Matt LaCasse
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mattlacasse.bsky.social
Matt LaCasse
@mattlacasse.bsky.social
1.6K followers 1.1K following 950 posts
Husband. Daddy. #Cubs. #Hawkeyes. #Chiefs. #Arsenal #SportingKC Hater of beets. Never let your fear decide your fate. Relentlessly positive. Mostly.
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mattlacasse.bsky.social
Matt LaCasse @mattlacasse.bsky.social · Nov 14
This is a good resource to use. Search by interest and a starter pack should pop up. blueskydirectory.com/starter-pack...

I'd recommend this one for Hawkeyes fans: bsky.app/starter-pack...
All - Bluesky Directory
A curated collection of all things relating to the Blue Sky social media platform.
blueskydirectory.com
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
bcbsara.bsky.social
The largest paying crowd in the history of Wrigley Field was the day Jackie Robinson made his debut. Wrigley is the only park left Jackie played a game in. Mike Ryoko was a kid at that ballpark that day and he wrote about it. Take a minute and read this today.

press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago...
A newspaper clipping from Mike Ryoko part one: Jackie's Debut a Unique Day All that Saturday, the wise men of the neighborhood, who sat in chairs on the sidewalk outside the tavern, had talked about what it would do to baseball. I hung around and listened because baseball was about the most important thing in the world, and if anything was going to ruin it, I was worried. Most of the things they said, I didn't understand, although it all sounded terrible. But could one man bring such ruin? They said he could and would. And the next day he was going to be in Wrigley Field for the first time, on the same diamond as Hack, Nicholson, Cavarretta, Schmitz, Pafko, and all my other idols. I had to see Jackie Robinson, the man who was going to somehow wreck everything. So the next day, another kid and I started walking to the ballpark early. We always walked to save the streetcar fare. It was five or six miles, but I felt about baseball the way Abe Lincoln felt about education. Usually, we could get there just at noon, find a seat in the grandstand, and watch some batting practice. But not that Sunday, May 18, 1947. By noon, Wrigley Field was almost filled. The crowd outside spilled off the sidewalk and into the streets. Scalpers were asking top dollar for box seats and getting it. Part II: I had never seen anything like it. Not just the size, although it was a new record, more than 47,000. But this was twenty-five years ago, and in 1947 few blacks were seen in the Loop, much less up on the white North Side at a Cub game. That day, they came by the thousands, pouring off the northbound Ls and out of their cars. They didn't wear baseball-game clothes. They had on church clothes and funeral clothes·suits, white shirts, ties, gleaming shoes, and straw hats. I've never seen so many straw hats. As big as it was, the crowd was orderly. Almost unnaturally so. People didn't jostle each other. The whites tried to look as if nothing unusual was happening, while the blacks tried to look casual and dignified. So everybody looked slightly ill at ease. For most, it was probably the first time they had been that close to each other in such great numbers. We managed to get in, scramble up a ramp, and find a place to stand behind the last row of grandstand seats. Then they shut the gates. No place remained to stand. Robinson came up in the first inning. I remember the sound. It wasn't the shrill, teenage cry you now hear, or an excited gut roar. They applauded, long, rolling applause. A tall, middle-aged black man stood next to me, a smile of almost painful joy on his face, beating his palms together so hard they must have hurt. Part III: When Robinson stepped into the batter's box, it was as if someone had flicked a switch. The place went silent. He swung at the first pitch and they erupted as if he had knocked it over the wall. But it was only a high foul that dropped into the box seats. I remember thinking it was strange that a foul could make that many people happy. When he struck out, the low moan was genuine. I've forgotten most of the details of the game, other than that the Dodgers won and Robinson didn't get a hit or do anything special, although he was cheered on every swing and every routine play. But two things happened I'll never forget. Robinson played first, and early in the game a Cub star hit a grounder and it was a close play. Just before the Cub reached first, he swerved to his left. And as he got to the bag, he seemed to slam his foot down hard at Robinson's foot. It was obvious to everyone that he was trying to run into him or spike him. Robinson took the throw and got clear at the last instant. I was shocked. That Cub, a hometown boy, was my biggest hero. It was not only an unheroic stunt, but it seemed a rude thing to do in front of people who would cheer for a foul ball. I didn't understand why he had done it. It wasn't at all big league. I didn't know that while the white fans were relatively polite, the Cubs and most other teams kept up a steady stream of racial abuse from the dugout. I thought that all they did down there was talk about how good Wheaties are. Part IV: Late in the game, Robinson was up again, and he hit another foul ball. This time it came into the stands low and fast, in our direction. Somebody in the seats grabbed for it, but it caromed off his hand and kept coming. There was a flurry of arms as the ball kept bouncing, and suddenly it was between me and my pal. We both grabbed. I had a baseball. The two of us stood there examining it and chortling. A genuine major-league baseball that had actually been gripped and thrown by a Cub pitcher, hit by a Dodger batter. What a possession. Then I heard the voice say: "Would you consider selling that?" It was the black man who had applauded so fiercely. I mumbled something. I didn't want to sell it. "I'll give you ten dollars for it," he said. Ten dollars. I couldn't believe it. I didn't know what ten dollars could buy because I'd never had that much money. But I knew that a lot of men in the neighborhood considered sixty dollars a week to be good pay. I handed it to him, and he paid me with ten $1 bills. When I left the ball park, with that much money in my pocket, I was sure that Jackie Robinson wasn't bad for the game. Since then, I've regretted a few times that I didn't keep the ball. Or that I hadn't given it to him free. I didn't know, then, how hard he probably had to work for that ten dollars. But Tuesday I was glad I had sold it to him. And if that man is still around, and has that baseball, I'm sure he thinks it was worth every cent.
April 15, 2025 at 9:55 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
These are the stories that are going to start moving the needle. I'll offer that we must pitch them like Tim did here rather than "look at how evil they are". Show. Don't tell. They have to open their own eyes at some point. Lead a horse to water and whatnot...
February 18, 2025 at 5:06 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
Folks, I've come to a realization.

The only social media network that brings me any kind of satisfaction anymore is Instagram. Any other is just doomscrolling for me. I don't need it in my life.

I always take a break from SM for Lent, so I'm gonna stay on BlueSky and Threads until then.
February 17, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
laurarbelin.bsky.social
GOP nominee for March 11 special election is an #ialegis clerk who just finished college.
In a fundraising email, House Dem Leader @konfrst.bsky.social described him as a “bought and paid for GOP pawn” who “will do whatever they want, no questions asked.”
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/02/15/t...
Tactics for Blaine Watkins, Nannette Griffin take shape in House district 100
Laura Belin covers the state of play now that both parties have selected their nominees for the March 11 special election.
www.bleedingheartland.com
February 16, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
bastianmlb.bsky.social
Mark Grace and Shawon Dunston showed up to Cubs camp today, joining Fergie Jenkins, Rick Sutcliffe and Ryne Sandberg for a lively chat on the agility field.

Surcliffe pulled Matt Shaw over to meet the group. And Craig Counsell stopped by to join the convo for a bit.
February 15, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
msraitchetp.bsky.social
Keep it up, fam. We're down but not out...not yet anyway!

www.kansascity.com/news/politic...
Public floods Missouri’s Musk-inspired DOGE portal with calls to protect abortion rights
Missouri Republicans touted the DOGE portal as a way to trim government waste. Records show Missourians have flooded lawmakers with messages supporting abortion rights and other issues.
www.kansascity.com
February 15, 2025 at 5:21 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
My hot take is that #Severence is #Lost for a new generation.
February 15, 2025 at 4:20 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
I don't know if Mark would do it, but here's your 2024 nominee.
mcuban.bsky.social Mark Cuban @mcuban.bsky.social · Feb 14
You can sell with the truth. It’s still about presentation.
“Inflation is painful for everyone. But what can destroy a family, the price of Gatorade going up , or the price of medications not being affordable? The republicans have a concept of a plan for drug pricing. We have a solution.
wesurvivetogether.bsky.social Hope Matters @wesurvivetogether.bsky.social · Feb 14
Point taken. But isn't that bc Trump's a scammer? It's a lot easier to sell a fantasy, especially if you wrap it in promises of riches and self-righteous vengeance. As well as promise fake solutions to problems that don't exist or that he created. Not sure if being more like Trump is the answer?!
February 14, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
kyledcheney.bsky.social
UPDATE: Judge CHUTKAN has called a 4pm hearing on the lawsuit over Elon Musk's authority to run DOGE.
February 14, 2025 at 6:50 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
Every few years, an article gets written about the men's basketball program at @grinnellcollege.bsky.social. It's always worth your time to read. www.nytimes.com/athletic/611...
Welcome to The System: A 3-point frenzy style of basketball led by a father-son duo
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2025 at 9:03 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
#Hawkeyes
cfbnumbers.bsky.social CFBNumbers @cfbnumbers.bsky.social · Feb 13
Number of players invited to the combine by school for the entire combine
February 13, 2025 at 5:48 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
Thanks to the snow I was at home today and then my internet went out so I didn't even get to see all this chaos LIVE.
arsenalvisionpodcast.com YankeeGunner @arsenalvisionpodcast.com · Feb 12
Pure Barclays
February 12, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
mjfree.bsky.social
February 12, 2025 at 1:53 AM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
I love ICE cold drinks in the summer as well as immigrants.

Just saying both those things in one post for no particular reason whatsoever.
brandonfriedman.bsky.social Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · Feb 11
I mean, it's always a good reminder, especially in a case like this where abuse may be suspected, but just from a "how things work" standpoint, every single federal department, agency and office, most businesses and all celebrities have done this same thing for 15+ years.
ICE Wants to Know If You’re Posting Negative Things About It Online
ICE wants to hire contractors to monitor social media for threats. Those who criticize the agency could be pulled into the dragnet.
theintercept.com
February 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
acyn.bsky.social
AOC: The House is governed by a Republican majority. The Senate is governed by a Republican majority, and The White House has a Republican president. And if they want to pass their agenda, Republicans need to conjure up the votes to pass their own bills.
February 11, 2025 at 4:37 AM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
Life isn't this simple all the time, but all I'll add to this wonderful post is this.

If we were all more like Ted Lasso and strived for curiosity rather than judgement, the world would be much better off.
lindsayrhodes.bsky.social Lindsay Rhodes @lindsayrhodes.bsky.social · Feb 10
Clearly, I don't think we all need to be "researching" Super Bowl halftime shows before they happen (I'm obviously a massive dork), but...

I do think if we approached more things with curiosity instead of dismissal, we'd end up liking more of the things we're exposed to.
February 11, 2025 at 12:09 AM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
go cubs, actually
bastianmlb.bsky.social Jordan Bastian @bastianmlb.bsky.social · Feb 10
Michael Busch standing in for Jordan Wicks’ bullpen session. It’s only pitchers/catchers officially, but a lot of Cubs position players have been in and out of camp.

Hoerner, Swanson, Happ, Crow-Armstrong, Shaw, Caissie, Canario, Lopez, among others, also spotted these first couple days.
February 10, 2025 at 9:34 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
my man, POLITICS are over politicized right now.
February 10, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
yair-rosenberg.bsky.social
I cannot believe I am doing this, but actually, the Nazis persecuted Jewish scientists and rejected their discoveries as "Jüdische Physik" in contradistinction to proper "Deutsche Physik," and this did in fact hobble Nazi science. Even the history here is bunk!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsch...
February 10, 2025 at 7:02 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
Glad you're here, Pete.
petebuttigieg.bsky.social Pete Buttigieg @petebuttigieg.bsky.social · Feb 10
You are not powerless, and he is not unstoppable. Look at, and learn from, the funding freeze and how quickly he was forced to surrender.
February 10, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
well-meaning-robot.bsky.social
Found out that TWENTY emails is considered a lot to politicians on an issue.

TWENTY.

As in, they call that getting slammed.

So next time you see a request to email your rep, or call, keep that in mind.

TWENTY is a lot.
February 5, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
tombuchheim.bsky.social
Just a reminder that it wasn’t a fair catch.
February 9, 2025 at 11:55 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
the only good thing to come out of last night imo.
bsquaredhawk.bsky.social BB @bsquaredhawk.bsky.social · Feb 10
Coop helping to recruit some dudes over at the other site #hawkeyes
February 10, 2025 at 2:32 PM
mattlacasse.bsky.social
"I think we all learn from the past. I just feel we shouldn't live there. We shouldn't live in the past. I live for today, and to me, the most important moment is now."

- Shirley Temple (died on this date, 2014)
February 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Reposted by Matt LaCasse
mcuban.bsky.social
80m as it stands now. Anyone interested in sports and integrated AI summaries, still goes there for scores and more in-depth summaries.

The sooner @bsky.app adds those features, the more users twitter loses, lowering the number of users @bsky.app needs to supplant Twitter as the first app opened
mercenary29.bsky.social mercenary29.bsky.social @mercenary29.bsky.social · Feb 9
Mark how many users do you think Bluesky needs to be considered a peer competitor to X? I was thinking about 50 million.
February 9, 2025 at 6:33 PM