Perhaps this Red Head is a Wizard

Regular readers of this blog know that I rarely subject you to my opinions and/or frustrations about the Astros. However, reading James Yasko's recent rant about the team removing guns from the Colt 45s uniforms has compelled me to rely on my readers to grant a little leeway while I have a brief rant.

Several times in the past few years, I have approached the Astros media department about the possibility of covering an event at Minute Maid Park that is relevant to this blog. A recent example is the upcoming college series involving teams like Rice and Texas. With the Astros ever-increasing focus on building through the draft, an opportunity to cover this event would be of great benefit to my blog(so I proposed to the Astros).

Not surprisingly, my request was denied as usual, since I am an independent blogger. This reply didn't surprise me as the Astros, as is their right, are reluctant to give too much access to people like us. I say this in spite of the recent show of tolerance towards bloggers displayed at Fan Fest. That day as well as any other social media events organized by Alyson Footer, will be shrewd business moves given current public opinion about the state of the Astros. The club can use all the public positive coverage it can get.

I fully understand when the Astros reject my requests to get access to cover events that are relevant to my blog. I'll admit that if I was in their shoes, I would be reluctant to give any access to some of the bloggers out there, so it is probably easier to restrict them all. However, every time I get rejected, without fail, I see a story about an Astros on the internet or attend an event at Minute Maid Park and come face to face with a certain red-headed BLOGGER who IS granted a press pass to these events. Most recently, I saw pictures of him at the Milo Hamilton retirement press conference and I saw him at The Urban Invitational with a press lanyard draped around his neck.

In case you don't who I am talking about, it is the ever-present Stephen Goff who covers the Astros for Examiner.com. If being irritated about his ability to garner press credentials from the Astros makes me petty and small, well, then, I am petty and small. I'd rather be honest about my shortcomings. However, having been turned down by the Astros numerous times based on my status as a "blogger", and never having seen proof that Mr. Goff is more than the same, I continue to be baffled by his ability to find himself adorned with a press credential.