Well, it's finally here. After a whole season of baseball it comes down to two teams. Sadly, my Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated right in the last series, missing the world series by two games and one strike out. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it...
Well, actually, that's exactly the reason I can't enjoy it. E.S.P.N is one of those networks I hate. They're everything that is wrong in sports and most of all, they don't give a shit about anything beyond the Mississippi as they have an East Coast bias and it seems that the two teams that are heading to the world series are.. exactly from the world series.
While I hate the Yankees with a passion, I really don't have any insentive to root for the other team. Not only did they eliminate the Dodgers two years in a row, they also have some pretty stupid fans as you can see from the following two video segments.
And this classic...
So what is a baseball loving boy to do? I mean, I have to watch it, right? I can't just ignore some major end of baseball for the year, right? That's a tough call. I may be prepared to just kiss this whole world series good bye. They got rid of both the Angels AND the Dodgers. Southern California representation in baseball is all gone
They say Baseball is a cruel lover. It comes around in spring when the flowers are blooming and everything is looking pretty, like a new love. And through the summers you enjoy its company as you enjoy some hot dogs, beer and other snacks on a cool summers evening under the spotlights. Only for it to leave you when fall comes and it gets colder and darker. All the time you still love it just the same and you can't wait for the next season to come with the hope that, maybe this year it'll be your turn to celebrate the world series championship in late October.
Till spring time, my summer past time. See you opening day 2010 at Dodger Stadium.
Actually, yeah. We're not going to Philly. They're coming here. At least for two games. Then the Dodgers will head to the city of brotherly love in a hopeful 2-0 series lead. If it seems like we've been here before, we have. Not only last year, but in the history of Dodger baseball, the Phillies are a team we've seen a lot. So much so that Tommy has some beef with their god awful mascot.
Yes, that's Tommy Lasorda going after and kicking the Philly Phanatic's ass. What does he have to say for himself?
I hate the Philly Phanatic.
In fact, I am not very happy about mascots in general. I think they take away from the game on the field.
One of the worst incidents was perpetrated by the Phillie Phanatic. The Dodgers were in town to play the Phillies and somehow, it got ahold of one of my jerseys. It took the jersey, put it on a dummy and ran over the dummy again and again.
That type of a display should not be shown in ballparks, especially in front of children. It exhibits violence and disrespect.
I pulled the Phanatic aside and said, “Why don’t you run over a dummy with a Phillies jersey?”
I called the front office of the Phillies and told them how I felt. They can play with kids in the stands, but running over the dummy was simply wrong, and that kids would get the wrong impression. Apparently, they didn’t care.
The next time we were in Philadelphia, I confronted the Phanatic. I told it not to use my jersey anymore, and so the next time he did, I was forced to act. I went right up to it and body slammed it to the turf.
I often wondered how it got my jersey, and then I found out how. Steve Sax would give it the jerseys because my players thought it was a funny thing to do.
I never really thought about it before but I guess the Dodgers do have the best mascot in baseball. Tommy is really up there when I think about Dodger baseball along with Vin Scully. And realy, if you're not a Dodgers fan, you have to root for them simply so you can listen to Vin Scully call either the all L.A. World Series, or an amazing Dodgers/Yankees 1950's throwback World Series. Win or Lose, I'll be amazed to hear something like that.
But first the boys in blue need to beat Philly. I have to say, I'm a little worried. I really wish it was the Rockies we were facing, but it's just a matter of getting it over with. At least this time there's some respect in the experts picks. For the Cardinals series everyone was siding that it would be St. Luis that swept the Dodgers in 3 games. That didn't turn out to be very accurate after all. It's going to be a very tough series so you gotta route pretty loud.. Go Dodger Blue!
(CNN) — Olympic hero Michael Phelps was suspended from competitive swimming for three months on Thursday — just hours after one of his sponsors announced it would not renew his contract after a photo surfaced of him smoking from a bong.
U.S.A. Swimming, the nation’s governing body for competitive swimming, said it was withdrawing financial support for Phelps and barring him from competition during the period of his “reprimand.”
“This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero,” the body said in a written statement. “Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust.”
There's also an interview where this self-righteous CNN bitch tries to make him feel terrible for unwinding with a few rips from a bong. She says, "I have to ask this because America wants us to ask you this because so many people look up to you... Michael Phelps, what were you thinking?" (she is dead serious, this is evidently not a joke).
Total Pothead
Personally, I'm disappointed in Michael, too. I'm disappointed in him for apologizing to these dicks. He won a giant fuckin' pile of gold medals and brought untold fame to American swimming, and now the media's making him out to be some kind of terrible criminal for smoking weed at a party. It's not like he robbed a bank or stole a car, hell, he wasn't even dealing meth or something else stupid like that. What he does on his own time is his own fucking business.
He should try to get citizenship in some other country, train like the fucking dickens for the next four years, and come out to the 2012 Olympics for the Netherlands or whoever and win nine gold medals. After he wins the last medal, he should jump off the podium and light up the biggest blunt anyone's ever seen, filled with the most expensive marijuana on the face of the earth.
I seriously can't believe this shit. It's like Reefer Madness just hit everyone
I mean, looking at Kristen Bell is pretty addicting but I'm not getting the munchies.
I guessing that they're pissed off because the stereotype of "weed smoker = sit on couch cheeto-eating loser" is being smashed pretty good. I'm sure we're all disappointed in Michael as he uses drugs while middle America takes some viagra so they can fuck their wives.
Who really cares about the Olympics anyway? And really, his career? He's got maybe one more Olympics in him if he's lucky, otherwise he'll basically become a coach or something in a couple years and that's about it. I can't believe he's going to miss out on the amazing February-April 2009 competitions.
And the sponsor that dropped him is Kellogg's. Honestly. Kellogg's, of all fuckin' companies. "Dude, I'm so high right now. Pour me a big bowl of...
...GENERAL MILLS!"
I suggest all you pot heads smoke up and call 1-800-962-1413 (Kellogg's) and PRESS 1 to "voice comments about our relationship with michael phelps." I called them up and I told them that I am glad they thought of the children, but they alienated thousands of responsible adults and that I will no longer be purchasing any of their products when I am craving some munchies. And if you're high right now and if you haven't listened to The Beatles in a while, do so cause they still are great forty years later.
I'm sure his new sponsor wont be all that butt hurt about the pot. Not to mention it'll more than likely be Doritos.
Perhaps this is all a lesson for Phelps. A harsh lesson about fame. Society builds up these heroes and act like they're hot shit but he's nothing more than their circus monkey, abandoned as soon as the audience finds a spot in his fur or some ticks on his back. No more dancing for peanuts, mikey. Nobody can make you dance anymore.
Someday I'd like to meet a person who is genuinely offended by personal marijuana use. It seems like the only reason to make it such a crime these days is about "protecting the children" or something. I'm sure these people will go on about how the gallows would be too good for him, bring back the rack!
So Phelps smokes, and he's immediately punished. Madoff steals 50,000,000,000 dollars and there still hasn't been a trial, and he's currently free to hide as many of his assets as he can. Good to see our priorities are straight. I guess only when the government can figure out how to regulate and tax the hell out of pot, they'll legalize it. But put your Phish cd's away, folks. It ain't gonna happen. I guess drinking and driving doesn't fund terrorism, and it's the accepted non-rock star crime of choice.
I don't get how some celebrities get the slide on the whole pot thing, but the media calls for Phelps' head. Why doesn't the media freak out about Willie Nelson or Snoop Dogg smoking pot? Yes, I know neither has won 8 gold medals and represented the US in the Olympics, but they're both mainstream figures. Doesn't it even register with these people that he smokes pot AND is the best in the world at what he does?
I ask how I could lose anymore respect for A-Rod... That would imply that I had any to begin with.
But don't worry Michael, it looks like your media spotlight attention is coming to an end. A-Rod admitting that he took the roids is going to hog up the media's hungry attention for the time being.
What today's many media platforms offer: terrific opportunities to package news.
Consider ESPN's Monday rollout of Alex Rodriguez confessing to steroid use. There are plenty of TV venues for celebs to get a much-hyped star close-up. But for anybody in crisis mode looking to put together an instant PR counterpunch, Rodriguez's tango with ESPN Monday was textbook.
After SI.com's report on Rodriguez's steroid use surfaced last week — quickly followed by a Bob Costas special on the new MLB Network, which suggested that MLB-owned TV won't have to be like state-run TV — the New York Yankees slugger agreed to an interview on ESPN. His only condition, says ESPN's Mike Soltys, was that Peter Gammons would do it — and the veteran reporter, predictably, did a solid job.
Which just makes me think that this whole pot business is even dumber. Unlike A-Rod, pot is not a performance enhancing drug. Much like the glory days of baseball with Babe Ruth, the athletes are actually showing that they are sooooo much better than us.
Babe Ruth would eat tons of hot dogs and drink a ton of booze and he'll still get out there on the field and hit tons of homers. He wasn't a role model. Not by a mile. But he got the job done. Not only can they perform amazing feats and outshine anyone in the field, but they could do it on substances that are downers. It's like beating you up with one hand tied behind their back. That's the ultimate in insults or showing that you're a total badass.
I can only leave you with this final note from SNL and Hulu
It says everything I would have anyway. Choom it up, homies.
I grew up in East L.A. with Dodger Stadium always in the background. I could see both Downtown and just a bit over to the right there was always Dodger Stadium. During the summer it would be amazing to see the lights of the field create this glow over the stadium. So I will now and forever more have an attachment to the Dodgers.
Going on as long as I could remember I have been a Dodger fan it does bother me that this last season was the first one in 20 years that we even won a game in the post season. So when news comes out that the Dodgers are reaffirming their humble offer by putting it back on the table, it still feels like a slap to the face since it's not what Manny was asking for. Even worse so is that there's still no change in the mood in Dodger stadium on this issue. So I'm asking that Ned gets off his ass and while there's still time, signs Manny already!
Let's lay out the facts. Before the Red Sox wanted to get rid of Manny Ramirez so badly, the Dodgers were at best a 500 team in the worse division where they were roughly first or in second place. Then National League West is simply that bad. Once Manny came to Los Angeles he changed the team around to being a post season contender. And how much did they pay for him? Not a god damn cent. The RedSox wanted to get rid of him that badly. The Dodgers were only three games away from the World Series. The first time in the last 20 years.
Three months after the World Series, one where the team that beat the Dodgers won and only a month away from spring training, Manny still doesn't have a contract anywhere. The Dodgers offered him 45 million for two years and that wasn't what he was looking for and the Dodgers pulled the offer off the table. Thus far no team has gone after him. The Dodgers need to step up to the plate and sweeten the deal a little more and get him now.
After that amazing season last year it would be foolish not to. Dodger fans took to Manny so well. Merchandise was sold of his in the boat load. Shirts, wigs, and anything else you could think of. They must have made an easy 10 million off the products alone. Not only that but the Dodgers, for the first time in a long time were so compelling. You had to watch them every single day or you'd be out of the loop and missing out on something amazing.
The dodgers pull in a crowd of 4 million people a year and the average amount spent per person is $17 on food/drinks/parking. They're on their way to meeting and beating their season ticket sales from last year and while they are doing it even without Manny signing, a lot of those buyers are asking if there's any progress on that. It's pretty clear. The Dodgers Need Manny Back!
I'm guessing that the only reason why anyone is hesitant to sign Manny is because he had a very poor track record with the Red Sox. They did not get along at all and he didn't take playing serious there. When he came to Los Angeles he was a champ and a model citizen. Cut his hair to get along with the dress code of the club and was great all around. So there really shouldn't be a reason why the Dodgers wouldn't want him back.....
Well, besides the fact that he wants a four year contract. Yeah, that's the sticking point. Four years is a bit much. Especially with someone who would be in their 40's when they are in the contract. That's "Take him out back and put him out of his misery" age for a baseball player.
But the Dodgers offer of 45 million for two years is a bit low balling. Can we find a middle ground here? How about tossing in an option for a fourth year depending on performance? But for the love of god, give this man a three year contract. Make it happen. You got rid of Andrew Jones, you can make room for a GOOD player.
While Manny might not be a given at Dodger Stadium, Vin Scully is and I wouldn't have it any other way. Recently he was named the Top sportscaster of All-time. And that's for good reason. He's been the voice of Dodger baseball for the past 60 years.
He was there with them when they were still the Brooklyn Dodgers bumming around in New York and he's been here with us ever since. Forever part of history as I'm sure we won't go too long before seeing the footage of him calling the Kirk Gibson home run or some of the other plays that simply knocked our socks off.
I'm a bit scared, to tell you the truth. For all my life he has been the soundtrack of summer. You turn on the radio and sure enough, you'll hear his voice during those nice cool summer days. After Chick Hearn, I wondered when Vin Scully would be taken from gracing the airwaves and it has been a constant fear ever since. So hang in there, Vinny, your summer days aren't over year and hopefully wont be any time soon.
Last year I finally had the majority of my seats behind home plate on the field level and during the seventh inning stretch it was amazing to look up and see Vin Scully standing in his booth area singing along with the crowd. Don't take him away, Sports gods. Don't you dare take him away anytime soon!
So it's been a couple of days since the Dodgers lost game 5 and the series to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS issuing an end of the Dodgers season and the final time of the year we'll hear Vin Scully paint a masterpiece as he calls the game. That's when I know summer has officially ended. After 35+ baseball games I went to this year baseball for the year is finally coming to a close.
It was a good season. Well, a good one for the Dodgers given all the injuries, a lot of downs and some amazing ups mixed into the twist and turns of the past nine months. Third base was constantly being filled by someone new. From Nomar to Dewitt. A team that won a game without a single hit. Yes, that's correct. The dodgers won against the Angels with them pitching a shut out (close enough with no bottom of the ninth). We then got Manny and our hitting was out of the park. A Dodgers team that lost eight straight in August and still managed to beat the rest of the NL Worst. To come in and sweep the cubs and make it all the way to the NLCS. Three wins away from a World Series, the first successful post season run since 1988. Dodgers might not have made it all the way, but they gave us nothing short of a great season.
So thanks, Dodger stadium. In your newly renovated and constantly upgraded halls lies my summer of love. My enjoyment over the warm days and cool nights. The taste of Dodger dogs still lingers in my mouth and the exploits of my drunken (illegal)tailgating will remain between my hazy memory and the fine officers who wrecked that enjoyment every so often.
My summer home.
It's a bit sad to see Baseball almost come to an end. But then I realize that unlike Football and Basketball, Baseball is one of those extremely long sports that last a good 9 out of the 12 months. So it wont be too long before I'm over in Arizona for spring training.
Baseball is a fickle mistress. She comes to you in the spring time and the both of you train together. Warming up with all of springs blooming life. You spend your evenings together all summer during the day and through the night. Drinking, eating and enjoying a couple of hours together. Then as fall comes new and the colors of the leafs start to change the amount of teams around start dwindling down and she leaves you to tough out the cold winter alone.
Each year you return to her dressed in your team colors and with a positive cheer along with it. Well, not you Cubs fans. You might as well just assume it's going to be year 101. She's there waiting for the Baseball fans. Any true blue American who will embrace her year after year. Well, except for 1994. That was one of those years she was just acting like a total bitch and you were just not having any of that.
So I come before you once both AL and NL championship division teams finished off with a top dog. It'll be the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. It's not the match up the media wanted, Dodgers/Red Sox, due to the potential drama of the Manny trade, the many Red Sox transplants and Joe Torre. But that was not to be. Congrats Tampa Bay. You're a young team with nothing to lose and everything to gain with an amazing record. Going from worse to first was amazing. Being the AL team, you'll be ripe for picking this World Series win from the Phillies with ease.
Till Spring Training, I'll be crying Dodger blue. Wait.. there's no crying in baseball! We got close Joe, let's do it next year!
In Which I Fall In Love With Dodger Stadium All Over Again
Ah spring, it’s that time of year again when it gets darker later and the weather is nicer. Love is in the air. And if you’re at Chavez Ravine you’ll know what I mean. Plain and simply, Thinking blue has never been so good.
This is the part where I show off my seats
While opening day is on Monday, I have made it a habit to go to the exhibition games for the last couple of years. Compared to opening day, the parking is actually something that wont drive you stir crazy. That and it’s an excuse to take in a long awaited Dodger Dog a couple of days early.
Add in that with the trip comes the chance to see all the changes that have happened to the stadium since last September. For months they were showing us glimpses and really, I was getting a little worried. For example, here’s some of the before and after shots.
From this
to this
to this
And from this to
I know what you’re thinking, "Holy shit, what’s up with those Ghost?" Don’t worry, I thought the same thing. I can at least say that even with the new changes, the ghost of old players weren’t getting into fights with others because of a bad call. Then again, they haven’t had the Giants come to town yet. That’ll be the true test.
As if the pictures didn’t tell you enough, you may be asking what exactly did they add? For starters, the field section, and personally speaking the best place to sit in the stadium, has gone through a lot of changes. The old concrete look is long gone and it has a slick new shine and feel. Add in two new stadium club higher end dinning establishments as well and you got the ball rolling.
On that note, it should be mentioned that ghost get hungry. When they do, they’ll need new places to dine. Now I don’t know about your spooky old hospital ghost, but Dodger Stadium ghost are pure foodies
Add in the new food concession stands and you have yourself some amazing food to partake in while you sit and watch Joe Torre run a player into the ground. Which, by the way now has new bullpens with plenty of green. Something, I’m sure, Eric Gagne requested that they finally got around to it. Must have been why he signed to Boston.
So to run down some of the new treats, Camacho’s finally gets a spot for itself. In the years past, to get their nachos you would have to track down the one line hidden within the other stands. Now you get all the Camacho’s Nachos you can handle. Ruby’s Diner has its own stand. But since I really don’t care about that place and Angel stadium has ruined my taste for the place, I’ll just ignore it. Then you have the tried and true Gordon Biersch that has garlic fries that you would die for. There’s also a new Think Blue Bar. Which I guess it’s sort of themed. Just give me a good drink and I’ll be happy. Really, after a couple of Dodger special drinks and I really don’t know if I’ll be thinking much of anything. Have a Hurricane and you’ll be ready to rock like one.
Finally we get to the best new addition to Dodger Stadium. Canter’s famous Jewish deli now has a concession stand. Which is great because I always felt that baseball was missing kosher food. I don’t know how many times I’ve been reading my tora while a ground rule double was in play and thought to myself "Boy is it drafty in here, what does a person have to do to get a matzo ball soup around here! Oh, don’t worry about me, I’ll just sit here and die of frost." So they answered my call. To be honest I’m glad they picked Canter’s over Jerry’s, I really don’t know how they would fit Jerry’s ten page menu into the food stand.
Oy! Canter’s in Dodger Stadium. What a world!
And last, but certainly first when it comes to food at Dodger Stadium is the classic Dodger dog. And I’ll answer this one off the bat, I do put ketchup on my dog. You no-ketchup on a hot purist can rot in hell for all I care, I like my wiener the way I like it! It should be mentioned that you should only buy the Super Dodger Dog. While I put my trust into grilled meat in tube form, I still like the taste of the Super Dog better. mmmmm, first dodger dog of the season
And all that makes for signs of a great new season. Hell, so far I’ve gone to two games and am going to what will obviously be a cluster fuck Saturday game at the Coliseum. So all these are reasons for me to be excited. Maybe you also share the same feelings to the boys in blue. Just know that Dodger stadium keeps getting better and there’s no place I’d rather be on a warm summer night than catching a game at Dodger Stadium.
On a final note, if you are a guy and have ever pissed at Dodger Stadium, you would sure enough remember the troughs. Horses and cattle eat from these, you.. pissed in one.
Lovely, aren’t they? Well, Good bye troughs, thanks for the awkward memories. At least in the field level area. They re-did all the bathrooms and made them pretty advanced. I’m not sure if they got to the other section bathrooms, but on the field level is where I sit whenever I come so it’s a change for me. And really, I’m going to miss those things. Nothing brought you together as a team like awkwardly pissing in the same general toilet as everyone else.
But when the baseball gods (Frank McCourt) closes a door, he opens a window. And this window is huge. They may have taken away the pissing spot for us guys but they added one piece of technology to all the restrooms. The airblade I may just have to develop OCD so I can wash my hands and dry them in this thing 20 times in the span of a couple of innings. Simple instructions. Put your hands into it and it’ll blast both sides with blades of air. It’s like sex if you had to get wet for it and do it in the bathroom.
Once was a writer, tho, you see words to your left, so I guess I'm still that to some degree.
You can find my scribbles and mind ranting on this and various other places as a means to keep the creative, satirical and costco talk muscles worked out.
Was once apart of the tv industry, but I'm sure the NDA's are still in effect so let's move on from that. Now I spend my time slinging beer and keeping a building in one piece.
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