How Keith Olbermann Earned $10 as a Kid

The former MSNBC obnoxious political commentator, Keith Olbermann, who now is back at ESPN doing sports commentary, told a funny story last night o  his show. This might explain how he got so obnoxious. It appears Olbermann's father was quite the cagey influence on the young Olbermann. I am not sure how much of this story is true, but he sold it very well.

I am going to be off on the dates in this story, and off on Olbermann's exact age when this event allegedly took place, because I was only half paying attention until he got close to the punchline.

According to Olbermann, his father worked with an irritating guy who claimed to know everything about the New York Yankees.

Olbermann's father went to his son, then 10 years old, and said, "Look I told this guy that you know everything there is to know about the Yankees. I am going to have him call you tomorrow and ask you a bunch of Yankee questions. During the call I want you to slip in the name of a made up Yankee and get him to buy that the guy existed."

Olbermann was not game, but his father told him he would give him $5.00 if he pulled it off. Money talks. Olbermann agreed.

They also decided that the made up Yankee's name would be James Talbot.The next day the guy calls and asks Olbermann a bunch of Yankee questions, "What was the starting lineup for the 1923 Yankees?" etc. Olbermann answers the questions correctly.

Then the guy asks Olbermann to name the 1964 starting pitching rotation for the Yankees. This is where Olbermann decides he can slip in Talbot. So Olbermann names four real Yankee pitchers and then throws in James Talbot.

The guy stops him at Talbot and says, "Who?"

Olbermann responds with confidence, "James Talbot."

The guy says, "Who?"

Olbermann sells it hard, "James Talbot. Don't you remember the Yankees got him in a trade with the Dodgers? He nearly pitched a no hitter in 1965, but lost it in the 8th inning."

The guy then says, "Oh yeah, James Talbot. I was at that game where he nearly threw the no hitter."

Olbermann says his father paid him $10.00.

This reminds me of a lot of nutty theories that go on in the MSM economic world. Although they don't make sense, they are sold real hard and the sheep eventually buy it.