Costas, Baseball and Beer

Costas continued: “Texas didn’t win anything during that period of time, and it’s pretty clear that Texas might have led the league in massive steroid use. So I don’t know how you evaluate or devalue championships during that period of time.”

Bob Costas was quoted by the New York Times saying the above. I think it's spot-on. If I wasn't posting via phone, I'd link up the article. Alas, check the Times website and you can find the article with the headline about championships and astericks.

Look, I've discussed Costas on here before, particulalry because of his coverage of all sports (including figure skating), but primarily for his disgust for, and unwillingness to accept blogs. In an effort to avoid digressing, I will avoid such tangents.

Costas' comment made me chuckle. I don't know where I stand in this steroid mess. In fact, I don't think I can make an argument for the purity of baseball because it seems that baseball as I remember it was the steroid era. Cansecos 40/40 season? Likely tainted. The dingers of McGwire? Roids most likely. And years later the Bo Sox 04 championship has the stench of roids as manny and big papi were named in the 2003 Mitchell report that leaked yesterday.

I'm not going to condem nor condone steroids. I will say this, it's mlb's fault. They failed to regulate it then and thus players didn't see a need to refrain. Call it what you will, right or wrong, the infamous gray area...but it happened. The two aren't the first, nor will they be the last, to be outted.

I'm of the shared notion that the names all need to come out. Give the reporters one big stockpile of names rather than allowing them to be leaked, and thus periodically rationed out. I'm tired of steroids. The game was polluted with them. C'est la vie. Time to move on.

Now here's to hoping for a clean slate for baseball and a beer for me at lunch. Today is Fun Lunch Friday (FLF). Since have the office has today off we go to lunch and enjoy ourselves with some fermented beverages (or so I'm told - this is my first). Here's to hoping there's a beer in my future.


-- Post From My iPhone

Pitchers in the A.L. vs. Pro Golf

Okay I grew up loving baseball. I loved the As and I loved the Giants. Then the mid 90s strike happened (93 or 94?) I lost that love. In fact, I despised it. Still went to games but it wasn't anything i followed (in fact I didn't really follow any sport through the mid 90s until 2001 or 2002.

My friend Mike, whom I worked this loved the Angels while the other two guys, Jason and steve, liked the Giants. Somehow, I grew to despise the giants, and more importantly the national league. Really, aside from the giants when I was growing up I hates every other NL team. The Expos, the Phillies, dodgers (who beat the As in the world series), the padres, pirates, the cardinals....I hated every NL team.

I found my love in 2004, when the red sox made the ultimate comeback and beat the Yankees. See, I'd had yankees hats, but only because the NY was iconic - it was hip hop, and I loved hip hop. So I put up with the fact I didn't like baseball much and I hated the Yankees. Yeah, confusing I know. But that was the year for me (it should be noted I had a Boston hat sometime in the late 90s or early 2000s. It was even fitted, meaning I shelled out legit dough for it. But kyles little brother borrowed it and managed to get paint on it and that was the end of that).

Anyway, I've always loved the AL. Sure it's got the DH spot and that might not be as pure, but I could care less. Sports are so specialized now that the pitcher batting is basically an out. Blah blah strategy, blah blah. I'd rather have a hitter than a lame pitcher who can't bat (zambrano being an exception to this rule).

I've been lpoking at pitchers lately and realizing how fat they are. It's ridiculous. Chamberlain, penny, beuhrle (sp), jenks, sabathia. These guys are pretty friggin huge man. Can we really call these dudes athletes? They throw a ball. That's about it. Clearly there's not a lot of running in these guys' regimens. People always whine about golfers not being athletes. Well hitting a ball with a club then walking doesn't really seem too different from being a pitcher who throws a ball then walks into the dugout (granted there is running to back up home or cover a bag or chase down a bunt, but come on, the afforementioned are grossly overweight).


-- Post From My iPhone

A Truly Positive Post

So earlier I questioned whether this day could get any better. It's pre-emotive Friday, there's (work sponsored) happy hour, new Nike magic watch, new shoes...a lot to be thankful for.

But then it all got a hell of a lot sweeter! The 2010 NBA all star game is in Dallas. Dallas is like 4 hours from H-town. I love basketball. And presale tickets went up today. Well I told Jim via txt that I was thinking about going, knowing damn well he'd be in for it. Not only was he in, he took control of the situation. 20 minutes later he had 3 monster seats (for guys in school) locked down for the 2010 NBA all star game. And it's at the new 100k capacity cowboy stadium. Suddenly February seems right around the corner.


-- Post From My iPhone

A (semi) Positive Post

I spilled coffee on my white shirt this morning while getting on the elevator. Also, the cafeteria did not have any bananas. But I'm not letting it get me down. You see, today is my Friday.

I suffer through nine hour days just so I can have every other Friday off. Tis but a slice of heaven. Plus my new nikes came in the mail yesterday. Shox up front, AirMax in the back. It's like a shoe mullet! And, most importantly, my sportband came in as well (or as Jim calls it, my magic Nike watch). Now I can figure out how far I'm running and how slow I'm doing it! Yeah! And tonight is (work sponsored) happy hour! Can today get any better? Well yeah, it could be 5pm, but Ill try and not be picky.


-- Post From My iPhone

People I Want to Punch in the Face pt. 1

If you're not bristling with anticipation, I cant understand why. I know I have since contemplating this post while driving in an hour ago....

1) Ann Coulter - if you can't understand why, think she's hot, relevant, right or not a racist add youself to this list. In fact, punch yourself in the face.

2) Barbara Streisand - she thinks she has a "good" side that she needs to be photographed from. FYI lady, you're ugly on both sides. My sister used to watch Rosie o'donnells show when we were younger and I distinctly remember Streisand wouldn't come on unless the set was flipped to film her "good" side. Even in the 90s streisand annoyed me.
Speaking of Rosie o'donnell...

3) Rosie o'donnell - I know i've complained on here before, but man, I hate her. I hate her so much. Particularly for that awful mockery of speaking Chinese towards the end of her time on the view.

4) alex rodriguez - he's a douchebag, a Yankee, fake, and he has purple lips.

5) lebron James - like ghey-rod, he's a douchebag, a whiner, and was crowned "the king" before he played his first NBA game. I don't doubt the talent, but the media hype and the poor loser thing is disrespectful to the game. The whole "I'm-taking-my-ball-and-going-home" attitude is pathetic. Obviously after punching him I'd run. Although he's a super-athlete and would catch me and pulvurize me.


Honorable mention: all the bad drivers on the road - driving slower than the flow in the left-most lane: unnacceptable. Doing it while on the phone: downright obnoxious. Or there's the two-lane slide into my lane. Hello...jackass. Unnecessary brake guy, aka sir brakes a lot. Ughhhh the list could go on forever. My favorite is the guy lost in a residential area that slows down to a crawl, impedes traffic going both ways only to speed up (cause he/she wasn't paying attention to anything around and failed to have any courtesy foe abyone around) right when you go to get around that persons car. This nearly causes an accident and then you are stared down and/or given an obscene gesture. Fabulous


-- Post From My iPhone

Wolf Parade - Grey Estates

-- Post From My iPhone

The Worst Thing. Ever

Shoot me in the face if I ever wear this crap.

-- Post From My iPhone

Ambition

The plan is to finish these two books by July 31st. That day marks the start of a write-on for a law journal.

I purchased The Omnivore's Dilemma for my iPhone. Kind if cool but a battery killer. I've only read two chapters but it's phenomonaly enlightening.







Generation Kill, one of my favorite mini series, was bought in paperback form (20% discount with my work badge, what up?!). Much more detailed than the series and very enjoyable.





Anyway, wish me luck.

-- Post From My iPhone

I Hate the Suburbs pt 185

I'm pretty adamant in my belief that the suburbs are: 1) the creation of Satan; and 2) a breeding ground for ignorance (amongst other things; jackass-wannabe-punk-rock-or-gangsta-but-really-a-silver-spoon-in-the-mouth-bratty-butt-clown-teens excluded).

Yesterday I went to meet a friend for lunch near the west beltway. While sitting outside of cafe express waiting I heard a loud crash inside. Then an older guy rushed out. And then a younger late teen and an older lady stormed out. Then the afforementioned youth yelled some vulgarities (which aren't worth retyping) at some older ladies. Kind of weird, to say the least. I felt kind of bad for the ladies...until they opened their mouths.

Streams of questions and comments poured out amongst them. Apparently the kid got mad and flipped a table and was yelling at the man and woman he was with. The older ladies must have interjected because he started yelling at them. Well the speculation of these women began with "that couldn't be there son, cause he looked like he was of a different race" ever heard of adoption? And what if he was? Ughhh that meritted a punch in the ignorant face.

They continued on. But the best? "he's crazy! The money I pay to social security is going to go to supporting him..." all from a woman who was at least (I wish I had italic capabilities on my phone) 60lbs overweight. Ohhhhh pots and kettles, calling each other black. Hey lady, how about you? You're not too far from Medicaid age. And a little exercise wouldn't hurt. Can't wait till my tax dollars go to support you and your grossly overweight frame. I wanted to push this woman to the ground and tell her to keep her simple-minded and assumption heavy thoughts to herself. Instead, I went back to reading the news and continued to be showered by annoying suburbia conversations.

Ughhh! I hate the suburbs.

-- Post From My iPhone

Five Songs Shuffled

1) agenda suicide - the faint
2) happy valentines day - outkast
3) grindin - clipse
4) testimony - declaime
5) hard row - the black keys


-- Post From My iPhone