Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > August > 25 > Entry
United we ‘don’t’ stand
I swear on the memories of Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, Eddie Rickenbacker and both Wright brother that United Airlines looks for me.
Nobody could screw over one person more than United does me without trying.
Another travel day, another fiasco. When I landed in Houston I waited for my luggage. As always, it was one of the last pieces to arrive. And when it did, it came in two pieces. I checked it in one piece, I swear.
My bag came down the chute, followed closely by one wheel - off the bag, my bag they called “indestructible.” They don’t know United Airlines.
I picked up my 48-pound bag in one hand and the wheel in the other and trudged to the United Baggage office, where the lady in charge looked at my wheel and said, “Oh, my.”
Oh, my indeed.
“Oh,” she said sweetly. “We’re not responsible for wheels or handles.”
Wait a minute. I now pay $25 for you to haul my luggage so that some bozos can toss it around the tarmac like a Frisbee, but you’re not responsible when they turn it into a one-legged bag?
I feel singled out until other people tell me they endure the same thing time and again. A decision has been made. No more United. If I have to take a Greyhound, if I have to hitch-hike, if I have to walk (that’ll be tough, though, with a one-wheeled bag), no more United.
Isn’t is about time for one national airline? Even the government can’t screw it up the way United has for me this year.
There’s more. I get in a cab at the airport and the cabbie says, “Flat rate. It’s $47.50.” OK, I already know it’s like the distance from Panama to Chile from the George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport to downtown.
But then why did he drop the meter flag, too? When we got the hotel, the meter said $42.30. I was too bedraggled by this time to argue. I pulled my one-wheeled bag out of the trunk, paid the $47.50 and dragged me and my crippled bag to the hotel lobby.
No game tonight, just news on the pitching front from Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey.
Johnny Cueto, who left Sunday’s start after three innings, was diagnosed today by Dr. Tim Kremchek with a posterior strain on his right elbow, possibly due to hyperextension.
McCoy diagnosis: His elbow hurts.
Cueto won’t make his scheduled Saturday start at home against the Giants and Doc Hollywood (that’s Kremchek) will check him out again Friday.
And for those who thought Homer Bailey might come back to make that start, well, Kremchek gave the Reds a two-for-one when he checked on Bailey, too.
Kremchek said Bailey has a mild sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
McCoy diagnosis: His knee hurts.
Bailey won’t take his Thursday start for the Louisville Bats and will be re-checked by Kremchek at the end of the week.
Bailey has not won a game in 21 starts at Louisville and Cincinnati. Twenty-one. He hasn’t won since April 27.
That’s hard to do if you try to do it. Maybe he can get a job at United Airlines.
One trip highlight so far: Spotting Sandra Bullock at the team hotel in Denver. Assume she was there for Obama and not Bronson Arroyo.
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Comments
By redsfaninchitown
August 26, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this
Hal, call United Airlines in Elk Grove Village, IL and ask for an administrative assistant to the CEO. They will take care of you. I fly UAL regularly and call there is something in the field does not make sense.By bobby
August 26, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this
Dear Hal, I have been a reds fan for over 35 years. I dont think that I have ever seen a reds team this bad. I understand that we are a small market team, but so is (the twins). They win all most every year. There is no excuse for this losing. We have some really good players, but we need a leader who will lead this team back to glory IMAGINE this lineup. cf-Juan Pierre ss- Brandon Phillips rf- Jay Bruce lf- Adam dunn 1b- Joey votto 3b- adrian beltre 2b- jeff keppinger c - ryan hanigan I think that this lineup would be more competitive then anyone we have had in awhile. We need to keep Javier valentin and Jerry Hairston and Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper for the bench help we desperatly need. The pitching will come with better hitting. I think that we have 4 good starters need to find a 5th starter and i think that we could win next year. Also we need a new manager also. Some one like Davey Johnson or Willie Randolph.By Mike-Cinci
August 26, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this
If the Reds drop several players(free agents) from their current roster who will replace them? I see Patterson, Andy Phillips, Cabrera, Valentin, Weathers, Majewski, Fogg, Lincoln, Affeldt all going due to the Reds not wanting them or the players not wanting to stay with the Reds. They may just keep Bako if they can’t find another catcher. It is not a pretty sight.By Dante
August 26, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
Delta is United’s evil twin, in the same boat as USAIR. Another failure airline with lousy customer service. I won’t fly Delta either. I quit using them when the CS rep on the other end was in India. You can have’em.By Air Force One Hundred
August 26, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
Hal: Continental operates non-stop to Houston, why in the world did you select UA? More FF miles so you and your wife can get a free vacation? And why are you staying downtown paying the crazy flat rate fee for a taxi? You know you will have to make multiple trips each day to the ballpark and pay the fee so that makes no sense on your part sto stay downtown. There are plenty of great places to stay and some within walking distance of the stadium or a short ride that would have cost you considerably less. This time I don’t see how you can complain. You chose the airline (after all the past problems) and you chose to stay downtown. Suck it up man!By Air Force One Hundred
August 26, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this
Hal: Continental operates non-stop to Houston, why in the world did you select UA? More FF miles so you and your wife can get a free vacation? And why are you staying downtown paying the crazy flat rate fee for a taxi? You know you will have to make multiple trips each day to the ballpark and pay the fee so that makes no sense on your part sto stay downtown. There are plenty of great places to stay and some within walking distance of the stadium or a short ride that would have cost you considerably less. This time I don’t see how you can complain. You chose the airline (after all the past problems) and you chose to stay downtown. Suck it up man!By Mike
August 26, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this
Delta…you gotta be kidding..! I was delayed 5 times in one day..but These people once sent my luggage on to Ft. Meyers and I hadn’t even left yet. There it was, going around the carousel in the Ft. Meyers airport. I was back in Cincinnati. Delta..don’t think so.By Kjudson
August 26, 2008 8:30 AM | Link to this
Hal, Use another airline please. I look forward in the morning to reading your opines about the Reds and not about your problems with your air carrier of choice. I use Southwest Airlines and have no trouble at all with anything. Even get two bags checked for “free.” Time to make a change Big Guy.By Roger
August 26, 2008 7:32 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the, from a far diagnosis, makes sense to me.By AP-FLORIDA
August 26, 2008 7:01 AM | Link to this
Not sure, but I thought I saw Rusty and cp working the baggage tram for United the other day. Something called future career day.By BIRDIE41
August 25, 2008 11:37 PM | Link to this
Hal, the idea for your luggage on the Reds charter sounds good.Also, Please pass on The word: DUSTY BAKER MUST BE FIRED BEFORE NEXT SEASONBy rob in stl
August 25, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this
I’m just speculating but I don’t think they will make a roster move to make an emergency start. If it is Masset and he goes 5, Baker would happy.By Carl's Little Brother
August 25, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
Rob in Stl, I don’t think it would be Nick, has he worked over a streach to start? What is the deal with Livingston? Still on the DL? What’s with all the pitchers hurting or on the DL? Where is Sullivan, Clay Caroll and Norm Charlton when we need innings?By rob in stl
August 25, 2008 10:08 PM | Link to this
Can you send your 50 pounder on the Reds’ charter and then carry-on what you need until you get to the next city? Who takes Cueto’s turn on Saturday? Probably Nick Masset, although Ramon Ramirez deserves a shot.By ShockMonkey
August 25, 2008 8:02 PM | Link to this
Jeez Hal, United used to lose your luggage for free! Now they ding ya for $25 smackers to do it. I guess your luggage and the Reds have something in common: both are lost!By Mike-Cinci
August 25, 2008 7:41 PM | Link to this
United Airlines hates their passengers which are called customers by companies who care. The airline and its employees are trying to go out of business and I bet they succeed.By bigdoc
August 25, 2008 7:18 PM | Link to this
Bus for Hal! Bus for Hal! Best suggestion on the blog all year. Thanks, Hal, for giving us regular guys something to chuckle about in ‘The REALLY Lost Season.’By navy vet
August 25, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
Shut both guy’s down, and get ready for the future.By David B
August 25, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
Dang that stinks about Cueto. I am going to the Giants game on Saturday and was hoping to finally see him pitch. Just my luck. I have seen Volquez once, the bad Bronson once, Bailey’s 15 hits in 5 innings performance, and Fogg too many times to count (although 2 of the 4 times I saw him he was lights out). Hal I think your airline luck has just rubbed off on me.By Carl's Little Brother
August 25, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this
Hal, someone who works for UA reads this blogg. He has reported you to all the baggage handlers and they look for yours. Why don’t you pull a John Madden and ride a bus? Heck you should have your own bus. Would be much better.By Ryan
August 25, 2008 5:34 PM | Link to this
Hal, when is the DDN going to sack up and send you on a PJ? Hall-of-fame credentials mustn’t mean much any more.By Matt
August 25, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this
Dang, Hal. It seems that ole UA has given you one terrible experience after another. I had my luggage lost by United Airlines once. When I was in the Army, it happened twice I believe, when I came home on leave. If I have the choice, I fly Delta. You can’t go wrong there.