Some people were thrilled this past Friday when the Red Sox picked up Victor Martinez. I was among those people. Victor Martinez is an investment that will lead the Red Sox to the divisional crown. However people weren't thrilled with trading away Brian Pryce, Nick Hagadone (the best last name in history as far as I am concerned), and the ever awesome Justin Masterson. Here is my salute to Justin in a mediocre paragraph.
Justin, it's been a great ride. You never really did anything exceptional, but who doesn't love a guy that reminds you vividly of Brian Scalabrine. Tall, and white, all I could think about was Scals as you stepped on the mound. Also, I give a tip of the hat to you for the shaved head and high red socks. Come on, who doesn't love the high socks. But a wag of the finger goes out to you for wearing that hideous teal polo shirt in the dugout the game after you got traded. Probably the worst shirt I've ever seen. Done.
If you thought that was the whole blog, you are simply crazy. Sure everyone loved him, but nobody cares that he is gone. The true pain is watching the long tenured, forever loved Adam LaRoche. We will forever remember you, and you will always hold a special place in our hearts. You were here for a week, and hit one home run. We can never forget how great a player and teammate you were. I sit here typing this blog, crying to REO Speedwagon's "Keep on Lovin' You", thinking about the great times you gave us in a Sox uniform. You were by far the hardest player to accept gone on that July afternoon. None of us will ever forget that great goatee, or Don Orsillo mispronouncing your last name every single time. So here is to you, a great career in Boston, and an extrodinary person.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Off the Beaten Track: A Blog not About Sports
Well, I faced the pain of back to school shopping yesterday, and while nothing great was picked out for me i did get a purple, black, and white tie. Also, a middle-aged gay guy measured me for a dress shirt. I know, I know, my life is more exciting than yours, but just to prove a point, I am saving my best bargain for later.
I also managed to get a t-shirt, some athletic shorts, khakis, and a polo. Along with this was some undershirts, and yes SILK boxers. It feels like your crotch is in heaven. But still, the best if yet to come.
After a quick browse through the school supplies section I came across the electronic area....are you ready?
I first walked past a DVD rack, and was thrilled to see the movie: 'Troy'. Now if you are not familiar with this movie (which would be ludicris), or prefer movies that showcase dinosaurs with rocket launchers, let me give you a synopsis of this movie. First of all, it has Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, and Eric Bana, and the ever hot Diane Kruger. It is a 2 and a half hour movie showcasing the Trojan War and is probably one of the most epic movies ever. Great acting, great action, great drama. Five dollars. The movie was bought faster than you can say "done".
Next I walked past a rack full of CD's of the great musician, Michael Jackson. All of his best albums. I don't need to explain what 'Thriller' has become, but it was only 10 dollars. I snatched it before anyone could.
So there you have it, one of the top 5 movies of all time, and the top album of all time are now in my house for $15 dollars. I know, I know, I'm a bargain shopper, but please hold your applause
I also managed to get a t-shirt, some athletic shorts, khakis, and a polo. Along with this was some undershirts, and yes SILK boxers. It feels like your crotch is in heaven. But still, the best if yet to come.
After a quick browse through the school supplies section I came across the electronic area....are you ready?
I first walked past a DVD rack, and was thrilled to see the movie: 'Troy'. Now if you are not familiar with this movie (which would be ludicris), or prefer movies that showcase dinosaurs with rocket launchers, let me give you a synopsis of this movie. First of all, it has Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, and Eric Bana, and the ever hot Diane Kruger. It is a 2 and a half hour movie showcasing the Trojan War and is probably one of the most epic movies ever. Great acting, great action, great drama. Five dollars. The movie was bought faster than you can say "done".
Next I walked past a rack full of CD's of the great musician, Michael Jackson. All of his best albums. I don't need to explain what 'Thriller' has become, but it was only 10 dollars. I snatched it before anyone could.
So there you have it, one of the top 5 movies of all time, and the top album of all time are now in my house for $15 dollars. I know, I know, I'm a bargain shopper, but please hold your applause
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Most Important, Impossible Thing To Know For The MLB Second Half
I don't want to take the time to write a real blog, and it was painful to see how abysmal I was doing with my pre-season picks, so I will just leave you with the best realistic trade move there is:
The Mariners are contenders, but the only way to make it in is winning the AL West. Their hitting is fairly solid, and so is their defense (I have seen them play in person). All they have for starting pitching is Felix Hernandez. They need a second starter. Listen to me Mariners GM, who will be unnamed due to my lack of baseball knowledge outside of the AL East, FIND A WAY TO PICK UP ROY HALLADAY BECAUSE HE WON'T STAY IN THE AL EAST!
Smart? Yes. Possible? No shot in hell
The Mariners are contenders, but the only way to make it in is winning the AL West. Their hitting is fairly solid, and so is their defense (I have seen them play in person). All they have for starting pitching is Felix Hernandez. They need a second starter. Listen to me Mariners GM, who will be unnamed due to my lack of baseball knowledge outside of the AL East, FIND A WAY TO PICK UP ROY HALLADAY BECAUSE HE WON'T STAY IN THE AL EAST!
Smart? Yes. Possible? No shot in hell
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Change We Must Invest In
I propose a change in the All-Star voting system for Major League Baseball. Polls close tomorrow and I looked at the paper today to see the standings. The list is dominated by Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays. This is a great representation of the AL East, the problem is the fan voting.
Sure players like Youkilis, Texiara, Pedroia, Bay, and Longoria deserve to be there, but all it is is a popularity contest. You want incontrovertible truth? Each team gets one player for each position for voting (three for outfield, and pitchers are different). The Red Sox have been largely troubled at shortstop this year. Things have been turning around as Nick Green is proving to be a player you can win a World Series, and Lugo is finally rising to full potential. However, the shortstop choice for the Red Sox on the ballot is Jed Lowrie.
Jed Lowrie, who has spent most of his time on the DL, and the Minors is the Red Sox choice. These are his stats: 5 games, 18 at bats, and one hit. Two walks, and 8 strikeouts. His Batting Average stands at .056 along with his slugging, and his on base is .150. What does this add up to? Fifth place out of 14 shortstop choices for the All-Star Game. Sure he has to make up 300,000 or so votes in a little over 24 hours to make it, but he still has over 700,000. I'm furious. If this is the America that I am being forced to live in, I don't want to live anymore.
Sure fifth place means nothing, but this is a ridiculous moment in Major Leage Baseball history. I propose that we change the All-Star voting style to a choice by the Baseball Writers of America, the same people that choose the Hall of Famers and whichever players get the most votes, they go to the All-Star Game. Another idea is to eliminate it as a whole, keep the Home Run Derby (which only makes sense to take place in Yankee--I'm sorry, The New Yankee Stadium) and have four players from each league. Whichever player wins, his league gets Home Field Advantage in the World Series. Or we could be lame, eliminate everything, and just go back to Best Record. But come on, chicks always have, still do, and always will, dig the long ball
Sure players like Youkilis, Texiara, Pedroia, Bay, and Longoria deserve to be there, but all it is is a popularity contest. You want incontrovertible truth? Each team gets one player for each position for voting (three for outfield, and pitchers are different). The Red Sox have been largely troubled at shortstop this year. Things have been turning around as Nick Green is proving to be a player you can win a World Series, and Lugo is finally rising to full potential. However, the shortstop choice for the Red Sox on the ballot is Jed Lowrie.
Jed Lowrie, who has spent most of his time on the DL, and the Minors is the Red Sox choice. These are his stats: 5 games, 18 at bats, and one hit. Two walks, and 8 strikeouts. His Batting Average stands at .056 along with his slugging, and his on base is .150. What does this add up to? Fifth place out of 14 shortstop choices for the All-Star Game. Sure he has to make up 300,000 or so votes in a little over 24 hours to make it, but he still has over 700,000. I'm furious. If this is the America that I am being forced to live in, I don't want to live anymore.
Sure fifth place means nothing, but this is a ridiculous moment in Major Leage Baseball history. I propose that we change the All-Star voting style to a choice by the Baseball Writers of America, the same people that choose the Hall of Famers and whichever players get the most votes, they go to the All-Star Game. Another idea is to eliminate it as a whole, keep the Home Run Derby (which only makes sense to take place in Yankee--I'm sorry, The New Yankee Stadium) and have four players from each league. Whichever player wins, his league gets Home Field Advantage in the World Series. Or we could be lame, eliminate everything, and just go back to Best Record. But come on, chicks always have, still do, and always will, dig the long ball
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Skill Or Competitive Idiots.
This blog holds a special place in my heart, so I appreciate comments in advance (hint hint). Today I was playing on PartyPoker.net (yes I know, a 15 year old playing poker against more skilled people all around the world.) and entered a tournament. It was just a play money tournament, nothing with real chips (for I would be out a fairly big amount of money right now.) The buy in was a measly 33 "chips". At three o'clock it began.
I played for one hour, two, and I was working my way towards a full three. The tournament started with 1340 players, and at this point it was down to ten. I, a 15 year old boy taking on people from all over, managed to make a final table. Naturally, I was excited, but in second place I wanted more. In a hand that would put me around a million chips and only 600K behind the leader(this guy was cruising), I had two pair. A fellow finalist went all in with 250K. I naturally called, and a river card gave him a straight. I was crippled down to 700K. The next hand i hit trip nines on the flop. After the turn my opponent went all in with 400K, and had two pair Queens and nines. The river came....a queen. Now I was down to 300K, and a very grim outlook (Multiple "you got screwed" comments flowed in).
I fought and crawled and worked it down to nine, then eight, seven, six, five, four. Back I was with around 700K. Then there was three, and shortly after two. I was in the final two, but a 5:2 chip underdog. I would eventually lose to the guy that led most of the tournament, but I got thinking. 'How do I manage to finish ahead of 1338 other people in second.' I barely play poker.
Is this my calling, or just luck from other idiots. Most likely a combination of skill and stupidity from others did it, but nonetheless I was proud to say I was runner up in a tournament of around 1450 people. Say what you want but I still think that it is impressive.
Side Note: My father's best ever finish in a tournament was 3rd.
After word: I understand this is more of a memior than a blog, but I was really proud of this and wanted to share it.
I played for one hour, two, and I was working my way towards a full three. The tournament started with 1340 players, and at this point it was down to ten. I, a 15 year old boy taking on people from all over, managed to make a final table. Naturally, I was excited, but in second place I wanted more. In a hand that would put me around a million chips and only 600K behind the leader(this guy was cruising), I had two pair. A fellow finalist went all in with 250K. I naturally called, and a river card gave him a straight. I was crippled down to 700K. The next hand i hit trip nines on the flop. After the turn my opponent went all in with 400K, and had two pair Queens and nines. The river came....a queen. Now I was down to 300K, and a very grim outlook (Multiple "you got screwed" comments flowed in).
I fought and crawled and worked it down to nine, then eight, seven, six, five, four. Back I was with around 700K. Then there was three, and shortly after two. I was in the final two, but a 5:2 chip underdog. I would eventually lose to the guy that led most of the tournament, but I got thinking. 'How do I manage to finish ahead of 1338 other people in second.' I barely play poker.
Is this my calling, or just luck from other idiots. Most likely a combination of skill and stupidity from others did it, but nonetheless I was proud to say I was runner up in a tournament of around 1450 people. Say what you want but I still think that it is impressive.
Side Note: My father's best ever finish in a tournament was 3rd.
After word: I understand this is more of a memior than a blog, but I was really proud of this and wanted to share it.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Phil Mickelson: No boom to this bust
As Lefty gets set to tee of as Bethpage Black in about a half an hour for the 109th US Open, I started to think "What's the big deal about this guy?" Now I understand everyone wants him to win because his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and that is understandable, but Mickelson really isn't that good. I may not follow golf as much as the next guy, but I always know stats before I talk trash about somebody. That is what this blog is about, ragging on Phil.
This is Phil Mickelson's 17th year on the tour. In the PGA there is four majors a year, The Masters, The British Open, The PGA Championship, and of course The US Open. If you do the simple math that is 68 majors since Phil Mickelson has emerged on the tour. Now you can disregard any times he was injured or just didn't participate, which to the best of my knowledge is little to none. How many of these has he, won you ask? Three.
Three!? Tres!? Trois!? Drei!?
That is it. In 68 events, he has only managed to win three of them. So what is so great about him? Now I'm not one of the guys who criticizes everyone that isn't Tiger, but I personally don't like Phil, and these stats show that he really isn't a good golfer. I mean, look at the stats. Three divided by 68 is just over four percent. Four percent of the time Phil will win a Major. You have to wait 25 events, or six and a quarter years, to see him win a Major. Okay you say, but Majors are more difficult, what about regular events?
The PGA season consists of 48 events. Let's do the math here 48 times 17 equals 816 events since Phil "stormed" onto the tour. Now granted he didn't enter every single one, so let's say Phil has been in 750 events in his life. He has only won 36 of them. Yah, only 36 of around 750. That is just under five percent of the tournaments he has been in. So basically, twice a year Phil wins an event. That is pretty sad for someone who is supposedly one of the greatest. Some say he could be just as good as Tiger, well let's compare.
This is Tiger's fourteenth year on the tour, and he has won 14 majors. Easy enough, one major a year compared to Phil's once every six plus. Since Tiger has been on the tour there has been 672 events roughly. Looking at last year's injury plus other non entered tournaments and such, let's say he has been in 600 events. He has won 91 of them. That is around 15% of lifetime tournaments won. Three times better than Phil. And yes I will give a slight BOTD based on Tiger being the greatest all time.
So looking at the stats, it's pretty obvious that Phil isn't as good as he is cracked up to be. Yes I will give him the sympathy cheer this weekend at Bethpage Black, but let's face it, he won't win. As a matter of face, he probably won't make the cut. And even if he does win by some fluke, we won't see it again until 2015 at the British. So good luck Phil, but readers (my uncle and cousin) don't expect anything to flashy out of Lefty.
This is Phil Mickelson's 17th year on the tour. In the PGA there is four majors a year, The Masters, The British Open, The PGA Championship, and of course The US Open. If you do the simple math that is 68 majors since Phil Mickelson has emerged on the tour. Now you can disregard any times he was injured or just didn't participate, which to the best of my knowledge is little to none. How many of these has he, won you ask? Three.
Three!? Tres!? Trois!? Drei!?
That is it. In 68 events, he has only managed to win three of them. So what is so great about him? Now I'm not one of the guys who criticizes everyone that isn't Tiger, but I personally don't like Phil, and these stats show that he really isn't a good golfer. I mean, look at the stats. Three divided by 68 is just over four percent. Four percent of the time Phil will win a Major. You have to wait 25 events, or six and a quarter years, to see him win a Major. Okay you say, but Majors are more difficult, what about regular events?
The PGA season consists of 48 events. Let's do the math here 48 times 17 equals 816 events since Phil "stormed" onto the tour. Now granted he didn't enter every single one, so let's say Phil has been in 750 events in his life. He has only won 36 of them. Yah, only 36 of around 750. That is just under five percent of the tournaments he has been in. So basically, twice a year Phil wins an event. That is pretty sad for someone who is supposedly one of the greatest. Some say he could be just as good as Tiger, well let's compare.
This is Tiger's fourteenth year on the tour, and he has won 14 majors. Easy enough, one major a year compared to Phil's once every six plus. Since Tiger has been on the tour there has been 672 events roughly. Looking at last year's injury plus other non entered tournaments and such, let's say he has been in 600 events. He has won 91 of them. That is around 15% of lifetime tournaments won. Three times better than Phil. And yes I will give a slight BOTD based on Tiger being the greatest all time.
So looking at the stats, it's pretty obvious that Phil isn't as good as he is cracked up to be. Yes I will give him the sympathy cheer this weekend at Bethpage Black, but let's face it, he won't win. As a matter of face, he probably won't make the cut. And even if he does win by some fluke, we won't see it again until 2015 at the British. So good luck Phil, but readers (my uncle and cousin) don't expect anything to flashy out of Lefty.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
What My Life Has Come To
Me and three friends recently entered a fundraising wiffle ball tournament for my school's nordic ski team. The cost for a team was $40 dollars, so naturally each person paid ten. Also on Friday, my school has a half day and then a "Spring Fling" that has many "fun" activities. This also has a wiffle ball tournament, but this one is free.
That is fine, everyone loves a good game of wiffle ball. However, I took it way to far. I hate myself for working over an hour on stratagies for these very wiffle ball games...
Hey, consider the Spring Fling a practice. If I spend ten bucks, I want to win.
That is fine, everyone loves a good game of wiffle ball. However, I took it way to far. I hate myself for working over an hour on stratagies for these very wiffle ball games...
Hey, consider the Spring Fling a practice. If I spend ten bucks, I want to win.
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