Friday, December 31, 2010

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If you enjoy putting the occasional wager on football games - yesterday was a very interesting day. The day started off with Army pulling the upset over SMU in a game where Army was a better than touchdown underdog. Syracuse then beats Kansas State by 2 points on a last second crap excessive celebration call which had some people suggesting the fix was in (as an aside - even if there was no penalty there is no guaranty that K-State scores the 2 point conversion to force OT). North Carolina then beats Tennessee in a wild finish / meltdown depending on your point of view. If you had Tennessee then you thought the game was won only to see it snatched away literally at the last second. Finally Washington which was a 14-point underdog upsets Nebraska in a start to finish beatdown. Wild, wild day... 50 Funniest Headlines Of 2010... OK I'll say it! The 5 suspended Ohio State players have pledged to return next season - what is to keep them from changing their minds after they play the bowl game? Nothing - nothing at all... World's Happiest Penguin... After 18-years of marriage John Cougar Mellencamp is getting divorced from his 41-year old wife. So does that mean he gets to stay a Mellencamp and she becomes a Cougar?... To borrow a joke from the Baseball Crank - just hours from now, we hear Dick Clark say that magic word..."BRAINS!!!"...

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Jerry Crasnick makes his case for Jeff Bagwell and the Hall of Fame. Here's what bugs me about Jerry's piece - he named every player baseball-reference compares to Bagwell except Fred McGriff - why? Did he purposely make no comparison between Bagwell and McGriff because Crime Dog is considered clean when it comes to steroids and Bagwell not so much?... Jeff Bagwell a 'No' for This Hall Voter. I have to say that he has a point... I shouldn't have to do this but my awesomeness compels me to deny that I have ever used performance enhancing drugs except beer... Very cool chart of weekly 2010 movie revenues... Interesting - supposedly if Michigan waits to fire Rich Rodriguez until after Jan 1st, his buyout drops from $4 million to $2.5 million... Tim Tebow - praise be his name... One the one hand - Jeff Bagwell holds many of the all-time hitting records for the Astros so it should be proper for him to be in the Hall of Fame. On the other hand he made over $128 million playing baseball and if he did do steroids then he's been compensated already.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Joe Posnanski explains his Hall of Fame choices better than any writer today... Tom Brady got voted in but is not playing in the Pro Bowl. Take that to the bank. He'll either be in Super Bowl or chilling with Giselle having begged off the game with some sort of injury. My guess is Super Bowl... How great would this be for a summer home? Not sure if I'd want to live there year around but that home is wicked cool... Of the 21 players with 300 saves only 3 are lefties - John Franco, Billy Wagner and Randy Myers. I can't think of a major lefty closer playing today. Why is that? Is it because good lefties are always made into starters?... Every time I go skiing I think about this happening. I'm surprised more people weren't hurt... I've made this point before but if in his prime the Yankees offered a Don Mattingly for Wade Boggs swap - the Red Sox make that trade 7 days a week. If it was reversed - if the Red Sox offered Boggs the Yankees turn the trade down 7 days a week.... How Does an Etch A Sketch Work? Etch A Sketch is one of the few toys generations have used and is still cool today... FWIW - Todd Helton's career road OPS is higher (.873 to .857) than George Brett's overall career OPS

Monday, December 27, 2010

Roll Tide

- I believe in the soul, the Roll Tide, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the strong side sweep, high fiber, good scotch, and that the teams of Auburn are self-indulgent, overrated crap. Roll Tide
- In Soviet Russia - Tide Rolls you
- Oh Mandy, you came and you gave without taking - and then I gave you Roll Tide - Oh Mandy
- I see Roll Tide people. Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're Roll Tide.
- E = Roll Tide Squared
- Confucius say Roll Tide is Erik Estrada - all else is Larry Wilcox. Roll Tide
- Me Roll Tide - you Jane
- Of all the words of tongue and pen - the awesomest are Roll Tide!
- Latin: "Audio, video, disco, Rolltideo" English: "I hear, I see, I learn, I Roll Tide"
Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Has ESPN's Mike Tirico ever publicly commented on the Brett Favre dong pictures? Just curious because of his history... Toy Grit... Joe Paterno still holds a share of Brown University's record for career interceptions with 14... In the mid-1950s, Kurt Vonnegut ran a Saab dealership in West Barnstable, Massachusetts.... That explains why Liz Lemon was so cool the other day... The lady in the Geigo commercial who thinks the lizard is Stanley must really like small penis. Or maybe the woman is a reverse Richard Gere?... An Atom walks down road when he suddenly bumps into another atom. "Are you okay?" he asks "No! I've lost an electron!" "Are you sure?" "I'm positive!"... Don Corleone's mansion in The Godfather movie is for sale: $2.9 million. How cool would it be to live in the Godfather's house?... It is never a good idea to tell a woman that she looks like Peter Gammons... What the heck?... I watched 10 second of Sarah Palin's Alaska - that was enough... I think Gronkowski is Polish for Ditka... Vince Young's career QB rating is just 75.7 which would be 28th out of 32 QB's this season. Why do people like him again? Titans would be better off if they went after Bruce Gradkowski, Kevin Kolb or Michael Vick in 2011 instead of Vince Young.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

This is Why they Cancelled the Eagles Game Today



Not sure if it will be any better on Tuesday. This is what is in store for fans wearing Viking's jerseys. It will probably be 10 times worse if it is a Brett Favre jersey.
Roll Tide

- Cliff Lee was just an average pitcher until 2008 but since then Roll Tide
- Peggy had a tough career before joining USA Prime Credit but since then - Roll Tide
- I'm sorry I had a fight in the middle of your Black Panther party - Roll Tide
- Hank Greenberg was all blocked up until he started drinking prune coffee but since then Roll Tide
- I was feeling left out but then Chris Berman said I was with him and since then Roll Tide
- We wear the same man thong - we are brother - Roll Tide
- I am too drunk to taste this chicken Roll Tide
- The first rule of Roll Tide is you do not talk about Roll Tide
- May your first child be a masculine child - Roll Tide
- Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel Rolls Tide
Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

It is amusing that on HBO's 24/7 NHL series the closed captioning does not transcribe any of the swears. I mean every other word is "f*ck" but are they trying to protect the sensibilities of deaf people?... Who knew? Not only is there a Saratoga Springs NY - there is also a Saratoga Springs Utah! The Utah town was started in 1997. It would be cool to have homes in both towns... Interesting way to look at it - Wisconsin just mustered the 8th largest army in the world... I recently re-read A Christmas Carol and one Charles Dickens simile that make no sense jumped out at me - "like a bad lobster in a dark cellar." What the hell is that supposed to mean?... Speaking of Christmas carols - a very under-rated one is Annie Lennox singing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen...Not my joke but I'll repeat it - do you think Rex Ryan and his wife spent the last two days sniffing the Christmas stockings?... I think Michael Vick talking about voting for himself for MVP will cost him some votes. Tom Brady would never make that kind of faux pas but then again Tom Brady would never torture and kill dogs either... So that's how it is in that marriage... Cliff Lee was just an average pitcher until 2008 but since then Roll Tide...

Friday, December 24, 2010

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- The Vancouver Aquarium's holiday card is awesome

- Very Cool. Snowflakes under an electron microscope

- If you are in a technology industry you might find this amusing

- This is why teachers drink As an aside - when I hear the word "Forex" I think condom - so to me Forex Mom = Condom Mom.

- Is Chipper Jones a Hall of Famer? I think so.

- Jason Whitlock on Sexy Ryan. I agree with Whitlock 100% - Ryan has to stop being a clown and start being a coach. I'd take it one step forward - he should step up and own the foot fetish story. If he goes to the podium and says, "Yes that is me and my wife in the videos. I love my wife. I love her feet, I love everything about her. Some men are leg men, some men like breasts best - I like feet. This has nothing to do with our preparations for this Sunday's game so I will not be answering any other questions about it."

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Like a good neighbor State Farm is there - with some sexy feet (Rex Ryan after getting into an accident)... Robin Ventura had a 58 game hitting streak while in college. If you used ESPN's thinking in hyping UConn women's streak record you would think that Ventura somehow passed Joe DiMaggio's 56 game record in the big leagues... Very cool letter from Texas A and M coach Mike Sherman... The obscure but entertaining Beef O Bradys Bowl did a 2.0 rating while the uber hyped UConn women's record win did a 1.0 - twice as many people cared about two teams who weren't even in the top 25 than the record breaking UConn team yet President Obama didn't call Coach Strong after the game... Prediction - in 2011 the Hamburgler will finally be brought to Justice while Mayor McCheese will be ousted by a Tea Party candidate... I find it amusing that same people who slam Sarah Palin are also ones who pay to see crap like Little Fockers... Holy crap! Never realized that McNulty is Scrooge's nephew Fred in Patrick Stewart version of A Christmas Carol... My life just got a whole lot less productive now that I found that YouTube has most of the Barney Miller episodes online... The music video for Leather Hands "Vertical Lines" is genius - lousy song but music video is worth it.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Barney Miller on Jets Foot Fetishes

From the Barney Miller Hot Dogs episode:

Chano: When people lose faith in government it leads to anarchy. You know what anarchy is?
Yamana: That's when people run around doing what they feel like doing. Like the Jets.
Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- The Greatest Letter Ever Printed On NFL Team Letterhead

- The Coelacanth. Just don't call it a living fossil.

- 'Merry Xmas' written in Si atoms in a 100 nm square. Would have been more impressive if they didn't have to abbreviate Christmas.

- Amazing image of MASSIVE cave dwarfing puny explorer.

- Rex Ryan and "ihaveprettyfeet" - Yikes! It's true! In case you don't know what I'm talking about - Rex Ryan And Wife Make A Foot Fetish Video

- Billy Carter launched Billy Beer in 1977. Here's a look at exactly how that came to be

- An interesting take on the Bellagio robbery

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Silent Night



Silent Night sung by Enya in Gaelic. Very pretty.
Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Time-Lapse Video of Last Night’s Lunar Eclipse

- Dave Chappelle on Kramer

- 18 Quick Facts About Your Favorite Christmas TV Specials

- Danny Woodhead Tries To Sell His Own Jersey, No One Notices

- Total Eclipse of the Heart: Literal Video Version
Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I am saddened by the death of Steve Landesberg. His character, Lieutenant Dietrich on Barney Miller was one of my favorites of all-time... Wow - last night's lunar eclipse brought renewed interest for Bobbie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart. I was not aware that E-Street Band stalwarts Max Weinberg (drums) and Roy Bittan (piano) along with Rick Derringer (guitar) played on that song... Business term I hate most is "best effort". If not specified does that mean you're getting whatever effort the vendor feels like?... It is not fair but I can almost guarantee that Jeff Bagwell will get more Hall of Fame votes than Fred McGriff. Both players finished top 10 in MVP voting 6 times and both won 3 Silver Slugger awards at first base but McGriff has more career HR, RBI and total bases... You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch was sung by Thurl Ravenscroft who was also the voice of Tony the Tiger for Frosted Flakes... Like a good neighbor State Farm is there (with me minus 20 pounds). (Shit does not work in real life.)... Do you think the Yankees have called Mike Mussina just to see if he's been keeping in shape?... I imagine the $2 mil the Royals sent to the Brewers in the Zach Greinke trade was for Yuniesky Betancourt's 2012 buyout... When did Terry Bowden turn into Tim Allen from the Santa Clause movie?... The Brewers have now assembled a pretty good starting staff with the Greinke trade but they still need closer. Is Rafael Soriano next move?

Monday, December 20, 2010

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The Brewers have assembled a pretty good starting staff with the Zach Greinke trade but they still need closer. Is signing Rafael Soriano their next move? Do you think they regret missing out on Bobby Jenks?... Who knew that all you had to do to Gnocci to make it funny was to fry it? (I confess I did not know what Gnocci was until I saw the video)... Things that are hard to believe - Kirk Gibson never made an All-Star team... Strife was the son of the goddess Eris (Discord). Strife always followed Discord. I'm not sure if Delonte West ever slept with Eris... In the history of bad free agent signings - ESPN signing Rick Reilly has to be near the top of the list... Biggest indictment of the current BCS system is existence of Beef ‘o’ Brady’s Bowl (Louisville vs Southern Miss). When I first heard the name of the bowl - I thought it was a joke and I'm not sure if I was wrong...

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Justified

Now that Boardwalk Empire is done - I can't wait for Justified to come back in January.

New episodes of Mad Men would also be greatly appreciated.
Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Zack Greinke has changed agents and is requesting to be traded. The Rangers seem to be the favorite to land him but you know the Yankees will put on a full court press since they are in desperationland. FWIW - Greinke was 0-2 in 3 starts with an 8.82 ERA at old Yankee Stadium. Makes you wonder whether it was the Yankees or the city?... The world would have been a much better place if John Wooden started a religion instead of L. Ron Hubbard... Does the Clash lyric "He who f*cks nuns will later join the church" explain the Red Sox signing of Carl Crawford?... Just as an FYI - "Britney Spears" is an anagram for “Presbyterians”.... I could see the Yankees spending for Rafael Soriano to be set up guy and as insurance for Mo Rivera especially given weakness of their rotation... Heh heh - great line by Steve Rushin, "In span of 12 days, McRib and McNabb both discontinued"... Can you imagine the number of HR that free agent Jim Thome could hit for the Rangers playing half his games in Arlington? Sure he's slowed some but for his career - Thome has an 1.025 OPS with 15 HR in 206 AB (that's a HR every 13.7 AB)... Interesting fact pointed out by Peter Gammons - Brandon Weeden, the Oklahoma State starting QB was once traded by the Yankees for Kevin Brown...
Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Good piece on Tom Brady. What really makes him great is that his teammates know he only cares about winning championships.

- Popcorn in slow motion

- Toy Story Meets The Wire

- Mitch Hedburgh quote generator

- Pop icons seen in a different light

- This is stupid but I couldn't stop clicking it or laughing.

- Rejection Letters Received by Bestselling Authors

Friday, December 17, 2010

Blake Edwards

Saddened to hear of the passing of the great director Blake Edwards.

I have to admit that my first thought upon hearing of his death was to wonder if someone would give him the sendoff that Richard Mulligan got in the movie SOB.

Here's Part 1 of what I am talking about.

Here's Part II.

I have to admit my morbidity in confessing that it was strange realizing that not only were all of the actors who played Richard Mulligan's friends - William Holden (1981), Robert Preston (1987) and Robert Weber (1989) had also passed but that now they are joined by their director.
Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Good news - Jack Huston Upped To Regular On HBO's Boardwalk Empire. Richard Harrow is perhaps my favoriye character on that show. I did not realize he was the grandson of John Huston and nephew of Anjelica Huston.

- A look at Bobby Jenks possible role with the Red Sox

- Old Gold Cigarettes Will Give You The Crazy Eyes

- Ski racer straddles gate. His pain is your laughter.

- I got a kick out of this joke

- Is this the greatest headline of all time? Roasted Nuts is still #1 in my book.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Dads and Baseball

Much news in the world of baseball today. We grieve over the loss of American icon Bob Feller and in Boston we wonder if the Red Sox have just righted the ship as far as their bullpen is concerned. An article on each subject seemed to overlap and seemed worthy of note.

There have been many touching tributes to Bob Feller but the best I've read was done by Joe Posnanski. Bob Feller would often say that the best man he ever knew was his dad. An Iowa farmer who carved out a baseball field for his son because he wanted nothing but the best for Rapid Robert. Feller understood what his dad had done for him which was underscored by his questioning of Posnanski:
And then Bob Feller asked me about my father. Direct questions. Did he play catch with me when I was young? I said yes. Did he take me to baseball games? I said yes. Did he believe in me deeply? I said yes.
If asked I am guessing that new Red Sox reliever - Bobby Jenks - would answer "No" if Rapid Robert had asked him those questions.

I say that because of an old Bob Nightengale article that was reposted on Boston.com (with permission?). The article tells of a different Iowa boy with a firebolt for an arm but whose father wasn't quite so caring as Bill Feller. The juxtaposition of the two stories just struck me. In particular it seemed strange that two Iowa fireballers would be making the news in the same day. But the message of the two pitchers may be lost on most. The message is to be grateful for loving parents if you have them, be a loving parent if you have kids and if you weren't so lucky - don't give up on your dreams.

For the record - I like the signing of Jenks. It doesn't cost a lot in terms of money (2-years / $12 million) and best of all since Jenks was non-tendered by the White Sox - it doesn't even cost the Red Sox a draft pick.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

It has to be noted that the Yankees had a chance to trade for Roy Oswalt last July and they pretty much passed. They were a playoff team who had old teammate Andy Pettitte as a selling point and his remaining contract is chicken feed to them but yet the Yankees did not pursue Oswalt with any enthusiasm. Do you think they are re-thinking that decisions lately?... Am I the only one waiting for the NASCAR headline that reads "Danica Patrick on Pole"? And it meaning what you hope it means?... “Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.” – Frank Sinatra... Speaking of Andy Pettitte - it has to be remembered that last time around the Yankees gave him the high hat with a take it or leave it $5.5 million contract offer. People keep talking about Carl Pavano as the best remaining free agent starter but it is actually Andy Pettitte. How big of an FU would it be if Pettitte decided to play again this year but just not for the Yankees? Can you imagine the ripping Hank Steinbrenner would get if Pettitte signed with say the Rangers?... If I worked in the front office of an independent minor league team - I would have made a 7-year contract offer to Cliff Lee just so I could send out press release saying I was mystery team...
Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- Even on Christmas - the US means business

- Thoughts on the Phillies and great four-man rotations with special guest appearance by Bill James.

- Mark Wahlberg: Not You

- Voyager 1 goes where no spacecraft has gone before!

- Funny advertisements

- Documents: SMU booster's partial "payroll" for 1982 Mustangs football team.

- Monty Python Phrase or Ben Franklin Synonym for Drunk?

- Down side of the Nobel Prize: it can put a damper on your illicit romances

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Flotsam and Jetsam Brett Favre Edition

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Brett Favre is not the most interesting man in the world no matter what ESPN says... Wow - the Phillies getting Cliff Lee was a move that nobody saw coming. I wonder if they try and move Joe Blanton and his remaining $17 million over two years contract to try and make the money just spent more livable for the organization. The irony is the Yankees would be the most likely suitor for Blanton... According to ESPN - people hang on every word from Brett Favre - even the prepositions... In case you haven't seen the Yogi Bear parody alternate ending... According to ESPN - Brett Favre once won connect four - in three moves.... It would be cool if his was how Santa delivered presents... According to ESPN - Sinatra considered Favre to be the chairman of the board... Maybe just as surprising as the Lee signing is the revelation that Mariano Rivera initiated contact with the Red Sox... According to ESPN - the blood of Brett Favre smells like cologne... With Brett Favre's consecutive starts streak over, here's a quiz on the other QBs of 1992... According to ESPN - Brett Favre was born in a log cabin which he had built with his own hands... Very cool - The longest zipline in North America... Speaking of ESPN - Tom Jackson is the guy with tons of seniority at your company who sucks at his job but nobody can get rid of

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes

This is just fascinating. We have things better today - worldwide than at any point in history.

I love things like this.
Women - Know Your Limits

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I wonder if Jeremiah Masoli had not had to transfer from Oregon and he had led the team to an unbeaten season - would the Heisman voting have been close with Cam Newton? You have to think Masoli would have at least been in the discussion... Last night's 30 for 30 on SMU getting the death penalty was fascinating. One thing they did not touch on though was the fact that the Booster (Sherwood Blount) who really killed SMU football was Craig James' agent. I have no respect for Craig James whatsoever... Is it me or is Jeff Fisher starting to give off Tom Landry in 1987 type vibes?... How great would it be if Cliff Lee signs with the Rangers and Andy Pettitte decides to retire for real... Here's a bit of history you never hear mentioned - in 1911 the Kentucky Derby banned black jockeys after they won 15 of first 28 Derbies... Here's the answer to a little thing that had bugged me. If Marlin is still the plural of Marlin (i.e "I caught several marlin") - then why do they call them the Marlins? It turns out that Marlins is used unless a specific number is denoted... A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, 'I'll serve you, but don't start anything'

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Santa Wearing a Kilt, Playing a Bagpipe and Riding a Unicycle

Yes - you read that correct. Brief but very satisfying video.

I love the the Internet.
Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- A look behind the scenes on how the Red Sox landed Carl Crawford

- Where are they now? Heisman Edition 1988-2009

- Wow! Awesome power of the rail-gun

- Tommy Lee writes a letter to SeaWorld in protest of whale masturbation

- Gianni Versace Was Murdered Because He Owed Money To The Mafia?

- Betting slip: $300 July Bet Pays $300,000 If Auburn Beats Oregon
Carl Crawford

I haven't had time to jot down my thoughts on the Red Sox signing Carl Crawford but I do now so here goes.

In life timing is often everything. The signing of Carl Crawford was greeted by most Red Sox fans with glee but some weren't happy. He's over-paid. He'll be slow by the end of the contract. He smells funny. Where are you going to bat him - we already have a lead-off guy and a number three hitter. I didn't understand the criticisms of the move but I couldn't help but think that if the Red Sox flip-flopped their major acquisitions then things would have been all puppy dogs and pizza pies. If the Red Sox signed Crawford first before trading for Adrian Gonzalez then people would have just looked at the positives - he's a guy in his prime years who will solidify left field for years to come. And he's a guy who has killed the Red Sox in the past and now the Sox don't have to face him. The timing is a little thing and it doesn't change those positives. As far as I'm concerned it's all good in the hood.

The signing seriously screwed with some people - especially the Angels and the Yankees. Which is nice.

Crawford was the guy the Angels were supposed to get. He filled a number of needs for the team, he was best buddies with Torii Hunter, he had expressed a desire to play on the West Coast and maybe just as important as all of those - he wasn't represented by agent Scott Boras (who the Angels hate with the intensity of a thousand white hot suns). The Red Sox blindsided the Angels and now - ironically - of their only real options (Adrian Beltre, Cliff Lee and Rafael Soriano) the one that helps the team the closest to Crawford (Adrian Beltre) is represented by Scott Boras. The Angels could easily morph into the old Red Sox where they have to sign a shiny new free agent before Christmas no matter how well it fit the team's long term plans just to keep the fan base happy.

The Crawford signing has spawned full-on panic in Yankee land. Now they HAVE to sign Cliff Lee. They HAVE to! That seventh year in now guaranteed - no mystery team needed. And the dollar value keeps creeping up. There is no doubt in my mind that this contract will be an albatross the final two or three years of the agreement (and yes I understand that haters could say the same thing about Crawford). The Yankees will either have to grossly over-pay for Lee or lose him to the Rangers or Angels. It's all good.

I happen to like the Crawford signing very much. Baseball-reference.com lists Roberto Clemente as his most similar comparison by age. Wouldn't you like to have a 29-year old Clemente on your team? Comparing Crawford to Clemente isn't fair to Crawford. I do think he reminds me of JD Drew though - plus defender and OBP guy. The Red Sox ownership and front office have been very happy with that contract and I think Crawford will be even better.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Bob Feller - Still Alive!

EDIT: Reports of Bob Feller's death were incorrect. I apologize for trusting an Ohio paper to publish the truth. Best of health to Bob. I'll leave up the post as an honest mistake - not try to airbrush history like some people.
"That was the test. Three days before he pitched, I would start thinking about Robert Feller, Bob Feller. I would sit in my room and start thinking about him all the time. ... Allie Reynolds of the Yankees was tough, and I might think about him for two hours before a game. But Robert Feller, I'd think about him for three days." - Ted Williams
America is poorer today for the loss of Bob Feller who has passed. Yesterday was best remembered as the 30th anniversary of the death of John Lennon and in some circles as the birthday of Larry Bird but it was also an important anniversary in the life of Bob Feller - on December 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor, Bob Feller enlisted in the Navy for combat duty. Feller served for 4-years rising through the ranks to become chief of an anti-aircraft gun crew on the USS Alabama. He is the only Chief Petty Officer in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

I awoke today and was at first giddy with the news that the Red Sox had signed Carl Crawford. The happiness has been greatly tempered by the news that America has lost Bob Feller.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

John Lennon

It has been 30-years since John Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in Manhattan. Lennon was an infinitely interesting guy who counted among his friends people you may not have expected like Peter Boyle (John Lennon was best man at Boyle's wedding) and Monday Night Football's Howard Cosell. ESPN has a fine piece on what happened behind the scenes at MNF 30-years ago when it fell to Cosell to announce the tragic news to the world.

I can't help but think of a "what if" situation. After shooting John Lennon - Mark David Chapman just stood around waiting to be arrested. What if he didn't? What if Chapman just stuffed the gun in his coat pocket and just started walking away? A slightly over-weight, average height white guy in a city with millions of people matching that description. He had no motive that the police would have been able to discern on their own. How could they have fathomed that they were to look for a guy who was delusional about being Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye. If Chapman just walked away would the police have been able to find him? Would we have to this day all sorts of conspiracy theories about "who really killed John Lennon"?

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Turn Out the Lights - Don Meredith RIP



Don Meredith (April 10, 1938 – December 5, 2010).

Monday, December 06, 2010

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

With Peyton Manning's recent spree of interceptions - are his ever-present commercials becoming more or less annoying? Some people consider Peyton Manning the best QB of his generation but Tom Brady's legacy will be 3 Super Bowl wins (and counting) and being married to Super model Gisele. Manning's legacy will be just one Super Bowl and a slew of cheesey commercials (Cut that meat! Cut that meat!). I think I'd prefer Brady's legacy... Police Academy 6: City Under Siege did more than three times the box office as Sean Penn's Valerie Plame dud Fair Game ($11,567,217 to $3,724,546) and that was in 1989 dollars. Yet Hollywood still puts out political crap that matches their fantasy beliefs but that nobody wants to see... Just a reminder - the Count on Seasame Street is not a real vampire since he's out during the day all the time. The Count is basically a poser. A Twighlight wannabe.... If you combined Ryan Kalish's AB vs RHP with Mike Cameron's AB (past 2-yrs) vs LHP - you'd average .333 BA and 28 HR (over 550 AB). This is why I don't think the Red Sox will sign an outfielder. Probably looking at a left field by committee platoon in 2011... The Mesopotamian god of the moon was called Sin which is appropriate since most sins are committed at night... Cthulhu doesn't play dice with the universe. (Is that how the quote goes?)... Oklahoma's official state vegetable is the watermelon. Isn't a watermelon a fruit?... Andre the Giant drank 7,000 calories worth of booze every day. Figure doesn’t include food. Just booze. I will do my best to match that watching the Patriots tonight... South Carolina's only victory over Auburn was a 16-14 win in Birmingham on Dec. 2, 1933...

Sunday, December 05, 2010

How to Play Pocket Jacks



I thought this was pretty funny.

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Adrian Gonzalez

I for one am pumped for the Adrian Gonzalez era to begin in Boston. A few quick thoughts while waiting for this deal to be consummated:

1. I am a big fan of a strong farm system but any time you have a chance to trade for a proven superstar (given the right circumstances) you have to do it. This isn't a Jeff Bagwell for Larry Andersen situation but there is no guaranty that this isn't a Jon Lester package for a Johan Santana either. I trust Theo that the deal will be fair to San Diego but also not harm the future of the Red Sox.

2. I wonder if Billy Beane has already pulled his offer for Adrian Beltre (if that offer ever existed). Gonzalez to the Red Sox eliminates much or all of the leverage Scott Boras had in negotiations. Don't be surprised if a third team magically appears in the negotiations. The Orioles often excel in this patsy role.

3. When / if this deal gets done - I hope a long-term deal for Clay Buchholz is the next priority for the Red Sox front office.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

This Was Awesome!

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

This really put me into the Christmas spirit.
Qatar and the World Cup - the Day the US Stood Still

Honest to god - my first thought when I heard Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup was, "Gort! Qatar barada nikto!"

The correct pronunciation of Qatar falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar. Their oil and natural gas revenues have enabled Qatar to attain the second-highest per capita income in the world - only Luxembourg is higher. You can bet that some of that revenue went to "buying" the 2022 World Cup. Then throw into the mix that Qatar is slightly smaller than Connecticut.

So in short you have the 2022 World Cup going to a place that is smaller than Connecticut, is 95% sand, where a monarchic despot rules with a religious ban on alcohol and is a place that nobody is really sure how to pronounce.

Perfect!

On a serious note - it is probably a good thing the US didn't get the nod. These things are often more trouble then they are worth.
Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Jason Varitek has re-signed with the Red Sox for $2 million with $300,000 in incentives. This was a signing that you could see coming a mile away. Varitek has said that he doesn't want to play anywhere else (even though he would have been a great fit with the Dodgers) and Boston is very thin at catcher now that Victor Martinez has moved on. I'm OK with a platoon of Jarrod Saltalamachia and Varitek (who could be Becketts personal catcher and start against some lefties)... This joke made me think of another one - an optimist sees a glass as half full, a pessimist sees a glass as half empty, an engineer sees a glass as twice as big as it needs to be... If I was elected President - I'd have Hail to the Chief replaced with Carmina Burana... I do have to admit that going "cheap" at catcher does give off a Bronson Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena type feel for me. That thought is also a good reminder that Theo Epstein sometimes makes mistakes.... A galactic Lemur who craps arsenic and farts thunder would make an awesome cartoon. Sort of like Sponge Bob in space... Cool - All Mad magazine covers 1952-2010... I vow never to drink Ciroc faux vodka just because of those awful Diddy commercials. Awful!... Mentioning without commenting - LPGA drops 'female at birth' clause for members...