Fleetwood Mac. Ya know, typical stuff for an 18-year-old to listen to. We mourn Gunn’s dreadlocks (which you can see in his Twitter profile picture) before asking him what he wants Seattle fans to know about him. The good news is that Gunn already loves the city. 43:55-53:16: Beatles or Stones? What is Gunn listening to now? Matthew offers a divisive recommendation for this young Zeppelin fan, who just got his driver’s license! Follow Gunn on Instagram @gunn_omosako. Music: “Basket Case” by Green Day // “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” by Michel Teló

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