George Carlin: R.I.P.

I found out about the recent death of comedian George Carlin in one of the most unlikely of ways: I was watching the sports show, Pardon The Interruption (PTI, to its fans), after dinner tonight, and they mentioned it during the wrap-up. A sports show, and yet they took the time to mention the passing of one of the masters of comedy.

Carlin, of course, had some ties to sports. The one I always think of, because I enjoyed it so much, was his hilarious contrasting of baseball and football. It's impossible to do it justice without George's unique delivery style, but nevertheless you can read the whole thing here. I have to quote at least part of it, though, just to get it out of my system, and to remember George the way I think he would've wanted to be remembered:

"Baseball is played on a diamond, in a park.The baseball park!
Football is played on a gridiron, in a stadium, sometimes called Soldier Field or War Memorial Stadium.

Baseball begins in the spring, the season of new life.
Football begins in the fall, when everything's dying.

In football you wear a helmet.
In baseball you wear a cap.

Football is concerned with downs - what down is it?
Baseball is concerned with ups - who's up?

In football you receive a penalty.
In baseball you make an error.

In football the specialist comes in to kick.
In baseball the specialist comes in to relieve somebody.

Football has hitting, clipping, spearing, piling on, personal fouls, late hitting and unnecessary roughness.
Baseball has the sacrifice.

Football is played in any kind of weather: rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog...
In baseball, if it rains, we don't go out to play."

At least Mr Carlin won't have to put up with any shit ever again...