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)
Saturday, October 06, 2007
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
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.