Amberspatch and Bellowton are once again riding different steeds. Amberspatch is on a small hippo. Bellowton is sidesaddle on a very normal quadrupedal giant chicken. They continue their conversation about sports.
AMBERSPATCH: I'm interested in your...RITUALS related to sports, so I talked to another fan. HE said the reason your team lost WASN'T related to the socks anyone wore, OR whether he watched on TV or listened to the radio
AMBERSPATCH: According to THIS guy, the main factor was the decision to PITCH to the other team's best hitter, rather than walk him; since first base was open, it would have set up the force out for a double play. And doing so after having pulled the starting pitcher in the FIRST place, in favor of a weaker pitcher from the bullpen
AMBERSPATCH: Which, in HIS view, points the finger at managerial malpractice. All made WORSE by ownership's lack of willingness to pony up for better hitters from the bottom of the lineup.
BELLOWTON: SURE. Insufferable after-the-fact armchair coaches like that are a dime a dozen.
AMBERSPATCH: But YOU prefer to focus on wearing the right socks and so on.
BELLOWTON: Look, if the bus might be headed off the cliff anyway, I prefer having a toy steering wheel to keep my hands busy