Baseball Brawls to Constitutional Calls

In Far Middle episode 180, Nick highlights a one-of-a-kind baseball brawl from his favorite era, the 1970s, for the installment’s sports dedication. The incident between Hall of Famer Ted Simmons, pitcher Al Hrabosky, hitter Bill Madlock, and their Cardinals and Cubs teammates in 1974 was a memorable altercation, but also one of which many fans may be unaware. Listen as Nick recounts the wild events that took place in St. Louis just over 50 years ago. Delving into more serious issues, Nick explains the episode's theme. He describes it as “standards and rule of law, meeting those standards – or falling short – getting rule of law right or getting it wrong, and then second chances to get things back on course." With that synopsis, Nick begins a critique of the Secret Service, highlighting several recent failures and historical lapses in security protocols. Drawing parallels between these failures and broader governance issues, Nick questions the influence of unelected individuals like First Lady Jill Biden on executive decisions. He emphasizes the importance of adhering to constitutional norms and protocols for succession of power. Nick stresses that he has no opposition to the important role of first ladies or first gentlemen, but rather highlights that they are not elected by the voters to be or to act as president. “If the president is unable to perform the duty of office, there are pretty clear protocols in place that lay out what needs to be done in the interim until another election,” says Nick. “It doesn't say in any of those protocols that first lady or first gentleman assumes the responsibilities of their elected spouse.” Connecting from the rules relating to the succession of power in the executive branch, Nick then discusses the rules pertaining to America’s legal system and warns of the dangers of lawfare. Nick calls for a consistent legal system based on established rules that apply universally and are clearly defined. He criticizes the Chevron deference, which granted excessive power to bureaucrats, and praises its recent overturn by the Supreme Court in the Loper-Bright decision, providing a return to constitutional balance among the branches of government and “a return to sound government and rule of law.” In closing, Nick recounts Ricky Nelson's career transformation from a teen idol to a country-rock artist. He discusses Nelson's hit song "Garden Party," inspired by an incident at Madison Square Garden where Nelson was booed for playing new material instead of his old hits. The song's lyrics reflect Nelson's realization about staying true to oneself despite public opinion.