I’ll set-up the particulars for you here. The Dodgers were playing the Expos, and opposing pitcher Scott Sanderson has pitched a really bad game, and won. Now as you know, Tommy’s tirades are the stuff legends are made of. Extremely hilarious legends. Of course Tommy’s tirades were fits of passion. He got angry because he was so passionate, and wanted to win so badly. He loved the Dodgers so much, it’s understandable in my opinion not being happy about losing a game like this. It doesn’t make it any less funny though.

During the post-game press conference Tommy is visibly upset. The Dodgers only helped Sanderson’s cause by squandering scoring opportunity after scoring opportunity. Sanderson is wild, missing the plate the entire game. The Dodgers swung at his pitches anyways, stranding runners on base throughout the game. I had to take out all of the profanity. Here is the transcript of the post game interview below. The Scott Sanderson rant comes in as the number nine Tommy Lasorda moment of all time.

Tommy Lasorda-Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Lasorda: I ain’t bleeping bleeping you when I say this. That bleeping bleeper, he, he was burning himself right there on the bleeping mound. Bleeping swinging at bleeping balls this bleeping high. He walks – he walked Russell, he don’t come close to the bleeping plate. (laughter from reporters) He walked Sax, he don’t come near the bleeping plate. Two balls and one bleeping strike and the bleeping ball up in his bleeping eyes, and Landreaux swings at the mother bleeping ball. How the bleep can you hit that bleeping guy? Garvey, Garvey needed a bleeping oar to hit the bleeping ball today (more laughter), that’s how bleeping bad he was – their bleeping pitches were. I’ll tell ya, he’d have made a bleeping great bleeping cricket player, hitting the ball on one bleeping bounce. I’ll tell ya, that’s a bleeping crime. We had more bleeping scoring opportunities (yet more laughter) to win that mother bleeping game, and I’ll tell ya that bleepsuckers get away with that bleeping shit, that motherbleeper!

(laughter again – after this point Lasorda is completely enraged and the reporter’s laughter is non-stop)

Reporter 1: That long enough for ya Jim?

Lasorda: I don’t give a bleep I’m bleeping bleep, bleep ‘em! Lucky motherbleepers! How the bleep can those bleepsuckers get by with that bleeping bleep? Ah, put that in your bleeping paper, TJ! Every bleeping word I said put it in the mother bleeping paper! I don’t give a bleep, TJ!  (T.J. Simers?)

Reporter 2 (TJ?): How do ya spell…

Lasorda: Put that in that mother bleeping paper you work for! What in the bleep is the name of that paper, TJ?

Reporter 3 (Joe): Tommy, what was your opinion of Kingman….

Lasorda: Get the bleep out of here, Joe!

Reporter3 (Joe): No, no, I’m serious, I have to ask that….

Lasorda: I’m serious too. Get the bleep out of here I don’t want to bleeping talk to ya. Penguin’s right, you are a bleeping spy. Penguin knows ya!

I wasn’t able to pinpoint exactly what year this game was, but I think it was sometime around 1981, or 1982. It took me a good twenty minutes to take out all of the profanity. Missed scoring opportunities have been a familiar site with the Dodgers in recent years. We feel your pain Tommy. That’s what I love most about Tommy. He wasn’t afraid to show how much he cared. That’s called passion. That was classic Tommy down to the last sound bite.

The Dodgers built the infamous Diamond Vision in 1980. It was originally constructed for the only all-star game ever held at the Ravine. Unveiled at the 1980 all-star game, it was the first of it’s kind back in those days. The 875 foot video display has been a permanent part of Dodger Stadium for the last 32 years. It seems almost inconceivable to imagine Dodger Stadium without it.

The Dodger Stadium Diamond Vision.

The Diamond Vision has sat atop the left field Pavilions for the last three decades, gracing us with images of games past, highlights, blooper reels, scores, stats, standings, and many other videos. The Dodgers will be replacing the Diamond Vision with a brand new state of the art video board. One of those modern boards with state of the art sound, and a thousand by a thousand resolution, or something like that. The new board will be returned to it’s original hexagon shape, the same shape as the scoreboard above the right field pavilions. They’re calling it Dodger Stadium, classic look. If you remember, the regular hexagon scoreboard was above the left field pavilion before the birth of the Diamond Vision.

There it sat for years perched atop the left field seats. Familiar brands like Unical 76, or Coca-Cola advertising from atop the board. It let us know of other scores, or showed us replays of great plays. Once the games were over, the Diamond Vision showed the highlights of the past game, weather the Dodgers  won or lost, the story unfolded across the Diamond Vision. People throwing out the first pitch, and others from the pre-game ceremonies graced the pixels of the Diamond Vision. Other people like the Don’t stop believing guy, and relief pitchers making warm-up throws also appeared on a daily basis over the Diamond Vision. 30 years worth of players have been featured on that Diamond Vision. From Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, to Mike Piazza, to Matt Kemp, and Clayton Kershaw. Many Dodgers have been shown on the Diamond Vision.

Honestly, I’m not really sure how I feel about this guys. I mean I know it may seem silly to be upset about this, but there is a reason I am. I feel that upholding Dodger tradition is one of the most important tasks of the new owners. In my mind, the Dodgers aren’t just a Baseball team, they’re a culture, and Dodger Stadium is our cathedral. Preserving and protecting Dodger Stadium’s unique design and classic essence is as important as anything. So in my opinion, taking away anything that affects Dodger Stadium’s traditional look, and makes Chavez Ravine look and feel like Chavez Ravine is a pretty big deal to me. I just don’t like Dodger Stadium touched in any sort of way.

I know, I know. I get it. Dodger Stadium is old and has to be upgraded, and the Diamond Vision is outdated technology.  I am very pleased with the overall renovations for 2013. And I am excited to check out the improvements once they are finished. I think the new owners are doing a terrific job sprucing up, and upgrading the Stadium, while not removing the classic architecture, and design that gives Dodger Stadium it’s soul.

But I still can’t help but feel a little weird about not seeing the familiar rectangle Diamond Vision scoreboard above left field. I won’t forget it I tell you that. Many games I have craned my neck in order to see it better while sitting along the third baseline box seats. How many times have you yourself peered through your binoculars if only to catch a close up glimpse of the early 1980’s video board.

Dodger Stadium is beautiful. Everything about it is breathtaking to me. Every little microscopic thing about the Ravine is wonderful. Dodger Stadium is my home, and I will always love my home, even after the upgrades for the 2013 season. It will still be strange however, not seeing the Diamond Vision. Search your mind, you know you’ll feel a little funny about it too. It’s like a piece of Dodger Stadium will be missing. I guess we’ll just have to accept it. Let’s take a moment of silence for the Dodger Stadium Diamond Vision. An unforgettable piece of Dodger Stadium history. A foregone obsolete remnant of an era past, that has been ingrained into our minds for over 30 years. Goodbye Diamond Vision. Dodger Stadium is returning to a pre-1980 look. Minus one left field Diamond Vision.