RIP George

Picture via Lohud Yankees

I wouldn't be a Yankees fan unless I paid a little tribute to George Steinbrenner today. Love, hate or be secretly glad he was banned for baseball for several years which gave the team an opportunity to build a dynasty in the '90s..........Thanks George, you will be missed.

Besides, don't you love that he evidently had a picture of Cary Grant in his office? Too cool.

Game 4

Last night I finally went to bed a little after 11:00 and missed the 9th inning of Game 4 of the World Series. Although I'm probably functioning better than I would be if I stayed up, I missed A-Rod finally showing us all how talented he is in the post-season, and maybe even more importantly, Johnny Damon's 2 stolen bases. Johnny Damon stole my heart years ago during the tragic 2004 post season. When he became a Yankee in 2005, it was an early birthday Christmas Present to yours truly. I even blogged about it here.

Last night, with the score tied and 2 out, Damon got on base, stole second, kept his head up as he was stealing second and realized that the Phillies had shifted so there was no one on third, and he could out run the nearby infielders. He then took third-putting himself in easy scoring position when Alex R. got a base hit. MLB makes embedding actual game play tough, so I wasn't able to find an embeddable version online, but here's a link to video of the stolen bases.
Tonight? You better believe I'm staying up for the whole game.

Images that brought a smile to my face this morning.

Today's CNN's Beat 360 Caption Contest Image
(The Blueprints they seem to be poring over? Genealogy Charts)

Last night, Matsui hit a walk-off homer to beat the O's 2-1 and moving into a tie for first place in the AL East!. Here's the team congratulating "Godzilla."

Love Jeff Tweedy and love that he's wearing his nudie suit (There's a sushi cat on this suit, I kid you not). Want to see more of the suit? Buy the new album. The insert has several pictures of the band's suits.

A-Fraud

I've got a goal---A-Rod is not going to destroy my spring. He won't. Even though he's made the past 5 years as a Yankee fan more or less miserable I took them in stride. I've never liked the guy, but I never said too much, because he was in Pinstripes.
Now though, no one will be talking about his weird obsession with Derek Jeter (remember the sleepover quote?) or his relationship with Madonna. The report yesterday wasn't real surprising at all. But raises questions. If he took steroids in 2003, why did he go on television telling he never took them?(rhetorical question)
I'm not holding my breath that A-Rod will do the right thing, but he is the brightest star in baseball today, and if he's going to preserve his legacy, he has to come clean with it all. Otherwise, he's just another Roger Clemens or Barry Bond. Who knew that Canseco was right about this one too?

Wordless

Random Thoughts

Emmy Rants

I didn't watch the Emmys last night, but I was happy to see America Ferrara win for her role on Ugly Betty and 30 Rock (best comedy since Arrested Development) win. Both were totally deserving. However, I was bewildered, dismayed and wanting to know how in the world did Katherine Heigl win best actress for Greys Anatomy? Her storyline in Season 2 tanked, her storyline in Season 3 was even worse...and she won the Emmy? The Emmy? Just because she's hot doesn't mean that translates well into acting. She's the weak link on Greys and she wins the Emmy? Between Heigl and Jeremy Piven winning, I'm glad I didn't watch.


Sherpa Wants

I saw this sweater on Whip up, and I fell in love. I want, but then I think if I have that sweater, I'll probably wear it any time I can..its absolutely brilliant and I've never been a big fan of Wonder Woman. Check out the original blog and pictures here.

Best Week Ever

The fall is becoming busy, just the way I like it, but the week of the 24th to the 29th has pretty much turned into the best week ever. Seeing DC United play Chivas, A Bob Dylan concert and then taking in a Yankees game that may mean something (the second to last game in the regular season?) the next night?

Wordless Wednesday

I'm off to worship this week

I'm out until Saturday or Sunday to make the pilgrimage to the Church of Baseball. Although we're not going to Mecca, the Yanks will be there so its the 2nd best thing. And so will my parents and one sibling. And the Yanks look to finally be pulling their offense together--and I get too see them in the best stadium for hitters. Happy am I to go worship this week.

From one of the top three baseball movies of all time: The other two being......

Annie: I believe in the church of baseball. I've tried all
the major religions and most of the minor ones. I've worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, trees, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there's 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there's 108 stitches in a baseball. When I learned that, I gave Jesus a chance. (she sighs) But it just didn't work out between us. The Lord laid too much guilt on me. I prefer metaphysics to theology. Y'see, there's no guilt in baseball, and it's never boring. (she giggles) Which makes it like sex. There's never been a ballplayer slept with me who didn't have the best year of his career. Making love is like hitting a baseball. You just gotta relax and concentrate. Besides, I'd never
sleep with a player hitting under .250. Not unless he had a lot of RBIs and was a great glove man up the middle. Y'see, there's a certain amount of life wisdom I give these boys. I can expand their minds. Sometimes when I get a ballplayer alone, I'll just read Emily Dickenson or Walt Whitman to him. And the guys are so sweet, they always stay and listen. Of course, a guy'll listen to anything if he thinks it's foreplay. I make them feel confident, and they make me feel safe -- and pretty. 'Course what I give them lasts a lifetime. What they give me lasts a 142 games. Sometimes it seems like a bad trade. But bad trades are part
of baseball. Who can forget Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas, for god's sake! It's a long season, and you gotta trust it. I've tried them all, I really have. And, the only church that feeds the soul, day in, day out, is the church of baseball.

Select NPR

I select, you listen...or whatever ...

Frank DeFord: I adore Frank's columns each week but the one on Wednesday about the rediculousness of pitch limits in mlb? Classic. If you aren't giggling, then you have no soul or don't like baseball which is really the same as the former. click here

Cooking Guide for New Grads: This article is practical for anyone who is just out on their own for the first time, simply doesn't think they can cook or think its too much of a pain cooking for one. The recipes? Just check them out...personally, she definitely called me out as I am a cook who makes pasta or stir-fry at least once a week. click here

American Idol: Oh, the final was last month but just listening to Steve Inskeep give the highlights of the finale is priceless. Just listening to his dripping sarcasm, I have a hunch his feelings about the show are similar to mine. click here

Crooked Cops in Tijuana: Drug wars in Mexico has killed more than 1,000 people so far this year and the stories coming out in relation to these wars are sobering to say the least. This segment focuses on Tijuana's police force. click here

Wordless Wednesday

"Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic."

On today the greatest of days, the day that MLB playoffs start, I could talk about how the day is the 55th Anniversary of the "shot heard round the world," when the New York Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers with a walk-off 3 run homerun in the bottom of the 9th. According to a historian on NPR, the New York Giants put one of their coaches in a strategic position to read the pitcher/catcher hand signals of the Dodgers and then buzzed them into the dugout(they had a buzzer system installed). The Giants backup Catcher then signaled to the batter what the upcoming pitch would be. Hoo, sounds like your boys were robbed.

However, as fascinating as the Giant's cheating scheme is, an unpublished Robert Frost poem was found recently and published recently. I'm sure this made the national news, but since the poem was found in VA, its been covered here in town pretty well. The poem, "War Thoughts at Home" was written in 1918. Robert Frost was tormented by the world war, and a year earlier, his close friend, was killed in the War. This poem is likely a step to the memorial of his friend, "to e.t." Here's the first two stanza's of the poem (The Frost estate has asked that only the first two stanzas be published).

"War Thoughts at Home"

On the backside of the house

Where it wears no paint to the weather

And so shows most its age,

Suddenly blue jays rage

And flash in blue feather.

It is late in an afternoon

More grey with snow to fall

Than white with fallen snow

When it is blue jay and crow

Or no bird at all

Here's the poem he wrote as a memorial to his friend,

To E. T. by Robert Lee Frost
I slumbered with your poems on my breast

Spread open as I dropped them half-read through

Like dove wings on a figure on a tomb

To see, if in a dream they brought of you,

I might not have the chance I missed in life

Through some delay, and call you to your face

First soldier, and then poet, and then both,

Who died a soldier-poet of your race.

I meant, you meant, that nothing should remain

Unsaid between us, brother, and this remained--

And one thing more that was not then to say:

The Victory for what it lost and gained.

You went to meet the shell's embrace of fire On Vimy Ridge;

and when you fell that day

The war seemed over more for you than me,

But now for me than you--the other way.

How over, though, for even me who knew

The foe thrust back unsafe beyond the Rhine,

If I was not to speak of it to you

And see you pleased once more with words of mine

Quote of the Day

And I don't know how anybody can't like Derek [Jeter]. I'd rather have him on my team than anybody."

--Bob Dylan, talking baseball

Ah, as a yankee fan....this totally is acceptable.

You scored as Johnny Damon. You are Johnny Damon!! You are very down-to-earth and like to joke around a lot. This is apparent through your appearance. You are known for looking unkempt, perhaps even caveman-like, but everyone loves you for it. Oh yea... Johnny is my homeboy! Johnny Damon 83% Curt Schilling 73% Jason Varitek 70% Theo Epstein 63% David Ortiz 60% Mark Bellhorn 60% Kevin Millar 60% Manny Ramirez 50% Which Red Sox Player Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

The only church that feeds the soul, day in, day out, is the church of baseball.

Labor Day weekend and the plan was to celebrate the last real weekend of summer by renting a house on the Outer Banks. I was ready to sign on the house, thought i probably had enough people to stay and ended up staying home after following the weather. Turns out that OBX weather was nicer than here, but I think it worked out for the best. Friday I picked up Chino (a wanderlust friend of mine that stayed a few days here) and we met up with the roommates for dinner at dali dhaba. On the way back we saw a transformer start to blow (pretty spectacular and then went to rent a few movies (kiss kiss bang bang, three burials, and v for vendetta). I'm pretty sure the center of the depression came over about 10, because all of a sudden we saw a couple of flashes of green lightning. The first time I saw green lightning was when Isabel hit three years ago, apparently the green color may come from preferential scattering of certain wavelengths of light by hail of a certain size. In some thunderstorm situations the hail can be quite monodisperse (in size) and because of the vagaries of MIE scattering and geometric optics, it is possible to get a lot of green light coming from certain clouds. I also read that its just the lightning reflecting off the walls of the storm, whatever it is, its pretty cool. Anyway, Saturday we went to a matinee with Kelli, and then Chino and I wandered down to the mall and checked out a couple of Smithsonian museums. I was disappointed that more than half of the American Art museum was already closed off, but then I saw Kermit and one of Klinger's outfits and that more than made up for it.

We scored free tickets to a baseball game (thanks Rae) so after spanish sacrament on Sunday, we saw the Nats play the Diamondbacks. From the first of the game I was really impressed with their new aquisition, Nook Logan. He's athletic, young, as quick (my coworker says he's quicker) as Soriano, the Nats are going to have a formidable outfield next year if they can hang onto these guys in the off season. the first 8 innings the game was like this:

The Nats were down 3-1 bottom of the 8th, and then by the end of the 8th, the score was 5-3. They were able to hang onto the lead and ended up winning at that score.



By the end of the game, we were both excited, happy to see great baseball. Monday we tagged along with two of my roommates Jannelle, Megan and Megan's friend Brant to Monticello. Thomas Jefferson's house is still there, its still impressive, and the clock/calendar is working.
Happy first day of Fall! 

Last month my parent's were in town for the Yankee-Nationals series. Thanks to Tickets.com, I was able to get 10 tickets for $1.20 each (tickets started out at $12.00--someone at tickets.com must've entered the price incorrectly) so I invited some friends. I happened to be sitting next to Nick who had an amazing zoom on his camera and humored me by taking photos of Yankees (more specifically Jeter and Damon). He sent me the photos a few weeks ago and here's the best of the crop. I'd like to point out that my Yanks did indeed win this game thanks to Bernie Williams and no thanks to A-Rod (although A-Rod didn't choke as much on the Sunday game).

Jeter skipping to my lou



 

The Evil Empire? Yup, I'm a big fan.

I'm tired today. Exhausted. I spent the past three days at RFK Stadium with my parents (and assorted other friends and acquaintances) and I'm beat. One evening game-and two afternoon games. Although I'm not as exhausted or fustrated as the Yankee bull-pen..I feel like I need a bit of a vacation, from a mini vacation. That being said, I love getting a chance to see my Yanks play. But, watching them lose two in a row because of their bull-pen. Fustrating

Anyway here's a list of the highlights and Lows of the games:

Highlights

A-Rod (he did make some good plays, but really deserves to be down there for choking at least twice with players in scoring position

Slurpees

Seing Erin's group mentioned on the Scoreboard

Covered seats

A Dad explaining the game to his little girl.

The metro passengers to and fro ball games are almost always fun. This series was no exception.

Watching the games with various friends

sitting next to the "paparazzi"

Watching the games with my folks.

Eastern Market (we did this before the game, but any weekend with a "brick" in it, is always a highlight.

Low Points

A-Rod

1.5 hour ride on the Metro (one way)

Last Tuesday Richard (my brother) and Marty (the Pseudo-Bro) flew to DC to hang out with me for a week (they leave tomorrow). On Wednesday we left for a 4.5 day long road trip (we got back last night). While we were in NY we decided to send Steven (my other brother) photos of the trip. Needless to say by 4 or 5 in the afternoon he replied saying, "you guys suck." Here's some of the photos we sent.
First stop: Yankee Stadium. We made it to the game on time, partly thanks to the Stadium Supervisor who told the bag inspectors that my bag was indeed small enough to go into Yankee Stadium and to let me in. Thank you sir.
Joy Reading in the subway in the Bronx. After the Yankee game we ventured over to Arthur Avenue to get some Italian food. Contrary to the Boston fan in Baltimore, NY does indeed have the best Little Italy, its just not in Manhattan--its in the Bronx. Love Mikes, but Arthur Avenue rocks.

After we went to Arthur Avenue, We went to Greenwich in search of a dunar kebab for Marty. Even though we were full up on pasta, its tough to resist a dunar kebab. (For the dunar virgins, that's a big thing of beef on a spick, there's a stove below (and on the far side if i remember right). The guy cutting rotates it and cuts of slices of it. The meat is laid on top of there so it comes out in slices. Its awesome. Steven served his LDS mission in Germany (switzerland Zurich) so he knows these well.

After wandering around Greenwich for almost a hour (I remember the place being on Bleecker, but didn't remember the cross street-MacDougal) we found the beef shwarmaa (another name for dunar kebab) and check out the look on Marty's face. He really was that excited.

We drove to Staten Island, parked Garp (my car) and took the ferry over. This picture is on the way back on the Ferry. Even with the crappy cellphone camera, its still pretty cool.

Crazy Delicious?

So, i got the word last night that the Damon trade had gone through. Although it is weird to think of Damon as a Yankee...it feels a little better when I see the reaction from the Red Sox fans. Now that's settled, the question is, will Damon be just as hot clean shaven and with short hair?

and this would be the Johnny Damon we're all used to for the past several years.

Anyone know what year this card would be? Johnny Damon back in the day.

So, here is is, barely recognizable on what looks to be a night out.. posing with a happy fan.

And finally...the verdict is a decidely yes. The Damon will be another fine addition in pinstripes. I'm feeling a little more comfortable about this one already......as long as he doesn't fizzle, especially in the off-season.........

Christmas Came Early This Year

I'll always be a Yank fan...but i was a little bitter when the Yanks traded Soriano a while back. Now he's been traded to the Nationals......Another reason the Nats are fast becoming my "other" team.