Genuine human joy for sale

I counted 15 seconds between the strikeout that ended the World Series and the celebration scene being spoiled by the appearance of merchandising-department tools running up to the dogpile to hand out "World Series Champions" shirts and caps to the Philadelphia Phillies. And another couple of seconds before video cameramen ran up to the dogpile to shoot closeups they evidentally couldn't have got from off the field if they knew how to work zoom lenses. And a moment or two more before the stage for trophy presentations and network interviews was being set up on the edge of the infield.

As annoying as the appearance of all these peripheral people was to those of us watching on TV, imagine how intrusive it must have been to fans at the stadium who wished to witness the pure human joy of their heroes but wound up feeling like a studio audience at an infomercial taping.

Naturally, within minutes there was a commercial asking us to buy knockoffs of the shirts and caps the Phillies wore in their clubhouse celebration, and mlb.com was advertising the same partywear.

Someday, Bud Selig and the bosses of other sports leagues will allow a genuine human moment to breathe. Just as soon as they figure out how to sell air on-line.