He had a distinctive booming voice that nearly everyone will recognize. One of his sidelights was voice acting. He was the voice of Kellogg's Tony the Tiger for several years.
Lee Marshall WAS GRRREAT!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Wrestling Loses Another
Lee Marshall wasn't as famous as Ultimate Warrior, but as an announcer he gave the AWA the professionalism it needed once Mean Gene Okerland left for the greener pastures of WWE. He later joined WCW in their glory years.
He had a distinctive booming voice that nearly everyone will recognize. One of his sidelights was voice acting. He was the voice of Kellogg's Tony the Tiger for several years.
Lee Marshall WAS GRRREAT!
He had a distinctive booming voice that nearly everyone will recognize. One of his sidelights was voice acting. He was the voice of Kellogg's Tony the Tiger for several years.
Lee Marshall WAS GRRREAT!
Baseball Without a Dome
Riddle: When is a baseball field not a baseball field?
Answer: When it rains.
Or when it snows for that matter.
I was warning of this since Target Field opened. Some year, and this may be THE year, the Twins will be forced to play an inordinate number of double-headers at the end of the season, destroying their bullpen, and their playoff hopes as well.
It's been three days since the Twins played a baseball game.
And counting.
Answer: When it rains.
Or when it snows for that matter.
I was warning of this since Target Field opened. Some year, and this may be THE year, the Twins will be forced to play an inordinate number of double-headers at the end of the season, destroying their bullpen, and their playoff hopes as well.
It's been three days since the Twins played a baseball game.
And counting.
Follow Up
The NBA banned Sterling yesterday.
I like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's broader take on the subject.
http://toprightnews.com/?p=2777
I like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's broader take on the subject.
http://toprightnews.com/?p=2777
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Wild Win
For those of you who follow ice soccer, the Wild won again last night, forcing a game seven.
Go Wild!
Go Wild!
Tolerance
I wasn't sure if I was going to write about the latest controversy in the NBA. Donald Sterling, owner of the Clippers allegedly made some racist remarks reflecting his deep seated beliefs.
The sports world has responded and many are calling for him to lose his team.
Wow.
It's very hard to live in America today. We can't even agree on what's wrong. Or if something is wrong, how severely said offense should be punished.
Let's take a step back and examine morality as a whole. There's a large group of Americans that believe there is an absolute standard for right and wrong that isn't determined by the law of the land or majority opinion. Those people are not in the majority and they believe that God and his Word means more than our ever-vacillating rules of order. At the same time, they realize that man-made laws are to be followed unless they clearly contradict what God has stated to the contrary.
The Bible is their standard. It teaches love and respect of others, but also punishment for the unrepentant. In a society where words have often lost their meaning those two words, "love" and "respect" sadly have to be defined. Love means desiring God's best for them. You want for everyone what God wants for them. Respect means that you will never think of yourself as better than someone else.
Even many so-called Christians don't understand these simple concepts. A demonstration of love is realizing we're all in the same boat. We aren't better than anyone else. We never were. We never will be.
That's why we are instructed not to steal from others, or lie to them, or to kill them. We learn that hating them is, in a very real sense, equal to killing them.
The Bible summed it up in what has been commonly called the golden rule. We are to love God with everything we have (heart, mind, soul, spirit, possessions) and to treat all others as well as we already treat ourselves.
Where we're different, as Christians, is that we accepted God's gracious offer of repentance. To demonstrate that we understand THAT concept we have to be willing to forgive others if they ask for forgiveness.
I'm afraid that concept of forgiveness is quickly forgotten when it comes to judging others. And that's how I see the situation currently.
The media and player representatives are demanding the stiffest of penalties (Sterling losing the team) in a quick rush to judgement without even determining guilt or giving him an opportunity to change his way of thinking.
In effect, they are rushing their condemnation of him because they can. They aren't giving him a chance to change.
America doesn't even have a law against being racist in thought. And I think that's a good thing. Our laws punish actions not beliefs. That's why there are lots of laws against discrimination. We CAN punish inappropriate actions. We SHOULD NOT punish thought. That's the slippery slope I don't want to be involved in.
IF Sterling used his inappropriate beliefs to discriminate against those in his organization (in the legal sense of the word) then he should be punished according to the law of the land. Safeguards are already in place for that.
If anyone wants to take it further than that, I feel like those outraged are merely forming a lynch mob of epic proportions. America's had enough lynch mobs.
No one is preaching love and tolerance and respect in this outrage.
They should. Even people who are wrong deserve a chance to see where they are wrong.
God gave me that chance.
The sports world has responded and many are calling for him to lose his team.
Wow.
It's very hard to live in America today. We can't even agree on what's wrong. Or if something is wrong, how severely said offense should be punished.
Let's take a step back and examine morality as a whole. There's a large group of Americans that believe there is an absolute standard for right and wrong that isn't determined by the law of the land or majority opinion. Those people are not in the majority and they believe that God and his Word means more than our ever-vacillating rules of order. At the same time, they realize that man-made laws are to be followed unless they clearly contradict what God has stated to the contrary.
The Bible is their standard. It teaches love and respect of others, but also punishment for the unrepentant. In a society where words have often lost their meaning those two words, "love" and "respect" sadly have to be defined. Love means desiring God's best for them. You want for everyone what God wants for them. Respect means that you will never think of yourself as better than someone else.
Even many so-called Christians don't understand these simple concepts. A demonstration of love is realizing we're all in the same boat. We aren't better than anyone else. We never were. We never will be.
That's why we are instructed not to steal from others, or lie to them, or to kill them. We learn that hating them is, in a very real sense, equal to killing them.
The Bible summed it up in what has been commonly called the golden rule. We are to love God with everything we have (heart, mind, soul, spirit, possessions) and to treat all others as well as we already treat ourselves.
Where we're different, as Christians, is that we accepted God's gracious offer of repentance. To demonstrate that we understand THAT concept we have to be willing to forgive others if they ask for forgiveness.
I'm afraid that concept of forgiveness is quickly forgotten when it comes to judging others. And that's how I see the situation currently.
The media and player representatives are demanding the stiffest of penalties (Sterling losing the team) in a quick rush to judgement without even determining guilt or giving him an opportunity to change his way of thinking.
In effect, they are rushing their condemnation of him because they can. They aren't giving him a chance to change.
America doesn't even have a law against being racist in thought. And I think that's a good thing. Our laws punish actions not beliefs. That's why there are lots of laws against discrimination. We CAN punish inappropriate actions. We SHOULD NOT punish thought. That's the slippery slope I don't want to be involved in.
IF Sterling used his inappropriate beliefs to discriminate against those in his organization (in the legal sense of the word) then he should be punished according to the law of the land. Safeguards are already in place for that.
If anyone wants to take it further than that, I feel like those outraged are merely forming a lynch mob of epic proportions. America's had enough lynch mobs.
No one is preaching love and tolerance and respect in this outrage.
They should. Even people who are wrong deserve a chance to see where they are wrong.
God gave me that chance.
Record Starting Pitchers
The Twins may have been rained out on Sunday, but that didn't stop the league from having a record setting day. 10 starters went at least 7 innings giving up three hits or less.
That's never been done before. It shows that the quality of major league starters is at an all-time high.
Insert your own Minnesota joke here.
I'll just add that if Minnesota had played, the record wouldn't have been any higher.
That's never been done before. It shows that the quality of major league starters is at an all-time high.
Insert your own Minnesota joke here.
I'll just add that if Minnesota had played, the record wouldn't have been any higher.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Jose Abreau
I've been watching this 27-year old rookie from Cuba since the opening series the Twins had with the White Sox. He's been having a season BETTER than Chris Collabello.
Yesterday he drove in his 31st RBI of the season to take the major league lead in that category. That's an all-time rookie record for RBI in a month. He also currently leads the majors in homeruns with 10. This is why I like baseball, where the Yankees signed this supposed superstar pitcher from Japan for unbelievably big money, Chicago quietly signed this Cuban import. And Jose Abreau is setting the league on fire with his bat. One month does not a career make. But my guess is every team in the league is really jealous of the White Sox right now.
I know I'm jealous, and I hope he has a monstrous year and career.
Yesterday he drove in his 31st RBI of the season to take the major league lead in that category. That's an all-time rookie record for RBI in a month. He also currently leads the majors in homeruns with 10. This is why I like baseball, where the Yankees signed this supposed superstar pitcher from Japan for unbelievably big money, Chicago quietly signed this Cuban import. And Jose Abreau is setting the league on fire with his bat. One month does not a career make. But my guess is every team in the league is really jealous of the White Sox right now.
I know I'm jealous, and I hope he has a monstrous year and career.
NFL Play-Off Tickets
I had a long rant a while back about an NFL fan who was suing the league because Super Bowl Tickets were "too expensive". I laughed at him.
Now, another fan is suing the league for $50 million because the league's policy is to deliberately discriminate against folks who want to buy play-off tickets based on where they live. In this case, he was a lifelong 49er's fan who recently moved to Las Vegas. He got his ticket request in for the 49ers/ Seahawks NFC Championship game about as fast as humanly possible, but later found out that he wasn't even considered for a ticket because he didn't live in the immediate geographical area surrounding Washington. In other words, people in southern Canada, just above Washington, could have their ticket requests considered, but his weren't.
He's saying that's pre-planned discrimination and that it is simply wrong. He says it should be first come, first served for any available tickets and that he's suing the league for a large amount of money to get their attention and to change the policy. If someone WANTS those tickets and is willing to pay for them, they should be given a reasonable chance at them.
I agree with him. I hope he wins, And I hope other fans who lost out on ticket opportunities follow suit as well. It's hard enough to get those tickets, but one of the reasons should not be based on where you live.
My money is as good as any Canuck's. And America is the land of opportunity. It's time to end discrimination in America against rich sports fans.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
Now, another fan is suing the league for $50 million because the league's policy is to deliberately discriminate against folks who want to buy play-off tickets based on where they live. In this case, he was a lifelong 49er's fan who recently moved to Las Vegas. He got his ticket request in for the 49ers/ Seahawks NFC Championship game about as fast as humanly possible, but later found out that he wasn't even considered for a ticket because he didn't live in the immediate geographical area surrounding Washington. In other words, people in southern Canada, just above Washington, could have their ticket requests considered, but his weren't.
He's saying that's pre-planned discrimination and that it is simply wrong. He says it should be first come, first served for any available tickets and that he's suing the league for a large amount of money to get their attention and to change the policy. If someone WANTS those tickets and is willing to pay for them, they should be given a reasonable chance at them.
I agree with him. I hope he wins, And I hope other fans who lost out on ticket opportunities follow suit as well. It's hard enough to get those tickets, but one of the reasons should not be based on where you live.
My money is as good as any Canuck's. And America is the land of opportunity. It's time to end discrimination in America against rich sports fans.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Phil Hughes: Two In a Row
The Twins, who lead the majors in walks, added EIGHT more yesterday. They are getting so good at free passes that they scored two runs in the fifth without a hit.
And that's become a common occurrence. That they WON by those two runs, 5-3, shows the value of their strolling around the bases.
Hughes, on the other hand, is starting to look like a major league starter again. He didn't walk anybody, and at one point retired 16 batters in a row.
Josmil Pinto, who the Twins hoped would show some real power this year, is doing just that, as he did his best Harmon Killebrew imitation yesterday, launching his fifth home run of the season into the upper deck in left field. It was a truly a beautiful sight to behold.
Perkins was a tad shakier in the ninth than he has been of late, but he still nailed down his sixth save of the season.
We're starting to really enjoy watching Saturday afternoon baseball at my Aunt's apartment.
Now if the other Twins starters can get their act together...
Gibson starts today. I have hope.
And that's become a common occurrence. That they WON by those two runs, 5-3, shows the value of their strolling around the bases.
Hughes, on the other hand, is starting to look like a major league starter again. He didn't walk anybody, and at one point retired 16 batters in a row.
Josmil Pinto, who the Twins hoped would show some real power this year, is doing just that, as he did his best Harmon Killebrew imitation yesterday, launching his fifth home run of the season into the upper deck in left field. It was a truly a beautiful sight to behold.
Perkins was a tad shakier in the ninth than he has been of late, but he still nailed down his sixth save of the season.
We're starting to really enjoy watching Saturday afternoon baseball at my Aunt's apartment.
Now if the other Twins starters can get their act together...
Gibson starts today. I have hope.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Another Day, Another Bad Starting Pitching Performance
Kevin Correia had an ERA of over 7.00 going into last night's game. He gave up that many earned runs in a little over two innings last night.
I remember when your fourth of fifth starter used to have a game or two like this once or twice a year. Now, every one of our starters has a game like this once or twice a WEEK.
How is it possible that a major league team can have this many bad starters in their rotation for several seasons? Just like last year, we're going to burn the bullpen out. You can't have those guys pitching that much.
It's time to try something different. I've suggested a full roster of pitchers who are only bullpen pitchers. I've documented why, and how it should be done.
We can't keep doing this. I don't want to keep on watching this. And attendance is dropping like a rock. NOBODY wants to watch this.
By the last out in the ninth inning, their were probably less than 5,000 people left in the stands, and most of them would have left, too, if they weren't part of a community tour bus that had to stay.
I like the offense, especially the unexpected performances of Suzuki and Kubel. Colabello and Plouffe and Pinto and Dozier have been pleasant surprises as well.
But it's impossible to put up with this horrible starting pitching.
I remember when your fourth of fifth starter used to have a game or two like this once or twice a year. Now, every one of our starters has a game like this once or twice a WEEK.
How is it possible that a major league team can have this many bad starters in their rotation for several seasons? Just like last year, we're going to burn the bullpen out. You can't have those guys pitching that much.
It's time to try something different. I've suggested a full roster of pitchers who are only bullpen pitchers. I've documented why, and how it should be done.
We can't keep doing this. I don't want to keep on watching this. And attendance is dropping like a rock. NOBODY wants to watch this.
By the last out in the ninth inning, their were probably less than 5,000 people left in the stands, and most of them would have left, too, if they weren't part of a community tour bus that had to stay.
I like the offense, especially the unexpected performances of Suzuki and Kubel. Colabello and Plouffe and Pinto and Dozier have been pleasant surprises as well.
But it's impossible to put up with this horrible starting pitching.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Twins Win
I have no idea how much longer the impressive scoring machine known as the 2014 Minnesota Twins will remain rolling. I just know that with pitchers like Ricky Nolasco in our rotation, this is the ONLY chance we have at winning ball games.
Case in point: The Twins got off to a great start yesterday getting 3 runs off four walks and a single. They scored another run in the second to take a 4-0 early lead. But Nolasco quickly put Tampa Bay right back in it by throwing pitch after pitch right down the middle of the plate.
And all day long you could see Suzuki setting up low and inside or low and outside and Nolasco never coming close to the target.
And we got Nolasco for his supposed control!
The end result was another four hour marathon of hellacious pitching and the Twins squeaking out another 9-7 scoring fest.
Don't get me wrong, the win was great.
But that starting pitching was so bad.
IF the Twins continue playing great offense this weekend, they may find themselves in first place by Monday. They are only one back of the Tigers at this point.
All those walks lead to one interesting stat:
Case in point: The Twins got off to a great start yesterday getting 3 runs off four walks and a single. They scored another run in the second to take a 4-0 early lead. But Nolasco quickly put Tampa Bay right back in it by throwing pitch after pitch right down the middle of the plate.
And all day long you could see Suzuki setting up low and inside or low and outside and Nolasco never coming close to the target.
And we got Nolasco for his supposed control!
The end result was another four hour marathon of hellacious pitching and the Twins squeaking out another 9-7 scoring fest.
Don't get me wrong, the win was great.
But that starting pitching was so bad.
IF the Twins continue playing great offense this weekend, they may find themselves in first place by Monday. They are only one back of the Tigers at this point.
All those walks lead to one interesting stat:
My Take
Herschel Walker at 52 years old says he could still play in the NFL.
MY take?
He couldn't even play any more when he was on the Vikings in his late 20's.
MY take?
He couldn't even play any more when he was on the Vikings in his late 20's.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
We Were Right In the Middle Of Our Collabello When We Found Gold!
Chris Colabello is on fire. There are six days left in April and he has already set a franchise record for the month with 26 RBI. With a two-run homer early and a two-run single late, he managed to bring the Twins back to the .500 mark for another day.
I admit that I missed the ending. As much as I enjoy baseball, five hours is just too long to enjoy the entire game with my advancing years.
Pelfrey was his usual self, pitching 5 pretty good innings, and then losing it in the sixth before he really got anybody else out. I only continue to point this out because Gardy has never noticed this pattern in the two seasons Pelfrey has pitched for him.
The bullpen was outstanding, pitching 7 innings of shutout ball.
The rubber game is this afternoon at noon our time. The season is basically 1/8 over and I'm still watching and caring what happens.
Go Twins!
I admit that I missed the ending. As much as I enjoy baseball, five hours is just too long to enjoy the entire game with my advancing years.
Pelfrey was his usual self, pitching 5 pretty good innings, and then losing it in the sixth before he really got anybody else out. I only continue to point this out because Gardy has never noticed this pattern in the two seasons Pelfrey has pitched for him.
The bullpen was outstanding, pitching 7 innings of shutout ball.
The rubber game is this afternoon at noon our time. The season is basically 1/8 over and I'm still watching and caring what happens.
Go Twins!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Gibson Has Really Bad Game
David Price is Tampa's ace. He's one of the best in baseball. This year he has been average so far with an ERA hovering around 4.00.
So far THIS season, Kyle Gibson has been OUR ace. I thought it was going to be a pretty good game.
It wasn't.
Gibson looked horrible giving up seven runs in a little over three innings and the only bad inning Price had was a line drive taken in the old nut cup by a Mauer line drive. He gave up home runs that inning to Colabello and Dozier as well. Otherwise he looked like his old Cy Young Award winning self for nine innings.
The Twins find themselves below .500 once more.
So far THIS season, Kyle Gibson has been OUR ace. I thought it was going to be a pretty good game.
It wasn't.
Gibson looked horrible giving up seven runs in a little over three innings and the only bad inning Price had was a line drive taken in the old nut cup by a Mauer line drive. He gave up home runs that inning to Colabello and Dozier as well. Otherwise he looked like his old Cy Young Award winning self for nine innings.
The Twins find themselves below .500 once more.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Ice Soccer
The Wild won last night, assuring at least a couple of more games in their season.
I tried watching it awhile, but seeing all that skating with no scoring is difficult. It's a lot like watching people go out for a jog and waiting for them to score somehow. You realize after awhile they are all sportsing as well as they can, but their brand of sportsing is just not intertesting.
At least in basketball it's illegal to goal tend. In ice soccer it's praised, just like its grassy counterpart.
The final was 1-0 in OT.
I tried watching it awhile, but seeing all that skating with no scoring is difficult. It's a lot like watching people go out for a jog and waiting for them to score somehow. You realize after awhile they are all sportsing as well as they can, but their brand of sportsing is just not intertesting.
At least in basketball it's illegal to goal tend. In ice soccer it's praised, just like its grassy counterpart.
The final was 1-0 in OT.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Hughes FINALLY Wins
Phil Hughes got his first win in a long, long time. And the Twins offense came to life again.
It was a good day of sportsing. (See previous blog post cartoon.)
It was a good day of sportsing. (See previous blog post cartoon.)
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Sloppy Fourth
The Royals scored all of their runs in the fourth inning off Kevin Correia with Josmil Pnto contibuting an error.
We watched most of the game at my aunt's place again.
We're below .500 again.
sigh
We watched most of the game at my aunt's place again.
We're below .500 again.
sigh
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Twins Shut Out
After all the runs they've scored recently, this game came as a surprise. They had a couple threats early, but really, that was it.
The season is already 10% over.
Remember Jason Bartlett going the the 15-day disabled list?
While rehabbing, he decided to retire.
That's the best Twins news I've heard in a while, though I'm still afraid Gardy will call him and convince him to come back.
The season is already 10% over.
Remember Jason Bartlett going the the 15-day disabled list?
While rehabbing, he decided to retire.
That's the best Twins news I've heard in a while, though I'm still afraid Gardy will call him and convince him to come back.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Twins WALKING Their Way To Victory
The Twins as of this morning (15 games) have scored 86 runs, second most in the American League and just one behind the first place White Sox (another unlikely offensive juggernaut, who have the advantage of having played an extra game). The Twins have drawn 82 walks, which is by far the most in baseball (Oakland is second with 68, 14 fewer than the Twins — the Twins are drawing almost a walk a game more than anybody else in baseball.)
The Twins' team batting average (.245) is just a bit above average (the AL is hitting .243); their team slugging percentage (.380) is just a bit below average (.382). But the on-base percentage is .353, and that leads the AL by 15 percentage points.
All those walks are adding up.
The Twins' team batting average (.245) is just a bit above average (the AL is hitting .243); their team slugging percentage (.380) is just a bit below average (.382). But the on-base percentage is .353, and that leads the AL by 15 percentage points.
All those walks are adding up.
Twins Sweep Double Header
It was cold. The first pitch was below freezing, the coldest first pitch in Minnesota history. And though Mike Pelfrey was horrible once more (his ERA now hovering around 8.00) the Twins overcame some major difficulties by Toronto pitching being even worse.
EIGHT walks gave the Twins the lead in the eighth inning of the second game and Kyle Gibson's superb start gave the Twins their win in the first game.
That's the first series win the Twins have had against Toronto in 16 tries.
Chris Colabello now has 19 RBI in the young season. If the Twins would have had their way, Colabello would be playing in South Korea this season. Colabello resisted the idea and took less money for a chance at a roster spot HERE. Did I mention that he's fourth in the league in batting too?
The Twins are now above .500 for the first time this season at 8-7. 1/2 game out of FIRST place.
I have no idea how long they'll keep scoring all of these runs, but I do know with the spotty starting rotation that they need all the runs they can get.
Go Twins! They are still very much worth our time.
EIGHT walks gave the Twins the lead in the eighth inning of the second game and Kyle Gibson's superb start gave the Twins their win in the first game.
That's the first series win the Twins have had against Toronto in 16 tries.
Chris Colabello now has 19 RBI in the young season. If the Twins would have had their way, Colabello would be playing in South Korea this season. Colabello resisted the idea and took less money for a chance at a roster spot HERE. Did I mention that he's fourth in the league in batting too?
The Twins are now above .500 for the first time this season at 8-7. 1/2 game out of FIRST place.
I have no idea how long they'll keep scoring all of these runs, but I do know with the spotty starting rotation that they need all the runs they can get.
Go Twins! They are still very much worth our time.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Warrior's Death
Autopsy results came out a couple days ago. Officially Ultimate Warrior died of a massive heart attack brought on by genetically predisposed cardiovascular disease. His dad died at 57 and his grandfather at 52 exactly the same way.
No drugs of any kind were found in his system.
No drugs of any kind were found in his system.
Wolves Finish 40-42, Adelman LIkely Will Retire
Last night was the Wolves season in a nutshell. They were getting beat horribly by a bad team, came back heroically to tie it at the end. Came back yet again to tie it at the end of the first OT, and then lost it in the second OT, and they lost because of a horribly stupid ref's call against Ricky Rubio.
Oh, and Kevin Love was 4 for 15 shooting from the floor on a miserable night of shooting. Still, he became the very FIRST player in NBA history to finish a season with at least 2000 points, 900 rebounds and 100 3-point plays.
He may have had a lousy night, but he had one of the greatest seasons in NBA history.
The Twins had a better day. They were snowed out.
Oh, and Kevin Love was 4 for 15 shooting from the floor on a miserable night of shooting. Still, he became the very FIRST player in NBA history to finish a season with at least 2000 points, 900 rebounds and 100 3-point plays.
He may have had a lousy night, but he had one of the greatest seasons in NBA history.
The Twins had a better day. They were snowed out.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Phil Hughes
Hughes looked good for 5 innings last night, but ended up reverting back to his normal self before getting an out in the sixth. That's 16 starts since last year in which he has not got a win, the longest streak like that in the bigs. His ERA stands at 7.20 on the season.
I'd rather talk about TV.
The Shield on ABC has become one of the best shows on television the last two weeks. Characters you thought were good guys suddenly reveal who they really are and those you thought were the villains are suddenly dead at the hands of the true villains. Shield is in shambles as the spy thriller builds towards a great season-ender. FINALLY it's like a great Marvel comic book instead of a Saturday morning cartoon.
AND Person of Interest on CBS just got even better. I can't even mention what happened last night without spoiling years of story lines. I can't wait to see what they do next. If you're not watching, start from the beginning. It's a great ride. Just don't start where they are right now, you'll miss too much.
I'd rather talk about TV.
The Shield on ABC has become one of the best shows on television the last two weeks. Characters you thought were good guys suddenly reveal who they really are and those you thought were the villains are suddenly dead at the hands of the true villains. Shield is in shambles as the spy thriller builds towards a great season-ender. FINALLY it's like a great Marvel comic book instead of a Saturday morning cartoon.
AND Person of Interest on CBS just got even better. I can't even mention what happened last night without spoiling years of story lines. I can't wait to see what they do next. If you're not watching, start from the beginning. It's a great ride. Just don't start where they are right now, you'll miss too much.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Loves Scores 40 Again
And the Wolves lost both of their last two games.
Minnesota got off to a huge start in the first quarter last night, but in typical Wolves fashion, that was the only good quarter they had.
They are now ONE game under .500 with one game to play. They need a win against Utah on Wednesday night to secure their first non-losing season since 2004-2005.
Love did set the Wolves record last night for most points in a season, beating Kevin Garnett's old mark.
At least Golden State is one of the better teams in the league. They have 50 wins and are currently 6th in the tough western conference.
Phoenix at 47-34 is 9th in the conference and will not make the playoffs even though their record is good enough to be FIFTH in the eastern conference. I feel more sorry for them than the Wolves who are a distant 10th behind the Suns.
Atlanta will make the playoffs in the east this year and their record with one game to play is 37-44.
The NBA is so messed up.
Minnesota got off to a huge start in the first quarter last night, but in typical Wolves fashion, that was the only good quarter they had.
They are now ONE game under .500 with one game to play. They need a win against Utah on Wednesday night to secure their first non-losing season since 2004-2005.
Love did set the Wolves record last night for most points in a season, beating Kevin Garnett's old mark.
At least Golden State is one of the better teams in the league. They have 50 wins and are currently 6th in the tough western conference.
Phoenix at 47-34 is 9th in the conference and will not make the playoffs even though their record is good enough to be FIFTH in the eastern conference. I feel more sorry for them than the Wolves who are a distant 10th behind the Suns.
Atlanta will make the playoffs in the east this year and their record with one game to play is 37-44.
The NBA is so messed up.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Twins Win
Kevin Correia gave the Twins their third straight straight solid start yesterday afternoon. Even better was KC self-destructing in the bottom of the eighth to give the Twins the lead.
Pinto hit his third homerun and Perkins picked up another save. The Twins are back to .500. KC looks worse than the Twins at this point. It's nice to have at least one team worse than your team in the division.
Go Twins!
Pinto hit his third homerun and Perkins picked up another save. The Twins are back to .500. KC looks worse than the Twins at this point. It's nice to have at least one team worse than your team in the division.
Go Twins!
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Manziel
Johnny Football received the highest score in the Wonderlic IQ test for quarterbacks at the NFL combine this year. Some say that increases his chance of going higher in the draft.
What's odd is that more and more predictors of such things are saying he will go number eight in the draft to a certain purple team playing in Minnesota, even though their head coach is on record as saying Manziel cares more about celebrity than football.
If that happened, it wouldn't be the first Heisman trophy winning quarterback that the Vikings have drafted in their history. Remember Gino Toretta?
Sadly, most fans don't either.
The Heisman certainly doesn't guarantee success at the NFL level. Tim Tebow will tell you that.
What's odd is that more and more predictors of such things are saying he will go number eight in the draft to a certain purple team playing in Minnesota, even though their head coach is on record as saying Manziel cares more about celebrity than football.
If that happened, it wouldn't be the first Heisman trophy winning quarterback that the Vikings have drafted in their history. Remember Gino Toretta?
Sadly, most fans don't either.
The Heisman certainly doesn't guarantee success at the NFL level. Tim Tebow will tell you that.
Nolasco Earns First Win
We spent yesterday afternoon at my aunt's house watching the Twins' latest victory. Nolasco threw a lot of balls, but only walked one in eight innings. It was his first truly major league performance for the Twins. He looked good giving up just one run.
On the flip side, it was fun watching US take advantage of another team's misfortune for a change. The Twins scored 6 unearned runs in the second, and that really was all they needed with Nolasco's strong start.
I also take back what I said about Dozier in yesterday's blog. Though batting less than .200 for a lead-off guy is pretty bad, he hit his fourth home run yesterday, so that gives his bat some value.
And it was nice seeing Mauer hit one out yesterday. His first extra-base hit of the season was a three-run shot.
For one very pleasant spring afternoon, all was right with the world.
On the flip side, it was fun watching US take advantage of another team's misfortune for a change. The Twins scored 6 unearned runs in the second, and that really was all they needed with Nolasco's strong start.
I also take back what I said about Dozier in yesterday's blog. Though batting less than .200 for a lead-off guy is pretty bad, he hit his fourth home run yesterday, so that gives his bat some value.
And it was nice seeing Mauer hit one out yesterday. His first extra-base hit of the season was a three-run shot.
For one very pleasant spring afternoon, all was right with the world.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Twins Attendance
Target Field was new and fresh for three seasons. Now attendance is back to Metrodome numbers.
They did not sell out the home opener this year. They had a few thousand seats left. Since then, they've averaged about 21,000 a game leaving a half empty stadium. And this when the frenzy of a new season makes Twins tickets the hottest seat in town.
It was almost impossible to find seats for ANY game the whole season just two years ago. Now scalpers can't give their tickets away.
The fans are officially leaving the Twins in droves. That new stadium smell just doesn't cut it any more. At some point the Twins will have to put a winner on the field again.
I always said fans didn't want an outdoor stadium, what they wanted was a winner.
Minnesota now has one of the best stadiums in the league. By the end of the season it will be practically empty, a shrine to the foolishness of giving people what they think they want.
But the grass does look nice, I'll give you that.
The grass looks nice.
They did not sell out the home opener this year. They had a few thousand seats left. Since then, they've averaged about 21,000 a game leaving a half empty stadium. And this when the frenzy of a new season makes Twins tickets the hottest seat in town.
It was almost impossible to find seats for ANY game the whole season just two years ago. Now scalpers can't give their tickets away.
The fans are officially leaving the Twins in droves. That new stadium smell just doesn't cut it any more. At some point the Twins will have to put a winner on the field again.
I always said fans didn't want an outdoor stadium, what they wanted was a winner.
Minnesota now has one of the best stadiums in the league. By the end of the season it will be practically empty, a shrine to the foolishness of giving people what they think they want.
But the grass does look nice, I'll give you that.
The grass looks nice.
Credit Where Credit is Due
The Twins defense was awful in spring training and I called them on it. They are the best in the league so far for the regular season. I commend them.
Twins Win Laugher
There's been ONE bright spot in the Twins rotation so far this year, Kyle Gibson. He went 6 plus innings last night, and though he walked FOUR, he only gave up 1 earned run to go 2-0 on the year.
With so many outfielders on the DL, the Twins brought up Mastroianni again yesterday. He got a walk and scored. Colabello picked up 3 more RBI, and Pinto hit his second homerun.
The final was 10-1.
Kubel is still batting over .400.
We have a few guys who are hitting well. That's not the problem. (Okay, Floriman, Hicks, and Dozier are pretty worthless with THEIR bats right now but everybody else is contributing...)
Pitching is the problem.
Last night was simply a brief respite in a sea of bafflingly bad pitching.
With so many outfielders on the DL, the Twins brought up Mastroianni again yesterday. He got a walk and scored. Colabello picked up 3 more RBI, and Pinto hit his second homerun.
The final was 10-1.
Kubel is still batting over .400.
We have a few guys who are hitting well. That's not the problem. (Okay, Floriman, Hicks, and Dozier are pretty worthless with THEIR bats right now but everybody else is contributing...)
Pitching is the problem.
Last night was simply a brief respite in a sea of bafflingly bad pitching.
Corey Brewer Scores 51 In Wolves Win
Corey is not the Wolves best shooter. He's probably not in the top five. Most of his points come off fast-break lay-ups.
But with Kevin Love nursing a sore elbow, Corey led the Wolves to their third major upset in the last five games. His previous career high was 29. Pekovic and Martin were still out as well so the Wolves needed someone to step up.
That man was Brewer.
There's three games left. The Wolves need to win 2 of them to finish ABOVE the .500 mark. It's not much of a goal, but for the Wolves, at this point, it would be a major milestone.
Just sayin'.
But with Kevin Love nursing a sore elbow, Corey led the Wolves to their third major upset in the last five games. His previous career high was 29. Pekovic and Martin were still out as well so the Wolves needed someone to step up.
That man was Brewer.
There's three games left. The Wolves need to win 2 of them to finish ABOVE the .500 mark. It's not much of a goal, but for the Wolves, at this point, it would be a major milestone.
Just sayin'.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Twins
Going into their first home series of the year, the Twins were 3-3. Their opponents, the A's were 3-3 as well.
Now the A's are 6-3 on top of their division. The Twins are 3-6, firmly cemented at the bottom of theirs.
What's weird is that because of injuries, the A's were forced to rebuild their starting rotation this year. They did it with the same available pitching pool that the Twins could have signed. Their starting rotation looks great. Their defense is great. And they score a lot of runs. All at bargain basement prices.
Billy Bean's sabermetrics approach puts a winner on the field every single year. They haven't won a World Series yet, but they win their division a lot and almost always have at least 90 wins.
We really need baseball MINDS in Minnesota who understand why that method of fielding a team works. Boston does it too.
You know, last year's World Series winner.
It's not magic. It's math. And understanding what's needed and what stats are important.
The team we have fielded here is a joke. And it's not funny.
Now the A's are 6-3 on top of their division. The Twins are 3-6, firmly cemented at the bottom of theirs.
What's weird is that because of injuries, the A's were forced to rebuild their starting rotation this year. They did it with the same available pitching pool that the Twins could have signed. Their starting rotation looks great. Their defense is great. And they score a lot of runs. All at bargain basement prices.
Billy Bean's sabermetrics approach puts a winner on the field every single year. They haven't won a World Series yet, but they win their division a lot and almost always have at least 90 wins.
We really need baseball MINDS in Minnesota who understand why that method of fielding a team works. Boston does it too.
You know, last year's World Series winner.
It's not magic. It's math. And understanding what's needed and what stats are important.
The team we have fielded here is a joke. And it's not funny.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Twins Have Big Ninth-Inning Comeback
And lose it in the 11th. They have the worst ERA in baseball and it's really starting to show.
The good? Kubel now leads the league in hitting, and Colobello still is tied with the most RBI.
In other Minnesota sports news: The Wolves lost again last night. That's been their season. That's why they hover around .500.
The good? Kubel now leads the league in hitting, and Colobello still is tied with the most RBI.
In other Minnesota sports news: The Wolves lost again last night. That's been their season. That's why they hover around .500.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Utimate Warrior Dies
"No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own," he said. "Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them bleed deeper in something that's larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him, and make the running the man did live forever."
That was part of the speech that Ultimate Warrior gave Monday night on Raw. He died suddenly last night. He was 54, my age. He was just inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Saturday night.
No word yet on the cause of death, though he was clearly struggling physically at both events.
That was part of the speech that Ultimate Warrior gave Monday night on Raw. He died suddenly last night. He was 54, my age. He was just inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Saturday night.
No word yet on the cause of death, though he was clearly struggling physically at both events.
Wolves Blow Out NBA Best Spurs
The Spurs have have 60 wins this season and they've only lost TWO games since the All-Star Break. One of those games was against the Wolves last night.
And they lost by almost 20. Oh, you'll hear excuses from Spurs fans and media experts about San Antonio not coming to play or being bored or...you get the idea. But the Wolves did it with a good game from Love and a great game by Rubio AND by a very nice game by rookie Gorgui Dieng.
ESPN pretty much ignored this major upset talking about everything else but this game in their morning headlines.
The Wolves don't get any respect. But they've beat two of the leagues finest in a span of just 3 games.
I'm looking to see them build on this next season. I hope Love comes along for the ride.
And they lost by almost 20. Oh, you'll hear excuses from Spurs fans and media experts about San Antonio not coming to play or being bored or...you get the idea. But the Wolves did it with a good game from Love and a great game by Rubio AND by a very nice game by rookie Gorgui Dieng.
ESPN pretty much ignored this major upset talking about everything else but this game in their morning headlines.
The Wolves don't get any respect. But they've beat two of the leagues finest in a span of just 3 games.
I'm looking to see them build on this next season. I hope Love comes along for the ride.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Twins Lose Home Opener
The Twins lead the league in runs scored so far this year with 41. The problem is that they lead the league in runs given up, too, at 46.
Correia gave up 6 more in less than 6 innings yesterday. As bad as last year's rotation WAS, this year's is much worse so far.
It's enough for any fan who sees the Twins live to become cranky.
Correia gave up 6 more in less than 6 innings yesterday. As bad as last year's rotation WAS, this year's is much worse so far.
It's enough for any fan who sees the Twins live to become cranky.
Dewey Beats Truman
Some fans are a bit more fanatical than others. One guy, who shall remain nameless, is that kind of fan. He got a tattoo on his calf proclaiming the Kentucky Wildcats the 2014 National Champions BEFORE last night's game.
U Conn won...
Here's a picture:
He's keeping the tattoo because he says it's part of his life story.
I can't help but agree with him there as I laugh openly. It certainly is.
U Conn won...
Here's a picture:
He's keeping the tattoo because he says it's part of his life story.
I can't help but agree with him there as I laugh openly. It certainly is.
Monday, April 7, 2014
WWE
People who know me KNOW I like the WWE. Yesterday, I decided to subscribe to their new network for 6 months and see if it's as good as I've heard.
It is.
I watched the 3 1/2 hour Hall of Fame ceremony yesterday, celebrating the careers of all-time greats like Ultimate Warrior, Jake The Snake Roberts, and Paul Bearer.
And then I watched Wrestlemania last night for 4 more hours through my flawless Apple TV.
Total cost for this experience? Just $10 a month.
On PPV itself Wrestlemania costs upwards of $75 with tax and fees in HD.
What a bargain.
The PPV itself was a bit disappointing. As much as I like the returning Brock Lesnar, I didn't want to see him beat the Undertaker's perfect streak at Wrestlemania. Undertaker is now 21-1 thanks to a Lesnar F5. The 75,000 fans were left stunned at the event last night, and I think this is the sign that Undertaker, now 50 years old, is headed into the sunset.
Highlights? Ceasaro picking up Big Show and dropping him over the top rope to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and Daniel Bryan winning TWICE last night in the two best matches of the event. He beat Triple H to qualify for the main event championship match and then went on to capture the combined titles of the main event.
Yes, it's all scripted. It's not real. But the athleticism IS. And Daniel Bryan deserved the "win."
This is the front page of a New Orleans paper today. They get it. And so do I.
It is.
I watched the 3 1/2 hour Hall of Fame ceremony yesterday, celebrating the careers of all-time greats like Ultimate Warrior, Jake The Snake Roberts, and Paul Bearer.
And then I watched Wrestlemania last night for 4 more hours through my flawless Apple TV.
Total cost for this experience? Just $10 a month.
On PPV itself Wrestlemania costs upwards of $75 with tax and fees in HD.
What a bargain.
The PPV itself was a bit disappointing. As much as I like the returning Brock Lesnar, I didn't want to see him beat the Undertaker's perfect streak at Wrestlemania. Undertaker is now 21-1 thanks to a Lesnar F5. The 75,000 fans were left stunned at the event last night, and I think this is the sign that Undertaker, now 50 years old, is headed into the sunset.
Highlights? Ceasaro picking up Big Show and dropping him over the top rope to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and Daniel Bryan winning TWICE last night in the two best matches of the event. He beat Triple H to qualify for the main event championship match and then went on to capture the combined titles of the main event.
Yes, it's all scripted. It's not real. But the athleticism IS. And Daniel Bryan deserved the "win."
This is the front page of a New Orleans paper today. They get it. And so do I.
The Failed Bartlett Experiment
Jason Bartlett is the Twins extra outfielder this year.
We found out just how bad that idea was yesterday. With Arcia already out with an injury, and Willingham joining him yesterday, we saw just how bad Bartlett now is as a major-leaguer.
He struck out TWICE yesterday with men on base AND horribly misplayed two fly balls leading to some of Cleveland's "offense". He was so bad that even Gardy saw it, and he replaced Bartlett in the outfield with Eduardo Escobar for the last two innings yesterday.
Word has it that Chris Hermann will be heading back to the major league club today taking either Willingham's or Arcia's spot on the roster.
Sadly, I think Bartlett is still going to be around.
Gardy has the mistaken idea, that IF a player can field more than one position, he is more valuable to the team, frequently citing Oakland and their versatile players as an example.
The problem with that is that he's missing the obvious. Oakland has talented STARTERS that can be moved around day to day. And they are GOOD at fielding several positions. You know, like Michael Cuddyer was for us.
Just having inadequate bench players who can't hit or field IS NOT the same thing. I hope Gardy figures this out before too much longer. Our starters aren't good enough to support a player like Bartlett on our roster.
We found out just how bad that idea was yesterday. With Arcia already out with an injury, and Willingham joining him yesterday, we saw just how bad Bartlett now is as a major-leaguer.
He struck out TWICE yesterday with men on base AND horribly misplayed two fly balls leading to some of Cleveland's "offense". He was so bad that even Gardy saw it, and he replaced Bartlett in the outfield with Eduardo Escobar for the last two innings yesterday.
Word has it that Chris Hermann will be heading back to the major league club today taking either Willingham's or Arcia's spot on the roster.
Sadly, I think Bartlett is still going to be around.
Gardy has the mistaken idea, that IF a player can field more than one position, he is more valuable to the team, frequently citing Oakland and their versatile players as an example.
The problem with that is that he's missing the obvious. Oakland has talented STARTERS that can be moved around day to day. And they are GOOD at fielding several positions. You know, like Michael Cuddyer was for us.
Just having inadequate bench players who can't hit or field IS NOT the same thing. I hope Gardy figures this out before too much longer. Our starters aren't good enough to support a player like Bartlett on our roster.
Twins Win Another High Scoring Game
The Twins starting rotation continues to look awful in the early season games. Nolacso, the Twin's ace, gave up 5 runs and 7 hits in just 4 innings yesterday. His ERA now stands at 9.00 for the season.
Luckily, the Twins offense has decided to score a boatload of runs the last few days. I think they've scored more in the last four games than they did in all the spring training games combined.
Though the sudden unexpected offense is a pleasant surprise, the inadequate starting pitching is starting to wear on me.
Chris Colabello now LEADS the AL in RBI. Talk about pleasant surprises.
The home opener is this afternoon at Target Field.
Their record is a 3-3.
I'll take it.
Luckily, the Twins offense has decided to score a boatload of runs the last few days. I think they've scored more in the last four games than they did in all the spring training games combined.
Though the sudden unexpected offense is a pleasant surprise, the inadequate starting pitching is starting to wear on me.
Chris Colabello now LEADS the AL in RBI. Talk about pleasant surprises.
The home opener is this afternoon at Target Field.
Their record is a 3-3.
I'll take it.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Gardy Gets 1000th Win
Only 10 managers in baseball history have gotten 1,000 wins with one team. The Twins now have two of those ten. I would list the second as a trivia question, but we all know It's Tom Kelly.
Gardy took out Gibson yesterday after FIVE innings. If he had done that a day earlier with Mike Pelfrey he might have gotten that win a little earlier.
Regardless, the Twins are now 2-3 on the season, and right now don't look as bad as they did.
There's still plenty of season to go, though.
Go Twins!
Gardy took out Gibson yesterday after FIVE innings. If he had done that a day earlier with Mike Pelfrey he might have gotten that win a little earlier.
Regardless, the Twins are now 2-3 on the season, and right now don't look as bad as they did.
There's still plenty of season to go, though.
Go Twins!
Twenty Trillion Dollar Dream Is Over
It looks like the twenty trillion dollar bill will be going back in vault. With only three games to pick in the tournament, everybody, every single entrant picked Florida to win last night in the first game. As a result we have no winner.
Just like the state of Florida.
Just like the state of Florida.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Wolves Upset Heat in Miami
I tuned in late to this one and was pleaasntly surprised by the outcome. It took two extra overtime periods, and seeming hopelessness a couple of times, but in the end, Kevin Love and company did the unthinkable, they beat LeBron James and his Miami Heat on their home floor.
Miami fans appeared stunned.
It was just enough to show NBA viewers that the Wolves really have improved this season. I look at it as the Wolves only playoff game this season. They came, they saw, they conquered. Yes, Miami was without the services of Dwyane Wade last night, but the Wolves have been hamstrung by injuries all season as well.
Great game.
In other Minnesota sports news. Mike Pelfrey looked GREAT for 5 innings yesterday, but like last year, Gardy left him in to pitch the 6th.
The Twins went on to lose 7-2. There was literally no offense after the second for the Twins.
Suggested motto for the Twins this year?
Eat
Sleep
Accept Defeat
Repeat
Miami fans appeared stunned.
It was just enough to show NBA viewers that the Wolves really have improved this season. I look at it as the Wolves only playoff game this season. They came, they saw, they conquered. Yes, Miami was without the services of Dwyane Wade last night, but the Wolves have been hamstrung by injuries all season as well.
Great game.
In other Minnesota sports news. Mike Pelfrey looked GREAT for 5 innings yesterday, but like last year, Gardy left him in to pitch the 6th.
The Twins went on to lose 7-2. There was literally no offense after the second for the Twins.
Suggested motto for the Twins this year?
Eat
Sleep
Accept Defeat
Repeat
Friday, April 4, 2014
We're 66th!
The Gophers pulled it off last night. They won the also-ran tournament known as the NIT. They weren't good enough to be invited to the big dance known as March Madness, but they did win the junior high prom.
Life is Golden.
It truly is.
Life is Golden.
It truly is.
Twenty Trillion Dollar Challenge Heating Up
It started out slowly, but by last night, the amount of entries had actually doubled!
If you haven't registered your predictions yet, you have until midnight tonight (CST) to enter. After that, all predictions will be ignored.
Warren Buffett's challenge for his paltry billion dollars had the odds of a correct ballot being at 10 quadrillion to one. My contest is more like 8-1 (6-1?), but I'm not going to take the time to figure it out. Too much math.
Don't pass up your chance of being the first Twenty TRILLION Dollar Challenge winner in history!
See earlier blog for details.
If you haven't registered your predictions yet, you have until midnight tonight (CST) to enter. After that, all predictions will be ignored.
Warren Buffett's challenge for his paltry billion dollars had the odds of a correct ballot being at 10 quadrillion to one. My contest is more like 8-1 (6-1?), but I'm not going to take the time to figure it out. Too much math.
Don't pass up your chance of being the first Twenty TRILLION Dollar Challenge winner in history!
See earlier blog for details.
A Day of Firsts
Joe Mauer got his first hit of the season. Oswaldo Arcia got his first hit (and game-winning RBI) as well. Perkins picked up his first save of the season after Wednesday's disaster. Caleb Thielbar picked up his first win AND Chris Colabello picked up the first 6 RBI day of his career.
All of this giving the Twins their first win of the year.
You know it's pretty bad, though, when you need TEN runs just to win, and that the winning pitcher is the guy that gave up the lead in the eighth.
But a win is still a win, and it's always better than another loss.
And look at this RBI chart! Two Twins in the top three in the entire league.
All of this giving the Twins their first win of the year.
You know it's pretty bad, though, when you need TEN runs just to win, and that the winning pitcher is the guy that gave up the lead in the eighth.
But a win is still a win, and it's always better than another loss.
And look at this RBI chart! Two Twins in the top three in the entire league.
The Thrills and Dangers of Extreme Lifting
It's a 20-minute documentary about powerlifters competing in strongman competitions. I found it fascinating. The dangers are real.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A7woRoVwyM&app=desktop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A7woRoVwyM&app=desktop
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Twins
There was just so much sadness and despair in the long drawn-out disappointing ending of yesterday's game that I don't even want to think about it, let alone comment on it.
Perkins, Plouffe, Deduno...
...you all know what you did wrong, and we all saw it.
But there was so many other things that were done poorly in late innings, that I'd have to say this was a real team defeat. Never have so many, contributed so little, for so few results.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, your 2014 Minnesota Twins.
Perkins, Plouffe, Deduno...
...you all know what you did wrong, and we all saw it.
But there was so many other things that were done poorly in late innings, that I'd have to say this was a real team defeat. Never have so many, contributed so little, for so few results.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, your 2014 Minnesota Twins.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
The Twenty Trillion Dollar Challenge
I've decided to one-up Warren Buffet. There are just 4 teams left in the NCAA March Madness Tournament. IF one of my regular readers can correctly guess all remaining winners in the brackets, I will award the winner a 20 trillion dollar bill from Zimbabwe.
That's right TWENTY TRILLION DOLLARS.
Obviously with that much at stake, some restrictions will apply. First off, you'll have to post your predictions to all three remaining games here on the blog in the comments section. If there is a tie, only one winner will be selected randomly from the correct entries. One entry per household.
The winner must pick up the 20 trillion dollar note from me the Tuesday morning immediately following the Monday Championship game, from 9 a.m. until 9:30 a.m CST.
You have to already know where I live.
You will not be notified of your win. We will all know the results from the comments section. If there is a tie, the winner will be announced here at the blog.
This isn't a trick. This isn't a joke. I do have the bill in my possession. I just don't want to go out of my way to give it away. The responsibility for getting it from me will be the winner's entirely under the above restrictions.
This is a picture of what the bill looks like. Actual bill will vary.
That's right TWENTY TRILLION DOLLARS.
Obviously with that much at stake, some restrictions will apply. First off, you'll have to post your predictions to all three remaining games here on the blog in the comments section. If there is a tie, only one winner will be selected randomly from the correct entries. One entry per household.
The winner must pick up the 20 trillion dollar note from me the Tuesday morning immediately following the Monday Championship game, from 9 a.m. until 9:30 a.m CST.
You have to already know where I live.
You will not be notified of your win. We will all know the results from the comments section. If there is a tie, the winner will be announced here at the blog.
This isn't a trick. This isn't a joke. I do have the bill in my possession. I just don't want to go out of my way to give it away. The responsibility for getting it from me will be the winner's entirely under the above restrictions.
This is a picture of what the bill looks like. Actual bill will vary.
Twins
I was reading an article yesterday and the author mentioned that the Twins offense last year was ... offensive. That was the least amount of runs they had scored in a season since 1972. That year was so bad in the AL that they started the DH rule. Imagine that, the Twins run production WITH a DH were worse than the a historically bad team without one.
And nothing indicates that this year should be an improvement. We all hope that this will be the breakout season for guys like Hicks, Pinto, and Arcia.
But we really don't expect it. If anything our expectations are much lower than that.
Much, much lower.
I mean, we still have both Jasons on the roster. In a new season that already features lots of heads scratching that's the biggest head scratcher of all.
And nothing indicates that this year should be an improvement. We all hope that this will be the breakout season for guys like Hicks, Pinto, and Arcia.
But we really don't expect it. If anything our expectations are much lower than that.
Much, much lower.
I mean, we still have both Jasons on the roster. In a new season that already features lots of heads scratching that's the biggest head scratcher of all.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Quick Notes
Don Baylor, catching the ceremonial first pitch from retiring Vlad Guerro, broke his leg yesterday on the pitch. Batlor has been battling bone marrow cancer which leaves the bones more brittle..
Vikings head coach, Mike Zimmer, made headlines yesterday by saying Johnny Manziel may be more concerned about being a celebrity than being a winning NFL quarterback, after watching his private workout last week. That didn't earn him many points from Manziel or his people.
The Wolves lost to the Clippers who were missing a couple starters including Blake Griffin. Media people are talking about the possibility of a new head coach for next season.
I know Kurt Suzuki got all the team's RBI yesterday, but can anyone tell me WHY he's batting SECOND? He is possibly the worst hitter on the team (and on THIS team that's saying a lot) and has no speed, being an old catcher. What is Gardy thinking? That he had success yesterday only means that Gardy will now use him there everyday forever. sigh
Remember not too long ago when Wilson Ramos was the Twins back up catcher, but we decided to trade him because we had Joe Mauer and we couldn't see needing him or his mega-talents? He's starting and batting cleanup for the Nationals this year. It's enough to make you cry.
Vikings head coach, Mike Zimmer, made headlines yesterday by saying Johnny Manziel may be more concerned about being a celebrity than being a winning NFL quarterback, after watching his private workout last week. That didn't earn him many points from Manziel or his people.
The Wolves lost to the Clippers who were missing a couple starters including Blake Griffin. Media people are talking about the possibility of a new head coach for next season.
I know Kurt Suzuki got all the team's RBI yesterday, but can anyone tell me WHY he's batting SECOND? He is possibly the worst hitter on the team (and on THIS team that's saying a lot) and has no speed, being an old catcher. What is Gardy thinking? That he had success yesterday only means that Gardy will now use him there everyday forever. sigh
Remember not too long ago when Wilson Ramos was the Twins back up catcher, but we decided to trade him because we had Joe Mauer and we couldn't see needing him or his mega-talents? He's starting and batting cleanup for the Nationals this year. It's enough to make you cry.
Twins
Another opening day has come and went.
Nolasco gave up 10 hits and 5 earned runs in six innings including two monster-shots to the same guy. I watched Mauer ground out weakly to the infield three times. He didn't get on base.
Kurt Suzuki, batting number two, had all three of the Twins RBI.
It was painful to watch. I only lasted into the sixth.
Nolasco gave up 10 hits and 5 earned runs in six innings including two monster-shots to the same guy. I watched Mauer ground out weakly to the infield three times. He didn't get on base.
Kurt Suzuki, batting number two, had all three of the Twins RBI.
It was painful to watch. I only lasted into the sixth.
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