vivalaultra

Yeah, they're having a pretty bad inning it looks like, huh? When a guy pinch-hitting for the pitcher gets 2 at-bats in the inning and his second at-bat is only out number 2, it's not going good. Oh well, Big Z hit another homerun.

Not to turn this into a literature thread, but Slaughterhouse-Five is my second favorite war novel, right behind anything by Tim O'Brien, but I'm a big Tim O'Brien fanboy anyway. I think to look at the whimsical elements of the book as detractors from the story and the strength of the story is to diminish the style of Vonnegut, as all of his novels have that whimsical element. I think that element is what makes him the first 'serious' author read by so many young bibliophiles.

This Sunday, on Jackie Robinson Day, there won't be only select representatives from each team wearing Robinson's #42. Five teams, the Dodgers, the Cardinals, the Pirates, the Phillies, and the 'Stros, are having their entire team wear special #42 jerseys. I think it's a fitting tribute, but, perhaps this is overkill a little bit. Since the Phils and the 'Stros are playing each other on Sunday, That'll be...what...like 60 guys wearing it for one game? The Dodgers, though, I can understand wearing the number as a team. Edit: Oh, and Mark Prior, after making progress in extended Spring Training, had to be shut down and sent to the doctor because of shoulder concerns. There goes his playing the 2007 Future's Game.

I don't dislike Ben Folds. I don't like him either. He's hit or miss, I think. He does some good stuff and some bad stuff, some stuff I like and other stuff that I don't care for, some stuff that makes me feel warm and fuzzy and other stuff that makes me feel embarrassed to be listening to Ben Folds. Mainly, I just like giving Czech shit. Wusssssssssy!!!!!!!

If you think that they deserve to be mentioned, why don't you/haven't you mentioned them? I thought that was the point of the thread. To sit back and have a preconceived idea about what other people should respond with and then get pissy when they don't respond with your preconceived idea is ridiculous. If you think that those albums should be mention them, mention them and be done with it. Yeesh.

He rules semi-quirky, sometimes grating, occasionally sacchrine piano rock, sure, but that genre's kinda limited anyway.

I'd pick Ichiro in the 2nd round by Tapout due to the elusive OMOPLATA~!

So, I just read an article about how excited Dice-K is to face Ichiro tomorrow. The article includes a few whip-ass quotes from Ichiro, including my favorites: On Matsuzaka striking him out in Japan, May of 1999: "He got me, no question about it...I wasn't vanquished, but he clearly toyed with me that first time." On facing Matsuzaka in tomorrow's Sox/Mariners game: "I hope he arouses the fire that's dormant in the innermost recesses of my soul...I plan to face him with the zeal of a challenger." To Hell with baseball, I wanna see Ichiro and Matsuzaka go at it samurai style, with twirling katanas and stuff. Either way, I can imagine that the press box and camera well will be extremely crowded, more so than usual, tomorrow.

Alphabetically, off my iPod (not the all-time best albums I've ever heard, just a few that I hardly ever have the urge to not listen to as a whole): Afghan Whigs-"Gentlemen" Band of Horses-"Everything All the Time" The Beatles-"Rubber Soul" Bonnie 'Prince' Billy-"I See a Darkness" Bruce Springsteen-"Nebraska" Neutral Milk Hotel-"In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" The Smashing Pumpkins-"Siamese Dream" Townes Van Zandt-"Live at the Old Quarter" Yo La Tengo-"I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One"

'Stros beat the Cubbies again 4-2. My second favorite Astros' pitcher, Chris Sampson (from beautiful Channelview, TX) pitched 5 shutout innings followed by Rick 'Double Balls' White pitching 2 perfect innings. Things got dicey in the 9th when the Cubs scored 2 on 4 hits off of Dan Wheeler (who came into the game with an ERA of 0.00 against the Cubs in 23 1/3 innings), but Murton popped up to end it. I still think Soriano's wasted in the leadoff spot. And Jason Marquis is still a horrible starting pitcher.

I doubt it'll be mentioned on ESPN, but former Houston Astros' prospect Mitch Talbot, now with Tampa Bays AAA club threw 5 no-hit innings against the Pawtucket Sox. The Durham bullpen has added another 2 1/3 no-hit innings.

Good. He's on my fantasy team.

Chris Carpenter is going to the DL (retroactive to April 2nd) because of his elbow. He'll be re-examined in a couple weeks and might be back for the end of the month, but maybe not. Randy Keisler is getting called up to take his place. And Mike Hampton's out for the year again. And after Brad Lidge's demotion, the latest buzz in Houston is that it's a strong possibility that he'll be shipped to AAA, which would be for the best, I think. Edit: Oh, and I heard that Jason Schmidt hurt his hamstring in the 4th inning and had to leave the game today.

Nah, because then the Houston sports press would be overwhelmed with stories about how Everett and Ensberg aren't 'as close as they used to be'.

Adam Everett muscled up on one to give the 'Stros a 5-3 lead over the Cubs in the 8th. He also made an error today (3rd of the season), but he's leading the club in average. Maybe he's turning into Derek Jeter or something.

After giving up 6 runs (3 earned), 1 HR, and one blown save in his first 2 appearances this season, Brad Lidge has officially been demoted. Dan Wheeler will serve as the club's primary closer with Lidge taking a 6th inning and 7th inning role. Chad Qualls and Rick 'Double Balls' White will act as primary set-up men. That's kinda sad, though. In two years you go from the 2nd most dominating closer in baseball to the 12th man in the bullpen. Ah well, 'twas for the best. Now just get rid of Brian Moehler and I'll be happy.

Yes, but with more afro and less undead.

Writing an analytical paper and writing about my enjoyment of a concert on a messageboard are two completely different beasts. If I'm writing a paper about, say, Gabriel Garcia Marquez (I use him as an example because I never actually wrote a Faulkner* paper), of course I'm not going to fawn over his use of description and Baroque fillagree; that's not what the assignment calls for. However, if I'm excited about a TV on the Radio concert and I wish to express my excitment to a group of people that share my enjoyment of TV on the Radio to varying degrees, I feel comfortable expressing that excitment in the manner that I did/do. When I'm talking about something as subjective and visceral as music, I'd rather write about how the music connected with me on an emotional level, and, if that means I come across looking like a 'fawning adolescent', it is what it is. I offer opinion and it's up to everyone else to judge. And I never took offense to any of your faceless ribbing said in jest. I'm in my mid 20s, college educated, and I live in Texas-not under a rock. I know the difference between honest-to-goodness snarky comments and the joking kind. All of my retorts were meant to be taken in kind, I assure you. I'd never be offended by someone with such decent taste. There, glad we got that settled. Now we can go back to making fun of Czech for liking Ben Folds. *-By the by, I don't think I'd consider Faulkner to be 'the best writer to come out of the South, if not the world entire!' Depending on the day, I'd take Flannery O'Connor or Cormac McCarthy (whose The Road I've bumped up on my reading schedule based on your and Oprah's recommendation) over him probably.

Or I can come off however I come off and not care what people on an internet wrestling message board think of my exuberance. I choose the latter. You didn't strike a nerve. It takes more to strike a nerve than 'ball-bustin'. Try some profanity next time or something.

I'd rather not. I choose not to alter my personality nor my enthusiasm to avoid lame ball-busting.

You'd think they'd get old, but they really don't. I first saw them in Austin at the end of 2003 about. That was before they were the 'new thing'; only about 60 or 70 people there. The next time I saw them in Houston they were actually opening for that shitty electro-emo band The Faint. They only played for about 30 minutes, so we only stayed for about 30 minutes. Too many emo kids. Then, we saw them at this club in Houston right before 'Cookie Mountain' came out and, although the sound was awful, they were still wonderful. Then I saw them at Austin City Limits where they got a shitty timeslot (2:30-3:15 PM) and a criminally short set. I could've seen them in Austin later that nite, but I didn't, although the drummer did give the head nod. And then I saw them the other nite. The great thing about all the times I've seen them is that I've been able to watch them grow as musicians and performers as they grew in popularity. At the first show I saw them at, they had as much energy and pure love of playing with each other and for the audience that they had two days ago. I love their energy and their honesty and their conviction and the way that they're able to just connect with the audience in such a deep, meaningful way. And plus their songs are melodic and well-written enough that they can fiddle with the arrangments enough to keep the shows fresh. At the first show, the encore was a beatbox version of 'Ambulance'. At the last one, it was a 10 person, Afro-precussive jam of 'Let the Devil In'. Outside of them, there's nobody I'd want to see that many times, though. Edit: Condescension is hawt!

Yeah, Brian Moehler and Brad Lidge v. 2.0 will do that for a club.

If the Astros are going to win 90 games this season (as per my prediction), they can't have very more 1-5 homestands.

I saw TVOTR a couple nites ago. It was my 6th time seeing them live. I haven't listened to 'Return to Cookie Mountain' in a couple weeks (too much new music going on), but after seeing them in concert, I can't doubt that they are the best band in the world right now. Just an amazing show with so much non-rehearsed passion and energy. The opening act was really great, too. They were called the Noisettes and they're from England. Good three piece band with a chick singer/bass/guitar player who jumps around alot.

I hope BJ stays at LHW for awhile. At least long enough to fight Gomi...and possibly Joachim Hansen. BJ Penn at any weight class is good stuff, but I think he's better at 155 than 175. What a time to be an MMA fan.