tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89200202024-03-13T23:27:10.208-04:00Chad Picasner at LargeGeneral commentary from one who should know better. Current NY Yankee events, politics, sports, and other areas of disinterest will be both thoughtfully and thoughtlessly addressed. You decide which is which.
Look for Chad Picasner and V. Kanockers to appear here!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1722125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-80430685329502432912021-10-09T07:33:00.000-04:002021-10-09T07:33:31.081-04:00IT'S OVER WITH FOR THE YANKEES<p> A team with all the potential in the world can't get out of it's own way. They had a Yankee all-star team on the injured list at times this year, but that's no excuse. They have some talented players in the farm system that they were forced to use, but the trick with rookies is to try and keep them out of critical situations, especially pitchers. Boone didn't do that. To quote and old song, "They'll Be Some Changes Made." </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">Here are some changes I think will be made - and some that should be but won't: </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Aaron Boone</i> - He should be gone but won't be. He has mishandled the pitching staff all year, mostly the bull pen. He can't wait to get the starting pitcher out of the game (Except for Garrit Cole), then continues to try and match pitchers to specific hitters - all by the book. BTW, they should fire the book, too. Where is Buck Showalter when you need him?</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Gleyber Torres</i> - never lived up to his potential. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Luke Voit</i> - The Yanks obviously don't want him so they should trade him.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Anthony Rizzo</i> - Re-sign him. I like this guy. He excellent in the field and is a team player.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Bret Gardner</i> - He's older but he can still play..</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Gary Sanchez </i>-We've waited for <b>5 </b>years for his "potential." Let someone else wait.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Corey Kluber</i> - Like to have him but I think he'll cost too much.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Aaron Judge</i> -Sign him up. Sign him! Please sign him.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Aaron Hicks</i> - Same as Sanchez.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">**Can someone please tell the networks that these are the baseball playoffs. Why do I have to search to find out what channel they're on. Yesterday, <b>4 </b>games, the first game started at <b>2:00</b> pm, the last one at <b>9:00</b> pm. Why? So they could get in at least <b>10</b> hours of commercials. At one time, there would be two games on at once and you could pick which one you wanted to watch and they would break in and show anything exciting from the other game. What was wrong with that? Well, you'd miss out on a bunch of ads for Metamucil or Kraft salad dressing. I make my own salad dressing but I could use the Metamucil.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">**My pet peeve. Giancarlo Stanton played in <b>140</b> games this year. He's paid <b>$25 </b>million a year. That's about <b>$40,000</b> every time he steps into the batter's box. When you hit the ball, <span style="color: red;"><i><b>RUN</b></i></span>. You can admire the home run on YouTube later. Boone should tell his players that they will be fined <b>$20,000 </b>for every base they lose by loafing. Some players will lose <b>1/2</b> million dollars by the All-Star break.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">**I lose interest in the playoffs when the Yankees are out of it, but this year, I'm going to root for the Dodgers in deference to my California sister-in-law, Pauline.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">{Apparently this is 'Pick on Urban Meyer' week - CP}<b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Urban Meyer still adjusting to speed of NFL cover-ups.</i></span><b><span style="color: red;"><i>"</i></span> -- </b>TheOnion. com<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span>"</span></span>If you’re breathing a sigh of relief because home plate umpire Joe
West didn’t really affect the results of tonight’s NL Wild Card game.
Home plate umpire for game two of the NLDS will be …. Angel Hernandez!?! So much for “no crying in baseball.”"</i> </span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"In 1978, Bucky Dent was nearing second base when his three-run homer
cleared the wall in that one-game playoff in Fenway. Monday, “Stanton
was barely out of the batter’s box when his ball hit the wall.”</i> </span> -- NY Post reader Scott Wolinetz </p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"So is Urban Meyer still the Jacksonville Jaguars coach because their
owner feels like the season is lost anyway, and doesn’t know if he can
get out of paying Meyer $12 million a year?" </i></span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>"The Jets and Falcons — both 1-3 and outscored by a combined 97 points — play in London on Sunday. Apparently they didn’t qualify for the witness-protection program, so they opted for a change of venue."</i> </span>-- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>Nebraska 21-Northwestern 0. This is what happens when the Huskers play a team where the players actually have to go to class." </i></span> -- Brad Dickson</span> </p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"According to the
N.Y. Post, in 1962 <b>Johnny Carson’s</b> wife, <a href="http://i.imgur.com/xgFZ5jc.jpg" target="_blank"><u><b>Joanne,</b></u></a> was having an affair with Giants receiver <b>Frank Gifford.</b> Typical of Gifford, he said he
wasn't getting enough touches."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie<br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>After Urban Meyer became Ohio St.’s ex-coach for hiring an assistant
coach he knew to beat his wife, what was the name of that course he
taught at OSU? Oh, yeah, “Leadership and Character.” </i></span> -- Phil Mushnick</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>Shaquille O’Neal has renounced celebrity status and all that it stands
for. Does this mean we won’t see his face on TV every 5 minutes?" </i> </span>-- Nick Canepa</span></span></p><p><i><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span>"</span></span>The priest, the rabbi and the horse from the “walked into a bar”
jokes — at least temporarily — have been replaced by Urban Meyer.So it’s probably not a good idea to ask “Why the long face?” even if he does have an 0-4 record." </span> </i>-- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>Breaking news: Snoop Dogg will be the Super Bowl halftime performer. Which answers the age old question: do the halftime performers need to pass a drug test? No." </i> -</span>- Brad Dickson</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-11966593036290565122021-10-02T07:57:00.000-04:002021-10-02T07:57:58.041-04:00THIS IS WHEN BASEBALL REALLY STARTS<p> ESPN doesn't know it but the Major League baseball season is still going on.The cream has basically risen to the top with one or two teams disappointed by losing out on the post season play because of a crucial late season loss.</p><p>**There is a rumor that Umpire Joe West is going to retire at the end of the season. Boy, will that be a big retirement party. I can only hope that Angel Hernandez gets the hint and retires, too. That party will be even bigger.</p><p>**I've seen players on a hot streak. I've seen Don Mattingly hit six grand slams in one season. I've seen him hit home runs in eight consecutive games. Giancarlo Stanton's streak is absolutely scary. Homers in four consecutive games is amazing in it's own right, but his homers are coming late in a game with men on base in a crucial series. That's hitting in pressure situations. Back in the <b>50's</b> & <b>60's, </b>opposing pitchers would rather face<b> </b> Mickey Mantle with the game on the line than have to pitch to Yogi Berra in that situation. Yogi was the Yankee's best clutch hitter ever, but Stanton looks like he's going after the title. </p><p>**The Yankee season has been a yo-yo all year. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Yanks chance of making the post season was in the <b>30's</b> and Boston's was in the <b>80's</b>. Now, in the final <b>6</b> games, those numbers are reversed. It's amazing how a teams fortunes can change so quickly. As John Sterling, Yankee radio announcer would say, <b><span style="color: red;"><i>"That's baseball, Susan." </i></span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">So, New York, Boston, Toronto and Seattle will be fighting for two playoff spots. </span><br /><i></i></span><b><span style="color: red;"><i></i></span></b></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**In the National League West, the Giants and the Dodgers are fighting for the division championship. Their records are almost exactly the same. Unfortunately, one of them will be severely handicapped in the post season because they will have to play a one game playoff just to get into the Division Championship series. The Dodgers have an uphill battle having to play the final three against the Milwaukee Brewers, winners of the NL Central, while the Giants finish against the disappointing San Diego Padres. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">This should be some weekend in baseball.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**It's close to college basketball season, so be prepared to briefly watch your team's bast player. </span></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">As Groucho Marx once sang, “Hello, I must be going.” And it’s not just John
Calipari’s one-and-done Kentucky, not anymore. That’s the plan for many.
Student-athletics. Why don't they just change it to "Occasional Student-Athlete?"<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Brewers star set-up reliever Devin Williams is out for the season after
breaking a bone in his pitching hand punching a wall after Milwaukee
celebrated clinching the division Sunday night “Siri, What does the
expression mean – “Million dollar arm ten-cent head?”</i></span><b><i> </i> -- </b>Janice Hough </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span>"</span></span>Don’t know about the IBF or WBA, but the WHL title belt belongs to
the Vancouver Giants, after a cross-checking major assessed to Kyle
Bochek against Victoria erupted into eight fighting majors and nine game
misconducts.And that was in a preseason game." </i></span>-- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>According to the
N.Y. Post, in 1962 Johnny Carson<b>’s</b> wife, <a href="http://i.imgur.com/xgFZ5jc.jpg" target="_blank"><u><b>Joanne,</b></u></a> was having an affair with Giants receiver Frank Gifford. Typical of Gifford, he said he
wasn't getting enough touches."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i><span><span>"</span></span>Ohio State has announced that despite being<a href="https://nypost.com/2021/09/26/ohio-states-kvaughan-pope-curses-team-out-on-twitter-after-blowup/"> tossed from the football team</a>
for rotten behavior, including the since-deleted tweet, “fucc Ohio
State,” linebacker K’Vaughan Pope will be allowed to remain in school to
continue “his progress toward graduation.” Graduation? He doesn’t even seem able to spell."</i> </span> -- Phil Mushnick<br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>Kyrie Irving is the most discussed anti-vaxxer in pro sports. Kyrie is also a Flat Earther. Well, there's a shock."</i> -</span>- Brad Dickson</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i><span><span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"</span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: red;"><i>Anti-vaxxer Cam Newton remains unsigned. Now teams won’t touch Newton with a 10-foot swab."</i></span> -- Alex Kaseberg </span> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Toronto Blue Jays trail only the Houston Astros with 1331 hits this season. They've put more men in scoring position than Paris Hilton."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie<u><b><br /></b></u></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span>"</span></span>Tyler Pence became the first U.S. runner since 2001 to win the Quad
Cities Marathon when the volunteer bicycle rider leading the two
frontrunning Kenyans mistakenly went straight when he should have
turned.They lost out on the $3,000 first prize, but are considered the early favorites for this year’s Wrong-Way Kerrigan Award."</i></span> -- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"What a horrible time for sports in Detroit. The Red Wings are lousy, the Lions are worse. The Pistons are last in the NBA and the Tigers are 11th in the American League." </i> -</span>- Steve Simmons <br /></p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>Bozo NFL kicker who booted the amazing 66-yard field goal later thanked God. So that's why all these Covid wards are full of people struggling on ventilators - God is busy guiding field goals through uprights."</i></span> -- Brad Dickson</span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"I</span></i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>t takes a village to make an idiot: To hear hundreds of U.S. team Ryder
Cup spectators cheer bad shots and missed putts by the European team has
been more sickening than surprising. And the pandering silence about it
from NBC’s voices has been equally sickening and unsurprising. Our
“sports culture” continues to dissolve." </i></span>-- Phil Mushnick</span></p><p><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span></b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-85504785494817369062021-09-25T12:24:00.000-04:002021-09-25T12:24:10.638-04:00THIS RANT HAS BEEN OVERDUE<p>I'm getting sicker and sicker of sports announcers talking as though they are getting paid by the word. They drone on and on with worthless stats instead of HONESTLY talking about what we all see. Please stop these useless pronouncements:</p><p>**We are not as enamored with exit velocities as you are. When Giancarlo Stanton hits a ground ball that the defense turns into a double play, it's no consolation that the E.V. was <b>109</b> MPH. Also, forget the home run distances. I don't believe half of those estimates anyway. If it's over the fence, it's a homer. 'Nuff said.</p><p>**Stop the contrived and misleading stats. <i>"In the last <b>9 </b>games, So & So is hitting .<b>305</b>." </i>What the hell does that mean? Why 9 games? What happened in the last <b>10</b> games? Or the last <b>8</b> games? How would that change his average? Torres has <b>16</b> homers against Baltimore. Of course, <b>14</b> of them came in one season TWO years ago. </p><p>**David Cone, you're a smart guy put cut back on the sabermetrics. Paul O'Neill is more fun to listen to because he doesn't take the game too seriously. He's the guy I want to sit next to because he's funny and he does know the game. Plus, he gets better food.</p><p>**Cut back on the celebrities in the stands. And the little kids and the "honey" shots. </p><p>**And please: just shut up and let the game happen. It's TV, I don't need you to tell me a guy just struck out. </p><p>It seems the media has a procedure in places that says, <i>If it isn't a story, keep reporting on it till it becomes an issue</i>. On Monday, Kevin Kiermaier picked up a scouting card that fell off the wristband of Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk during a play at the plate. He brought it into the Tampa dugout. The two managers said it was no big deal that is was <span style="color: red;"><i>"...agua under the bridge."</i></span> End of story, right? OH no, says the media. By the time they finished making a big deal out of it, Kiermaier had been intentionally hit by a pitch, dugouts had emptied and people were ejected and Blue Jays pitcher Ryan Borucki has been suspended for three days, all over a card that was of no use to anyone. I can see reporters sitting in a room, rubbing their hands together with an evil chuckle, saying, <i>"Aha, we did it."</i></p><p>Finally. my friend, Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times, has been cleared to return to work as the night sports editor of the paper. Welcome back, Dwight, we've missed you.<br /><i></i></p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Instead of picking the winners of college football games Ashton Kutcher should be in acting class."</i> </span>-- Brad Dickson</span><b> </b></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Toronto came in second in a world ranking of 100 cities
having a good reputation. Or 99th if you include the Maple Leafs."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"These are whacky times. The Padres’ Manny Machado, who admitted running to first base “is not my cup of tea,” recently bashed teammate Fernando Tatis Jr for being selfish, for thinking, “It’s all about you.”" </i></span> -- Phil Mushnick </p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"ESPN headline “Mountcastle, Hays HR help Orioles beat skidding Rangers 3-0.” Uh, Texas Rangers are 55-98. “Skidding?” More like a continuance of
their race to catch the 49-104 Orioles on the way to the bottom." </i></span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>There is now a shortage of cheap whiskey in America. So does that mean University of Missouri home football games are canceled?"</i> </span>-- Brad Dickson<br /></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"I’m not saying St. Louis baseball fans are spoiled. But they call errors Cardinal sins."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie<br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b> </b>"Green Bay Packers looked pretty miserable the first week of season
against New Orleans Saints. Fortunately the NFL sometimes has a cure for
that. It’s called playing the Detroit Lions." </i> -</span>- Janice Hough<br /></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Florida has offered a full scholarship to an eighth grade QB, Julian
Lewis. Seriously. Guess he already meets the academic requirements.
Seriously."</i> </span> -- Phil Mushnick</p><p><b>Chad Picasner <br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b><i> </i><br /></p><p> <br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-11993409774852796952021-07-09T07:58:00.000-04:002021-07-09T07:58:42.868-04:00YEAH, I'M STILL AROUND<p> It's always good to be passionate about something you perceive to be wrong. If you're having trouble finding something, just pay attention to Major League Baseball, their trends and their policies. </p><p>**Baseball has had double headers for years. Two games on the same day with a <b>20-30</b> minute gap in between. Back in the <b>50's</b> & <b>60's, </b>when I first started watching, teams only carried <b>9 </b>or <b>10</b> pitchers and they had to hit, so the other <b>14</b> or <b>15 </b>players were position players, and most of them played in the two games. Starting pitchers pitched every four days and usually lasted for <b>7</b> innings or more. They weren't pulled after <b>100</b> pitches, partially because managers couldn't count that high. The best players played all nine innings of both games. No one "needed a day off," and it was rare for someone to go on the DL (Disabled List) unless they had a broken leg. There was no Tommy John surgery (there wasn't even a Tommy John) and starters often came in relief to get out of a critical jam. </p><p>**Now, MLB has "fixed" a problem that didn't exist back then and probably wouldn't exist today if Commissioner Rob Manfred would spend summers lounging on a beach in the Bahama's with no cell service instead of interfering in the game. Manfred has made double headers into two seven-inning games, and if that wasn't bad enough, he allows day-night games. That means they empty the stadium after one game and charge a separate admission for the <b>2nd</b> game. So those of you who bought tickets for a nine inning game...well, screw you. And there is no such thing as a no-hitter in a seven inning game. </p><p>**I read a solution that sounds good to me. Two games with a <b>20</b> minute gap<b>: </b>first game is <b>9</b> innings. the second game is<b> 7</b> innings. A day-night double header is TWO NINE INNING GAMES. Do something to benefit the fans instead of the teams front office. I doubt they need the money since they can afford to pay pitchers <b>$30+</b> million a year to pitch in <b>30</b> games, seven innings at a time, of course.</p><p>**You want to do something to improve the game, Rob? Here is a three-word suggestion<b>: </b><i>Fire Angel Hernandez</i>. At least once a week, I red this headline - <span style="color: red;"><i>Angel Hernandez makes a bad call.</i></span> Newspapers could save a lot of ink if they ran this headline when possible<b>:</b> <span style="color: red;"><i>Angel got one right.</i><span style="color: black;"> We won't see that one too often.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**Take your kid to a game and this is what he might see<b>: 1) </b>four umpires converging to decide what to call. <b>2)</b> everyone stand around for <b>2</b> or <b>3</b> minutes while someone on New York tells the umpires what they really saw and not what they called. <b>3)</b> pitchers being strip-searched to see if they have a foreign substance on them - or maybe the wrong flavor bubble gum, we're not sure. You may have to explain to your kid why the <b>2nd </b>baseman looks like he's playing right field or why the shortstop appears to be playing <b>2nd</b> base. <b>4) </b><i>"Why are three guys playing shortstop, Daddy? Don't they like the 1st baseman?"</i> He might see some baseball, too but don't count on it. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**I am not a big fan of today's analytics. Sure, I like numbers and some of those numbers are interesting, but I don't believe they should control the game. There is an increasing feeling that saber-metrics are controlling baseball to the detriment of the sport. The Yankees have a whole department designed to come up with stats that supposedly make decisions easier. When it works, they are quick to point out how perfect they are. When it doesn't, they say, <i>"Well, it was still the right decision."</i> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Michael Fishman runs that department for the Yankees. He is quick to say that analytics are only a tool used in making decisions as to what players to sign, who gets on the field, who gets pulled, basically everything. According to Fishman<b>:</b> </span></span><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span>"There are a lot of decisions that go opposite of what analytics
[recommend]. I think it is an over-characterization of analytics winning
the day. There is so much that goes into every decision. A lot of
decisions are made that are the opposite of the analytical
recommendation." </span></span></i><span><span><span style="color: black;">Ah, now it gets interesting. This is what Joel Sherman, who conducted the interview, followed up with<b>: </b><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>" </i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span>But when I asked if he could provide examples of where analytics did not
carry the day and scouting did, Fishman did not respond for 10 seconds, </span></span><span><span>then said, “I can’t think of a good example off the top of my head. They are numerous."</span></span></i></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span>As Perry Mason might say, I rest my case. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span>**You say you like numbers? Here's two for you to contemplate. The NY Yankees charge<span style="color: #ff00fe;"> <b><span style="color: red;">$45</span></b></span><span style="color: red;"> </span>for parking. The NY Mets charge <span style="color: red;"><b>$15.25</b></span> for a <b><span style="color: red;">24</span></b> ounce beer. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span><span>"</span></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>The Basel Convention recently added plastics to their amendments on
international hazardous waste. Speaking of trash-talking, tonight is the
start of the NBA finals.</i><b>"</b></span> -- RJ Currie</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"</i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>With the Olympics due to start in a couple weeks, Tokyo has declared
a COVID state of emergency. It’s now quite likely NO fans will be able
to attend, even locals. Of all the stupid decisions the IOC has made over the years, will the
stupidest turn out to be the decision to have these games at all?"</i> </span> -- Janice Hough<br /></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"If you have to decide who your starting goalie is, then you don't have a starting goalie."</i> </span> -- Steve Simmons </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span><span style="color: red;"><i>"Blue Jays manager, Charlie Montoyo calling for the bullpen to help is like calling Tiger Woods for emergency roadside assistance." </i></span> -- Patti Dawn Swansson</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Buffalo wide receiver Cole Beasley says he won't get vaccinated and "I may die of COVID but I'd rather die actually living." How many times has this guy been hit in the head again?"</i></span> -- Ron Borges</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"If only Aaron Boone were as tough on his players as he is on umpires. Three times in a week, Yankee players didn't know how many outs there were. Counting to three is difficult."</i></span> -- Phil Mushnick [Where is Mike Fishman when you need him? - Chad Picasner]</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i><span style="color: black;"><span><span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>A 12-year-old New Jersey boy has been named a chess grand master. When I was 12 I was trying to figure out how to get my new checkers board out of the box it came in."</i> </span> -- Brad Dickson</span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span> </span></span></i></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span><br /></span></span></i></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-22192237069187098422021-06-17T13:02:00.000-04:002021-06-17T13:02:02.159-04:00DOES ANYONE HERE KNOW HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME?<p>** If you watch a game on TV, at some point the announcers will tell you about <i>exit velocitie</i>s and <i>launch angles</i>. Why? Because baseball today thinks it's sexy. We all love the three-run blast but we've turned the game into a home run derby and not the game of baseball. Broadcasters explain away strike outs because <span style="color: red;"><i>"they don't matter anymore." </i><span style="color: black;">Yes, they do. It's called an out and you only get <b>27</b> of them a game. Earl Weaver used to hate the bunt sacrifice for just that reason. He never wanted to give an out away.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Then, out of the other side of their mouths, announcers will lament the lack of hitting and scoring. If you put the ball in play, things happen. Sure, you might make an out but somebody may misplay the ball or the ball might find a gap in the defense. Either way, you get on base. That's important because NOBODY ever scored a run while sitting on the bench. If you strike out. neither of those two things can happen. Secondly, I was taught that if you do strike out, you immediately check to see if the catcher dropped the ball so you could run to first and perhaps get on. If the catcher throws you out, so what? You were already out, but you can force him to make the play and then things can go wrong.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">If you swing from the heels on every pitch, your odds of hitting go down. If you swing at pitches that are out of the strike zone, you've reduced your chances of hitting the ball. Pitchers are smart. If you swing at pitches that are low and away, out of the strike zone, count on seeing a lot of them. There's a reason they call it the<b> <i>Strike Zone</i>. </b>It's where it's easiest to <i><b>strike</b></i> the ball. These are the reasons we've seen six no-hitters already this season. And I believe we will see more.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**Problem number two can be blamed on the people responsible for teaching the game. They aren't teaching the GAME, they're teaching Home run hitting and strike out pitching. To score a run, you need to touch all four bases - and I shouldn't have to say this - in order. It's called base running, boys and girls and there are maybe a dozen current players who know how to do it. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">MLB's answer, of course, is so silly it defies logic. <i>"You want more base running in the game? Sure, it's easy. We'll make the bases 3 inches bigger so it will be easier to steal." </i>Add to that the oven mitt players are allowed to wear and reaching <b>2</b>nd base from first involves taking <b>4</b> steps and falling down with your arm outstretched and you're at<b> 2</b>nd base.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**I don't really follow Pro Basketball, but there's still time since the Championship games may last as long as July <b>22.</b> If you miss that, training camps open on September <b>28</b>. What are we going to do for those two months?</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">"</span></i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS,Bookman Old Style,Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are in
the all-yellow strip." </i></span> -- Comentator John Motson</span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>As MLB finalizes its memo on rule pitchers using foreign substances,
reminded of Gaylord Perry when he was asked if he ever used a foreign
substance on a baseball. "Nah, Vaseline is manufactured right here in
the United States." </i> -</span>- Janice Hough </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;">Several years ago U.S. tennis star, <b>Sloane Stephens,</b> said she wished "boys weren’t so stupid." I'm guessing now that she has matured, she wishes men weren't so stupid."</span> -</i>- RJ Currie </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><i><span style="color: #a64d79;">All CWS tickets are digital this year. You need a smart device to get into the stadium...it's just as well that Arkansas didn't qualify." </span> </i>-- Brad Dickson</span> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>I watched the excerpts of NBC reporter’s interview with Putin. I give
Vlad credit. He answered all the tough geopolitical questions cogently,
directly, thoroughly. But boy did he hem and haw when asked whether he’s
ever used Spider Tack" </i></span> -- Marc Ragovin </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><i>"Sure, there have been some injuries and deaths in boxing, but none of them really serious."</i> </span> -- Boxer Alan Minter<br /></span></span></p><p><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><span> "</span></span>CONCACAF Nations League final between United States & Mexico was
marred Sunday by unruly fan behavior that included objects thrown on the
field. Where did fans think they were, at an NBA playoff game?" </span>-</i>- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"> <i>"CivicScience polled 2,621 adult Americans and they had Aaron Rogers trailing only all-time quiz whiz Ken Jennings as the preferred choice to succeed Alex Trebek. Meanwhile, in POLL OD Green Bay Packer fans, Rogers was the number one choice to be tarred and feathered." </i></span>-- Patti Dawn Swansson <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i> "I saw where Joe West just set a MLB record by umpiring his 5376th game. By my calculations, that means he's been cussed at 1.978,455 times." </i> </span>-- Mike Bianch<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span><span> <i>"</i></span></span><i>Reader Frank Macy, watching the College Softball World Series on ESPN,
heard that thus far Oklahoma’s record is 56-4. “Sixty games! When do
these student-athletes attend school?” You looking to make trouble,
Frank? Sooners fans don’t take kindly to your type."</i> </span>-- Phil Mushnick<br /></p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-63370350479071033702021-06-11T16:05:00.000-04:002021-06-11T16:05:41.952-04:00THAT CRABBY OLD MAN IS BACK<p> I can be really old fashioned, but sometimes, I not only enjoy it, but I insist other people act like that, too.</p><p>**What is with all the cursing? Why is a curse word a better adjective than the hundreds that are available that aren't profane. I understand that you're passionate about things, so am I. Read some of my blogs. You won't find one use of the "F" word. Oh, I've said it, but at home or alone and then very sparingly. CC Sabathia is a prime example of a celebrity who can't get through a sentence without profanity. Now, it's spread in stadiums and arenas. Do they think it's cute? A friend of mind owns a pub and I visited one time and noticed a couple of signs behind the bar. <span style="color: red;">"Use of the F-Bomb will cost you a fine of <b>25</b> cents each time"<span style="color: black;"> I asked him if it was just a way to make a little extra money and he said, <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"No. It got so bad, I was embarrassed to be in my own bar. People laugh when they read it, but the cursing has pretty much stopped." </i><span style="color: black;">Unfortunately, that won't work with these overpaid celebrities even if the fine was <b>$100,000</b>.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">**If you buy a ticket to a sporting event, you have the right to cheer for a team or a player or to jeer for them (no cursing) if it's not the team you root for. You can wear clothing emblazoned with your team logos or names maybe even display a sign. But, you DO NOT have the right to throw things at the players. Anything! Would you dump a beer on your son because he made an error? Would you throw a battery at your daughter because she let in a goal? Of course not. However, the player you dumped a box of popcorn on is someone else's son.Would you do it if you were sitting next to the mother of that girl you threw a half-eaten hot dog at? It's just a game, it's not life or death. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">**We travel around the country on vacations and try to see baseball games in the cities we're in, and sometimes wear Yankee paraphernalia whether the Yanks are playing or not, because we like the sport. When people ask if we're Yankee fans, we like to respond,<i> "No, we're baseball fans who happen to root for the Yankees." </i>People react well to that. My Dad once told me not to root <b>against</b> the other team but cheer <b>for </b>yours instead. I slip up sometimes, but it remains good advice.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">**We have a problem, boys and girls. Jacob DeGrom, arguably the <b>B</b>est <b>P</b>itcher <b>O</b>n <b>T</b>he <b>P</b>lanet. was taped actually touching his belt on the mound after throwing a pitch. He then touched his glove. Do you know what this means? Yeah, I don't either. He doesn't need any artificial means when he pitches, but the use of stick-ems of some kind is in the news, so let's find somebody doing something and suggest some wrong-doing. This is what I call a "media blow -up." They can't just broadcast a sporting event, they have to create some major controversy so viewers won't become bored. They tried the same tactic in the NY-Minn.game on Wednesday. Josh Donaldson of the Twins suggested the Gerrit Cole (another <b>BPOTP</b>) was using some illegal substance but quit for one game and got hammered, so obviously, in Donaldson's mind at least, he must have been cheating before. Broadcasters couldn't wait for Cole to pitch to Donaldson, suggesting that Cole would throw at him and benches would empty and there would be a brawl. How silly. Minnesota would love for that to happen so they could get Cole thrown out of the game. When that didn't happen and Cole struck out Donaldson, the clowns (sorry, don't mean to insult clowns) in the booth claim that Cole stared down Donaldson as he walked back to the booth. Listen David Cone, <b><i>that didn't happen. </i></b>no matter how many replays you show, there was no stare down. I guess you're going to have to come up with different fake controversy.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span><span><span>"</span></span></span></span>Sign of returning to normalcy – Sunday night baseball Yankees -Red Sox."</i> </span> -- Janice Hough<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span><span><span>"</span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>Among the funniest things I’ve read was stenciled to a door in old Tiger Stadium. It read, “Visitors Clubhouse, No Visitors.”</i></span><b><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"</i> </span> -- </b>Phil Mushnick </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i><span><span><span><span>"</span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>Floyd Mayweather is expected to make between $50 million and $100 million tonight fighting a reality TV star whose record is 0-1, having lost to another reality star. Is this a great country or what?"</i></span> -- Brad Dickson</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"MLB has 6 no-hitters all ready. Normally,they only have two no-hiters a year and sometimes none. Who would have guessed that a symptom of COVID-19 would be batters hitting like one of the Kardashian sisters.?"</i></span> -- Alex Kaseberg</span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i><span><span><span><span>"</span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><i>Show me a guy who thinks baseball statisticians are the most likely to throw obscure and irrelevant
facts into an argument, and I'll show you a guy who's never had a wife." </i></span> -- RJ Currie </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span><span><span>"</span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>You’ll recall that Mark McGwire, questioned by Congress about steroid
use, played dumb. Sammy Sosa came to the sudden, comical realization
that he could no longer speak nor understand English, not even the plain
kind."</i> </span>-- Phil Mushnick </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span><span><span>"</span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>NY Knicks are out, LA Lakers and Clippers each one game from
elimination. ABC and ESPN now beginning to feel like FOX feels when the
Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees and/or Red Sox aren’t in the World Series?"</i> </span> -- Janice Hough</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span><span><span>"</span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>The Cleveland Browns reportedly are passing on the prospect of Odell
Beckham being joined by Julio Jones. Or as one veteran diva-watcher put
it, ‘Why add Madonna when you already have Mariah Carey?’</i> -</span>- Bill Littlejohn<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i><span><span><span><span> "</span></span></span></span>The USA reportedly has the most billionaires of anywhere in the world. A close second is the New York Yankees clubhouse." </i></span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"Finally, let me close with an observation from the noted satirist,
Jonathan Swift, that may relate to those players in the NBA Draft pool
who will end up undrafted:“Happiness is the perpetual possession of being well deceived.”"</i> </span> -- Jack Finarelli<br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"<span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">Stop complaining about the regional the Nebraska baseball team was assigned. All they gotta do is beat Arkansas, the N.Y. Yankees & the Cuban Olympic team and they're in the College World Series."</span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: red;"> </span> -- Brad Dickson</span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"> <b>Chad Picasner<br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-36371513353382679932021-05-27T15:13:00.002-04:002021-05-27T15:13:43.491-04:00A PERSONAL REQUEST<p> Those of you who follow my blog are aware of my friend Dwight Perry's hilarious thoughts that often find their way in my postings. We have been friends for more than 10 years and I had been reading his column for many years before that.<br /></p><p>He has been having a tough time medically for the last few weeks since he suffered a mild stroke which has slowed him down considerable. He is confined to his bed and really can't operate a keyboard yet, but I'm sure he would like hearing from friends, and fans. </p><p>You can send him an e-mail {dwight Perry <dperry@seattletimes.com>} or send him a card to</p><p>Dwight Perry</p><p>% Seattle Times</p><p>P.O. Box 70</p><p>Seattle , WA 98111</p><p>Thank you all</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-31763486814760917052021-05-27T07:07:00.000-04:002021-05-27T07:07:02.610-04:00JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE RICH DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE SMART<p> ...or invincible. It's understandable when ballplayers strain a tendon while running or crack a rib when diving for a ball or even dislocating a shoulder when running into a wall. Ballplayers, however, can find ways to injure themselves even when they're not on the field...or in the ball park. Like these unfortunate (or dumb) methods that lead to Injury List time<b>:</b></p><p><b>##</b> We've heard of players who break a bone punching a wall out of frustration, but Huascar Ynoa thought he solved that by punching something padded like the bench. It didn't help, he broke his pitching hand.</p><p><b>## </b>Jesus Lazardo broke a pinky finger slamming his hand on a desk in frustration over a video game. Jesus reportedly said it was because he'd failed once again to beat level <b>6</b> in the game.<br /></p><p><b>## </b>Zack Wheeler<b> </b>injured a nail on his pitching hand putting on his pants. Maybe the pants didn't like his choice of shirts.<br /></p><p><b>## </b>The deadly clothing injury continued when Zack Plesac injured a thumb when he <span style="color: red;"><i>"...aggressively took off his shirt." </i><span style="color: black;">He thought he was okay because Wheeler told him it was the pants that were deadly.</span><br /><i></i></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>##</b> Jose Quintana cut his thumb washing dishes at home. His wife said he'd do anything to get out of doing chores.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>##</b> Shawn also cut his thumb while doing dishes. When are ballplayers going to learn to leave these dangerous jobs to the professionals?<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>## </b>Carlos Correa missed a few games because his ribs were sore. It turns out that the cause was a massage at home. An <i>aggressive</i> massage after an argument with his wife perhaps? <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>## </b>Sammy Sosa sprained a ligament in his lower back when he sneezed. Apparently the subsequent "god bless you" didn't help.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>##</b> Finally, Jeremy Affeldt is a real danger to himself. He cut his finger trying to separate frozen hamburger patties, sprained his knee when his 4-year old jumped in his arms and dislocated his knee while playing with his kids. I hope he's married to a nurse.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**Country Joe West has umpired <b>5367</b> games to date. The number is mind-boggling. If an umpire was to umpire <b>140</b> games a season, it would take him more than <b>38</b> years to catch up to West...and Joe is not done. I read where West has thrown <b>193</b> people out of a game in his career. If someone said he did that in <b>one</b> season, I would believe it. His actual average is one ejection per every <b>28</b> games or one a month. He is supposedly the best umpire in baseball and that my be true, but my complaint is that he has rabbit ears and goes looking for a fight. If he just had a shorter fuse I think he'd be revered. But then he wouldn't be Country Joe West.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**I remember back in the early<b> 70's, </b>watching game seven of the NBA finals on May 8th. This year, it's possible this Game Seven will be played the third week of July. All the teams not in the finals will probably be in their respective training camps. Just to keep things in perspective.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span>"</span></span>Wonder after his PGA victory if Phil Mickelson will be invited on any of
Monday’s late-night talk shows? Of course Lefty may first have to
schedule a nap to stay up that late."</i> </span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Michael Jordan’s only known game-worn North Carolina basketball jersey sold at auction for $1.38 million on May 8. Imagine, then, what a once-opened Rob Gronkowski textbook from Arizona might fetch." </i> -</span>- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p> </p><p><i><span style="color: #38761d;">"There's a proposal to allow even more instant-replay reviews in college basketball. We need this as much as Olympic swimming events needs lifeguards."</span> </i> -- Jack Finarelli </p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"A video shows a San Diego Padres fan knocking out a Colorado Rockies fan with one punch. The Rockies fan tried to defend himself, but like the <b>13-24</b> Colorado team, he swung three times and missed." </i> </span>-- Alex Kaseberg</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>LeBron said he made that big 3-pointer "Thanks to the grace of God." So that's why God hasn't helped with the Covid situation in India - he's busy making sure LeBron gets back to the playoffs."</i> </span> -- Brad Dickson<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Jacob DeGrom looked great in striking out eight and walking none over
three shutout innings Thursday during a rehab start for the St. Lucie
Mets, New York’s low Class A affiliate. But of course, that is against low A ball hitters. I guess the Seattle Mariners weren’t available." </i></span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Not sure why TSN calls the Jets-Oilers series the renewal of an "NHL
playoff rivalry." The Jets have lost all six series to Edmonton in the
postseason — the fly to the Oilers' swatter." </i> </span>-- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Park Crossing High School’s 46-45 win over Lanier in the
Alabama Class 6A girls softball regionals featured 29 batters hit by
pitches and 65 walks.Somewhere, Bob “Just A Bit Outside” Uecker was smiling." </i> </span>-- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"The Kentucky Derby drew 14.5 million TV viewers. Meanwhile, 12.6
million watched the first night of the NFL draft — three hours of
reading out the names of other people’s children." </i></span> -- Bob Molinaro</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>How much do I favor animals over people? Last night HBO replayed the original "Jaws" from '75 and I was rooting for the shark."</i> </span> -- Brad Dickson</span></p><p><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></span></p>
<div class="p"><br />
</div><p> </p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><i> </i></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-33886197198086642312021-05-20T11:57:00.000-04:002021-05-20T11:57:42.795-04:00I JUST WANT TO WATCH THE GAME<p> **I suppose color commentators feel they have to justify their existence, but why do we have to have every situation analyzed down to the smallest detail, using stats and formulas that very quickly lose their meaning because they're so technical. We use to say things like, <i>"Hey he's a good hitter. You can count on him in the clutch,"</i> and then go back to just watching - and enjoying - the game. Now, the broadcasters tell us not only what a particular player has done in this situation in the past, but what his odds are to repeat that performance in the current situation. We always knew when Yogi Berra came up in a crucial situation, he would probably succeed. We didn't need statistics to tell us that. Watching the pitcher in silent prayer on the mound was all we needed to know. Please, let us go back to the Joe Garagiola method of situation analysis of a crucial situation<b>: </b><span style="color: red;"><i>"We won't have to talk. Just listen, the crowd will tell us the story."</i></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**I have never understood why managers feel they have to inject themselves into making unnecessary moves to assure a victory. If a pitcher is doing well, why take him out? Sure, maybe you can tell if a starter is getting tired after 6 innings and you should replace him, but don't do it just because he's reached a certain pitch count. And then why parade a different reliever every inning just because you have them? Pitchers don't always have their best stuff every time out, so why keep changing pitchers until you find the guy that's having an off night? Just to carry the ridiculous analytics to the extreme, Phil Mushnick of the NY Post, offers two more appropriate cybernetic theories. He suggests </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>GLPC</b>, - <b>G</b>ame <b>L</b>ost to <b>P</b>itch <b>C</b>ount. Or try </span></span><b>GLAPC</b> —<b>G</b>ame <b>L</b>ost to <b>A</b>bsurd <b>P</b>itching <b>C</b>hanges. I'll bet one or both of these occur every game. </p><p>I think another reason these things occurs because managers don't want to have to justify any decision they make, to reporters or the front office. It was aptly put in the movie "Moneyball," when the manager explained to the GM why he was playing certain players against the wishes of the GM. <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"I'm managing the game in a way I can explain in interviews this winter." </i><span style="color: black;">In other words, who cares if I'm right or wrong just so what I do isn't second guessed if it doesn't work. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">**This argument has reared it's ugly head again this week. It's the old 'Unwritten Baseball Rules.' Case in point<b>: </b>White Sox DH Yermin Mercedes hit a home run on a <b>3-0 </b>count in the <b>9</b>th inning against a position player who was pitching at the time. The problem was the score was <b>15-4</b> against the Twins. Unwritten Rules say you take in that situation. Even Sox manager Tony La Russa was upset that he swung, compounding the issue by suggesting some kind of punishment was due. I'm sure La Russa Thought he was only voicing what the players all thought, but even the players on <i>his</i> team don't agree with him. La Russa keeps proving he's out of touch with today's players.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;">I have never been in agreement with this rule. Aren't you supposed to try as hard as you can ALL the time? If I'm at bat with two outs in the ninth inning and the pitcher is one out away from a perfect game, shouldn't I be trying to ruin that, regardless of the score? The opposing team is trying their best to get me out. They'll even stack the deck by putting on an extreme shift, in effect counting on the fact that I won't take advantage of that. If the third baseman in that scenario is playing 10 feet from second base leaving the whole left side of the infield empty, I'm bunting down the third base line for a hit. Nobody is going to throw a perfect game against my team if I can help it. If you want a perfect game, earn it the right way. Don't count on me not trying my best to beat you or prevent your perfect game. If you want to throw at me the next time we play you, I'm okay with that, but I WILL bunt again in that situation.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span>"</span></span>In the eighth and ninth innings, I was having a mini-panic attack every time I went out there. So I was extremely nervous." </i> </span>-- Yankee catcher Kyle Higashioka on Kluber's no-hitter<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span>"<b> </b></span></span></i></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>For 2021 season, Seattle is hitting .199 as a TEAM? Can we change their names from the Mariners to the Mendozas?" </i></span> -- Janice Hough </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><i><span style="color: #741b47;">What a great country this is when tomorrow we can gather in large groups, indoors & maskless, to watch a horse on performance enhancing drugs run in the Preakness Stakes."</span> </i> -- Brad Dickson</span> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"</i></span></span></span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>According to a recent study, tragedy makes you think about sex. In a related story, Toronto Maple Leafs fans are dirty minded"</i> </span> -- RJ Currie
</p><p><span style="color: red;"><span><span> "</span></span><i>As of today, the Seattle Mariners as a team are batting
.199; the Mariners have been the victims of two of this year’s
no-hitters. Seems like a correlation there."</i></span><b><i><span style="color: red;"> </span> --</i></b><i> </i>Jack Finarelli<b><i><br /></i></b></p><p><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: #2b00fe;">"</span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Atlanta Falcons signed undrafted Jack Batho IV, a 6-foot-7,
315-pound tackle from South Dakota School of the Mines. Hey, if a guy
from there can’t open a hole, who can?"</span></i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span> -- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: #b45f06;">"</span></span></span></i><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>Two small planes collided over Colorado & miraculously nobody was hurt. Meanwhile every year at least one major league baseball player misses half the season after injuring himself with a can opener or dental floss." </i> -</span>- Brad Dickson</span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"</span></i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>In 2019, Ohio Stadium, home to the Buckeyes, expanded seating capacity to 102,780. Not to be
outdone, the Saskatchewan Huskies added another folding chair to their
luxury box."</i></span> -- RJ Currie
</span></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i><span><span>"Marv Albert is retiring and he will be missed. </span></span></i></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>He loved games of any kind, from stoopball to tennis. At nearly 80, he’s still a kid waiting for you to come out to play."</i> </span> -- Phil Mushnick<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span><span> <i>"</i></span></span><i>Um, I just think it was a lot of fun,” he said, before complimenting
both teams for playing well. “It was just fun to be a part of." </i> </span>-- Corey Kluber on his no-hitter</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-81108563966325890502021-05-13T10:31:00.001-04:002021-05-13T10:31:55.259-04:00ANGEL MY ANGEL<p> **<span face=""Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2228; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 18.005px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">MLB umpire Angel Hernandez said that he was forced to guess if a fly ball was caught Tuesday night because of the outfield scoreboard on the wall at Kauffman Stadium. And he guessed wrong. Two things: 1) Angel always guesses 2) He always guesses wrong.</span></p><p><span face=""Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2228; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 18.005px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">**Sad to see the probable end to Albert Pujols' career. One of the greatest hitters ever. We were lucky enough to see him play when we attended a Pirates game some years ago and double lucky to see him hit a home run. Pujols, I understand, is insistent that he's not done playing, but I can't see anyone picking him up. With all the emphasis on pitching these days, I don't believe a team would give up roster spot to add someone whose skills have diminished so greatly.<br /></span></p><p><span face=""Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2228; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 18.005px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">**I like numbers and baseball stats, but I think the way Sabermetrics is ruling the game right now has taken a lot of the enjoyment away from me. If that isn't enough, now broadcasters and sports writers are making up stats to make everything that happens a major event. A player can't do anything - and I mean anything - without some talking head making it into a record of some kind. The length they go to emphasize an accomplishment, no matter how small or insignificant, is getting ridiculous. Case in point, this item in Phil Mushnick's column of May 6th: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">From a telecast of a recent Mariners/Orioles game</span><br /></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red;"><i>"It read that the Mariners’ J.P. Crawford is now the seventh major
leaguer with “17-Plus Hits And 13-Plus RBIs In His First 11 Career Games
Vs. Baltimore, Since 1954” (when the St. Louis Browns moved to
Baltimore). If you find significance in that info, you’re an idiot — no
offense, of course."</i></span></span></p><p><span face=""Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2228; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 18.005px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">**So<span style="color: black;">rry the blog is a little late this week</span></span><span style="color: red;"><i>, </i><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">but I got side tracked by the rat in my hallway, and...wait...what? Oh Annie says it's just a racoon, so, never mind. I thought I was in Citifield in New York there for a moment.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">**There is generally a lack of hitting by most teams in baseball this season. The Yankees won two out of three from the Washington Nationals this past weekend and they did it by scoring only <b>11</b> runs on <b>16</b> hits. Of course, a lot of that was thanks to the Nats closer, Brad Hand, who blew the save <i>twice</i> in the second game and allowed the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday. I'm guessing that won't appear in his highlight reel.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">**Trevor Bauer is unhappy that his team, the LA Dodgers are not winning the way he wants. <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>" </i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>I freaking hate losing. That’s why I came here.</i></span>" You'd think that <b>$34</b> million a year that he makes would ease some of the pain.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">**I just watched a video of Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker batting against Matt Harvey of the Orioles last night. If ever there was an argument for pitchers NEVER getting into the batters box, this is it! Walker never moved a muscle while Harvey poured three straight pitches across the plate. Every time this discussion starts, there will be some people who drag out <b>5</b> or<b> 6</b> pitchers who can hit as an argument against the designated hitter rule. a very weak argument if you consider that teams carry <b>10</b> to <b>12</b> pitchers on the active roster which translates into about <b>330 </b>pitchers in the majors. That means that approximately <b>2%</b> of the pitchers can hit. That's <b>2%. </b>What happened between Harvey and Walker is a total disgrace. Wake up MLB. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>"</span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>BuzzFeed recently published the top 10 words in tabloid headlines — baby; secret;
wedding; pregnant; marriage; sex; shocking; cheating; divorce; diet. Until that last word, anyone thinking NBA?"</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>"</span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;">Ugh, Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit fails drug test. Will he blame it on tainted hay from a stablemate?"</span> </i>-- Janice Hough</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"After every Super Bowl, the losing coach stands with his back to a cinder block wallwearing a solemn expression. When he's asked, "Coach, would you do anything different?" He invariably answers. "No!" Me? Having just lost the Super Bowl I'd confess that given a second chance I'd do everything differently." </i> </span>-- Phil Mushnick<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>"Why did </span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><i><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Nebraska schedule a football game against Fordham. Very simple: (AD
Bill) Moos and (coach Scott) Frost desperately need wins to keep their
jobs, and their first choice — a driving school in Denison, Iowa
— doesn’t field a team.”</span> </i> -- Brad Dickson</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>"</span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><i>When I was 20, I faced Bob Gibson for the first time in an exhibition (game) in Florida. He knocked me down four times and walked me. As
I walked to first base, he said,
‘Don’t even try to steal.’ I didn’t.” </i></span> -- Rod Carew<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: red;"><span><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: #2b00fe;">"</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">There's a proposal to allow even more instant-replay reviews in college
basketball. We need this as much as Olympic swimming events need
lifeguards."</span></i> -- Jack Finarelli</span><br /></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> <i>"</i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Ian Nepomniachtchchi can’t play under the Russian flag in
his upcoming world-championship match because of his country’s ban from
international sporting competitions by the World Anti-Doping Agency.For the record, Nepomniachtchchi plays chess."</i></span> </span>-- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>"</span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>A recent survey said the U.S. city having the most sex per capita is Los
Angeles, averaging 135 times a year. That drops to 12 times a year if you exclude
the Lakers and Clippers."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>"</span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>The winner of the Kentucky Derby tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. If the horse is done in racing he plans to continue his athletic career playing offensive line at Ohio State."</i></span> -- Brad Dickson</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">**</span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: red;"><i>Medina Spirit will be allowed to race in Preakness. Whatever happens, at
least the horse is one athlete who can claim he didn’t have any idea he
might be using a banned substance."</i></span> -- Janice Hough </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><b>Chad Picasner</b> </span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br /><i></i></span></p><p><span face=""Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2228; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 18.005px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-74222597366083175732021-05-05T07:25:00.000-04:002021-05-05T07:25:07.374-04:00THINGS ARE HEATING UP<p><i> **</i>I simply can<i> </i>not<i> </i>believe that professional athletes continually think that they don't have to follow any rules at all. A couple of weeks ago, Steelers cornerback Justin Layne was arrested near Cleveland and charged with a felony. He was stopped in the wee hours of the morning for doing <b>90</b> miles an hour in a <b>60</b> MPH zone. He was driving on a suspended license, in possession of marijuana and the illegal possession of a gun. Somehow, Layne seemingly ignored the whole situation and complained that he was busted for just "a blunt." Just another product of the college football program. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has never publicly commented on this event. If he did, it would be classified as an "off the field problem." So I guess unless Layne shows up in the huddle smoking weed and carrying a gun, it's not Goodell's problem.</p><p>** Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alverado has been suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount for inciting a bench-clearing brawl with the NY Mets after taunting Mets outfielder Dominick Smith after striking him out. Just another fine example of <i>"letting the kids play." </i>Thank you Rob Manfred.</p><p>**MLB teams have medical staffs and training teams to keep the players healthy. The slightest injury can put players on the Injured List within seconds of a problem with these experts watching them. They also design programs to prevent others from injuring themselves. We've heard it all<b>: </b>Left oblique strain, rotor cuff irritation and the infamous "lower body soreness". The medical staffs have solutions to prevent further injuries of each body part. There is a new injury to report but the solution is the easiest to institute. It's simply installing Parental Controls on TVs and video games. The Oakland A's left hander Jesus Luzardo broke his pinkie finger while playing a video game. The manager claims he accidentally bumped his hand while playing. No, he didn't. He slammed his hand the the table out of frustration while playing. Video games can do that to you, but Luardo won't have to worry about that for a while. The team has blocked the game and won't release it to Luzardo until he's old enough to learn how to control himself. Luckily, they didn't take away his Coco Puffs.</p><p>**As of Sunday, May <b>5</b>th, the Yankees are in third place in the AL East with a record of <b>14-14</b> (<b>.500). </b>If they were in the NL East, they would be <b>3</b> games ahead of the first place NY Mets (<b>11-11, .500</b>) I guess it's true in baseball <b>and</b> restaurants<b>: </b>It's location, location, location.</p><p>**The NY Mets have fired their two hitting coaches because the team is having trouble scoring runs and have shown little power. Always true in baseball, you can't fire the players, so the coaches (and sometimes the manager) have to go. The Yankees also went through this, but eventually the players began (as Michael Kay likes to say) to hit up to the standards of the back of their baseball cards. There is too much talent on the Mets for them to continue like this thru the season. Besides they're in first place so somebody is winning those games.</p><p>**First of a three game series NY vs Houston last night, won by the Yanks <b>7-3</b>. As expected, the NY crowd was very vocal in their harsh treatment of the Astros because of their cheating methods in the 2019 playoffs. Leave it to the NY crowd to come up with some ingenious ways to insult the Astros. Before we become too impressed, I read that the vendors outside the stadium came up with most of them, including some that were very profane. Not that the Astros didn't deserve it.The Yankee broadcasters feel the major reason the fans are so upset with Houston is the fact that the players got away with the cheating. They basically received no punishment, no fines, no suspensions and not loss of the title. <br /></p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Alabama wide receiver checks in at <b>6</b> foot <b>166</b> lbs. I'm not saying he's too skinny to withstand the pounding of the NFL, but he's the only player in the draft who uses a Cheerio as a hula hoop."</i> </span> -- Mike Bianchi</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Thursday, as Yanks-Orioles went to the 10th, Kay had to issue his “Free baseball!” call. Clever stuff — once, perhaps."</i> </span> -- Phil Mushnick<br /><b></b></p><p><i></i></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"</i></span><i><span style="color: #b45f06;">LA Lakers owner Jeannie Buss made a list of her all-time important
Lakers and not on this list is Jerry West. That’s like leaving Bugs
Bunny off of a list of all-time important rabbits.</span> </i>-- Bill Littlejohn</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"<span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">In the first half of tomorrow's Husker spring game there will be no tackling & the teams will play a form of touch football. Then, at the end, everybody gets a participation trophy?"</span></i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span>-- Brad Dickson</span></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"</span></i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>SF Giants & Rockies rained out tonight in Denver. So this means only
14 scheduled innings for Giants pitchers at Coors Fields for tomorrow’s
doubleheader. Wonder if any of those pitchers participated in a rain
dance."</i> </span> -- Janice Hough </span><br /><i></i></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen tossed a seven-inning
one-hitter against the Braves in the opener and Madison Bumgarner tossed
a no-no in the nightcap.In other words, they scheduled an MLB doubleheader and fastpitch softball broke out."</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"</i></span><i><span style="color: red;"> Talent evaluation is the most difficult thing in sports. The distance
between college and pro football is from Canton, China, to Canton, Ohio."</span> -- </i>Nick Canepa<i> </i></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i> "A recent survey said the U.S. city having the most sex per capita is Los
Angeles, averaging 135 times a year. That drops to 12 times a year if you exclude
the Lakers and Clippers."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i> "NBA box scores often include DNP — “did not play, coach’s decision.”
Kyrie Irving has inspired a new entry, DFLP — didn’t feel like playing."</i></span> -- Phil Mushnick</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"The owners of Stonehenge were seeking a general manager, one experienced
in working with ancient artifacts. They asked permission to speak to
Yankees GM Brian Cashman." </i></span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><b>Chad Picasner<br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-43149551279716992912021-04-30T07:46:00.001-04:002021-04-30T11:50:08.702-04:00HERE WE GO AGAIN<p> **Part of the fun of baseball is second guessing the manager's decision. It's fun because you're always right. It's that hindsight thing. In my opinion, Aaron Boone made two bad decisions in the Yankee's game against the Orioles. <b>(1)</b> Following baseball's<i> Rules Of Engagement</i>, he pinch hit Aaron Judge, a righty for Rougned Odor, a lefty, against a left-handed pitcher. He won't get fired by the front office for making that move, but he didn't win the battle either. Judge went down 1-2-3. Why take Odor out? He seems to be the only Yankee who has consistently come up with the big hit, regardless of who is pitching. Here's where you have to use your head and your eyes instead of your calculator. <b>(2) </b>In the <b>10th</b> inning with a runner on <b>2nd</b> base (Stupid rule!) and no outs, again tradition ruled as he has the batter try to bunt the runner to third. Okay I guess except when he had the hitter try with two strikes. Foul ball, the batter is out and a wasted at bat. It was Tyler Wade hitting. Let him swing away. Even if he makes any kind of out, at least you had a shot. It appears to me that Boone is managing just to save his job rather than trying to win a game. This is real baseball, not a Strat-OMatic board game. </p><p>**Yankee pitcher Mike King got sent down again after being called up two days ago from his last 10-day stint at the <i>Alternate Site</i>, which is, I think, really just the far end of the dugout. He's been extremely effective this year. Will you guys please leave him alone?</p><h2></h2><p><b> </b></p><p> **The umpires made a terrible call in the Milwaukee/Miami game on Wednesday, costing the Brewers a run. The surprising thing is that Angel Hernandez was NOT involved. The umps also made an arbitrary call in the Oriole/Yankee game Monday night and Angel Hernandez was not involved in that one either. What's going on here, is Angel on sabbatical or something?</p><p>**I read that the NFL is instituting new rules to try to limit taunting this year. It will include among other acts, standing over an opponent after a play. While you're at it, why not disallow those staged touchdown celebrations, which get crazier every year. It can be easy to stop them<b>: </b>If a flag is thrown for this infraction, <b>disallow the touchdown. </b>That will shut them right down.</p><p>**I like baseball. No, I <i>love</i> baseball. We've been to Major League stadiums all over the country just to watch baseball regardless of who is playing. We think of ourselves as <i>baseball </i>fans who happen to root for the Yankees; because it's all about the game. Not Exit Velo (not a word, by the way), not Spin Rate, or Control vs Command. Just because they <i>claim</i> they can measure spin rate, does not mean we have to hear about it. Along with a batters statistics (batting average, home runs, etc), broadcasters now tell you the recent trends for a hitter, such as, "He's <b>2</b> for his last <b>28</b>." This, at least is helpful. It tells you who is slumping and who isn't. A batter who is hitting <b>.320</b> overall, currently isn't a .300 hitter if he's mired in a<b> 2</b> for <b>28</b> slump.</p><p>A word about Exit Velo. Last night, Michael Kay and David Cone on the YES broadcast, tried to justify the need for Exit Velo. <span style="color: red;"><i>"It's important because the harder a ball is hit, the more likely it will result in a base hit."</i></span> Probably true but it's information <i>after the fact.</i> A batter hits a ball hard for a double, does it really matter if its velocity is <b>101 </b>miles per hour or <b>115? </b>Throw in Launch Angle and projected distance and you're taking all the joy out of home runs. By the way, that distance traveled that they come up with is hogwash. Based on where the ball lands and the distance signs on the fences, their numbers make very little sense. So please let us just watch the game. If you have to know all those numbers, go have a beer with David Cone after the game. </p><p></p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"The epidemic continues. Sunday, the Dodgers were up on the Padres,
6-1, after six. Dustin May looked strong, allowing two hits, only one
walk and striking out 10. But to the delight of the Padres, Dave Roberts pulled him. Three of
the next four Dodgers relievers were bombed. In 11, the Dodgers lost,
7-6."</span> </i> -- Phil Mushnick [I guess I'm not alone - CP]<br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"The Pay-Per-View for Wrestlemania 37 would have been much greater is they had taken my advice and arranged for somebody to body slam Tom Brady." </i></span> -- Greg Cote</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Tokyo's annual <b>Naki Sumo</b> rite of passage recently ended where parents
bring their young to see wrestlers perform in ways that make the
tots wail or cry. The American version is taking your kid to a NY Jets game."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. will miss a few games
after violating the NBA’s health safety protocols by visiting a Miami
strip club. Any possible fines, we assume, will be paid in $1 bills."</i> </span>-- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"Ralph Lauren designed the outfits for U.S. Olympians. I can’t tell if he’s dressed
the U.S. team for the next space-shuttle mission or an expedition to the
South Pole." </i> </span>-- Pattti Dawn Swansson</p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"A “report” in the Babylon Bee headlined, “Entire U.S. Water Polo Team Drowns Kneeling for the National Anthem." </i></span> -- Sent in by Bill Hoyt<br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"A Wall Street Journal report said psychologists can consistently pick the loser of a fight by seeing who
has the biggest, toothiest smile before they square off. Good luck trying this predictor on NHL players."</i> </span>-- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"So we’re FINALLY about to be done with months of post-season NFL Draft
hype. And now we’re about to be in for months of pre-season NFL Draft
analysis."</i> </span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Now that MLB seven-inning doubleheader games are here to stay, it’s time to get accustomed to the fifth-inning stretch."</i> </span> -- Bob Molinaro </p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>" </i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>Yesterday evening on the radio Bill Moos said he thinks the Nebraska football team can win nine games next season. Two words come to mind: "Happy Hour."</i> </span> -- Brad Dickson</span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"</span></i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>Given that games now regularly include 80 or more 3-point tries — 88 in
Tuesday’s Nets-Raptors — I conclude that NBA stands for “Not
Basketball Anymore.”</i> </span> -- Tim Mattice<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"CDC guidelines now say you can be outside without a mask if you’re not in a crowd. So Marlins fans should be fine."</i></span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><b>Chad Picasner </b><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-32498826811367053462021-04-21T13:36:00.000-04:002021-04-21T13:36:29.434-04:00GIMME THAT OLD TIME RELIGION...<p> **Anyone who is at all interested in baseball should read Phil Mushnick's column in the April 17th edition of the NY Post. Baseball players and managers should be made to memorize it.</p><p><span style="color: red;"> https://nypost.com/2021/04/17/true-winning-baseball-goes-against-everything-mlb-practices/</span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Among the many current baseball practices he discusses are these little gems<b>: </b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span><span>*</span></span><span><span>You wanna play the shift against us? Knock yourselves out. We have been drilled to beat the shift with ‘other way’ swings.</span></span></i></span></p><p><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span><span>*</span></span><span><span>Hustle? We will not be out-hustled. If a guy jogs when he should be
running, if he home-plate-poses a double or triple into a single, he
will immediately be pulled. </span></span></i></span></p><p><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span><span>*</span></span></i><span><i><span>Our designated hitter, especially with two strikes, will be tasked with
putting the ball in play, not striking out trying to hit the ball 500
feet. </span></i></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">He discusses these items and more in detail and with a sarcastic sense of humor that befits the topic. I'd like to meet him someday and buy a beer...or <b>5</b> or <b>6. </b>Lord knows he deserves it.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**It's interesting that in the last two days (Monday & Tuesday), I've read that two teams known for power hitting aren't hitting for two different reasons. The Cubs can't hit fastballs and the Yankees can't hit breaking balls. Maybe they should switch leagues.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**I haven't heard that Angel Hernandez has blown any calls lately. It can't be because he hasn't missed any, Maybe everyone is so used to it that it's not news anymore.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**MLB is is investigating baseballs thrown by Trevor Bauer to see if they have been doctored, First of all, why just Trevor Bauer? If he can do it, why not others? Secondly, they should keep in mind that they never really caught Gaylord Perry.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim is adding a second son, Former Cornell player Jimmy Boeheim to the team. I'm trying to confirm the rumor that his wife Julie is joining the cheerleading squad. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">North Texas softball pitcher Hope Trautwein faced the minimum 21 batters
against Arkansas Pine-Bluff on April 11 — and struck out all 21, a
first in NCAA Division I history. That's better than a game I saw back in the 60's when a pitcher (Richie Pelow) for Oswego High, my high school team, threw a no-hitter against our cross town rivals, Oswego Catholic. The first batter flew out to center field, the last twenty struck out.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**Uh-oh. Brian Cashman has given Yankee manager Aaron Boone a vote of confidence over the teams recent struggles. Isn't that what they normally do before firing a manager? </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">I just read an article by Ben Lindbergh about the surprising long-term friendship between Brian Cashman and Billy Bean. It stems from their shared belief in the sabermetrics put forth by Bill James, but they practice it from different angles.<i> </i>Interesting article<i> - "Moneyball with Money" </i>by Lindbergh</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><span><span>"</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Friend just told me a great story about someone saying of COVID-19 vaccine
“I won’t put anything in my body where I don’t know what’s in it.” And
they got the response “You eat hot dogs don’t you?”</i></span> -- Janice Hough </span> </span></p><p><i><span style="color: red;"> <span style="color: #b45f06;"><span>"</span></span></span><span style="color: #b45f06;">MLB hired former WWE "sizzle planner" <b>Brian Stedman</b> for league
strategy and development. Soon, instead of a manager sitting a pitcher
down, he'll come out and hit him with a chair"</span></i> -- RJ Currie.</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"President Biden says he will not throw out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals home opener. So it you want to see a 79 year old pitcher, you'll have to watch the Baltimore Orioles."</i> </span> Brad Dickson <br /></p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>"A fan in Anaheim threw an inflatable trash can onto the field during an Astros-Angels game.Three players on the Houston bench immediately yelled, “Pitch-out!”</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"The good news is I picked the Bulldogs and the Bears in my finals. The bad news is that it was Georgia and Cal."</i> </span> -- Alex Kaseberg<br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i> "After Thursday’s MLB games, the first-place teams in the American
League today are the Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals and Seattle
Mariners, just like everyone thought it would be.</i>" </span> -- Jeff Passan</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"World champion boxer Floyd Mayweather fought Connor McGregor, a guy who had never been in a boxing match
in his life. I am surprised that it was not arranged for the winner
here to face 65-year-old Hulk Hogan in a Steel Cage Texas Chain Saw
Death Match."</i> </span>-- Jack Finarelli</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;">If basketball players were confections, I'm thinking </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"><b>Kevin Durant</b></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i> would be brittle." </i> </span>-- RJ Currie</span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;">"</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>I'm not looking forward to Zach Wilson’s possible NFL-draft destiny. The Jets are to quarterbacks what Larry King was to marriage." </i></span> -- Doug Robinson </span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;">"</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>When Marc Leishman suddenly was one back in the Masters, we were told he was playing
“under the radar.” Whose radar? That was another way of saying that CBS
hadn’t much bothered to pay him much attention."</i> </span>-- Phil Mushnick </span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"><b>Chad Picasner</b> </span> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> UH-oh</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-54144807166475011102021-04-08T08:00:00.000-04:002021-04-08T08:00:58.201-04:00PROOF THAT I'M A GRUMPY OLD MAN<p>**It's time to take stock of the Yankee's biggest problem<b>: </b>They don't have a reliable shortstop. Gleyber Torres made an error last night that led to a run. Officially, it was his <b>2nd</b> error of the year, but in my mind, it was his fourth. He's not hitting up to his potential, but he will so that's not an issue. There's no way to have him change positions without losing an excellent player and the DH slot is filled with Stanton. The only player I wouldn't mind seeing gone is Aaron Hicks, but can Torres play center? A trade, perhaps? I guess we'll have to wait to see if Cashman can work some magic.</p><p>** I read an article yesterday that had this headline<b>: <i>MLB umpire Angel Hernandez called out for another brutal game</i>.</b> A twitter account - Umpire Auditor - claims that Hernandez missed <b>24 </b>separate calls in the Houston/Los Angeles game on Tuesday. Only <b>24</b>? Did they quit counting after the third inning? When is MLB going to do something about this? </p><p>**Here we go again. Aaron Judge was held out of Wednesday night's game because of <i>"left side soreness." </i>Manager Boone said,<i> <span style="color: red;">"It's not serious, we're just being cautious." </span></i><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">They said he is available to pinch hit - he didn't. He will be able to play again Friday. Now they say he may not. Is this another drag-out injury where in three or four days we'll be told he actually pulled a muscle or something and he'll miss 10 days. Where are all these medical people that are supposed to keep the players on the field? Not only aren't they doing that, they can't even figure out what's wrong with them. They should just put them out there and tell them to play. As my Aunt Kay used to say if you complained about a hurt, <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Oh, I don't feel a thing.</i></span>"</span></span><br /></p><p> **I'm sure the Houston Astros were hoping the COVID year of reduced games and no fans in the stands, would act as a buffer for their transgressions of sign stealing, but it doesn't appear that that happened. In Monday nights game in Los Angeles against the Angels, trash bins were thrown onto the outfield grass by the fans. The Astros are also being showered by boos at every turn. Manager Dusty Baker of the Astros is not happy.<span style="color: red;"><i> <span style="color: #b45f06;">"How many in the stands have never done anything wrong in their life? We
paid the price for it. How many people have not cheated on a test or
whatever at some point in time."</span> </i><span style="color: black;">Sorry Dusty, but it doesn't work like that. You can't just say you're sorry and let it go like that. Saying, 'Well, everybody does it.' isn't a good excuse either. You screwed around with the integrity of the game and now you're paying for it. It's certainly not up to you to determine how long this will go on. It's up to the fans and there are still 27 more stadiums you have to play in so grit your teeth and take what you deserve.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has finally admitted that Tiger Woods car crash was caused by speeding. This took<b> six weeks. </b>The car missed a turn, went thru a guardrail, hit a tree, went airborne, down a bank and landed on it's side. Does that sound like something going <b>40 </b>MPH? This is not his first accident. If he dies in one of these, that's one thing. What if he kills some innocent person? They should take his license away from him. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**The Boston Red Sox have unveiled a new uniform as part of MLB's <i>City Connect Series</i>, a program to push for alternate designs of uniforms. Abandoning the traditional white uniform with red lettering, the new one in yellow with blue lettering. I'm not a Red Sox fan, but I think messing with one of the most iconic uniforms is asinine. See for yourself below. Said </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">chief revenue officer Noah Garden, <span style="color: #38761d;"><span><i>"</i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><i>It was front and center and this is why we did this deal. You take two
iconic brands and you put them together and you have one and one make
three."</i></span></span> A sentence which makes about as much sense as this program. </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><img class="lazyloaded imageLoaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" /> </span></span><img class="lazyloaded imageLoaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" /><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><img class="lazyloaded imageLoaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V9a4NxvAZIM/YGyyRQFO_5I/AAAAAAAAAT8/0pJLHqtAEhUy33IYBOoJE6Gl91ZC1k5QQCLcBGAsYHQ/i.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="570" height="180" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V9a4NxvAZIM/YGyyRQFO_5I/AAAAAAAAAT8/0pJLHqtAEhUy33IYBOoJE6Gl91ZC1k5QQCLcBGAsYHQ/i.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></p><p><span style="color: black;"><b> </b><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"</i></span></span><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>April 8 starts the “Frozen Four” finals for the NCAA championship in men’s ice hockey. Not that most Americans, including me until last week, could name the teams involved." </i></span> -- Janice Hough<br /></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"The Rover is searching for water on Mars. They should’ve sent me there with
my golf clubs. I’d have found water by my third tee shot." </i></span> -- Argus Hamilton<br /><i></i></p><p></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>" Russian bodybuilder Kirill ‘Popeye’ Tereshin is facing a bunch of surgical
repairs after injecting his arms with petroleum jelly to make his
muscles bulge. Wouldn’t it have been much safer just to eat lots of
spinach?"</i></span> -- Gary Bachman<br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"After his 11th-seeded team’s ugly 51-49 victory over top-seeded Michigan in
the East Regional title game: “Stats are for losers … You can crumble up
that stat sheet tonight."</i> </span> -- UCLA coach Mike Cronin </p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Eight years ago at Augusta,<b> Tiger Woods</b> got in trouble for an improper drop. And for once it wasn't his pants."</i></span> -- RJ Currie </p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"Working title for a documentary about MLB managers’ worst umpiring nightmare: “Angel’s In The Infield.”</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Gov. Greg Abbott has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions in the Lone Star
State, meaning the Texas Rangers’ home opener might be a sellout. The
rules there are now so lenient that even catcher’s masks aren’t
mandatory."</i></span> -- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"It should be no surprise that Baylor gunned down previously unbeaten
Gonzaga 86-70 to win the NCAA Tournament. Hasn't Texas always been big
on the right to arm Bears?"</i> </span>-- RJ Currie<br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: red;"><i>The Spike Lee/Barkley/Jackson spots during the NCAA Tournament are dumbed down more than usual which I thought was impossible. They're geared toward viewers with the intellect of a garden rake."</i> </span> -- Brad Dickson</span></p><p><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-33998610907624746762021-04-01T07:17:00.000-04:002021-04-01T07:17:17.581-04:00IT'S OPENING DAY<p> If you've followed baseball religiously, as I have since <b>1954, </b>this is your favorite day. This will be my <b>67</b>th opening day and I'm ready to go. I've been in training and I can still eat a hot dog and drink a beer and never miss a pitch. Of course, these days I'll be asleep for the seventh inning stretch, but that's what ESPN is for. </p><p>**A couple of rule changes from last season will remain in effect such as both games of double headers will be seven innings. I prefer the old minor league system: First game <b>9</b> innings, second game <b>7</b> innings. Unfortunately there will be no universal Designated Hitter. That will be used only in American League parks. That's too bad since I feel the biggest asset is that it keeps older players in the game longer. I don't care for starting a runner at second for extra innings, that one will be there. There will be others but these three are the biggest.</p><p>**Angel Hernandez has lost his discrimination suit against MLB. Angel got shut down quite decisively by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. <span style="color: red;"><i>"The explicit reason MLB offers -- that according to Torre, Hernandez
'has not demonstrated the leadership ability and situation-management
skills in critical high-pressure roles on a consistent basis' -- is
presented in clear and specific terms." </i><span style="color: black;">In other words, Hernandez did not perform well in high pressure situations. I think that's wrong. I don't think Hernandez performs well in <i>any</i> situation. How can one person make so many glaring errors and on national television no less.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**Texas Governor Greg Abbott has lifted the state' mandatory mask policy and the Rangers Globe Life Park in Arlington will allow <b>100%</b> capacity (aprox. <b>40,000</b> fans) for opening day, however fans will be required to wear masks. No other club will allow more than <b>50%</b> capacity, some as low as <b>12%. </b>At least the Governor will be safe up in his mansion.<b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**Speaking of Opening Day, I love the way schedule makers like to show us how important they are. Either that or they are devious little people. Why, for example, do they do this<b>: </b>NY vs Toronto - In New York not in Toronto's dome? Atlanta goes to Philadelphia? The Dodgers get sent to Colorado - they should have the last blizzard cleared out by then. Houston is going to Oakland. Well, the weather will be no problem but nobody likes to play in Oakland - not even Oakland. They did send Minnesota down south - all the way to Milwaukee. Baseball tradition was the first game of the season was in Cincinnati. This year the first game will be in New York. It will also be the first game postponed on account of weather. It doesn't matter; just hoist one of those <b>$15</b> beers and play on!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**One more weekend of college basketball. Two games on Saturday and the Championship game on Monday. This year it's all Texas (Baylor-Houston) vs all West Coast (UCLA-Gonzaga). To hear my friend Janice Hough tell it, we here in the East don't really care. Actually I would love to see Gonzaga vs Baylor for all the marbles.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**In the world of high finance, players continue to ask for outrageous amounts of money. Francisco Lindor wanted <b>$32</b> million a year from the Mets but owner Steve Cohen said no way. You'll take <b>$34</b> million a year and like it. I'm glad he's not doing my taxes. (Actually. Lindor asked for 12 years, Cohen gave him<b> 10 </b>years)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**A quote from my favorite fighter, from Dwight Perry's column<b>:</b></span></span> </p><p>The late Marvelous Marvin Hagler didn’t need his fists to land a good jab. In 1985, when Thomas Hearns
opened a cut above Hagler’s eye during their celebrated middleweight
fight, referee Richard Steele called time to check it out, and this
ensued: Steele: “Marvin, can you see?”Hagler: “I ain’t missing him, am I?”</p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"If these CBS and Turner NCAA Tournament voices are so word-slick, why hasn’t “punched their ticket” become “scan their ticket”?"</i></span> -- Phil Mushnick<br /></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span><span>"</span></span>A startled golfer plunged into a 5.5-metre sinkhole that opened up beneath him on an Illinois fairway. Talk about a free drop."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"I know coaches never like to look ahead … but Oregon needs only five more forfeits to win the national title." </i></span> -- John Canzano </p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>How competitive is the NCAA Tournament? Oregon State plays Loyola Chicago tomorrow and tonight OSU fans are burning Sister Jean in effigy." </i></span> -- Brad Dickson</span> </p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Hope it isn’t a bad sign that Opening Day is also April Fool’s Day."</i> </span>-- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Syracuse needs its 3-point shots to fall to win this game; not happening in 1<sup>st</sup> half. In the second half, Houston was almost playing “Box-and-1” on Buddy Boeheim."</i> </span> -- Jack Finarelli </p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Brian Cashman<b>,</b> GM of the Bronx Bombers, pays his ex over $1
million annually in their divorce settlement. So Yankee
Stadium isn't his only costly diamond."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie </p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Ohio State safety Marcus Hooker was arrested on DUI
charges after he passed out behind the wheel while waiting in a
McDonald’s drive-thru line.Defense lawyers can’t decide whether to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or “I deserve a break today.”</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>" So as March Madness continues, who are casual college basketball fans
going to root for, now that the game’s most well-known star is gone from
the tournament? Talking of course about Sister Jean." </i></span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>Krispy Kreme is offering a free glazed doughnut to anyone who gets a vaccine. The problem is that Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts are actually worse for you than Covid."</i> </span> -- Brad Dickson</span></p><p><i><span style="color: red;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"</span>The Houston Rockets finally snapped their long losing streak — 20 games — with a 117-99 win over Toronto. That sound you hear is ex-Washington Generals popping Champagne corks."</span> </i> -- Dwight Perry</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><br /><i></i></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-24701082655685483112021-03-19T08:01:00.000-04:002021-03-19T08:01:20.724-04:00THE YEARS BIGGEST SPORTS WEEKEND<p> Whatever sport you into, there's probably something on TV this weekend for you, with the possible exception of tennis.</p><p>**<b><u>Baseball</u></b> - Granted it's only spring training games, but by this time, all the minor leaguers who have little chance of making opening day have been sent down, so the best players will be on the field. There are <b>14</b> on the schedule all three days. <b>42</b> games is probably too many for me these days, I can't drink that much beer any more. They're televised on each teams network.<br /></p><p>**<u><b>NASCAR</b> </u>- There are three races scheduled this weekend - two on Saturday and one on Sunday, all at Atlanta Motor Speedway on FS1.</p><p>**<b><u>The NBA</u></b> - There are <b>25</b> games scheduled for this weekend. I will not watch any of them. </p><p>**<b><u>College Basketball</u></b> - Unless your cave doesn't have cable, you know this is the start of <b>March Madness</b>. Actually, it started the last two nights with <b>4</b> NIT games and <b>4</b> NCAA games. The NCAA games were the First Four Games or what they used to call, The Play-in games. Eight teams that didn't make it into the 64-team field, but were deemed "kinda good," </p><p> they got a second chance. Not the best endorsement for your program, but at least it's not the NIT. I heard that most coaches actually asked the team if they wanted to play in the NIT. Some teams (Duke, for one) said no. Still, they were worth watching. Three of the six on last night were one point games. The only blowout was the NC State/Davidson games which was really over with 10 minutes left in the 2nd half. </p><p>The NIT has two games today and two games on Saturday. The final games are next weekend.</p><p>The NCAA Tourney has <b>28</b> games scheduled for Friday and Saturday. The games start at noon today and probably won't end till about midnight, with the same schedule on Saturday. There could be as many as five games on at the same time. I love college basketball and there is only one thing I won't like about the next two days<b>: </b>I don't know how many times I'm gonna hear all those cute phrases and trite comments we've got to suffer through until Sunday morning. </p><p>"You have to know where so-and-so is every minute." There's only ten guys on the court and you came with four of them, how hard is it to find five guys, especially with different uniforms.</p><p>"He's good off the bounce." I assume they mean the ball.</p><p>""He can score from anywhere." On the court, on campus, in the back seat...I mean anywhere.</p><p>There are more and you'll know them all by Saturday night.</p><p>One thing I have noticed. The coaches all wear masks but a lot of them pull them down when arguing with the ref or berating their players. </p><p>**<b><u>Women's Gymnastics</u> - </b>There championship tournament is on Saturday. Two 2-hour events involving 4 teams in each event. Total score wins. The players are given scores based on the quality of their performance, so it's all kind of subjective except for when they fall, but they don't do this very often. It is televised so there is one problem. Four teams and four different exercises all going on at the same time, so you get a split screen with four events at once. It's hard to watch. I tried to tape it one year, but Spectrum TV called me and said <i>"Are you crazy? If you want to tape all four exercises, you need three more TVs."</i></p><p>At any rate, this should fill up your weekend. </p><p>One sad note<b>: </b>One of my favorite fighters - maybe my all-time favorite - Marvelous Marvin Hagler died this week from an undisclosed illness. He was <b>66</b>. He was a true champion, ducked no one and gave his all every time out. His championship bout against Tommy 'The Hitman' Hearns may have been the best fight ever and certainly the best I ever saw.<br /></p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"A brawl rep</i><i>ortedly broke out at a New Hampshire retirement centre during
a bingo game. It looked like a hockey fight, except with more teeth."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"The Mets and Yankees will be allowed to start the season at 20% capacity. Presume they’ll make up for it with concessions. So will beers at Yankee Stadium be offered on a low-interest payment plan?"</i></span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"The Mariners produced four straight ties in
spring-training games March 3-6 — 8-8 against the Cubs, 9-9 against the
Rockies, 2-2 against the White Sox and 1-1 against the A’s.And just in case baseball’s rulesmakers go getting any more bright ideas, M’s players are suddenly practicing penalty kicks."</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Ravens coach John Harbough paid the entire $2200 plus restaurant bill during a Baltimore charity event. So he covered the spread."</i> </span> -- Jamison Hensley</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;">"<i>Dish Network and Draft Kings just struck a deal that will allow fans to place bets on sporting events from their televisions during the games. Okay, we're going to need another $1.9 trillion bailout very soon." </i></span> -- Brad Dickson<br /></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"When we all have a couple days to guess at teams we’ve never watched
play and cannot name a single player on, but we’re about to get
passionately involved in their winning and losing."</i> </span> -- Janice Hough<b></b></p><p><b> </b><span style="color: red;"><i>"After Texas punched its ticket (ugh!) to the NCAA Tournament by
defeating Oklahoma State, Texas guard Matt Coleman III, into an ESPN
microphone, declared, <b>“This is what I came to school for!”</b> The colleges continue to serve as false fronts for basketball programs.
In other businesses, that’s called racketeering. It’s a felony."</i> -</span>- Phil Mushnick</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>A Husker school record was just set in the men's 60-meter dash. The record was set by coach Bill Moos trying to get away from reporters asking why he's afraid to play Oklahoma."</i> </span> -- Brad Dickson<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b> </b><i>"Top-seeded basketball teams have to avoid COVID-19 as well as upsets
in this year’s NCAA tournament. It gives new meaning to ‘survive and
advance."</i> </span> -- Bob Molinaro<br /></p><p><b>Chad Picasner <br /></b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-76118290155558905862021-03-12T08:05:00.000-05:002021-03-12T08:05:53.565-05:00AHH, SPORTS, SPORTS AND MORE SPORTS<p>Sports on TV makes retirement wonderful again.</p><p>**On an off-day workout, the Mets practiced their "We-won-the-World-Series" celebration. They have this event where they try to make <b>27</b> outs without making an error. When they accomplished it, they all ran to the center of the diamond and celebrated. Sounds crazy, but not unheard of. During the <b>1982-1983</b> college basketball season, NC State coach, Jim Valvano had his team practice cutting down the nets on a regular basis at the end of a workout. Valvano claimed it instilled a championship mind set in his players. Think that was silly? That team won the National Championship as one of college basketball's all-time Cinderella teams and the net-cutting was perfect. </p><p>**It appears that Syracuse University's chances of making the NCAA Tournament are pretty slim. They lost a heart breaker to Virginia yesterday on a last-second three point shot by a Cavalier who hadn't scored the whole game. Buddy Boeheim continues to amaze with his long distance accuracy. He was <b>11-20</b> from the three-point line in two games in the ACC Tournament, a shocking <b>55%. </b>I hope SU gets into some kind of post-season tournament. He is fun to watch.</p><p>**Speaking of the NCAA Tournament, also called <i>March Madness</i> or <i>The Big Dance</i>, I think I enjoy this event more than the World Series or the Super Bowl, for a number of reasons. First, the matchups are very even. In what other sport can a team from say, Gonzaga University (approx <b>7500 </b>students) compete successfully against an Ohio State University (approx <b>61,000</b> students). Ohio State may have <b>53,000</b> more students but they can only put five of them on the floor at once. Secondly, every game is one-and-done, so the players go all out and it seems every game is a nail biter. Before the pandemic, there would be two sets of cheerleaders, both crying at the end, one because they won, one because they lost. It's indicative of how emotionally involved both teams are. Third, even if you've never heard of a school before, it's difficult to not root for one or the other because of the obvious efforts the players give. Lastly, there is always a "Cinderella team," a team that has no business lasting more than one round, that you really enjoy watching and rooting for them...unless they're playing your team. Of course, there are the multitude of basketball brackets run by friends, co-workers or your neighborhood tavern, where you can make your picks based on careful research and information, or you can go by team colors or mascots.</p><p>**Speaking of which, Annie-O and I have had our own two-person bracket for years and I, the Expert, have yet to beat her. And no buzzer-beater is involved. I'm usually out of it before we get to the Elite Eight. That's when I hear that dreaded phrase,<span style="color: red;"><i> <b>"But that's good for you, Honey." </b></i><span style="color: black;">This year it's going to be different: I'm going to cheat.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**MLB is going to institute a number of experimental rule changes in the minor leagues this year, some good, some not so good and some idiotic.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>1)</b><i> Infielders must all have two feet on the infield dirt. </i>Not a bad idea as it will cut down the extreme shifts somewhat.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>2)</b> <i>A <b>15</b>-second pitch clock. </i>Okay, but maybe a little too extreme. This will take some watching.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>3)</b> <i>Pitchers must step off the rubber before attempting a pick-off. </i>I like this one because it will stop all the left-handers who have gradually eased their moves to the point that <b>95%</b> of them are actually balks. This will increase the number of stolen bases against lefties which will add to the excitement of the game and increase the value of the player that has speed as a bit part of his game. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">4) <i>Increase the size of the bases by three inches. </i>This is the idiotic one. This is as bad as the three inch glove extensions they allow players to wear. They should dump both of these things. Now!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">**Sunday is Selection Day for the NCAA Tournament. Sunday night is whining day for those teams that didn't make it. Next week, I'll write about the teams, the team mascots and the matchups. So Monday will be Sarcasm Day for Chad.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Replay struck, as three reviews, all lengthy, were enacted during the final minute. One was for a baseline possession that was reviewed at least five times before it was decided by a group shrug."</i> </span> -- Phil Mushnick</p><p><i><span style="color: #b45f06;">"The Minnesota Vikings are turning their practice facility into a community COVID-vaccination site. Hardcore fans are demanding to take their shots downfield."</span> </i> -- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"The NCAA says March Madness Tournament basketball teams will need a minimum of FIVE healthy players on their roster. Uh, so if does this mean if someone fouls out do teams play four on five like they did in youth leagues sometimes?" </i> </span>-- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A study of beer drinking among MLB fans found Blue Jays patrons lead the majors<span> in one category: starting to drink </span></span></span></i></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>before the opening
pitch. Another joke that just wrote itself."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">"</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>Players hate going to the NBA All-Star Game — as they should — and get upset when they’re not invited.”</i> </span> -- Nick Canepa<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><i>"Any NBA player who complains that a teammate was snubbed in the
All-Star selection process must name the player he'd remove from the
team."</i></span> -- Bob Molinaro</p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: #191919;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Los Angeles, for example, could sell 11,200 seats to Dodger Stadium at 20% capacity. So all Dodger game crowds will look like game crowds in the first or last three innings." </i>-</span>- Janice Hough</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Earlier on Fox, the last minutes of Wisconsin-Iowa, a close one, took the time it takes to cook a 15-pound turkey." </i> </span>-- Phil Mushnick</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Archaeologists working north of Pompeii have uncovered a
ceremonial chariot — leaving scientists amazed at the stellar condition
of the iron elements, bronze decorations and mineralized wooden remains.Not to mention the NASCAR sticker on the rear bumper."</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-45865015052687445302021-02-26T07:21:00.000-05:002021-02-26T07:21:26.431-05:00AND WE'RE OFF!!<p> Spring Training games start this Sunday so it's time for the teams to put up or shut up.<br /></p><p>**Cam Newton, <b>31</b>-year-old soon-to-be-free-agent QB, last week said, "I’ve
spent thousands and thousands of dollars — maybe even millions of
dollars--on clothes I only wore once." Now why would you be proud of that? And why tell the world?</p><p>**Now a third member of the NY Mets has been fired over inappropriate actions against women, specifically female sports reporters. This is ridiculous, will it never end? This is what I call <i>double stupid. </i>Not only do they say and do these inappropriate things, but they also leave a paper trail. I leave you with one thought: My Dad always drummed this into my head - <i>"You always respect the women."</i></p><p>**The Yankees have resigned Bret Gardner for 1 year at <b>$4 </b>million. He's the the longest tenured Yankee. He started in 2008, and while he's no HOF candidate, he's a very serviceable player and at <b>36</b> years old, he can still handle center field. Good move Cashman.</p><p>**I love this headline on the NY Post<b>:<i> "Gerrit Cole mad at the ‘bad faith’ in baseball that was just exposed"</i> </b>I pretty sure he wasn't talking about the <b>$324</b> million contract he just signed. That's not bad faith, of course, that's just bad judgement.</p><p>**The Yanks first spring training game is Sunday. If the teams follow their usual pattern, the regulars will play three innings and then a bunch of guys with three digit numbers on their backs will appear on the field for the last six innings. And yes, I'm so desperate for baseball, I'll still be watching.</p><p>**The NY Yankees seemingly led the league for the last two years in players lost to injuries. It's supposed to be different this year, because of their new strength and conditioning coach. After one complete day of workouts, pitcher Clarke Schmidt has strained a tendon in his elbow and is out for at least three weeks. At least everyone made it through the uniform fittings.</p><p></p><p>**Tim Tebow has officially retired. I'm not sure from what.</p><p></p><p>**Bradford Doolittle, a writer for ESPN, has made his predictions for the baseball season, picking quite logically, the Dodgers and the Yankees as number one & number two with Atlanta & Houston next. What else could he do? All these prognosticators have to go on is last years results. All the teams have made moves, some of which will seriously impact their seasons and some that won't. Someday, some gutsy writer will come out with a list that will include a team that on paper has no chance. He'll be wrong, of course, but I will admire his bold choice.</p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Marie Antoinette, beheaded former queen of France, never played
hockey. If she had, history would note her as out indefinitely with an
upper body injury."</i> -</span>- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Duke star Jalen Johnson has opted out of the rest of his freshman season to preserve his health for the 2021 NBA draft. Or, as veteran Cameron Crazy “Bluto” Blutarskyput it: “Seven months of college down the drain."</i> </span>-- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"After the Buffalo Sabres got shut out at home for their fourth straight loss, I
bought a cardboard cutout to honor my aunt who passed away. Can I come
pick it up so she doesn’t have to
watch this any more?"</i> </span> -- Chris Calarco</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Saw Tom Brady on one of the boats celebrating the Super Bowl victory. I thought for sure he’d be walking on the water."</i></span> -- Patti Dawn Swansson</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"NHL Outdoor game between Golden Knights and Avalanche stopped after
first period, and rescheduled to restart at midnight now,
after sunshine caused deteriorating ice conditions earlier. So add to 2021 insanity… a major professional sporting event postponed because the weather was too good?"</i> </span> -- Janice Hough<br /></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>Below is the new Arby's burger known as "The Widowmaker." How fast can we get a vaccine for this?'</i> </span>-- Brad Dickson<br /></span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><img alt="Image" class="css-9pa8cd" draggable="true" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EurbskmWQAMtzf4?format=png&name=120x120" /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"I suspect that the Marlins’ decision to allow a 25
percent capacity into its ballpark is a scheme to increase their
attendance."</i> </span> -- NY Post reader Joe Napoleone (From Phil Mushnick, column)</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"The Indianapolis Colts acquired QB Carson Wentz from the Eagles for a third-round pick, a second-round pick and a thank you note from Wentz to be sent later."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Another Tiger Woods’ accident and good fortune instead again lies in the fact he hasn’t killed anyone, including himself."</i></span> -- Phil Mushnick</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Look, if the NBA stars think the NBA All-Star Game is a bad idea, they have it in their
power to make things right from their perspective. Just do not show up
for the game." </i> </span>-- Jack Finarelli<br /></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"A person took s swing at Mike Tyson as he was signing autographs after his recent fight with Roy Jones, Jr. No arrests have been made, but police are searching for a man who's lost his mind."</i></span> -- Patti Dawn Swansson</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-6361770698467190572021-02-10T08:00:00.000-05:002021-02-10T08:00:46.981-05:00IT'S ALMOST TIME<p>It's that time of the year when all <b>30</b> teams expect to be in the World Series. Well, not the Orioles maybe, but every other team.</p><p>**Yankee Stadium opens as a coronavirus vaccination site. Well, that's one way to give the team a shot in the arm.</p><p>**Move over Bobby Bonilla, your <b>$1.2</b> million a year until <b>2035</b>, is now in second place for the craziest contract. The Dodgers will be paying Trevor Bauer approx. <b>$120,000 </b>an <i>inning</i> for the next two years. One complete game for Trevor and there goes your record, Bobby. To carry Bauer's contract to another extreme, that's close to <b>$10,000</b> per pitch, which could lead to this conversation on the mound: Mgr: <i>"How do you feel, Trevor?"</i> Bauer: <i>" I think I got about <b>$40,000</b> left in me, Skipper."</i></p><p><i>**</i>Speaking of overpaid athletes, here's an oddity. The Angels just signed Shohei Otani to a two-year deal for <b>$8.5</b> million. For a baseball's only two-way player and Rookie of the year winner, this seems reasonable. Of course, Otani is a few years away from free agency, so he has very little leverage in the negotiations, so one could say the Angels were being generous. On the other hand, they are paying Mike Trout <b>$35.5 </b>million a year for <b>12</b> years, so there might not be a lot of money left in owner Artie Moreno's wallet.</p><p><i>**</i>You can't discuss sports - any sport - without dragging statistics into it, but how much faith can you actually put in those numbers? A lot of times those numbers are subjective, determined by a stat-head sitting in a booth or at a table where the actual achievement is awarded by some guy with a pencil.A big bugaboo of mine is watching a ball hit to a fielder who can't come up with it but the batter is "given" a hit because it was so hard hit. Bullroar! Those are major-leaguers with a glove. Catch the ball or catch the error. Even college basketball stats are not to be trusted. Here are two examples<b>:</b> In last nights Syracuse - N.C. State game, a Syracuse shot went awry and the announcers wondered if maybe State player Manny Bates blocked it. Even with instant replay, slo-mo and multiple angles available to them, they couldn't tell. One of the announcers actually said, <span style="color: red;"><i>"We'll have to wait and see if Bates was awarded a block." </i></span>Who was going to make that decision? Manny's Mom? But there it is in this morning's stat sheet; Manny got credited with a block - plus two others. Manny's Mom must have called them in. Second questionable stat came from Syracuse point guard Joe Girardi III. He was charged with one turnover. ONE! I saw him lose his dribble to a defender twice plus throw a pass away and yet he ends up with only one turnover. I guess Joe's Mom has that same phone number. BTW, after watching him for two seasons now, I don't think Girardi is a point guard. He should be the shooting guard with someone else bringing the ball down. He'll score more and Syracuse will have fewer turnovers. Boeheim doesn't seem too happy with him either, because he often gets pulled after making an error or two. He plays fewer minutes than any other Syracuse starter, unusual for your primary ball handler.</p><p>**Not a good time to be a baseball free agent, especially a decent, but not great, free agent. Teams are playing a waiting game , hoping that players they are interested in will lower their asking price to a team-friendly level. There are still about a dozen free agents (all under 32 years old) that normally would be signed by now, but there they sit. One that really puzzles me is catcher Austen Romine. He's now 32 and maybe he's not an every day player, but he may be a great backup. The Cardinals just resigned 38 year-old Yadier Molina to a one year $9 million deal. Probably could have had Romine for half that and been set for a few years.</p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"The sun came up this morning. In related news, QB <b>Tom Brady</b> won the Super Bowl."</i> </span>-- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Tom Brady apparently immediately after Super Bowl texted an apology to
Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu “for several on-field verbal altercations.” Now
you REALLY wonder what Brady said to him on the field?"</i> </span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Last Tuesday’s Sabres-Islanders hockey game was postponed because of snow. Which, when you think of it, is kind of like a swim meet getting rained out."</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>" COVID shutdowns forced <b>Cirque de Soleil</b> to declare bankruptcy. There haven't been so
many clowns not working this side of the Jacksonville Jaguars."</i></span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"Ex-Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, who just signed with the Orioles, opted out of the 2020 season. With 500 days between starts, he should
be well-rested."</i> </span>-- Bob Molinaro </p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"NFL used all kinds of COVID-19 protocols to make it to Super Bowl. Now
they’re having 22,000 fans & many events, in Florida, where Gov.
DeSantis has fought every sensible safety measure scientists devised.
It’s like celebrating making it through wildfire season with a bonfire."</i> </span> -- Janice Hough </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Kendrick Perkins says ex-Thunder teammate James Harden
shot poorly in the 2012 NBA Finals because he spent too much time in
Miami’s King of Diamonds strip club. Which probably explains why the old bromide isn’t known as Win One For The Strippers."</i> </span>-- Dwight Perry</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-3711248884952379592021-02-03T11:59:00.000-05:002021-02-03T11:59:44.741-05:00TWO WEEKS UNTIL PITCHERS & CATCHERS (MAYBE)<p> MLB & MLBBPA are still negotiating it but it looks like it will be in two weeks. MLB wanted to delay spring training a month, presumably to allow for more players to be immunized and also the fans. Not a bad idea, but I think the players didn't want to go thru another session of what percentage their pay would be cut. It may be very difficult to protect players because there will be so many more players in the camps than during the regular season. Arizona (The Cactus League) has stricter rules about the protection than Florida (The Grapefruit League), so this may be a minor test of how effective the masks and social distancing rules actually are.</p><p>**The Yankees have a minor league super prospect named Jasson Dominguez (the spelling is correct). How's this for a start to your career<b>: </b>He won't be <b>18</b> until Feb. <b>7</b>th, he signed a contract with a <b>$5.1</b> million bonus and he has yet to play one professional inning. His nickname is "The Martian" because his talent is <i>"out of this world."</i> He is a switch-hitting outfielder with blazing speed. </p><p>**Goodbye to Dustin Pedroia. He officially retired on Sunday, but he has appeared in only <b>9</b> games since <b>2017. </b>He doesn't have Hall Of Fame numbers and neither did Thurman Munson, but both will live on in the hearts and minds of their fans. Pedroia never got cheated in his at bats. He had the wildest swing I'd ever seen. Here's the best thing I could say about him<b>: </b>I hated to see him play against the Yankees.</p><p>**Another former Mets official has been accused of sexual misconduct. Former manager Mickey Callaway was accused by five women for sending inappropriate texts and other advances. The Mets claim to have no prior knowledge of those acts, the same as accusations against former GM Jared Porter. I have to believe the Mets would not have ignored those claims and hired those two anyway, but it is quite a coincidence.</p><p>**The Superbowl is Sunday, as if the network would let you. I think the pregame shows have already started. It looks like NFL will allow <b>22,000</b> fans to be in the stadium. Because the game is in Tampa, kind of a home game for the Buccaneers, the Kansas City Chiefs are currently only a <b>3 </b>point favorite. I've read where the presence of Tom Brady is also a factor but I wasn't too impressed with his performance against the Packers. I thought the Bucs game plan was the deciding factor. If I haven't passed out from all the pregame snacks, I will watch and root for the Chiefs because Annie-O doesn't like Brady. </p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Many of us have reached new levels of desperation in looking for
entertainment during this pandemic. But proud to report at least I have
no regrets that this Sunday we don’t have viewing option of NFL Pro
Bowl." </i></span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Latin is one of the Pope's Twitter languages. If I
translated some tweets correctly, his hopes for the coming year are global
peace and Notre Dame kicking Bama butt." </i> </span>-- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"There’s been a grassroots call for the Atlanta Braves to rename themselves the Hammers, in honor of Hammerin’ Hank Aaron. Better hope Mariner fans don’t get any similar notions regarding Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson."</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"I think Curt Schilling is a social troglodyte – meaning no disrespect to
cave dwellers in antiquity. But he will not be the most repugnant
person in the Hall of Fame if inducted."</i> </span> -- The Sports Curmudgeon</p><p>Okay, not sports but really funny: <span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>The last name of the person in charge of Nebraska's vaccination process is "Ling." I'm pretty sure her first name is "Ding-A." </i></span> -- Brad Dickson<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"Last season in 211 at-bats, A’s infielder Marcus Semien batted .223.
This week he signed a one-year, $18 million deal to play for Toronto. I still can’t decide what I want to be when I grow up, but I’m leaning toward the expendable — a backup MLB infielder."</i> </span>-- Phil Mushnick </p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Eight years ago at the Aussie Open, Maria Sharapova blanked her first two opponents in
straight sets—6-0, 6-0 and 6-0, 6-0. It was the most love I'd seen since
the Sixties." </i></span> -- RJ Currie<br /></p><p><i> <span style="color: #2b00fe;">"The Blue Jays signed ex-Astros star George Springer. Apparently
Springer leaked the news of his signing by banging on the lid of a trash
can."</span></i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span> -- Patti Dawn Swansson</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;">"<i>The Miami Heat is employing coronavirus-sniffing dogs to screen fans attending their home games. The Jacksonville Jaguars, not to be outdone, brought in a bomb-sniffing dog — but it passed out inside their locker room." </i> </span>-- Dwight Perry</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-8152652226960071732021-01-21T08:17:00.000-05:002021-01-21T08:17:48.862-05:00GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS<p> It's been one of those weeks when you don't know whether to laugh or cry...sometimes both.</p><p>**THE GOOD NEWS</p><p>Congratulations to Sarah Thomas who will become the first female official in the Superbowl. She will be wearing <b>#53</b> and she will be the Head Linesman...er lineswoman (?) linesperson(?). So if your particular team is not playing, or you're not rooting for either team, and (I never thought I'd say this) here is a good choice. Root for Sarah Thomas.<br /></p><p>Certainly good news to George Springer who signed a<b> 6</b>-year, <b>$150 </b>million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. I would bet that J.T Realmuto and Trevor Bauer are not unhappy with this news since both are probable <b>$100</b> million plus when they eventually sign.<br /></p><p>**THE BAD NEWS</p><p>We have lost another baseball star. Hall of Famer Don Sutton has passed on at age <b>75.</b> He won <b>324 </b>games in his <b>23</b> seasons with <b>58</b> shutouts. He also had <b>178</b> complete games. Someone needs to explain to today's managers and pitching coaches what a complete game is. </p><p>Another idiot texting inappropriate comments and pictures to women. When Jared Porter was the Director of Professional Scouting for the Chicago Cubs, he sent some <b>60 </b>texts and pictures to a female reporter under the guise of inside information to trick her into opening the e-mails. On December <b>13, 2020</b>, he was hired by the NY Mets as General Manager. He lasted barely <b>5</b> weeks before the story surfaced and the Mets canned him. Two questions<b>: </b>How did this idiot think this was appropriate behavior let alone get away with it and how did the Mets not research his background a little more closely before hiring him? Hopefully, we've heard the last of Porter unless you go to a McDonald's and he asks you if you want fries with that. Actually, no way McDonald's would ever hire him either.</p><p>**MORE GOOD NEWS</p><p>Could have added this to the above section but I didn't want to end on a sour note. This Sunday's football games will probably be the best of the year. The teams will fight the hardest of any games in the season just to get into the Super Bowl. They will go all out and that makes for exciting games for us fans. (This is to keep Annie-O happy<b>: Go Bills)</b></p><p>Watching the Syracuse<b> </b>Orange play basketball is really exciting when their two sharpshooters, Joe Girard III and Buddy Boeheim are hitting their long range shots. Especially Girard's shots which sometimes look like he's shooting from half court. When he takes that kind of shot, it's fun to hear Annie-O<b>: </b><span style="color: red;"><i>"Oh lord! What's he think he's....wow! Attaboy, Joe."</i></span> </p><p>I don't know if this is good news or bad news. Throughout his coaching career, Urban Meyer's reputation has been tarnished by charges that when he was the head coach of the Florida gators, he turned a blind eye to the outside activities of his players when<b> 31</b> were arrested at various times for charges ranging from minor (possession of alcohol by a minor) to aggravated assault, carrying a concealed weapon and burglary. At Ohio State, he was suspended for three games for failure to act on the spousal abuse activities of his assistant coach. In December of <b>2018,</b> he announced that he was retiring from coaching for health reasons. Of course, the best treatment for that is money. Meyer recently signed a contract to coach the Jacksonville Jaguars for a reported <b>$12</b> million annually. I'm sure he feels better already.<br /></p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Cleveland's AFC wild-card victory in Pittsburgh was their first playoff
win away from home since beating the Cowboys in Dallas on Dec 28th,
1969! They've had more calamity on the road than Hope<b> </b>and<b> </b>Crosby."</i></span> -- RJ Currie<br /><b></b></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron got vaccinated against COVID-19
in Georgia on Tuesday, hoping to send a message to Black Americans that
the shots are safe.Hey, after getting drilled countless times by Gibson and Drysdale, what’s one more?" </i> </span>-- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"ESPN reports Philip Rivers “is retiring from football, ending his
17-year career as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history.”
In his announcement Rivers thanked his wife and NINE children. So
“prolific” is a nice choice of words."</i> </span>-- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"Prop Bets: Which playoff telecast Sunday will include the loudest fake crowd noise?"</i></span> -- Phil Mushnick</p><p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 16px; left: 594px; top: 824.967px; transform: scaleX(0.933935);"></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 16px; left: 606px; top: 843.767px; transform: scaleX(0.881229);"></span> </p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"Some words of advice to any San Antonio Spur contemplating divorce. Remember the alimony."</i> </span>-- RJ Currie </p><p><i><span style="color: red;">" Steph Curry's rookie card sold at auction for $611,000. So now we have a better understanding of why the very rich need those tax breaks." </span> </i>-- Bob Molinaro<br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"We will soon find out if the Nets new ball-hungry big three, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant
learned their lessons about ‘sharing with others’ in kindergarten."</i> </span> -- Jack Finarelli </p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Rams quarterback Jared Goff dislocated and broke his thumb, popped it back in himself and finished the game. I once called in sick with a case of hiccups." </i></span> -- Alex Kaseberg <br /></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"So little consistency now in this world. But after a 5-3 start, good to
know that with 5 straight losses the NY Knicks have shown they are
still the Knicks." </i></span> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"After Titans defensive back Kenny Vaccaro knocked down a pass, ESPN’s
Louis Riddick called it “a PBU.” Pro Bowl Underwear? Public Bath
Ukulele? Editor and sparring partner Drew Loftis informs us, it’s for
“pass breakup." </i> </span>-- Phil Mushnick.</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"The NHL announced that each division will have a sponsor names this year, The NFL is expected to follow suit starting with Waste Management NFC East" </i> </span>-- fark.com <br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"A
spicy peanut butter six times hotter than the strongest chili was being
sold in England under the label <b>Instant Regret.</b> No, wait — that may be the name of a new Jacksonville Jaguars season ticket package."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-77145301367457101832021-01-10T14:44:00.000-05:002021-01-10T14:44:58.433-05:00IT'S CHAMPIONSHIP MONTH<p> It's the start of the NFL Playoffs where it's win or go home. Tomorrow, the college championship is on the line, where it doesn't matter, win or lose and both teams go home.</p><p>**We'll start with baseball. The Mets blew up the Silly Season by completing a monster trade with Cleveland for arguably the best shortstop in baseball and a front line starting pitcher. Not to be outdone, the Yanks went out and traded for a <b>6</b>th outfielder from the Padres, Greg Allen. Allen is noted for his speed which will come into play when the Yanks send him to Scranton in mid-March, by foot. Where's George when you need him?</p><p>**The Buffalo Bills won their first playoff game in some <b>20</b> years. If Annie-O is any judge, Bills fans are ecstatic but were very nervous at the end. Annie-O bit her fingernails down to the first knuckle. She says not to worry, they'll have time to grow back by next weekend, when she'll find something else to bite. I think I'm nervous.<br /></p><p>**In other games, Tom Brady (remember him?) led Tampa Bay to their first playoff win since <b>2002</b>, over Washington. Next week, we'll get to see how Brady does against a professional football team.</p><p>Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is contemplating retirement. Based on his performance last night, I'd say he retired at halftime. The usually mobile quarterback was sacked five times by a usually slow-footed Rams defense. He completed just <b>11</b> passes for <b>a </b>mere<b> 174</b> yards. That's a tough way to go out, Wilson has been a class act his whole career. I wish him luck.</p><p>**The Syracuse Orange squeaked out another win. Boeheim plays his starters a long time and it shows at the last <b>7-8</b> minutes of the game. They get tired and that allows the other team to stage a come back. I'll tell you one guy I like to watch and that's Marek Dolezaj. He has a great soft touch around the basket, is a great passer and can run the floor with any guard in the country. He's too skinny to play in the middle but that kid is TOUGH. Last night, he got elbowed in the mouth and ended up with a chipped tooth and a bloody mouth...oh, and a smile on his face. He never missed a minute. </p><p>** Former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda has passed away a age <b>93</b>. He was quite a character and always fun to listen to. Smart baseball man, too, so you had to pay attention. He had his feuds too. He hated the Phillies Phanatic, the Philadelphia mascot and he really disliked Reggie Jackson, stemming from an incident in the World Series against the Yankees when Reggie stuck out his hip to deflect a throw to first base...and got away with it. Tommy went absolutely ballistic. Some years later, he and Reggie happened to appear in the booth with Tim McCarver and another announcer, during a televised baseball game, to be interviewed. The discussion immediately turned to that play in the World Series and Tommy went bananas again. Reggie shut up, knowing anything he would say would set Lasorda off again. This went on for about five minutes, at which point, I wanted to personally shoot a smirking McCarver for letting it go on. McCarver should have shown the respect Tommy deserved by shutting down the interview. I'll never forgive McCarver for that. I apologize for the rant.</p><p>**Here's a headline that's hard to believe<b>: "Doug Pederson in danger of being fired by Eagles"</b></p><p>Here's a coach who led his team to last place in the very weak NFC East and basically tanked the last game of the season, a game that held major importance to two other teams, and he's only <i>"in danger"</i><b><i> </i></b>of being fired? I'm surprised he still had a job when he walked off the field after the last game.</p><p>**Two more new sports terms that have no true meaning but sportscasters use them just to sound hip (which they're not).</p><p><b>"Targets"</b> - A football term meant to indicate who the ball was being thrown to. In itself, it's okay, but statisticians are now keeping track and listing it. Who gets to be a target when the QB throws the ball out of bounds to avoid a sack? How about spiking the ball? (The ground got two spikes today)</p><p><b>"Scoring the basketball" </b>- What they mean is, he threw the ball into the basket and scored points. I envision a guy with a knife cutting the basketball. The ball then becomes as useless as this term.<br /><b></b></p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><b> </b><i><span style="color: red;">"Michigan signed football coach Jim Harbaugh to a five-year extension. To
be fair this WAS the first year the Wolverines didn’t lose to Ohio
State." </span> </i>-- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <i>"Dodgers star Mookie Betts just got engaged to his childhood sweetheart, Brianna Hammonds<b>.</b> If you're scoring at home, that's 15 years to turn a single into a double."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie<br /></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"The best thing about not being rich is that you’ll never have to write
million dollar checks to pay undeserving players on the team you own."</i></span> -- Phil Mushnick</span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">"Yankee GM Brian Cashman </span></i></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>continues to work around the contract of <a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/519317" target="_blank">Giancarlo Stanton</a>, which sometimes makes Yanks fans think an oil derrick has been built in the middle of Yankee Stadium." </i></span> -- Mike Lupica<br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i> "Lions DB Mike Ford got penalized for taunting after teammate Jamal Agnew’s 74-yard punt return cut the Buccaneers’ lead to 40-7.They had to rule it taunting, because there’s no such thing as 15 yards for stupidity."</i> -</span>- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"Not sure how this happened, but my old company touch-football team has a
chance to make it into the NFL playoffs as a wild card."</i> </span> -- Alex Kaseberg</p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Packers QB Aaron Rodgers says he can squat 405 pounds. Last time I squatted 405 pounds, I kneeled in church."</i> </span>-- Nick Canepa<br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"So after last night’s in game tank job can Philadelphia’s NFL team change their song to “Lie Down Like an Eagle?”</span>" </i> -- Janice Hough</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Aaron Rodgers is the NFL’s MVP; Buffalo’s Sean McDermott is Coach of the Year. No arguments will be entertained." </i></span> -- Bob Molinaro<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"</i></span><span><span face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>Crowds
attending a festival of lights event in Essex, England, reportedly went
home disappointed because organizers lost track of the “on” switch. This might also explain the Jacksonville Jaguars.</i>" </span> -- RJ Currie</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span">"</span></span></span></span>Jim Harbaugh has reached an incentive-laced contract extension to coach Michigan football coach through the 2025 season. No truth to the rumor that Ohio State boosters bankrolled the whole thing."</i> -- Dwight Perry</span></p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></span> </p><p> <br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-16087898287907100772020-12-24T07:19:00.000-05:002020-12-24T07:19:44.654-05:00HAPPY HOLIDAYS<p>**Some people got an early Christmas present, Tony LaRussa for one. In a plea deal, he got his DUI charges reduced to Reckless Driving. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #48494a; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span> </span>La Russa was sentenced to one day of home detention and fined nearly $1,400, and he is required to complete 20 hours of community service. Let me get this straight. He goes from <b>DUI</b> to <i><b>DWI</b></i> - <b>D</b>riving <b>W</b>hen <b>I</b>ncompetent, and as a punishment, they sent him to his room for a day. I sure hope he's learned his lesson.</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #48494a; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span>**The Toronto Blue Jays have an interesting problem while trying to sign free agents. No, it's not the money that's creating the problem. Free agents want to know if the Blue Jays will be playing in Toronto. It seems Canadian officials haven't given the Blue Jays permission to play regular season games in Toronto yet. Toronto did play a number of regular season games in Buffalo at the end of last season. I don't think Toronto will go along with that again. especially if MLB decides to allow fans to attend the games.</p><p> **Still no signings of the big money free agents. One of the problems facing both the players and the clubs is how long the season will be. If they only play 100 games for example, clubs will be reluctant to sign big contracts because they could go broke. Players don't want to sign reduced contracts, especially long term. Some of the major big money players are considering signing one year deals and wait till the 2022 season when things may open up a bit. Historically, however, no big signings take place during the holiday season, so nothing will be resolved until January.</p><p>**MLB has decided to alter the Negro Leagues status to Major league status and incorporate the statistics into the historical record. The Negro Leagues had some phenomenal players, no doubt, but the record keeping is somewhat spotty. Scheduling was so irregular, it was difficult to determine which games were official and which ones were exhibitions. There were many leagues and players often played for different clubs in different leagues in the same season. There is no way to determine level of quality since statistics and even players names were lost. I don't think this will ever be resolved and that is a shame since players like Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige definitely belong in the same conversation as baseball's best white players. I still maintain that people should make every effort to visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. Only then will you understand the heritage of the Negro Leagues and their players. </p><p>**The Yankees have non-tendered two relievers who have been very effective in the past. Jonathan Holder has signed with the Cubs and Tommy Kahnle with the Dodgers. Most analysts believe that with the Yanks starting pitching so iffy, they'll need a strong bullpen. This isn't how you go about it. </p><p>**This is very nice. People say bad things about the Yanks and complain because they have (and spend) so much money. This past season, they lost money, just like all the other clubs. Instead of whining about it, this is what they did:</p><p>The Yanks announced their economic support of local businesses. Gave out <b>10 $5000</b> awards to local businesses, to be paired with a Community-Based Org. to provide food and services to the community. They donated <b>68,000</b> lbs of food for children in need. Also donated <b>$200,000 </b>worth of food vouchers for families preparing holiday meals. All for the area surrounding the Stadium. The Yanks also donated toys to children directly in the area, since their annual Winter Wonderland extravaganza where free food and toys were distributed to local families had to be cancelled due to the COVID. </p><p>That's impressive.</p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"<b> </b>The Consumer Price Index claims the <b>12 Days of Christmas </b>today would cost $170,298. That's about $62,000 less than the Angels pay <b>Mike Trout</b> — per game."</i> </span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"The Washington Football Team QB Dwayne Haskins has apologized for a
picture posted to social media, taken of him Sunday night, in a strip
club, without a mask. You can take the stupid embarrassing name off the
team, but apparently you can’t take the stupid embarrassing behavior
off the team."</i> </span> -- Janice Hough </p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Buffalo clobbered Denver 48-19 in Mile High City. The Broncos all-orange Color Rush uniforms got trampled into Orange Crushed." </i></span> -- RJ Currie</p><p><i><span style="color: #38761d;">"After the N.O. Saints 31-3 win over the hometown Denver Broncos, "I really felt bad for the cardboard fans.""</span> </i>-- Saints Coach Sean Peyton </p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"</i></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>Big Ten officials just announced that Northwestern players must play the second half with one arm tied behind their backs. Anything to help Ohio State." </i></span> -- Brad Dickson</span> </p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"What's it like watching your team lose 43-6 to the Falcons? When you go to the dentist and have to have your teeth pulled out. Pretty much like that."</i> </span>-- Raiders coach Jon Gruden</p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"After the Yankees signed Gerrit Cole for <b>$324 million</b>, they also announced that beer at the stadium will now cost $734." </i></span>-- Blogger Eric Stangel <br /></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"Nothing is certain but death, taxes, and the Falcons blowing big leads against Tom Brady."</i> </span> -- Janice Hough<br /></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Marco Wilson, the Florida DB who picked up an LSU player’s shoe and hurled it downfield to keep the Tigers’ winning drive alive. Who would’ve guessed that blaming a defeat on somebody throwing a shoe would involve a football game and not a horse race?"</i> </span> -- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p><span style="color: #a64d79;"><i>"I want to be watching college basketball on a night when the fan cutouts storm the court." </i> </span>-- Bob Molinaro<br /></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"So, last season Browns DE Myles Garrett, already fined for dirty play,
ripped off the helmet of Steelers QB Mason Rudolph then clubbed him with
it. This season Garrett is the Browns’ nominee for the Walter Payton Award
for superior character, on and off the field. Wonder who finished
second." </i></span> -- Phil Mushnick</p><p><b><span style="color: red;">MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FRIENDS</span></b></p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #48494a; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #48494a; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-74219582620415770282020-12-18T12:07:00.000-05:002020-12-18T12:07:03.543-05:00IN THE HEART OF THE SILLY SEASON<p> **Let's start with something really silly, the annual Army-Navy game. Not the two services or the pageantry of the game, but the way this particular game was played. Army won the game <b>15-0 </b>and it was a hard-fought game. Oh, not on the field, on the sidelines. There were <b>10</b> penalties, a lot of pushing and shoving, a sideline brawl and, if the reports are true, more trash talking than a Raiders game. Both teams played to not lose instead of winning. Because the game was played at West Point, Army lived up to it's training as ground forces, running the ball 53 times and passing only once. One pass...for <b>28</b> yards. Navy ran the ball <b>35</b> times with only <b>7</b> passes. Navy was severely handicapped because there was no water on the field, and their battleship wouldn't fit through the gate. Hey, if you wanted passing, you should go watch an Air Force Academy game.. This was like watching two armies going into battle armed with pop guns. And we used to laugh at Woody Hayes' game plan of "three yards and a cloud of dust."<br /></p><p>At least the uniforms were impressive. <br /></p><p>**No big free agent signings yet but plenty of posturing. The Yanks and LeMahieu are playing a game of high stakes brinkmanship. The two sides are supposedly <b>$25</b> million apart. That sounds like a lot but lets wait until Hal Steinbrenner gets back from lunch with his credit card.</p><p>The Mets say they are open to a blockbuster trade but no names have been mentioned. The Dodgers name is listed as a possibility for every big name free agent. Sports writers are proposing trades and signings that make no sense, but then, that's their job. </p><p>**MLB has decided to alter the state of the Negro Leagues and incorporate their statistics into an historical record. This is a big story, but that's for another posting. As side note, Anne and I spent a few hours visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) in Kansas City, MO. Very impressive and well run with some terrific exhibits. Well worth the time and the <b>$10</b> admission fee. </p><p>**The NY Giants and the Washington Football Team keep trading spots at the top of the NFC East. I think they're both embarrassed to be there so they keep switching. This is kind of a reverse musical chairs. A lot of joy currently in my household since most of the family are Bills fans and the Bills look like a major player in the AFC. </p><p>**From Phil Mushnicks column: <span style="color: red;"><i>"Still, the best idea never adopted was when former Reds infielder Chris
Sabo ran a new minor league club in Florence, SC. Interviewing Sabo, Dan
Patrick suggested they be called the Florence Hendersons."</i></span> </p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Cardboard cutouts of six “Sopranos” characters — Tony Soprano, wife
Carmella, henchman Paulie Walnuts, daughter Meadow, nephew Christopher
and consigliere Silvio — were sitting courtside at Rutgers’ basketball
game against Syracuse on Tuesday night.But no, Tim Donaghy wasn’t reffing the game."</i></span> -- Dwight Perry</p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"The death of legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager — the first to break
the sound barrier — at age 97: “But if ANYONE could be in heaven
before the Devil knew he was dead …”</i> </span> -- Janice Hough<br /></p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Fox, with startling, screaming and a repeated bright red graphic: “BREAKING NEWS: Chiefs have clinched the AFC West.” Idiots."</i> </span> -- Phil Mushnick <br /></p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>"Well at least losing 40-3 against the Seahawks meant no last second heartbreak this week for Jets fans." </i></span> -- Janice Hough<br /></p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b> </b><i>"A recent survey found men know far more about cars than sex. I can't
claim to know much about either, but none of my cars has failed to start
due to a
headache."</i> </span>-- RJ Currie<br /></p><p><span style="color: red;"><i><b> </b>"The LSU Tigers — they of the 3-5 record — have self-imposed a one-year bowl ban over improper booster payments to players.The 0-12 New York Jets, not to be outdone, immediately vowed to turn down any and all NFL playoff invitations." </i> </span>-- Dwight Perry</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8920020.post-51645449667995644692020-12-11T06:52:00.000-05:002020-12-11T06:52:24.020-05:00AND WE'RE OFF AGAIN<p> **<b>Try this in the USA</b></p><p>The Fujian provincial Department of Education have rules for Women's Soccer that would never fly here. One of their rules state, <span style="color: red;"><i>"Athletes are not allowed to dye their hair, grow long hair (for boys), wear weird hairstyles, or wear any accessories." </i></span>Tattoos are also not allowed. The rules are strictly adhered to. Their hair must be <b>black. </b>And not just <b>black</b>, it has to be the right shade of black. Several women on the Fuzhou and Jimei Universities did not have black enough hair, so they dyed it to meet the requirements. Oh no you don't. At the game, the players were deemed to have violated the rule that prevents them from dying their hair, were declared ineligible and the team had to forfeit because they could not field a full team. I hope NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell doesn't learn this little trick.<br /></p><p>**<b>The free-agent signing logjam</b></p><p>None of the premier free agents have been signed yet and the logjam isn't the usual one. In the past, everyone waited for one or two of the top notch players to sign to set the bar on the salary levels. Not this year. The teams don't want to commit to high-number, long-term deals because they don't know if there is going to be a season and if so, how long will it be and will fans be allowed in the stadiums. All reasonable questions. All the teams lost money this year because they couldn't count on the ticket revenue. It's almost impossible to get a read on how much teams get from that since no one wants the fans to know what that number is, and they especially don't want the players to know. I'm guessing about <b>$1.70 </b>million in tickets and another <b>$300,000</b> in concessions (incl parking). So that's <b>$2 </b>million and that's a pretty healthy chunk of income to lose, so naturally the teams are reticent to commit to large contracts. </p><p><b>**The "Old-Boy" network is in full swing</b></p><p>First we had the White Sox sign Tony LaRussa, fresh from a DUI charge, now the Phillies have hired Dave Dombrowski as their President of Baseball Operations. Does this seem like a good choice? He has run the Montreal Expos, record of <b>271-279</b> in <b>4 </b>years, nine years as GM of the Florida Marlins, <b>627-764, 1082-1123 </b>in fourteen years<b> </b>with the Detroit Tigers, and <b>4 1/2</b> years with the Boston red Sox, <b>396-277</b>, finally a winning record. Of course, in those years, he traded away their best players including arguably the best player in baseball, Mookie Betts. He also decimated their farm system and who knows how long it will take to replenish it. But he won. I wonder if Red Sox fans are happy with the "win-at-all-costs" method. From the King of MLB to the Clown Prince. Good luck Philadelphia.</p><p><b>**Speaking of Philly...</b></p><p>There was a rumor last week as reported by Buster Olney, that the Phillies were shopping their ace, Zack Wheeler. Owner John Middleton dispelled that rumor by phoning Olney and claiming that Wheeler was NOT going to be traded, in fact, he told Buster he wouldn't trade Wheeler for Babe Ruth. If his reason was that Babe has been dead for <b>72</b> years, then it's a smart move. So I guess Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Lou Gehrig are also off the list. On the other hand, who would you rather have, Babe Ruth or Dave Dombrowski?</p><p><b>**Please stop this</b></p><p>I've been a NY Giants fan for over <b>60</b> years, but I get embarrassed every time the NY sports reporters brag about how the Giants are in first place in the NFC East. This would go over a bit better if the Giants at least had a winning record instead of <b>5-7</b>. They have to finish the season at <b>3-1</b> just to end up at <b>.500. </b></p><p><b>**A sad note </b></p><p>Former Philly Dick Allen has passed away. He had a reputation for not being an easy guy to deal with. Of course, pitchers couldn't deal with him either; he was a real professional hitter. He was the NL Rookie of the Year in <b>1964</b> and the AL MVP in <b>1972.</b> He never made it into the Hall of Fame, but maybe he should have.</p><p><b>**I have a question.</b></p><p>Syracuse Univ. basketball team has five players suspended and under quarantine because of exposure to COVID, including the coach's son, Buddy Boeheim. Since Buddy lives at home, how come coach Boeheim hasn't also been quarantined? At least the fans are wearing masks. </p><p><b>'</b><img alt="Image result for Jim Boeheim masks" class="sgt rms_img" data-bm="38" data-priority="2" data-src-hq="https://www.bing.com/th?id=OIP.hlPKUmIpRRv5L_VB853rSgHaE5&w=205&h=160&c=8&rs=1&qlt=90&pid=3.1&rm=2" height="160" id="emb4FA994A8" src="https://www.bing.com/th?id=OIP.hlPKUmIpRRv5L_VB853rSgHaE5&w=205&h=160&c=8&rs=1&qlt=90&pid=3.1&rm=2" width="205" /></p><p><b>STAY SAFE EVERYONE!! <br /></b></p><p><b>***THEY SAID IT***</b></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"After watching Philadelphia's backup QB Jalen Hurts come in for Carson Wentz against
Green Bay, I suggest a new motto for the Eagles. Love Hurts." </i> </span>-- RJ Currie</p><p><i><span style="color: #b45f06;">"When people said at the beginning of the year that the Ravens would lead the AFC North, who would have imagined it would be in positive COVID-19 tests?"</span> </i>-- Bob Molinaro</p><p><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"Eastern Market Brewing Co. has stopped sales and
production of “Same Old Lager” after Lions legend Barry Sanders —
pictured on the can in team colors without his consent — threatened to
sue.Apparently it was a little too Lions: It went flat the minute you opened the can."</i> -</span>- Dwight Perry<br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>"LSU says they will self-impose an NFL bowl ban this season over improper booster payments. LSU is 3-5."</i> </span>-- Janice Hough<br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>"After trying hypnotism to correct his funky, hitchy golf swing, " All I got was a good nap. I woke up with the same crappy swing."</i> </span>-- Charles Barkley</p><p><span style="color: red;"><i>"Wear a mask. It's not like we're asking you to wear a Skatchewan Roughriders hockey jersey." </i></span> -- Sign in front of a Winnepeg Church<br /></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>"Scientists say video evidence has proven fetuses can yawn
hundreds of times in the womb. Thousands of times if Mom is a New York Jets fan." </i></span> -- RJ Currie </p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>" Could anything in sports be more 2020 than holding the Maui Invitational in Asheville, North Carolina?" </i> </span>-- Bob Molinaro<br /></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>"After watching six consecutive quarters of Kentucky football: “Hoping if
I’m ever convicted of a major crime this will count as time served."</i> </span> -- Ryan Brown, Birmingham WJOX Radio</p><p><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>"Cavaliers guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested on a gun charge in
Ohio after he crashed his car and investigating officers discovered a
loaded firearm inside. Apparently he was on his way to the morning shoot-around." </i> </span>-- Dwight Perry</p><p><b>Chad Picasner</b><br /></p><p><b> </b><br /><b></b></p><p><b> </b><br /><b></b></p><p><b> </b><br /><b></b></p><p><b> </b><br /><b></b></p><p><b> </b><br /><b></b></p><p><b> </b><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0