A quick wrap of the weekend in baseball….The New York Yankees won every game they played against the Minnesota Twins. Their record against the Twins this year is perfect. They may indeed face them again this year, but that will only be true if the twins make the playoffs. Who knows, maybe they will face the Bronx Bombers again, but they will lose.

NP: Rainchildren - Feels Like Summer: Two Dollar Dance

- posted by TundraBoy @ 7:22 PM 0 comments

 
Bobby Valentine Manager of the Year 2002

Last night after the Bruins game on ESPN, I had Baseball Tonight on. I really wasn’t paying attention until they started showing Yankee highlights. I love my Yankees, but sitting thru commentary from former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine is sheer hell. Maybe it’s because he lost the subway series to Torre, but he has some vendetta against the greatest sports franchise in history. Anywho, the highlights from other game kept rolling on and this is when Bobby gave his assessment of a particular pitcher, and how to play them. This is not verbatim, but here is the gist.

He basically said that a manager has to know what kind of pitchers he has on his roster, are the good in cold weather or hot, and pitch tem accordingly. So if I follow his way of managing last year, he played all his good pitchers in the cold weather and not in the hot weather. So, in April, Bobby fielded his good Met pitchers, benched them from May thru August, and brought em off the bench in September. That is wicked smart managing if you ask me. This is why he is on baseball tonight and not managing a team this year. I suppose that if things go as well as they did last year for the New York Metropolitans, then Bobby will have one up on all the other manager candidates, he’s already turned orange from the George Hamilton tanning system. Way to go Bobby!!!

NP: Over the Rhine - Lucy and the Reverend (live)
- posted by TundraBoy @ 3:29 PM 0 comments

 
Wash Your Hands

Talk about lack of discipline… that’s me. Being the day before taxes are due there are a lot of people out there who wait until the last minute. I don’t count myself among that number. All 3 of my returns have been dropped in the mail as of this writing, but I know people who will wait until 9:59 pm April 15th to start em. Is it sheer laziness? Is it the possibility that they are just so busy, that they forget? Or maybe just maybe it doesn’t dawn on them until the 10 o’clock news crew is parked outside the local post office is on the TV and they utter: “D’OH!!!” and rush to get their w-2s out of the pile of mail and receipts that has grown over the past year? All three are real scenarios that I have either witnessed or heard an account of firsthand. As for myself, this past Saturday was my date of destiny, many hours organising papers, stubs, IRA statements, the checkbook, and a pot of coffee. At the end of 5 or so hours I was done with my state and federal taxes. I was pretty proud of my self, and then thought as I sealed the envelope: “I wonder if I’ll go to jail this year???”

My feeling is that the government always tries to screw the little guy (in the sense of the common man, cuz you prolly know I ain’t so tiny) and the guy that is in the highest tax bracket can get away with murder (Orenthal, I am looking in your direction). Not that I am one to instigate or believe in class warfare, but this guy at work, sold a piece of property in Delaware and on first glance at his tax status, he was gonna have to pay 7 Large in capital gains tax. Totally sucks right??? It gets better, he tells me today that he picked up his taxes on Friday night and it seems that the commonwealth of Pennsylvania is gonna take a bite as well, another 7 Large. He sold one, 1, a singular, uno piece of property in another state and he gets nailed twice for 14 G’s, you tell me that the little guy doesn’t get screwed. His tax preparer told him that he should go back into business for himself, he’d do better. He figured that he worked all last year for about 10 K. I don’t think that is right. I got pissed off when I had to pay 300 bucks the first couple years out of college when I had 2 part time jobs and I made way less than 20 K. Where were my democrat reps that were trying to help me out??? Prolly kissin’ France’s ass or trying to take away my AK-47.

Enough about taxes eh? Baseball is here!!!!!!! Whoo-Hoo!!! I am excited and happy, now if only the weather would cooperate. For those of you who know my friend D aka Skinny aka Antonio aka Asphalt then you prolly read his mass email about our trip to Philly and back to Pitt. I need to make an addition to his email on the Philly side of the trip. I hate Philly, not so much the city itself but the attitude it oft possesses and tries to pass off as big league; bush league would be more appropriate. Then again, I’ve been in the boonies before, and Deliverance people would be more charming. Despite going in first to the game, I sat in the wrong section for an inning, so I felt like a horse’s patoot when I figured out that I was sitting in the wrong spot and D is prolly saying to himself, “where the hell is he??” Fortunately I only embarrassed myself in front of Kathy, which wasn’t so bad since I hadn’t met her until I walked up the steps to the seat. At best she’d think I was a dumbass, and at worst she’d wonder if I could dress myself (the answer to that question is “I bent my Wookie”) and laugh at me. But neither happened, as I explained where I had been. She seemed genuinely disinterested I my explanation. I figure that was due to the chill in the air and the fact she didn’t know me. People who know me ought to care about what I say, because it is as important for you all to know and understand what I am saying as it is as important that I say it. That is a joke. Really it’s a joke, I am not that self-absorbed.

Ok, back to the thing about the Philly game (beside the fact they lost to Pitt) was the fans. If you have ever been to the vet than you are undoubtedly aware of the restroom situation. Most of the time it’s a no waiting thing for guys, but that day was different. I think I missed an inning and a half waiting (as you are supposed to do) to take a leak. I never touch anything in public restrooms like that ever, it’s just not worth getting a social disease over. Maybe I’m paranoid about that kind of thing, but literally standing in urine will change you mind right quick. As I patiently waited my turn, other guys walked into the doorway/airlock before actually entering the bathroom, whipped it out, and pissed right on the wall or in the garbage can. I witnessed this occurrence at least 6 times. Once in side the door, I saw guys go right in the sink. Definitely not touching anything now. Puddles of urine to walk thru to take a leak. I hate Philly.

After that ordeal was thru and I was trying to make my way back to my seat, at the bottom of the stairs was logjam, due to 2 guys jawing with each other in the stands so everybody that was trying to leave was watching and everybody trying to ascend the steps was stuck. The crowd was chanting for the guys to fight. What class!!! Then a girl got between the guys and the crowd started in with a chant of “Show your t**s! Show your t**s!” At this point what was a logjam became a mob of people trying to get a look at this girl who may flash the crowd. I literally had people climbing over me to get a look and I get moved back to the concourse. She apparently did not succumb to the crowd’s wishes so another chant of “slut” emanated from the crowd. The closest thing I can associate this experience to is what it must be like to go to a taping of the Jerry Springer Show (the one who has altera-lifestyle people with 3 teeth and a mullet and make me look like a featherweight boxer, saying thing like “you ain’t the father ”) and that is something I guess some people are proud of. What it is is unfortunate. You had family’s there trying to enjoy the game and ya have jackasses like that acting infantile. Some of those kids will grow up and need therapy, others will return to the vet and do what they saw, but maybe this time some one will die. Terrible fans and puddles of urine, that will be my memory of opening day at the vet.

As far as the Pitt game that didn’t happen, I agree with D. I truly enjoyed my time with HH and his lovely wife (who puts up with my incessant dumb jokes…it’s a wonder that I have any friends at all) at dinner and poking around downtown. I am however looking forward to using my ticket this year. HH: maybe D’s show should be named “My so-called life in the PITT”. It’s a bit lengthy, but then again that is why we call him asphalt.

I try to take a few things seriously, and I guess it’s that time for stumping. Iraq. The war continues and the danger is still very real to our soldiers across the sea. I am very surprised/happy that our casualties have been light, and we have retrieved some of our POW’s. I can’t even imagine what those families may be feeling. I am proud of our troops and wish them continued success and safe returns to their families.

Ok…that all being said, what’s up with that Baghdad Bob, the minister of information. That guy cracked me up. We had tanks literally outside his door and he made claims that the Republican Guard was kicking our tail. What a sense of humor he has. If you’d like to read more about him check this link out : http://64.39.15.171/
It may take a while to load and/or you may need to refresh the page to get it to load.
As Cleese would say: “and now for something completely different”

This is directed to Al, Dale told me you don’t get it hope this helps… a few points of reference:
Cuz: because/cousin
Prolly: probably
Thru: as in drive thru
Lack of punctuation or improper punctuation: im lazy or didn’t hit spell check
Lack of good grammar skills: im working on it, this isn’t dissertation, just a blog
Blog: weblog
Weblog: fancy diary on the internet (this is my therapy)
I hope that clears it up for ya. Don’t forget, I love ya Al.

This is a high holy week in the Christian faith, I hope we all can take time to contemplate just what it is that the death of Christ accomplished for you and me. The atonement IS serious, and not to be taken lightly. Think about that when you bite into that rabbit’s ear on Sunday.

NP: James Intveld – Folsom Prison Blues from Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
- posted by TundraBoy @ 5:50 PM 0 comments