Moments, sports and otherwise, In Time

Sports and Politics collide in Los Angeles.

2011-04-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

The Idiots McCourt

I must start out by saying I hate the Dodgers, being a Padres fan and all...but that said..the drama currently unfolding in LA brings together two of my favorite topics..sports and politics.

Frank McCourt should of never been allowed to buy the Dodgers in the first place, seven years ago. One of the most storied franchises in all of sports, McCourt has nickle and dimed the team into a hot mess, so hot in fact, that Major League Baseball has taken over running the franchise. McCourt probably won't be smart enough to let them do it as he is screaming "I'm gonna sue" from the top of his lungs. Like the asshole doesn't have enough lawsuits going right now, suing his old lawyers with a new crop of lawyers and still fighting in court with his now ex-wife about giving her half the team, which the courts have deemed she deserves since his ridiculous post-nuptial agreement was tossed in divorce court last year.

Season ticket sales have fallen off by 40%. Attendance also continues to dip each and every year that fucknut has owned them.He has spent less and less on talent each year he has owned them as well. But to listen to Frankie talk, HE is the brand name and the Dodgers are just 'the product'. From the Yahoo link:

Years ago employees were advised by the McCourts to consider the McCourts the brand and the Dodgers the product, and to sell the two as such, and in that order.

They said it a lot, too. Though, to be fair, they fired so many people there were always new people to educate on the subtleties of McCourt-onomics.

Selig, by recent weeks, simply had had enough. The team he once delivered to the McCourts was now in ruins. The McCourt empire, such as it is, looked to Selig like it was in the same condition. The two were going down together, up to their necks in debt and divorce and empty promises to clean it all up. And Selig had grown weary of opening letters from distraught and livid Dodgers season-ticket holders, the few that remain.

So, on Tuesday, he drafted a letter to Frank and had it overnighted. He followed it up with an e-mail.

Your baseball team now belongs to me, was its message. You spend not a dollar before it is cleared by my man on the ground, who will have an office in your stadium.

Presumably, it will not be Jamie’s old office, though Jamie voiced her support for Selig undoing a mess she’s half-responsible for making.

Before he bought the Dodgers, McCourt tried to buy the Boston Red Sox, his beloved childhood team. His egotistical ass was laughed out of town for even considering that thought. As someone that lived in Beantown and adores the BoSox to this day, I breathed a sigh of relief when the Yawkeys told him to take a fucking hike and sold the team to three guys that know and loved baseball, John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino, who also knew how to run a team and how to make money with one of the oldest and revered franchises in the sport...two things Frankie McCourt doesn't know anything about apparently as the Dodgers qualify on both those counts as well. Again from the Yahoo link on what a boffo owner McCourt has been during his tenure there:

Well. This, you should know, is not only about McCourt’s inability to make payroll last week, for which he secured a $30 million loan from Fox, as the Los Angeles Times reported. Nor is it only about firing the security chief just before he let all the people into his building. Nor is it only about funding his divorce through season-ticket and beer sales. Nor is it only about a team that sometimes looks like it should be in Pittsburgh and not the second-largest market in the country.
This is about all of it, every stinkin’ inch McCourt has taken, when he should have given two.

This is about a franchise that can’t know how it will live tomorrow, since it never thinks about tomorrow, since it’s already borrowed against all of tomorrow’s money. This is about an owner securing a $30 million loan, using as collateral the settlement he expects to win from suing his own former attorneys at Boston’s Bingham McCutchen, which drafted the faulty marital property agreement. And then about being so desperate to take a below-value television deal in L.A, potentially devaluing other owners’ future contracts in places that aren’t L.A.

Frankie's name is shit right now in Baseball and it rightfully should be. This man is an idiot of the highest order and for him to even consider going up against Major League Baseball when he has most likely pissed away any money he could even hope to recover with a sale of the Dodgers, it just shows how self-centered he is, and that he doesn't have the best interests of his team at heart. Which means only two things to me:

He's lower than pond scum and not a true baseball fan. The second reason alone is enough to run his ass out of town on a rail, or at the very least tar and feather him, using of course pine tar, in my humble yet vocal opinion. Because even if I hate the team,competitively speaking, I love and respect the franchise...and their rich history doesn't need to be screwed up by the likes of Frank McCourt's litigious, financially ignorant dumbass. The best quote about McCourt can be found in the Yahoo writeup:

“Dig a pothole in the middle of your street, fill it with sewer water, and within hours Frank McCourt would walk along and step in it.”

I rest my case....

Tony, Tony, Tony....

2011-01-15T21:28:00.000-08:00

Tony Stewart got a tad rowdy in Australia this week it seems. So rowdy, that the local law enforcement dudes detained his ass. Seems Tony went off on one of the track owners regarding various issues, including track conditions. From the SBNation link:

An Australian racing web site is reporting that Tony Stewart is being held for questioning by police in Australia after an alleged incident at Sydney Speedway, though Stewart's representative told SB Nation that the driver is resting in his hotel.

The site SpeedCafe said Stewart, who has been racing in Australia during NASCAR's offseason, may have been upset about the track conditions and confronted speedway co-owner Brett Morris.

The report says "a helmet and punches were rumored to be thrown and exchanged during the alleged altercation" and that police are involved in the investigation:

Staff at Parramatta Police Station confirmed to Speedcafe.com.au this morning at 12.49am (AEDST) that Stewart was being held for questioning, but indicated that nothing could be confirmed about the incident until later today –including whether Stewart had been officially charged or whether similar charges were being pursued by Stewart against Morris.

"We're attempting to gather whatever information we can get our hands on in an effort to separate fact from fiction," Stewart's public relations representative Mike Arning told SB Nation via e-mail Saturday. "However, we can say that Tony Stewart is not being held anywhere and is resting in his hotel in Australia.

This wouldn't be the first time Tony has hauled off and cold-cocked a track official or an owner. See the video below of a...cough..altercation in 2008. Gotta love him, I know I do!

Nick Adenhart's killer gets 51 years.

2010-12-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

I hope this means Andrew Gallo will never walk free again.

Prosecutors said they sought the maximum term for Andrew Gallo, 24, because the pitcher and two other people died in the crash and his blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit.

Gallo was on probation for a previous drunken driving offense at the time.

Buh Bye Andrew. Hope you enjoy the rest of your life behind bars you worthless bag of sheepshit.

McNabb benched for Grossman - Huh?

2010-12-17T11:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, lemme get this straight - Skins gave Donovan a new contract for 5 years $40 million guaranteed...then they bench his ass for the last two games of this season? WTF?

Ah, but the devil is in the details of that contract:

If McNabb has neither the mind nor the body to perform end-game duties at the age of 33 (he turns 34 on Thursday), do the Redskins expect him to be around in 2016? Not really.

On closer examination, the deal immediately pays McNabb $3.5m. But the team can sever ties at no additional cost after this season. If he returns, overall pay (salary and bonus) for next year would amount to $12.5m, hardly excessive for an NFL quarterback.

Ok, I get it now...since the NFL has a weak-ass players union, this contract really has no meaning. Since McNabb's numbers are at the bottom of the league, my guess is that he won't be a Redskin next year.

Thing is...Rex Grossman ain't no prize either. So all we really know is the 'Skins are still a hot-friggen-mess.

Metrodome looks like a Big bowl of sugar..

2010-12-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

That is what the Metrodome's top looks like after it collapsed early this morning. The options now available to the Giants vs Vikings:

This is going to take a while to sort out. When tears were found after a 1982 collapse, four days were needed to repair it. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday morning that the league will address the issue “ASAP.” Options include moving the game to the New Meadowlands Stadium. For those of you asking, I don’t think baseball’s Target Field could be retrofitted for football. But I guess the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium could be an option. Stay tuned.

The Giants were stranded in a midwest airport, so this thing is far from being figured out.

NFL is incredibly profitable for owners, but do they take care of injured players after they retire?

2010-12-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

The answer is NO, the NFL does not. Good read up at Emptywheel this morning. With the NFLPA telling the players a lockout is pretty much a lock for next season, its a valid point to bring up about the care of permanently injured players once they retire from the NFL.

Most of the players are relatively young, age-wise, when they leave the game. But the majority of their injuries only take their toll as the former players age. The NFL only pays for medical care, for on-the-field injuries, for five years after a player retires. From Emptywheels writeup:

Before we get down to the weekly game talk, there is a serious side of the business of football, a part that is not a game, that needs to be discussed. The long term health concerns of the players. As seemingly well paid and glamorous a job professional football player seems to be, the fact is when their career is over, these men are still relatively quite young chronologically but much older, physically compromised and beat up physically and, far too often as we now know, mentally too. The video from former NFL player and current NFL Player’s Association staff member Nolan Harrison describes player injuries as they relate to health and safety on the field and once a career is over.

The National Football League is insanely profitable. The average NFL game attendance league wide is 67,519. For every game of a 16 game schedule, and if you were not aware, teams make customers buying season tickets also buy tickets to at least two, sometimes three, preseason games at full regular season face value as part of the season ticket package. That is before you even get to the otherworldly television broadcast packages the NFL has negotiated, which are the most lucrative, by far, of any in the entertainment/sports industry. For the period of 2006 to 2013, the broadcast rights fees generated are: CBS $622.5 million/yr, Fox $712.5 million/yr, NBC $650 million/yr, and ESPN $1.1 billion/yr for a total yearly broadcast revenue of $3.085 billion per year. That is without delving into perhaps the most profitable income streams for NFL owners, the ancillary modalities such as merchandizing, advertising and concessions. There is a lot of money being made here, total revenue for the league was estimated to be over $6 Billion a year five years ago; it is undoubtedly significantly higher now.

With NFL owners threatening a lockout unless players agree to major concessions, the NFL is headed for a labor dispute that would leave stadium seats empty, TV screens blank and the Emptywheel Blog Trashless next fall. The knee jerk reaction may be that it is hard to get too worked up over a battle between billionaire owners and millionaire players, but keep in mind that the average NFL player is not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, has a average salary of well less than a million dollars a year and the average NFL career is only 3.5 years. That is pretty limited compared to the owners who have a lifetime license to sit back print money.(emphasis mine)

Yes, we all know about the big bucks the big stars get, but as Wheel says, the majority of the players do not get those types of paychecks...not to mention guaranteed contracts are virtually non-existent in the NFL, so if a player has a career-ending injury..he is pretty well fucked, regardless of the size and length of his current contract.

Long term health issues are real for the players in the NFL, be it multiple concussions that can turn their brains to mush as they age (like Muhammad Ali sadly exhibits now in his later years) or knees that are tore-the-fuck-up, making even walking a painful chore, before they even hit 35-40 years old.

Like the veterans of our wars should be able to rely on our government to take care of war wounds that last a lifetime, the NFL players should be able to rely on the rich owners providing health care for their on-the-field injuries when they leave the game.

Little Leaguer asks permission to plunk a batter.

2010-12-05T00:44:00.000-08:00

This is SO rich!

From Deadspin's writeup on this:

Baseball is supposed to teach youngsters the value of teamwork and fair play. But sometimes the game is just so damn frustrating that all you want to do is drill some kid in the back with a fastball. Mercer Island's Brandon Lawler certainly understood that after allowing the tying and go-ahead runs to score in the top of the sixth (and final) inning against Georgia—an inning that included three wild pitches and two passed balls. His coach came out to talk him down, but Lawler was not in the mood.
COACH: "Hey, we're going to come up again."
PITCHER: "Is it okay if I just hit this batter?"
COACH: "What? No. No. Are you kidding me? ... Let's get this guy. Come on. We're still in this game. One-run game. You wanna stay in?"
PITCHER: "No."
COACH: "You wanna come out right now?"
PITCHER: "Yes, I do. Can I sit out?"
COACH: "No, you're going to first base."

Well, the kid might be a quitter and a pussy, but you and I both know plenty of adult ball players are jackasses too on the field of dreams.

Nick Adenhart's killer found guilty.

2010-12-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

That would be three guilty verdicts in this case. Second degree murder guilty for a bastard named Andrew Gallo, who has never lived outside his parents home, but managed to get enough cash together to get tanked then drunk drive regularly.

Gallo will be sentenced December 10th. That would be an early Merry Christmas for the fuckwad who's blood alcohol level was triple the state limit. For this punk..50 years, the tops he could get, just simply isn't enough. From the link:

Officials charged Gallo with second-degree murder - not the lesser related charge of manslaughter - because he had a previous DUI conviction, had specific knowledge of the dangers of drinking and driving from his own experience and had signed a court form from the earlier case saying he understood he could be charged with murder if he drove drunk again and killed someone.

To win a murder conviction, prosecutors had to show Gallo acted with implied malice: intentionally drove drunk, acted with a conscious disregard for human life and knew from his personal experience that he could kill someone.

Party hearty while you are awaiting sentencing you worthless fuck.

Adenhart's killer wants change of venue.

2010-04-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

The drunk and his attorney think they won't get a fair trial in Orange County.

Bullshit. The DA has him dead to rights...the sumbitch murdered three people that night and the fourth is still in intensive care a year later. His BAC was three times over the legal limit.

His parents say he isn't a monster...that it was an accident.

I call Bullshit on that as well. It wasn't an accident that he ran a light and plowed into Courtney's car. He was so fucking drunk I can not believe he was stupid enough to get behind the wheel of his daddy's minivan.

Oh, and Gallo has never lived on his own..fucker has always lived off of mommy or daddy.

Hopefully, he never will live in the real world again. Regardless of where the trial is held.

He needs to man-up and accept responsibility, for starters. Plead guilty you worthless fuck and spare everyone, including your own family, a trial. You are a two time loser..and the second time three people died. Once again the system failed by letting this fuckwad walk the streets.

The Deadzone.

2009-12-23T12:06:00.000-08:00

This is the time o' year when sports gets a little lean for me. Football is still on, but the most we get is twice a week. Roundball is on as well but you can not find a daily game on any of the channels.

I hate this time o' year. I fucking despise it.

Oh, and I sucked all year fantasy-wise. None of my teams made it to the playoffs..none, zilch, zip, nada.

I just want the new year to start..now!

NLCS starts tomorrow-Go Dodgers!

2009-10-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

I am rooting for the Dodgers..yes, it's true. Why?

I want a SoCal freeway series, thats why. If the Angels can knock off the Yank$ and the Dodgers can sink the Phillies..I will get it.

As my baseball season comes to a close..I am sad as the winter doesn't offer much in the way of sports after the Super Bowl.

Yes, I know...basketball and hockey will be alive and kicking. But they just don't ring my bell like a good baseball game.

Vick signs with Eagles.

2009-08-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Espn is reporting the Eagles have signed Vick to a two year contract.

It's Here! NFL season starts this weekend.

2009-08-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

The preseason starts this Sunday with the Hall of Fame game. Buffalo vs Tennesee. Anyone remember that highschool play that Tenn pulled to sink Buffalo in the playoffs? The Music City Miracle...

Tt's also T.O's first game on the boob tube.

Jeez, I can't wait to see T.O. act the ass..really, I can't. Will I draft him? Dunno yet, but it's unlikely.

Now that I have forced the Ball n' Chain™ to get DirecTV, I will not miss one friggin game, as I now get the NFL Network. This makes me happy.

Chargers still haven't signed their first round pick..

Ah yes..football..a sport that has the shortest god damn season of any American sport.

Feds rescue over 400 fighting dogs in one day.

2009-07-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

It’s the biggest dogfighting raid in the history of law enforcement. It took place over seven states and netted 26 people that will hopefully one day rot in hell for what they have done. From the San Francisco Examiner:

State and federal agents staged raids in several states, charging individuals in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas following a more-than-year-long investigation originally tipped off by the Humane Society of Missouri.

In Missouri, prosecutors said members of a multistate ring routinely denied the dogs medical treatment and “destroyed” injured dogs who were no longer able to fight by shooting them “in the head, throwing them into the river or burning them in a barrel.”

Although the arrests stem from the same investigation, the rings were not “one concentrated, organized conspiracy.” United States attorneys in four districts will try the cases separately.

Kathy Warnick, president of the Humane Society of Missouri called the raid the “largest coordinated rescue in U.S. history.” “This heinous, heinous bloodsport is not going to be tolerated,” she told the New York Daily News.

The Humane Society of Missouri is sheltering more than 300 dogs - believed to be mostly pit bull terriers - seized in Missouri and Illinois raids. The dogs will be housed, cared for and evaluated at an undisclosed emergency shelter in St. Louis.

I just can not wrap my mind around humans that do this. I just can not. They would kill the losing dogs by shooting them and burning the bodies.

Slamming Sammy being investigated..

2009-06-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

By the folks he lied to in 2005..Congress. From AP:

A congressional committee will look into former baseball slugger Sammy Sosa’s(notes) denial that he used illegal performance-enhancing drugs in light of a report that he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003.

The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Democratic Rep. Edolphus Towns of New York, says that the committee takes seriously suggestions that a witness had been misleading.

Towns said in a statement Wednesday that he will determine the appropriate steps following a review of the matter.

In 2005, Sosa told Congress that he had never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs. The New York Times reported Tuesday that Sosa tested positive two years before his appearance at a House hearing.

There goes the Hall of Fame Sammy..say goodbye!

When Politics and Sports mix..

2009-06-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

The Coleman v Franken election case is now in the hands of the MN Supreme Court. One of the associate justices is none other than Alan Page.

Mr. Page is in the NFL Hall of Fame. He played as a MN Viking and a Chicago Bear. He will help decide whether Coleman gets his wish in counting absentee votes or if Franken is the winner hands down.

I was watching the MN Supreme Court hearing this morning online and when they showed Justice Page and put up his name in the video..I knew that I knew that guy from somewhere...

Just a tidbit of info you should know..or not! ;)

Lakers lose...again.

2009-05-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

It's been interesting in that the Lakers and Nuggets keep switching back and forth. No one team has won two in a row yet during the Western Conf finals.

As for the Cav's...dunno 'bout them guys..They can't expect Lebron to win all the games for them.

So, are the Cav's that bad or is Orlando that good? We find out tonight.

Long live the King! Lebron saves the game.

2009-05-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

Lebron James showed why he is The King tonight. His only 3-pointer that went in was at the final buzzer.

Cav's actually didn't lead in any category for most of the game. Cleveland scored more points in the first quarter and never led in that category for the rest of the game.

Orlando is a better 'team' as far as spreading the points around. Cav's depend on Lebron. Both games were decided by a point..that's freaking it..

You can't win a series if only one guy is the go-to guy in fucking roundball. It's a team sport for a fucking reason.

Orlando got more points out of their bench than Cleveland even dreamed of. 26 vs 14 for the Cav's. Boxscore here.

It isn't going to be a slam dunk for the Cav's. I think this might go seven..but I could be wrong. ;)

But remember this..only two players have scored more points in the first two games of the division championship than Lebron's 84..Jerry West and Rick Barry. And it was a helluva long time ago. Tonite he had 35 points. (I think..long evening folks)

Lakers lose..

2009-05-22T11:03:00.000-07:00

Warms the cockles of my lil' black heart don't cha know? ;)

Tonight is game two of the Eastern Conference finals..YAY! Hopefully the Cav's will be consistent the whole game, not just one half.

Padres have actually won more than two games in a row. Praise Jeebus!

Jack Peavy told the Pads to fuck off on the trade to the ChiSox. heh..

Today's interesting sports happenings..

2009-05-16T21:44:00.001-07:00

Holy fuckamoly..what was Lackey thinking when his first pitch blew past the batter's back and the second pitch hit the batter? The ump thinks he knows..

The umpire tossed his ass after the second pitch.

On the horseracing front..the filly Rachel Alexandra beats all the boys by a length. Last filly to beat the boys in the Preakness was in...wait for it..1924.

Her jockey was none other than Calvin Borel, which is a trip unto itself as he won the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago riding Mine that Bird, who btw came in second today after coming from last place. Calvin is the first jockey to ever do that. So he could win the triple crown..but there will not be a horse that can do it this year..strange eh?

Tomorrow is D-day for four basketball teams- Houston/Lakers and Orlando/Boston. I am rooting for Boston and against the Lakers tomorrow.

My hope is the Cav's will be the reining champs of the NBA. Long live King James!

Good bye Chuck Daly.

2009-05-09T08:13:00.001-07:00

It is sad to know 'Daddy Rich' is gone from this world. His Pistons beat the shit out of the Lakers in the '89 playoffs. He coached some of the greatest players in the game.

Whatever team he coached, they always made the playoffs. First American team to win Olympic gold was coached by Daddy Rich.

He dressed for success but was down to earth.
Say hello to Red Auerbach Chuck, I feel quite sure you will see him soon.

Y tu Manny*?

2009-05-07T18:04:00.001-07:00

I have raged a lot about cheating, aka roid use and the idiots that try to go down that road.

But Manny, he just took a hormone that is usually prescribed to women. Keith Olbermann, former ESPN talking head and now a political talking head has a great piece on Manny Ramirez today. The video isn't available yet..when it is..I will put it up here.

As for Manny and his use of cheating materials..here is AP's take:

Whats wrong with this picture? He fucking lied for Christ's sake. Yes, he passed 15 drug tests..so fucking what?

We all remember the one you failed..and so will the sports writers that elect you fuckwits into the Hall of Fame. SI's article, which I will filch part of below:

Mannywood was rocked Thursday when the All-Star outfielder was suspended for 50 games for using a banned drug.

"Do I still think we can win without him? I think he makes us a better team when he's with us, but without him we still have a good team and we're still capable of winning us some ballgames,'' Martin said before Thursday night's game against Washington.

"He's one of the best hitters of all time, so it's definitely going to be tough. But what can you do? You've just got to move on and keep plugging away. You have to take it either as a challenge, and that's what we're going to do,'' he said.

Even before the first pitch of the game, Ramirez's penalty had a noticeable effect. The Manny-style dreadlock hats that had been on sale at the concession stands at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night had been pulled off at least one shelf. Other Manny-related memorabilia was missing, too.

The Dodgers said there may have been a misunderstanding with the Ramirez merchandise, but that it still was for sale.

Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said he called Ramirez and that the 36-year-old star called him back.

"He feels very badly. Right now he's trying to gather his thoughts,'' Torre said.

He feels badly? I bet he feels real bad about losing a third of his $25 mil salary..

What do you think? The asterisk..*..it will follow you all the days of your career dude..bet on it you fucking douchebag.

Long live The King!!!!

2009-05-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

King James was absolutely awesome last night. This kid is only 24, but he is a veteran of round ball as anyone that follows Basketball knows.

34 points he scored. I think he showed us why he is the leagues MVP this year. From the Guardian link:

Leading 49-44 at halftime, Cleveland turned up the pressure, outscoring the Hawks 50-28. The visitors scored 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Mo Williams added 21 points and Delonte West had 13 for the Cavaliers, who host Game Two on Thursday.

Josh Smith had 22 points for Atlanta and Mike Bibby contributed 19.
"We competed for a half, but that wasn't good enough," said Hawks coach Mike Woodson.

Cleveland had not played since April 26 after sweeping the Detroit Pistons 4-0 in the opening round of the playoffs.
Atlanta was taken to a deciding Game Seven by the Miami Heat before winning the series 4-3 on Sunday.

I do love watching the playoffs which are also known as the second season..they last forevah! Lebron James gets better every year. His maturity surpasses many of the players that are a decade older than he is.

Now, being a Celtics fan..its gonna be interesting for me this year. No KG, but the Celt's did win their series.

A Saturday Sports Extravaganza!

2009-05-02T20:50:00.001-07:00

A 50-1 longshot won the Kentucky Derby. Ain't that a trip? And he kicked their asses royally, winning by over 6 freaking lengths, coming from outta nowhere. It was a wonder to behold.

Mets and Phillies game really didn't interest me, but it was sports.

Celts on tonight..and win the series without KG. I really didn't think they could do it without the big man.

NASCAR put on a good show as well. Kurt Bush went backwards in the end, which hosed my fantasy team. And I hate his brother Kyle Busch, who was the winner. (Yes, I know they pollute the planet..give me a break, its once a week.)

Pacquiao knocks the shit outta Hatton in second round. Hatton doesn't get up. Game, set and match.

Dodgers playing my Padres. This isn't a good thing lately as the Padre's suck pond scum off the bottom. Fuck they suck.

Bring on King James and the Cav's. Should be worth watching. ;)

Arod gets in deeper-what a surprise!

2009-02-20T09:53:00.001-08:00

I kid of course, its NOT a surprise. From MSNBC:

The embattled Yankees slugger reportedly has had a long relationship with a steroid-linked trainer who has been banned from private areas of every major league ballpark, according to the New York Daily News.

Angel Presinal, whose name surfaced in the Mitchell Report, was with Rodriguez in New York and Miami as recently as this past fall, the Daily News reported. Presinal's issues with MLB stemmed from a 2001 incident with an unmarked gym bag full of steroids. Baseball officials have warned players to stay away from him.

The Daily News also reported Presinal accompanied A-Rod for the entire 2007 season, staying in the same hotel as A-Rod, but in a separate room with the "cousin" Rodriguez identified as his steroid source from 2001-03.

The cousin was identified Thursday as Yuri Sucart.

"[Presinal] was around Alex in 2007," according to the Daily News. "Every hotel they went to, he stayed in the same room with Yuri. You would never see Alex with [Presinal]. They would meet in one of their rooms."

This comes on the heels of another report from ESPNDeportes.com that Primobolan, the drug Rodriguez says he and his cousin used between 2001 and 2003, wasn't available for legal purchase. During his Tuesday press conference in which he explained his past drug use, Rodriguez claimed he and his cousin, Sucart, bought "boli" from a pharmacy in the Dominican Republic.

"What Alex Rodriguez stated at the press conference [in Tampa] doesn't make sense," said Dr. Pia Veras, who oversees the regulatory agency. "It is important for us to clarify that such substance has not been registered and is not currently registered for legal sale in Dominican pharmacies -- not now and the same applies for the years 2001 to 2003."

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive. Kiss that hall of fame nomination good bye Arod...cuz it's gone dude.

Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Primobolan, steroids in baseball

My Response to Utah's meme...The Splotchy story continued.

2008-12-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

Her section of this story can be read here. The last paragraph of her cryptic writing:

And now before my fingers stiffen in the cold I must answer the questions sent to me by the mad. Only the mad understand the mad, but not all the mad have my gift to hear their inner voices. We are all somewhat gifted. Some of us have visions, hear voices, but I can only listen to the inner voice, the one that never says aloud what it most fears.

Now, my addition to the Splotchy Virus:

So for once in my miserable life, let me repeat aloud what the 'inner voice' says to me:
You can not escape, no matter how hard you try, no matter how far you roam...you can not escape the sound of others inner voices. You will be eating lunch in a fancy restaurant when suddenly your head is filled with someone else's terrified thoughts. Your dining partner looks at you confused as you start muttering to yourself. You are repeating the passages that are filling your head, crowding out the conversation you were just having with your friend over a delicious and very expensive lunch.

You make a hasty retreat to the restroom, sweating profusely at your brow, your hair wet as if you had just walked in a gentle rain. The tiled walls of the room make the voice echo in your head. You stumble into a stall, trying to concentrate on something, anything but the terrified voice inside your head.

You have been sitting in the stall for what seems like only minutes but actually over half an hour. Your lunch companion is banging on the stall door, pleading with you to come out and tell her what is wrong.

You emerge and tell her you have a massive migraine and need to go home. You apologize for screwing up the lunch date and promise to make it up to her. You kiss her forehead and brush your fingers softly against her cheek as you again whisper to her that you are sorry.

You rush from the restroom and fly past your table, grabbing your bag and coat as you hurry out the door. You stumble as you twist and turn, trying to figure out which way to go to get away from the voice. You jog down the street in heels, the dirty snow splashing up on strangers walking a normal pace down the street. You don't notice their looks as you race by, your impervious to their complaining...you just want to get as far away from the voice as possible.

Soon, the voice in your head starts to get fainter and fainter...as the city blocks click off one by one. Your lungs begin to feel as if they will explode so you slow down to a hurried walk. You notice the crowds on the sidewalk have thinned and you stop to get your bearings.

The neighborhood is old and rundown. You have no idea where you are. You turn and look back, trying to figure out where to go next, when an old man suddenly steps from a dark portal and looks you straight in the eyes. He touches your hand and says: "I have been waiting for you m'dear, and it's very cold on this dreary day isn't it?".

Ok....I tag only one person to continue this exercise, since I am unfamiliar with it and do not know too many folks that play along with this type of endeavor....the famed DivaJood.

Reflections....are such a bitch sometimes.

2008-11-17T10:36:00.001-08:00

After my morning "Hippie Speedball" and slopping of the hogs (otherwise known as feeding the felines), I sit down at the computer and begin to read my news emails. They go into their very own little file on my email program Thunderbird.

I get roughly 150 of them a day. I shit you not. It's a sickness I do readily admit that. Do not chastise me for it ok?

I start to scan the headlines of specific news agencies first and then it happens. My mind starts to go off on it's own tangent. A phrase, a graphic, sometimes...just a word will set it all in motion.

Its my job damn it, to blog the bullshit and I must make my appointed rounds of the news media outlets. Many times that is the only reason I have to get out of the sack in the morning. It really pisses me the hell off that my mind won't focus on the task at hand. So I fight it.

I end up losing more times than not. But this morning, my first morning waking up in my own bed after a week of sleeping in other people's beds like Goldi-fucking-locks...I just went with it. I leaned back in my leather chair with the special lumbar support and sighed...allowing my mind to go where it wanted.

It wanted to think about change..of scenery. My mind wanted to think about that long cross-country trip I want to make. Alone. Yes, alone..I want to be able to go where and when I feel like it as I see America and Blogger's I have come to know and love. This isn't an unusual feeling or emotion for me....taking off for parts unknown.

I usually spend no more than five years in any one state. As an adult I have lived all over these here United States of America. I drug my son from CA to VA and back again. Then we moved to GA where he cleaned out my bank account and stole my car in the dead of night..in the middle of a violent rainstorm..but I digress.

I was traveling again, in my mind. I was seeing the different people and places I long to go. The Grand Canyon, Arches National Park, the Louisiana Bayou, the canyons of New York City, the spanish moss of GA.

Then I heard my ball and chain padding down the hall, his glasses perched on his nose and the newspaper firmly in his right hand. He was heading to the crapper to take up residence for as long as I allowed him to...before I banged on the door and asked him if he signed a lease on that room.

He stopped for a split second, looked up and said; "I am glad your home baby."

I said; "Me too sweetcheeks."

And I meant it. I adore the ball and chain. He has kept me stationary longer than any man or job or circumstance ever has in my entire adult life. The man should be sainted because he is my rudder because I am a miserable bitch to live with when I get itchy feet every six months or so.

So I stood up and demanded he come here immediately, kissed his bald spot and whispered "I love you" in his ear.

And he got that beautiful smile on his face that just melts my tension away.

And the sumbitch is still in the damn bathroom as I type this, 20 minutes later. ;p

The final curtain call for the House that Ruth built.

2008-09-22T00:48:00.000-07:00

20 former Yanks showed up for tonights final game...only the Yanks could have that type of historical context.

They opened the stadium seven hours early, so fans could walk the field.

Roger Clemens was never mentioned.

They even dug up Julia Ruth Stevens, the daughter of the Babe, to toss out the last ceremonial pitch. She is 92.

In its final season, the Yankees set a record for attendance, 4,298,543. The Yanks will never break that record as the new stadium is smaller than the House that Ruth built.

Someday we'll go all the way...

2008-09-20T18:58:00.001-07:00

Football!!!!

2008-09-09T12:01:00.001-07:00

Love this hit!

Our long nightmare is over...

2008-08-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

Favre has been traded to da Jets.. praise friggin jesus.

Can the planet commence spinning on it's axis now?

Smokin' Joe Bonamassa has a new album coming out!

2008-07-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

I am part of the affiliate program..which means I get two bucks for every album purchased by clicking the linky to the right>>>>>>>>

There is no shipping charge either..and its a live album of one of the best blues players alive now..below is one of my favorites which is also on the album..Burning Hell.

Also..I purchased a treadmill today, interest free for a year..need to drop all the weight I have gained since I blew out my back two years ago. I GOT TO!!! Sadly the ball and chain doesn't share my enthusiasm for this purchase. Its a waste of money he says and I won't use it more than two months..

Gotta prove him wrong..yep..I surely do! ;p

Fantasy Football league formed..

2008-07-30T01:51:00.001-07:00

Its on Yahoo..I refuse to play anything on fucking Fox sports ever again. Those fucktards couldn't run a decent site if their smarmy asses depended on it. So, the particulars:

League ID#:	91855
League Name:	Pigskin Prognosticators
Password:	nfl
Draft Type:	Live Draft
Draft Time:	Sat Aug 23 6:30pm PDT

The important stuff is the League ID and the password if you care to join. Come on, you know you want to..

Greg Norman..did he choke or was it just age that did him in?

2008-07-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

I really want to know..which was it? SC mused tonight it was just age and his body letting him down, but I dunno..

Hasn't Norman choked in some serious majors in the past? The Times of England was fairly mean in their headline: Losing proves hard habit for Greg Norman to break.

It was hard to watch him sink to third after a great week. Broke my heart..

To be fair, Harrington has a stellar round. From Golf.com:

But when he had to make a birdie, Harrington made two, and an eagle, going four-under on his last six holes to shoot 69 and win the 137th British Open by four strokes over Ian Poulter (69).

"This year is more satisfying," said Harrington, who becomes the second player in the last four years and the 16th player overall to successfully defend his title. "You know, to go out there and shoot 69 in that last round, I don't think — if you had offered it to me last night I certainly would have taken it. It's the first time that I was in the last group of a major tournament on Sunday. So it's a different pressure, it's a different stress, and I'm delighted I managed it."

Norman, in the end, was bested by a better, younger player. sigh...

Its not looking good for The Rocket..

2008-07-17T21:05:00.001-07:00

The more he protests the worse it gets for Roger Clemens. First Clemens pulled the big 60 Minutes interview out of his ass and then filed a defamation lawsuit against Brian McNamee.

Then Andy Pettite came clean that yes he indeed use performance-enhancing drugs, which validated half of what McNamee had claimed. Why would McNamee lie about one guy and not the other? Its a logical conclusion to say he didn't. When Andy also testified that he had spoken to Clemens about both of their use of performance-enhancing drugs that also solidified McNamee's claims.

Then Roger said he had no knowledge of McNamee's dealing in HGH. It was then discovered that McNamee had indeed shot up Rogers wife with the stuff. Roger claimed he forgot about that..Then there was the party at Jose Canseco's house that Clemens swore he never attended..that is until some pictures were produced from that fateful evening of..yes, Roger Clemens in attendance.

Now, Kurt Radomski has produced a little physical evidence. A receipt for a shipment of HGH that was sent directly to Clemen's house. From the ESPN writeup:

Convicted steroid distributor Kirk Radomski told ESPN.com that while he was moving a broken television off a dresser in the bedroom of his Long Island home last Sunday night, he found a shipping receipt for human growth hormone that he claims to have sent to Clemens' Houston home in 2002 or 2003. Radomski said he found that receipt, along with "seven or eight others" for shipments to other baseball players, under the TV.

"My TV broke and I said, 'Damn, I got to get it off the dresser,'" Radomski said Wednesday. "And it was right there."
Radomski said he turned the evidence over to federal authorities on Monday.

This surely can't help ole Roger..and frankly I could give a shit about the guy. He and Barroid Bonds can perhaps share a cell in federal prison? It could happen ya know... ;)

Fucking NL. They can't do anything right.

2008-07-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

Just finished watching the 4 hour extravaganza, otherwise known as the MLB All Star game.

That's four hours of my life I will never get the fuck back. 11 Straight for the AL.

Christ the NL sucks..I mean they really fucking suck.

And here is a newsflash..so do the Padres.

Now thats what I call a temper tantrum!

2008-07-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Sweet Lou ain't got anything on this manager!

43 freaking hits? wtf gents?

2008-07-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

(scoreboard for another memorable Rockie night..this time with the Padres) What the hell was that shit in Coors the other night? I know Coors is slugger friendly but my Gawd that was nasty. Nine runs down and its still not over..damn. According to Sportsline:

The last time two teams combined for this many runs was May 19, 1999, also at Coors Field, when the Cincinnati Reds roughed up the Rockies 24-12.

It wasn't a fun night for defense, thats for sure. In other news..the Padres helped the damn Dodgers last night..beating the D-backs handily. Peavy is going today..come on darlin..I got you in my lineup. Last time Peavy was up against Brandon Webb..Brandon came out with the win. In our lousy division someone needs to get to freaking 500..come on!

Boston-Yank$ game getting ready to start..Go BoSox!!!

Baseball fever..get the cure for it now.

2008-06-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

I am extremely disillusioned and downright embarrassed about the state of the NL West this season. To put it in a single phrase:

The entire division sucks pond scum.

Even the AZ D-backs, who currently lead this sucky-ass division are barely above .500. This is horrible, simply fucking horrible. I can barely bring myself to watch any of the Padres or Dbacks games nightly. The Padres are in last-friggin-place btw. Plus, I am fairing the same in fantasy baseball..bringing up the ass-end of the league in which I am the commissioner.

The All-Star break is fast approaching and I for one welcome it this year. Another thing is the lack of good teams in most of the NL. Going through the motions as a baseball fan are not at the top of my 'must do' list lately..sigh.

Going to see Joe Bonamassa tonight..

2008-06-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

Joe will be appearing at our local college outdoor amphitheater tonight. His opening act I have never heard of..but I am there only for Bonamassa. So listen to some Smokin' Joe today ok?

George Carlin has died.

2008-06-22T23:05:00.001-07:00

Carlin was incredible and he spanned decades. The landmark Supreme Court case, the 1978 F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a narrow 5-4 decision by the justices affirmed the government's right to regulate Carlin's act on the public airwaves is legendary and set precedence.Wiki has a writeup about the seven words here.

The words are (with examples):

1. Shit - The bird shit on the statue.
2. Piss - I have to piss like a race horse.
3. Fuck - Fuck you.
4. Cunt - She has a nasty cunt.
5. Cocksucker - Go to hell, you cocksucker.
6. Motherfucker - You are a motherfucker.
7. Tits - Hey, nice tits.

He was to be honored Nov 10th with the Mark Twain award for American Humor. It will be posthumously accepted now I presume. And I am brokenhearted. I saw George through three different decades of my life and up until the end when I saw him in Vegas two years ago, he was on his game, satire at its best and grumpy as hell. From MSNBC:

Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines about drugs and dirty words, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital Sunday, a spokesman said. He was was 71.

Carlin, who had a history of heart problems, died at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica about 6 p.m. PT after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham told Reuters.

Bull Durham the movie turns 20

2008-06-22T03:48:00.000-07:00

ESPN has a nice piece up about this great piece of cinema here. From the link, a little nostalgia:

Bull Durham was the creation of a man who'd been cast aside by the game he loved. Ok, he walked away, but in the early '70's, Ron Shelton was a 26-year-old minor leaguer whose chances at the show were dwindling. So he quit. Fifteen years after his love affair with baseball ended, he made Bull Durham in 1988 for a paltry $9 million, going to great lengths to cast actors who could actually play. The movie was a hit, and baseball player-turned-filmmaker was in Hollywood's door. Twenty years later, Bull Durham is still widely considered among the top sports movies ever made, and is BRAVO's choice for best comedy ever.

A-friggin-men..I love this damn movie. It was all downhill after this for Costner btw.

Scott Kalitta dies..

2008-06-21T21:23:00.001-07:00

Seems he just couldn't stay away..and today drag racing finally got the best of 46 year old Scott Kalitta. He won two consecutive Top Fuel Champs, but he really loved those damn funny cars.

He retired twice but after sitting out a season or two came running back to the sport.

Hitting the wall at the end of the track in flames, doing 300mph..what a way to go out. Damn..

Kalitta is survived by his father, legendary NHRA racer and team owner Connie Kalitta whom I saw race; wife, Kathy; and sons Corey, 14, and Colin, 8.

K-Rod will be a free agent this winter..

2008-06-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

And man..does that bode well for him. I wonder if he will entertain an offer from the Angels..afterall, they couldn't see clear to giving him an additional $2.5 million. I was quite shocked when K-Rod lost his arbi case..if anyone deserved a raise it was that man.

Sportsline has an interesting article up about Francisco and what is likely to happen when he is free of the chains of Angels baseball.

Fact: The Angels are 32-2 in games in which K-Rod has pitched this season.

K-Rod is a showman, and a damn good one at that.

Bonamassa Live

2008-06-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

The Celtics got it done..

2008-06-17T21:09:00.001-07:00

first night back at home..Da Ga-den.

Bless them and keep them safe. Boston was over due in roundball.

KG and Doc..a very unlikely pairing.

Fuck Kobe..I hope you piss and moan all off-season you piece of dog poop.

A good sports Sunday..

2008-06-15T18:07:00.001-07:00

Watched a good US Open..there will be an 18 round playoff tomorrow between Woods and Rocco Mediate. Starts bright and early 9am..and in my hometown of San Diego at Torrey Pines no less!

O fuck me..Padres lost. Just when they get my hopes up...they dash em on the rocks of reality.

Now..the NBA finals are starting..hopefully the Celtics can close it out and go home the winners. But Phil Jackson is a master and I do not discount him or his team evah!

They had sex where?

2008-06-13T11:30:00.001-07:00

The extreme rightwing biblethumpers won't like this story from Reuters:

An Italian couple who were caught having sex in a church confessional box while morning Mass was being said have repented and made peace with the local bishop.
The couple, in their early 30s, were detained by police earlier this month after they had made love in the confessional box in the cathedral in northern Cesena. They were cautioned for obscene acts in public and disturbing a religious function.
Their lawyer said they had been drinking all night and realized they had gone too far.

Ah, whats a little hot monkey love in a confessional?

In other news, Phil Jackson had the nads last night to say the Lakers aren't done yet..right Philly..stick a fork in em dude..they surely are.

Kobe and the Lakers aren't getting it done..there is a God.

2008-06-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

I am not a fan of Kobe 'the crybaby' Bryant. The Laker's can kiss my hairy ass, they just don't do it for me and haven't for decades.

But Boston..now that's a different story. I saw my first professional basketball game in Beantown at the old and smelly Garden. No AC in the old Garden which I am sure added to the smell factor. Some facts about the Old Garden:

The Boston Garden was built in 1928. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third incarnation of New York's Madison Square Garden, the arena was originally called the "Boston Madison Square Garden", but eventually got clipped to the Boston Garden. Located on top of North Station, a train station, which is a hub for MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains, the Garden hosted home games for the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics, as well as rock concerts, amateur sports, boxing and wrestling cards, circuses and ice shows. It was also used as an exposition hall for political rallies such as the famous speech by John F. Kennedy in November, 1960. The Boston Garden was demolished in 1998, a few years after the completion of its new successor arena, the FleetCenter, now called TD Banknorth Garden.

Below is a painting circa the 1800's:
Here is Da Garden in all its former glory:

Now, its on to the Staples Center..kick some more ass Celts..please.

Celts win game one with the Lakers..

2008-06-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

So we will watch some delicious blues by the Paul Butterfield Blues band. ;) Enjoy!

Paul Butterfield Blues Band-Driftin Blues
Uploaded by dusty1215

The Phoenix lands on Mars today.

2008-05-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

Since I spent roughly 20 years of my life working in the space program in some capacity..this makes me proud.

Yes, it cost $450 million, but when you consider the millions we throw away each month in Iraq, which is a better return on our investment?

Here is the website for the mission. There are more pictures on their site.

Something for the Indy 500...

2008-05-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

A sweet blogger bud of mine, Robert, created the following song and video for the radio gents known as Bob and Tom 14 years ago. It was on one of their albums too! Robert is a resident of Indiana and its quite apropos for today. From his post on this song:

Way back in 1985 I wrote a parody of David Lee Roth’s version of “Just a Gigolo” for the Bob and Tom Show. It was about getting stuck in the heavy traffic on the way to the Indianapolis 500. The song appeared on Bob and Tom’s first charity project, “Bob and Tom’s White Album“. From that point forward, the song became a staple in the Indianapolis region during the month of May. I still recall driving to the race one morning and hearing the song on the radio while I looked around at other drivers singing along with my song. A great memory for me.

It's Roundball time!!!!!

2008-05-24T12:23:00.001-07:00

Only because the Padres suck so fucking bad am I paying attention to the NBA playoffs..all two months of them.

The gents from San Antonio are looking like shit. The Celts might go down in four, which would make me cry damn it.

Any other important sports news? I really wanted the Spurs to bust a move on Kobe's ass..a nice flagrant foul that took him out of the playoffs..sigh.

Why can't we be friends?

2008-05-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

War's Why can't we be friends?

The color of your skin don't matter to me
As long as we can live in harmony

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

I'd kinda like to be the President
so I can show you how your money's spent

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

When your MLB hometeam sucks ...

2008-05-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

Current standings: 5th NL WEST(WHICH MEANS THEY ARE IN LAST PLACE) Record: 15-27

How do you handle it? Do you ignore the fact that a bunch of elderly men with walkers could beat them?

When friends bring up how lousy they are, do you just sling a nasty retort their way or beat the living shit out of them?

When they are on, do you sit and silently watch them suck or do you get drunk and scream obscenities at the tv?

These are burning issues for me. My team can't find their collective ass with both hands. Its killing me. I might need to start medicating myself before and after each game.

Feds refile indictment against Bonds...

2008-05-14T11:13:00.001-07:00

Surely Barroid didn't think they were going to forget about him? From a yahoo writeup:

Federal prosecutors have unveiled a revamped indictment against Barry Bonds, but the career home run leader's lawyers say nothing has changed.

"Barry Bonds is innocent," the player's lead attorney, Allen Ruby, said after his client was once again charged with lying to a grand jury and hampering the federal government's doping investigation.

Bonds originally was indicted in November by a federal grand jury on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.

On Tuesday, a grand jury handed up a superseding indictment charging him with 14 counts of making false declarations to a grand jury in 2003 and one count of obstruction of justice. No new lies were alleged.

The feds, being morons themselves, fucked up the original filing. Figures..

From our WTF department...

2008-05-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Jaysus Christ this is sick and illegal:

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Authorities in Texas have filed corpse-abuse charges against two men who allegedly removed a skull from a grave and used it as a bong.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office confirmed on Thursday that misdemeanor abuse of corpse charges have been filed in the case.

One of the men allegedly told police they dug up a grave in an abandoned cemetery in the woods, removed a head from a body and smoked marijuana using the skull as a bong.

Police found the cemetery and a grave that had been disturbed but are still investigating the rest of the story, officials said.

You can buy a friggin skull bong online...just saying..

Mothers day you say? We deserve a whole fucking year!

2008-05-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

Gator football player busted using dead woman's credit card.

2008-05-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

He was also bounced from the team after it was revealed that Jamar Hornsby, a 21-year-old junior safety, has a warrant for his arrest on charges he used the gas credit card of a woman who was killed along with another Florida player in a motorcycle accident. Jamar used her credit card for six months, so he surrendered on charges of credit card theft and fraudulent use of a credit card, lawyer Huntley Johnson said.

It was not immediately clear how Hornsby got the card. Johnson declined to comment on the specifics of the case, but said they would cooperate with authorities.

All I can do is just shake my head over this.

Put that on the internet and I will call my lawyer!

2008-05-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

Fuck me running...this guy got highly peeved at having his picture taken whilst yelling at a homeless guy (click for LARGER). Since the link to the original post is bad, let me reprint it's sugary goodness:

This guy was on the corner of Stockton and Columbus in San Francisco yelling at a homeless man. Anger, conflict, drama — sounds like a great shot to me. I crossed the street but was unable to get anything interesting, since I only had my 50mm lens on the camera and I was just too far away.

However, Mr. Angry Overreaction Man decided that he now had a problem with me. He confronted me, demanding my camera. Of course, I refused. He got in my face and started threatening me, telling me that I cannot take his photo without his permission. I told him that yes, in fact, I can. He then walked up and bumped into me, trying to act tough. I told him that one more touch and I would call the police.

Of course, he didn't like that very much, and at that point told me that if I put his picture on the internet, he would call his laywer. I assured him that his photo would be on the internet, and he then walked up and grabbed my camera lens. Well, that's just not something that I will put up with, so I pulled the camera away from him and reached for my phone and started dialing. Once he saw that he turned away, still yelling threats, and continued on his way.

I felt bad for his daughter, who was with him, because she was obviously embarrassed by his antics and kept pleading with him to stop. I have a great shot showing her looking up as if saying "Oh boy, here he goes again". But I'm not going to post that one, as she was not acting like an idiot and I don't want to embarrass her. Mr. Angry Overreaction Man seems to do enough of that.

So, Mr. Angry Overreaction Man, your photo is now on the internet. Call your lawyer. Tell him somebody on a public sidewalk took your photo while you were on a public sidewalk. Then tell him you physically assaulted the photographer. See what he says.

I was more than willing to oblige SteveO's request to send it around the internets. ;)

Rick is steaming!!! And other highlights..

2008-05-08T00:33:00.000-07:00

The man who couldn't cut it as a pitcher is freaking turning in some awesome plays as an OF'r. Rick Ankiel was given a second chance to play 'the game' and he has really turned some great plays..and that arm..jesus..its a gun..from center field no less!

Clip from a lifelong Cards fan, and reader of my tripe, Bruce. ;)

Next one from B a well...a kick save..hot damn!

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

The Daily Coyote.

2008-05-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Shreve is a true pioneer. The woman traipsed around the US on a freaking Vespa folks. She now resides in Wyoming with her tomcat Eli and Charlie.

Charlie is a coyote. His parents were killed (coyotes are hated by farmers and ranchers) and his siblings didn't survive. He came into her life at the age of 10 days. Shreve blogs about life and Charlie at The Daily Coyote. Below is one of her short videos, and she has plenty of wonderful photos of Wyoming and their life up at her blog linked above.

Baseball high/low lights..

2008-05-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

Dependant of course on if your team is the sucker team..Sadly MLB.com fucks with YouTube and pulls a lot of the good videos using 'copyright infringement'..fuckers.

The Empire Strikes Barack

2008-05-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hey...its funny..

Buzzie passes..

2008-05-02T13:14:00.001-07:00

From the Padres:
The Padres mourn the loss of the club's first President, Emil Joseph "Buzzie" Bavasi, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 93 in San Diego. Bavasi joined C. Arnholt Smith's effort to bring a National League franchise to San Diego in 1967 and, after securing a team, served as the Padres first president from the club's inception through 1977. He was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Breitbard Hall of Fame at the San Diego Hall of Champions in 2007.

"Buzzie was a giant in Padres Baseball history," said President and Chief Operating Officer Dick Freeman. "His presence in the original Padres ownership and management group was the determining factor in San Diego being awarded a National League franchise. He was a great baseball man. I will always remember him for his unwavering support and his great sense of humor. He was a superb storyteller. I will miss him greatly."

As for Fox Fantasy Sports..you worthless sumbitches can kiss my hairy ass. Fuck you..twice even. What do you get when you let MicroSoft manage your website?? A clusterfuck of mythic proportion!

Insert Padres in place of the Cubs..

2008-04-29T17:42:00.001-07:00

Sorry, but I loved this rant..I really do.

Baseball's worst free agent signings evah!

2008-04-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

For an interesting MLB read, check out Jon Heyman's column. I don't agree with the order, but I do agree all these teams got hosed..Here are his top five:

1. Hampton, $121 million, Rockies (and Braves). The deals for him and Denny Neagle ($55 million, five years) set the Rockies back five years. On the other hand, the complicated trade to send him away and get the Rockies on the path to the World Series was a stroke of genius. The Braves, who got him from the Marlins in November 2002, two days after Colorado dumped him, are known for wise pitching decisions, but this has to be their worst.

2. Carl Pavano, $40 million, four (long) years, Yankees. Never really looked interested. Changed agents more times than he actually pitched.

3. Albert Belle, $65 million, five years, Orioles. Brought surly mood, diminished power and bad hip to Peter Angelos' brand of bad baseball.

4. Chan Ho Park, $65 million, five years, Rangers. Poor Tom Hicks. Or should I say, rich Tom Hicks. Park showed up without much zip on his pitches, then delivered almost zip for the money.

5. Jason Giambi, $120 million, seven years, Yankees. He apologized for who knows what but hasn't yet apologized for taking all this money, which is, of course, obscene. He's still got $26 million to go in this the final year alone, assuming the Yankees decline the option year for a measly $5 mil.

My personal favorite Kevin Brown is on the list too..Dodgers got hosed in that one..big time :)

They shoot horses don't they??

2008-04-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

Someone needs to tell Buddy Black to see Alex and buy a fucking clue.

Trevor Hoffman is done..stick a fork in him Black. We can not afford to let Hoffman keep blowing saves..we are UNDER five hundred as it is, you stupid sumbitch..

Life...its a big no-hitter sometimes..

2008-04-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

Randy Wolf..the perennial injury-prone strikeout king almost got a no-no last night..just gave up two hits for the Padres.

I have my courtdate with the Workers Compensation Board..D-day is May 6th 8:30am. We will find out if I can see the QME of my choice hopefully. The insurance company is attempting to use a technicality to disqualify him..they don't like that he usually advocates for the patient..moi.

I will be heading down to SoCal tomorrow..dogsitter that I am. Hopefully she has internet..I didn't figure to ask..dumbass me.

Have a good Thursday folks..the weekend is just over the horizon. :)

Watch the Big Unit gratis tonight!

2008-04-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

Those tightwads at MLB.com are offering..for some friggin reason, free access to the Dbacks-Giants game tonight on their site.

I pay for a subscription for the entire year. This isn't sour grapes..but why in the blue hell is Randy Johnson's comeback a big fucking deal? The man has spent more time on the DL in the last three years than the entire Dbacks team combined.

Anyway..if your interested..check it out. here.

Baseball and other things..

2008-04-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

I am still watching my Padres..lose.

But I know it's a long-assed season..and for that I am thankful. As for the entire MLB:

Ch..ch..changes..to their collective bargaining agreement with regard to roids and other no-no's. From MLB's press release, the policy changes are as follows:

1. Increased Independence - the Independent Program Administrator ("IPA") is appointed for a multiyear term and can be removed only in very narrow circumstances.

2. Increased Transparency - the IPA will annually and publicly report key statistics related to the program and record retention requirements will be lengthened.

3. Testing - 600 additional tests will be conducted each year and the number of off-season tests will double on average.

4. Flexibility - the agreement institutionalizes an annual review process to allow the parties to respond to new developments.

5. Education - the IPA, in consultation with the parties, will develop an annual mandatory education program for players.

6. Amateur Draft - Baseball's testing program will be expanded to cover top prospects.

Is it good..of course..does it make any difference..hard to say..desperate men use desperate measures.

And about the other things in life..they suck at the moment. The Workers Compensation thing is driving me insane..literally and figuratively. WTF is it with these people..the xrays and MRI's don't fucking lie..its a screwed up back on lots of levels..I am tired of living on muscle relaxers, vitamin C and pain pills..to paraphrase a line from the Grateful Dead.

But we have baseball for moi and the ball and chain tonight..on the big screen. Dodgers and Padres again..with Peavy and the big guy Penny going for the Dodgers tonight and the weekend. We will try to watch it together..if either team starts stinking up the joint..we retire to opposite rooms so we can root or bitch in private.

JFK and I have so much in common..

2008-04-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Righteously filched from Dickie Smalls blog.

Trevor Hoffman..you are beginning to get on my last nerve dude..

2008-04-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

Last night, continuing along the same path he took at the end of last season..Trevor Time became a homerun derby inning for the Astros.

After it was all over, he had given up four runs.

Flash back to the last three games of last season..Trevor blew all three of those fuckers and the Padres only had to win ONE of them.

Heath Bell is waiting in the wings..the Padres need to get him acclimated to closing I do believe.

It ain't sports but it's just as sweet!

2008-04-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

BadRap.org has their usual Shot Fair in Northern Cali. I love these folks and will give them as much publicity as possible. They are our ambassadors for Pit Bulls..one of the most loving breeds on this planet. I do this as a tribute to my beloved Baby who left us two summers ago and is still missed on a daily basis.

Its the people that are bad, not the dogs folks..remember that.

Here they tell us about the organization:

Padres look pretty good..

2008-03-31T21:59:00.000-07:00

Peavy pitched a great game..and life is good right now.

Of course it's only been one game of 162..but every game counts.

Now if my ten fantasy teams can just start off on the right foot..I will be a happy camper.

I play my brother in the league I commish..damn..hate to beat him..but all is fair in love and baseball.

Its here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-03-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

Bush will be on hand to toss the first ball and start the gNat's season off in their new park..

Hope everyone has their teams ready to play..

With the shitty news I got yesterday from the Doc in Hell-A..I need a friggin diversion people.

Let the games begin! :)

Yo Barry..a job offer dude!!

2008-03-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

My Padres Class A affiliate, the Lake Elsinore Storm, has offered Barroid the following job:

The Lake Elsinore Storm, a Class-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, released a tongue-in-cheek statement announcing that the club has offered Bonds "a cushy Media Relations position (with slight pay cut from $19.3 million), full use of baseball facilities and of course expanded cubicle space with barcalounger and plasma TV."

Somehow, I don't see Mr. Steroid taking this job..does anyone else? ;)

I used to root for this man..

2008-03-12T21:28:00.001-07:00

I always thought John Daly had personal demons that didn't really tell us how good a human being he really is. I know what it's like to deal with a loved one that can not walk away from their addiction to alcohol.

But now..hell..Daly is a jerkwad..and a sad pathetic excuse for a human being. Not because he can't overcome his addiction to alcohol, or he likes women and their breasts..just that he is a jerk and a shell of his former self who refuses to deal with an addiction that can kill him and should end his career and ability to make money from that career. From a recent writeup about him on MSNBC:

Alas, John Daly has become Blutarsky, only without the dignity. What he has done with his career is the sports equivalent of stuffing his face with food and then slamming his cheeks with his hands to simulate the popping of a pimple.

Recently Butch Harmon, the esteemed swing guru who has worked with many of the game's greatest players — including Tiger Woods — washed his hands of Daly. Harmon told the Associated Press: "My whole goal for him was he's got to show me golf is the most important thing in his life. And the most important thing in his life is getting drunk."

If you read the entire article..people are ripping Butch Harmon for going public with his thoughts about Daly..I say..Good on ya Butch..let the world know that feeling sympathy for John Daly is just a worthless endeavor.

Daly has tried to break his addiction to alcohol more times than I can remember. But that said..how many chances does one get? Five..ten? He has the money and the resources to tackle this horrible demon. Another piece from the writeup:

Harmon is being ripped in some quarters because he had the audacity to say out loud what everybody has known for years now: Daly is out of control, and he likes it.

Harmon went off after Daly spent a rain delay at a recent tournament working on his swing inside the Hooters corporate tent at the 17th green. Apparently, everyone was swinging in there. When the rain stopped, Daly had Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden caddying for him, which I guess is preferable to Daly serving as a coach for Gruden. Daly finished that first round with a 77, then he shot himself out of the tournament with an 80 in the second round.

One day after Harmon's rant, Daly tossed more moonshine on the fire by missing his pro-am tee time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and was disqualified from the tournament. That's Arnold Palmer, as in the most distinguished golfer walking the earth, whose namesake event a troubled entrant disgraces at his own peril.

I just can't stand up for Daly any longer. He isn't worth my time or my support frankly. I hope he eventually finds the will to conquer his demons..but I am not betting on it..nope. This part says it all, for me at least:

He gets into tournaments now via sponsor exemptions, because he no longer has his full PGA Tour card. Sponsors want him at their events because he not only is a disaster magnet, he also attracts fans who revel in his trailer park charm and sympathize with his working class woes. They seek out photos with him and get autographs from him so they can say they once touched someone who once touched greatness.

Farewell Mr. Daly..I am sure you will manage to find a way to play a sport you love..I just don't think your a human being I need to feel sorry for any longer. Perhaps if you actually hit the bottom and had to live under a fucking bridge..you MIGHT realize how much damage you do to yourself and those that care about you. The fact that people and sponsors enable you doesn't help you deal with your disease..and I doubt you ever will.

Listening to Spring Training on the Radio

2008-03-08T23:37:00.000-08:00

It takes me back to being a young girl and sitting with my Dad around the radio. Being fixated on that little box with the lousy reception many times.

But today, I sat outside in the warm SoCal sun and I listened to Internet Radio, courtesy of MLB.com. It's not free..nothing is with those bastards..but the quality was good and there were plenty of commercials to get up and get something to eat or drink.

I laid back in my chair and listened to the Rangers announcers talk about the 'up and comers' that were invited to participate, some of the names ringing a bell or two. Bakersfield has the single A farm team for the Rangers. The stadium is right down the street from where I live. They are called the Bakersfield Blaze. They suck pretty much but hey..its local baseball.

My Padres beat them..9-5. It was a good day for the old man Greg Maddux who got the win. I remember when Greg would come to Qualcomm as a Brave..he never could win in that stadium ;) It was a split-squad game, so plenty of the Padres A ball players got to show what they had today too.

I don't mind listening to the games on the radio. But I do hope to see a couple of them via streaming video from the Peoria complex. It's a nice place, been there a few times when I lived in AZ years ago. All Spring Training facilities are small venues, but Peoria is considered the largest of all the Cactus League venues..which is great. Reminds me of seeing a good music set in a bar..upclose and personal ya know? The real cozy one is the Giants facility in Scottsdale. That is also the oldest I believe.

God I love baseball.

MLB playing hardball with journalists..

2008-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

Personally, I think this bs move is all about control..and power. MLB has made shitty moves like this in the past. Like the one where they sued Yahoo and CBS Sportsline for offering real time stats online. They lost in court on that one.

Hope this one goes the same route. I hate control freaks. Seriously. From the Editor & Publisher linkage above:

Major League Baseball's new restrictions on the use of online photo images has drawn a protest letter from the Online News Association, a 1200-member group of Web journalists.

In the letter, sent Tuesday to Baseball Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig, the nine-year-old group objected to the new restrictions that include limits on the number of game photos online and the duration of time video can be placed on a Web site.

The restrictions are being placed on all media credentials for the upcoming 2008 baseball season, which begins later this month.

"These terms interfere with our members' ability to do their jobs as journalists and cover news of public importance," ONA President Jonathan Dube says in the letter.

A hearty FUCK YOU BUDDY SELIG..and I say that with all sincerity you dick.

Favre finally retiring..

2008-03-04T13:26:00.000-08:00

After 17 seasons Brett is finally giving it up. From the NYT writeup:

He retires as the N.F.L. career leader in passing yards (61,655), touchdown passes (442), completions (5,377) and attempts (8,758). His 160 victories as a starting quarterback are also a record.

Much of Favre's legacy rests on his durability. He played in his last 253 regular-season games, and 275 games including the postseason, records for quarterbacks.

Buh Bye Brett..plenty will eulogize you. I would rather you just leave..sorry.

Changing the name of Wrigley? Say it ain't so!

2008-03-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

With everything having a link to crass commercialism lately..it should not come as a surprise that the owner of the Cubs and their home is considering selling the naming rights to Wrigley Field.

Such blasphemy! Its a travesty!

Its greed really. The new owner will be selling the Cubbie's and their stadium..the only question is if they will be sold together. Billionaire Sam Zell has this to say about the debate currently taking place about the Cubs and the naming rights to Wrigley Field:

"Excuse me for being sarcastic. But the idea of a debate occurring over what I should do with my asset leaves me somewhat questioning the integrity of the debate,"

Ego..thy name is Sam Zell.

Judge orders Bonds grand jury testimony unsealed..

2008-03-01T05:57:00.001-08:00

You can read the testimony here. (pdf) The same judge also told the federal prosecutors to redraft their error-laden indictment. Per ESPN:

Among other information contained in the unsealed 149-page court transcript is evidence of an additional positive steroids test beyond the previously reported one in November 2000, sources familiar with the government's evidence told ESPN's T.J. Quinn.
The U.S. Attorney's office had previously disclosed that Bonds tested positive for testosterone, but information about other failed tests has not been previously disclosed.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston ordered prosecutors to amend Bonds' indictment so that each of the five counts against him don't cite multiple statements that prosecutors say are false.

Prosecutors originally accused Bonds of lying 19 different times during his grand jury appearance, and charged him with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.

Illston agreed with Bonds' attorney Dennis Riordan that prosecutors must edit out many of the alleged lies or seek a new indictment, which could contain more charges.

I still don't understand why Bonds had the audacity to lie if there are in fact failed steroid tests..I mean come on..its a no-friggin-brainer!

The FBI has opened the investigation..

2008-02-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

So now, we all just grab a chair and some popcorn and watch the spectacle. Jeez, wotta load of bs. From the MSNBC writeup:

The probe could result in charges against Clemens of perjury, making false statements or obstruction of justice. Lawmakers did not ask for a similar investigation of McNamee.
*snip*

IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky, a key member of the government's prosecution in the BALCO drug cases, attended the hearing and watched from the second row.

In real baseball news..ITS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!! ST has begun!

Congress asks Justice Dept to investigate Clemens..

2008-02-27T09:53:00.000-08:00

As if Congress has nothing better to do..they are now demanding a formal investigation into whether Clemens lied to them under oath.

Such. fucking. bullshit.

The assholes running our country need to be drug behind a truck for about a thousand miles if this is what they are spending their fucking time on.

Tags: Roger Clemens

Koufax visits with Pedro.

2008-02-24T14:08:00.000-08:00

Wow-freaking-wee. He told the Dodgers to kiss off a few years back. They treated him shabbily as I recall..but I am in awe of Sandy Koufax.

I remember listening to Dodger games as a kid. Him and Don Drysdale were one helluva combination. A lot like RJ and Curt on the Dbacks World Series winning team. I lived in AZ when they won that. Best WS I had ever seen. But I digress..

Mr. Koufax visited with Pedro Martinez this week. I would of loved to of been a bag of rosin on that pitchers mound.

I have no love for Pedro..arrogance, thy name is Pedro Martinez. Hope he picked Koufax's brain.

An open letter to Mike Helton

2008-02-24T11:32:00.000-08:00

Probably neither of the two folks that read this blog are NASCAR fans..but I must publish this letter I sent off today in the hope that someone else will read it and send it to the idiots that run NASCAR. Yes I, a progressive female, love the hell out of NASCAR! You got a problem with that??

Dear Mike Helton and your Gestapo Minions,

I, Dusty ****, proudly and forcefully stand up for Robby Gordon and the #7 Jim Beam team's right to appeal the excessive and totally ridiculous 100-point penalty and suspension handed down by NASCAR following the Daytona 500.

I am a Tony Stewart fan but I can not sit by and watch this travesty of justice one minute longer.

I am sick and tired of the crap that passes for fairness in NASCAR. This action by you and your minions reeks of bat guano. What balls you have Helton, Pemberton and Darby, it isn't even a performance issue for the love of God! Just once in your worthless lives..let the penalty fit the crime!

Neither Robby nor his Crew Chief or team were deliberately attempting to circumvent NASCAR rules. The mistake was discovered by NASCAR officials during the very first inspection prior to qualifying which was more than a week before the Daytona 500.

What part of the above paragraph do you not understand? It's not rocket science gents!!

Robby's team changed out all 11+ noses on all of the new Dodge cars and the three built specifically for Daytona overnight. The approved nose was on his car in time for qualifying.

Top teams and drivers have been stricken with similar fines for intentional reasons, but Robby's team earned an honest 8th place finish in the Daytona 500 through tireless dedication, quality, and character - not because of rule violations.

Your decision unfairly penalizes Robby, his sponsors and ALL NASCAR fans. It's pathetic to say the least..its unconscionable to say the most.

If your ruling stands I, as a 20+ year fan of NASCAR, will seriously consider giving up the sport I love. I can no longer tolerate your bs and bravado that is meted out unfairly and without one ounce of common sense.

Robby is a man of true character and talent. As the only driver/owner to finish in the top ten this past weekend, he shows his dedication to the sport.

I request..no, I demand you show your dedication to the sport by dropping this crap now. It needs to end here gents..or your going to lose even more fans than you already have with your asinine rules changes and penalties that are arbitrary to say the least. You might be making new fans..but they are only replacing the old fans like myself and others that are sick and tired of all the crap you mete out on a weekly basis.

Each of you need to rent a pair of balls and rescind your penalty now!

Sincerely,
Dusty ****
B**********, CA

You too can send this letter to Helton and the gang..send it to:

fanfeedback@NASCAR.com

Tags: NASCAR, Mike Helton, John Darby, Robby Gordon, Daytona 500 penalty

A picture is worth a thousand words..

2008-02-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

Especially a picture showing Clemens at Canseco's party no?

Ah yes..it surely should shut the piehole of Clemens and his attorneys now wouldn't you say?

But I ain't holding my breath..like Marion Drew-Jones..he could lie for years before confessing the truth..but..to avoid a Barroid Bonds type of problem.. he might want to rethink that position.

Oh, this can't be good..

2008-02-23T09:01:00.000-08:00

Manny Ramirez who now wants to stay in Boston after years of bitching that he wants out..has switched agents. He has signed with..drumroll please..

Scott Boras. Boras, as most fans of baseball know..is the devil incarnate. From a May 07 writeup on Scotty:

Major League Baseball is a $6 billion-a-year industry, more profitable than ever. To Boras and his clients, that makes it a game of percentages on and off the field. As baseball revenues grow, so do salaries, thanks in large part to him. He was the first agent to sign players to multiyear $50 million, $100 million and $200 million contracts, as league revenues rose to $1 billion, $3 billion and $6 billion, respectively. Last year, he negotiated the largest contract ever for a Japanese player, Daisuke Matsuzaka, who signed with the Boston Red Sox for $52 million — after the Sox paid $51 million for the rights to sign him — and the largest ever for a pitcher, Barry Zito, who went with the San Francisco Giants for $126 million.

The Zito contract is a bust at this point..unless he does something this year..the Giants got hosed on that deal. His era last year was a whopping 4.53..up from 3.67 the year before with the A's. He also lost more games(11-13) than he won. I call it a bust because of the stats I just quoted..I could however be wrong..its been known to happen. I just hate how guys sign huge contracts and then promptly suck hind tit the following year..

K-Rod loses in Arbi..

2008-02-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

Damn, if he doesn't deserve a friggin raise..who does? He will be eligible for Free Agency next year. He lost, but he won..ya know? From the writeup:

Even though he lost.."Rodriguez tied the record for the highest salary in an arbitration decision, a mark he shares with Alfonso Soriano, who lost his case against Washington in 2006, and Ryan Howard, who beat Philadelphia on Thursday".

Krod is the shit. I draft him within the first five rounds in every league. His era last year? Please..a magnificient 2.81 people!

He is still getting 10 large out of the deal. Last year it was a little over 7 large.

Its a Boone lovefest in DC..

2008-02-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

Christ the whole damn family works for the gNats:

Bret Boone came out of retirement to sign a non-guaranteed, minor league contract with the Washington Nationals on Monday, joining his younger brother, infielder Aaron, and their father, assistant general manager Bob, with the club.

Bret isn't a spring chicken either, by baseball standards..he's 39. Don't you just love this bit of nepotism?

The first spring training game begins:

08 DAYS 02 HRS 18 MIN 01 SEC

Andy Pettitte says he is sorry..

2008-02-18T13:24:00.000-08:00

He spent roughly an hour and a half apologizing to everyone and their mother. He refused to discuss Clemens and he doesn't think what he did was cheating..and the topper.. but he was desperate man!

Oh, and God will give him the strength to deal with all this. My question is why didn't God give him the strength to just say no to using HGH?

If you need to know anything else..read this.

Fantasy Baseball league..on Yahoo

2008-02-16T22:57:00.000-08:00

It drafts two days before the season starts..so if anyone pulls a hammy or tears their ACL, you should know about it. If you want to play..here are the particulars:

League ID 89091
password baseball

Draft is Live: Sat Mar 22 10:00am PDT

Only ten teams, and its Head-to-Head. It's on Yahoo, so you need a Yahoo ID (duh). Stats we use can be negotiable..but I have set up the basics I like. I also like more than one DL..since I pick some real winners usually ;p

Game for the bored among us: Flight of the Hamsters..ok, its not very nice..but its not real ok? Launch them suckers for points..I got a 78 ft in my first hamster flight..not bad eh? H/T to my blog bud in Palm Springs..the inimitable Friday Fishwrap!

Jon Stewarts take on the Congress Critters investigating roids..

2008-02-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

Its here!!! Spring Training People!

2008-02-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

The first game of this spring training season will begin in:

11 DAYS 12 HRS 44 MIN 18 SEC
from now..

The big deal so far is of course..the Dodgers new manager..Joe Torre. With the ball and chain being a ferocious Dodger dog..I have to hear about this ad-naseum. I hate the Dodgers by the way, with every fiber of my being. When the Dodgers and Padres play each other..we are at opposite ends of the house.

Once again..My Padres are starting the season thin in the pitching department..and a big-assed hole in the outfield...from Scotty's take on my home team:
Bud Black, not comedian Bill Murray, is managing this club, but nevertheless, it will be Groundhog's Day in Peoria again this spring. Stop us if you've heard this one: The Padres are loaded with pitching but lacking in sticks. Currently, the outfield lines up like this: Brian Giles, recovering from microfracture surgery in his knee, in right field; past-his-prime and brittle Jim Edmonds in center; and a big hole in left. Rookie Chase Headley, moved from the infield to be given a chance in left, perhaps? Right now, Scott Hairston is the clubhouse leader. Tadahito Iguchi will be an upgrade over Marcus Giles at second. Kevin Kouzmanoff will start much better at the plate this year than last. Still, Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, ageless Greg Maddux and Chris Young will have to pitch lights out. Two spring projects to watch: Rehabbing right-handers Randy Wolf and Mark Prior, each of whom could have a strong impact in Petco Park.- Of course they can have a strong impact..and I am sleeping every night with Brad Pitt too ya freak.

General manager Kevin Towers is adroit at bringing in damaged or declining players on one-year, incentive-laden deals that give them a chance to restart their careers.

Restarting their careers, how about buying old broken-down players all the while praying to GOD they will rise like a phoenix and give em one last decent year? Give me an effin break dude..Towers is an idiot..plain and simple...I can't stand KT and I think he has something very damaging on the owner John Moores or his ass would of been gone years ago.

And for the love of everything holy..we have the roomiest damn outfield in the NL..yet we have ZERO long ball hitters? WTF? Does this fact elude Moores, Towers and everyone else in the front office?

Clemens and McNamee live on Cspan..

2008-02-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

Its interesting..but not riveting..and basically both men have been nailed for lying at this point by a Congress critter or two.

The fact that McNamee is sitting just a few feet from Roger at the same table is interesting and surely makes him a tad uncomfortable.

Some Video via TPM Muckraker:

And the following vid is a nice exchange that shows how Clemens and his attorney's tried to pull a fast one on Waxman's committee..check it out..the transcript can be read here via TPM muckraker.

Back in town..sigh..

2008-02-11T15:18:00.001-08:00

I just spent five glorious days in SoCal. At my youngest sisters house dogsitting. You can see the ocean from her front bay windows. The temperature was a perfect 75 degrees during the day.

I liked that. I needed that.

Now, back to the reality of life..damn it!

As for Roger Clemen's little tour through the halls of Congress..if he won't shut his piehole about this..why should we? He was doing everything but kissing babies it seems. But enough about ol Roger..baseball commences very soon...

02 DAYS 15 HRS 01 MIN 56 SEC- to be EXACT!!!!!!!!!!

And I can't freaking wait. GOD, I can't wait. Bring on the boys of summer ;)

36 year old Tony Clark is in the process of inking a deal with my hometown boyz..the Padres. For 900k and a single year..those Padres..they know how to wheel and deal don't they? said with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

Arbitration is now ongoing..there are still some big names in the mix. Frankie Rodriquez, the Angel's closer is one of those names, as is Josh Bard of the Pads.

McNamee has physical evidence on Clemens..

2008-02-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

I report, you decide..Per The Sports Network:

New York, NY (Sports Network) - The Roger Clemens steroid controversy has reportedly taken another turn that could damage the star pitcher's claims that he has never taken performance-enhancing drugs.

According to a report by the New York Daily News, Brian McNamee, Clemens' former personal trainer, has turned over physical evidence to federal investigators that could support the findings in the Mitchell Report.

"This is evidence the government has that we believe will corroborate Brian in every significant way," McNamee lawyer Earl Ward told the Daily News.

McNamee's attorneys did not tell the paper the exact nature of the evidence, but the Daily News cited a source close to McNamee as saying investigators are now in possession of vials with traces of steroids and growth hormone, as well as blood-stained syringes and gauze pads that may contain Clemens' DNA.

Clemens gave a closed-door deposition to Congress on Tuesday, in preparation for next Wednesday's public hearing, and emerged from the five-hour session by saying "it was great to be able to tell them what I've been saying all along -- that I never used steroids or (human) growth hormone. I look forward to being here, I guess, in this room next week."

McNamee is slated to give a private deposition to Congress on Thursday, at which time he will likely talk about the alleged physical evidence.

"We will provide Congress with corroborative physical evidence that takes this case out of the he-said, she-said purview," another McNamee lawyer, Richard Emery, told the Daily News. "From our point of view, this corroborates that Brian told the truth from Day One and Clemens has not."

Here is the link to the NY Daily News piece referenced in the Sports Network piece.

Tags: Clemens, McNamee, evidence

Bobby Knight resigns..

2008-02-05T09:52:00.000-08:00

(Click the image to read the print)

Hot damn..I think its a selfish, bullshit move..but it is what it is..From WaPo:

Knight believed it was the best time to turn over the program to his son and assistant, Pat Knight, who was named his successor in 2005. Pat Knight said in a television interview that his father plans to be around the program. Texas Tech is 12-8, in sixth place in the Big 12 Conference.

What. a. fucking. tool.

Falcon's can not recoup Vick's signing bonus

2008-02-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

Per a judge this morning:

Jailed quarterback Michael Vick can keep nearly $20 million in bonus money he received from the Atlanta Falcons following a ruling Monday by a federal judge.

The Falcons sought to recover the bonuses after Vick pleaded guilty to federal charges in a dogfighting operation. The bonuses were paid from 2004-2007.

A special master ruled in October that the Falcons were entitled to recover the bonuses. The Falcons argued that Vick used proceeds from a contract he signed in 2004 to finance his illicit activities.

But U.S. District Judge David Doty of Minneapolis ruled that the Falcons' recovering the bonus money would violate the NFL collective bargaining agreement. The agreement does not allow signing bonuses to be forfeited for years a player has already performed.

Arguments turned on interpretations of the collective bargaining agreement. At a November hearing, a union attorney argued that Vick's "roster bonus" should be treated the same as a "performance bonus," which can't be forfeited under the agreement. The league maintained that the roster bonus should be treated like a "signing bonus allocation," which could be forfeited.

Personally, I thought it was pretty smarmy for the Falcon's to go after his signing bonus for the years he did provide them services. Besides..the man is broke..his last known bank account was taken to provide services and support for the dogs that were taken from his property.