Things I've asked myself over the past few days....
Why is Charlie Brown bald? Isn't he only in Elementary school?
Why was the movie "Coach Carter" 2 & 1/2 hours long? Who approved this?
Why do some people who smoke cigarettes NOT even smoke in their own cars? And why do other smokers feel the need to throw their cigarette butts out the window when they are done?
Why do you get drug tested when applying for a job at Home Depot, but there is no drug test for teachers?
12.07.2005
12.01.2005
Talk Radio, the weather, and Re-watchable movies
I'm slowly becoming a sports radio degenerate. I used to be commited to a singular program. I'd only listen to "The Jungle," hosted by Jim Rome between the hours of 12 and 3. Now I find myself tuning into Bob Matthews on the drive home from work at night. I get real pissed when every caller uses the same "I'd like to take a shot at the trivia" line. On top of that, I fire up Hot Talk 1280 during the mornings and listen to Brad Davies. Today I even called Davies after hearing a caller claim that Mike Martz was a quality NFL head coach. I started swearing to myself and began dialing the numbers so I could offer up my opinion 'on the air.' They put me on hold and I sat with the phone to my ear for about 30 seconds before quickly ending the call. Thankfully, I came to my senses before I embarrassed myself. I mean, why the hell should I care what some idiot in Avon thinks about the St. Louis Rams? I need to get a life and fast.
It has become quite obvious to me that people only talk about the weather because they have no clever or insightful way to begin or sustain a conversation. YES, I know its freakin cold outside. It's December in Rochester, New York. Couldn't people at least discuss politics or sports or even whether or not they think Jessica and Nick should have broken up? At least then they'd be offering up an opinion. They might only be regurgitating the garbage they heard on Entertainment Tonight the previous day, but at least I wouldn't have to suffer through any more "the sky looks gray" or "when do you think it might snow again" types of conversations. Unless your a Meteorologist, please save your comments about the weather for someone who cares.
MY LIST OF RE-WATCHABLE MOVIES (in no particular order)
Stand by Me
Jerry Maguire
any of the Back to the Future movies
The Shawshank Redemption
Almost Famous
The Goonies
Dazed and Confused
When I speak of "re-watchable movies," I'm talking about when your channel surfing at any time of day, you come across one of these movies, and you get sucked into watching a movie that you've seen dozens of times.
It has become quite obvious to me that people only talk about the weather because they have no clever or insightful way to begin or sustain a conversation. YES, I know its freakin cold outside. It's December in Rochester, New York. Couldn't people at least discuss politics or sports or even whether or not they think Jessica and Nick should have broken up? At least then they'd be offering up an opinion. They might only be regurgitating the garbage they heard on Entertainment Tonight the previous day, but at least I wouldn't have to suffer through any more "the sky looks gray" or "when do you think it might snow again" types of conversations. Unless your a Meteorologist, please save your comments about the weather for someone who cares.
MY LIST OF RE-WATCHABLE MOVIES (in no particular order)
Stand by Me
Jerry Maguire
any of the Back to the Future movies
The Shawshank Redemption
Almost Famous
The Goonies
Dazed and Confused
When I speak of "re-watchable movies," I'm talking about when your channel surfing at any time of day, you come across one of these movies, and you get sucked into watching a movie that you've seen dozens of times.
10.10.2005
Fantasy Flop
I am beginning to think I am a very bad Fantasy sports owner. I am certainly not the worst out there (CUTAIA), but my track record is not much better than his.
(*note* - I proceeded to lose in Fantasy Football to Cutaia only days after writing this.)
I make bad choices on draft day, start the wrong players on gameday, and never see an end-of-the-year payday (but I sure can rhyme, eh?)
So where do I go from here? Should I give up on Fantasy sports altogether? Should I let my two year old nephew draft my team? Is there somebody out there that can help me to become a better owner? Or, do I attribute my lack of Fantasy success to a lack of experience and expect to improve as the years go on??? (In my current football league, I see myself as comparable to the Oakland Raiders. We both have a few stud players and some glaring holes on our teams. We both have bad coaches. We have each lost some close games early in the season that have dug us in a deep hole. However, in both cases, there is still time to make a comeback.)
(*note* - I proceeded to lose in Fantasy Football to Cutaia only days after writing this.)
I make bad choices on draft day, start the wrong players on gameday, and never see an end-of-the-year payday (but I sure can rhyme, eh?)
So where do I go from here? Should I give up on Fantasy sports altogether? Should I let my two year old nephew draft my team? Is there somebody out there that can help me to become a better owner? Or, do I attribute my lack of Fantasy success to a lack of experience and expect to improve as the years go on??? (In my current football league, I see myself as comparable to the Oakland Raiders. We both have a few stud players and some glaring holes on our teams. We both have bad coaches. We have each lost some close games early in the season that have dug us in a deep hole. However, in both cases, there is still time to make a comeback.)
5.27.2005
"I dig Music. I'm on Drugs"
Hopefully anyone who reads the title of this post knows where the quote came from.
Mel and I once talked about finding the perfect girl and what qualities she would need to have. One of our questions went something like this: What movie would my future wife have to like in order for us to get married? In other words, is there a movie out there that I think is so great that I would be forced to end a relationship if she didn't like it?
Also, this question will be easy to write, but very hard for me to answer.
Best Concert I've ever seen? (I may have to do a top 10 list)
One final thought as I wrap this up at about 9:30 on a Friday night. Why do liquor stores in New York State close at 9 pm? When I visited Arizona last spring, not only did they sell Jack Daniels until midnight, but they sold it right next to the Camels and Marlboros in the gas station.
Mel and I once talked about finding the perfect girl and what qualities she would need to have. One of our questions went something like this: What movie would my future wife have to like in order for us to get married? In other words, is there a movie out there that I think is so great that I would be forced to end a relationship if she didn't like it?
Also, this question will be easy to write, but very hard for me to answer.
Best Concert I've ever seen? (I may have to do a top 10 list)
One final thought as I wrap this up at about 9:30 on a Friday night. Why do liquor stores in New York State close at 9 pm? When I visited Arizona last spring, not only did they sell Jack Daniels until midnight, but they sold it right next to the Camels and Marlboros in the gas station.
5.25.2005
New Questions
1) What is the worst movie you have ever seen in the theater?
Mine was Godzilla. I only paid a dollar to see it and it still wasn't worth the money. I fell asleep within the first half hour and then walked out when I woke up.
2) What was your favorite dining hall meal in college?
I lived for Sal's Birdland lunch at Sadler dining hall. Breaded chicken wings, potato wedges, and sassy sauce. Delicious. I probably put on 5 pounds everytime Sal's day came around.
3) What is the most disappointing CD you have ever bought?
Although DMB is one of my favorite bands of all time, Busted Stuff was a huge letdown. I had some high hopes for that album. The problem was, it wasn't even better than the un-released Lilleywhite Sessions that every true Dave fan already had a copy of. Many of the songs on Busted Stuff were the same as those on Lilleywhite and the versions weren't any better. In fact, most of the songs were worse.
Mine was Godzilla. I only paid a dollar to see it and it still wasn't worth the money. I fell asleep within the first half hour and then walked out when I woke up.
2) What was your favorite dining hall meal in college?
I lived for Sal's Birdland lunch at Sadler dining hall. Breaded chicken wings, potato wedges, and sassy sauce. Delicious. I probably put on 5 pounds everytime Sal's day came around.
3) What is the most disappointing CD you have ever bought?
Although DMB is one of my favorite bands of all time, Busted Stuff was a huge letdown. I had some high hopes for that album. The problem was, it wasn't even better than the un-released Lilleywhite Sessions that every true Dave fan already had a copy of. Many of the songs on Busted Stuff were the same as those on Lilleywhite and the versions weren't any better. In fact, most of the songs were worse.
5.24.2005
Come One, Come All
The event of the year is almost upon us...
Survival of the Fittest '05
http://www.angelfire.com/rock4/fittestrace/
That's right. We are less than one month away from the third installment of the bike race. The idea originated about one year ago when Marc Palmer and I created a phenomenon that has grown bigger than either of us could have imagined. And with the participation and support from many of our friends, the bike race should continue to grow each and every year.
Originally, the two of us had hoped to add a little excitement to a summer routine that was becoming a bit stale. Sure, we all enjoy throwing down some beers, visiting the local bars, attending the annual festivals. However, the two of us wanted to do something different. We wanted to create a competitive event that would bring together all of our friends. The result of our efforts from May/June of '04 came to be known simply as "The Bike Race."
The first race took place on July 31st with the title "Out-of-Shape Race Across Gates." This race was fiercely competitive and I was able to outsmart the field and took first place by a two-minute margin. Joe Cecere and Marc battled for second, with Joe edging Marc by a dozen or so seconds. Brian Crnkovich and Matt Burnett were the next to cross the finish line, followed by a dazed and confused Nick Tatar. Pete Wilson encountered some bike trouble early in the race and was unable to finish. He was escorted to the finish line by our official, Vinny Candileri. After the race, the trend-setting participants partied at the half-bridge. It was a celebration of what will live forever as the original bike race.
Two weeks later, Marc and I decided to press our luck and hold another race. We knew it would be difficult to top the original, but I thought the actual setup of the second race went above and beyond what we came up with the first time around. "The Ultimate Game" began and ended at the same place, Pete Wilson's house in Chili. To start the race, I asked Tim Wilson to pick a word, jumble it up, and distribute it to every racer. Once the word was unscrambled, the racer went over to a posterboard, picked the task they were to accomplish at Wegman's (one of the checkpoints), and then they could begin the race. Despite popping a tire early in the race, I once again finished in first place. I rode on the flat tire back to my house and sprinted as fast as I could to Joe Cecere's house. He was not participating in this race because he was out of town, but thankfully his bike and his mom were home. Matt and Vinny finished minutes after me. Marc, who also popped a tire, cam in fourth place on a BMX bike. The rest of the field finished in this order: Reimer, Pete, Tatar, and the first lady of racing, Meghan. The after party at Pete's went into the early hours of the morning. I celebrated my second victory throughout the night.
Now we come to race #3. We have been planning this race for many months and finally have a website to distribute information (thanks Todd Burnett). This year's race will definitely have more competitors than the first two races and is sure to be the most competitive. I will be giving it my all to win my third straight race, but I expect the rest of the field to give me a run for my money. June 18th. Survival of the Fittest '05.
Survival of the Fittest '05
http://www.angelfire.com/rock4/fittestrace/
That's right. We are less than one month away from the third installment of the bike race. The idea originated about one year ago when Marc Palmer and I created a phenomenon that has grown bigger than either of us could have imagined. And with the participation and support from many of our friends, the bike race should continue to grow each and every year.
Originally, the two of us had hoped to add a little excitement to a summer routine that was becoming a bit stale. Sure, we all enjoy throwing down some beers, visiting the local bars, attending the annual festivals. However, the two of us wanted to do something different. We wanted to create a competitive event that would bring together all of our friends. The result of our efforts from May/June of '04 came to be known simply as "The Bike Race."
The first race took place on July 31st with the title "Out-of-Shape Race Across Gates." This race was fiercely competitive and I was able to outsmart the field and took first place by a two-minute margin. Joe Cecere and Marc battled for second, with Joe edging Marc by a dozen or so seconds. Brian Crnkovich and Matt Burnett were the next to cross the finish line, followed by a dazed and confused Nick Tatar. Pete Wilson encountered some bike trouble early in the race and was unable to finish. He was escorted to the finish line by our official, Vinny Candileri. After the race, the trend-setting participants partied at the half-bridge. It was a celebration of what will live forever as the original bike race.
Two weeks later, Marc and I decided to press our luck and hold another race. We knew it would be difficult to top the original, but I thought the actual setup of the second race went above and beyond what we came up with the first time around. "The Ultimate Game" began and ended at the same place, Pete Wilson's house in Chili. To start the race, I asked Tim Wilson to pick a word, jumble it up, and distribute it to every racer. Once the word was unscrambled, the racer went over to a posterboard, picked the task they were to accomplish at Wegman's (one of the checkpoints), and then they could begin the race. Despite popping a tire early in the race, I once again finished in first place. I rode on the flat tire back to my house and sprinted as fast as I could to Joe Cecere's house. He was not participating in this race because he was out of town, but thankfully his bike and his mom were home. Matt and Vinny finished minutes after me. Marc, who also popped a tire, cam in fourth place on a BMX bike. The rest of the field finished in this order: Reimer, Pete, Tatar, and the first lady of racing, Meghan. The after party at Pete's went into the early hours of the morning. I celebrated my second victory throughout the night.
Now we come to race #3. We have been planning this race for many months and finally have a website to distribute information (thanks Todd Burnett). This year's race will definitely have more competitors than the first two races and is sure to be the most competitive. I will be giving it my all to win my third straight race, but I expect the rest of the field to give me a run for my money. June 18th. Survival of the Fittest '05.
5.17.2005
Guess Who's Back
It's been a busy few weeks since I last wrote......
My tenure at Syracuse officially ended on Saturday. During my graduation ceremony, I sat in a sea of black cardboard hats, trying my best to summon a few tears that were nowhere to be found, singing the chorus to Weezer's "We are all on Drugs" song off their new album. I packed up and moved out a few hours after the ceremony and I can confidently say that I will not be missing Syracuse any time soon.
After my tirade on the Yankees two weeks ago, my fellow teachers and I began spending our free time in the PE office, shooting darts at a picture of Kevin Brown and talking about all the free agent pitching mistakes they have made over the past few seasons (Lieber, Vazquez, El Dukue, Brown, Wright). Since then the Yankees have climbed above .500 with 9 wins in a row and Tino Martinez has re-established himself as the slugging, full-time 1st baseman for the Yanks. Hey Giambi, how do you like them apples? While life in Yankeeland has somewhat returned to normal, they only beat up on the A's and Mariners. The real tests will come when they play Baltimore, Boston, and Minnesota. However, I will admit that my rant came a little too early in the season. The World Series is not won in April and May. And the Yankees have a veteran team that knows how to win when it counts.
So now I'm back in Rochester and ready to take the softball world by storm. I played my first game of the season last night and hustled around the field as if I had something to prove. My fielding was solid and I finished 4-5 with 2 dingers. One of my homeruns hit the parking lot on the fly. I may have missed last week's game because I was finishing up things in Syracuse, but yesterday was my way of emphatically saying, "I"M BACK."
CLUTCH ATHLETES
There is no arguing with picking Jeter as the most clutch baseball player. HE has come up big time and time again. Walk-off World Series homeruns. Obviously the backhand flip in Oakland. World Series MVP in the Subway Series, including a lead-off homerun and a huge relay throw that beat Timo Perez in game 1. He has every quality that a coach would want from a star player. A-Rod may put up bigger numbers every year, but he would trade all those HR's and MVP's for one of Jeter's rings.
Mel, you broke my heart by picking Tom Brady. If the call stands, (and yes it was called a fumble on the field) Brady is just another no-name QB. In fact, maybe I'm writing Rich Gannon's name in this spot instead. Oh well, thats life as a Raider fan. Unfortunately, that year was our best chance to win and the victory was STOLEN from us. You can spew all the tuck-rule nonsense you want at me, but Brady fumbled that ball. Plain and Simple. He was going to throw it and then decided against it. Woodson knocks the ball free, Raiders recover, Super Bowl here we come. But wait, a grueling game, played in a blizzard, in sub-zero temperatures, is decided by an instant replay call. Bullshit. With that being said, my clutch football player is Adam Vinateri. I hate to admit it, but he has come up big every time his team has needed him. Two Super Bowl winners and the two kicks in the tuck-rule game. I can give him credit. Not Brady though. Never.
Hockey - Dominick Hasek
Hasek made his team a legitimate contender for almost a decade. The Sabres made the playoffs every single year with Hasek on the team (although that stat may be incorrect) and he usually carried the team on his back. They made a few runs deep into the playoffs and made the Finals one time. That hockey season was the best spring of my life. The playoffs streched throughout the final months of Junior year at Gates-Chili and we watched nearly every game in the garage. It is a time in my life I will never forget. Overtimes and chicken wings and nights in the garage. It's too bad we were robbed of our chance at a game 7, but that season is still very special to me. I must have saw 50 goals called back because of the crease rule that season. The rule was horrible, and it needed to be changed, but the rule was in place and Brett Hull's foot was in the damn crease. Needless to say, I'm still a little bitter about the whole thing. Back to Hasek. He made so many unbelievable saves that we all began to expect him to "stand on his head" as they say in hockey. If his number is not retired by the Sabres (that is assuming the NHL ever plays again) then I may have to string it up to the rafters myself.
Basketball. Sorry Mel, I have to pick a college player. One season will always stand out in my mind. The year SU won the championship and I was at Syracuse to watch it unfold, it was experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I watched the final game at the Dome and ran down to Marshall street when it was all over. It was an indescribable feeling that Orange fans may never get to feel again. BUT, we'll always have that year. Now, you may expect me to pick Carmelo as my clucth athelete, but you'd be wrong. G-MAC may be my favorite player and his first half performance in the championship game against Kansas goes down as one of the best of all-time, but he is not my choice either. If you'll remember, SU built a huge lead in the first half and Kansas, with a cast of NBA players on their team, began slicing into that lead. When Kansas cut it to 3 with only seconds to go, I envisioned an unhappy ending. We had come so far. We may never have this opportunity again. We had to win. The ball was inbounded to Michael Lee and he pulled up from the left corner and attempted to tie the game with a 3-pointer. All of a sudden, an arm came out of nowhere. An outstretched arm, reaching to the sky. The ball left Lee's hand with only seconds remaining and then, WHAM. Warrick blocks the ball. Orangeman Win. Orangeman win. Hakim Warrick's block will go down as the most clutch basketball play of my lifetime.
My tenure at Syracuse officially ended on Saturday. During my graduation ceremony, I sat in a sea of black cardboard hats, trying my best to summon a few tears that were nowhere to be found, singing the chorus to Weezer's "We are all on Drugs" song off their new album. I packed up and moved out a few hours after the ceremony and I can confidently say that I will not be missing Syracuse any time soon.
After my tirade on the Yankees two weeks ago, my fellow teachers and I began spending our free time in the PE office, shooting darts at a picture of Kevin Brown and talking about all the free agent pitching mistakes they have made over the past few seasons (Lieber, Vazquez, El Dukue, Brown, Wright). Since then the Yankees have climbed above .500 with 9 wins in a row and Tino Martinez has re-established himself as the slugging, full-time 1st baseman for the Yanks. Hey Giambi, how do you like them apples? While life in Yankeeland has somewhat returned to normal, they only beat up on the A's and Mariners. The real tests will come when they play Baltimore, Boston, and Minnesota. However, I will admit that my rant came a little too early in the season. The World Series is not won in April and May. And the Yankees have a veteran team that knows how to win when it counts.
So now I'm back in Rochester and ready to take the softball world by storm. I played my first game of the season last night and hustled around the field as if I had something to prove. My fielding was solid and I finished 4-5 with 2 dingers. One of my homeruns hit the parking lot on the fly. I may have missed last week's game because I was finishing up things in Syracuse, but yesterday was my way of emphatically saying, "I"M BACK."
CLUTCH ATHLETES
There is no arguing with picking Jeter as the most clutch baseball player. HE has come up big time and time again. Walk-off World Series homeruns. Obviously the backhand flip in Oakland. World Series MVP in the Subway Series, including a lead-off homerun and a huge relay throw that beat Timo Perez in game 1. He has every quality that a coach would want from a star player. A-Rod may put up bigger numbers every year, but he would trade all those HR's and MVP's for one of Jeter's rings.
Mel, you broke my heart by picking Tom Brady. If the call stands, (and yes it was called a fumble on the field) Brady is just another no-name QB. In fact, maybe I'm writing Rich Gannon's name in this spot instead. Oh well, thats life as a Raider fan. Unfortunately, that year was our best chance to win and the victory was STOLEN from us. You can spew all the tuck-rule nonsense you want at me, but Brady fumbled that ball. Plain and Simple. He was going to throw it and then decided against it. Woodson knocks the ball free, Raiders recover, Super Bowl here we come. But wait, a grueling game, played in a blizzard, in sub-zero temperatures, is decided by an instant replay call. Bullshit. With that being said, my clutch football player is Adam Vinateri. I hate to admit it, but he has come up big every time his team has needed him. Two Super Bowl winners and the two kicks in the tuck-rule game. I can give him credit. Not Brady though. Never.
Hockey - Dominick Hasek
Hasek made his team a legitimate contender for almost a decade. The Sabres made the playoffs every single year with Hasek on the team (although that stat may be incorrect) and he usually carried the team on his back. They made a few runs deep into the playoffs and made the Finals one time. That hockey season was the best spring of my life. The playoffs streched throughout the final months of Junior year at Gates-Chili and we watched nearly every game in the garage. It is a time in my life I will never forget. Overtimes and chicken wings and nights in the garage. It's too bad we were robbed of our chance at a game 7, but that season is still very special to me. I must have saw 50 goals called back because of the crease rule that season. The rule was horrible, and it needed to be changed, but the rule was in place and Brett Hull's foot was in the damn crease. Needless to say, I'm still a little bitter about the whole thing. Back to Hasek. He made so many unbelievable saves that we all began to expect him to "stand on his head" as they say in hockey. If his number is not retired by the Sabres (that is assuming the NHL ever plays again) then I may have to string it up to the rafters myself.
Basketball. Sorry Mel, I have to pick a college player. One season will always stand out in my mind. The year SU won the championship and I was at Syracuse to watch it unfold, it was experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I watched the final game at the Dome and ran down to Marshall street when it was all over. It was an indescribable feeling that Orange fans may never get to feel again. BUT, we'll always have that year. Now, you may expect me to pick Carmelo as my clucth athelete, but you'd be wrong. G-MAC may be my favorite player and his first half performance in the championship game against Kansas goes down as one of the best of all-time, but he is not my choice either. If you'll remember, SU built a huge lead in the first half and Kansas, with a cast of NBA players on their team, began slicing into that lead. When Kansas cut it to 3 with only seconds to go, I envisioned an unhappy ending. We had come so far. We may never have this opportunity again. We had to win. The ball was inbounded to Michael Lee and he pulled up from the left corner and attempted to tie the game with a 3-pointer. All of a sudden, an arm came out of nowhere. An outstretched arm, reaching to the sky. The ball left Lee's hand with only seconds remaining and then, WHAM. Warrick blocks the ball. Orangeman Win. Orangeman win. Hakim Warrick's block will go down as the most clutch basketball play of my lifetime.
5.03.2005
State of the Yankees Address
As I write this statement, I see a baseball team with no chemistry, little character, and only a small chance of extending a recent playoff streak that is rivaled only by the "Wish we could win a World Series" Atlanta Braves. (Is it me, or is Bobby Cox the best regular season manager in the history of baseball? Can somebody please give him a regular season championship trophy? I mean, from '95-'00, they had one of the best pitching staffs I have ever seen. 13 0r 14 straight division titles is impressive to say the least. However, choking that many times in the playoffs is just as unbelievable. But you know what, screw the Braves and their tomahawk chop. Two Words Braves fans. Jim Leyritz.)
Back to the Yanks. I suppose the GM is the person to blame for this. The personnel changes this team has made have been unbearable. Giambi. Sucks. Kevin Brown. Sucks. Bernie, as much as I love him, is in the twlight of a memorable career. The problem is, my teenage cousin Sara would have a better shot at throwing out someone at the plate. Cairo was one of their most consistent players last year and he was let go. John Lieber has a decent year, shows promise in last year's playoffs, and we replace him with Jaret Wright. Sorry Cashman, if in the past few years your successful moves were calculated into a batting average, as Michael Kay would say, you are somewhere on the Interstate. Besides Jeter, I find it difficult to get excited about seeing any of the other players on the roster. And that's a damn shame. I love the Yankess. Have my whole life. And I've watched them slowly fall apart over the past few years. Thankfully, George has a big wallet and can always stay at least one step ahead of the low budget teams. Add up the salaries of Giambi, Brown, Gordon (who also sucks), and Jaret Wright and that could pay the entire Kansas City Royal payroll. However, I bet the Royals play a more entertaining brand of baseball at this point in the season.
We have a team full of well-paid veterans that have already made a name for themselves in the majors. What's missing is youth and energy. That spark that only a player trying to make a name for themselves can provide. Think back 7,8,9 years. We had Jeter, Pettitte, O'Neill, Rivera, and Bernie. All during their breakthrough years. The old Yankees teams had heart. A few seasoned veterans that knew how to play the game (Boggs, Justice, Cone,Strawberry), and role players who were willing to do whatever it takes to win (a la Scott Brosuis). These days I wonder if this batch of Yankees would be able spell sacrifice bunt.
We'll see how this season plays out, but I am not going to make an early World Series plans. And while only one month of the season has passed, this Yankees team does not appear to have the right pieces to the puzzle. The scary thought is, I see things getting worse before they get better. A team full of High-priced, former All-Stars, washed up MVPs, and an injury prone pitching staff does not quite sound like a recipe for success. Does it?
No matter what happens. I'll always love the Yankees. I'll watch games simply because I love the team (no matter how many shitty players are on it) and because I love the game of baseball.
Back to the Yanks. I suppose the GM is the person to blame for this. The personnel changes this team has made have been unbearable. Giambi. Sucks. Kevin Brown. Sucks. Bernie, as much as I love him, is in the twlight of a memorable career. The problem is, my teenage cousin Sara would have a better shot at throwing out someone at the plate. Cairo was one of their most consistent players last year and he was let go. John Lieber has a decent year, shows promise in last year's playoffs, and we replace him with Jaret Wright. Sorry Cashman, if in the past few years your successful moves were calculated into a batting average, as Michael Kay would say, you are somewhere on the Interstate. Besides Jeter, I find it difficult to get excited about seeing any of the other players on the roster. And that's a damn shame. I love the Yankess. Have my whole life. And I've watched them slowly fall apart over the past few years. Thankfully, George has a big wallet and can always stay at least one step ahead of the low budget teams. Add up the salaries of Giambi, Brown, Gordon (who also sucks), and Jaret Wright and that could pay the entire Kansas City Royal payroll. However, I bet the Royals play a more entertaining brand of baseball at this point in the season.
We have a team full of well-paid veterans that have already made a name for themselves in the majors. What's missing is youth and energy. That spark that only a player trying to make a name for themselves can provide. Think back 7,8,9 years. We had Jeter, Pettitte, O'Neill, Rivera, and Bernie. All during their breakthrough years. The old Yankees teams had heart. A few seasoned veterans that knew how to play the game (Boggs, Justice, Cone,Strawberry), and role players who were willing to do whatever it takes to win (a la Scott Brosuis). These days I wonder if this batch of Yankees would be able spell sacrifice bunt.
We'll see how this season plays out, but I am not going to make an early World Series plans. And while only one month of the season has passed, this Yankees team does not appear to have the right pieces to the puzzle. The scary thought is, I see things getting worse before they get better. A team full of High-priced, former All-Stars, washed up MVPs, and an injury prone pitching staff does not quite sound like a recipe for success. Does it?
No matter what happens. I'll always love the Yankees. I'll watch games simply because I love the team (no matter how many shitty players are on it) and because I love the game of baseball.
numero uno
5/2/05
So here's what I'm thinking Mel......
I was thinking that the working title should be called "The Ultimate Pop Collaboration from two guys who have nothing better to do but dwell about questions that most people could probably care less about," however that title wouldn't fit. So I settled on Gimme Your Best Shot and I think I actually like the shorter one a little better. But the first one is a bit more descriptive. Quality vs Quantity.........man
So here's two questions to get us started.
1) Let's say somehow you are stranded on a desert island. Let's also say you have pretty much every luxury available to you, within reason of course , but use your imagination (Beers, BBQ, sporting equipment, preferably good-looking females, aged 18-25), BUT.....
...there is obviously no radio signal on an island in the middle of nowhere and you were only able to take 3 CDs onto the island with you. What would they be?
2) In each of the four major sports, who has been the best clutch/go-to athlete of our television watching generation (90's-'05)?
So here's what I'm thinking Mel......
I was thinking that the working title should be called "The Ultimate Pop Collaboration from two guys who have nothing better to do but dwell about questions that most people could probably care less about," however that title wouldn't fit. So I settled on Gimme Your Best Shot and I think I actually like the shorter one a little better. But the first one is a bit more descriptive. Quality vs Quantity.........man
So here's two questions to get us started.
1) Let's say somehow you are stranded on a desert island. Let's also say you have pretty much every luxury available to you, within reason of course , but use your imagination (Beers, BBQ, sporting equipment, preferably good-looking females, aged 18-25), BUT.....
...there is obviously no radio signal on an island in the middle of nowhere and you were only able to take 3 CDs onto the island with you. What would they be?
2) In each of the four major sports, who has been the best clutch/go-to athlete of our television watching generation (90's-'05)?
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