Saturday, January 12, 2008
Showdown with Jaguars
Well, the Patriots play the Jaguars tonight. Obviously, they should win, and they are favored by two touchdowns. I think the Jags are better than that, and even with the world against them, Coach Bill and his RoboTeam should be able to get the job done. 24-17 Patriots is my call.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Rice Pudding
So Goose Gossage made the Hall of Fame. An excellent choice, I think-it's pretty inarguable that Gossage was dominant for a very, very long time.
Jim Rice fell short, in his next to last year on the regular ballot. Tom Caron said, on Globe 10.0, said that Rice was "the most feared hitter in baseball for a decade". Well, that's a subjective statement. I want it to be true-I rooted for Jim Rice-but I don't think there is a ten year period where he is the best hitter in baseball.
From 1975-1986 is really Rice's whole career-1974 he only played in 24 games, and from 1987-1989 he was a shadow of himself.
So, from 1975-1986, Rice was:
10th in Runs Created Above Average
27th in Runs Created Above Position (Below Dwight Evans, a teammate and my favorite player)
19th in Isolated Power
3rd in Home Runs (Below DAVE KINGMAN, who is no more a Hall of Famer than I am a turnip)
2nd in Runs
1st in RBI
1st in Total Bases
3rd in Slugging Percentage
33rd in Intentional Walks
28th in Home Runs/100 PA
2nd in Extra Base Hits
Interesting. In most sophisticated stats, he fares poorly. In most conventional stats, he looks great. So why the resistance?
According to most accounts, he was a jerk to the media, but it seems like there should be more than that to keep a guy out of Cooperstown.
Jim Rice fell short, in his next to last year on the regular ballot. Tom Caron said, on Globe 10.0, said that Rice was "the most feared hitter in baseball for a decade". Well, that's a subjective statement. I want it to be true-I rooted for Jim Rice-but I don't think there is a ten year period where he is the best hitter in baseball.
From 1975-1986 is really Rice's whole career-1974 he only played in 24 games, and from 1987-1989 he was a shadow of himself.
So, from 1975-1986, Rice was:
10th in Runs Created Above Average
27th in Runs Created Above Position (Below Dwight Evans, a teammate and my favorite player)
19th in Isolated Power
3rd in Home Runs (Below DAVE KINGMAN, who is no more a Hall of Famer than I am a turnip)
2nd in Runs
1st in RBI
1st in Total Bases
3rd in Slugging Percentage
33rd in Intentional Walks
28th in Home Runs/100 PA
2nd in Extra Base Hits
Interesting. In most sophisticated stats, he fares poorly. In most conventional stats, he looks great. So why the resistance?
According to most accounts, he was a jerk to the media, but it seems like there should be more than that to keep a guy out of Cooperstown.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Seasons of Wither
January 8, 2008
Listening: Aerosmith, “Seasons of Wither” (Live)
The lead story on NPR’s “Day to Day” today took the wind right out of my sails. It was a story about a father whose son was in Iraq, clearly troubled, and was given inadequate treatment, and wound up killing himself. The Army, naturally, lied about it, not telling the father that they had his suicide note.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17929487
Of course, when it comes to shortcomings in taking care of flesh and blood soldiers, the deadenders in the Republican Party are not nearly as outraged as when they can make symbolic gestures like wearing lapel pins. This is a national tragedy, and an obscenity of the highest order.
I wouldn’t trust these people (the current Administration) with a box turtle, never mind the life of a loved one.
Listening: Metallica, “Sad But True” (Live)
I don’t care what Henry Rollins says, Metallica is the heaviest, most badass band I have ever heard.
I just bought the “Live Sh*t” CDs again, with some Best Buy gift cards from Christmas. I sold them to a used CD store a few years ago, which was stupid. I missed them. I thought I wasn’t going to be angry anymore, I guess. One listen to the “Justice Medley” from that album reminds me how huge they were.
Listening: “Frayed Ends of Sanity”, Metallica
“Never hunger/never prosper/I have fallen prey to failure…”
This year’s holidays have left me with a lingering feeling of failure. Hell, life leaves me with a lingering feeling of failure all the time. I hate getting gifts from people you don’t expect. I know it is about giving, but there’s this unspoken understanding about who you are supposed to give to that I always seem to mess up.
Listening: “I Go To Extremes” (Live), Billy Joel
I hate families, I hate responsibility, I hate deadlines, I just want to be left alone for a very long time.
Is that too much to ask?
I turn more and more into my father every day.
Listening: “Angry Young Man” (Live), Billy Joel
This song used to mean a whole lot to me. Now it’s more like “teenage angst has served me well, now I’m bored and old.”
I should clarify-it's not really family that's the problem. Just all the burdens involved in running one.
Listening: Aerosmith, “Seasons of Wither” (Live)
The lead story on NPR’s “Day to Day” today took the wind right out of my sails. It was a story about a father whose son was in Iraq, clearly troubled, and was given inadequate treatment, and wound up killing himself. The Army, naturally, lied about it, not telling the father that they had his suicide note.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17929487
Of course, when it comes to shortcomings in taking care of flesh and blood soldiers, the deadenders in the Republican Party are not nearly as outraged as when they can make symbolic gestures like wearing lapel pins. This is a national tragedy, and an obscenity of the highest order.
I wouldn’t trust these people (the current Administration) with a box turtle, never mind the life of a loved one.
Listening: Metallica, “Sad But True” (Live)
I don’t care what Henry Rollins says, Metallica is the heaviest, most badass band I have ever heard.
I just bought the “Live Sh*t” CDs again, with some Best Buy gift cards from Christmas. I sold them to a used CD store a few years ago, which was stupid. I missed them. I thought I wasn’t going to be angry anymore, I guess. One listen to the “Justice Medley” from that album reminds me how huge they were.
Listening: “Frayed Ends of Sanity”, Metallica
“Never hunger/never prosper/I have fallen prey to failure…”
This year’s holidays have left me with a lingering feeling of failure. Hell, life leaves me with a lingering feeling of failure all the time. I hate getting gifts from people you don’t expect. I know it is about giving, but there’s this unspoken understanding about who you are supposed to give to that I always seem to mess up.
Listening: “I Go To Extremes” (Live), Billy Joel
I hate families, I hate responsibility, I hate deadlines, I just want to be left alone for a very long time.
Is that too much to ask?
I turn more and more into my father every day.
Listening: “Angry Young Man” (Live), Billy Joel
This song used to mean a whole lot to me. Now it’s more like “teenage angst has served me well, now I’m bored and old.”
I should clarify-it's not really family that's the problem. Just all the burdens involved in running one.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Teddy Ballgame
Until today, this blog had 406 posts. Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941.
Just once, I'd like to hear a politician say, "Yes, I changed my mind. I used to believe something, and now I believe something else. You know why? Because when I get new information about something, when I learn something, when I encounter something that contradicts or changes something that I thought was true, then I change my mind. That's what intelligent people do. Given new data or a different perspective, you change your mind. "
Just once, I'd like to hear a politician say, "Yes, I changed my mind. I used to believe something, and now I believe something else. You know why? Because when I get new information about something, when I learn something, when I encounter something that contradicts or changes something that I thought was true, then I change my mind. That's what intelligent people do. Given new data or a different perspective, you change your mind. "
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Personal Irresponsibility
January 5, 2008
On Bill Moyers’ Journal this week, a commenter noted that the press is spinning Clinton’s third place finish as a “rejection of Clinton”. It is no such thing.
I am not going to vote for Clinton, either, but that is not a rejection of her. I think Edwards is the best candidate for a number of reasons, but assuming he doesn’t get the nomination, I will enthusiastically support Obama, or Clinton. Hell, I’d prefer Mike Gravel over anyone on the other side except maybe Ron Paul. He’s the only Republican who doesn’t seem clinically insane.
If I could appoint a president who represented my values, it would be Kucinich. But any Democrat is yards better than the collection of the blind, stupid and utterly nutty that are running for the Republicans.
Can we have a moratorium on the phrase “Happy New Year”, please? It’s January freaking fifth. You don’t need to say anything to me, at all, really. Sometimes I really wish I was deaf.
Interesting piece about the writers’ strike on On The Media. I really don’t care, because, honestly, I very seldom watch television at all anymore. But the argument from the studios seems to be “well, we don’t know what our revenues are going to be from all this Internet stuff, so we can’t promise you a percentage.” Certainly it is true that whatever the writers get, the actors, directors, and producers will want as well. Let’s say it’s 20% of gross revenues for all of them. The studios will say, “well, what if we can’t make any profits only keeping 80% of gross revenues?” To which I would say, well, then, go out of business. If you can’t make a profit, then you’re too stupid to live. Someone will be smart enough to make money at this, and if it’s not you, well, too bad.
Funny how the Republican corporatists always seem to argue and scream and yell about personal responsibility, except when it comes to them? Why do I have to struggle to pay my bills while big companies get to whine to the government until they get massive tax breaks? Why is bankruptcy and poverty a good motivator for me, but not for a wealthy CEO?
Brilliant, brilliant Hardcore History by Dan Carlin this week, with special guest James Burke. Too good to summarize or otherwise relate here-just get it and listen. It's that good.
On Bill Moyers’ Journal this week, a commenter noted that the press is spinning Clinton’s third place finish as a “rejection of Clinton”. It is no such thing.
I am not going to vote for Clinton, either, but that is not a rejection of her. I think Edwards is the best candidate for a number of reasons, but assuming he doesn’t get the nomination, I will enthusiastically support Obama, or Clinton. Hell, I’d prefer Mike Gravel over anyone on the other side except maybe Ron Paul. He’s the only Republican who doesn’t seem clinically insane.
If I could appoint a president who represented my values, it would be Kucinich. But any Democrat is yards better than the collection of the blind, stupid and utterly nutty that are running for the Republicans.
Can we have a moratorium on the phrase “Happy New Year”, please? It’s January freaking fifth. You don’t need to say anything to me, at all, really. Sometimes I really wish I was deaf.
Interesting piece about the writers’ strike on On The Media. I really don’t care, because, honestly, I very seldom watch television at all anymore. But the argument from the studios seems to be “well, we don’t know what our revenues are going to be from all this Internet stuff, so we can’t promise you a percentage.” Certainly it is true that whatever the writers get, the actors, directors, and producers will want as well. Let’s say it’s 20% of gross revenues for all of them. The studios will say, “well, what if we can’t make any profits only keeping 80% of gross revenues?” To which I would say, well, then, go out of business. If you can’t make a profit, then you’re too stupid to live. Someone will be smart enough to make money at this, and if it’s not you, well, too bad.
Funny how the Republican corporatists always seem to argue and scream and yell about personal responsibility, except when it comes to them? Why do I have to struggle to pay my bills while big companies get to whine to the government until they get massive tax breaks? Why is bankruptcy and poverty a good motivator for me, but not for a wealthy CEO?
Brilliant, brilliant Hardcore History by Dan Carlin this week, with special guest James Burke. Too good to summarize or otherwise relate here-just get it and listen. It's that good.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Happy...yeah, what that guy said
Listening: Eagles Live, “Hotel California”
Would be a neat song for Guitar Hero.
This group always makes me think of Nicole, who I lusted after briefly in high school. She was a huge Eagles fan. Never got anywhere with her, though-she was one of those people who just seem disinterested in human interaction.
Nicole Fredette, where are you now?
Simon is ill. I know he’ll recover, of course, but I can’t help feeling a little bit of the gnawing fear that accompanies any illness in a child. When my own was that age, the slightest symptom would send me into circles of paranoia. I hope Simon’s parents aren’t going through that, although I know, secretly, to some degree, they probably are.
Or maybe everyone in the world is not exactly like me? That’s another theory.
I guess the Eagles settled whatever issues they had with ITunes, because when I was adding “Long Time In Eden” (verdict so far: blah) to my ITunes, the Eagles’ back catalog popped up, which it never had before. So I bought Eagles:Live, which we used to listen to hour upon hour back in the Apothecary days, my first real job. Sold Kevin McHale a newspaper on my birthday, 1987, and it was straight downhill after that.
Interesting thing, though: ITunes treats the downloaded Eagles: Live as a single 15 song unit-not Disc 1 and Disc 2, as I assume it would be if you bought it in a store and ripped it. I went to change it to the second disc, when I realized there was no second entry.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry....oh, whatever.
I went to see The Golden Compass with my son today, and I can say without reservation that it is the very best movie I've seen this year.
It's wonderful. Beautiful, stunning, compelling, with an engaging story and compelling characters. I loved it.
As for the anti religiosity? Well, it's there, sort of. It is, frankly, critical of things about Christianity that need to be criticized-the silencing of dissent and the squelching of human desires.
It's wonderful. Beautiful, stunning, compelling, with an engaging story and compelling characters. I loved it.
As for the anti religiosity? Well, it's there, sort of. It is, frankly, critical of things about Christianity that need to be criticized-the silencing of dissent and the squelching of human desires.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Frayed Ends of Simon
December 21, 2007
According to Marketplace, today is “Humbug Day”. For me, every day is Humbug Day.
Listening to smart people talk about business theory and business behavior reinforces for me the idiocy of so much of modern management. It’s really not hard to run a good business-you just have to really want to and really care enough to do it right. It’s much easier to just pretend to do it, instead.
December 22, 2007
Listening to NPR’s “Word for Word”, I was impressed with how good a speaker Chris Dodd is. Overall, I would have no problem at all voting for any Democrat, whereas I would have a problem voting for virtually every Republican.
As if that weren’t obvious.
Benjamin Barber, author of “Consumed”, on Bill Moyer’s Journal:
“Capitalism is producing needs in order to sell us all the goods it produces.”
“Those with bucks don’t have any needs, and those with needs don’t have any bucks.”
The profit in capitalism is supposed to reward risk. With the government bailing out failing businesses like Long Term Capital Management and helping with the subprime mess, where’s the risk? Why does personal responsibility only apply to us and not to them?
Another excellent point-we went crazy about the sale of port security to Dubai Ports World, screaming about our sovereignty and our safety. Guess what? Our sovereignty is gone. China and the oil sheikhs have bought this country, and they can shut us down in the blink of an eyelash. Suppose China decides to stop buying US government bonds? We shut down. Not someday-tomorrow.
Yet the local news leads with ice skating. Sigh.
Another brilliant Dan Carlin program this week: “The problem with America is you.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. I decry our wasteful government spending-yet I’m in hock all the way up to my hair follicles. I know what’s wrong, but I am unable to do anything but whine about it.
The problem with America is me.
Carlin has another interesting argument-waste your vote, or you’re wasting your vote.
I’ll explain.
The current political system is so clogged with special interest money and rank corruption that, if you vote based on one of the major candidates’ beliefs, you won’t get what you want anyway. You may as well cast a protest vote for Gravel, or Kucinich, or Paul, because at least you know those men are honest, and they have a chance, if elected, to muck out the stalls.
And yet…I give money to a national organization that employs lobbyists to protect the interests of my profession, too. I am wrapped in contradiction.
I really am the problem.
December 23, 2007
Two days until Christmas. One day until I get to see Simon. Briefly, given the number of women that will be there.
I learned on “Seven Ages of Rock” last night that Motley Crue’s bass and drum sound on “Dr. Feelgood” was what inspired Metallica to hire him to produce the Black album. Listening to the two back to back, you can really hear a similarity that I never noticed before.
I also learned that Sting sings the intro, “I want my…I want my MTV…” on Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing”. According to my wife, everybody knew that-including dogs, cats, and certain species of fish-except me.
Now listening: Jet, “Cold Hard Bitch”
What a great, straightforward, no bullshit rock and roll song.
Reminds me of the book I’ve been trying to write for 10 years-a story of a guy in a band who gets accused of murder. I can’t count how many times I’ve started it and given up.
Also on last night’s “Seven Ages of Rock”, Michael Stipe told a story I have heard before, that he tried to get Kurt Cobain to come to Georgia to record some music with him, in order to try to get him out of the mental space he was in and hopefully, avert his eventual suicide. Obviously, that didn’t work, but just imagine the work that we missed out on as well….sigh.
Metallica, “Until It Sleeps”
“…And The Hate Still Shapes Me…”
“Frayed Ends Of Sanity”
My ANTHEM in high school.
“Old habits reappear/
Fighting the fear of fear…”
Tesla, “We Can Work It Out”
I forget how much I loved this band.
Metallica, “Bleeding Me”
“I am the beast that feeds the beast…”
Billy Joel, “Light As The Breeze”
(Yeah, I know it’s a cover.) If you don’t want to throw your beloved down on the nearest flat surface and ravish them after hearing this song, then you’re just not human.
Elton John, “Kiss The Bride”
GREAT song. One of the best “girl I love is marrying an idiot and not me” songs. A little bit ironic in light of Sir Elton’s personal preference, but they are Taupin’s words anyhow.
Nirvana, “Oh Me”
I get two sorts of reactions when I reveal that we are closing early tomorrow. Either people expect us to have been closed all weekend, or they are annoyed that we ever close at all.
I think, if you asked someone in charge why we’re open on Christmas Eve and not on Christmas Day, they would say that’s what their customers want. Media gives you the same answer-why the same parade of idiotic reality shows? Why is sports radio a bunch of louts arguing about senseless things? That’s what the viewers want.
I think that’s a load of crap. I don’t think they have any idea what people really want.
Or at least, they don’t have any idea what I really want.
Which is kind of the same thing.
The answer to what people want is everything-people want the shows that they like, being broadcast when they are available to watch them, and the stores open whenever they want to patronize them.
According to Marketplace, today is “Humbug Day”. For me, every day is Humbug Day.
Listening to smart people talk about business theory and business behavior reinforces for me the idiocy of so much of modern management. It’s really not hard to run a good business-you just have to really want to and really care enough to do it right. It’s much easier to just pretend to do it, instead.
December 22, 2007
Listening to NPR’s “Word for Word”, I was impressed with how good a speaker Chris Dodd is. Overall, I would have no problem at all voting for any Democrat, whereas I would have a problem voting for virtually every Republican.
As if that weren’t obvious.
Benjamin Barber, author of “Consumed”, on Bill Moyer’s Journal:
“Capitalism is producing needs in order to sell us all the goods it produces.”
“Those with bucks don’t have any needs, and those with needs don’t have any bucks.”
The profit in capitalism is supposed to reward risk. With the government bailing out failing businesses like Long Term Capital Management and helping with the subprime mess, where’s the risk? Why does personal responsibility only apply to us and not to them?
Another excellent point-we went crazy about the sale of port security to Dubai Ports World, screaming about our sovereignty and our safety. Guess what? Our sovereignty is gone. China and the oil sheikhs have bought this country, and they can shut us down in the blink of an eyelash. Suppose China decides to stop buying US government bonds? We shut down. Not someday-tomorrow.
Yet the local news leads with ice skating. Sigh.
Another brilliant Dan Carlin program this week: “The problem with America is you.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. I decry our wasteful government spending-yet I’m in hock all the way up to my hair follicles. I know what’s wrong, but I am unable to do anything but whine about it.
The problem with America is me.
Carlin has another interesting argument-waste your vote, or you’re wasting your vote.
I’ll explain.
The current political system is so clogged with special interest money and rank corruption that, if you vote based on one of the major candidates’ beliefs, you won’t get what you want anyway. You may as well cast a protest vote for Gravel, or Kucinich, or Paul, because at least you know those men are honest, and they have a chance, if elected, to muck out the stalls.
And yet…I give money to a national organization that employs lobbyists to protect the interests of my profession, too. I am wrapped in contradiction.
I really am the problem.
December 23, 2007
Two days until Christmas. One day until I get to see Simon. Briefly, given the number of women that will be there.
I learned on “Seven Ages of Rock” last night that Motley Crue’s bass and drum sound on “Dr. Feelgood” was what inspired Metallica to hire him to produce the Black album. Listening to the two back to back, you can really hear a similarity that I never noticed before.
I also learned that Sting sings the intro, “I want my…I want my MTV…” on Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing”. According to my wife, everybody knew that-including dogs, cats, and certain species of fish-except me.
Now listening: Jet, “Cold Hard Bitch”
What a great, straightforward, no bullshit rock and roll song.
Reminds me of the book I’ve been trying to write for 10 years-a story of a guy in a band who gets accused of murder. I can’t count how many times I’ve started it and given up.
Also on last night’s “Seven Ages of Rock”, Michael Stipe told a story I have heard before, that he tried to get Kurt Cobain to come to Georgia to record some music with him, in order to try to get him out of the mental space he was in and hopefully, avert his eventual suicide. Obviously, that didn’t work, but just imagine the work that we missed out on as well….sigh.
Metallica, “Until It Sleeps”
“…And The Hate Still Shapes Me…”
“Frayed Ends Of Sanity”
My ANTHEM in high school.
“Old habits reappear/
Fighting the fear of fear…”
Tesla, “We Can Work It Out”
I forget how much I loved this band.
Metallica, “Bleeding Me”
“I am the beast that feeds the beast…”
Billy Joel, “Light As The Breeze”
(Yeah, I know it’s a cover.) If you don’t want to throw your beloved down on the nearest flat surface and ravish them after hearing this song, then you’re just not human.
Elton John, “Kiss The Bride”
GREAT song. One of the best “girl I love is marrying an idiot and not me” songs. A little bit ironic in light of Sir Elton’s personal preference, but they are Taupin’s words anyhow.
Nirvana, “Oh Me”
I get two sorts of reactions when I reveal that we are closing early tomorrow. Either people expect us to have been closed all weekend, or they are annoyed that we ever close at all.
I think, if you asked someone in charge why we’re open on Christmas Eve and not on Christmas Day, they would say that’s what their customers want. Media gives you the same answer-why the same parade of idiotic reality shows? Why is sports radio a bunch of louts arguing about senseless things? That’s what the viewers want.
I think that’s a load of crap. I don’t think they have any idea what people really want.
Or at least, they don’t have any idea what I really want.
Which is kind of the same thing.
The answer to what people want is everything-people want the shows that they like, being broadcast when they are available to watch them, and the stores open whenever they want to patronize them.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Boobie
Another bizarre ending to an NBA game. Lakers at Cavs, less than 10 seconds left. Cavs lead 92-90. Kobe Bryant misses a three, which bounds out near the foul line. Cleveland's Daniel "Boobie" Gibson and LA's Derek Fisher go for the ball, which Fisher grabs with both hands. Gibson falls down, and Fisher is charged with a foul. Gibson makes two free throws, and the Lakers lose. By what stretch of the imagination is that a foul? As long as Fisher doesn't punch Gibson in the face, both players are entitled to the ball! It's this kind of thing that would make my head explode if I were a coach.
The Pass
December 20, 2007
I’ve been doing some reading about Clemens and the steroid thing, and it’s getting harder and harder to think he was innocent.
Like Bonds, there’s no proof he did anything, just the word of a guy out to save his own skin. Like Bonds, he put up unreal, historically good numbers at extremely advanced ages. Like Bonds, he went through unbelievable physical changes, going from a relatively thin, athletic youngster to a huge veteran, rippling with muscles. (And yes, we all changed over the years 1986-2006. But not like that.)
And now apparently Andy Pettitte has confirmed McNamee’s story, as far as it goes, with regard to himself. So are we to believe that McNamee is lying about Clemens and telling the truth about Pettitte?
And Curt Schilling, even if he does support John McCain, had an excellent point on his blog-if Schilling’s name were on that list, he says he would have been on the phone to his attorneys, demanding that they sue. Bonds hasn’t sued about Game of Shadows, and Clemens hasn’t sued about the Mitchell Report. That gives them a ring of truth. It’s the OJ thing again-if the mother of your children is viciously slaughtered, you present yourself at the police station the next morning, demanding that they pursue the killers. Easy for us to say, but if you truly are innocent, it seems to me you say so. Loudly. Every bloody chance you get. Especially if you are facing a Pete Rose-ish fade out where your significant accomplishments become overshadowed by your misdeeds to the point where we have to remind ourselves how good of a player you were. I have no trouble remembering how good Walter Johnson and Cy Young were.
Of course, we don’t know what effect these drugs have, not at all. But it seems somewhat silly, at the very least, to see a guy go from barely 200 wins and washed up to 356 and the greatest pitcher ever, pitching amazingly well, far better than anyone his age has pitched, and not think something is going on.
Marketplace just did a report on Spa-Dee-Dah, a chain of beauty salons that specialize in manicures, pedicures, and facials for kids. In Los Angeles. Go figure.
S.T.F.U., as my wife would put it.
James “Cool Papa” Bell is this week’s “Baseball History” podcast biography. What a great, great story and a great, great player. I wonder if anyone has ever done a book length biography of him? Ernie Lombardi needs one, too.
Now Listening, Rush, “The Pass”
God, this song used to mean SO MUCH to me.
“Straining on invisible chains…”
Is it pathetic to continually Google the same old girlfriend, hoping against hope that….what? What am I hoping? What the hell would I even say to her? What would I have to offer? It’s not like I’m about to leave my wife. What the hell do I want? What am I trying to accomplish?
“The act of a noble warrior/
Who’s lost the will to fight…”
“Don’t turn your back and slam the door on me…”
Talking about music truly is like dancing about architecture.
Listening: The Beatles, “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window”
Listening: The Eagles, "New York Minute" (Live)
"You better take a fool's advice/
Take care of your own/
'Cause one day they're here/
The next day they're gone."
I’ve been doing some reading about Clemens and the steroid thing, and it’s getting harder and harder to think he was innocent.
Like Bonds, there’s no proof he did anything, just the word of a guy out to save his own skin. Like Bonds, he put up unreal, historically good numbers at extremely advanced ages. Like Bonds, he went through unbelievable physical changes, going from a relatively thin, athletic youngster to a huge veteran, rippling with muscles. (And yes, we all changed over the years 1986-2006. But not like that.)
And now apparently Andy Pettitte has confirmed McNamee’s story, as far as it goes, with regard to himself. So are we to believe that McNamee is lying about Clemens and telling the truth about Pettitte?
And Curt Schilling, even if he does support John McCain, had an excellent point on his blog-if Schilling’s name were on that list, he says he would have been on the phone to his attorneys, demanding that they sue. Bonds hasn’t sued about Game of Shadows, and Clemens hasn’t sued about the Mitchell Report. That gives them a ring of truth. It’s the OJ thing again-if the mother of your children is viciously slaughtered, you present yourself at the police station the next morning, demanding that they pursue the killers. Easy for us to say, but if you truly are innocent, it seems to me you say so. Loudly. Every bloody chance you get. Especially if you are facing a Pete Rose-ish fade out where your significant accomplishments become overshadowed by your misdeeds to the point where we have to remind ourselves how good of a player you were. I have no trouble remembering how good Walter Johnson and Cy Young were.
Of course, we don’t know what effect these drugs have, not at all. But it seems somewhat silly, at the very least, to see a guy go from barely 200 wins and washed up to 356 and the greatest pitcher ever, pitching amazingly well, far better than anyone his age has pitched, and not think something is going on.
Marketplace just did a report on Spa-Dee-Dah, a chain of beauty salons that specialize in manicures, pedicures, and facials for kids. In Los Angeles. Go figure.
S.T.F.U., as my wife would put it.
James “Cool Papa” Bell is this week’s “Baseball History” podcast biography. What a great, great story and a great, great player. I wonder if anyone has ever done a book length biography of him? Ernie Lombardi needs one, too.
Now Listening, Rush, “The Pass”
God, this song used to mean SO MUCH to me.
“Straining on invisible chains…”
Is it pathetic to continually Google the same old girlfriend, hoping against hope that….what? What am I hoping? What the hell would I even say to her? What would I have to offer? It’s not like I’m about to leave my wife. What the hell do I want? What am I trying to accomplish?
“The act of a noble warrior/
Who’s lost the will to fight…”
“Don’t turn your back and slam the door on me…”
Talking about music truly is like dancing about architecture.
Listening: The Beatles, “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window”
Listening: The Eagles, "New York Minute" (Live)
"You better take a fool's advice/
Take care of your own/
'Cause one day they're here/
The next day they're gone."
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Celtic Pride
A really good Pistons-Celtics game tonight. Trailing 85-79, Boston gets a 3 pointer from Eddie House and a sideline fallaway one from Ray Allen to tie the score. They get a stop when Chauncey Billups turns it over in the lane with 5 seconds to go, but then Paul Pierce gets mugged on a drive, no call, and the Celtics turn it over again. Billups gets fouled by Tony Allen with 0.1 seconds left-a simple pump fake, and Allen is in the air, falling into Billups. Billups made both free throws. That illustrates an irritating thing about the NBA-the same rule is rigorously enforced one minute, then ignored the next. It would be impossible, of course, to call the rule book literally, but it makes it maddening, as a fan, to see a guy get clobbered and there is a no call.
Badlands
Listening: "Badlands", Bruce Springsteen
I have always loved Springsteen's idea about the Church of Rock and Roll. I've never seen him live, and I'm not sure I will ever get the chance at this point, but that idea of the music as salvation and the concert as the rite of purification has always resounded with me powerfully.
"It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive..."
I unintentionally learned that Jamie Lynn Spears, a 16 year old actress on Nickelodeon's Zoey 101 television show, not to mention the younger sister of human calamity Britney Spears, is pregnant.
Listening: "No Speak No Slave", Black Crowes
The Black Crowes seemed to get the Rock and Roll Church thing when they named their second album after a hymnal.
Most of the poorly punctuated commentary about the Spears situation seems to lament the situation, which I think any sensible person would, or blame her 19 year old boyfriend, going so far as to accuse him of rape, because, of course, a 15 or 16 year old girl can't possibly consent to sex.
No one would suggest that her pregnancy was a good or wise thing-she herself would probably agree to that. She's now a mother to be with limited future earnings (you think Nickelodeon is going to touch her with a ten foot pole now?) and a father with no discernible skills. You can even argue that her pregnancy argues that she was not capable of fully weighing the pros and cons. But to accuse this man of rape goes quite a bit beyond the pale. If I were 19 years old, and a girl who looked like Ms. Spears came on to me, I would have done whatever she said. And any other honest man would say the same. It's something that American culture doesn't want us to say, but that doesn't make it untrue.
In fact, in retrospect, when I was 19 years old, if I recall correctly, I was involved with a girl who was younger than I was as well. And like this poor chap, I did what I was told to do as well. I didn't get her pregnant, but I certainly could have, shall we say.
I have always loved Springsteen's idea about the Church of Rock and Roll. I've never seen him live, and I'm not sure I will ever get the chance at this point, but that idea of the music as salvation and the concert as the rite of purification has always resounded with me powerfully.
"It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive..."
I unintentionally learned that Jamie Lynn Spears, a 16 year old actress on Nickelodeon's Zoey 101 television show, not to mention the younger sister of human calamity Britney Spears, is pregnant.
Listening: "No Speak No Slave", Black Crowes
The Black Crowes seemed to get the Rock and Roll Church thing when they named their second album after a hymnal.
Most of the poorly punctuated commentary about the Spears situation seems to lament the situation, which I think any sensible person would, or blame her 19 year old boyfriend, going so far as to accuse him of rape, because, of course, a 15 or 16 year old girl can't possibly consent to sex.
No one would suggest that her pregnancy was a good or wise thing-she herself would probably agree to that. She's now a mother to be with limited future earnings (you think Nickelodeon is going to touch her with a ten foot pole now?) and a father with no discernible skills. You can even argue that her pregnancy argues that she was not capable of fully weighing the pros and cons. But to accuse this man of rape goes quite a bit beyond the pale. If I were 19 years old, and a girl who looked like Ms. Spears came on to me, I would have done whatever she said. And any other honest man would say the same. It's something that American culture doesn't want us to say, but that doesn't make it untrue.
In fact, in retrospect, when I was 19 years old, if I recall correctly, I was involved with a girl who was younger than I was as well. And like this poor chap, I did what I was told to do as well. I didn't get her pregnant, but I certainly could have, shall we say.
The Great Chipmunk
Josh Wilker has another couple of amazing posts up at cardboardgods.baseballtoaster.com
Listening: "Duets for One", Elton John
"He didn't say any more, but we've always been unusually communicative in a reserved way, and I understood that he meant a good deal more than that. In consequence, I'm inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores. The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality when it appears in a normal person, and so it came about that in college I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men. Most of the confidences were unsought-frequently I have feigned sleep, preoccupation, or a hostile levity when I realized by some unmistakable sign that an intimate revelation was quivering on the horizon; for the intimate revelations of young men, or at least the terms in which they express them, are usually plagiaristic and marred by obvious suppressions. Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope. I am still a little afraid of missing something if I forget that, as my father snobbishly suggested, and I snobbishly repeat, a sense of fundamental decenciesis parcelled out unequally at birth."
That's the third paragraph of The Great Gatsby. Someone (Kerouac?) wrote that they used to type pages of the classics, in order to feel what it felt like to write sentences like that. It does develop a rhythm of sorts, typing that kind of prose out.
I look at it and marvel at some of the constructions, every word seemingly exactly where it belongs. "A hostile levity", "intimate revelation was quivering on the horizon", "secret griefs of wild, unknown men"-you know exactly what he means. God, he was good.
I went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks today. It was cute enough. David Cross was pretty good as the villain.
Listening: "Duets for One", Elton John
"He didn't say any more, but we've always been unusually communicative in a reserved way, and I understood that he meant a good deal more than that. In consequence, I'm inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores. The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality when it appears in a normal person, and so it came about that in college I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men. Most of the confidences were unsought-frequently I have feigned sleep, preoccupation, or a hostile levity when I realized by some unmistakable sign that an intimate revelation was quivering on the horizon; for the intimate revelations of young men, or at least the terms in which they express them, are usually plagiaristic and marred by obvious suppressions. Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope. I am still a little afraid of missing something if I forget that, as my father snobbishly suggested, and I snobbishly repeat, a sense of fundamental decenciesis parcelled out unequally at birth."
That's the third paragraph of The Great Gatsby. Someone (Kerouac?) wrote that they used to type pages of the classics, in order to feel what it felt like to write sentences like that. It does develop a rhythm of sorts, typing that kind of prose out.
I look at it and marvel at some of the constructions, every word seemingly exactly where it belongs. "A hostile levity", "intimate revelation was quivering on the horizon", "secret griefs of wild, unknown men"-you know exactly what he means. God, he was good.
I went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks today. It was cute enough. David Cross was pretty good as the villain.
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