An alarming amount of athletes and coaches are using the term "strap it on." And I'm not even quite sure what they mean.
"It makes it tough to come to work, strap it on and fight another day." - kicker John Carney said about the 1-15 season he experienced as a member of the Sna Diego Chargers in 2000.
"As a team, we didn't strap it on like we were supposed to." - Mavericks forward Josh Howard on the team's first round exit in last year's playoffs.
"It'll be good to get a few days off, then strap it on and go to work." - Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain about getting ready for the playoffs.
"I pretty much have the old-school mentality where you just strap it on and go play." - Dodgers catcher Russell Martin on the rigors of his position.
"I'm sure they're saying we have some guys down, but we're going to strap it on." - Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell about playing despite several injuries.
Monday, October 08, 2007
The Post-Virginia Tech World
Current SU student Greco got this e-mail about a security incident on Friday:
"Late this morning, DPS responded immediately to a Link Hall computer cluster following a report that a student may have been in possession of a gun. Officers identified and questioned the individual and others present, and searched the area. No weapon was found. The student cooperated fully and was released.
It was determined that the student had entered the computer cluster while wearing headphones and listening to music, and recited out loud lyrics from a song to which the student was listening that referenced holding a gun. A staff member and students nearby heard this and contacted DPS. This matter has been resolved, and this incident posed no threat to the campus."
"Late this morning, DPS responded immediately to a Link Hall computer cluster following a report that a student may have been in possession of a gun. Officers identified and questioned the individual and others present, and searched the area. No weapon was found. The student cooperated fully and was released.
It was determined that the student had entered the computer cluster while wearing headphones and listening to music, and recited out loud lyrics from a song to which the student was listening that referenced holding a gun. A staff member and students nearby heard this and contacted DPS. This matter has been resolved, and this incident posed no threat to the campus."
What's Bugging the Yankees?
Game 2 of the Yankees Indians series will go down as one of the most memorable playoff games ever thanks to a swarm of bugs that descended on the field during the 8th inning.
Joba Chamberlain may have let the bugs bug him as he blew the lead and the Yankees eventually lost the game.
But the big loser was the manufacturer of Off bug spray. That stuff does not work. They emptied the entire can on Joba and 15 seconds later the bugs were camped out on his neck again.
Joba Chamberlain may have let the bugs bug him as he blew the lead and the Yankees eventually lost the game.
But the big loser was the manufacturer of Off bug spray. That stuff does not work. They emptied the entire can on Joba and 15 seconds later the bugs were camped out on his neck again.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Weekly Picks
The new strategy unveiled last week helped me rebound with another good week. Through two weeks I've had 2 weeks of 4-1 (5 points) and 2 weeks of 1-4 (0 points). That makes me 10-10 overall and 2-2 on best bets. In gambling you can't break even by breaking even. We need two good weeks in a row to get this thing headed in the right direction. Lots of home favorites this week.
TENNESSEE -8 atlanta
I still think the Falcons suck, and they are coming off a big win last week. I definitely think the Falcons will lose this game, the question is by how much. 8 can be a tricky number. The Titans don't score a ton of points so they will probably need to keep the Falcons to 14 points or fewer. Tough call but I believe in Vince Young.
GREEN BAY -3 1/2 chicago
Four weeks is enough time. It's time to start believing what we see, instead of what we thought we knew. The Bears are a bad team with no running game and a bad quarterback. They also have a banged up defense. The Packers have a great defense and a great QB. My only fear is that this will be the game that the Bears defense comes after Favre and harrasses him into becoming that old gunslinger. But division game, at Lambeau on Sunday night, you'd think Favre would bring his A game for that one.
NEW YORK GIANTS -3 new york jets
How did they figure out home field advantage for this one? If it's usually worth 3 points does that mean the Jets would be favored by 3 if they were the home team? Is there no home field because they share the Stadium? But don't the fans make up most of they call the homefield advantage? What's the advantage of the actual field, especially if the road team stays in their homes, uses their lockers, etc? Anyway, the quality of these two teams isn't even close. My only fear is that the Giants are coming off a huge win...and the Jets off a terrible loss.
dallas -10 BUFFALO
Dallas has scored more points than New England. No way the Bills win this game so I'm betting on a blowout versus a close game. I'll take that bet.
BEST BET
NEW ENGLAND -16 1/2 cleveland
I know this seems like a lot of points but I think you are actually getting a great deal on the Pats right now. They have won every game by 21+ points. They're at least 20 points better than the Browns. But if the spread were 20 the "smart" action, the guys with the money, would take the Browns, and make the action uneven. So in order to keep the dollars wagered even on both sides, you take New England and you give a couple points fewer than you really should.
Last week: 4-1 (5 points)
Season so far: 10-10 (10 points)
Best bet: 1-0 (2-2)
Home favorites: 1-0 (3-2)
Home underdogs: 1-0 (2-0)
Road favorites: 2-1 (4-5)
Road underdogs: 0-0 (1-3)
TENNESSEE -8 atlanta
I still think the Falcons suck, and they are coming off a big win last week. I definitely think the Falcons will lose this game, the question is by how much. 8 can be a tricky number. The Titans don't score a ton of points so they will probably need to keep the Falcons to 14 points or fewer. Tough call but I believe in Vince Young.
GREEN BAY -3 1/2 chicago
Four weeks is enough time. It's time to start believing what we see, instead of what we thought we knew. The Bears are a bad team with no running game and a bad quarterback. They also have a banged up defense. The Packers have a great defense and a great QB. My only fear is that this will be the game that the Bears defense comes after Favre and harrasses him into becoming that old gunslinger. But division game, at Lambeau on Sunday night, you'd think Favre would bring his A game for that one.
NEW YORK GIANTS -3 new york jets
How did they figure out home field advantage for this one? If it's usually worth 3 points does that mean the Jets would be favored by 3 if they were the home team? Is there no home field because they share the Stadium? But don't the fans make up most of they call the homefield advantage? What's the advantage of the actual field, especially if the road team stays in their homes, uses their lockers, etc? Anyway, the quality of these two teams isn't even close. My only fear is that the Giants are coming off a huge win...and the Jets off a terrible loss.
dallas -10 BUFFALO
Dallas has scored more points than New England. No way the Bills win this game so I'm betting on a blowout versus a close game. I'll take that bet.
BEST BET
NEW ENGLAND -16 1/2 cleveland
I know this seems like a lot of points but I think you are actually getting a great deal on the Pats right now. They have won every game by 21+ points. They're at least 20 points better than the Browns. But if the spread were 20 the "smart" action, the guys with the money, would take the Browns, and make the action uneven. So in order to keep the dollars wagered even on both sides, you take New England and you give a couple points fewer than you really should.
Last week: 4-1 (5 points)
Season so far: 10-10 (10 points)
Best bet: 1-0 (2-2)
Home favorites: 1-0 (3-2)
Home underdogs: 1-0 (2-0)
Road favorites: 2-1 (4-5)
Road underdogs: 0-0 (1-3)
Friday, October 05, 2007
This Isn't Going to Help His Money Problems or His Baby Mama Drama
Denver Broncos running back Travis Henry who leads the NFL in kids, baby's mamas and rushing yards could be suspended for a year after violating the league's substance abuse policy for at least the third time, and the second time within two years.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Run Reissberg Run
George Likes His Chili Sauce Spicy
Super spicy chili sauce sparked road closures and evacuations in central London after passers-by complained that a chemical emanating from a Thai restaurant was burning their throats.
Reports of a strong smell wafting from a restaurant in the heart of London's bustling Soho district prompted the London Fire Brigade to send a chemical response team.
Firefighters closed off roads, sealed buildings and donned special breathing masks to ferret out the source of the acrid smell as onlookers coughed.
Smashing down the door of the suspected source - the Thai Cottage restaurant - they seized the culprit: extra-hot bird's eye chilies that had been left dry-frying.
They were being prepared for a batch of "nam prik pao," a spicy Thai sauce, restaurant owner Sue Wasboonma said.
"The smoke didn't go up into the sky because of the rain and the heavy air," she told the Times. "It's the hottest thing we make."
No one was arrested, the police spokesman said, declining to give his name in line with force policy. "As far as I'm aware, it's not a criminal offense to cook very strong chili."
Reports of a strong smell wafting from a restaurant in the heart of London's bustling Soho district prompted the London Fire Brigade to send a chemical response team.
Firefighters closed off roads, sealed buildings and donned special breathing masks to ferret out the source of the acrid smell as onlookers coughed.
Smashing down the door of the suspected source - the Thai Cottage restaurant - they seized the culprit: extra-hot bird's eye chilies that had been left dry-frying.
They were being prepared for a batch of "nam prik pao," a spicy Thai sauce, restaurant owner Sue Wasboonma said.
"The smoke didn't go up into the sky because of the rain and the heavy air," she told the Times. "It's the hottest thing we make."
No one was arrested, the police spokesman said, declining to give his name in line with force policy. "As far as I'm aware, it's not a criminal offense to cook very strong chili."
Why I Never Want to Be a Doctor
Although I would love to use my superior intelligence to help people and to cure diseases I don't think I could ever be a doctor or anyone whose mistakes could literally be life and death.
Darrie Eason of Long Island was told she had invasive lobular carcinoma and underwent a double mastectomy.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, for Eason four months later, she was told that her tissue sample was mixed up with another patient's. She did not have breast cancer.
But even worse, the other patient, who thought she was fine, has cancer, and missed four months of treatment.
Darrie Eason of Long Island was told she had invasive lobular carcinoma and underwent a double mastectomy.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, for Eason four months later, she was told that her tissue sample was mixed up with another patient's. She did not have breast cancer.
But even worse, the other patient, who thought she was fine, has cancer, and missed four months of treatment.
Eva Longoria Sex Tape
Eva Longoria was mad about rumors of her making a sex tape so she did a spoof on Will Ferrell's Funny or Die site. The actor playing Perry Hilton is Eric Christen Olsen who ruined Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumberer.
Doesn't Look As Good As The Original
The trailer for Harold and Kumar 2.
This time Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg are directing as well as writing.
The good parts are that Dave Krumholtz is back in his role as The Concierge - I mean Goldstein, and NPH aka Barney Stinson is back as well. And Josh Heald has a role in this one as well.
This time Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg are directing as well as writing.
The good parts are that Dave Krumholtz is back in his role as The Concierge - I mean Goldstein, and NPH aka Barney Stinson is back as well. And Josh Heald has a role in this one as well.
A Look Into My Future
Mrs. Poop loves skeeball. And I am a stickler for rules. I can totally envision Chase doing this and me saying exactly what this guy said.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
The NFL is Poop - Week 4
There's No Justice, There's Just Osi
Giants defensive lineman Osi Umeniyora abused poor Eagles offensive lineman Winston Justice en route to 6 sacks of Donovan McNabb. That's one short of the individual record for one game, but in all the Giants got to McNabb 12 times, tying an NFL record.
Without Westbrook the Eagles have no offense. Without William Thomas, the Eagles have no offensive line. And it appears that Donovan McNabb lost his mobility.
Survive If I Let You
Tough week for survivor/eliminator/knockout pools. Five of the top 6 choices in ESPN's pool all lost. That would be the Chargers (to the Chiefs), Steelers (to the Cardinals), Bears (to the Lions), Texans (to the Falcons) and Ravens (to the Browns). The only game that got more than 5% that won, was Dallas Cowboys over the Rams.
We're Not Going By Last Year's Stats
I think it's time to face the facts that the Chargers, Bears and Saints suck this season. The Saints have no defense and their offense sucks, so I could see them going 4-12. The Bears defense is banged up and tired from being on the field all the time. They gave up 34 points to the Lions in the fourth quarter. It wasn't all their fault but still, 34 points to the Lions in one quarter. But I still can't figure out the Chargers. No major injuries, no major personnel changes. Only one thing is different between last year and this year. I know Norv Turner is a bad coach, but this bad?
Game of the Week
Arizona Cardinals 21 Pittsburgh Steelers 14
Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm got a little revenge on the team that passed over them. Usually when a bad team gets down to a good team early they can't come back but the Cardinals got some huge plays. First they took Matt Leinart out and brought in Kurt Warner. It should be interesting to see how that platoon works out. Then after a Warner fumble the Steelers took over at the Cardinals 4 yard line but got no points when Ben Roethlisberger threw an INT in the endzone. After a Cardinals punt the Steelers had to punt and that punt was returned for a game tying touchdown. Then the Cardinals drove for another touchdown to take a 21-7 lead. The Steelers came back with one of their own, but couldn't get the onside kick, because they kicked it to Larry Fitzgerald who was catching everything, and their comeback came up short.
Game of Next Week
Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers
I think the Steelers will bounce back in this one, but the Seahawks could have that revenge factor from the Super Bowl two years ago. Either way it should be a tough defense and running affair.
Cheerleader of the Week
Sarah from the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders
Sarah is married an she is an actuary, making her perhaps the most boring cheerleader in the NFL.
She admires Oprah and her mother. She has two little Chihuahuas and her favorites movies are "The Notebook" and "Top Gun." Her favorites subjects in school were calculus and physics, strange for a cheerleader, but perfect for an actuary.
If The Super Bowl Were Played Today
New England Patriots 38 Dallas Cowboys 21
Believe it or not the Cowboys have actually scored more points than the Patriots so far. But the Patriots look much more impressive and they are absolutely killing people. But this looks like it would be a great matchup in the Super Bowl.
Giants defensive lineman Osi Umeniyora abused poor Eagles offensive lineman Winston Justice en route to 6 sacks of Donovan McNabb. That's one short of the individual record for one game, but in all the Giants got to McNabb 12 times, tying an NFL record.
Without Westbrook the Eagles have no offense. Without William Thomas, the Eagles have no offensive line. And it appears that Donovan McNabb lost his mobility.
Survive If I Let You
Tough week for survivor/eliminator/knockout pools. Five of the top 6 choices in ESPN's pool all lost. That would be the Chargers (to the Chiefs), Steelers (to the Cardinals), Bears (to the Lions), Texans (to the Falcons) and Ravens (to the Browns). The only game that got more than 5% that won, was Dallas Cowboys over the Rams.
We're Not Going By Last Year's Stats
I think it's time to face the facts that the Chargers, Bears and Saints suck this season. The Saints have no defense and their offense sucks, so I could see them going 4-12. The Bears defense is banged up and tired from being on the field all the time. They gave up 34 points to the Lions in the fourth quarter. It wasn't all their fault but still, 34 points to the Lions in one quarter. But I still can't figure out the Chargers. No major injuries, no major personnel changes. Only one thing is different between last year and this year. I know Norv Turner is a bad coach, but this bad?
Game of the Week
Arizona Cardinals 21 Pittsburgh Steelers 14
Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm got a little revenge on the team that passed over them. Usually when a bad team gets down to a good team early they can't come back but the Cardinals got some huge plays. First they took Matt Leinart out and brought in Kurt Warner. It should be interesting to see how that platoon works out. Then after a Warner fumble the Steelers took over at the Cardinals 4 yard line but got no points when Ben Roethlisberger threw an INT in the endzone. After a Cardinals punt the Steelers had to punt and that punt was returned for a game tying touchdown. Then the Cardinals drove for another touchdown to take a 21-7 lead. The Steelers came back with one of their own, but couldn't get the onside kick, because they kicked it to Larry Fitzgerald who was catching everything, and their comeback came up short.
Game of Next Week
Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers
I think the Steelers will bounce back in this one, but the Seahawks could have that revenge factor from the Super Bowl two years ago. Either way it should be a tough defense and running affair.
Cheerleader of the Week
Sarah from the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders
Sarah is married an she is an actuary, making her perhaps the most boring cheerleader in the NFL.
She admires Oprah and her mother. She has two little Chihuahuas and her favorites movies are "The Notebook" and "Top Gun." Her favorites subjects in school were calculus and physics, strange for a cheerleader, but perfect for an actuary.
If The Super Bowl Were Played Today
New England Patriots 38 Dallas Cowboys 21
Believe it or not the Cowboys have actually scored more points than the Patriots so far. But the Patriots look much more impressive and they are absolutely killing people. But this looks like it would be a great matchup in the Super Bowl.
Cheaters
Normally I frown on frivolous lawsuits but the overly litigious lawyers who are suing Bill Belichick might have a point.
The suit contends that Belichick should refund the ticket prices paid by everyone who went to a Jets-Patriots game at the Meadowlands while he was the coach of the Pats.
I agree that fans pay money for a ticket expecting that the game will be a fair and honest contest. Belichick's cheating violated that trust.
I'm not sure the standard of proof that would exist in a case like this but even though they can prove he cheated, I don't think they can prove how long it went on, or whether it had a large enough impact on the game to seriously alter the fairness.
The suit contends that Belichick should refund the ticket prices paid by everyone who went to a Jets-Patriots game at the Meadowlands while he was the coach of the Pats.
I agree that fans pay money for a ticket expecting that the game will be a fair and honest contest. Belichick's cheating violated that trust.
I'm not sure the standard of proof that would exist in a case like this but even though they can prove he cheated, I don't think they can prove how long it went on, or whether it had a large enough impact on the game to seriously alter the fairness.
Even Black Men Can't Call Women Bitches
The New York Knicks got hit with an $11.6 million judgment by a jury in the Isiah Thomas sexual harrassment case.
The breakdown is $6 million for allowing a hostile work enviroment, $2.6 for retaliating against Anucha Browne Sanders by firing her, and an additional $3 million from James Dolan personally.
Isiah Thomas got off the hook financially but his reputation is completely ruined. And it was pretty bad before.
I think the Knicks big downfall in this case involved Kathleen Decker. Her story was proof that the Knicks allowed an even fostered an air of sexual harrassment at the Garden.
A story about a young girl feeling pressured to have sex with a man because she views him as a superior, that's classic sexual harrassment right there.
And as usual, it wasn't the crime that was so bad, it was the coverup. Decker was evidently discouraged from talking about it, and given a full-time job. And a few weeks before her testimony, she was given a promotion and drastically changed her story.
I think that incident convinced the jury about the hostile work environment, and led them to believe that the Knicks were covering things up and the Anucha was telling the truth.
Not to diminish what she went through but for $11.6 million my employers can call me a black bitch, a hook-nosed Jew and fire me if they want. But when it comes down to it, I'd say she deserves the money more than the pricks at MSG and the Knicks who've ruined the team and the organization as a whole.
The breakdown is $6 million for allowing a hostile work enviroment, $2.6 for retaliating against Anucha Browne Sanders by firing her, and an additional $3 million from James Dolan personally.
Isiah Thomas got off the hook financially but his reputation is completely ruined. And it was pretty bad before.
I think the Knicks big downfall in this case involved Kathleen Decker. Her story was proof that the Knicks allowed an even fostered an air of sexual harrassment at the Garden.
A story about a young girl feeling pressured to have sex with a man because she views him as a superior, that's classic sexual harrassment right there.
And as usual, it wasn't the crime that was so bad, it was the coverup. Decker was evidently discouraged from talking about it, and given a full-time job. And a few weeks before her testimony, she was given a promotion and drastically changed her story.
I think that incident convinced the jury about the hostile work environment, and led them to believe that the Knicks were covering things up and the Anucha was telling the truth.
Not to diminish what she went through but for $11.6 million my employers can call me a black bitch, a hook-nosed Jew and fire me if they want. But when it comes down to it, I'd say she deserves the money more than the pricks at MSG and the Knicks who've ruined the team and the organization as a whole.
Song of the Week
"Teachme" - Musiq
The man hates the space bar but he sho can saing. He keeps coming up with albums that sell well, but never gain mainstream popularity and therefore don't get watered down by trying to appeal to 13-year old white girls in Nebraska. Just good soulful beats and lyrics. I'm LuvanMusiq.
The man hates the space bar but he sho can saing. He keeps coming up with albums that sell well, but never gain mainstream popularity and therefore don't get watered down by trying to appeal to 13-year old white girls in Nebraska. Just good soulful beats and lyrics. I'm LuvanMusiq.
Playoff Predictions
Division Series:
Phillies over Rockies (4 games)
Diamondbacks over Cubs (5 games)
Yankees over Indians (3 games)
Red Sox over Angels (4 games)
League Championship Series:
Phillies over Diamondbacks (6 games)
Yankees over Red Sox (7 games)
World Series:
Yankees over Phillies (5 games)
Phillies over Rockies (4 games)
Diamondbacks over Cubs (5 games)
Yankees over Indians (3 games)
Red Sox over Angels (4 games)
League Championship Series:
Phillies over Diamondbacks (6 games)
Yankees over Red Sox (7 games)
World Series:
Yankees over Phillies (5 games)
Cutest Scam Ever
I received an e-mail from Billy that said:
"Alison got an email about 6 black labs in Harrisburg that were found in the middle of the road and needed a home. They were very cute, but how would you find 6 dogs in the middle of the road?
The Bears are done. I knew they'd lose to the Lions."
A few hours later I received an e-mail forwarded by Master Bates that said:
"My friend's mom found 6 black lab puppies in the middle of the road. The shelters won't take them b/c they are over crowded. If they have to go to Animal Control they will be euthenized in 5 days. Their pics are attached. They are super cute. I would take one myself but I just got a puppy. I hope someone can give them a loving home."
And it came with this picture:
This seems to be a scam, I just don't get the gimmick. It doesn't give a contact number, and several e-mails on the same thread show slightly different versions of the same story. Whatever the hustle, don't send money to anyone offering you a black lab mix puppy they found in the middle of the road.
"Alison got an email about 6 black labs in Harrisburg that were found in the middle of the road and needed a home. They were very cute, but how would you find 6 dogs in the middle of the road?
The Bears are done. I knew they'd lose to the Lions."
A few hours later I received an e-mail forwarded by Master Bates that said:
"My friend's mom found 6 black lab puppies in the middle of the road. The shelters won't take them b/c they are over crowded. If they have to go to Animal Control they will be euthenized in 5 days. Their pics are attached. They are super cute. I would take one myself but I just got a puppy. I hope someone can give them a loving home."
And it came with this picture:
This seems to be a scam, I just don't get the gimmick. It doesn't give a contact number, and several e-mails on the same thread show slightly different versions of the same story. Whatever the hustle, don't send money to anyone offering you a black lab mix puppy they found in the middle of the road.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Baseball is Poop
Checking in on some of the stories, stats and players we've been following in this space all season:
Albert Pujols
The Great Pooh Holes got only 565 official at bats this season. For the second straight year he fell short of the standard he set in his first five seasons when he came to the plate 590, 590, 591, 592 and 591 times.
Scott Linebrink
Appeared in only 71 games this season after appearing exactly 73 times in 2004, 2005 & 2006. But Linebrink was traded midseason, and left the team for a few days when his child was born. If not for those two incidents he might have reached 73. I actually e-mailed Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about it, hoping he could tell Linebrink or Manager Ned Yost and influence them to reach that number but he said:
"I don't understand the revelance of that number...I guess it's sort of interesting he usually pitches the same number of games but I guarantee you neither Yost nor Linebrink is thinking about it. I would attribute the whole thing to coincidence. Interesting, but coincidence."
Ryan Howard
199 strikeouts, a new major league record. Bobby Bonds held the record with 189 in 1970 until Adam Dunn broke it with 195 in 2004.
Micah Owings
Owings went 8-8 with a 4.30 ERA for the Diamondbacks this season. But way more impressive was the fact that he hit .333 with 4 homers and 15 RBI and an OPS of 1.032 in 60 at bats. Those are stats that make me believer Owings should become the next Rick Ankiel (minus the HGH) and drop pitching for hitting. Or Owings should play the field the four days when he's not on the mound. In a game on August 18th Owing went 4 for 5 with 2 homers and 6 RBI. And on September 27, he went 4 for 4 with 3 RBI.
Chone Figgins
He missed April and started the season 12 for 90. But starting on May 31st he went 134 for 352 (.381).
Aaron Harang
He started the season 14-3, but faltered in September going 2-3 down the stretch. He still got 22% of his team's wins, the highest percentage of any pitcher this year. His winning percentage of .727 was .283 higher than his team's.
Albert Pujols
The Great Pooh Holes got only 565 official at bats this season. For the second straight year he fell short of the standard he set in his first five seasons when he came to the plate 590, 590, 591, 592 and 591 times.
Scott Linebrink
Appeared in only 71 games this season after appearing exactly 73 times in 2004, 2005 & 2006. But Linebrink was traded midseason, and left the team for a few days when his child was born. If not for those two incidents he might have reached 73. I actually e-mailed Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about it, hoping he could tell Linebrink or Manager Ned Yost and influence them to reach that number but he said:
"I don't understand the revelance of that number...I guess it's sort of interesting he usually pitches the same number of games but I guarantee you neither Yost nor Linebrink is thinking about it. I would attribute the whole thing to coincidence. Interesting, but coincidence."
Ryan Howard
199 strikeouts, a new major league record. Bobby Bonds held the record with 189 in 1970 until Adam Dunn broke it with 195 in 2004.
Micah Owings
Owings went 8-8 with a 4.30 ERA for the Diamondbacks this season. But way more impressive was the fact that he hit .333 with 4 homers and 15 RBI and an OPS of 1.032 in 60 at bats. Those are stats that make me believer Owings should become the next Rick Ankiel (minus the HGH) and drop pitching for hitting. Or Owings should play the field the four days when he's not on the mound. In a game on August 18th Owing went 4 for 5 with 2 homers and 6 RBI. And on September 27, he went 4 for 4 with 3 RBI.
Chone Figgins
He missed April and started the season 12 for 90. But starting on May 31st he went 134 for 352 (.381).
Aaron Harang
He started the season 14-3, but faltered in September going 2-3 down the stretch. He still got 22% of his team's wins, the highest percentage of any pitcher this year. His winning percentage of .727 was .283 higher than his team's.
There Are Bars In Londonderry, NH?
LONDONDERRY, N.H. -- Mike Huckabee let his bass guitar do the talking as he kicked off a weekend trip to the Granite State by jamming at a local bar here.
Huckabee traded his band, Capitol Offense, for local rockers Mama Kicks Friday night as he played before a crowd mixed with supporters and curious onlookers. "Would you like a president who has pardoned Keith Richards?" asked Fred Bramante, Huckabee's state co-chairman, as he introduced the former Arkansas governor. "Would you like a president who knows how to rock?"
The performance at Whippersnappers was a limited engagement; Huckabee played seven songs, including "Born to Be Wild," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Sweet Home Alabama." He didn't know the set list before he got on stage, but seemed to have no trouble keeping up. "I just had to follow them," he said.
I wonder if he stopped at the local McDonald's and had the local delicacy a cheeseburger without cheese.
Huckabee traded his band, Capitol Offense, for local rockers Mama Kicks Friday night as he played before a crowd mixed with supporters and curious onlookers. "Would you like a president who has pardoned Keith Richards?" asked Fred Bramante, Huckabee's state co-chairman, as he introduced the former Arkansas governor. "Would you like a president who knows how to rock?"
The performance at Whippersnappers was a limited engagement; Huckabee played seven songs, including "Born to Be Wild," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Sweet Home Alabama." He didn't know the set list before he got on stage, but seemed to have no trouble keeping up. "I just had to follow them," he said.
I wonder if he stopped at the local McDonald's and had the local delicacy a cheeseburger without cheese.
So That's Why He Was So Good
Scott Schoeneweis received six steroid shipments from Signature Pharmacy while playing for the Chicago White Sox in 2003 and 2004, according to ESPN.
According to a source in Florida close to the ongoing investigation of Signature, Schoeneweis' name appears on packages that were sent to Comiskey Park.
The doctor who prescribed the drugs, Ramon Scruggs of the New Hope Health Center in Tustin, Calif., also wrote prescriptions for Toronto third baseman Troy Glaus. Scruggs has since been suspended by California's state medical board on charges that he "prescribed approximately 6,073 prescriptions of dangerous drugs or controlled substances over the Internet without a good faith examination of the patients."
The source who reviewed the invoices said that Schoeneweis spent $1,160 on the steroids. The packages he received on May 23 and June 25, 2003, contained 10 milliliter bottles of both testosterone and stanozolol. The package sent on Sept. 3 had double the dose of stanozolol -- the same drug that caused Rafael Palmiero to be suspended for 10 games in 2005 after it showed up in his urine. The last three shipments -- on Nov. 18, 2003, and April 15 and June 24, 2004 -- contained one 10 ml bottle of testosterone.
The disclosure about Schoeneweis is the latest to emerge from a year-long probe into Signature being conducted by Albany, N.Y., district attorney David Soares. Last month, Sports Illustrated reported that Baltimore outfielder Jay Gibbons received shipments of steroids and growth hormone from the pharmacy between 2003 and 2005. Gibbons met with MLB officials on Sept. 17, afterward telling reporters he was "happy to answer all of their questions." He did not elaborate.
According to a source in Florida close to the ongoing investigation of Signature, Schoeneweis' name appears on packages that were sent to Comiskey Park.
The doctor who prescribed the drugs, Ramon Scruggs of the New Hope Health Center in Tustin, Calif., also wrote prescriptions for Toronto third baseman Troy Glaus. Scruggs has since been suspended by California's state medical board on charges that he "prescribed approximately 6,073 prescriptions of dangerous drugs or controlled substances over the Internet without a good faith examination of the patients."
The source who reviewed the invoices said that Schoeneweis spent $1,160 on the steroids. The packages he received on May 23 and June 25, 2003, contained 10 milliliter bottles of both testosterone and stanozolol. The package sent on Sept. 3 had double the dose of stanozolol -- the same drug that caused Rafael Palmiero to be suspended for 10 games in 2005 after it showed up in his urine. The last three shipments -- on Nov. 18, 2003, and April 15 and June 24, 2004 -- contained one 10 ml bottle of testosterone.
The disclosure about Schoeneweis is the latest to emerge from a year-long probe into Signature being conducted by Albany, N.Y., district attorney David Soares. Last month, Sports Illustrated reported that Baltimore outfielder Jay Gibbons received shipments of steroids and growth hormone from the pharmacy between 2003 and 2005. Gibbons met with MLB officials on Sept. 17, afterward telling reporters he was "happy to answer all of their questions." He did not elaborate.
Monday, October 01, 2007
If The Mets Had Won
If the Mets had beaten the Marlins on Sunday we all know they would have played a 1-game playoff with the Phillies to determine the winner of the National League East.
The loser of that game would still be in a 3-way tie with the Rockies and Padres for the wild card.
Those three teams would have played a 2-game playoff. The team with the best record against the other two would get a bye, the other two would play on Tuesday, the winner plays Wednesday.
So let's say the Mets won on Sunday. If they lost to Philadelphia on Philadelphia on Monday they would have played the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. If they won they would have played the Rockies in New York on Wednesday. Then if they won they would have started the NLDS in Arizona on Thursday.
Not positive about all that, but I'm pretty sure that's the way it would have shaken out.
Then again if the Mets had only lost 7 of their last 8 against the Phillies, instead of all 8, they would have won the division outright.
The loser of that game would still be in a 3-way tie with the Rockies and Padres for the wild card.
Those three teams would have played a 2-game playoff. The team with the best record against the other two would get a bye, the other two would play on Tuesday, the winner plays Wednesday.
So let's say the Mets won on Sunday. If they lost to Philadelphia on Philadelphia on Monday they would have played the Padres in San Diego on Tuesday. If they won they would have played the Rockies in New York on Wednesday. Then if they won they would have started the NLDS in Arizona on Thursday.
Not positive about all that, but I'm pretty sure that's the way it would have shaken out.
Then again if the Mets had only lost 7 of their last 8 against the Phillies, instead of all 8, they would have won the division outright.
I Don't Want To Hear It
Two aspects of the Mets collapse that are absolutely ridiculous, and therefore getting a lot of play in the stupid media:
1) That the Mets somehow fired up the Marlins by showboating and celebrating on Saturday. And that Reyes provoking Olivo into a fight gave the Marlins extra motivation, without which they would have quit on Sunday. That's complete bullshit. Teams don't quit. Did the Marlins quit on Friday? Why didn't the Marlins get fired up in the second half of Saturday's game? Was Dontrelle Willis fired up when he lasted only 2 2/3 innings? Did the Marlins stop being fired up when they scored only 1 run in the last 8 innings? Did they say, ok that's enough? Complete bullshit, none of that had anything to do with the game. The Mets lost because they didn't get it done, not because they gave the Marlins motivation. A few more questions. Were the Marlins motivated all season when they lost 91 games? Even if the Marlins were motivated, shouldn't the Mets have been more motivated? And even if both teams were equally fired up, shouldn't the Mets have been able to beat them anyway? Nonsense.
2) The Mets fans contributed to the team's poor play at home particularly on the last homestand. I am critical of stupid Mets fans who boo constantly and make Shea unfriendly to home ballplayers but to blame the fans for this is ridiculous. Mets fans took every opportunity to go nuts for this team, and every time the Mets blew it. If the fans had cheered louder Tom Glavine wouldn't have given up 7 runs in the first inning? Bullshit. The team sucked, and that's why they lost.
1) That the Mets somehow fired up the Marlins by showboating and celebrating on Saturday. And that Reyes provoking Olivo into a fight gave the Marlins extra motivation, without which they would have quit on Sunday. That's complete bullshit. Teams don't quit. Did the Marlins quit on Friday? Why didn't the Marlins get fired up in the second half of Saturday's game? Was Dontrelle Willis fired up when he lasted only 2 2/3 innings? Did the Marlins stop being fired up when they scored only 1 run in the last 8 innings? Did they say, ok that's enough? Complete bullshit, none of that had anything to do with the game. The Mets lost because they didn't get it done, not because they gave the Marlins motivation. A few more questions. Were the Marlins motivated all season when they lost 91 games? Even if the Marlins were motivated, shouldn't the Mets have been more motivated? And even if both teams were equally fired up, shouldn't the Mets have been able to beat them anyway? Nonsense.
2) The Mets fans contributed to the team's poor play at home particularly on the last homestand. I am critical of stupid Mets fans who boo constantly and make Shea unfriendly to home ballplayers but to blame the fans for this is ridiculous. Mets fans took every opportunity to go nuts for this team, and every time the Mets blew it. If the fans had cheered louder Tom Glavine wouldn't have given up 7 runs in the first inning? Bullshit. The team sucked, and that's why they lost.
Wait Til Next Year
There's nothing left for Mets fans to do except turn our attention to next year. As bad as this season was, the Mets did win 88 games and only minor improvements need to be made to get this team to 92 wins next season.
As mad as I am I hope the Mets don't make too many drastic moves because this collapse was a fluke more than anything else, the confluence of hundreds of extraordinary, minor occurrences, that added up to a disastrous meltdown. The odds of that happening again are small, so the Mets shouldn't worry about how to fix the problems of the last 17 games too much, they need to make the team better overall.
I'll give a brief blurb on almost everyone on the Mets, their role in this collapse and what should happen to them next season:
Omar Minaya: He's a good general manager, a little stubborn, a little too reliant on veterans and guys he knows. He needs to cut ties with some veterans and acquire some pitching without trading any of our top young players.
Willie Randolph: He's a bad manager. His in-game moves are for the most part awful, and obviously he's not the right guy to fire this team up. His calm demeanor did not work down the stretch, and he spent two weeks fiddling while Rome burned. I am now officially against him and I hope they fire him in the offseason.
Jose Reyes: I love him. He's my favorite player and still the best player on the Mets, but he was horrible down the stretch. I don't know what was wrong with him and I'm confident it won't carry over to next year but he is the guy that makes this team go, and he did nothing the last two weeks of the season. Other than the atrocious bullpen, Reyes's horrid play was a huge reason for this collapse.
Luis Castillo: They should let him go. He's an average offensive player at best. He made two huge errors that cost the Mets in September. They can do a lot better (or just as good) for a lot cheaper.
David Wright: He was awesome this season, particularly late in the year. Other than his huge mistake on the potential double play in Pedro's start on Friday, he's almost blameless in this disaster.
Carlos Beltran: I don't know why Mets fans hate him so much. He's a great player and produces on a level equal to Wright. He had some bad moments this season but he played great almost all year. I feel he will never be accepted by the Mets fans but he is a special player.
Moises Alou: Had a great season, and was absolutely on fire in September. But he should go. The Mets don't need another 40-something player. Especially one who probably is only going to play 100 games.
Carlos Delgado: The Mets have him signed for one more year at $16 million and they'll owe him $4 million if they don't sign him in 2009. Acquiring him was a terrible mistake. Compared to other first basemen he's one of the worst in the majors. He did come up with some big hits early in the season but he's basically just a home run hitter. He hits .260 plays bad defense and doesn't hustle.
Paul LoDuca: Will not be back and should not be back. I don't mind Paul, I like his hustle and his attitude, the problem is, he just isn't very good. Even by the lowered standards of catchers, LoDuca was one of the least productive full-time catchers in the majors this year.
Shawn Green: It was a terrible decision to bring him here and it didn't really work out. He's just not that good anymore. 46 RBI is 446 at bats? That's an awful percentage for a guy in an RBI position in a relatively potent lineup. 76 outfielders had more, meaning he was in the bottom 17% of major league outfielders. Does that sound like a guy worth bringing back for another year?
Lastings Milledge: I fear he is going to be traded because of all these minor attitude things. I think he is going to be a great player and I really want him to be the every day right fielder next year. He can hit for power, run, throw and all he needs is a chance. He should be our 6th place hitter next year on opening day.
Carlos Gomez: Has a lot of talent, but may not be ready quite yet. Even so I hope they give him the permanent left field job next year and let him bat second between Reyes and Wright. That would help his development. The Mets always bury their young players at the bottom of the lineup and wonder why they don't produce. Putting a young guy in a key spot would give him more opportunities to succeed and speed his development.
Ramon Castro: His great performances in spot duty as the Mets backup catcher for three years warrant giving him a chance to be the regular catcher next season. No one the Mets will get in free agency will be that much better than Castro, but they will cost several million more. He's a much better hitter than LoDuca right now and other than this year, much better at throwing out baserunners as well.
Ruben Gotay: I'm not sure that he plays good enough defense to be an everyday second baseman but he definitely hits well enough to bat 8th in my lineup, if Anderson Hernandez is not ready to contribute enough offensively on the major league level.
Marlon Anderson: I would love to bring him back as a pinch hitter. But Anderson did lose his head twice and hurt the team. His blatant takeout slide may have cost the Mets a game against the Phillies, one that might have been the difference between this result, and the playoffs. Then, he missed two key games while serving a suspension for flipping out on an umpire.
Endy Chavez: He is a great fourth outfielder. With my plan to start Gomez and Milledge, Chavez will be much needed insurance.
Oliver Perez: Despite his horrible start on Friday he had a breakthrough season. A lot of his problems were mental as he gave up runs when he walked a couple guys or when the defense went against him. He is still a young pitcher and any improvement (particularly making his bad starts a little less bad), will make him a legitimate number one starter.
John Maine: He can be a great number 2 to Oliver Perez. He had a great first half then faded before Saturday's brilliant performance. I have a lot of faith in him that the problems that he faced in the second half can be fixed, now that he has more experience.
Pedro Martinez: I love Pedro, he's just too old and too injured to be relied upon. If he can pitch a full season he will give the Mets the best top 3 in the National League. But at this point in his career it would be unreasonable to expect 35 starts out of him. Unfortunately, giving an injured guy $52 million has backfired because for the past two seasons, the Mets were so close, and Pedro just wasn't around to nudge them over the edge.
El Duque: I love his toughness but he's also too old to contribute. I don't want to pencil him in then have him die on us late in the season for the 3rd straight year. The Mets should let him go.
Mike Pelfrey: He was horrible in April but showed a lot of improvement. He also has to learn to pitch out of trouble and to conserve pitches a little bit so he can go deeper into games. I still have confidence in his talent and want him to be the 4th or 5th starter next year.
Philip Humber: He's getting older and his time is coming. I'd love to see him win the 5th spot in spring training.
Jorge Sosa: Hopefully the Mets can keep him as a reliever and insurance in case of injury or bad performance to a starting pitcher. Perhaps with a full year in relief he can get better adjusted to the rigors of that role.
Pedro Feliciano: Despite his troubles he's still the best reliever the Mets have.
Billy Wagner: He's our closer. He's not great, but he's better than most.
Aaron Heilman: I don't like his attitude and the fact that his mistakes seem to result in losses.
Guillermo Mota: He has a year left on his contract. Terrible signing. I hope they cut him loose. He sucks.
Joe Smith: Not sure he has any real potential. His hot start may have been a fluke. He wasn't fooling anyone in his second stint with the team late in the season.
As mad as I am I hope the Mets don't make too many drastic moves because this collapse was a fluke more than anything else, the confluence of hundreds of extraordinary, minor occurrences, that added up to a disastrous meltdown. The odds of that happening again are small, so the Mets shouldn't worry about how to fix the problems of the last 17 games too much, they need to make the team better overall.
I'll give a brief blurb on almost everyone on the Mets, their role in this collapse and what should happen to them next season:
Omar Minaya: He's a good general manager, a little stubborn, a little too reliant on veterans and guys he knows. He needs to cut ties with some veterans and acquire some pitching without trading any of our top young players.
Willie Randolph: He's a bad manager. His in-game moves are for the most part awful, and obviously he's not the right guy to fire this team up. His calm demeanor did not work down the stretch, and he spent two weeks fiddling while Rome burned. I am now officially against him and I hope they fire him in the offseason.
Jose Reyes: I love him. He's my favorite player and still the best player on the Mets, but he was horrible down the stretch. I don't know what was wrong with him and I'm confident it won't carry over to next year but he is the guy that makes this team go, and he did nothing the last two weeks of the season. Other than the atrocious bullpen, Reyes's horrid play was a huge reason for this collapse.
Luis Castillo: They should let him go. He's an average offensive player at best. He made two huge errors that cost the Mets in September. They can do a lot better (or just as good) for a lot cheaper.
David Wright: He was awesome this season, particularly late in the year. Other than his huge mistake on the potential double play in Pedro's start on Friday, he's almost blameless in this disaster.
Carlos Beltran: I don't know why Mets fans hate him so much. He's a great player and produces on a level equal to Wright. He had some bad moments this season but he played great almost all year. I feel he will never be accepted by the Mets fans but he is a special player.
Moises Alou: Had a great season, and was absolutely on fire in September. But he should go. The Mets don't need another 40-something player. Especially one who probably is only going to play 100 games.
Carlos Delgado: The Mets have him signed for one more year at $16 million and they'll owe him $4 million if they don't sign him in 2009. Acquiring him was a terrible mistake. Compared to other first basemen he's one of the worst in the majors. He did come up with some big hits early in the season but he's basically just a home run hitter. He hits .260 plays bad defense and doesn't hustle.
Paul LoDuca: Will not be back and should not be back. I don't mind Paul, I like his hustle and his attitude, the problem is, he just isn't very good. Even by the lowered standards of catchers, LoDuca was one of the least productive full-time catchers in the majors this year.
Shawn Green: It was a terrible decision to bring him here and it didn't really work out. He's just not that good anymore. 46 RBI is 446 at bats? That's an awful percentage for a guy in an RBI position in a relatively potent lineup. 76 outfielders had more, meaning he was in the bottom 17% of major league outfielders. Does that sound like a guy worth bringing back for another year?
Lastings Milledge: I fear he is going to be traded because of all these minor attitude things. I think he is going to be a great player and I really want him to be the every day right fielder next year. He can hit for power, run, throw and all he needs is a chance. He should be our 6th place hitter next year on opening day.
Carlos Gomez: Has a lot of talent, but may not be ready quite yet. Even so I hope they give him the permanent left field job next year and let him bat second between Reyes and Wright. That would help his development. The Mets always bury their young players at the bottom of the lineup and wonder why they don't produce. Putting a young guy in a key spot would give him more opportunities to succeed and speed his development.
Ramon Castro: His great performances in spot duty as the Mets backup catcher for three years warrant giving him a chance to be the regular catcher next season. No one the Mets will get in free agency will be that much better than Castro, but they will cost several million more. He's a much better hitter than LoDuca right now and other than this year, much better at throwing out baserunners as well.
Ruben Gotay: I'm not sure that he plays good enough defense to be an everyday second baseman but he definitely hits well enough to bat 8th in my lineup, if Anderson Hernandez is not ready to contribute enough offensively on the major league level.
Marlon Anderson: I would love to bring him back as a pinch hitter. But Anderson did lose his head twice and hurt the team. His blatant takeout slide may have cost the Mets a game against the Phillies, one that might have been the difference between this result, and the playoffs. Then, he missed two key games while serving a suspension for flipping out on an umpire.
Endy Chavez: He is a great fourth outfielder. With my plan to start Gomez and Milledge, Chavez will be much needed insurance.
Oliver Perez: Despite his horrible start on Friday he had a breakthrough season. A lot of his problems were mental as he gave up runs when he walked a couple guys or when the defense went against him. He is still a young pitcher and any improvement (particularly making his bad starts a little less bad), will make him a legitimate number one starter.
John Maine: He can be a great number 2 to Oliver Perez. He had a great first half then faded before Saturday's brilliant performance. I have a lot of faith in him that the problems that he faced in the second half can be fixed, now that he has more experience.
Pedro Martinez: I love Pedro, he's just too old and too injured to be relied upon. If he can pitch a full season he will give the Mets the best top 3 in the National League. But at this point in his career it would be unreasonable to expect 35 starts out of him. Unfortunately, giving an injured guy $52 million has backfired because for the past two seasons, the Mets were so close, and Pedro just wasn't around to nudge them over the edge.
El Duque: I love his toughness but he's also too old to contribute. I don't want to pencil him in then have him die on us late in the season for the 3rd straight year. The Mets should let him go.
Mike Pelfrey: He was horrible in April but showed a lot of improvement. He also has to learn to pitch out of trouble and to conserve pitches a little bit so he can go deeper into games. I still have confidence in his talent and want him to be the 4th or 5th starter next year.
Philip Humber: He's getting older and his time is coming. I'd love to see him win the 5th spot in spring training.
Jorge Sosa: Hopefully the Mets can keep him as a reliever and insurance in case of injury or bad performance to a starting pitcher. Perhaps with a full year in relief he can get better adjusted to the rigors of that role.
Pedro Feliciano: Despite his troubles he's still the best reliever the Mets have.
Billy Wagner: He's our closer. He's not great, but he's better than most.
Aaron Heilman: I don't like his attitude and the fact that his mistakes seem to result in losses.
Guillermo Mota: He has a year left on his contract. Terrible signing. I hope they cut him loose. He sucks.
Joe Smith: Not sure he has any real potential. His hot start may have been a fluke. He wasn't fooling anyone in his second stint with the team late in the season.
It's Over
The most disappointing season since 1988 is over.
Tom Glavine absolutely sucked and gave the Mets no chance to win.
I've always hated Tom Glavine as a Met because he is so frustrating to watch because he won't throw strikes. He gets behind hitters and then gets pounded when he has to come in to them.
But Glavine was not alone.
A collapse this big doesn't happen in one day. They're fate was sealed well before this game.
Rome wasn't built in a day nor did this team collapse in a day.
Every single person on this team could have done one thing better, and the Mets might have won an extra game, and made the playoffs.
But the legacy of the 2007 Mets will always be as the biggest chokers in major league history.
Tom Glavine absolutely sucked and gave the Mets no chance to win.
I've always hated Tom Glavine as a Met because he is so frustrating to watch because he won't throw strikes. He gets behind hitters and then gets pounded when he has to come in to them.
But Glavine was not alone.
A collapse this big doesn't happen in one day. They're fate was sealed well before this game.
Rome wasn't built in a day nor did this team collapse in a day.
Every single person on this team could have done one thing better, and the Mets might have won an extra game, and made the playoffs.
But the legacy of the 2007 Mets will always be as the biggest chokers in major league history.
Oops, Wrong Video
Sometimes TV stations roll the wrong video. It happens. But usually it's a story about politics and they roll a video of obese people or something. Seldom do you see a wrong video that fits the story so well. Kevin Everett, injured Buffalo Bills player, then you see a guy in a wheelchair, makes sense. Kevin Everett is starting to move his legs, the guy in the wheelchair moves his legs.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Ya Gotta Believe
The rallying cry, celebrating it's 24th anniversary this year encapsulates the experience of being a Mets fan so succinctly.
It means believing even when you think you have no reason to believe. It means getting overconfident and having the rug pulled out from you. Each and every time.
Every time the Mets do something good (make the NLCS, take a 7 game lead into mid-September) they do something equally bad (Yadier Molina, these past two weeks) to make you believe they stink. Then when you've given up hope, sworn them off and vowed to never let them break your heart again, they go out there and totally redeem themselves.
We're like Charlie Brown and the Mets are Lucy. Every time they promise us this time will be different. And we know it won't be. We know as soon as we starting running (believing), they will move the ball (lose again), but we have to try (believe) or we might as well be Yankee fans.
And hey, maybe this year will be different.
Ya Gotta Believe!
It means believing even when you think you have no reason to believe. It means getting overconfident and having the rug pulled out from you. Each and every time.
Every time the Mets do something good (make the NLCS, take a 7 game lead into mid-September) they do something equally bad (Yadier Molina, these past two weeks) to make you believe they stink. Then when you've given up hope, sworn them off and vowed to never let them break your heart again, they go out there and totally redeem themselves.
We're like Charlie Brown and the Mets are Lucy. Every time they promise us this time will be different. And we know it won't be. We know as soon as we starting running (believing), they will move the ball (lose again), but we have to try (believe) or we might as well be Yankee fans.
And hey, maybe this year will be different.
Ya Gotta Believe!
Weekly Picks
Last week was another disaster marred by two pushes (which count as losses, a tie is like kissing your sister), so now we break out a new strategy to try to get back on the winning track.
houston -3 ATLANTA
The Texans are a strong solid team and the Falcons are the worst team in the NFL. The 3 point spread is relatively small, though I wish it were half a point smaller. The only way good teams lose to bad teams, even on the road, is when they have a letdown. I expect Matt Schaub to come into town with an angry "you dumped me for that dog killer" attitude and fire up his teammates. Also after a tough loss to the Colts, the Texans will have wasted their 2-0 start if they lose here.
INDIANAPOLIS -9 1/2 denver
I think the Broncos are pretty bad this year. They could very easily be 0-3. They lost at home last week to a decent team by 9. The Colts have muddled through two mediocre games and they definitely see what the Patriots are doing and want to keep up. While the Broncos defense is pretty good, I could see them getting torched in this one.
green bay -2 MINNESOTA
There's always the chance that the old gun-slingin, just having fun Brett Favre will reemerge and kill you with three interceptions on passes he never should have thrown. But this spread is so small, and the Vikings offense is so bad, that I can't see the Packers losing this one. If Favre can put up 14 points, I think that will be enough.
BUFFALO +4 ny jets
I haven't been picking enough underdogs, or home teams and I really think the Bills are the best 0-3 team out there. I know their offense is due to explode, they have too many good players for it not to. The one thing about the Jets though, they usually beat up on the bad teams. But the Bills have gotten killed the last two weeks and I just don't see it happening three weeks in a row.
BEST BET
new england -7 CINCINNATI
Here's the new strategy, take the Patriots as my best bet every week. They are too damn good. 7 is a lot to give up on the road especially to a potent team like the Bengals but it's just something I've got a feeling might work this season. I think the Pats are on the verge of something special, something that even the oddsmakers in Vegas can't make the spreads big enough to stop.
Last week: 1-4 (0 points)
Season so far: 6-9 (5 points)
Best bet: 0-1 (1-2)
Home favorites: 0-0 (2-2)
Home underdogs: 0-0 (1-0)
Road favorites: 1-2 (2-4)
Road underdogs: 0-2 (1-3)
houston -3 ATLANTA
The Texans are a strong solid team and the Falcons are the worst team in the NFL. The 3 point spread is relatively small, though I wish it were half a point smaller. The only way good teams lose to bad teams, even on the road, is when they have a letdown. I expect Matt Schaub to come into town with an angry "you dumped me for that dog killer" attitude and fire up his teammates. Also after a tough loss to the Colts, the Texans will have wasted their 2-0 start if they lose here.
INDIANAPOLIS -9 1/2 denver
I think the Broncos are pretty bad this year. They could very easily be 0-3. They lost at home last week to a decent team by 9. The Colts have muddled through two mediocre games and they definitely see what the Patriots are doing and want to keep up. While the Broncos defense is pretty good, I could see them getting torched in this one.
green bay -2 MINNESOTA
There's always the chance that the old gun-slingin, just having fun Brett Favre will reemerge and kill you with three interceptions on passes he never should have thrown. But this spread is so small, and the Vikings offense is so bad, that I can't see the Packers losing this one. If Favre can put up 14 points, I think that will be enough.
BUFFALO +4 ny jets
I haven't been picking enough underdogs, or home teams and I really think the Bills are the best 0-3 team out there. I know their offense is due to explode, they have too many good players for it not to. The one thing about the Jets though, they usually beat up on the bad teams. But the Bills have gotten killed the last two weeks and I just don't see it happening three weeks in a row.
BEST BET
new england -7 CINCINNATI
Here's the new strategy, take the Patriots as my best bet every week. They are too damn good. 7 is a lot to give up on the road especially to a potent team like the Bengals but it's just something I've got a feeling might work this season. I think the Pats are on the verge of something special, something that even the oddsmakers in Vegas can't make the spreads big enough to stop.
Last week: 1-4 (0 points)
Season so far: 6-9 (5 points)
Best bet: 0-1 (1-2)
Home favorites: 0-0 (2-2)
Home underdogs: 0-0 (1-0)
Road favorites: 1-2 (2-4)
Road underdogs: 0-2 (1-3)
Friday, September 28, 2007
An Old Joke
The Mets are relocating to the Phillipines and renaming themselves the Manila Folders.
Credit Papa Poop with that one.
Credit Papa Poop with that one.
That's a Lot of Boobies Part II
Mrs. Poop took Chase to a breastfeeding support group. Basically it was just a bunch of women with their boobs out feeding their children sitting in a rooom talking. Because it's better than nursing alone. Mrs. Poop almost killed one woman who wouldn't stop complaining about the nurses at the hospital (Mrs. Poop's co-workers). But she liked it and will probably take him back because it gives her something to do and an opportunity to see a face other than mine.
I Don't Even Know What To Say
I feel like I should write something about the Mets but the only thing I can think of is "they suck."
I still love the Mets and I still root for them desperately to make the playoffs, even though I can't envision this team doing anything substantial without a miraculous reversal of performance from the bullpen.
It might be easier on Mets fans if they just lose the next three games and be done with it. But that has never been the Mets way. They always reel you in, then crush your dreams.
I envision a Phillies win and Mets loss Friday.
A Mets win and Phillies loss on Saturday.
Then a Mets loss and Phillies win on Sunday.
What do you think? Use the comments section to vent.
Read the Recap for more detailed game analysis.
I still love the Mets and I still root for them desperately to make the playoffs, even though I can't envision this team doing anything substantial without a miraculous reversal of performance from the bullpen.
It might be easier on Mets fans if they just lose the next three games and be done with it. But that has never been the Mets way. They always reel you in, then crush your dreams.
I envision a Phillies win and Mets loss Friday.
A Mets win and Phillies loss on Saturday.
Then a Mets loss and Phillies win on Sunday.
What do you think? Use the comments section to vent.
Read the Recap for more detailed game analysis.
Correct Prediction
Roughly 9 months ago I said that during the two blizzards in Denver there was nothing for people to do but have sex.
Now Denver area hospitals are seeing a flurry of births and the new parents are consistently saying that they conceived during the blizzard.
Too bad the Freeds escaped to Vegas or else Chase might have a playmate.
Now Denver area hospitals are seeing a flurry of births and the new parents are consistently saying that they conceived during the blizzard.
Too bad the Freeds escaped to Vegas or else Chase might have a playmate.
Seefood Diet
I'm on the seefood diet, I see food, I eat it.
Brian Wansink is the author of "Mindless Eating" and head of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab.
In Wansink's book he conducted several experiments that show we are powerless against food.
We think we eat when we are hungry, or because the food tastes good, but really we eat because we can.
In one experiment, Wansink placed candy jars of chocolate in office workers' cubicles for a month. Then, he moved the candy six feet away. Simply having the candy closer meant the office workers ate five more candies a day. That adds up to 125 calories a day, or 12 pounds a year.
Every time you see the candy, you have to make a decision not to eat it.
In another experiment, Wansink divided a group of 150 test subjects into three, giving a third canisters of potato chips with every seventh chip dyed red. Another third received canisters with every 14th chip dyed. Other ate from canisters with no dyed chips.
Test subjects with no dyed chips ate an average of 23 chips; those with every 14th chip dyed red ate an average of 15; those with every seventh chip dyed red ate an average of 10.
The red chips provided what Wansink calls a "pause point," an interruption that forces the eater to ask whether he or she wants to eat more. For this reason, Wansink says the 100-calorie containers of chips or cookies work to help 70 percent of people eat less. When they finish the container, they pause and ask themselves whether they want more.
You will eat more if you are eating:
family style, with serving bowls on the table
right from a bag or carton
on a bigger plate
in front of the TV
I guess this explains the cupcake and york peppermint patty episodes.
Brian Wansink is the author of "Mindless Eating" and head of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab.
In Wansink's book he conducted several experiments that show we are powerless against food.
We think we eat when we are hungry, or because the food tastes good, but really we eat because we can.
In one experiment, Wansink placed candy jars of chocolate in office workers' cubicles for a month. Then, he moved the candy six feet away. Simply having the candy closer meant the office workers ate five more candies a day. That adds up to 125 calories a day, or 12 pounds a year.
Every time you see the candy, you have to make a decision not to eat it.
In another experiment, Wansink divided a group of 150 test subjects into three, giving a third canisters of potato chips with every seventh chip dyed red. Another third received canisters with every 14th chip dyed. Other ate from canisters with no dyed chips.
Test subjects with no dyed chips ate an average of 23 chips; those with every 14th chip dyed red ate an average of 15; those with every seventh chip dyed red ate an average of 10.
The red chips provided what Wansink calls a "pause point," an interruption that forces the eater to ask whether he or she wants to eat more. For this reason, Wansink says the 100-calorie containers of chips or cookies work to help 70 percent of people eat less. When they finish the container, they pause and ask themselves whether they want more.
You will eat more if you are eating:
family style, with serving bowls on the table
right from a bag or carton
on a bigger plate
in front of the TV
I guess this explains the cupcake and york peppermint patty episodes.
Tell Us How You Really Feel
U.S. Coach Greg Ryan benched his starting goalie Hope Solo (daughter of Han) before the semifinal of the Women's World Cup against Brazil, replacing her with veteran Brianna Scurry. After the U.S. lost 4-0, Solo ripped the decision.
Hope Solo has a MySpace page, and her last logon was September 27th, the day of the game.
Hope Solo has a MySpace page, and her last logon was September 27th, the day of the game.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
That's A Lot of Boobies
More than 1000 women in bikinis gathered on Bondi Beach in Australia for a photo shoot/publicity stunt for Cosmopolitan. It was an effort to get into the Guinnes Book of Records for World's Biggest bikini photo shoot.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Congressman Heath Shuler Hard at Work
Prompted by parents' complaints about sex and violence in inflight movies, two congressmen introduced legislation Tuesday calling for airlines to create kid-friendly zones on planes to shield them from violent images.
"The airlines have chosen to put our children in a situation that I don't feel comfortable with," said Rep. Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat.
He and Republican Rep. Walter Jones, also from North Carolina, call their proposal the Family Friendly Flights Act.
The bill calls for the creation of sections on commercial flights where there would not be any publicly viewable movie screens. It would still allow airlines to show the movies they choose on big screens in other sections, or on individual seatback screens.
"How do you tell a 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-year-old, 'Don't look at the screen,' when it's basically all over the cabin?" Shuler said.
One of the parents who complained to Shuler was Katie Kelley, who said she was on a plane last February when an R-rated movie with "a lot of nudity" was shown. She said she was traveling without her children, ages 4 and 7, but was still bothered by the situation.
Andrew Whalen, a Shuler spokesman, said the bill is aimed at getting airlines to self-regulate for violence in movies because of medical evidence showing such images can harm children.
"The airlines have chosen to put our children in a situation that I don't feel comfortable with," said Rep. Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat.
He and Republican Rep. Walter Jones, also from North Carolina, call their proposal the Family Friendly Flights Act.
The bill calls for the creation of sections on commercial flights where there would not be any publicly viewable movie screens. It would still allow airlines to show the movies they choose on big screens in other sections, or on individual seatback screens.
"How do you tell a 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-year-old, 'Don't look at the screen,' when it's basically all over the cabin?" Shuler said.
One of the parents who complained to Shuler was Katie Kelley, who said she was on a plane last February when an R-rated movie with "a lot of nudity" was shown. She said she was traveling without her children, ages 4 and 7, but was still bothered by the situation.
Andrew Whalen, a Shuler spokesman, said the bill is aimed at getting airlines to self-regulate for violence in movies because of medical evidence showing such images can harm children.
Worst Person in the World: Christy Freeman
Christy Freeman is the worst person in the world.
Freeman, 37, visited a doctor in July because she was bleeding heavily. The doctor discovered she had just given birth. Investigators found the dead baby at her house in Ocean City, Maryland, in the vanity under the sink.
Also at her house, the remains of 3 other babies, 2 of them were in a trunk in her living room. And the third was in a bag in an RV parked in the driveway.
Freeman claims the babies were either miscarriages or stillborn.
Get this, she could not be charged with any crimes because police can't prove that she killed a living baby. They also can't prove she committed late-term abortions because they can't tell whether the babies were aborted or miscarried or stillborn.
What makes this a little suspicious is that with this fourth baby, when she went to the doctor she denied being pregnant. Then when the doctor said "but there's a placenta and umbilical cord here," she said "ok, I gave birth to a stillborn, deformed baby, there were no hands or feet." But the fetus under the sink did have hands and feet. So if you were inclined to believe her sob story, that should change things.
It gets worse. Part of the reason she won't be charged is that a doctor does think it might be reasonable that she had four miscarriages/stillbirths because she smoked and used cocaine during the pregnancies. And there apparently isn't a law that allows women who use drugs while pregnant resulting in harm to the fetus to be charged with a crime.
And just a little worse. Freeman now says she may sue county authorities who "rushed to judgment."
Christy Freeman, I hope you die tomorrow.
Freeman, 37, visited a doctor in July because she was bleeding heavily. The doctor discovered she had just given birth. Investigators found the dead baby at her house in Ocean City, Maryland, in the vanity under the sink.
Also at her house, the remains of 3 other babies, 2 of them were in a trunk in her living room. And the third was in a bag in an RV parked in the driveway.
Freeman claims the babies were either miscarriages or stillborn.
Get this, she could not be charged with any crimes because police can't prove that she killed a living baby. They also can't prove she committed late-term abortions because they can't tell whether the babies were aborted or miscarried or stillborn.
What makes this a little suspicious is that with this fourth baby, when she went to the doctor she denied being pregnant. Then when the doctor said "but there's a placenta and umbilical cord here," she said "ok, I gave birth to a stillborn, deformed baby, there were no hands or feet." But the fetus under the sink did have hands and feet. So if you were inclined to believe her sob story, that should change things.
It gets worse. Part of the reason she won't be charged is that a doctor does think it might be reasonable that she had four miscarriages/stillbirths because she smoked and used cocaine during the pregnancies. And there apparently isn't a law that allows women who use drugs while pregnant resulting in harm to the fetus to be charged with a crime.
And just a little worse. Freeman now says she may sue county authorities who "rushed to judgment."
Christy Freeman, I hope you die tomorrow.
Mandy Moore Is Not My Mother
The best show on TV came back in fine fashion. This episode was legen-- WAIT FOR IT!.
If you have this episode of "How I Met Your Mother" on DVR and haven't watched it yet, fake an illness, go home immediately and watch it. But do not scroll down past this picture of Mandy Moore because there are some episode spoilers below.
If you are still not watching this show despite my repeated recommendations, you are an idiot and I cannot help you. You are free to continue reading if you can sound out the words.
But if you want to see what all the fuss is about thank the good lord for creating the internet because you can watch a quick video that will catch you up on what you missed in the first two seasons then you can go to cbs.com, click on full episodes, How I Met Your Mother, and watch the season premiere, then continue reading.
The episode finished where last season left off, with Barney finishing his catchphrase (keep waiting for it, it's coming).
Then it went into the story of Robin and Ted's breakup.
Barney's efforts to interest Ted in new women (Cirque De So-Laid), hilarious
The facial hair shaving scene and the nicknames given to Ted (21st President Chester A. Arthur, Persian Nightclub Owner), hysterical.
The mispronunciations of Enrique Iglesias's name (Gail? Kyle? Bill?), mildly amusing.
But by far the funniest line of the show occurred once Ted started making out with smoking hot bad girl, Mandy Moore.
When they snuck into the hot tub and Ted said "I like your tats," and her reply was "Thanks. You can play with them if you want, they're 100% real," I almost died of laughter. Soooooooooooo awesome. That line showed everything that's great about the show. Witty, clever, sharp, edgy writing.
Then Ted got a tramp stamp leading to a very funny reveal scene. "He's gonna say it."
Even the sappy scene with Ted bitching to Robin was saved by "you're bigger." "I win!"
We finally saw my mother in this episode, but didn't meet her. Well, we really only saw her feet and her yellow umbrella, but I hope we meet her soon. I'm tired of wondering if all the wrong girls (Robin, Mary the Paralegal, Mandy Moore) are really my mother.
And of course the episode ended with the Slap Countdown.
And in my head there is a countdown from when the last episode ended starting at 167 hours and 30 minutes, counting down until a new episode begins. I love this show so much I might consider watching it live, and sitting through the commercials.
DARY!
Check out this deleted scene from the episode.
If you have this episode of "How I Met Your Mother" on DVR and haven't watched it yet, fake an illness, go home immediately and watch it. But do not scroll down past this picture of Mandy Moore because there are some episode spoilers below.
If you are still not watching this show despite my repeated recommendations, you are an idiot and I cannot help you. You are free to continue reading if you can sound out the words.
But if you want to see what all the fuss is about thank the good lord for creating the internet because you can watch a quick video that will catch you up on what you missed in the first two seasons then you can go to cbs.com, click on full episodes, How I Met Your Mother, and watch the season premiere, then continue reading.
The episode finished where last season left off, with Barney finishing his catchphrase (keep waiting for it, it's coming).
Then it went into the story of Robin and Ted's breakup.
Barney's efforts to interest Ted in new women (Cirque De So-Laid), hilarious
The facial hair shaving scene and the nicknames given to Ted (21st President Chester A. Arthur, Persian Nightclub Owner), hysterical.
The mispronunciations of Enrique Iglesias's name (Gail? Kyle? Bill?), mildly amusing.
But by far the funniest line of the show occurred once Ted started making out with smoking hot bad girl, Mandy Moore.
When they snuck into the hot tub and Ted said "I like your tats," and her reply was "Thanks. You can play with them if you want, they're 100% real," I almost died of laughter. Soooooooooooo awesome. That line showed everything that's great about the show. Witty, clever, sharp, edgy writing.
Then Ted got a tramp stamp leading to a very funny reveal scene. "He's gonna say it."
Even the sappy scene with Ted bitching to Robin was saved by "you're bigger." "I win!"
We finally saw my mother in this episode, but didn't meet her. Well, we really only saw her feet and her yellow umbrella, but I hope we meet her soon. I'm tired of wondering if all the wrong girls (Robin, Mary the Paralegal, Mandy Moore) are really my mother.
And of course the episode ended with the Slap Countdown.
And in my head there is a countdown from when the last episode ended starting at 167 hours and 30 minutes, counting down until a new episode begins. I love this show so much I might consider watching it live, and sitting through the commercials.
DARY!
Check out this deleted scene from the episode.
Song of The Week
"Run Around" - Blues Traveler
Master Bates loves this song.
I like coffee and I like tea.
Master Bates loves this song.
I like coffee and I like tea.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
It'll Make You Go Blind
This is Mick. Mick is a rare white koala. Most koalas are grey/brown. Mick recently had an operation on his eyes to cure blindness caused by chlamydia. It's not known which slutty bear gave Mick chlamydia, but she probably fucked a couple of his friends too.
The NFL is Poop - Week 3
Not Criticized Anymore
After a rough week in which he was criticized for harping on his race, Donovan McNabb woke his 0-2 Eagles out of the doldrums by kicking the shit out of the Detroit Lions 56-21. He completed 21-26 passes (20 of his first 21, including 18 in a row) for 381 yards and 4 touchdowns. In the first half the Eagles had 7 possessions, they scored 6 touchdowns and fumbled at the 12 yard line after a 72 yard drive. And they did it all in these really awesome throwback uniforms.
Turnabout is Fair Play
One week after getting fucked over when Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan called a very last second timeout before a field goal attempt, the Raiders employed the same strategy to beat the Browns. Trailing 26-24, Phil Dawson made a game-winning field goal but Raiders coach Lane Kiffin called a timeout a split second before the snap. Dawson had to kick it again, that kick was blocked and the Raiders won their first game of the season.
The Good and the Bad
So far this season there are 5 teams at 3-0 and 5 at 0-3, 11 at 2-1 and 11 at 1-2. The Patriots, Steelers, Packers, Cowboys and Colts are 3-0. Four of those teams we expected to be good, and then there's the Packers. Amazing about Green Bay is that they already played the tough part of their schedule. All 3 of their victims made the playoffs last year. They have 2 games left with the Lions and Vikings, and 1 each with the Raiders and Chiefs. Five wins there gives them 8 wins.
The Bills, Dolphins, Saints, Falcons and Rams are all 0-3. I'm not too shocked by any of those either, other than the Saints. But at this point in the season, the records don't lie. The Saints are a bad team this year. Their defense stinks and their offense, while talented, is playing like shit. Drew Brees has 1 TD and 7 INTs.
Game of the Week
Green Bay 31 San Diego 24
Brett Favre tied the all time record for touchdown passes with 420 and his 420th was a 57 yarder to Greg Jennings with just over two minutes to go in the game and it gave his Packers a 24-21 lead. The Chargers who had big expectations heading into the season now have to figure out what is going wrong with them. The Packers who had no expectations are in position to have a really good season as long as Brett Favre can avoid the bad interceptions that until now had marked the last few years of his career.
Game of Next Week
New England at Cincinnati
Right now it looks like the New England juggernaut can not be stopped. If the Bengals defense allowed 51 points to the Cleveland Browns offense, which at best is half as good as New England's, then it is safe to assume that the Patriots will score at least 102 points in this game.
A Brief Rant About the Redskins
A horrible, awful, chokejob by the Redskins. Just when they had a chance to go to 3-0, and bury the hated Giants, they completely shit the bed in the second half and blew a 14 point lead at home against a division rival. The Redskins first four possessions of the 2nd half were all 3 and outs, except for the one when Clinton Portis fumbled on the second play. You can't blame the defense for being tired after being on the field for the entire second half. I do blame Jason Campbell a little bit since he is such an inaccurate passer. Had he completed one pass on any of those drives things might have been different.
But the real blame goes to the coaching staff which completely botched the final drive. Campbell was poised and accurate in leading the Redskins to the 2 yard line with about a minute ago. Then they did a clock play. Not sure if this was Campbell or Gibbs, but they should have run a play. They had plenty of time. They should have taken four shots at throwing the ball into the endzone. Instead they did a spike, a swing pass to the fullback and 2 running plays that got stonewalled. Horrible play calling.
And even more frustrating was that I am always harping on the fact that the defense never forces turnovers (12 last year) but in this game they got 3 and turned that into 10 points. And they still lost the game.
Ok, so maybe not such a brief rant this week.
Cheerleader of the Week
Alexandra of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders
Alexandra is a rookie on this year's squad. She likes "Half Baked," the ice cream flavor not the movie, she never misses an episode of "Nip/Tuck" but she'd like to be on America's Next Top Model. She fears rats and possums. How can you be afraid of possums? They're afraid of you. That's why they play possum. But she likes Eagles fans and their enthusiasm for their team, even when it manifests itself in booing. Her favorite superhero is Michelangelo of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles because they fight crime and eat pizza. Not bad work if you can get it.
If The Super Bowl Were Played Today
New England Patriots 38 Dallas Cowboys 21
I have a strong suspicion that the Patriots are going to score exactly 38 points for 15 more games in row. The Cowboys have shown a good offense but right now there isn't a defense in the world that can hold the Patriots to 37 points.
After a rough week in which he was criticized for harping on his race, Donovan McNabb woke his 0-2 Eagles out of the doldrums by kicking the shit out of the Detroit Lions 56-21. He completed 21-26 passes (20 of his first 21, including 18 in a row) for 381 yards and 4 touchdowns. In the first half the Eagles had 7 possessions, they scored 6 touchdowns and fumbled at the 12 yard line after a 72 yard drive. And they did it all in these really awesome throwback uniforms.
Turnabout is Fair Play
One week after getting fucked over when Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan called a very last second timeout before a field goal attempt, the Raiders employed the same strategy to beat the Browns. Trailing 26-24, Phil Dawson made a game-winning field goal but Raiders coach Lane Kiffin called a timeout a split second before the snap. Dawson had to kick it again, that kick was blocked and the Raiders won their first game of the season.
The Good and the Bad
So far this season there are 5 teams at 3-0 and 5 at 0-3, 11 at 2-1 and 11 at 1-2. The Patriots, Steelers, Packers, Cowboys and Colts are 3-0. Four of those teams we expected to be good, and then there's the Packers. Amazing about Green Bay is that they already played the tough part of their schedule. All 3 of their victims made the playoffs last year. They have 2 games left with the Lions and Vikings, and 1 each with the Raiders and Chiefs. Five wins there gives them 8 wins.
The Bills, Dolphins, Saints, Falcons and Rams are all 0-3. I'm not too shocked by any of those either, other than the Saints. But at this point in the season, the records don't lie. The Saints are a bad team this year. Their defense stinks and their offense, while talented, is playing like shit. Drew Brees has 1 TD and 7 INTs.
Game of the Week
Green Bay 31 San Diego 24
Brett Favre tied the all time record for touchdown passes with 420 and his 420th was a 57 yarder to Greg Jennings with just over two minutes to go in the game and it gave his Packers a 24-21 lead. The Chargers who had big expectations heading into the season now have to figure out what is going wrong with them. The Packers who had no expectations are in position to have a really good season as long as Brett Favre can avoid the bad interceptions that until now had marked the last few years of his career.
Game of Next Week
New England at Cincinnati
Right now it looks like the New England juggernaut can not be stopped. If the Bengals defense allowed 51 points to the Cleveland Browns offense, which at best is half as good as New England's, then it is safe to assume that the Patriots will score at least 102 points in this game.
A Brief Rant About the Redskins
A horrible, awful, chokejob by the Redskins. Just when they had a chance to go to 3-0, and bury the hated Giants, they completely shit the bed in the second half and blew a 14 point lead at home against a division rival. The Redskins first four possessions of the 2nd half were all 3 and outs, except for the one when Clinton Portis fumbled on the second play. You can't blame the defense for being tired after being on the field for the entire second half. I do blame Jason Campbell a little bit since he is such an inaccurate passer. Had he completed one pass on any of those drives things might have been different.
But the real blame goes to the coaching staff which completely botched the final drive. Campbell was poised and accurate in leading the Redskins to the 2 yard line with about a minute ago. Then they did a clock play. Not sure if this was Campbell or Gibbs, but they should have run a play. They had plenty of time. They should have taken four shots at throwing the ball into the endzone. Instead they did a spike, a swing pass to the fullback and 2 running plays that got stonewalled. Horrible play calling.
And even more frustrating was that I am always harping on the fact that the defense never forces turnovers (12 last year) but in this game they got 3 and turned that into 10 points. And they still lost the game.
Ok, so maybe not such a brief rant this week.
Cheerleader of the Week
Alexandra of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders
Alexandra is a rookie on this year's squad. She likes "Half Baked," the ice cream flavor not the movie, she never misses an episode of "Nip/Tuck" but she'd like to be on America's Next Top Model. She fears rats and possums. How can you be afraid of possums? They're afraid of you. That's why they play possum. But she likes Eagles fans and their enthusiasm for their team, even when it manifests itself in booing. Her favorite superhero is Michelangelo of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles because they fight crime and eat pizza. Not bad work if you can get it.
If The Super Bowl Were Played Today
New England Patriots 38 Dallas Cowboys 21
I have a strong suspicion that the Patriots are going to score exactly 38 points for 15 more games in row. The Cowboys have shown a good offense but right now there isn't a defense in the world that can hold the Patriots to 37 points.
What Really Happened
While I'm loathe to defend Bill O'Reilly who I agree is a pompous jerk, albeit an entertaining pompous jerk, he's definitely getting a raw deal from the liberal media who seeks to destroy him.
Left wing websites are taking O'Reilly's comments about his lunch with Al Sharpton out of context.
O'Reilly and Sharpton ate lunch at Sylvia's a famous soul food restaurant in Harlem.
O'Reilly discussed his lunch on NPR and his comments were taken completely out of context.
Here's what the media says O'Reilly said "I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship. It was the same."
"There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' You know, I mean, everybody was—it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all."
What they missed was that O'Reilly was describing the fact that there is no cultural divide in America. There was a hint of sarcasm which makes his comments easy to misconstrue but his point was a great one, black people are just like everyone else.
And his other point was that some people in America who don't know a lot of black people see rappers on TV and think that's the way black people are, O'Reilly was pointing out that rappers are not at all representative of black culture.
Left wing websites are taking O'Reilly's comments about his lunch with Al Sharpton out of context.
O'Reilly and Sharpton ate lunch at Sylvia's a famous soul food restaurant in Harlem.
O'Reilly discussed his lunch on NPR and his comments were taken completely out of context.
Here's what the media says O'Reilly said "I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship. It was the same."
"There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' You know, I mean, everybody was—it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all."
What they missed was that O'Reilly was describing the fact that there is no cultural divide in America. There was a hint of sarcasm which makes his comments easy to misconstrue but his point was a great one, black people are just like everyone else.
And his other point was that some people in America who don't know a lot of black people see rappers on TV and think that's the way black people are, O'Reilly was pointing out that rappers are not at all representative of black culture.
Jeter Wanted to Be Dorothy
The Yankees got creative with their rookie hazing this year, forcing their rookies to dress up as characters from the Wizard of Oz.
Joba Chamberlain is dressed as the Lion, Ian Kennedy as Dorothy, Shelley Duncan as the Scarecrow and Phil Hughes as the Tin Man.
Joba Chamberlain's wheelchair bound father, Harlan, must have been crying again after seeing his son like this.
Chase Wright, the good witch.
Ian Kennedy definitely got the worst of this. I wonder which veteran he pissed off. But his Dorothy costume is very authentic right down to his Toto and his ruby red slippers and shopping bag from the Apple store.
Joba Chamberlain is dressed as the Lion, Ian Kennedy as Dorothy, Shelley Duncan as the Scarecrow and Phil Hughes as the Tin Man.
Joba Chamberlain's wheelchair bound father, Harlan, must have been crying again after seeing his son like this.
Chase Wright, the good witch.
Ian Kennedy definitely got the worst of this. I wonder which veteran he pissed off. But his Dorothy costume is very authentic right down to his Toto and his ruby red slippers and shopping bag from the Apple store.
Changing Her Story
The Madison Square Garden intern who fucked Stephon Marbury in the back of his truck outside a strip club testified in the Isiah Thomas sexual harrassment trial.
Kathleen Decker says she wasn't forced to fuck Marbury, and that she wasn't drunk when she did it. She also admitted to fucking Marbury's cousin, Hassan Gonsalves, which makes her sound like a slut.
She also backed off saying she felt forced to fuck Marbury, saying she actually felt forced to tell Anucha Browne Sanders about the backseat banging.
That runs contrary to the thank you card she sent to Sanders after she got bopped in the backseat, in which she called the incident a mistake and thanked Sanders for being supportive.
A few weeks after Marbury stuck his key in her ignition, Decker was made a full time employee of the Knicks. And a few weeks before she testified in this case, she was given a promotion at the Garden.
Here's a couple pictures of Kathleen Decker:
Kathleen Decker says she wasn't forced to fuck Marbury, and that she wasn't drunk when she did it. She also admitted to fucking Marbury's cousin, Hassan Gonsalves, which makes her sound like a slut.
She also backed off saying she felt forced to fuck Marbury, saying she actually felt forced to tell Anucha Browne Sanders about the backseat banging.
That runs contrary to the thank you card she sent to Sanders after she got bopped in the backseat, in which she called the incident a mistake and thanked Sanders for being supportive.
A few weeks after Marbury stuck his key in her ignition, Decker was made a full time employee of the Knicks. And a few weeks before she testified in this case, she was given a promotion at the Garden.
Here's a couple pictures of Kathleen Decker:
College Football Comedy
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy wants to puke after a column questions one of his player's attitudes, because his momma was feeding him fried chicken:
ESPN announcer Mike Patrick chooses an inopportune time to reflect on one of the key social issues affecting our society today:
Thanks to Pride Pageantry Derek for unearthing these clips.
ESPN announcer Mike Patrick chooses an inopportune time to reflect on one of the key social issues affecting our society today:
Thanks to Pride Pageantry Derek for unearthing these clips.
She Better Marry You After That
A Boston woman was doing the Sunday crossword in the Boston Globe Magazine with her boyfriend when she started to notice something funny. The puzzle was titled "Popping the Question" and a lot of the clues had something to do with marriage. For instance, 22 across was "macrame artist's proposal?" The answer was "Lets Tie the Knot." Other clues were the names of her sister and her best friend. But when she got to 111 across (generic proposal - her name is Jen, her boyfriend is Aric, Jen-Aric, get it?) Aric got down on his knee and proposed. The answer by the way, was "will you marry me?"
A few months ago Aric had contacted the magazine to see if they could create a special puzzle for him, and the husband and wife team that writes the puzzles agreed.
A few months ago Aric had contacted the magazine to see if they could create a special puzzle for him, and the husband and wife team that writes the puzzles agreed.
Milton Bradley Don't Play Games
San Diego Padres outfielder Milton Bradley is out for the season after an injury he suffered during an argument with an umpire.
Here's the backstory: Bradley struck out in his previous at bat and when he got up the next time the home plate umpire asked him if Bradley had thrown his bat at him. Bradley said no, the home plate ump said the other umps said he had thrown his bat. So when Bradley singled he asked the first base ump Mike Winters if he said that, Winters said he had. Bradley says Winters kept talking to him, saying things and at one point a fan said "you suck" towards Winters and Bradley nodded in agreement and that's when things really took off.
Bradley says Winters called him a "piece of shit" and Padres first base coach Bobby Meacham backed up Bradley 100% saying he'd never seen an umpire behave like that in his 26 years in baseball, and that he thought there was a racial element to what Winters was saying.
Here's the backstory: Bradley struck out in his previous at bat and when he got up the next time the home plate umpire asked him if Bradley had thrown his bat at him. Bradley said no, the home plate ump said the other umps said he had thrown his bat. So when Bradley singled he asked the first base ump Mike Winters if he said that, Winters said he had. Bradley says Winters kept talking to him, saying things and at one point a fan said "you suck" towards Winters and Bradley nodded in agreement and that's when things really took off.
Bradley says Winters called him a "piece of shit" and Padres first base coach Bobby Meacham backed up Bradley 100% saying he'd never seen an umpire behave like that in his 26 years in baseball, and that he thought there was a racial element to what Winters was saying.
How Erin Andrews Gets the Exclusive Interviews
Patrick White’s not one to kiss and tell.
The West Virginia quarterback received what appeared to be a hug and a peck on the cheek from ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews a few seconds after a postgame interview Saturday at Puskar Stadium.
“That’s between me and her,” White said, a little shocked that someone caught the interlude, before breaking into a sly smile.
A few seconds later, he volunteered, “I almost fainted when she came up to me.”
Unfortunately for White, he didn't get to grab her boobs.
The West Virginia quarterback received what appeared to be a hug and a peck on the cheek from ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews a few seconds after a postgame interview Saturday at Puskar Stadium.
“That’s between me and her,” White said, a little shocked that someone caught the interlude, before breaking into a sly smile.
A few seconds later, he volunteered, “I almost fainted when she came up to me.”
Unfortunately for White, he didn't get to grab her boobs.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Marcia, Mar-cia, Mar-ciaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!
"Brady Bunch" star Maureen McCormick, who played Marcia Brady - will reveal in a new book that she had a sexual relationship with Eve Plumb, who played her younger sister, Jan.
The book, titled "Here's the Story," will detail how a small crush blossomed into a romantic and physically intimate relationship between McCormick and Eve Plumb.
Due out next year the bombshell biography will also touch on topics such as McCormick's battles with bulimia, cocaine addiction and depression.
The book, titled "Here's the Story," will detail how a small crush blossomed into a romantic and physically intimate relationship between McCormick and Eve Plumb.
Due out next year the bombshell biography will also touch on topics such as McCormick's battles with bulimia, cocaine addiction and depression.
I'm A Dinner Jacket
There's quite an uproar over the visit to New York by Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Some people don't want to let him in the country, to let him speak at Columbia University or to let him go to Ground Zero.
I think we should treat him kindly and let him do whatever he wants.
We are fighting a cultural war and the only way to win is to show the world that our culture is better.
I think we should treat him kindly and let him do whatever he wants.
We are fighting a cultural war and the only way to win is to show the world that our culture is better.
Sign of The Times
Bad grammar is ruining our society. Instead of warning drivers this sign offered them the opportunity to take the plates, setting construction back days and costing taxpayers millions.
It's All Around Us
A booklet in a zoo in Japan warns visitors that sloth living in trees overhead might poop on them.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Weekly Picks
Last week was an absolute freakin disaster. So many underdogs covered, especially those who were getting big point spreads. The Ravens really let me down because they shouldn't have let the Jets back in the game. This week I go out on a limb with 5 road teams, hoping to get my best bet then hit 50% of the other 4 games.
indianapolis -6 HOUSTON
This spread looks way too low even on the road. The Texans are a surprising 2-0 but they are still not as good as the Colts. Last week the Colts failed to cover against the Titans, I don't expect them to have two letdowns in a row.
minnesota +3 KANSAS CITY
I really like the Vikings this year, and I really hate the Chiefs. I wish I were getting another 1/2 point because I could see this game being a push. But the Vikings have a great run defense and if the Chiefs have to throw, it won't be pretty. The fact that Tarvaris Jackson probably won't play makes this even more attractive to me. Give the ball to Adrian Peterson and get out of the way.
st. louis +3 1/2 TAMPA BAY
I still believe that the Bucs aren't very good and they just took advantage of a bad New Orleans secondary last week. I think the Rams have a great offense and should finally get it together with Jackson running for 125 yards and Bulger having a good game as well. And the fact that they can lose by a field goal and still cover makes me pretty confident here.
carolina -4 ATLANTA
The Panthers are a very up and down team and even though Steve Smith had a great game last week, they lost to the Texans. The Falcons are going to be downright awful this year and I don't think this is the time they're going to get a win.
BEST BET
san diego -4 1/2 GREEN BAY
The Packers may well be better this season than everyone expected. They may very well have one of the best defenses in the league. Brett Favre is still their quarterback and thus prone to the occassional turnover filled performance. The Chargers are mad. They got their asses kicked on national TV and they have way more talent than the Packers. They should bring their A-game to Lambeau where it's too early for weather to have an impact. This game could be an ass whooping.
Last week: 1-4 (0 points)
Season so far: 5-5 (5 points)
Best bet: 0-1 (1-1)
Home favorites: 0-2 (2-2)
Home underdogs: 0-0 (1-0)
Road favorites: 0-2 (1-2)
Road undergods: 1-0 (1-1)
indianapolis -6 HOUSTON
This spread looks way too low even on the road. The Texans are a surprising 2-0 but they are still not as good as the Colts. Last week the Colts failed to cover against the Titans, I don't expect them to have two letdowns in a row.
minnesota +3 KANSAS CITY
I really like the Vikings this year, and I really hate the Chiefs. I wish I were getting another 1/2 point because I could see this game being a push. But the Vikings have a great run defense and if the Chiefs have to throw, it won't be pretty. The fact that Tarvaris Jackson probably won't play makes this even more attractive to me. Give the ball to Adrian Peterson and get out of the way.
st. louis +3 1/2 TAMPA BAY
I still believe that the Bucs aren't very good and they just took advantage of a bad New Orleans secondary last week. I think the Rams have a great offense and should finally get it together with Jackson running for 125 yards and Bulger having a good game as well. And the fact that they can lose by a field goal and still cover makes me pretty confident here.
carolina -4 ATLANTA
The Panthers are a very up and down team and even though Steve Smith had a great game last week, they lost to the Texans. The Falcons are going to be downright awful this year and I don't think this is the time they're going to get a win.
BEST BET
san diego -4 1/2 GREEN BAY
The Packers may well be better this season than everyone expected. They may very well have one of the best defenses in the league. Brett Favre is still their quarterback and thus prone to the occassional turnover filled performance. The Chargers are mad. They got their asses kicked on national TV and they have way more talent than the Packers. They should bring their A-game to Lambeau where it's too early for weather to have an impact. This game could be an ass whooping.
Last week: 1-4 (0 points)
Season so far: 5-5 (5 points)
Best bet: 0-1 (1-1)
Home favorites: 0-2 (2-2)
Home underdogs: 0-0 (1-0)
Road favorites: 0-2 (1-2)
Road undergods: 1-0 (1-1)
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