odd use of "newbie" (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Laurence Horn]

On Feb 13, 2012, at 2:04 PM, Mullins, Bill AMRDEC wrote:

> Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
>
> Bill James, making the case for Dwight Evans in the baseball HOF:
>
> "If I didn't follow those steps, the people who have read my stuff over
> the years would know immediately that I wasn't playing by the rules, and
> they would tear me a newbie over it right away."
>
> http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7555836/an-open-letter-mlb-hall-fame
> -dwight-evans-rightful-place-cooperstown
>
> If he had written "new asshole" instead of "newbie", it would have made
> perfect sense to me.

I've certainly heard "tear [someone] a new one" to avoid specifiying what sort of one was being torn a new.  And, well, a "newbie" is a "new one".  Perhaps "new one" is the bridge from "new asshole" to "newbie".

Every Google hit on "tear me a newbie" references the Bill James piece on Dewey, and there are none at all for "tear you/her a newbie", but two for "tear him a newbie", although the first incorporates an interesting sort of priming and the latter is written in a dialect other than any I'm familiar with:

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Every newbie and their dog ask that friggen question, as they miss the point entirely (ie. think that there is an answer). The regulars will tear you a newbie!!!

Spinning numberlate is a must, have normal plate, alt plate, a "Hey babe" type plate (we are talking Bond after all) and a "get off my ass before I tear you a newbie".
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LH

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