Joe Carter and Cory Snyder of the Clevleand Indians graced the cover of Sports Illustrated's 1987 Baseball Preview issue. It declared the Indians as the best team in the American League. The ’87 Indians would lose 101 games. How could this happen? No one is picking a team who was terrible the year before to win a pennant and indeed the year before the Indians were the surprise team of baseball. There have plenty of looks at the infamous ’87 Indians so I figured I’d look at the ’86 team that led to their label as preseason contenders the following season
Going into 1986 the Indians were coming off a 102 loss season but would put together their best team in 27 years, leading the Majors in runs scored. They were never serious contenders in the A.L. East to the Red Sox in ’86 as their highpoint was on July 23rd when they were 51-41, five games out of first place. After terrible month of August (12-19) they hovered around .500 but won 9 of their last 12 games to finish 84-78, their first winning season since 1979.
C: Andy Allanson (.225/.260/.280, -9.3 VORP, 0 Win Shares) – 101 games played, 0 Win Shares. Wow. Allanson was a rookie and brought absolutely nothing to the table. On top of those stomach turning offensive numbers he also committed 20 errors. Played with the Indians thru 1989 then bounced around to Detroit, Milwaukee, San Francisco, and California.
1B: Pat Tabler (.326/.368/.433, 28.7 VORP, 16 Win Shares) – Tabler would have made an awesome middle infielder with his numbers but problem was he played first base. ’86 was his best year as he finished 4th in the A.L. in average but he had almost no power with a career .379 SLG. Traded to the Royals in 1988 for Bud Black, then traded to the Mets in 1990 (the fifth trade of his career), and finished his career with two years in Toronto.
2B: Tony Bernazard (.301/.362/.456, 48.2 VORP, 25 Win Shares) – The top A.L. second baseman in 1986 per Win Shares, this was also Bernazard’s career year (possible trend?). Traded midseason the following year to Oakland in what would be his last year in the Majors before a brief comeback with the Tigers in 1991.
3B: Brook Jacoby (.288/.350/.441, 30.0 VORP, 21 Win Shares) – Only 26, Jacoby appeared to be a rising star but would peak the following year with a 32 homerun season. Fell off a cliff performance wise after age 30, the Indians traded him to Oakland in 1991 and then return to Cleveland a forgettable final season in 1992.
SS: Julio Franco (.306/.338/.422, 41.9 VORP, 18 Win Shares) – Allegedly 27 years old at the time, Franco was one of my favorite non-A’s players as a kid because of his bizarre batting stance. He was awful defensive shortstop and was moved over to second base in 1988. After that year he was traded to the Rangers for Pete O’Brien, Oddibe McDowell, and Jerry Browne where he’d win the batting title in 1991. Signed with the White Sox for the 1994 season where had a terrific year but during the baseball strike decided to play over in Japan for the ’95 season. He returned to Cleveland in 1996, released late in 1997, signed with Milwaukee, and then went back to Japan in 1998. Played in Mexico in 1999 but did appear in one game for one at bat for the Devil Rays in September. Played the next two years in Mexico but the Braves purchased his contract late in 2001 and has since made a surprising return as solid, platoon player. This year joined the Mets at age 117.
LF: Mel Hall (.296/.346/.493, 29.4 VORP, 18 Win Shares) – Hall was the very definition of a platoon outfielder. In 1986 the left handed hitter had just 26 at bats against left handed pitchers. Basically a decent hitter against righties but completely useless against lefties. Traded to the Yankees before the 1989 season and I’ll just post his awesome bio on BaseballLibrary.com to talk about the rest of his career.
CF: Brett Butler (.278/.356/.375, 18.3 VORP, 20 Win Shares) – Very good leadoff hitter he was the master of the bunt single. Was a late bloomer as his prime was actually in his early-30’s. Signed with the Giants after 1987, played there for three years then became one of the most hated players by Giants fans when he signed with the Dodgers after 1990. Traded late in 1995 to the Mets and then came right back to the Dodgers, retiring after 1997.
RF: Joe Carter (.302/.335/.514, 49.9 VORP, 28 Win Shares) – Although later recognized more for his playing days with the Blue Jays, 1986 was actually Carter’s best year (trend!). Indians traded him to San Diego after 1989 for Sandy Alomar, Carlos Baerga, and Chris James. Almost exactly a year later he would be traded in a blockbuster deal to Toronto with Roberto Alomar for Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez. Played for the Blue Jays for seven years and of course became a World Series hero in 1993. Split his final season in 1998 with Baltimore and San Francisco.
DH: Andre Thorton (.229/.333/.392, 7.0 VORP, 9 Win Shares) – Thorton was washed up at this point after being an unsung, very good DH for several years. Played in only 36 games the following year hitting just .118, his final season.
UTL: Cory Snyder (.272/.299/.500, 19.5 VORP, 13 Win Shares) – I figured I’d throw Snyder in since he was on that infamous S.I. cover and it was partly the hype behind him that led to the Indians being overrated going into the following year. He hit 24 homeruns in only 103 games as a rookie but no one bothered to notice his .299 OBP and that he struck out 123 times with only 16 walks! Having 100+ more strikeouts than walks is hard to do and Snyder did it three more times in his career. Traded in 1991 to Toronto, then signed with San Francisco, and then played two years in Los Angeles.
Rotation
Tom Candiotti (116 ERA+, 47.6 VORP, 17 Win Shares) – This was Candiotti’s first full year in the Majors and he was the Indians only good pitcher in 1986, leading the A.L. with 17 complete games. Traded to the Blue Jays in 1991 in a five player deal. Then signed with Dodgers who he played with for six years. Signed with the A’s after 1997 then released during the 1999 season but was picked up for a return to Cleveland. Signed with the Angels before the 2000 season but did not make the team.
Ken Schrom (91 ERA+, 12.4 VORP, 10 Win Shares) – The Indians offense helped the mediocre pitcher to 14-7 record and an All-Star selection. Posted a 6.50 ERA the following year which would be his last in the Majors.
Phil Niekro (96 ERA+, 7.3 VORP, 9 Win Shares) – I doubt we’ll ever see another rotation with two knuckleballers on it and besides everyone knows only Doug Mirabelli can catch them. Anyways Niekro was 47 at this point and was no longer effective. His final year come next season as the Indians traded him in August to Toronto who released him a few weeks later. Picked up for a purely sentimental final start with the Braves and retired after the season. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Closer: Ernie Camacho (102 ERA+, 9.9 VORP, 7 Win Shares) – A former 1st round pick of the A’s he had an injury filled, sporadic career and this was one of only two years that he threw more than 30 innings.
KKK’s Top 103 Posters
Number 89: Olympic Slam
I guess you could classify Olympic Slam as a pilgrim in an unholy land. He’s more conservative than me yet lives in California. That alone should make him the Michael Savage of TSM. Considering he loves said talk-show host, I think this indeed makes him the Michael Savage of TSM. Either way, I have no problems with the chap.
• Once again America is sticking its middle finger up to the rest of the world and saying, “Fuck you all, we’re going to do what we Americans want.” Is this because we’re going to invade another country? Not that I know of. Are we thumbing our nose yet again at the United Nations? I wish. No, it’s World Cup season, and despite other countries shutting down to watch their team run around a field for 90 minutes kicking a ball, we here in the United States just give out a collective yawn. I’m one of the bigger oddballs in this country because I like the game of soccer. I played it for 14 seasons as a kid, and ever since 1990, when I was 14 years old, I have tuned into this tournament. Granted, I have no idea who any of the players are, but sometimes you watch a sporting event for other reasons. For example, one spectacle of the World Cup that I enjoy seeing is the spectators cheering on their team, waving flags, singing and rattling off noisemakers. The actual game itself is not that bad to watch, either. I don’t think I’d be able to watch soccer on a regular basis, and I don’t tune into that American MLS league; once every four years tends to provide me with an ample fix.
Back in 1990 I remember West Germany winning the World Cup after beating Argentina 1-0 on a cheesy penalty kick late in the game. I also remember England having a really old goalkeeper, Italy getting pretty far, and some guy from Cameroon with black sweatpants. What I remember most about this tournament, however, was that several times the only goals scored in a game were done during TNT’s commercial breaks. There’s nothing more gratifying than watching a game for an hour or two only to have the game’s only goal come while you’re watching an ad for some airline or sports drink. When you got back from the break you saw a bunch of players jumping on top of each other with the announcers saying, “While we were away, Italy just scored the first goal of the game. Here’s the replay.” Sorry, but watching a replay isn’t the same as seeing the real thing live. Is it any surprise that by the time the 1994 World Cup came around the games were interruption-free? Rather than go to commercial breaks, the games just put a sponsor’s logo in the corner for 20 minutes or so.
Four years later the World Cup was hosted in the United States. Some things I remember about this event were the U.S. upsetting Columbia thanks to some player scoring in his own net. The U.S. eventually lost to Brazil 1-0, but if memory serves, Brazil was playing shorthanded thanks to a red card, so instead of going with the mainstream opinion of "our boys played tough," I always thought they should have upset the Brazil squad. The success of the ’94 World Cup was supposed to show Americans how great the sport of soccer is. It didn’t. The 1998 World Cup was probably the worst ever for America. Not only did the Frenchies win the whole thing, but the United States lost to Iran in group competition. America fared much better four years later when they went out in the quarterfinals to Germany, the tournament’s eventual runner-up. From what I’ve heard about this year’s tournament, the U.S. is in a tough bracket and may not make it out of group play. Big deal. Just because America can’t dominate one kind of sport that doesn’t mean that sport should be ignored. Besides, it’s always nice to have other countries dominate the world’s stage every once in a while. Who am I going to pick for the World Cup? Well, I always go with Brazil followed by the host country as a sleeper pick.
KKK’s Top 103 Posters
Number 90: Masked Man of Mystery
He’s masked and he’s mysterious. He’s the Masked Man of Mystery and he’s occupies the 90 spot on the list. There are two reasons he is on this list. The first is that he’s a Professional Otaku, and no list is complete without one of those. The second is that he said one of my all-time favorite lines at this place. After getting his feathers ruffled by an anti-Muslim remark by MikeSC (big surprise there) he said:
Surprisingly enough, he returned, and even posted, in the above-mentioned thread. Not only that but he also educated us on who that hot piece of under-developed ass is in his avatar. I still have no idea what a Professional Otaku is, but damnit I know I just have to have one.
And now a word from the expert panel I have put together to comment on the people I’ve listed.
From lovecraft321:
• Well today was the suq. I noticed last night that Max was having some issues with using the litter, so today it was yet another trip to the vet. Turns out he has another urinary tract infection and has to stay overnight. Hopefully with the new diet we’re going to put him on he won’t have this trouble any more, or as much. There’s some other trouble brewing as well because the way the better half and I trick him, Dessa and JJ into their carrier no longer works. For years one of us would pick up whoever had to go to the vet and the other person would get the carrier. By the time the captured realized that they had been tricked it was too late for them to escape. A few years ago, they began to get wise to practice, so we went with Plan B. We give them scheduled feedings – a quarter cup of kibble when we wake up and right before bedtime. They have this schedule down pat, but whenever we needed one of them to get in the carrier we would put food in their dishes. When the three of them would romp into the feeding room thinking they were getting second breakfast, the better half would close the door and I would go get the carrier from the basement. This tactic worked about a half dozen times. Notice I said “worked.” Now when it’s not early in the morning or late at night and we’re putting food in their bowls, they hover around the room’s entrance waiting for us to leave before entering. Today was even worse. Not only did Max totally stay out of the feeding room, but also he took off and hid underneath some chairs in the kitchen. Of course after I moved the chairs he scampered off and hid under the dining room table. Once that was moved, he went under the living room coffee table. After that it was under a corner table between our two living room couches. Once I rearranged half of the living room’s furniture he made a dash to the basement and behind the staircase, which he has pretty much his own lair. Because I couldn’t reach him anymore I had to flush him out via squirt bottle, forcing him to get out in the open. But did that ploy work? Nope. The little bastard ran upstairs into the spare bedroom. This was a good news/bad news situation. By going into the spare bedroom he was limiting his escape options. However, if he got under the bed it would be a pain in the ass to get him out. I was able to nab him before he made it under all the way under the bed and then it was off to the vet.
• Having two lawyers settle a dispute over the location for a witness statement with a game of “rock, scissors, paper” is cute, but I would have preferred pistols at dawn.
• Entertainment Weekly made some hippie list about the 25 Most Controversial Films OF ALL TIME, and the Passion of the Christ tops the list. Other entries include A Clockwork Orange, JFK, Natural Born Killers, Fahrenheit 9/11, The Da Vinci Code , United 93, Deep Throat, The Last Temptation of Chirst, The Deer Hunter, Basic Instinct and Do the Right Thing. Uh, ok. This seems a little too Vh1-ny for my taste, and I really don’t know what to about the appropriateness of these listings, considering I didn’t bother to watch most of these movies.
-Well, I moved out of my dorm yesterday, and I'm currently looking for a job to take for the summer. So far, I'm looking at either computer work, the local newspaper, or the library.
-It seems like they killed Al-Zarqawi. Good to know. Now my dream of America battling former terrorists turned into flesh eating zombies comes closer everyday.
-Hotbutter Spoonwhatever: You better start spazzing out again, because I'm fucking bored right now.
-Why am I seeing Anderson Cooper everywhere all the sudden? He's like the new Nick Lachey, only less annoying, and a newsman.
-Finally, anybody remember the videogame 'Primal Rage"? Fun game, but damn, doing special moves and finishers was a pain in the ass. Anyways, I always played as Diablo.
Mike Gallagher's career in radio may be coming to an end. He just wished for (9:10 am Friday) the execution of the various Leftist pundits who have not exactly expressed joy over the killing of the Z-man in Iraq. He was quite serious about shooting the likes of Jerry Springer (Air America talker), Randi Rhodes, and some congressman, among others, for treason. I don't know, I've never heard something this extreme from him. This has to cause problems, I don't see how this will just blow over.
Edit: He just said that he is not "calling for" the assasination of these people. He is just wishing for their execution. Whatever, you decide what he means and if this is a big deal or not.
KKK's Top 103 Posters
Number 91: Paul Stanley
I don't really talk to Paul all that much, but I seem to remember him going through some troubles in life, from family to job situations. If he's been laid off already for making too much money, here's hoping he finds something that pays him more and has him working less. He seems to be a hit in the Music Folder, particularly when it comes to concert reviews, but since I don't venture much around those parts, I really can't say much more about him.
• So now Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead. Bye bye. What I think is funny is that Michael Berg, the father of one of Zarqawi's beheading victims, said that not only did he "learn to forgive" Zarqawi for lopping his kid's head off, but he also said that, "I have no sense of relief, just sadness that another human being had to die." Goddamn did the wrong Berg go over to Iraq.
• Speaking of commies, it seems that the Jersey Girls caught Ann Coulter's ire, and the conservative skeletor then said some not-so-nice things about these harpies. If you don't remember, these bitches used the memories of their husbands, who died in the 9/11 attacks, to repeat some Democrat talking points in the '04 election season. Of course Ann's comments are causing outrage, with even Hitlery getting in on the action. I'm not a huge Coulter fan, but to these "Witches of East Brunswick" I say too fucking bad. If you are going to exploit your dead spouses in hopes of electing your boy Kerry as president, then get ready for some backlash. Like I've said before regarding this issue, if I had to wake up next to and listen to anyone of this group day in and day out for a prolonged period of time I probably would have jumped from the World Trade Center before 9/11/01. However, I have to take Ann to task on one premise, and that is when she said, “I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much.” When it's my turn to say "what's up" to the Reaper, just wait and see how quickly my life insurance policy gets cashed in.
• I might as well complete my insensitive trifecta by talking about a local story. Apparently, some bad heroin (as opposed to the "good" kind found in the organic section of the crack house/meth lab/wherever this shit is made) has been shipped out to the Shittsburgh area, killing some users (and even a few people from the *gasp!* suburbs). Cops have been trying to figure out where the source is coming from, and they're hoping to collect as much of the bad heroin as possible. I say why bother; let the addicts kill themselves. Hell, give me a bag and I'll deliver one (or ten) to my crack-whore sister-in-law’s place of residence, provided that she hasn’t been evicted yet. Also, wouldn't it be better to have this shit out on the street? Maybe it will scare some people out of trying this stuff out. Oh, and from what I heard the bags this deadly dope is in have labels printed on them titled "Get high or die tryin.'" At least its producer can’t be accused of false advertising.
Beck is right, take Z's body and wrap it in bacon and put a ham hat on. Maybe a pigskin suit would be better.
And now....the Top Gear car review!!
BMW Z4 M series
Richard Hammond says: BMW have stripped the car of the usual technological gadgets and created a raw performance car. A normal, basic manual transmission as opposed to the 2-in-1 automatic/manual paddle shift transmission that are now popular on high-end sports cars. Fun on the track, pedestrian in everyday life.
Ugh, I had almost finished the entire entry and my dumbass clicks the back button by accident. Click forward, nothing there. So fuck it I'm not typing all that out again so here's the quick version of the Top 10 for each league and maybe I'll edit in some numbers later.
Pujols still has a huge lead although it could be gone if he misses the full six weeks like many think he will.
Edit: Okay I've put the numbers in now.
National League
10. Jason Bay, Pirates
.305/.427/.614, 49 RC, .328 EQA, 30 VORP, 9 Win Shares
9. Carlos Beltran, Mets
.266/.389/.572, 42 RC, .309 EQA, 21.4 VORP, 12 Win Shares
8. Lance Berkman, Astros
.299/.380/.598, 45 RC, .310 EQA, 20.6 VORP, 12 Win Shares
7. David Wright, Mets
.327/.400/.559, 47 RC, .315 EQA, 25.5 VORP, 11 Win Shares
6. Miguel Cabrera, Marlins
.349/.437/.593, 51 RC, .338 EQA, 32.5 VORP, 10 Win Shares
5. Chase Utley, Phillies
.323/.389/.541, 43 RC, .300 EQA, 27.5 VORP, 13 Win Shares
4. Bobby Abreu, Phillies
.285/.454/.505, 48 RC, .317 EQA, 19.0 VORP, 14 Win Shares
3. Alfonso Soriano, Nationals
.310/.363/.628, 54 RC, .309 EQA, 25.8 VORP, 13 Win Shares
2. Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
217 ERA+, 5.00 K/BB, 1.08 WHIP, 40.0 VORP, 12 Win Shares
#1
.308/.442/.751, 65 RC, .357 EQA, 38.8 VORP, 19 Win Shares
Basically can flip a coin between Thome and Hafner right now but gave Thome the nod for the edge in Win Shares.
American League
10. Curtis Granderson, Tigers
.287/.388/.483, 43 RC, .295 EQA, 18.9 VORP, 12 Win Shares
9. Vernon Wells, Blue Jays
.326/.379/.606, 44 RC, .314 EQA, 28.2 VORP, 10 Win Shares
8. Ramon Hernandez, Orioles
.307/.366/.512, 47 RC, .298 EQA, 18.5 VORP, 13 Win Shares
7. Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox
.319/.434/.505, 44 RC, .322 EQA, 22.1 VORP, 11 Win Shares
6. Jermaine Dye, White Sox
.306/.405/.669, 42 RC, .333 EQA, 22.3 VORP, 10 Win Shares
5. Derek Jeter, Yankees
.344/.435/.495, 47 RC, .320 EQA, 30.1 VORP, 11 Win Shares
4. Alexis Rios, Blue Jays
.359/.397/.631, 47 RC, .324 EQA, 26.5 VORP, 11 Win Shares
3. Jason Giambi, Yankees
.277/.458/.620, 51 RC, .350 EQA, 27.0 VORP, 12 Win Shares
2. Travis Hafner, Indians
.308/.449/.631, 57 RC, .355 EQA, 33.2 VORP, 12 Win Shares
#1
.296/.432/.656, 58 RC, .344 EQA, 30.2 VORP, 13 Win Shares
What games are the most crucial games in a series. At times a media outlet will trot out a statistic claiming that the team that wins game one wins the series at such and such a percentage. Is that true, and if so, does that make game one an absolute necessity. A bout of extreme boredom at work set me on the path of exploring some mathematical exploration. Using a statistical model of each team having a 50/50 shot of winning each game, I caculated how much the odds of winning a seven game series changed with each situation, such as a team up three games to one or two games to zero. Here are the various situations in order from most important to least. Importance here is defined by what extent the game changes the odds of winning the series.
1. Game Seven
2. Game Six
3. Game Four when one team holds a 2-1 series lead
4. Game Three when one team holds a 2-0 series lead
5. Game Five when one team holds a 3-1 series lead
6. Game Five when the series is tied
7. Game Two
8. Game Three when the series is tied
9. Game Four when one team holds a 3-0 series lead
10. Game One
In order to test this, I took a look at real life results, specifically MLB's last 45 postseason series. In the real world, teams taking 1-0, 2-0 and 2-1 series leads have won more often than we would expect. Teams taking a 3-0 lead have won less often, but that's entirely due to one outlier in 2004. Teams taking 3-1 and 3-2 leads have won almost <I>exactly</I> as often as we expect. I think the reason for the discrepancy in the first results is because when a team takes a lead, it is often because they truly are a better team, and thus are operating at odds better than 50/50.
Teams that have won game one since 1990 have won the series 71% of the time. That's significant, but then again teams that have taken game two as well have won 90% of the time, and that is another huge gain. I think if you looked at the results of any game, you would see the same result (except for game seven, which would give you 100%). You can shift the odds around to develop different percentages, but the order above would remain roughly the same.
I don't know if you can do anything with this, but I had it down on paper and figured I would print it.
• Well, 06/06/06 has come and gone, and the apocalypse did not take place. However, I don’t plan on the Anti-Christ taking any action until she decides to leave her senator's seat in New York and run for president, but that’s another year or so away. Actually I’m rather encouraged about Satan not taking over, seeing how the Angles pounded the Devil Rays 12-2 yesterday. In addition, the Pirates lost last night, so that means all is normal with the world.
• For at least six months I have been trying to get the better half to agree with me to switch our phone service over to Comcast from Verizon. Every time I bring this up she says “no.” The reason? She thinks it will be “weird” having phone service with a cable company. Yeah it’ll be weird. It’ll also be cheaper. Yesterday this sales rep from Comcast came to my door and let me know of some special deal where not only would we have our cable internet connection and a cheaper phone service than Verizon's, but also we’d get digital cable all for $20 less a month than what we’re currently paying for standard cable, internet and Verizon phone service. In fact, even after this 12-month promotion expires, we’d still be getting these services for a lower rate than for what we're paying now. When I told Mrs. kkk about this deal she expressed doubt due to the fact she doesn’t like the Digital Cable remote. When we moved back to Pennsylvania in 2003 we signed up for some special deal from Comcast that gave us digital cable for six months free (or something similar). The service wasn’t bad, but I didn’t really care for it, mostly because I didn’t give a crap about the extra channels (although I did tune in to HBO's OZ). However, I care about saving $20 per month, so I’ll deal with the hippie remote. After explaining to the better half that we’d be saving money every month, along with paying for all three services in one bill, I think I got her on the ropes. If this doesn’t work, I could always beat her, but I hold off on spousal abuse as a last resort. Well, maybe not last, but close to last. Well maybe more along the lines of when I don’t feel like bloodying up my work clothes…
• Well Steve McNair is going to be traded to the Ravens. I feel for him. McNair put his heart and soul into the Titans for years, playing through pain and injury, only to be told “well you make too much money so off with you.” I understand the NFL is a business, but fuck it; if a team signs someone to a contract, and they have to restructure the deal later on because they promised that athlete more money than the salary cap will allow, then screw the team. I don’t blame the player for wanting what’s coming to him. It’ll be interesting to see how the Ravens play this year with McNair at the helm, or at least until he gets hurt.
• So one kitten was reported as rabid at a PetSmart store. Now they are suspending their pet adoptions for the mid-Atlantic region? What, did the cat infect the entire area? From the article: “PetSmart has arranged more than 3 million adoptions in its 17-year history, and has only had one other rabies case, said Paul Amirault, district manager for PetSmart.” So now other cats may have to be put down because they couldn’t find a home via PetSmart. Fuck that shit. I wish we took such drastic measures on humans. So little Bobby has been caught beating up some kid? Time to give his 10 brothers and sisters, plus crack mom, the needle.
Before I start my thoughts on Depeche Mode Albums, I'd just like to say R.I.P. to John Tenta.
Now, on to the reviews. Here they are, reviewed in order of release
-Speak and Spell-Lightweight stuff, and the only album produced by Vince Clark. There's some good tracks ("Photographic" and "Tora! Tora! Tora!" in particular), but for the most part, it's too lightweight.
-A Broken Frame-Underappreciated, though I'm always a sucker for transitional albums. Some tracks are too lightweight ("Meaning of Love" and "See You") but this album is more focused and better sounding, and shows hints of what they would become with "Leave in Silence" and Monumet". Also has experiments with dub reggae that are hit and miss, and "Nothing to Fear" is one of their best instrumentals.
-Constructuon Time Again-A bit of an industrial influence comes in with steel percusion samples and such on tracks like "Pipeline". "Everything Counts" is a classic, while "Shame" and "Love in Itself" are underrated. Songs like "More than a Party" and "The Landscape is Changing" really aren't that good though.
-Some Great Reward-I always thought "Blasphemous Rumors" was overrated, and "Somebady"is cringe inducing. Other than that, this is a good album, with "People are People" and "Master and Servant" would be a big influence on Industrial Dance, and "Something to Do" and "Lie to Me" are great Moody songs.
-Black Celebration-There are experiments in minimalism on some tracks, and they suprisingly work. Most of the album ("Sometimes" sucks though) is great, with a moody feeling that went over with synthpop fans. Not Tonight" is great, and "Stripped" is one of my favorite songs.
-Music For The Masses-Their best album, and a major classic. Everything about it clicks, even the instrumentals. "Never Let Me Down" and "Strangelove" have almost stadium levels of awesomeness, while "To Have and To Hold" creates a great atmosphere. Hell, even the alternate takes on songs and mixes are great.
-Violator-Everyone knows this album, so i won't say anything else.
-Songs of Faith and Devotion-Too inspired by Nine Inch Nails, this one is alright. "Rush" and "Mercy in You" are way too chest thumping, and hardly sound like DM songs. "I Feel You" does feature great use of guitar feedback, and "Walking in My Shoes" has a great, almost trip-hop feeling to it.
-Ultra-Their most underrated album. "Home" is the best Gore-sung song, while "It's no Good" features great synth work. Also, the use of guitars on "Useless" and "Barrel of a Gun" are great.
-Exciter-Their worst studio album. It sounds too much like they're trying to re-create "Violator", and some of the songs just feel like remakes. "I Feel Love" is great though.
-Playing The Angel-"Macrovision" is a shitty song. Other than that, this is a great album. Excellent use of analogue beats, and the songwriting is some of their best yet.
That's all for now. Next Time: Moving out of my dorm.
-To Rolling Stone: Can't you do one issue without complaining about how much you hate Bush? Sure, I hate him too. Hell, I think he's one of the worst presidents we've ever had (not the worst, but one of them), but I don't obsess over the guy like you do. Besides, it's gotten tiresome that you have to have a 5,000+ word essay about why you hate him in every issue. I remember last year, when an article about the Michael Jackson trial became a big rant about Bush. Basically, it's time to hang it up guys.
-Raw really sucked last night. Did we really need to see Vince McMahon's ass again? By the way Vince: The "Kiss My Ass" club was never funny, and it's not even creepy anymore. It's just annoying. Then again, this is Vince I'm talking about...
That out of the way, the bump Lilian Garcia took was fucking nasty.
-Remember folks: One more week until "Cemetary Man" comes out on DVD
-I've been listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin today, and I still think that "Led Zeppelin III" is their best album. Sure, it's not as heavy on the drums as "Physical Graffiti", but I think songwriting wise, it's their best album. Plus, how could anybody hate the song "That's The Way"?
-To Hotbutter Spoonbuster: Why are you so pissed off all the time?
That's all for now. Next time: Depeche Mode albums
• I get that the NHL isn't the most popular league out there. I get that their cable home, OLN, isn't high up on many people's station line-ups. But for God's sake Michael Wilbon, if you can't figure out how to search for a freaking cable channel then thank Christ you aren't registered to vote in Palm Beach County. And before you go bitching about the length of the Stanley Cup playoffs, check your calendar to see when exactly the NBA Finals conclude. For the record, I consider myself a casual fan of hockey; the only people I know in this Stanley Cup finals are Mark Recchi and Glen Wesley, and that's because I remember both back in the early 1990s when Mark was a Penguin and Glen was a Bruin. It's a shame that the Stanley Cup Finals isn't getting more recognition because Game 1 was fantastic. Too bad Edmonton's goalie got hurt and, from what I heard on the radio earlier today, is out for the rest of the playoffs. Because of this, it looks like Carolina is sure to win it all now. However, one never knows in the NHL; if the Oilers went by conventional wisdom they would have been eliminated in the first round.
• Speaking of the Stanley Cup Finals, the WWE broadcast a commercial on OLN pimping their next appearance on RAW in Shittsburgh. Of course, the ad was aired at 9:08 p.m. on a night that Raw was making a stop in the city. Since the Oilers/Hurricanes game was in an intermission, I tuned over to USA just to see what I have been missing. I stopped watching wrestling several years ago, so I am out of the loop when it comes to storylines. I got to USA in time to see Terry Funk (?!) get into the ring, along with a bunch of other ECW'ers I remember watching 10 years ago. Wow. That's all I'm going to say on this matter. Well, that and time can be quite cruel when it wants.
• I love Boston Red Sox fans. Sometimes I wonder what they like more, seeing the BoSox win or the Yankees lose. Then again, maybe I'm just jealous. After all, in Shittsburgh, the biggest rival to the Pirates is the .500 mark. Actually, years ago, Lloyd McCleandon said that he considers the St. Louis Cardinals to be the Pirates' “rival” because the Cards are the best team in the NL Central and the Pirates aspire to become the Cardinals one day. Oh well, there's always the Browns/Steelers, or would that now be Ravens/Steelers? Either way, I dedicate this entry to the following AIM conversation I had with my one BoSox pal from earlier today:
If you don't know the answer to the question posed in the last line of dialogue, go talk to Bored or Al Keiper. They'll be more than glad to help you out, as well as tell you the win-shares of the last 30 NL stolen base champions.
Well, Michelle Wie did not qualify for the U.S. Open. Now, I was all for Wie being able to attempt to qualify, but some of the commentators and sports journalists (ESPN of course) who agree with me are just pathetic. They are on Wie's side only because of political correctness. I just look at it as just another person who may have the ability to compete on the PGA tour. Watching the live cut ins on ESPN was a hoot--when it became clear she wasn't going to make it, the comments by the dumbass PC commentators were truly pathetic. One nitwit sportscaster on ESPN (don't know his name, he's a regular) kept saying "What went wrong, how come she fell back". The woman who was at the golf course was trying to explain how in the world this could've happened. Uh, maybe because she's a 16-year old girl with little experience on a PGA course under these pressure circumstances. Even the experienced men had trouble dealing with the pressure, etc. Steve Fleisch, who at one point was leading the Memorial tournament last week (one of the biggest and most prestigious events on the tour) failed to make it. Everyone was acting as though it was a disaster, it was as if Dwayne Wade just went 0-20 in the first half of the NBA final.
The draft is tommorrow so I've decided just to do a quick list of the top players of each draft from the 1980's per Win Shares with a couple of other things thrown in. Now when putting this together I was quickly skimming over the list of players who played in the Majors from each draft so it's entirely possible I might have missed a key player or two so feel free to point out any omissions. For each year I only take in account players who signed.
1980
Top Pick Overall: Darryl Strawberry, 252 Win Shares, Mets
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Garry Harris, Blue Jays
Most Career Win Shares: Strawberry
Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Craig Lefferts 91, 9th Round, Cubs
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Eric Davis 224, 8th Round, Reds
1981
Top Pick Overall: Mike Moore, 133 Win Shares, Mariners
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #11 Mike Sodders, Twins
Most Career Win Shares: Tony Gwynn 398, 3rd Round, Padres
Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: David Cone 205, 3rd Round, Royals
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Joe Carter 240, #2 Overall, Indians; Kevin McReynolds 202, #6 Overall, Padres; Paul O'Neill 259, 4th Round, Reds; Devon White 207, 6th Round, Angels; Fred McGriff 326, 9th Round, Yankees; Lenny Dykstra 201, 13th Round, Mets
Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Mark Langston 184, 2nd Round, Mariners; Frank Viola 187, 2nd Round, Twins; John Franco 183, 5th Round, Dodgers
1982
Top Pick Overall: Shawon Dunston, 151 Win Shares, Cubs
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Augie Schmidt, Blue Jays
Most Career Win Shares: Jose Canseco 272, 15th Round, A's
Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: David Wells 203, 2nd Round, Blue Jays
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Terry Pendleton 202, 7th Round, Cardinals
Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Dwight Gooden 187, #5 Overall, Mets; Jimmy Key 188, 3rd Round, Blue Jays; Bret Saberhagen 193, 19th Round, Royals; Kenny Rogers 185, 39th Round, Rangers
1983
Top Pick Overall: Tim Belcher, 132 Win Shares, Twins (did not sign)
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Stan Hilton, A's
Most Career Win Shares: Roger Clemens 421, #19 Overall, Red Sox
Most Career Win Shares by a Player: Wally Joyner 253, 3rd Round, Angels
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Ron Gant 206, 4th Round, Braves
1984
Top Pick Overall: Shawn Abner, 13 Win Shares, Mets
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #13 Bob Caffrey, Expos
Most Career Win Shares: Greg Maddux 371, 2nd Overall, Cubs
Most Career Win Shares by a Player: Mark McGwire 342, #10 Overall, A's
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Jay Bell 245, #8 Overall, Twins; Ken Caminiti 242, 3rd Round, Astros
Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Tom Glavine 290, 2nd Round, Braves; Jamie Moyer 184, 6th Round, Cubs
1985
Top Pick Overall: B.J. Surhoff, 231 Win Shares, Brewers
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Kurt Brown, White Sox
Most Career Win Shares: Barry Bonds 661, #6 Overall, Pirates
Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Randy Johnson 297, 2nd Round, Expos
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Will Clark 331, #2 Overall, Giants; Barry Larkin 347, #4 Overall, Reds; Rafael Palmeiro 394, #22 Overall, Cubs; David Justice 233, 4th Round, Braves; Mark Grace 294, 24th Round, Cubs
Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: John Smoltz 257, 22nd Round, Tigers
1986
Top Pick Overall: Jeff King, 115 Win Shares, Pirates
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #14 Greg McMurty, Red Sox (did not sign)
Most Career Win Shares: Gary Sheffield 398, #6 Overall, Brewers
Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Kevin Brown 241, #4 Overall, Rangers
Other Players Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Matt Williams 241, #3 Overall, Giants; Todd Zeile 221, 2nd Round, Cardinals
1987
Top Pick Overall: Ken Griffey Jr., 358 Win Shares, Mariners
Highets Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Mark Merchant, Pirates
Most Career Win Shares: Craig Biggio 411, #22 Overall, Astros
Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Kevin Appier 189, #9 Overall, Royals
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Albert Belle 243, 2nd Round, Indians; Ray Lankford 228, 3rd Round, Cardinals; Reggie Sanders 201, 7th Round, Reds; Steve Finley 286, 13th Round, Orioles
1988
Top Pick Overall: Andy Benes, 139 Win Shares, Padres
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Bill Bene, Dodgers
Most Career Win Shares: Mike Piazza 309, 62nd Round, Dodgers
Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Benes
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Robin Ventura 272, #10 Overall, White Sox; Tino Martinez 216, #14 Overall, Mariners; Marquis Grissom 248, 3rd Round, Expos; Luis Gonzalez 285, 4th Round, Astros; Jim Edmonds 263, 7th Round, Angels; Kenny Lofton 261, 17th Round, Astros
1989
Top Pick Overall: Ben McDonald, 83 Win Shares, Orioles
Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #4 Jeff Jackson, Phillies
Most Career Win Shares: Jeff Bagwell 387, 4th Round, Red Sox
Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Trevor Hoffman 144, 11th Round, Reds
Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Frank Thomas 362, #7 Overall, White Sox; Mo Vaughn 201, #23 Overall, Red Sox; Chuck Knoblauch 231, #25 Overall, Twins; John Olerud 301, 3rd Round, Blue Jays; Tim Salmon 228, 3rd Round, Angels; Ryan Klesko 222, 5th Round, Braves; Jim Thome 279, 13th Round, Indians; Brian Giles 228, 17th Round, Indians; Jeff Kent 295, 20th Round, Blue Jays
Here's the entry I promised in an earlier blog about the Holy War:
VILLANOVA VS. SAINT JOSEPH'S
This rivalry is part of the Philadelphia Big 5, but it'd still be one even if there was no Big 5. The two schools are both Catholic, but they're very different. For starters, Nova is not even located in Philadelphia, but rather in the Main Line suburbs (the affluent part of the area, people like Allen Iverson and Andy Reid among others have gigantic houses there.) Saint Joseph's is closer to the city, but is basically on the borderline of the suburbs. This hasn't stopped SJU people from claiming that "We're true Philly!" even though Temple, Penn, and La Salle are much more based in the city.
A lot of the rivalry is based off each schools' image based off the past. SJU was seen back from the 1950s to the 1970s as the school where the blue-collar Catholic kids of the city would go to college at, whereas Nova was the school of the upper class of Pennsylvania, along with a good amount of kids from New Jersey and New York as well. It's changed a lot since then, basically since SJU and Nova pretty much cost the same to attend now. Once again, that hasn't stopped the SJU people from claiming that all Nova kids are rich while they're the kids from the other side of the tracks, when the reality is that whenever SJU kids try to use that, it's basically the pot calling the kettle black.
As compared to the other Big 5 games, the intensity is ratcheted up much further, thanks to what the two schools' fanbases see each other as. SJU fans see Nova fans as arrogant, claiming that Nova fans put their program alongside Duke (which is untrue, SJU delusion at its best). Meanwhile, Nova fans see SJU fans as jealous of Nova being in the Big East (extremely true, every SJU person I talk to whines about Nova being in the Big East) and the 1985 national title (Well duh, if I were an SJU fan, I'd be jealous too considering their 2004 team, their "best team ever" only got to the Elite Eight.) But there's another divisive figure in this rivalry:
Phil Martelli.
John Chaney may have been more hated by the other Big 5 school fans, but Martelli is quickly rising up the ranks. Chaney at least had the respect of the city fans, whereas the fans see Martelli as a media whore. Basically, he has to get on every sports program on CSN and CN8, and it's gotten really annoying. The Nova and Temple fans have even dubbed him "Shill Martelli" for it.
Another thing that makes this rivalry is the delusional, crybaby SJU fanbase. They did have justification to complain about GoonGate in 2005, but then they got their panties in a bunch about the behavior of Temple students during the game between SJU and Temple this year, crying about Temple students chanting "Fuck The Hawk" and "Fuck Martellli" when their students chanted a sexually explicit epitaph at John Chaney during their first meeting at the Palestra. Then comes their inferiority complex towards Nova, which shows leading up to the Holy War, which they treat basically as their Super Bowl, which if they lose they're in a 3 month long depression for. You haven't seen a bigger group of crybabies, whiners, and basically idiots until you've seen the SJU fanbase. They even whined to the Daily News during the tournament this year about Nova getting more coverage than them. Well no shit considering that Nova was a #1 seed in the NCAAs and SJU was in the NIT. They still, according to my Temple friends, whine incessantly about GoonGate, and probably will for another 40 years.
To close, the rivalry is fun, simply for the car-wreck factor of SJU. When the tournament comes, I'll root for any other Big 5 school in it (Temple - especially since I'm a fan of Fran Dunphy, Penn, and La Salle), but not SJU. If they were to luck their way into a #1 seed again, then get bounced by a #16 seed, then there would be ritual suicide on City Avenue, but of course preceeded by whining about how Nova was probably responsible for it.
-Well, you won't be hearing me talk about homework for a while, because I'm done for the semester. Also, the weather is great today.
-The season premier of "Tom Goes To The Mayor" debuted last night. I don't care what anybody says: This show is hilarious. I love it because it's unconventional, and because it pisses off losers on the internet.
-It seems like Rob Zombie will be doing the next Halloween movie. Rob, I personally think that this is a bad idea. Stick to whatever it is you want to direct , and please direct an episode of "Masters of Horror."
-Bush is trying to ban gay marriage. You know, I have to ask the question: what is so bad about gay marriage?Lets face it folks: it isn't hurting anybody, and marriage isn't exactlly a sacred bond anymore. Besides, I think gay couples have every right to be miserable and wonder what they were thinking when they married the person they thought was right for them as straight couples do, though that's probably just me.
-I was at Meijer today, and stumbled upon a novelazation of WWE's slasher flick "See No Evil". I skimmed through a few pages, and got a good chuckle out of it. Didn't buy it though.
That's all for now.
KKK's Top 103 Posters
Number 92: Swift Terror
Sure Swift Terror doesn’t post that much, if anymore, at TSM’s forums, but I know him personally so he gets a pimp on this list. Mr. Terror worked under me in 2002, and when he got promoted to the management level I was at we got to know each other better during some projects our groups worked together on. Well, the people working under us worked; I spent most of my day posting at TSM, which eventually pulled in my co-worker, too. In fact, we got along so well that we were groomsmen at each other’s weddings in the years that followed. A fellow right-winger, he likes cars and horror films, not to mention having a mother-in-law that would send shivers down … well, I better stop right now if I ever want his wife to let me back in their house again the next time I’m in the southwestern Ohio region.
And now a word from the expert panel I have put together to comment on the people I’ve listed.
From SFA Jack:
• The Blue Collar Comedy quartet just had their “final” movie on Comedy Central last night, and I was unimpressed. I’m normally a fan of their comedy (sans that television show), but this third special left something to be desired. I didn’t mind most of the material; my problem was that the event took place in Washington, D.C., which is one of the last places I’d want to see these guys perform at. Why don’t you just do a show in Manhattan or Berkley next? The first two specials may not have taken place in “redneck” havens like Georgia or Mississippi, but nevertheless the crowds helped make the viewing experience enjoyable. This crowd looked mostly like inside-the-beltway schmoes, and there was just something missing from this element. I think one reason I like these stand-up specials is that Jeff, Larry, Bill and Ron complement each other well, although I’d consider Bill to be the weak link of the four, since he seems to have a similar brand of material that Jeff has. If this is indeed the last time these four will appear together on a stage, then peace out. You can’t argue about the success this “blue collar” stuff has experienced.
• There have been a few good commercials airing as of late, which is unusual for me because normally I think television commercials either try too hard to be over the top or are just bland. Ever since they brought back their former mascot (or whatever that king guy was supposed to be), Burger King has had a number of good ads. Their most recent ad pimping a Texas Double Whopper is an enjoyable one for me, especially the full version. The song is cute, and I like how the commercial builds momentum until that van gets pushed into a dump truck. The second ad that has immediately won me over is for some hippie soft drink. I don’t know if it’s a Mountain Dew rip-off, or some extra- caffeinated version of this greenish goodness. The commercial is about a farmer who is building a bigger, meaner scarecrow to fend off, and even destroy, a variety of woodland animals trashing his crops, including … well, you’ll have to watch it to figure out the payoff. And while I’m on this subject, I really liked Taco Bell’s “Think Outside The Bun” campaign, but it’s time to put it out to the pasture. My jump the shark moment on this batch of ads came with those “toga” commercials.
• So ESPN is giving constant updates on Michelle Wie’s qualifying performance for the U.S. Open. Here’s my question: Is the PGA supposedly a “male” league? If not, then why even bother having a LPGA? Let’s just have everybody play in golf leagues and see who qualifies. I have nothing against Wie, and if she gets exemptions to play in tournaments just because it will bring in more people to watch the event, then more power to her. And goddamn is Jim Gray the wrong guy to sub host Jim Rome is Burning. He seems like a good-enough sideline reporter, but when it comes to this format, they should have went with an extra “Best of Mike and Mike” or something, which says a lot because even if that show was on at 6 p.m. rather than 6 a.m., it would still put me to sleep. UPDATE: After reading Swift Terror's latest blog entry, I guess the PGA is co-ed. This of course now means that the LPGA needs to rethink their closed-minded policies. AHHHHH, another ESPN update on Wie. This is more annoying than those "Chasing Bonds" updates that were run prior to Barry passing Ruth.
Michelle Wie is attempting to qualify for the U.S. Open. I'm hearing many voices of idiocy from people who should know better. People are saying she shouldn't be allowed to do this, just stay on the LPGA, etc. Shut up, you dumbfucks. She's playing from the same tees. Everything is equal. The PGA is not a men only organization. Whoever you are, if you are good enough to play under the same rules as everyone else, you should be allowed to compete. If this were some bogus thing like having her play from separate tees, yes, screw that. But that's not the case here. Oh yeah, she's kinda hot, but I will not comment any further until she turns 18.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was arrested YET AGAIN a couple days ago. This time DUI and speeding. He just got through a court hearing for a separate arrest while in Florida. It's hard to figure how someone could be so damn dumb. But the Bengals should keep him, because in the Pros it's about winning and nothing else. If they cut him, someone else will pick him up and he could come back to haunt the Bengals down the road. Last I checked the Ravens had 2 star players get prison time, or at least were found guilty of some crime. Who cares, this aint high school. The Steelers new draft pick, Santonio Holmes recently got into trouble. But they'd do well to keep him because he'll help them win games. I hear guys on the radio saying "cut that creep Henry, we don't need that kind of player on our team". Oh really? You want a bunch of saints on your team and go .500? Can you imagine the shit the dudes back in the 70s did off the field in the NFL? Holy Christ, it'd make your hair turn white. This is the Pros baby, deal with it.
The French Open was NOT broadcast in HD on NBC over the weekend. I hate you, NBC...unless it was out of their control. I think they just use the French TV feed for their broadcast, so maybe they were unable to show it in HD. I'm still pissed though. And it looks like Martina Hingis is advancing nicely. The occasional skirt fly-up is the real reason I want the HD. Hingis appears to have really gotten into great shape. At least I'm honest.
Muslims terrorists--some Canadian citizens--were captured in Ontario. They were planning bomb attacks in Ontario. During the same week, the Ontario division of the largest trade union in Canada was calling for a boycott against Israel for mistreatment against Palestinians. Man, that is divine irony.
I watched Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses" over the weekend on the Independent Film Channel. Wow, what a mess. And talk about ripping off Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Oh, I guess the part where one of the killers uses the facial skin of one of his victims as a mask--just like Leatherface--was supposed to be a homage. Well, it was one clumsily done homage, I'd call it a rip-off any day.
And I've heard plenty about the sequel, "Devil's Rejects". And this leads me to the conclusion that Zombie is one gutless wonder. Sure, he has his killers torture and kill normal white people--in the case of "Reject's" an overtly Christian family is tortured and put to death. Zombie doesn't show any blacks or other minority group as victims. Nor do you see a Muslim family tied up and tortured. Zombie would not want to appear bigoted I'm sure and I guarantee he doesn't want to piss off Muslims. But cruelty against Christians is fun!
This entry is dedicated Hotbutter Spoonbuster, aka "TSM's answer to Tourettes Guy".
-Been a busy week, and I'm fucking tired. I haven't had a good night's sleep in a while now.
-I saw the piolet for "Korgoth of Barbaria" on Adult Swim last night, and it it's awesome. It's on again at 10:30 tonight, and I recommend it. Also, the new season of "The Venture Brothers" debuts June 25th.
-The "9/11 Conspiracy Theories" thread on the CE folder is a great big pile of stupid. That's all I have to say about that.
-Finally, my thoughts on Hotbutter Spoonbuster: This guy rules. I don't thinl he has any idea what he's saying, and he spews forth insults and profanity like he's internet celebrity Tourettes Guy. So here's to you HBSB: Don't you ever change.
KKK's Top 103 Posters
Number 93: Smues
Much like Sideburnious, Smues is one of those posters I don't talk with much, but he seems like a good enough guy. Hey, he makes fun of Barry Bonds and ESPN, along with Mikey Moore. You can't win me over any more than goofing on those three subjects. Well, maybe you could if you also pimped Gauntlet Legends. My n*gga.
And now a word or two from the expert panel I have put together to comment on the people I’ve listed.
From SFA Jack:
From Porter:
• Oh Chirst, there’s a reason I don’t go grocery shopping on Sundays, and I re-discovered why. I think the worst part wasn’t the screaming children but rather the people who shop right after church and they have way too much perfume on. Not even the coffee aisle, with that sweet aroma, was enough to counter this old lady and her scent o’ death. That’s the last time I deviate from my normal routine of going grocery shopping Tuesday after work.
• And while I was out grocery shopping, the better half, her dad and her brother came over to do something to our front yard. (When the better half does any kind of home improvement project, my only rule is to let me know if the property catches on fire and I have leave the hosue; otherwise, I just leave her alone.) Whenever it rains water seeps down into our fruit cellar, resulting in puddles being formed all over the floor in this little room where we mostly store food, cleaning products and cooking devices. It’s not like the basement is going to flood anytime soon, but it’s annoying to have to watch where you step when bringing up food in the pantry upstairs. They dug up the front yard and put in some pipe, which will now send the water that is destined for the basement out onto the street. Honestly, I don’t know what we’d do without Mrs. kkk’s brother. He’s a mechanic by trade, and a mighty good one, too. Not only that, but he’s pretty much everything in a man that I am not. He’s excellent with tools, knows how to fix just about anything under the sun, and goes hunting and boating. In other words, he’s a real man’s man while I am, well, you should know that answer by now.
It’s funny because when I first started dating the better half, her brother didn’t like me for the longest time. I think it took six years or so to finally warm up to me. I don’t fault him; after all, I was fucking his baby sister. He and his wife (who is also quite successful in her professional career) have a nine-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter, and for some reason they both adore me. Don’t ask why because their parents can’t figure this one out either. While the brother-in-law helps us out with a number of things like the aforementioned drainage system, we try to return the favor, mostly by baby-sitting their kids or helping them move from one house to another. However, there was one instance where I was the hero of the day, and it took place last Christmas. Every December 25 we head on over to the brother-in-law’s place, along with the rest of the immediate family, and celebrate Christmas there. Hey, as long as I don’t have to play host I’ll gladly eat someone else’s food and let them clean up. Well this past holiday, they had some people from out of state over, and they had a son about the same age as my niece-in-law. Turns out all three of them wanted to play Playstation, particularly the Looney Toones Space Race Game a certain uncle bought for them (see my April 22 entry for more information about this story). As my brother-in-law tried to get the game working, he was having an unsuccessful time at it and had his daughter bring me in to remedy the problem. After hitting the green reset button, everything worked fine, and the three kids started jumping up and down in glee saying, “Uncle kkk fixed the Playstation.” As my brother-in-law and I returned to the living room I remarked, “With all the things you build and fix for your kids and us, I get the most praise for turning on their video game system.” He laughed. After all, he may be able to fix a car but I know how to make the Playstation work.
Forewarning, this is long. First Lakers, then Dodgers, then USC.
Does the Laker fanbase here support it? I know a ton of people that loved this guy when he was here and hate his guts now. Personally, I think that's a load of shit on their behalf, because nothing changed about Shaq. He's the same guy he always was, everyone just got pissed off because the Lakers were now one of the teams he made fun of. Boo fucking hoo. If they can't handle someone having playful fun or throwing barbs at/with their team, they shouldn't be watching sports in the first place. I'm sick of these uptight assholes in the real world that I have to deal with when I talk about the playoffs on a daily basis. I feel a little better about saying that.
Anyway, to the important LA team at this stage, the Dodgers (fuck that LA Angels hippie shit). This team is a serious contender. I had no idea that their lineup was going to be like this, and I didn't think that the prospects would be able to step in and contribute if guys went down. They need a pitcher, which they can get with the talent that they have in the system. If they get a pitcher, I'm beginning to think that this is a serious NL contender. If they get in the playoffs, they're very dangerous. I trust Derek Lowe to pitch great out there. Gagne comes back to form, they're going to be really hard to beat. I love what I've seen so far.
I talked to one of my buddies that plays football at USC the other day. Turns out he broke their squat record, which considering the talent that's been through there is EXTREMELY impressive, and that he thinks that Mark (for some reason, maybe because it's late, I feel like calling him Matt. Maybe that's his name, I'm too tired.) Sanchez could be better than Matt Leinart. The rest of what he said I'll leave for an entry closer to the season, but I have some input of my own from what I've seen of Sanchez. I'm going to say that he will be better than Matt Leinart. How can I possibly know this? I've seen this guy in person 3 times, and my school played against this guy's (almost all white guys) in a passing league. If anyone but Leinart was the starter at SC, he would have played last year. This guy has "it", that star quality that you see every once in a while. I'm no scout, but this guy is a prototypical QB. He can throw from the pocket, on the run, and he's really mobile. He makes perfect reads (My friends in the passing league were fucking shocked at some of the throws he was able to make at that age) and spreads the ball around. This guy is a winner.
I'll have some scoop on UCLA and Oregon before the season too, because I know one player from each school. One of their families happens to live three doors down. How exciting!
