It's crazy how fast he is growing and how different he already looks.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Almost time to go
Okay, I haven't blogged in ages because A) I have a baby now, and apparently they actually require a pretty big time commitment, B), it's baseball season, which means I'm watching the Sox and playing lots of Diamond Mind, and C), it's crunch time for pre-production on Whiffleball. I leave on Monday to drive up to Chatham, via Brooklyn, where I'll be picking up co-star and co-producer extraordinaire Michael Poignand. Anyway, this will be a big, rambling blog hitting on lots of topics in no particular order.
TV: Did anyone happen to catch that show Drive on FOX? I loved it...so, naturally, FOX cancelled it after three episodes. Honestly, they couldn't possibly have done anything more to give this show no chance at success: for starters, they premiered it in April, when most things on the air are ramping up toward their season finales. That's terrible call number one. Then, they show the premiere on a Sunday night--horrible decision number two. Finally, they follow up the premiere two-parter with another episode the very next night. Now, I was anticipating this show literally more than anyone I know and this absurd scheduling even managed to screw me up, as I forgot to TiVo the Monday night ep right after the premiere. I even downloaded it from iTunes so I could watch it all. So there you go, FOX. Enjoy your cut of my 99 cents. This network is becoming an absolute joke.
So let's move on to happier TV stories. NBC has ordered half a dozen scripts for Friday Night Lights, and although that certainly isn't quite a rining endorsement for the show's future, at least it's something. HOWEVER (spoiler alert), I didn't like how they ended season one. Really, the only way to write it was to have Dillon lose the championship game. This would fit the tone of the show and it would give Coach Taylor real motivation to stay in town and finish what he started. I can see letting them win if the producers knew that the show had been or was going to be cancelled--fine, end it on a happy note. But where do they go from here now? Who knows. I just hope NBC gives us a chance to find out.
Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for the return of Studio 60. If NBC has a clue, they should renew the show for another season immediately, as how the show fares now really has no bearing on anything. It's been off the schedule for weeks and they are throwing it back on late, on a different night, so what do they expect? Maybe it will do great numbers on Thursday, but that shouldn't be the deciding factor on if it returns. Just renew it already. It's a brilliant show.
I'm loving this season of The Sopranos and I honestly have no idea how it is going to end...and I love that. There isn't much out of the realm of possibility at this point: Tony in jail, Tony turns state's evidence, Tony gets killed by someone from New York, Tony gets it from someone in his own crew (Christopher???)...who knows. I can't wait to see how it all ends.
So, the Red Sox are pretty good. I thought that everything was in place for them to get out to a hot start and for the Yankees to flounder and that's exactly what has happened. I don't think that our out-of-this-world pitching can be expected to keep up this pace--a team ERA of 3.28 in the AL East is just ungodly--but clearly the staff is in good shape from top to bottom. Beckett has turned the corner and Okajima is the second great bullpen arm that we've been missing since...well, since Mike Timlin was younger and better. When the weather warms up our hitting will get even better, so all in all I'm really, really happy with how things look right now. Meanwhile, Roger Clemens has all but cemened the fact that his plaque in Cooperstown should have a dollar sign on the cap. And to think that I talked myself into getting excited for the happy ending if he signed with us. My bad. He remains nothing more than a greedy villain in pinstripes. When October rolls around enjoy coming up short once again, Rocket.
TV: Did anyone happen to catch that show Drive on FOX? I loved it...so, naturally, FOX cancelled it after three episodes. Honestly, they couldn't possibly have done anything more to give this show no chance at success: for starters, they premiered it in April, when most things on the air are ramping up toward their season finales. That's terrible call number one. Then, they show the premiere on a Sunday night--horrible decision number two. Finally, they follow up the premiere two-parter with another episode the very next night. Now, I was anticipating this show literally more than anyone I know and this absurd scheduling even managed to screw me up, as I forgot to TiVo the Monday night ep right after the premiere. I even downloaded it from iTunes so I could watch it all. So there you go, FOX. Enjoy your cut of my 99 cents. This network is becoming an absolute joke.
So let's move on to happier TV stories. NBC has ordered half a dozen scripts for Friday Night Lights, and although that certainly isn't quite a rining endorsement for the show's future, at least it's something. HOWEVER (spoiler alert), I didn't like how they ended season one. Really, the only way to write it was to have Dillon lose the championship game. This would fit the tone of the show and it would give Coach Taylor real motivation to stay in town and finish what he started. I can see letting them win if the producers knew that the show had been or was going to be cancelled--fine, end it on a happy note. But where do they go from here now? Who knows. I just hope NBC gives us a chance to find out.
Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for the return of Studio 60. If NBC has a clue, they should renew the show for another season immediately, as how the show fares now really has no bearing on anything. It's been off the schedule for weeks and they are throwing it back on late, on a different night, so what do they expect? Maybe it will do great numbers on Thursday, but that shouldn't be the deciding factor on if it returns. Just renew it already. It's a brilliant show.
I'm loving this season of The Sopranos and I honestly have no idea how it is going to end...and I love that. There isn't much out of the realm of possibility at this point: Tony in jail, Tony turns state's evidence, Tony gets killed by someone from New York, Tony gets it from someone in his own crew (Christopher???)...who knows. I can't wait to see how it all ends.
So, the Red Sox are pretty good. I thought that everything was in place for them to get out to a hot start and for the Yankees to flounder and that's exactly what has happened. I don't think that our out-of-this-world pitching can be expected to keep up this pace--a team ERA of 3.28 in the AL East is just ungodly--but clearly the staff is in good shape from top to bottom. Beckett has turned the corner and Okajima is the second great bullpen arm that we've been missing since...well, since Mike Timlin was younger and better. When the weather warms up our hitting will get even better, so all in all I'm really, really happy with how things look right now. Meanwhile, Roger Clemens has all but cemened the fact that his plaque in Cooperstown should have a dollar sign on the cap. And to think that I talked myself into getting excited for the happy ending if he signed with us. My bad. He remains nothing more than a greedy villain in pinstripes. When October rolls around enjoy coming up short once again, Rocket.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Opening Day
AJ's first opening day was a pretty disappointing one for the Red Sox. Schill just never looked comfortable. He has been experimenting with a new change up and he admits that he still struggles with it from time to time--and today was clearly one of those times. The goal of adding this to his repertoire is for him to pitch to contact more, as his fastball and split are his strikeout pitches, and that idea makes sense for a guy of his age. But if things go like they did today, he is going to have to change course. And thanks to his blog, 38 Pitches, I now know more about his process and his results than ever before, and it is great. Check it out if you haven't done so yet. He even his a post-game post up already.
Here's something I have always hated about opening day: the day off immediately after the opener. The Red Sox almost always have this, and it drives me nuts, because if they won, you want to keep the momentum going, and if they lost, then you just cannot wait to get game two underway. This year is no different.
I have a new favorite website, and if you are a baseball fan that hates some of the same broadcasters I do and the asinine statements they make then I implore you to check it out immediately. It's called FIRE JOE MORGAN. Enough said right there, really. Start by checking out their glossary and then just page through some of their recent posts. It is brilliant baseball stuff and it's also absolutely hilarious. Trying to describe exactly what they do there won't even do it justice, so just go check it out.
Here's something I have always hated about opening day: the day off immediately after the opener. The Red Sox almost always have this, and it drives me nuts, because if they won, you want to keep the momentum going, and if they lost, then you just cannot wait to get game two underway. This year is no different.
I have a new favorite website, and if you are a baseball fan that hates some of the same broadcasters I do and the asinine statements they make then I implore you to check it out immediately. It's called FIRE JOE MORGAN. Enough said right there, really. Start by checking out their glossary and then just page through some of their recent posts. It is brilliant baseball stuff and it's also absolutely hilarious. Trying to describe exactly what they do there won't even do it justice, so just go check it out.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
AJ
At 6:12 PM on Monday, March 19, 2007, Alexander James McCandless was born. He arrived via c-section almost two weeks early and he checked in at 7 pounds, 1 ounce and 20 inches, which I'm sure comes way under in any over/under wagers. But I am quite confident that he will catch up in no time. Beth and AJ are both home now and doing great. He is amazing.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The baby and the movie
I could be a dad any day now. I had to stop and read that sentence again, as it is still sinking in nearly nine months later. All is going well, and all indications are that the baby could arrive any day now, or he could hold off for a few more weeks. Personally, I think it's the latter, but I'm not really basing that on anything. But the waiting process is getting weird, because there are so few times in life that something happens in which you have absolutely no experience or frame of reference. Usually, anything anyone does is at least similar to something else...but not this. I can't wait.
I'm also directing another movie this spring. Beth has graciously given me the green light to take a few weeks so the Chatham Light Productions boys and I are headed up to Cape Cod to shoot our comedy called "Whiffleball." It's another no-budget, guerilla production and we're really looking forward to it. Right now we're just about 100% locked on the script and we're knee deep in pre-production which, in our case, means trying to take care of any single detail that we can handle without actually being in Chatham to do so...which is pretty tough. We've got several of the major roles cast but we also have a few key parts still up for grabs, with no obvious candidates in the mix. We've also got some locations to secure, wardrobe and props to acquire, and a schedule to make. It's actually been nice to have this to occupy my brain and keep me from wondering when the baby will arrive. But we're now just shy of two months out from when we start shooting and all of the little things need to start falling into place. So if you're going to be around Cape Cod in mid-May, give me a shout. We can use some extras.
I'm also directing another movie this spring. Beth has graciously given me the green light to take a few weeks so the Chatham Light Productions boys and I are headed up to Cape Cod to shoot our comedy called "Whiffleball." It's another no-budget, guerilla production and we're really looking forward to it. Right now we're just about 100% locked on the script and we're knee deep in pre-production which, in our case, means trying to take care of any single detail that we can handle without actually being in Chatham to do so...which is pretty tough. We've got several of the major roles cast but we also have a few key parts still up for grabs, with no obvious candidates in the mix. We've also got some locations to secure, wardrobe and props to acquire, and a schedule to make. It's actually been nice to have this to occupy my brain and keep me from wondering when the baby will arrive. But we're now just shy of two months out from when we start shooting and all of the little things need to start falling into place. So if you're going to be around Cape Cod in mid-May, give me a shout. We can use some extras.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The Sox in Spring - What I'm Watching
With pitchers and catchers in camp and the obligatory “where is Manny?” story already settled, I figure it’s time to take a look at 20 things I’ll be watching regarding the 2007 Boston Red Sox. In no particular order:
1. Curt Schilling. I still think that the Sox will get something done with Curt before season’s end if they do want to bring him back for 2008. $13 million for a guy like that is suddenly a bargain in the post-Gil Meche market, but I can also certainly understand why they might want to see him in action before shelling out guaranteed cash for a 40 year old beefy right-hander that has been less than his ace-line self the past two seasons. If Curt has a strong spring and start to the season, I think Theo gets the deal inked, despite the current talk.
2. Will Josh Beckett turn the corner? Last year was an interesting one for him, as he tallied career highs in several key categories despite being pretty inconsistent, surprisingly wild, and susceptible to the long ball. The bottom line is that pitching in the AL East is a far cry from some of the AAAA rosters Beckett got to feast on in Florida. Hoping for a sub-4 ERA just might be too much to ask, but I do think his numbers will be stronger across the board with one year in Boston under his belt. Indications are already good that Beckett looks stellar in camp, spotting his fastball well and lower in the zone. That’s a good sign.
3. Welcome, Daisuke Matsuzaka. Ahh, Dice-K. I really love this guy already. His attitude seems phenomenal and the absurd media coverage doesn’t seem to faze him a bit. I was ecstatic when we got him and I think he’s going to be every bit as good as people hope…and even better. I say that he wins 20+ games and the Cy Young. And he’ll be exciting as hell to watch.
4. Jonathan Papelbon’s transition to the rotation is one of the key moves of the Sox off-season, mainly because it leaves such a glaring hole at the back of the bullpen. The Sox have entered the season without a closer as recently as 2003 and that didn’t exactly work out like anyone hoped it would. I’d love to keep Paps as the closer and I’m sketchy about the medical diagnosis. Is throwing three to four times as many innings really going to be better for his shoulder? I won’t be surprised at all if he ends up back in the pen. I’d welcome the move.
5. Tim Wakefield. Last year was a rare down season for the ageless knuckleballer. Will he revert to his usual form? Granted, he’s about as solid a fifth starter as anybody’s got these days. But if he can just bounce back to his 2005-level stats—33 starts, 225 innings—then the Sox are in really, really good shape.
6. Is Joel Piniero closer material? I honestly have no idea at this point, and this is exactly the kind of storyline that can get blown out of control one way or the other based on what he does in March. If he starts lighting it up and striking out a bunch of AAAA non-prospects, then everyone will get fired up and rave about the brilliance of the signing. But if he gets lit up just a couple of times, Shaughnessy and the other jackals will be crucifying him before the season even starts. Tough spot here. He doesn’t feel like a closer to me, but stranger things have happened.
7. Mike Timlin is the most reliable veteran arm we have in the bullpen but he really took a step backward last season. Most people attribute some of the trouble to his pitching in the WBC, and that could certainly be the case. He’s a warrior and we’re counting on him to have an important role in the pen this year but he’s not getting any younger. If last season’s stat line becomes the status quo or, worse, Timlin continues to slide, it could cause some real problems early in the season.
8. What’s the deal with Craig Hansen? There was so much hype about this guy coming out of St. John’s that my expectations were set way too high, but I’m not the only one. His brief minor league numbers were ridiculously good and insiders made it seem like just a matter of time before Hansen turned into vintage Robb Nen. Right now it seems like he is destined to start the year in Pawtucket but we’re going to need him to contribute, and soon.
9. Manny Delcarmen had a weird year last season, and those who look really closely at the numbers seems to think that he was basically unlucky, with an inordinately high batting average on balls in play number. His other peripherals were great across the board (almost a 3-1 Ks to BB ratio, nearly 1 K/IP, and only 2 HRs allowed all year). I think he makes the team coming out of camp and grabs a key role, probably as a go-to guy in the 7th and 8th innings.
10. Hideki Okajima is often forgotten thanks to all the hype that his fellow countryman is drawing, and that’s probably fine. From the few clips I’ve seen of him on YouTube, it seems like Okaji is going to be a great situational lefty out of the pen, a guy that can really eat up lefties. His curveball looks fantastic. He might be a sleeper candidate for closer, if only because major leaguers haven’t seen him yet, and that worked for the Dodgers and unheralded Takashi Saito last season (6-2, 24 saves, 2.07 ERA, 107 Ks in 78.1 IP).
11. Jon Lester seems like his comeback is right on track, and it’s impossible not to pull for the guy after what he went through last season. He’s another guy probably bound for the Pawtucket-to-Boston-and-back shuttle, but if he is really healthy and all the way back he’ll be the first guy we call on when a starter goes down. And if last year taught us anything, it’s that there is no such thing as too much starting pitching. He’ll be in the rotation for good by this time next season.
12. Kevin Youkilis stepped in to the starting lineup and stayed there, but his production really fell off in the second half (.245 avg. from July on). Reports say that he is in much better shape in order to withstand the rigors of the long season, and that’s good, because he is a key piece of the batting order. He deserves credit for doing whatever Tito asked of him during the Titanicesque 2006 swoon, including playing LF when he was banged up and had no business being on the field. I’d like to see him at leadoff or in the #2 hole because his OBP is so good. If we end up swinging a deal for Todd Helton, then Youks slides over to 3B. If not, then he’ll give us solid production at the right price at 1B. His glove work last year was a nice surprise too.
13. Dustin Pedroia is getting every shot at the starting 2B job this spring and I think he’s going to grab it. Granted, I’m a little biased since he’s an ASU guy, but his attitude is just great…David Eckstein is the comparison most people make, and that guy just won his second ring and a World Series MVP. If Pedroia gets there and he’s our #9 hitter, then our lineup will be in great shape. Pedroia apparently worked out like crazy in the off-season, shedding around 20 pounds. My only concern is that Shaughnessy and the other buzzards will pounce if Pedroia has a slow start. And if anything truly bad happens, we’ve got Cora waiting in the wings.
14. Julio Lugo was one of our big winter free agent signings and steps in at SS. He’s been an underrated player for a long time and he should really flourish at the top of this order. I figure he’ll easily set a career high in runs (his best is 93) no matter where he hits in the lineup. He’ll also knock double-digit homers and swipe a few bags. I’ll miss the A-Gonz defense, but Lugo is a great fit.
15. Mike Lowell just needs to match what he did last season: .284-20-80 with very solid defense. This came as kind of a surprise to some after Lowell’s career-worst 2005 season. If a Helton deal materializes, he’ll almost certainly be a piece of it. If not, he should bat 6th or 7th most nights and be a solid part of this team.
16. I love Manny Ramirez, and I don’t understand why the rabid Boston media continues to try to construct stories where none exist. He is what he is. Everyone knows what to expect: a flaky attitude, a late arrival to camp, a mini-drama in the middle of the season, another one towards the end of the year…oh, and .300-35-120 and a first ballot election to the Hall of Fame. It’s that last part that counts. Initially the phrase “Manny being Manny” was crafted to try to explain his space cadet behavior, but I think at this point it just sums up the whole package. I don’t think there is another right handed outfielder in the league that I’d rather have. Batting fourth, and contending for the MVP…Manny Ramirez.
17. Coco Crisp is my pick for Red Sox comeback player of the year. The finger injury clearly hampered him all year after he came back, but I think people are underestimating what he can mean to this team. I especially like the talk of batting him lower in the order, because taking the pressure off of him leading off could help, plus he’ll get a lot more opportunities to steal bases in the lower third of the order. Sure, his arm in centerfield leaves a little bit to be desired but the same thing can be said about the most recent former resident of that position, and we did alright with that long haired, bearded freak. Coco, we believe. He’ll post a monster line in 2007.
18. Sportswriters love to talk about how JD Drew and Boston just aren’t the right fit, and maybe they’re not. What I do know is that Drew has pure talent and if he can stay on the field he’ll be a big upgrade for us both at the plate and in the field. Playing RF at Fenway is one of the toughest defensive gigs in all of baseball but I think Drew will eventually be up to the challenge. And he’ll certainly be better than Trot Nixon has been recently. I love Trot, but his immobility really started to turn him into a defensive liability at the end. There’s a lot of pressure on Drew to play stellar defense and hit fifth in the order. I think he’s up to the task.
19. I cannot say a bad word about Jason Varitek. I know that we overpaid on his contract, and I know that 35 year old catchers don’t normally produce much. But if there is anyone that can bounce back, it’s Tek. His 2006 stat line was brutal: a career low batting average and basically the worst production across the board since he got hurt in 2001. But honestly, I don’t care. He will be better, and his handling of our pitching staff just doesn’t show up in the box score. Bat him eighth, give him more days off, whatever. He’s The Captain for a reason. Tek will be fine.
20. There really isn’t a lot to say about David Ortiz that hasn’t been said. His clutch performances are outright ridiculous and the guy is just more fun to watch than probably any Red Sox player I’ve ever seen. It also looks like he slimmed down a little in the off season, so maybe he is wise to the Mo Vaughn comparisons, thank god. Papi will hit 60 bombs and win the MVP this year. Book it.
1. Curt Schilling. I still think that the Sox will get something done with Curt before season’s end if they do want to bring him back for 2008. $13 million for a guy like that is suddenly a bargain in the post-Gil Meche market, but I can also certainly understand why they might want to see him in action before shelling out guaranteed cash for a 40 year old beefy right-hander that has been less than his ace-line self the past two seasons. If Curt has a strong spring and start to the season, I think Theo gets the deal inked, despite the current talk.
2. Will Josh Beckett turn the corner? Last year was an interesting one for him, as he tallied career highs in several key categories despite being pretty inconsistent, surprisingly wild, and susceptible to the long ball. The bottom line is that pitching in the AL East is a far cry from some of the AAAA rosters Beckett got to feast on in Florida. Hoping for a sub-4 ERA just might be too much to ask, but I do think his numbers will be stronger across the board with one year in Boston under his belt. Indications are already good that Beckett looks stellar in camp, spotting his fastball well and lower in the zone. That’s a good sign.
3. Welcome, Daisuke Matsuzaka. Ahh, Dice-K. I really love this guy already. His attitude seems phenomenal and the absurd media coverage doesn’t seem to faze him a bit. I was ecstatic when we got him and I think he’s going to be every bit as good as people hope…and even better. I say that he wins 20+ games and the Cy Young. And he’ll be exciting as hell to watch.
4. Jonathan Papelbon’s transition to the rotation is one of the key moves of the Sox off-season, mainly because it leaves such a glaring hole at the back of the bullpen. The Sox have entered the season without a closer as recently as 2003 and that didn’t exactly work out like anyone hoped it would. I’d love to keep Paps as the closer and I’m sketchy about the medical diagnosis. Is throwing three to four times as many innings really going to be better for his shoulder? I won’t be surprised at all if he ends up back in the pen. I’d welcome the move.
5. Tim Wakefield. Last year was a rare down season for the ageless knuckleballer. Will he revert to his usual form? Granted, he’s about as solid a fifth starter as anybody’s got these days. But if he can just bounce back to his 2005-level stats—33 starts, 225 innings—then the Sox are in really, really good shape.
6. Is Joel Piniero closer material? I honestly have no idea at this point, and this is exactly the kind of storyline that can get blown out of control one way or the other based on what he does in March. If he starts lighting it up and striking out a bunch of AAAA non-prospects, then everyone will get fired up and rave about the brilliance of the signing. But if he gets lit up just a couple of times, Shaughnessy and the other jackals will be crucifying him before the season even starts. Tough spot here. He doesn’t feel like a closer to me, but stranger things have happened.
7. Mike Timlin is the most reliable veteran arm we have in the bullpen but he really took a step backward last season. Most people attribute some of the trouble to his pitching in the WBC, and that could certainly be the case. He’s a warrior and we’re counting on him to have an important role in the pen this year but he’s not getting any younger. If last season’s stat line becomes the status quo or, worse, Timlin continues to slide, it could cause some real problems early in the season.
8. What’s the deal with Craig Hansen? There was so much hype about this guy coming out of St. John’s that my expectations were set way too high, but I’m not the only one. His brief minor league numbers were ridiculously good and insiders made it seem like just a matter of time before Hansen turned into vintage Robb Nen. Right now it seems like he is destined to start the year in Pawtucket but we’re going to need him to contribute, and soon.
9. Manny Delcarmen had a weird year last season, and those who look really closely at the numbers seems to think that he was basically unlucky, with an inordinately high batting average on balls in play number. His other peripherals were great across the board (almost a 3-1 Ks to BB ratio, nearly 1 K/IP, and only 2 HRs allowed all year). I think he makes the team coming out of camp and grabs a key role, probably as a go-to guy in the 7th and 8th innings.
10. Hideki Okajima is often forgotten thanks to all the hype that his fellow countryman is drawing, and that’s probably fine. From the few clips I’ve seen of him on YouTube, it seems like Okaji is going to be a great situational lefty out of the pen, a guy that can really eat up lefties. His curveball looks fantastic. He might be a sleeper candidate for closer, if only because major leaguers haven’t seen him yet, and that worked for the Dodgers and unheralded Takashi Saito last season (6-2, 24 saves, 2.07 ERA, 107 Ks in 78.1 IP).
11. Jon Lester seems like his comeback is right on track, and it’s impossible not to pull for the guy after what he went through last season. He’s another guy probably bound for the Pawtucket-to-Boston-and-back shuttle, but if he is really healthy and all the way back he’ll be the first guy we call on when a starter goes down. And if last year taught us anything, it’s that there is no such thing as too much starting pitching. He’ll be in the rotation for good by this time next season.
12. Kevin Youkilis stepped in to the starting lineup and stayed there, but his production really fell off in the second half (.245 avg. from July on). Reports say that he is in much better shape in order to withstand the rigors of the long season, and that’s good, because he is a key piece of the batting order. He deserves credit for doing whatever Tito asked of him during the Titanicesque 2006 swoon, including playing LF when he was banged up and had no business being on the field. I’d like to see him at leadoff or in the #2 hole because his OBP is so good. If we end up swinging a deal for Todd Helton, then Youks slides over to 3B. If not, then he’ll give us solid production at the right price at 1B. His glove work last year was a nice surprise too.
13. Dustin Pedroia is getting every shot at the starting 2B job this spring and I think he’s going to grab it. Granted, I’m a little biased since he’s an ASU guy, but his attitude is just great…David Eckstein is the comparison most people make, and that guy just won his second ring and a World Series MVP. If Pedroia gets there and he’s our #9 hitter, then our lineup will be in great shape. Pedroia apparently worked out like crazy in the off-season, shedding around 20 pounds. My only concern is that Shaughnessy and the other buzzards will pounce if Pedroia has a slow start. And if anything truly bad happens, we’ve got Cora waiting in the wings.
14. Julio Lugo was one of our big winter free agent signings and steps in at SS. He’s been an underrated player for a long time and he should really flourish at the top of this order. I figure he’ll easily set a career high in runs (his best is 93) no matter where he hits in the lineup. He’ll also knock double-digit homers and swipe a few bags. I’ll miss the A-Gonz defense, but Lugo is a great fit.
15. Mike Lowell just needs to match what he did last season: .284-20-80 with very solid defense. This came as kind of a surprise to some after Lowell’s career-worst 2005 season. If a Helton deal materializes, he’ll almost certainly be a piece of it. If not, he should bat 6th or 7th most nights and be a solid part of this team.
16. I love Manny Ramirez, and I don’t understand why the rabid Boston media continues to try to construct stories where none exist. He is what he is. Everyone knows what to expect: a flaky attitude, a late arrival to camp, a mini-drama in the middle of the season, another one towards the end of the year…oh, and .300-35-120 and a first ballot election to the Hall of Fame. It’s that last part that counts. Initially the phrase “Manny being Manny” was crafted to try to explain his space cadet behavior, but I think at this point it just sums up the whole package. I don’t think there is another right handed outfielder in the league that I’d rather have. Batting fourth, and contending for the MVP…Manny Ramirez.
17. Coco Crisp is my pick for Red Sox comeback player of the year. The finger injury clearly hampered him all year after he came back, but I think people are underestimating what he can mean to this team. I especially like the talk of batting him lower in the order, because taking the pressure off of him leading off could help, plus he’ll get a lot more opportunities to steal bases in the lower third of the order. Sure, his arm in centerfield leaves a little bit to be desired but the same thing can be said about the most recent former resident of that position, and we did alright with that long haired, bearded freak. Coco, we believe. He’ll post a monster line in 2007.
18. Sportswriters love to talk about how JD Drew and Boston just aren’t the right fit, and maybe they’re not. What I do know is that Drew has pure talent and if he can stay on the field he’ll be a big upgrade for us both at the plate and in the field. Playing RF at Fenway is one of the toughest defensive gigs in all of baseball but I think Drew will eventually be up to the challenge. And he’ll certainly be better than Trot Nixon has been recently. I love Trot, but his immobility really started to turn him into a defensive liability at the end. There’s a lot of pressure on Drew to play stellar defense and hit fifth in the order. I think he’s up to the task.
19. I cannot say a bad word about Jason Varitek. I know that we overpaid on his contract, and I know that 35 year old catchers don’t normally produce much. But if there is anyone that can bounce back, it’s Tek. His 2006 stat line was brutal: a career low batting average and basically the worst production across the board since he got hurt in 2001. But honestly, I don’t care. He will be better, and his handling of our pitching staff just doesn’t show up in the box score. Bat him eighth, give him more days off, whatever. He’s The Captain for a reason. Tek will be fine.
20. There really isn’t a lot to say about David Ortiz that hasn’t been said. His clutch performances are outright ridiculous and the guy is just more fun to watch than probably any Red Sox player I’ve ever seen. It also looks like he slimmed down a little in the off season, so maybe he is wise to the Mo Vaughn comparisons, thank god. Papi will hit 60 bombs and win the MVP this year. Book it.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Not-so-Super wrap up
The best thing about that Super Bowl was that I went 5-for-6 on my bets, losing only the first TD scorer wager (which clinched me another bet at the same time). The game was fairly decent for a while but it didn't seem especially memorable in any way. Of course I'm clearly biased now, as any non-Patriots Super Bowl feels that way. But didn't Peyton Manning seem less than enthused when it was all over? Dude, you just won the Super Bowl...enjoy it! Crack a smile, fist pump, yell, scream, show some emotion. That made me like him even less. Whatever. The Pats will be back in the Bowl next season.
Ten days until pitchers and catchers report. I can't wait for the annual Boston media coverage of the truck leaving town with the equipment.
Ten days until pitchers and catchers report. I can't wait for the annual Boston media coverage of the truck leaving town with the equipment.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Super Bowl XLI wagers
Thomas Jones OVER 87.5 combined rushing/receiving yards
Thomas Jones to score first TD (6-1)
There will be a defensive or special teams TD (3-2)
Rex Grossman OVER 17.5 completions
First offensive play of game will be more than 28.5 yards from goal line
TEASER: BEARS +14 and game total under 53.5
GO BEARS!
Thomas Jones to score first TD (6-1)
There will be a defensive or special teams TD (3-2)
Rex Grossman OVER 17.5 completions
First offensive play of game will be more than 28.5 yards from goal line
TEASER: BEARS +14 and game total under 53.5
GO BEARS!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
A tale of two teams
What a game for the Patriots on Sunday. I almost felt bad for the Chargers, watching them give the game away in such painful fashion...until they started bitching about it like spoiled little children. Get over it. I love that they tried to accuse the Patriots of lacking class for making fun of a stupid sack dance that is absolutely classless in the first place. Merriman is a cheater and a punk and I'm glad that we got to shove it in his face a little bit. Meanwhile, Landanian Tomlinson is getting a pass on the whole thing because he is "a good guy" and "a class act." But is he really? Ladanian, you got beat. Get over it and get over yourself.
So we've got Pats-Colts again, and obviously the Patriots are going to win this one too. I feel a little bit bad for Peyton Mannning because the national media, and maybe even his own fans, are going to really crush the guy if he loses this week. This one should be another tight game, probably going down to the fourth quarter just like last week. I think that Brady will have a better game, the running game will be a little more successful, and the defense will do enough to contain the Colts offense, which just hasn't been as explosive lately. Pats win by six, sealing the game with an interception late in the fourth quarter.
As for the Super Bowl potential match ups, I'm torn. If the Pats were to lose then I definitely want the Saints to win. But if we do take care of business then I'd almost feel bad about having to beat New Orleans in the Super Bowl. We'd be the clear-cut villains in that scenario and it would be a little weird. So I almost hope that the Bears get in so we can just slap them around.
At the other end of the spectrum is the drama around the Arkansas Razorbacks, who lost their offensive coordinator and their freshman QB this week. It's absurd. Mitch Mustain was the best high school player in the country, a prospect so good that Arkansas wisely hired his old high school coach just to secure the guy. And the coach in question, Gus Malzahn, opened things up and finally gave Razorback fans something to get excited about. Mustain was 8-0 as a starter during the great run the Hogs had...and then somehow it all went wrong. Idiot head coach Houston Nutt benched Mustain and reigned in Malzahn's play-calling duties. WHY? I have no idea. Now Malzahn has bolted to Tulsa of all places, with Mustain probably following him out the door. I'm not really a Hogs fan yet but as somebody who has started to go to games and follow the team, this is simply tragic. Does this mean that 2007 will be a return to the completely predicatable offense that drove fans crazy before? My wife, a diehard Razorback fan, now hopes that everything falls apart next season just so the school will have to fire Nutt. It's a sad state of affairs but that might be the best thing that could happen. What a mess.
So we've got Pats-Colts again, and obviously the Patriots are going to win this one too. I feel a little bit bad for Peyton Mannning because the national media, and maybe even his own fans, are going to really crush the guy if he loses this week. This one should be another tight game, probably going down to the fourth quarter just like last week. I think that Brady will have a better game, the running game will be a little more successful, and the defense will do enough to contain the Colts offense, which just hasn't been as explosive lately. Pats win by six, sealing the game with an interception late in the fourth quarter.
As for the Super Bowl potential match ups, I'm torn. If the Pats were to lose then I definitely want the Saints to win. But if we do take care of business then I'd almost feel bad about having to beat New Orleans in the Super Bowl. We'd be the clear-cut villains in that scenario and it would be a little weird. So I almost hope that the Bears get in so we can just slap them around.
At the other end of the spectrum is the drama around the Arkansas Razorbacks, who lost their offensive coordinator and their freshman QB this week. It's absurd. Mitch Mustain was the best high school player in the country, a prospect so good that Arkansas wisely hired his old high school coach just to secure the guy. And the coach in question, Gus Malzahn, opened things up and finally gave Razorback fans something to get excited about. Mustain was 8-0 as a starter during the great run the Hogs had...and then somehow it all went wrong. Idiot head coach Houston Nutt benched Mustain and reigned in Malzahn's play-calling duties. WHY? I have no idea. Now Malzahn has bolted to Tulsa of all places, with Mustain probably following him out the door. I'm not really a Hogs fan yet but as somebody who has started to go to games and follow the team, this is simply tragic. Does this mean that 2007 will be a return to the completely predicatable offense that drove fans crazy before? My wife, a diehard Razorback fan, now hopes that everything falls apart next season just so the school will have to fire Nutt. It's a sad state of affairs but that might be the best thing that could happen. What a mess.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Pats-Bolts
The Patriots game on Sunday should be quite a matchup. All things considered, I think I feel as good about it as I possibly could when going on the road to face a #1 seed with a 14-2 record. Obviously the Chargers have a great team, as their roster is littered with Pro Bowl players on both sides of the ball, but the two reasons I think the Pats will pull it out give us a huge advantage: quarterback and coach. Brady's record clearly speaks for itself, while Phillip Rivers will be playing his first ever playoff game. Meanwhile Bill Belichick is the best head coach in the league, whereas Marty Schottenheimer has an all-time playoff record of 5-12 and hasn't won a big game in over a decade. I have faith that Belichick will find a defensive scheme to get the job done and that Brady will lead the offense to a solid win. Pats by 7.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Holiday leftovers
* Dad's famous baked stuffed shrimp for Christmas Eve dinner were maybe the best ever. He made two kinds, including one with some fancy (read: expensive) Italian bread crumbs. I thought they tasted a little better, but then again I doubt I could have told the difference in a blind taste test. Dessert was a ridiculously good peppermint-chocolate trifle that mom made.
* Christmas dinner: prime rib. Awesome.
* Christmas Day: great fun with the whole family.
Except we picked up some terrible head cold from the kids...which seems to happen a lot. It got worse the following weekend, when we went back up to Memphis and then on to Nashville for the Patriots-Titans game. The morning of the game I was so stuffed up that I literally couldn't sleep--a huge rarity for me--and ended up roaming the streets at 6 AM looking for anything that might help. I got some Sudafed and juice at a nearby Courtyard Marriot mini-store. Luckily I actually felt better at the game, which was a blast. We had seats in a very cool handicap accessible section which gave us extra leg room. Our entire row seemed to be Pats fans.
Back in Little Rock, we went to the doctor on Tuesday and Beth and I have been on antibiotics ever since. Usually when I get a bad cold it sucks for 3-4 days and then it's done but this one is just lingering. Today is the last day of the meds but I'm still not all the way healthy yet. More pills next week? Who knows.
I finally got a PS3...or at least I ordered one. I had to get it at Best Buy, thanks to generous family members that loaded me up with gift cards there for both my birthday and Christmas. I still haven't actually seen a 60 gig version in a store but they had them available to order at Best Buy on-line yesterday so mine should be here next week, probably on Tuesday. Game and Blu-Ray reviews to follow.
I think the Pats will handle the Jets well on Sunday. All they need to do is take away the short passing game and they should roll and I have complete confidence that Belichick will find a way to do so. I think Laurence Maroney is going to have a huge game too.
Beth and I powered through the final season of "Alias" on DVD during our joint sick time. She had actually seen them all already but I went in cold, only knowing that it was the final year. I found it odd that the creator of the show, JJ Abrams, seemingly had almost nothing to do with the last year, not even the final episode. I know he was busy off making MI:3, but still...do you think he just sat down and watched the finale on TV? I wonder what he thought? Kind of strange.
Good TV starts back up in January, including 24. This will be the first time that I watch a whole season on TV during its initial run. I don't know if I'll like that. This shows seems perfect for DVD, but I'll see how it goes.
That's about it from here. I hope everyone is doing well in the new year.
* Christmas dinner: prime rib. Awesome.
* Christmas Day: great fun with the whole family.
Except we picked up some terrible head cold from the kids...which seems to happen a lot. It got worse the following weekend, when we went back up to Memphis and then on to Nashville for the Patriots-Titans game. The morning of the game I was so stuffed up that I literally couldn't sleep--a huge rarity for me--and ended up roaming the streets at 6 AM looking for anything that might help. I got some Sudafed and juice at a nearby Courtyard Marriot mini-store. Luckily I actually felt better at the game, which was a blast. We had seats in a very cool handicap accessible section which gave us extra leg room. Our entire row seemed to be Pats fans.
Back in Little Rock, we went to the doctor on Tuesday and Beth and I have been on antibiotics ever since. Usually when I get a bad cold it sucks for 3-4 days and then it's done but this one is just lingering. Today is the last day of the meds but I'm still not all the way healthy yet. More pills next week? Who knows.
I finally got a PS3...or at least I ordered one. I had to get it at Best Buy, thanks to generous family members that loaded me up with gift cards there for both my birthday and Christmas. I still haven't actually seen a 60 gig version in a store but they had them available to order at Best Buy on-line yesterday so mine should be here next week, probably on Tuesday. Game and Blu-Ray reviews to follow.
I think the Pats will handle the Jets well on Sunday. All they need to do is take away the short passing game and they should roll and I have complete confidence that Belichick will find a way to do so. I think Laurence Maroney is going to have a huge game too.
Beth and I powered through the final season of "Alias" on DVD during our joint sick time. She had actually seen them all already but I went in cold, only knowing that it was the final year. I found it odd that the creator of the show, JJ Abrams, seemingly had almost nothing to do with the last year, not even the final episode. I know he was busy off making MI:3, but still...do you think he just sat down and watched the finale on TV? I wonder what he thought? Kind of strange.
Good TV starts back up in January, including 24. This will be the first time that I watch a whole season on TV during its initial run. I don't know if I'll like that. This shows seems perfect for DVD, but I'll see how it goes.
That's about it from here. I hope everyone is doing well in the new year.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Megablog
I haven't written here much lately so I am going to group together a few topics that have little or no bearing on each other, in no particular order. Here they are:
SOX WIN MATSUZAKA SWEEPSTAKES
I am shocked and ecstatic that this happened. I'm generally an optimist in all things Red Sox, but when a brilliant player comes on the market and literally all that stands between him and a pinstriped uniform is a fat check, then I naturally assume that Big George will open up his ample wallet and write down any amount he pleases. I am absolutely stunned that the Yankees didn't do this. Matsuzaka has been on my radar for a while, thanks to Sons of Sam Horn. The opportunity to acquire a potential top of the rotation starter just entering his prime--he's 26--just doesn't ever come along in major league baseball. Is this a sure thing? Of course not. But for just a sneak peek of what we might be in store for, just go to YouTube and type in "Matsuzaka." His repertoire of pitches is insane. Yes, the Red Sox are throwing a ton of cash out there with their bid amount, but people seem to be missing part or all of the points that matter, aside from the big number:
1. This money doesn't count towards the salary structure or the luxury tax. Almost none of the press coverage has mentioned this, and it is a huge point. In essence, the Sox are using part of their huge finanical resources to buy the ability to get an ace for less than what he is actually worth, cap-wise. This is an enormous benefit to us. I can't stress enough how valuable it is to be able to do this, and I am amazed that more baseball writers aren't catching it.
2. The Red Sox already have grand plans to plant their flag in the Asian market and nothing does that better than this move. The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry now becomes instantly relevant across the Pacific because of the Matsuzaka-Matsui component. I have no doubt that shelling out $50 million will reap much, much more in benefits to the franchise down the road.
3. We get him. The Yankees don't. Simplistic, sure, but that is a gigantic reason why I love the move. The Yankees wanted this guy, and with their withering rotation, they almost need him, and all it took was cash...and it didn't happen. Absolutely mind-boggling.
WEDDING IN CAPE COD
My good buddy Michael Poignand got married in Chatham last weekend and we had a lovely trip there. I actually hadn't been back to the Cape in a few years so it was nice to return. The whole affair was very enjoyable and it's always fun to see the boys from back home. However, I was struck by how different this wedding was in many ways from the several that I have attended with my ASU Loop contingent. To sum up, I'll just put it this way: I don't think we'll ever see a gay man serving as the maid of honor at a Loop wedding.
BABY MAC
We're having a baby. Yeah, I know, I haven't mentioned that here yet, and that is partially by design. In fact, I think that at some point in the future I will branch out with an all-new, baby-only blog in addition to keeping this one. My reasoning behind this is simple: first, it makes sense to just have all of that in one place. I'm sure I'll love being able to look back on it someday. But secondly, not that I have a ton of people that even read this blog, but if they do, some of them probably have no interest in a baby blog. I know I wouldn't. Don't get me wrong--I love all my friends and family and all of their babies, but I don't need to be logging onto the internet for daily dispatches about so-and-so crawling, or crying, or pooping, or whatever it is these baby things do. Which I'm still figuring out.
But anyway...since I don't have that going yet, I will report that it's a HE, a boy, and from the looks of things, a possible future offensive lineman in the NFL. The phrase "wow, that's a big femur!" was one of my favorites during the recent ultrasound, right up there with "yup, it's a boy...definitely a boy!" He is due around the end of March or first of April. We are beyond excited. I am also really, really, really, really, really happy that it's a boy. Yeah. Very happy about that part.
NEW FALL TV SHOWS
I had planned to write a grand blog entry analyzing various new fall TV shows, but instead, I'll just try to list the few new ones that I am enjoying.
1. Studio 60: I love this show. Sure, I get tired of Sorkin's railing against the Christian right, and I really dislike the Harriet character--or the actress playing her; at this point, I'm still not sure which--but I adore the show. NBC recently picked it up for a full season and I hope that it stays on the air much longer than that.
2. Heroes. It's a fun comic book show, and in a way it is the anti-Lost in that they actually please the viewers by doling out crucial and exciting pieces of the story every week...something that Lost has really never done and that continues to drive fans crazy.
3. Dexter. A Showtime series about a Miami forensics department blood spatter expert that also happens to dabble as a serial killer...although, to his credit, he only murders people that deserve it. So you can see why this one is on cable. Very compelling, well acted, and it looks brilliant in HD.
4. Friday Night Lights. This also recently got picked up for the season, which came as a surprise. I like the show but I wish they would lighten up a little bit already. My mom even tried to check this one out and she has deemed it as just an "O.C." type show with football, but it's nowhere near as light hearted or as cheesy. I'll stick with it, hoping that I stay invested in the story. There are also a lot of great young actors that I've never seen anywhere before.
5. Shark. James Woods as an egotistical, pompous, brilliant lawyer. Not exactly a stretch, acting-wise, for him. He makes the show. It's all about him, and I don't know if that's enough to keep me tuning in every week, but so far it has been enjoyable.
CASUALTIES
Justice. Another lawyer show, with Sydney's dad from Alias and the gay guy from Dawson's Creek. It was very slick and entertaining enough, but Fox is already playing timeslot yo-yo with this one so I figure it's done. The young guy was horriby miscast, but the way the show was produced was enough to make it watchable.
Six Degrees. Title kind of says it all. I really wanted to get hooked on this show, if only because it has Tom Brady's girlfriend, and while I enjoyed the couple of episodes I watched, it just didn't draw me in enough. This one quickly reached "several episodes saved on TiVo" status, and once that happens for long enough and I don't watch them, then the show in question is usually in trouble. I think this one is done or dying.
The Nine. See above. The premise seemed cool enough--a hostage situation in a bank--but the show turned out to be just another serialized Lost-esque knockoff with flashbacks, seemingly unrelated people who are actually tied together, etc. Tried it once or twice and bailed, as I think most people will do.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some shows, but at least that will give me something else to write about.
SOX WIN MATSUZAKA SWEEPSTAKES
I am shocked and ecstatic that this happened. I'm generally an optimist in all things Red Sox, but when a brilliant player comes on the market and literally all that stands between him and a pinstriped uniform is a fat check, then I naturally assume that Big George will open up his ample wallet and write down any amount he pleases. I am absolutely stunned that the Yankees didn't do this. Matsuzaka has been on my radar for a while, thanks to Sons of Sam Horn. The opportunity to acquire a potential top of the rotation starter just entering his prime--he's 26--just doesn't ever come along in major league baseball. Is this a sure thing? Of course not. But for just a sneak peek of what we might be in store for, just go to YouTube and type in "Matsuzaka." His repertoire of pitches is insane. Yes, the Red Sox are throwing a ton of cash out there with their bid amount, but people seem to be missing part or all of the points that matter, aside from the big number:
1. This money doesn't count towards the salary structure or the luxury tax. Almost none of the press coverage has mentioned this, and it is a huge point. In essence, the Sox are using part of their huge finanical resources to buy the ability to get an ace for less than what he is actually worth, cap-wise. This is an enormous benefit to us. I can't stress enough how valuable it is to be able to do this, and I am amazed that more baseball writers aren't catching it.
2. The Red Sox already have grand plans to plant their flag in the Asian market and nothing does that better than this move. The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry now becomes instantly relevant across the Pacific because of the Matsuzaka-Matsui component. I have no doubt that shelling out $50 million will reap much, much more in benefits to the franchise down the road.
3. We get him. The Yankees don't. Simplistic, sure, but that is a gigantic reason why I love the move. The Yankees wanted this guy, and with their withering rotation, they almost need him, and all it took was cash...and it didn't happen. Absolutely mind-boggling.
WEDDING IN CAPE COD
My good buddy Michael Poignand got married in Chatham last weekend and we had a lovely trip there. I actually hadn't been back to the Cape in a few years so it was nice to return. The whole affair was very enjoyable and it's always fun to see the boys from back home. However, I was struck by how different this wedding was in many ways from the several that I have attended with my ASU Loop contingent. To sum up, I'll just put it this way: I don't think we'll ever see a gay man serving as the maid of honor at a Loop wedding.
BABY MAC
We're having a baby. Yeah, I know, I haven't mentioned that here yet, and that is partially by design. In fact, I think that at some point in the future I will branch out with an all-new, baby-only blog in addition to keeping this one. My reasoning behind this is simple: first, it makes sense to just have all of that in one place. I'm sure I'll love being able to look back on it someday. But secondly, not that I have a ton of people that even read this blog, but if they do, some of them probably have no interest in a baby blog. I know I wouldn't. Don't get me wrong--I love all my friends and family and all of their babies, but I don't need to be logging onto the internet for daily dispatches about so-and-so crawling, or crying, or pooping, or whatever it is these baby things do. Which I'm still figuring out.
But anyway...since I don't have that going yet, I will report that it's a HE, a boy, and from the looks of things, a possible future offensive lineman in the NFL. The phrase "wow, that's a big femur!" was one of my favorites during the recent ultrasound, right up there with "yup, it's a boy...definitely a boy!" He is due around the end of March or first of April. We are beyond excited. I am also really, really, really, really, really happy that it's a boy. Yeah. Very happy about that part.
NEW FALL TV SHOWS
I had planned to write a grand blog entry analyzing various new fall TV shows, but instead, I'll just try to list the few new ones that I am enjoying.
1. Studio 60: I love this show. Sure, I get tired of Sorkin's railing against the Christian right, and I really dislike the Harriet character--or the actress playing her; at this point, I'm still not sure which--but I adore the show. NBC recently picked it up for a full season and I hope that it stays on the air much longer than that.
2. Heroes. It's a fun comic book show, and in a way it is the anti-Lost in that they actually please the viewers by doling out crucial and exciting pieces of the story every week...something that Lost has really never done and that continues to drive fans crazy.
3. Dexter. A Showtime series about a Miami forensics department blood spatter expert that also happens to dabble as a serial killer...although, to his credit, he only murders people that deserve it. So you can see why this one is on cable. Very compelling, well acted, and it looks brilliant in HD.
4. Friday Night Lights. This also recently got picked up for the season, which came as a surprise. I like the show but I wish they would lighten up a little bit already. My mom even tried to check this one out and she has deemed it as just an "O.C." type show with football, but it's nowhere near as light hearted or as cheesy. I'll stick with it, hoping that I stay invested in the story. There are also a lot of great young actors that I've never seen anywhere before.
5. Shark. James Woods as an egotistical, pompous, brilliant lawyer. Not exactly a stretch, acting-wise, for him. He makes the show. It's all about him, and I don't know if that's enough to keep me tuning in every week, but so far it has been enjoyable.
CASUALTIES
Justice. Another lawyer show, with Sydney's dad from Alias and the gay guy from Dawson's Creek. It was very slick and entertaining enough, but Fox is already playing timeslot yo-yo with this one so I figure it's done. The young guy was horriby miscast, but the way the show was produced was enough to make it watchable.
Six Degrees. Title kind of says it all. I really wanted to get hooked on this show, if only because it has Tom Brady's girlfriend, and while I enjoyed the couple of episodes I watched, it just didn't draw me in enough. This one quickly reached "several episodes saved on TiVo" status, and once that happens for long enough and I don't watch them, then the show in question is usually in trouble. I think this one is done or dying.
The Nine. See above. The premise seemed cool enough--a hostage situation in a bank--but the show turned out to be just another serialized Lost-esque knockoff with flashbacks, seemingly unrelated people who are actually tied together, etc. Tried it once or twice and bailed, as I think most people will do.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some shows, but at least that will give me something else to write about.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Pats-Colts
I can handle losing, but getting beat like the Patriots did on Sunday night is just painful. First, three of Brady's "interceptions" were on balls that hit receivers in the hands and should have or could have been catches. Secondly, the officiating was downright atrocious. The "taunting" call on Troy Brown was one of the most ridiculous penalties I have ever seen called in any football game, ever, and there were at least 2-3 other huge calls against New England that were just as bad, each of which came at a crucial time to give the Colts a first down. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but if I were I would have a field day with that game.
That being said, Indy really did not impress me at all. They got five turnovers and another five or so gift calls and still only squeaked out a seven point "victory." Let them run the regular season table and get all the accolades the media will undoubtedly shower upon them after this "huge" win, this "statement" game, or whatever they shall call it. Guess what, Indy? For the Patriots, there are no "big wins" in November. Ours come in January and February...something this Colts team has been unable to do. I cannot wait to see the Pats smack the Colts under their own dome in the playoffs.
/end rant
That being said, Indy really did not impress me at all. They got five turnovers and another five or so gift calls and still only squeaked out a seven point "victory." Let them run the regular season table and get all the accolades the media will undoubtedly shower upon them after this "huge" win, this "statement" game, or whatever they shall call it. Guess what, Indy? For the Patriots, there are no "big wins" in November. Ours come in January and February...something this Colts team has been unable to do. I cannot wait to see the Pats smack the Colts under their own dome in the playoffs.
/end rant
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
video test
I've only recently signed up for a YouTube account. Sure, I've spent some time there, checking out the goofy videos, but I've never posted anything until now. It's nothing earth shattering...in fact, it's almost completely pointless. It's about a one minute long clip of Chewie howling along to a recording of himself (and Pedro) howling at the tornado warning test siren right down the street that goes off every Wednesday at noon.
Anyway...YouTube includes code for embedding videos in other places so this post is solely an attempt to test that out and see how it works, how it looks, how it formats it, etc.
Although if you want to hear a dog howling, then by all means you should check it out.
Anyway...YouTube includes code for embedding videos in other places so this post is solely an attempt to test that out and see how it works, how it looks, how it formats it, etc.
Although if you want to hear a dog howling, then by all means you should check it out.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Dirt for sale
I was just flipping through the channels and the Home Shopping Network was selling some sports memorabilia so I stopped to watch for a while...and then they started selling dirt. Not even very historic dirt, but a "Dirt Collage" featuring dirt taken from the home plate area at Yankee Stadium this year on opening day. There was also a photo (not autographed by anyone) and a reproduction of the lineup card. It was $149.97, plus $14.99 for shipping and handling. I figured that they'd be a lot better off selling A Rod's bat from the playoffs this year. After all, it was barely used and should be in mint condition.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Protege
Okay, it's been over a week since the Protege qualifier and it took me just about that long to get over it. I actually kept a running diary of semi-meaningful hands but it's too painful to rehash the whole thing so instead, you get the short version of how I got knocked out. I know that bad beat poker stories are now officially in the top three in the category of "Most Annoying/Boring Stories That People Always Insist on Telling," right up there with tales about their fantasy teams and "listen to this dream I had last night."
But anyway...
We're at the final table. I'm pretty short stacked and pick up pocket aces in the big blind. My goal here is to eventually get it all in against one person, so that I'll be the favorite no matter what. Blinds are 150-300 and two guys limp in. I raise to 1300, first limper calls, second folds. Perfect. I'm short enough that I'm pushing on the flop no matter what but I feel very confident when it comes 4-6-6. The guy has a decent stack and calls my all in with...wait for it...7-8 off-suit. 7-8? He cold-calls a thousand chip raise with 7-8, then calls on that flop with no pair, no nothing. NATURALLY, like a punch in the face, a five comes on the turn, giving him a miracle gutshot straight. And just like that, my dreams of jet setting around the world on the high stakes circuit with Daniel Negreanu go down in flames. BRUTAL. Absolutely brutal.
But anyway...
We're at the final table. I'm pretty short stacked and pick up pocket aces in the big blind. My goal here is to eventually get it all in against one person, so that I'll be the favorite no matter what. Blinds are 150-300 and two guys limp in. I raise to 1300, first limper calls, second folds. Perfect. I'm short enough that I'm pushing on the flop no matter what but I feel very confident when it comes 4-6-6. The guy has a decent stack and calls my all in with...wait for it...7-8 off-suit. 7-8? He cold-calls a thousand chip raise with 7-8, then calls on that flop with no pair, no nothing. NATURALLY, like a punch in the face, a five comes on the turn, giving him a miracle gutshot straight. And just like that, my dreams of jet setting around the world on the high stakes circuit with Daniel Negreanu go down in flames. BRUTAL. Absolutely brutal.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Poker update
I haven't written a poker update in a while and I actually have a few (relatively) interesting things to report, so here goes:
A couple of weeks ago, I came in 3rd in a NLHE tourney with 45 players. That is a strange and new field size for me, as usually I'll either play in a big MTT (multi table tourney) with at least a couple hundred people, or a sit and go (SNG) with somewhere from 5-10. This was technically a SNG, meaning it started as soon as 45 people signed up. I don't remember too many specific hands from this one; I just played solid poker throughout and managed to do pretty well.
A day or two later I tried out another new endeavour on the virtual felt: a HORSE tournament. HORSE is a fixed limit form of poker that rotates amongst five different games: Hold 'Em, Omaha High/Low, Razz (lowball), Seven card stud, and Seven card stud high/low, eight or better (Eight being where the "E" comes from). The WSOP added a new HORSE event this year with a $50,000 buy-in and the true pros and poker aficionados consider it the best test of a player's skill because of the variety of games. I've played some HORSE on-line at Full Tilt and I've done well before in some cheap SNGs but this was my first shot at a big field. 198 players signed up and my strategy was simply to play tight and see how things would go. In the past, I've noted that many players in these tourneys are surprisingly bad at several of the games, usually the Stud varieties (note: Razz is simply seven card stud but with the lowest five cards winning). I am by no means a stud expert but I've worked at it enough that I don't consider it too much of a weakness in a tourney like this. I've also gotten pretty decent at Razz after some practice.
Anyway, the tourney went well. I lasted into the money and eventually the final table. The blinds got very high at this point--big enough that players often found themselves all-in when playing any given hand. I managed to keep grinding away and I got to heads-up during a Hold 'Em round. My opponent had a huge cheap lead on me, more than a two-to-one margin, after he knocked out the 3rd and 4th place finishers. I managed to draw nearly even on a lucky suckout, catching a three-outer on the river. After that, I just dominated the guy. The Hold 'Em round soon ended and it only took a few hands of Omaha for me to pull out the victory. This was the first MTT I've won in a while and it felt great, especially pulling one out in my first try at HORSE.
My luck didn't carrry over to my first home game in quite some time. On a weekend trip to Memphis, Dad and Casey put together a small game with a few of their guys up there. We each threw in $10 and played a quick NLHE tourney. I tried to play tight but it's tough to stay too disciplined in such an event. I lost a decent amount of my stack with A-J, then got knocked out when a K-10 caught up to my A-10. It's probably better this way though--at least the Memphis guys won't have me pegged for a ringer and I should be invited back to their game. Despite the loss, it was a lot of fun and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next Memphis game.
The last interesting tourney was this past Saturday night. Daniel Negreanu sponsors an event called "The Protege" in which he tutors one lucky person for a few months and stakes the winner into $40,000 worth of major poker tourneys. The first winner of "The Protege," Brian Fidler, came in 2nd place in just his second event after meeting with Daniel and won over $200,000. Negreanu is now preparing for a second Protege competition and he has a variety of ways that people can win a seat at the Protege Final Table of ten. I am a charter member of his message board at Full Contact Poker and as such I was given some freeroll shots at qualifying tournaments. On Saturday night, I made the top five and advanced to the next leg. To spare the details, the set up is this: on this coming Friday night, I'm in a tournament with 18 people. The winner gets a seat at The Protege Final Table, which just so happens to be taking place in the Bahamas in December. So that would be pretty cool. It will be tough, as all of the players qualified as I did, so they should have some game. But we'll see how it goes.
A couple of weeks ago, I came in 3rd in a NLHE tourney with 45 players. That is a strange and new field size for me, as usually I'll either play in a big MTT (multi table tourney) with at least a couple hundred people, or a sit and go (SNG) with somewhere from 5-10. This was technically a SNG, meaning it started as soon as 45 people signed up. I don't remember too many specific hands from this one; I just played solid poker throughout and managed to do pretty well.
A day or two later I tried out another new endeavour on the virtual felt: a HORSE tournament. HORSE is a fixed limit form of poker that rotates amongst five different games: Hold 'Em, Omaha High/Low, Razz (lowball), Seven card stud, and Seven card stud high/low, eight or better (Eight being where the "E" comes from). The WSOP added a new HORSE event this year with a $50,000 buy-in and the true pros and poker aficionados consider it the best test of a player's skill because of the variety of games. I've played some HORSE on-line at Full Tilt and I've done well before in some cheap SNGs but this was my first shot at a big field. 198 players signed up and my strategy was simply to play tight and see how things would go. In the past, I've noted that many players in these tourneys are surprisingly bad at several of the games, usually the Stud varieties (note: Razz is simply seven card stud but with the lowest five cards winning). I am by no means a stud expert but I've worked at it enough that I don't consider it too much of a weakness in a tourney like this. I've also gotten pretty decent at Razz after some practice.
Anyway, the tourney went well. I lasted into the money and eventually the final table. The blinds got very high at this point--big enough that players often found themselves all-in when playing any given hand. I managed to keep grinding away and I got to heads-up during a Hold 'Em round. My opponent had a huge cheap lead on me, more than a two-to-one margin, after he knocked out the 3rd and 4th place finishers. I managed to draw nearly even on a lucky suckout, catching a three-outer on the river. After that, I just dominated the guy. The Hold 'Em round soon ended and it only took a few hands of Omaha for me to pull out the victory. This was the first MTT I've won in a while and it felt great, especially pulling one out in my first try at HORSE.
My luck didn't carrry over to my first home game in quite some time. On a weekend trip to Memphis, Dad and Casey put together a small game with a few of their guys up there. We each threw in $10 and played a quick NLHE tourney. I tried to play tight but it's tough to stay too disciplined in such an event. I lost a decent amount of my stack with A-J, then got knocked out when a K-10 caught up to my A-10. It's probably better this way though--at least the Memphis guys won't have me pegged for a ringer and I should be invited back to their game. Despite the loss, it was a lot of fun and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next Memphis game.
The last interesting tourney was this past Saturday night. Daniel Negreanu sponsors an event called "The Protege" in which he tutors one lucky person for a few months and stakes the winner into $40,000 worth of major poker tourneys. The first winner of "The Protege," Brian Fidler, came in 2nd place in just his second event after meeting with Daniel and won over $200,000. Negreanu is now preparing for a second Protege competition and he has a variety of ways that people can win a seat at the Protege Final Table of ten. I am a charter member of his message board at Full Contact Poker and as such I was given some freeroll shots at qualifying tournaments. On Saturday night, I made the top five and advanced to the next leg. To spare the details, the set up is this: on this coming Friday night, I'm in a tournament with 18 people. The winner gets a seat at The Protege Final Table, which just so happens to be taking place in the Bahamas in December. So that would be pretty cool. It will be tough, as all of the players qualified as I did, so they should have some game. But we'll see how it goes.
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