Saturday, July 19, 2008

Life Is a Bar Of Soap And The Last Two Days Is The Pubic Hair Stuck On It

We had lots of fun at ArtBeat, with Kim selling nearly all the soap she brought. I went to the car and heard the Sox were up 2-0, and the Yanks were going bottom 9, down by 1. Leaving Davis Square, we listened as Vlad made it 2-1. Literally while we walked from car to apartment, the Angels took a 4-2 lead. We got the tying runs on in the eighth and ninth, but couldn't come back.

Then I checked the A's site, and I knew right away the Yanks won. Then I clicked to learn all about how Huston Street had two outs, none on in the ninth, but still blew the save. Then in the 12th, Molina took a pitch (from Lenny DiNardo) in the leg with the bases loaded to win the game. A very crappy baseball day, but, again, like the '04 season, and pretty much every season since, I have a feeling like our team is good enough to get the job done, and in the long run they will. The Yanks could be 20 back, and seeing them win like in a shitty way this (read: THE WAY THEY ALWAYS WIN) always pisses me off. So I am frustrated about this combined with us losing another winnable game. But I know things will be back the way they should be soon, sooooo......

Check out the review of our book at Surviving Grady! I'm so psyched Red read it and did a review.

And I just noticed my comrade San Francisco Red Sox Fan put a review up, too! Exclamation point! Thanks, Red and SFSF for the sweet 'viewz...

At A Loss

11-3 them in the eighth. Looking for a nine-run ninth.

Oh, and there was another play where a ball hit off one guy and went right to a base where another guy was waiting--Double-H to Youk for the 1-3 put out.

Hey, you know those ads where the cab driver with the over-the-top Boston accent takes various people on their way to Fenway Park to the sporting goods store? Well--first of all, if you watched MTV in the early '90s, you know the whole concept is a rip-off. Donal Logue's "Jimmy the Cab Driver" skits appeared during almost every commercial break. GooTube is filled with those clips, including this one which shows his Boston cab license. (I still haven't found the "Stairway to Hea-vahhhn" one.) (And I also discovered "Jimmy" is back, doing some skits for moveon.org.)

But that's not the point. The point is that there's one of these new ads I just don't get. A guy gets into the cab with a baseball painted on to his skull. He asks the driver to put on the radio to get pumped up for the game. The radio goes on, and the voice says it's "bat day" at the park. First of all, there's no bat day at Fenway Park. There are no giveaways period. This is well-known and if you're going for "authentic Boston" you should know that. But again I'm straying from the point. The guy, upon hearing of "bat day," panics. He yells at the driver that he needs to immediately buy a hat.

What??

Why do you need a hat for bat day? -- Okay, as I was writing this, it just hit me. So to speak. He's afraid that since his head looks like a ball, people will try to hit it with their bats. Maybe I just needed to write it out to understand it. (I was going to say that my only possible explanation was that he felt the need to wear a hat to look more like a kid, assuming only kids would be given the bat.) But I guess I've solved it. Please tell me you were confused, too. At least at first. Kim also didn't get it when I brought it up earlier, so there's that.

And as I wrote all that, we went down 1-2-3 in the ninth. 11-3 Angels. Second place for us for the time being...

[Update: I found the "Stairway" clip--only they cut off the best part! "To hea-vahhhn." Terrible job.]

Note: This is the first posting on the internet to mention MTV without saying--as if the writer was the first person to notice it--that "they don't play music anymore." At this point, pointing this out is way sillier than the fact that a channel with "music" in its name doesn't play any.

Friday, July 18, 2008

3-3-3

The second- and third-place teams have won, and we're tied 3-3 in the fourth, after going down 3-0 in the first. Manny's dong just tied it.

There have been three unorthodox double plays in this game. And personally, I don't feel Don Orsillo is making enough out of this. Drew hit a grounder up the middle that the second baseman dove for. It bounced off of him and went right to second base, where the shortstop picked it up and threw to first for a DP. You know how rare that is? And I don't even remember a replay!

Then Jacoby hit a grounder right to the second base bag, and the shortstop got it, stepped on the base and threw to first to complete the DP. Not unusual in general, but when you think about it, that's essentially the only way to double the guy up.

Then there was a liner to center which Jacoby caught, and threw to first to double off Vlad, who, for some reason, had no idea where the ball was gonna land even though the play was right in front of him.

And now Clay gives up a dong to start the bottom of the fourth. 4-3 Angels.

Papi Dongs Again

According to Extra Bases, Papi homered into "the left field seats," which is interesting, since McCoy Stadium has no seats in the outfield. I'm sure the lawn out there is so packed that it looks like a crowd of people in seats, though.

Yanks lead A's, 6-1 in the fifth.

Upcoming Stuff

Buchholz against Peter Brady tonight at 10, as the Sox face the Angels out west. The rest of this trip: Fox on Saturday, 3:55, ESPN Sunday night--note unusual time, 6:05. Then it's 10 o'clock games on Monday and Tuesday in Seattle, before a 4:40 game Wednesday. Then it's home for the Yanks and the return of Papi--I'll be there for one of those games.

Coming Monday (-ish), my awesome interview with....it's a surprise! But if you were born in the 70s, you might possibly agree with me. On the awesomeness.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Papi Dongs

Papi went 1 for 3 with a homer and a walk for the PawSox tonight.

Two Weird Takes On Athletes And Money

I'm getting sick of free agent athletes saying their main concern when choosing a team is a good chance to win a title. 90% of the time, it's about the team who gives them the most money. Even the athletes who are really good people and try to set an example for kids do this. What's the message? Loyalty: bad. Greed: good. Because that's all it is when you take 10 million bucks instead of 8 million.

You can do all the charity work you want, but maybe a better message to send would be that a person only needs so much. Teaching kids to do something that makes them money is fine if that's what you wanna do, I mean, they're gonna need it to survive, for the most part. But it's way more important to teach them that money isn't everything.

People always say, Hey, if someone offered you millions of dollars, you'd take it, too. How do you know? I like to think if I had A MILLION dollars right now, and somebody offered me a little more to do something I didn't want to do, I'd tell 'em to fuck off. (Or maybe have my solid gold robot servant to convey the message.)

I'd love to see an athlete say, I'm gonna go to this team because I really want to. They've offered me two extra million dollars, which I don't need, so ALL that money will be immediately transferred to [whatever charity].

Maybe it's just me. I'm the type of person who thinks, If I suddenly had a million bucks, I wouldn't buy a Hummer just because I could. Because I don't want one. I'd just get a nice small car that gets me where I need to go, and is new so I'd know it won't break down.

But there is another side to this. What if you were a black athlete? If you knew that your grandparents were forced to be slaves. Went through absolute hell all so that a bunch of white people didn't have to get up to get a lemonade. Were treated like animals instead of human beings. Now all of a sudden a rich, old white man wants to pay you a couple MORE million dollars. Would it be wrong to say, Hell yeah, I'll take your money, and set up my kids and grandkids so that they can have honkies serving THEM. I wouldn't blame somebody for doing that at all.

But then you have to include Jewish athletes, and basically anybody else whose people were oppressed. So, my conclusion is, white guys of English and/or German descent should stop being so greedy. Other guys, take what you can get, but do it for your ancestors, as a way of stickin' it to the man. No, wait. The amount of oppressed blood in your ancestry should be directly proportional to the amount of extra money you take in your life. Something like that. Conclusion: Slavery could've been avoided had solid gold robot servants been invented sooner. Terrible job, science. "TV off."

Second Half Schedules

The Red Sox play seven more road games than home games through August 28th, but then to close out the season, we play 19 of our last 28 at home. We only have one west coast trip the rest of the way--six games starting tomorrow night.

The Yanks play 10 of 13 at home to close July, but then have just 12 of 28 at home in August and 10 of 26 at home in September. In their last 51 games of the season, they only have 19 home games. They go to the west coast twice in the second half.

The Rays play 30 of their last 49 games on the road, and overall play six less home than road in the second half, with one west coast trip.

Advantage: Us, as the Space Coaster cruises toward the playoffs.

Stella Marie At ArtBeat


Kim will be at ArtBeat in Davis Square Somerville this Saturday, selling her soaps. Come and say hi--it's free to just walk around and see all the stuff artists have made. They also have bands playing and other kooky stuff. Last year I got a shirt with "Boston Police" on it in the Dunkin' Donuts font.

To see Kim's soaps and stuff online, go to Stella Marie Soap. Above is a shot I took of the infamous "Carrie" soap, which somehow smells even better than it looks.

The Show

I haven't talked about softball much because we keep getting rained out. But we finally finished the regular season as the top team in the loser's bracket, and we started the playoffs tonight. (Note: Everybody makes the playoffs.)

We were playing a team that may be the worst in the league. But like us, they have a lot of fun and aren't pretentious and don't wear "baseball pants." It's always nice to play a fun team. But we knew we should be whipping their butts. And we did. We actually mercy ruled them, a first for us. Their achilles heel was not hitting enough grounders. The infield was hard--a guaranteed bad hop every time. But they kept hitting looping liners, which we kept catching. Since the cavalry showed up for the playoff game (we've got over 20 players on our roster), we had to rotate, so I only played the field every other inning. But I made every play that came to me at short, every single one a liner or pop up.

At the plate, I seem to have settled into the three hole, as they know they can count on me to whack it to the outfield. As a lefty hitter, though, the danger is that dreaded grounder to first or second. If I were a righty hitter, even if I grounded repeatedly to short or third, I'd probably beat it out most of the time, between me being pretty fast and the fact that a grounder is rarely fielded cleanly. But it is possible to ground out to second or first. It's usually not a problem since I usually swing for the fences and if I don't hit it right, it's gonna go straight up--but I've been working on that. I overcompensated and grounded right to second. But the girl bobbled it. That's all I needed to beat it out. Run scored, and we were tied at one.

Next batter wails one to the outfield. I fly around second and stop at third. When I turn around, I see the ball had gotten past the pitcher on the throw in. It's rolling in no-person's land between the mound and plate, and I bolt for home, sliding in safely, giving us the lead.

They tied it in the second, but then it was all us from there on out. A dude on our team hit a grand slam, putting us more than 12 runs ahead in the fifth, and we just played out the string from there. My other at bats were two classic line singles to right. When you get three at bats in six innings in a lineup with almost 20 people, you know you're team is scoring at will. I think I scored every time I got on. Kim hit a line shot that was caught, but then hit another to the outfield for a base hit. Her hitting is really improving.

A playoff win--after last year's winless season! We go to round two...

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Walking The Fine Line Between Right And Totally Wrong

Click this picture from mlb.com to enlarge it, then tell me what's wrong with it.

Yes, the term "walk-off" has officially come full circle. It now means the opposite of what it originally set out to describe. I've mentioned this before here, but the reason that Dennis Eckersley coined the phrase was to describe the fact that in a bottom-of-the last-inning victory, the LOSING team is forced to walk off the field, heads hanging. You normally trot off the field at the end of an inning, but in that case, the game ends before the inning does, so you just walk off the field.

If you still have doubt about this (and you shouldn't, despite that if you're below a certain age, you might think I'm wrong because you've always heard it referred to the winning team--like Don Orsillo incorrectly does), think of it this way: In baseball, only the defense in on the field, save for a maximum of three baserunners and the batter. The defense is ON the field, so only the defense can walk OFF the field. That's what a "walk-off" is.

I guess I have to accept that the term now means the opposite. I guess you could say that the winning team is "walking off" with a win, the way a robber would "walk off" the bank's money. But by that logic, any win could be referred to as "walking off with a win."

But even if I accept it, I'll always say "terrible job" to those who continue to use this term incorrectly.

Did I just say "robber"?

Tizer

Papi will play on Rhode Island's favorite team, the Pawtucket Red Sox, tomorrow through Sunday. You should go.

[Update: Seat are available for Sunday! Yes, seat. There is one seat left, in the furthest section out toward left field, and it's a handicapped seat. So if you're handicapped but are able to get to the game without assistance, well, nice job, and, get your ticket now. There are also general admission seats available for Sunday, but not Thurs, Fri, or Sat.]

Ho Hum

The HGH trail keeps getting longer and longer for the Rocket.

Extras (Updated WIth Fitting And Awesome Ending!)

Man, I was really rooting for them to score off Mo. And then in bottom 10, great job by Cook getting out of a loaded, no out jelly. At that point, I rooted for Longoria to get the hit, but no one else. Because he would've gotten MVP. If someone else had gotten it, they might have given it to Mo, who also would've gotten the win. Now he can't get a W. I'm hoping Drew wins it in the 11th--he's due up third.

And they do a Murcer tribute in extra innings! In other words, it might not have made the cut had the game ended by now! Terrible.

Oh, and neither McCarver nor Buck knew Tito was coming out with one out, one on in the ninth. If he hadn't gone out then, he would've risjed a double play, then the AL winning in the bottom of the ninth, and therefore no Mo appearance. He couldn't have risked that (but what sweet punishment it would've been for the worst fans in sports)--so at that point, I'm going, "here comes Tito, right here, trust me, he has to," yet the Fox people weren't saying anything.

Okay, one out in the bottom of the eleventh on a caught stealing. I'll update here.

Man on first for Drew. Oh, so McCarver was just talking about how the game might be a tie. Hellllooooo? What, then play an 8-game World Series? Four games in each park? Then that can be a tie! Nice call, Tim.

And Drew gets on. So he's got a dong and a single in what could be the game-winning rally. I'm really hoping that can get him the MVP. But they'll probably say, "and the MVP goes to...the stadium itself! And all the Yankees who ever played here!" Hey, handing them free glory is the only way they can get it nowadays anyway....

Holy crap! Winning run thrown out at plate! Drew now at third. Steal home, Drew!

Nope, inning over. We go to the 12th... updates to come.

12:45 AM: Leadoff double wasted for the AL. We go to the 13th. This means Drew has another chance to get the game-winning hit. (He's been the only Sock in the game for hours now...)

1:10 AM: We go to the bottom of the 14th. Drew reached on an error (bad hop, could've been a hit, and he'd be 3-4 right now) and stole a base, but they couldn't get him home in the 13th.

1:20 AM: The last AL pitcher, Kazmir, is in. Buck saying at a certain point, he can go no further. (He threw over 100 pitches two days ago.) What will happen at that point? I know! Bud can fix the All-Star Game, and make it the fun exhibition it used to be! Two outs in the top of the 15th.

1:31 AM: Here we go! Drew up, winning run on second. Base hit = MVP!

1:35 AM: Drew walks. On base 4 times in 5 plate appearances. Still a chance at emveepee, I guess.

1:37 AM: Sac fly by Michael Young. Guy barely slides in safely. 4-3 final in 15. Francona is psyched. And the Red Sox get home field advantage in the World Series. MVP announcement to come.

1:42 AM: Fox is still showing that "this game is brought to you by..." spot which shows Nomar not only in a Sox uniform, but in the old, blue warm-up that hasn't been worn since I believe 2002.

1:45 AM: And it's JD Drew! MVP!!! Woohoo!!!! Haha! Eat it, motherfuckers! The last MVP of a Yankee Stadium All-Star Game is a DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPION, FIRST PLACE BOSTON RED SOX player! Sleep tight, you fucking ass holes! Hopefully we'll be playing in the World Series while your stadium is literally crumbling to the ground!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Least-Knowledgeable Fans In Sports Show Their Fugly Faces Again

Since my last post, Drew hit a two-run, game-tying dong. I was really rooting for him because I started thinking how cool it would be if a Red Sock was the MVP.

Then we went to the eighth, and Pap made his appearance. Of course, the retarded, diaper-sniffing, elephant-ass humping Yankee fans, believing the lies of the Daily News, are all over him. The "overrated" chant was the best. You might as well just choose any word from the dictionary and chant it--it would make the same amount of sense in that spot.

I'm starting to think after the parade incident, Tito should've closed Pap, and then said, "after that display, those fans don't deserve to see Mo at all--the World Champion manager is in charge here, not a bunch of choking ass holes."

Anyway, the fans further proved their supreme stupidity by booing Pap for giving up a run--since it only scored due to the catcher throwing the ball into center field. They have no idea, believe me. Quick stupid Yankee fan fun fact: Gossage introduced in pre-game, crowd starts going "goooose," and a woman is clearly shown making the "what?? boos??" face. They don't know. Believe me. They don't know.

AL ties it back up in the bottom of the 8th. When Mo comes in, I'm rooting against him. I don't give a shit. I want us to sweep the World Series and clinch at home for a change. Game 3-4-5 at Fenway! Go NL!

Shortz Game

I'm doing way more crossword than game-watching during this fairly boring All-Star Game. I finally got the big answer: "DYINGQUIETLYINMYSLEEP / LIKEMYGRANDFATHER / NOT / SCREAMINGINTERROR / LIKETHEPEOPLEINHISCAR." Other than that, I've got the rest of it, except for trouble spots in the top left and bottom left, and some other little spots. It took me so long to get that long answer. I had "screaming in terror" but nothing else for a while. When I finally figured out that the second one was "like my grandfather," the I from "like" allowed me to figure out that the answer to "not exactly" was QUASI, and using that Q, I got "quietly," and that led me to getting the whole thing.... if you didn't do this puzzle you have no idea what I'm talking about.

2-0 NL in the sixth. Dustin got a walk for us, but that's about it for Sox highlights. Tek's catching now. Joe Buck said Jeter's done nothing but win since he was called up. I'd like to add an "and lose" to that. The Cheater promptly Jeter'd one toward right, but the hit was weak, even for him, and went to the second baseman. Who promptly misplayed the ball. This very easy botched chance was instantly labeled a hit by Buck.

When I started this blog over four years ago, the main thing I wanted to get across was the fact that the media basically lies. I was in the NY-area at the time, so I mainly reported on the NY media and how some of them (others of them clearly hate the Yanks, which is great) purposely misled people about the Yanks and Red Sox. cough *Michael Kay* cough. And I wasn't going to mention today's Daily News article. (I commented about it at 1:37 PM on Red Sox Chick, so it's not like I'm just finding out about this.) But it's funny how it's come full circle with the ultimate lie. It would be like if Obama won the election and the next day's headline read "McCain Wins." You know the story by now--Pap says Mo should close, Daily News says the opposite. And like I said, I was just gonna let the idiocy go, but during the parade, Papelbon's wife was threatened, and he basically said he didn't give a shit about the game anymore. Now, of course he'd get booed by Yankee fans--I wouldn't have it any other way. But in this case, the media splashed his pic on the paper, telling a blatant lie about him--and that's what led to the over-the-top, "we actually want to hurt you and your family" behavior. So, screw the Daily News--who also claimed after the 2004 World Series that the Red Sox wouldn't win again until 2090. You know, because they're about as stupid as the average cretin Yankee fan.

[Edit from the 12th inning of this not so "Shortz" game: It wasn't "DYING," it was "TO DIE." I told you I was having trouble with that top left. That was why. I think I've got it now.]

Yankee Stadium Memories

Peter Gammons came on and said his favorite Yankee Stadium moment was Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. He said that in the seventh, Jeter turned to Boone and said, "it's always about this time, the seventh or eighth, when the ghosts come out."

EXCEPT WHEN THEY DON'T.

I'd like to offer up some of my favorite Yankee Stadium moments:

2003: Marlins beat Yankees--incredibly, the "ghosts" fucking fail to come out!


2004: The one that tore the fucker down.


All-Star Game, featuring seven World Champion Boston Red Sox, starting in a few minutes on the Yankee Ass-Kissing TV Network.

Oh! Sweet moment, as Tito is announced as the manager of the 2007 World Champs. How awesome is that? That all those fans are sitting there, their stadium and players being sucked up to at an incredible rate, but they still have to hear it. Despite all the fake mystique and aura, we won it all. Again. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Don't Think I Won't Cut You, Linda Hamilton

Just listened to a few minutes of [a radio station], and the incorrect statements outnumbered the correct ones. Remember how I said last night that Joe Morgan "mis-heard" Josh Hamilton's "gold ball" comment? Well, apparently people believed Morgan. Here, again, is what happened: One ball left in finals, gold ball supposed to be thrown to Hamilton. Old dude throws a white ball by mistake. Hamilton lets the pitch go and reminds the guy (clearly audible) he's supposed to be throwing the gold ball, while holding up his hand as if gripping a ball. Joe Morgan processes this, waits a few seconds, and then tells America that Hamilton has just signaled for the pitcher to "take a little off." This led to the folks on the radio to joke, "When you're telling a 71-year old coach to 'take a little off,' you must be tired." I found a clip of that moment--it's from someone's living room--here. Start at the 4:35 mark. You hear Berman say "gold ball in." Then the white ball comes in. Then listen to what Hamilton says. Then listen to Morgan's comment.

This is like on that Nirvana bootleg where Dave Grohl said "this song's called All Apologies," but since the band then spontaneously broke into a new, unknown tune, people figured Grohl must've been saying its title, which they heard as "On a Mountain," leading to that tune being known as such until a semi-finished product was released years after the end of the band, as "You Know You're Right." No wait, this isn't like that at all...

Another thing they said on the radio was how Mariano's been the standard for closers (or whatever) for fifteen years. Try eleven and a half, bozos. They also talk about how he hasn't blown a save this year, which is true, but they ignore his three losses at the break (he's averaged a little over three per year the last five years.)

And speaking of Mo, is there any way Yankee fans gonna be satisfied unless Rivera starts the All-Star Game, closes it, and pitches all the innings in between? And then stands on the mound of smelly Yankee Stadium with his pants down while they all line up and individually kiss his bare butt?

Ya know, I thought I heard an F-bomb outta Chase Utley last night...

Oh, and in the bloglaxy, I think I told you about Soxlosophy, right? And then there's the Boston Sports Nut. And Fenway West is having a contest.

In The Stars

Here's a sign I've been meaning to get a picture of for years. It's in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, where we used to spend time in my summers growing up. I always thought it was a "fake" E.T., but I have inspected it closely, and it's a copyrighted image. I guess these signs were popular 25 years ago, and only a few have remained. I think there might be another one in...Trumbull? Have you ever seen one of these?

I took this shot last weekend, as I took the Old Saybrook exit on my way to my parents' house in New Haven. The sign is right near the Heritage Motor Inn, where I watched the '83 All-Star Game. I can't believe it's been 25 years. I wonder which is older, the game or the street sign. For more of my 1983 ASG memories, search my archives--I talk about it every July....

[Update from like ten seconds after I posted that: Here's some more info on the sign--I guess they put them up in 1999. I guess that explains why I don't remember that sign being in that spot in the '80s...]

Monday, July 14, 2008

Dumb Rules Cost Best Hitter In Contest The Title

So Josh Hamilton hits 35 home runs, way more than anyone else. If you're gonna have a home run derby, give it to the person who hits the most home runs. But instead, Morneau wins because he won the final round, 5-3.

Classic Joe Morgan moment: With one out left, the "gold ball" is supposed to be thrown. Hamilton was down to his last out, and his old guy pitcher threw a white ball by mistake. Hamilton lets it go, and then clearly (you could hear him say it) tells the guy to throw the gold ball. Morgan thinks he's giving us some baseball insight by then telling us that Josh just asked for the pitcher to throw slower. Or something. Something that totally wasn't what he said.

And now they hand the big check to Morneau, who, along with everyone else, knows he's not the star of the show. Horribly embarrassing. And then the guy from the charity calls him "Jason." Ouch.

Also, I give the overall coverage a D. TV networks always feel they have to do so much, when really all you have to do is point and shoot. It's funny, missin' stuff with twenty different cameras. Impressive in a way. And when Hamilton hit the back wall, Berman had no idea where it went. For a long time. He thought it went out of the stadium. Which is understandable at first, but after ten seconds of dead air, you really start to wonder why A. someone hasn't whispered in his earpiece what happened or B. he hasn't seen a replay yet.

But hey, it's just the Home Run Derby. I got lots of the crossword done AND filmed a thing for Kim's soap site while it was going on.

Derby Update

Josh Hamilton just hit one thousand homers. One pretty high off the back wall of the right field bleachers, and one into the black seats, which was chased down illegally by a couple of fans, one of whom ended up in a cop's stranglehold.

People keep talking about all the teary tributes to the Toilet that will surely litter the festivities. But nothing was or will be more nauseating than the speech Reggie Jackson just gave. At least he didn't stereotype Jewish people this time...

Crossword Derby

All the BS aside, I still like the Home Run Derby, for the main reason that...it's a home run derby. And with it being in a stadium I know so well, it will be cool to see where people can reach--the black seats, the left field bleachers, the left field upper deck, etc. But it's always so long and drawn out, and with no Sox in there, I may just catch the replay or just the highlights. And about the All-Star Game itself--I still say it should be an exhibition game, and it's preposterous that the winner determines HFA in the WS. If you want to not have HFA go back and forth, there's an easier and fairer way: whichever team has the better record gets it. Duh.

So I've been working on the Sunday NYT puzzle. Last time (2 weeks ago?), I had it totally done by the end of Monday. This time, I've got the mid-section pretty much done, but I'm still trying to figure out the long answers. Which, in this case, is one long phrase. I've got one word of it, but I'm just not grasping it yet. But I'm sure I will soon. I'll keep you posted.

A good Shortz-ism from this week: "veiled comment" = IDO. I had the D, and once I got the pirate's name which provided me with that I, I knew it. Shortz! Oh, and my favorite pasta made the puzzle. The clue is "tasty tubes." Know it? You probably should, since I just told you it's a pasta-type.

Other X-word stuff about me: I always do it in pen. I just write over a letter if I need to change it. I write all letter upper-case, except e. My dad does those two things, too. I never read the clues in order. I just jump in at a random point, and once I get an answer, I try to get the clues nearby, until I give up on that section and jump to a new one.

If You're In The City Tonight...

If you'll be in NYC tonight, head over to Professor Thom's (2nd Ave, btwn 13th & 14th) for a special event. Former Sox pitcher Jerry Casale (who owned the original NYC Red Sox establishment, the now defunct Pino's) had a stroke recently, and Thom's will be having a raffle/auction of Red Sox merchandise to benefit his cause. Call 212-260-8490 for info.

Another thing you could do if you're down there is go to the Home Run Derby. That is, if you've got 140 bucks just to sit in the last row of the upper deck... might as well give that dough to Jerry Casale and have a fun night with a bunch of Sox fans. I'm still wondering how they're going to do that Ortiz "call your shot" home run contest with him injured. Will another hitter hit in his place for the contest-winner? I'm sure Hank would like that.

Reviews Comin' In!

We got a great, detailed review for Dirty Water from A.C. Hutchison of the Rutland Herald/Times-Argus--a big newspaper in Vermont. Click here or here.

Sweet review. Other than the fact that they must've used an older bio for me (I've since moved out of NYC and no longer work with the elderly, and have been doing this blog for almost five years, not three), a review like that is all we can hope for, and is much appreciated. Thank you, Rutland Herald. (When I first went looking for their site, I accidentally clicked on a paper from Rutland in the UK. I'm searchin' around like crazy, thinking, "this paper has no book reviews! And they use the term 'entertainments' and spell "jewelery" with two Ls!")

Our book has also gotten reviews from my cousin Nora, and fellow Sox blogger Tex. Check out their reviews, and while you're there, search around their blogs. Good stuff from two hot states... Thanks, Newy and Tex. (If you have a website and want a review copy, e-mail me at Two2067 at aol dot com.)

We're slowly climbing the list on Amazon when you search "dirty water." We're now at number two. I kind of feel bad for the Standells, as we keep passing their albums...

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Good New Days

The World Champion Boston Red Sox will send several players and a manager to the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium while in first place. Was it Kierkegaard, or Brian Regan, who asked, "Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot!"

And it should be noted that Dice-K's record is the same as that of the U.S. Army at the time of the movie Stripes.

Standings:

Team GB

1. Us --
2. Devil Raze a little behind
3. Them far behind
4 & 5. "and the rest" even further behind

Orange Bird Crush

Went to an all-day birthday party in CT today which included a video scavenger hunt. Meaning that you go around with a video camera doing and finding certain things from a list. I knew it would be fun, but the coolest thing about it turned out to be interacting with people. Normally, I think of humans as "that selfish species who talks on cell phones all the time and likes shitty bands." But when you actually talk to them, you can find some good ones. It can really make someone's day when you walk into their place of employment and start doing something crazy and taping it. I felt like some kind of Psycho Psanta Claus, bringing tidings of great joy to minimum wage workers throughout Bethel.

On the way home, I thought, I hope we came back and crushed the Orioles tonight. I just got the score: 12-1. A crushing indeed. We're a half-game back, which is good and all, but I still say the D-Rays should've kept winning for more of a chance of the Yanks missing the playoffs. But, as I thought they would, they're shitting it again, and are in danger of giving up first before the break. As soon as they get behind us, I'm back to rooting for them. But, you see, when we were a few games behind them, I felt like we were essentially ahead of them anyway, which is why I couldn't root for the Yanks against them. If that situation had been in late September, it would've been one thing, but we knew we had months to make up the slight deficit--no need to have Tampa start losing immediately. The Yanks are crappy, but just like every other year, most of the other teams are crappier. I hate that they're 5.5 out. But that's our own fault. If we were ten ahead of the Rays right now, we'd be 16 ahead of the Yanks. But I shouldn't say we're truly at "fault" since we've been without Papi for a while now. At 2:45 AM, I will stop with the long paragraphs and begin the sleep process. But not before checking out the NYT Sunday crossword. Gotta love Wil Shortz. Hey, how come I never talk about that here? Maybe from now on, every week that I do the puzzle, I'll do a little post about it, and other people who do it can give their take on it. Maybe. G'night.

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