It's been a quiet week with Terry off on her Grand Tour. Since Wednesday, the weather has been...well changeable. If you didn't like what was happening, all you had to do was drive five miles or wait 15 minutes. It was spitting rain, snow and sleet between periods of sun--sometimes while the rain was falling--and grand blue skies. Friday afternoon that spelled a beautiful rainbow that lasted for all of five minutes before the clouds got in front of the sun. Daytime temps have been in the low 40s and it has dropped to around 30 over night. And the nights are definitely longer each and every day. Autumn has certainly arrived.
******
Terry's SAGA Convention in Frisco, TX has ended and she headed west
today. Went 300 miles and she's STILL in Texas. She plans on being in
Anaheim, CA on Tuesday to visit with Jessica for a couple of days. (And
empty the Jeep!)
After that, she's heading up the coast to visit her sister Lucille and niece Laura. There might be some guys involved there too, but the only one I remember is Laura's baby Matthew. ;-)
******
Thursday I drove down to my buddy Joe's place to return a jacket Terry had repaired for him. I brought my S&W M&P .40 with me and we ran through a box of ammo. I'm still searching for the "right" ammo for that pistol. I've not shot it a great deal, but the Winchester 165 gr JHP seems to be better than the 180 gr I bought when I first got the gun. Still shoots a little low, but at least I could get it on the paper this time.
******
Friday was PT at Elite. I've got just two more session paid for by the insurance company (unless they give the okay for more) so it looks like I'll be "graduating" to self torture. I have the option of paying a small fee to use their facilities under the guidance of a tech. For just $60 a month I'd have two land sessions a week. For $90 I can go in the pool twice a week. And for $75 I can have one-and-one. I'm thinking about it for both the use of the machines and also the socialization.
******
Saturday and Sunday have been wall to wall football. If that means I missed the end of WS Game 2 well, so be it. I don't need to spend time looking at the pitcher's nose hairs before every pitch. Or listening to an announcer tell me what's happening when I can see it right in front of me. (Things are different in football, basketball and hockey. So many people are involved in every play and the action is so quick that you need some one to tell you what's happening. Heck, even the announcers have spotters in those sports to tell them WHO is involved. Think a baseball announcer NEEDS a spotter?)
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Sports in America
It should come as no surprise that I watch a lot of football. A. Lot.
I am, therefore, not surprised by this from Rasmussen Reports:
The limited season (14-15 weeks in the college game, 18 in the pros with the bye weeks), the fixed time period (you've got 60 minutes, no more no less with the exception of OT), the speed with which each play unfurls, individual stars playing in a team format at all times...all make the game of football extremely attractive. You can root for a team or individual players. Playing once a week means absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Baseball has an extremely l-o-n-g regular season with a game almost every, single day from the first of April to the first of October. You do have stars, but they are usually involved in individual battles of pitcher vs hitter, the "team" is secondary in almost every way. You may root for a team or an individual, but being able to see them play day in and day out dilutes the experience. I like baseball, but feel I can take a vacation from following the game or my team through much of June, July and August and not miss much.
Hockey and basketball translate poorly to the boob tube. The camera follows the puck/ball and you can't see the play set up on the periphery. (The same might be said of football with regards to play in the defensive secondary. Ordinarily the camera is focused on the line of scrimmage and the offensive backfield play.)
Soccer: too slow. Not nearly enough scoring. And, as with hockey, no one understands the off sides rule.
Auto racing: go fast, turn left, avoid the crash.
Golf: Individual against him/her self and the course. Tennis: Divas. All of them.
And there's this from the link above (emphasis added):
(h/t Ann Althouse)
I am, therefore, not surprised by this from Rasmussen Reports:
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of sports fans finds that 53% say football is their favorite sport to follow. Baseball comes in a distant second with 16% support, while basketball is the favorite of 11%. Six percent (6%) of Americans prefer hockey, with no other sport including soccer, auto racing, golf and tennis reaching five percent (5%).
The limited season (14-15 weeks in the college game, 18 in the pros with the bye weeks), the fixed time period (you've got 60 minutes, no more no less with the exception of OT), the speed with which each play unfurls, individual stars playing in a team format at all times...all make the game of football extremely attractive. You can root for a team or individual players. Playing once a week means absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Baseball has an extremely l-o-n-g regular season with a game almost every, single day from the first of April to the first of October. You do have stars, but they are usually involved in individual battles of pitcher vs hitter, the "team" is secondary in almost every way. You may root for a team or an individual, but being able to see them play day in and day out dilutes the experience. I like baseball, but feel I can take a vacation from following the game or my team through much of June, July and August and not miss much.
Hockey and basketball translate poorly to the boob tube. The camera follows the puck/ball and you can't see the play set up on the periphery. (The same might be said of football with regards to play in the defensive secondary. Ordinarily the camera is focused on the line of scrimmage and the offensive backfield play.)
Soccer: too slow. Not nearly enough scoring. And, as with hockey, no one understands the off sides rule.
Auto racing: go fast, turn left, avoid the crash.
Golf: Individual against him/her self and the course. Tennis: Divas. All of them.
And there's this from the link above (emphasis added):
Regardless of their preference, Americans tend to feel the highs more than the lows when it comes to sports. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of sports fans say they feel Very Happy when their favorite team wins a big game, while just six percent (6%) say they feel Very Depressed when their team loses a big one. In fact, 64% claim they don’t feel very depressed at all when their team loses a crucial matchup.After the last two losses by the Scarlet Knights (to Pittsburgh 27-6 and to Louisville 20-17) that cost them a 10-win season and a first ever Big East Conference title all of their own AND a BCS Bowl berth.... I can say I am one of the 6% feeling VERY depressed. even if RU DID earn a share of the title and a trip to a bowl.
(h/t Ann Althouse)
Saturday, March 03, 2012
Why?
"Although he is a very poor fielder, he is a very poor hitter."
Ring Lardner, Sr.
(03/03/1885 – 09/25/1933)
US writer
They don't make sports writers like this any more.
Ring Lardner, Sr.
(03/03/1885 – 09/25/1933)
US writer
They don't make sports writers like this any more.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow the Major League Baseball season gets underway once more with the Boston Red Sox hosting the New York Yankees at 8:05 PM EST on ESPN. Pitching for the Sox will be Josh Beckett and for the Yanks C.C. Sabathia. I don't love either team but truly loathe the Yanks and so I may find myself parked in front of the tube to root for Beckett and the Sox.
But Monday! Aaaah, Monday we have the Mets and Johan Santana hosting the Marlins and Josh Johnson in the new CITI Field at 1:10 PM.
National League, baby! No stupid DH rule. Managers have to make real decisions! And (even though they are all too often automatic outs) pitchers have to hit!
(Where, I ask you, would Babe Ruth have been if he did not have to hit as well as pitch?--Okay, he played the outfield between starts for Boston too. BECAUSE HE WAS A HELL OF A HITTER!---And, even if he had never hit a home run he probably would have still made the Hall of Fame because of his pitching. He was, indeed, THAT good!)
I have no idea how my Mets will play this year. Their pitching is a question mark beyond Santana and closer Fernandez--and even Santana is a cipher because of off season surgery. They start the year without their star shortstop. (Reyes was physically able until a thyroid problem laid him low. He's okay now and should be back in the game in a week or so.) Their star center fielder is still recovering from surgery to his knees. Carlos Beltran was originally said to return around June 1 but it now seems he may be back a few weeks sooner. Their starting first baseman injured his knee last week and will start the season on the IR.
In short, they may be further out of first place by the first week in July than I will be from either the Aerie or the Bolt Hole. (Alaska trip, remember?)
Still, I'll root for them and follow their progress (or lack thereof) throughout the season. Oh, I'll bitch and moan and complain too. That's what being a fan is all about.
And it all starts tomorrow.
But Monday! Aaaah, Monday we have the Mets and Johan Santana hosting the Marlins and Josh Johnson in the new CITI Field at 1:10 PM.
National League, baby! No stupid DH rule. Managers have to make real decisions! And (even though they are all too often automatic outs) pitchers have to hit!
(Where, I ask you, would Babe Ruth have been if he did not have to hit as well as pitch?--Okay, he played the outfield between starts for Boston too. BECAUSE HE WAS A HELL OF A HITTER!---And, even if he had never hit a home run he probably would have still made the Hall of Fame because of his pitching. He was, indeed, THAT good!)
I have no idea how my Mets will play this year. Their pitching is a question mark beyond Santana and closer Fernandez--and even Santana is a cipher because of off season surgery. They start the year without their star shortstop. (Reyes was physically able until a thyroid problem laid him low. He's okay now and should be back in the game in a week or so.) Their star center fielder is still recovering from surgery to his knees. Carlos Beltran was originally said to return around June 1 but it now seems he may be back a few weeks sooner. Their starting first baseman injured his knee last week and will start the season on the IR.
In short, they may be further out of first place by the first week in July than I will be from either the Aerie or the Bolt Hole. (Alaska trip, remember?)
Still, I'll root for them and follow their progress (or lack thereof) throughout the season. Oh, I'll bitch and moan and complain too. That's what being a fan is all about.
And it all starts tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Hoorah!
Atlanta 3
Philadelphia 2
Chicago Cubs 2
NY Mets 6
The Phils lead in the NL East has dropped to 1 1/2 games.
Meanwhile, the Pirates lead the Brewers in Milwaukee 3-2 in the seventh. If that holds, the Mets will open a 2 game lead over the Brewers in the Wild Card race
UPDATE: The Brewers rallied twice and Prince Fielder hit a 2-run, walk-off homer int he bottom of the ninth to pull out a win 7-5 as Milwaukee keeps pace with the Mets in the Wild Card race.
Philadelphia 2
Chicago Cubs 2
NY Mets 6
The Phils lead in the NL East has dropped to 1 1/2 games.
Meanwhile, the Pirates lead the Brewers in Milwaukee 3-2 in the seventh. If that holds, the Mets will open a 2 game lead over the Brewers in the Wild Card race
UPDATE: The Brewers rallied twice and Prince Fielder hit a 2-run, walk-off homer int he bottom of the ninth to pull out a win 7-5 as Milwaukee keeps pace with the Mets in the Wild Card race.
Not a good weekend
Mets drop two to the Braves on Saturday and Sunday then lose to the Cubs 9-5 to fall 2 1/2 games back of the Phils in the NL East with just six games int he regular season to go. (At least they are still ahead of the Brewers for the Wild Card. So far.)
The Jets lose to San Diego 48-29 on Monday night to fall to 1-2.
I'm thinking of other four letter words for both teams right now and they aren't good. More along the lines of "f*ck" and "s*ck".
And let us not even talk about 0-3 Rutgers! Please.
Thank goodness the Giants pulled it out in OT.
The Jets lose to San Diego 48-29 on Monday night to fall to 1-2.
I'm thinking of other four letter words for both teams right now and they aren't good. More along the lines of "f*ck" and "s*ck".
And let us not even talk about 0-3 Rutgers! Please.
Thank goodness the Giants pulled it out in OT.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Mets/Pelfry fall to Marlins, 7-5
Mike Pelfrey hadn’t lost in his previous 11 outing (the Mets were 10-1 in those games), so you’d feel comfortable sending him to the mound against the Marlins. Unfortunately Pelfrey had one bad inning last night. He surrendered two triples, two doubles and a single in the fourth when the Marlins scored 5 runs to take a 5-1 lead.
Pinch-hitter Damion Easley would bring the Mets to within a run with a three-run shot in the seventh inning to make it 5-4 but Dan Uggla increase the Marlins’ margin with a two-run dinger of his own in the bottom of the 8th off Joe Smith. The Mets would lose 7-5 and fall out of first place in the NL East ½ game back of the Phillies who topped the Nationals 8-5.
Pedro Martinez (3-2) will take the mound for the Mets in Houston on Friday night. He will be on a tight—and low—pitch count to protect his arm and groin strains and will be leaving the game early. Let’s hope the bullpen is up to the task.
Right-hander Brandon Backe (6-10) will start for the Astros.
Pinch-hitter Damion Easley would bring the Mets to within a run with a three-run shot in the seventh inning to make it 5-4 but Dan Uggla increase the Marlins’ margin with a two-run dinger of his own in the bottom of the 8th off Joe Smith. The Mets would lose 7-5 and fall out of first place in the NL East ½ game back of the Phillies who topped the Nationals 8-5.
Pedro Martinez (3-2) will take the mound for the Mets in Houston on Friday night. He will be on a tight—and low—pitch count to protect his arm and groin strains and will be leaving the game early. Let’s hope the bullpen is up to the task.
Right-hander Brandon Backe (6-10) will start for the Astros.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Mets 4, Marlins 1
The Mets defeated the Marlins 4-1 in a game that allowed them to remain a 1/2 game ahead of the Phillies (2-1 winners over Washington) in 1st place of the NL East.
Oliver Perez (now 7-6) pitched okay (6 innings, 1 run, 5 hits, 3 walk) as did Aaron Heilman (2 innings, no runs, 1 hit, 2 walks). Billy Wagner was...well, Billy Wagner (1 inning, 0 hits, 0 walks, 2 Ks, for save # 27).
Nick Evans was 2 for 4 and scored twice early and then Carlos Delgado smacked a two-run homer to ice the deal. Although Jose Reyes neither scored nor had an RBI, he was 3 for 5 with two doubles (one where he got thrown out at third attempting to stretch it).
Delgado may want July to never end. When play started on July 1 he was batting a mere .228. His average is now up to .263. After the four game series against the Yankees that ended June 29, in which he hit three homers, Delgado had a total of 14 dingers and 45 RBI. He now has 23 and 69, respectively. The man is in The Zone.
Tonight, Mike Pelfrey (9-6) faces Josh Johnson (0-0) in the rubber game of the series.
Meanwhile, John Maine's shoulder problem has been diagnosed as a mild rotator cuff strain. He'll be rejoining the team in Houston and is listed as day to day.
Oliver Perez (now 7-6) pitched okay (6 innings, 1 run, 5 hits, 3 walk) as did Aaron Heilman (2 innings, no runs, 1 hit, 2 walks). Billy Wagner was...well, Billy Wagner (1 inning, 0 hits, 0 walks, 2 Ks, for save # 27).
Nick Evans was 2 for 4 and scored twice early and then Carlos Delgado smacked a two-run homer to ice the deal. Although Jose Reyes neither scored nor had an RBI, he was 3 for 5 with two doubles (one where he got thrown out at third attempting to stretch it).
Delgado may want July to never end. When play started on July 1 he was batting a mere .228. His average is now up to .263. After the four game series against the Yankees that ended June 29, in which he hit three homers, Delgado had a total of 14 dingers and 45 RBI. He now has 23 and 69, respectively. The man is in The Zone.
Tonight, Mike Pelfrey (9-6) faces Josh Johnson (0-0) in the rubber game of the series.
Meanwhile, John Maine's shoulder problem has been diagnosed as a mild rotator cuff strain. He'll be rejoining the team in Houston and is listed as day to day.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Mets fall to Fish, 7-3
The Mets bullpen cost them another game last night. When John Maine left the game in the fifth inning (after pitching just 4 1/3) due to shoulder stiffness, the Mets were winning 2-1. The bullpen would chisel away at that first allowing it to become 2-2 and then 3-3 after the Mets regained the lead, but finally they right down to it and just poured gasoline on the fire. Joe Smith (blown save and the loss) and Scott Schoenweiss were the main culprits. Between them they allowed five runs on six hits—all in the eighth inning—as the Mets lost 7-3.
New York’s loss allowed the Phils (idle) to move to within ½ a game of first with the Marlins now 1 game back.
Tonight the Mets and Marlins go at it again with Oliver Perez (6-6) going against Scott Olsen (6-5).
Maine is on his way back to NYC to have an MRI on the shoulder to determine the severity of his injury. Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez will pitch in the bullpen today after rejoining the team in Florida after the loss of his father. The plan is for him to come off the bereavement list and start on Friday in Houston but be limited to just 80 pitches-which means the bull pen will be expected to carry a load that night, too.
New York’s loss allowed the Phils (idle) to move to within ½ a game of first with the Marlins now 1 game back.
Tonight the Mets and Marlins go at it again with Oliver Perez (6-6) going against Scott Olsen (6-5).
Maine is on his way back to NYC to have an MRI on the shoulder to determine the severity of his injury. Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez will pitch in the bullpen today after rejoining the team in Florida after the loss of his father. The plan is for him to come off the bereavement list and start on Friday in Houston but be limited to just 80 pitches-which means the bull pen will be expected to carry a load that night, too.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Not a "Fail" in my eyes
Nor for those like my buddy Bill who believe youth soccer to be the ruination of American sport, I don't think this is a "Fail" but rather an opportunity.
see more pwn and owned pictures
see more pwn and owned pictures
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Santana super as Mets down Cards, 9-1
Jerry Manuel allowed Johan Santana to come out for the ninth inning today. And why not? The left-hander was pitching lights out and had a 9-1 lead. Besides, after last night’s 14-inning affair the bullpen needed the rest.
Santana, who was pulled in his last outing and who had to watch the pen squander a three run lead in the ninth, had said he would have been willing to go the distance if asked. Today he was asked and he won his 10th game of the season giving up just one run on an Albert Pujols home run in the seventh. It was one of just six hits he allowed along with one walk and five strikeouts.
The Mets continued their hot hitting with a total of 17 hits (one more than last night) including three homeruns. Fernando Tatis (3-4 on the day) stroked his seventh dinger with one on in the sixth, Ramon Castro (1-2 with 2 walks) hit his sixth of the season also in the sixth inning, and David Wright belted his 20th of the year, a solo shot, in the fifth. Everyone in the lineup got at least one hit including Santana who had two singles including one that knocked in a run, his first RBI of the year.
Meanwhile, the Phils are beating up on the Braves 11-5 in the sixth, while the Marlins were defeated 9-6 by the Cubbies out in Chi-town.
The Mets are heading to Miami to face the Marlins tomorrow night in the start of a three game set. The Mets send John Maine (9-7) to the mound against Rickey Nolasco (10-6).
Santana, who was pulled in his last outing and who had to watch the pen squander a three run lead in the ninth, had said he would have been willing to go the distance if asked. Today he was asked and he won his 10th game of the season giving up just one run on an Albert Pujols home run in the seventh. It was one of just six hits he allowed along with one walk and five strikeouts.
The Mets continued their hot hitting with a total of 17 hits (one more than last night) including three homeruns. Fernando Tatis (3-4 on the day) stroked his seventh dinger with one on in the sixth, Ramon Castro (1-2 with 2 walks) hit his sixth of the season also in the sixth inning, and David Wright belted his 20th of the year, a solo shot, in the fifth. Everyone in the lineup got at least one hit including Santana who had two singles including one that knocked in a run, his first RBI of the year.
Meanwhile, the Phils are beating up on the Braves 11-5 in the sixth, while the Marlins were defeated 9-6 by the Cubbies out in Chi-town.
The Mets are heading to Miami to face the Marlins tomorrow night in the start of a three game set. The Mets send John Maine (9-7) to the mound against Rickey Nolasco (10-6).
Mets fall to Cards, 10-8 in 14
Tough game last night for the Mets. Brandon Knight, making his first ever major league start (he had pitched in relief very briefly for the Yankees several years ago) must have had a ton of butterflies in his stomach. He gave up four runs in the first inning before settling down and throwing four more innings of decent shutout ball. When he left the Mets had battled back and held a 5-4 lead.
The relievers (predominantly Muniz and Smith) would yield 4 runs in the sixth inning to see the Mets fall behind 8-5. Yet the Mets managed to come back once again and tied the game on a Fernando Tatis home run in the bottom of the ninth. The teams traded goose eggs until Albert Pujols hit a two-out, two-run homer in the 14th off Aaron Heilman who was working his third inning.
And so the Mets fell to the Cards 10-8 in 14 innings.
Carlos Delgado continues to be zoned in. He hit two homers last night. Jose Reyes was 4 for 8 including two doubles and a home run. Fernando Tatis was 3 for 5.
The Cardinals rapped out 21hits In 60 plate appearances as Skip Schumaker went 6 for 7, all singles, Pujols went 5 for 8, and Rick Ankiel went 3 for 7.
The Mets still hold on to a one game lead in the NL East. The Phils downed the Braves 10-9 in regulation and the Marlins topped the Cubs 3-2 in 12 innings.
This afternoon it will be Johan Santana (8-7) for the Mets against Kyle Lohse (12-2) for the Cards.
The relievers (predominantly Muniz and Smith) would yield 4 runs in the sixth inning to see the Mets fall behind 8-5. Yet the Mets managed to come back once again and tied the game on a Fernando Tatis home run in the bottom of the ninth. The teams traded goose eggs until Albert Pujols hit a two-out, two-run homer in the 14th off Aaron Heilman who was working his third inning.
And so the Mets fell to the Cards 10-8 in 14 innings.
Carlos Delgado continues to be zoned in. He hit two homers last night. Jose Reyes was 4 for 8 including two doubles and a home run. Fernando Tatis was 3 for 5.
The Cardinals rapped out 21hits In 60 plate appearances as Skip Schumaker went 6 for 7, all singles, Pujols went 5 for 8, and Rick Ankiel went 3 for 7.
The Mets still hold on to a one game lead in the NL East. The Phils downed the Braves 10-9 in regulation and the Marlins topped the Cubs 3-2 in 12 innings.
This afternoon it will be Johan Santana (8-7) for the Mets against Kyle Lohse (12-2) for the Cards.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Mets down Phils 3-1 to takeover 1st place.
In an early afternoon contest, the Mets took the field behind Oliver Perez and defeated the Phillies 3-1.
Perez pitched masterfully for 7 innings getting 12 strikeouts and giving up just one run on a Jayson Werth solo shot leading off the seventh. With the score 1-1, Perez pitched into trouble in the eighth, however. A one-out double by Eric Bruntlett, an intentional walk to Pat Burrell and a hit batsman (Ryan Howard) forced Jerry Manuel to pull Perez for Aaron Heilman. Heilman got Jayson Werth to fly out to Carlos Beltran in deep center for the final out of the inning.
Robinson Cancel pinch hit for Aaron Heilman leading off the bottom half of the eighth and stroked a single to left field. Jose Reyes then sacrificed him to second. Endy Chavez lined out to the pitcher, J. Romero for the second out. Romero then intentionally walked David Wright putting men on first and second. That strategy backfired when Carlos Delgado doubled home both Cancel and Wright. Delgado was out at third trying to advance on the throw to the plate. The Mets had a 3-1 lead going into the top of the ninth.
Of course, Billy Wagner got the call. And he got the first two batters with ease. Shane Victorino popped out to Delgado at first and Pedro Feliz flied out to Beltran in center. But then Chris Coste singled to left and was replaced by pinch runner Carlos Ruiz. That brought the tying run to the plate in the form of pinch hitter Jimmy Rollins. Rollins hit the first pitch on the ground to third baseman David Wright who threw to second baseman Damion Easley to force Ruiz and end the game.
Aaron Heilman (1-3) gets the victory and Wagner registers his 26th save of the season. The Mets are now in first place alone; one game ahead of the Phils who head home to face Atlanta, and 1.5 games ahead of the Marlins who play the Cubs in Wrigley tonight.
The Mets take the field again at 7:10 PM on Friday night at Shea against the St. Louis Cardinals.
(I always wanted to be a sportscaster or writer.)
Perez pitched masterfully for 7 innings getting 12 strikeouts and giving up just one run on a Jayson Werth solo shot leading off the seventh. With the score 1-1, Perez pitched into trouble in the eighth, however. A one-out double by Eric Bruntlett, an intentional walk to Pat Burrell and a hit batsman (Ryan Howard) forced Jerry Manuel to pull Perez for Aaron Heilman. Heilman got Jayson Werth to fly out to Carlos Beltran in deep center for the final out of the inning.
Robinson Cancel pinch hit for Aaron Heilman leading off the bottom half of the eighth and stroked a single to left field. Jose Reyes then sacrificed him to second. Endy Chavez lined out to the pitcher, J. Romero for the second out. Romero then intentionally walked David Wright putting men on first and second. That strategy backfired when Carlos Delgado doubled home both Cancel and Wright. Delgado was out at third trying to advance on the throw to the plate. The Mets had a 3-1 lead going into the top of the ninth.
Of course, Billy Wagner got the call. And he got the first two batters with ease. Shane Victorino popped out to Delgado at first and Pedro Feliz flied out to Beltran in center. But then Chris Coste singled to left and was replaced by pinch runner Carlos Ruiz. That brought the tying run to the plate in the form of pinch hitter Jimmy Rollins. Rollins hit the first pitch on the ground to third baseman David Wright who threw to second baseman Damion Easley to force Ruiz and end the game.
Aaron Heilman (1-3) gets the victory and Wagner registers his 26th save of the season. The Mets are now in first place alone; one game ahead of the Phils who head home to face Atlanta, and 1.5 games ahead of the Marlins who play the Cubs in Wrigley tonight.
The Mets take the field again at 7:10 PM on Friday night at Shea against the St. Louis Cardinals.
(I always wanted to be a sportscaster or writer.)
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The Mets: A Dickens of a team
It was the worst of nights and it was the best of nights.
Last Sunday, Billy Wagner came into the game against Cincinnati in the ninth inning and the Mets winning by two runs. He felt some soreness in his shoulder which produced some concern on the part of Jerry Manuel and the Mets staff. Despite that soreness, Wagner struck out the side in a 1-2-3 inning and the Mets won the game.
Sunday night/Monday he was examined by the physicians and no damage to the shoulder cold be found. The soreness was diagnosed as stiffness or as Wagner put it, “I’m old. I’m supposed to hurt.”
Still, the doctors and trainers felt an extra day of rest was in order and it was decreed that Wagner would sit out Tuesday night’s game versus Philadelphia regardless of the situation. Wagner agreed and prophetically stated it “won’t make a difference if we’re winning by more than three runs.”
Tuesday night, Johan Santana pitched 8 great innings and the Mets led the Phils 5-2 going into the ninth. Santana, who had thrown 105 pitches was told to step aside and hand the ball over to the bullpen.
Remember the score? It was 5-2. The Mets were winning by exactly 3 runs.
The bullpen could not hold the lead. Six runs were to cross the plate for the Phils in the top of the ninth. After the first three batters hit singles, Duaner Sanchez, reliever, #1 was told to go take a shower. Joe Smith, reliever #2 gave up nothing more than a little dribbler to short, but that could not be converted into an out allowing the first of the Phils’ runs in the ninth to score. Smith was replaced by Pedro Feliciano (reliever #3). The next two Phils hit doubles and the go ahead runs were on the board (Smith would take the loss while Feliciano would get a blown save.) Feliciano would give up one more run—the final one—before giving way to Aaron Heilman who recorded the final out of the inning.
The Mets were now behind 8-5. They would get one run back in the bottom of the ninth but the damage had been too severe. They lost the game 8-6 and fell out of first place and one game back of the Phils.
All because Billy Wagner couldn’t pitch and Sanchez and Feliciano couldn't close the deal.
Tonight the Mets looked to even the series behind John Maine. Maine gave up six hits and three runs in seven innings before handing the ball over to the bullpen. On offense, the Mets Jose Reyes hit a three-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth to give the Mets a 6-3 lead.
Three run lead.
Scot Schoeneweiss got two outs in the eighth while giving up a walk. Joe Smith came in and got the third out of the eighth. Then, with the score still 6-3, it was time for Billy Wagner in the top of the ninth. Wagner pitched another 1-2-3 inning to seal the victory and record his 25th save of the season. John Maine is now 9-7 and the Mets and Phils are once more tied at 54-47 with the Florida Marlins one game back at 53-48.
Here’s hoping that Billy Wagner stays healthy for the remainder of the season.
Sunday night/Monday he was examined by the physicians and no damage to the shoulder cold be found. The soreness was diagnosed as stiffness or as Wagner put it, “I’m old. I’m supposed to hurt.”
Still, the doctors and trainers felt an extra day of rest was in order and it was decreed that Wagner would sit out Tuesday night’s game versus Philadelphia regardless of the situation. Wagner agreed and prophetically stated it “won’t make a difference if we’re winning by more than three runs.”
Tuesday night, Johan Santana pitched 8 great innings and the Mets led the Phils 5-2 going into the ninth. Santana, who had thrown 105 pitches was told to step aside and hand the ball over to the bullpen.
Remember the score? It was 5-2. The Mets were winning by exactly 3 runs.
The bullpen could not hold the lead. Six runs were to cross the plate for the Phils in the top of the ninth. After the first three batters hit singles, Duaner Sanchez, reliever, #1 was told to go take a shower. Joe Smith, reliever #2 gave up nothing more than a little dribbler to short, but that could not be converted into an out allowing the first of the Phils’ runs in the ninth to score. Smith was replaced by Pedro Feliciano (reliever #3). The next two Phils hit doubles and the go ahead runs were on the board (Smith would take the loss while Feliciano would get a blown save.) Feliciano would give up one more run—the final one—before giving way to Aaron Heilman who recorded the final out of the inning.
The Mets were now behind 8-5. They would get one run back in the bottom of the ninth but the damage had been too severe. They lost the game 8-6 and fell out of first place and one game back of the Phils.
All because Billy Wagner couldn’t pitch and Sanchez and Feliciano couldn't close the deal.
Tonight the Mets looked to even the series behind John Maine. Maine gave up six hits and three runs in seven innings before handing the ball over to the bullpen. On offense, the Mets Jose Reyes hit a three-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth to give the Mets a 6-3 lead.
Three run lead.
Scot Schoeneweiss got two outs in the eighth while giving up a walk. Joe Smith came in and got the third out of the eighth. Then, with the score still 6-3, it was time for Billy Wagner in the top of the ninth. Wagner pitched another 1-2-3 inning to seal the victory and record his 25th save of the season. John Maine is now 9-7 and the Mets and Phils are once more tied at 54-47 with the Florida Marlins one game back at 53-48.
Here’s hoping that Billy Wagner stays healthy for the remainder of the season.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Tiger Woods is human!
Woods' winning streak ends as Ogilvy takes Doral
Woods finished 2 strokes behind Ogilvy in fifth place (three were tied for second, one stroke back).
Woods finished 2 strokes behind Ogilvy in fifth place (three were tied for second, one stroke back).
Friday, January 04, 2008
Pep Rally
We arrived at the Westin just in time to see the football team boarding buses for who knows where. Perhaps it was for a brief tour of the Rogers Centre where tomorrow’s game is to be played or a quick work out. Where ever they were going, it wasn’t going to be long for they had to be back in two hours for the pep rally.
Inside the lobby of the Westin Harbour Castle there was a sea of scarlet. We inquired as to where we might purchase some souvenir shirts such as we had already seen and were told the guys would be setting up in the lobby around three…about an hour or so from now. With that in mind, we sat down near the bar to have a beer and a glass of wine.
Across the room, I thought I saw a relative of ours, Glen, the husband of one of Terry’s cousins and a dentist who had graduated from and did some instruction in the Rutgers system. Terry poo-pooed the idea but we later ran into him, his dad, his wife (Terry’s cousin) and their daughter. They had driven up from NJ last night stopping in Niagra Falls overnight. Glen’s brother had driven up Friday morning and was over taking a tour of the Rogers Centre.
We purchased a couple of T-shirts when the guys got their little booth set up and then headed over to the ballroom where the pep rally was to be held.
The crowd seemed to follow us and soon had the foyer to the ballroom packed shoulder to shoulder.
Things got so bad that they had to shut the escalator off because people would arrive at the top and have no place to go.
As the magic hour approached, the marching band and color guard arrived by means of the stationary escalators.
When they finally allowed us to enter the ballroom, we found the marching band arrayed at the far end and a stage beneath a big Rutgers banner to the side.
The cheerleaders and dance team did a couple of routines that could only be described as gymnastics to music.
Several recent Rutgers graduates, FB Brian Leonard, QB Ryan Hart and TE Dave Kelly were introduced by the emcees, the radio voices of Rutgers’ Football on WCTU. Each got to make a little speech that basically said thanks for the support. It means a lot and please keep it up. (Although Brian Leonard got a wee bit emotional during his.)
Then the marching band struck up the fight song and the current players mounted the stage to the cheers of “Up stream Red team, Red team up stream, Hoo-rah, Hoo-rah, Rutgers Rah!”
As they entered, it was interesting to see many of the players taking pictures of the crowd. With 8000+ fans in town for the game I guess they were a bit surprised to see how many were in that ballroom!
Coach Schiano made his way to the front and briefly addressed the crowd. (Briefly because he seems to be on the verge of losing his voice.)
(Damn, but it’s difficult to get a decent picture over distance in a flash environment!)
A few words from team captains and another rendition of the fight song and then the players were on their way for the night.
The band would head north to Nathan Phillips Square for a battle of the bands. (Terry and I opted out to go down the water front to Capt. John’s for a very nice seafood dinner.)
Inside the lobby of the Westin Harbour Castle there was a sea of scarlet. We inquired as to where we might purchase some souvenir shirts such as we had already seen and were told the guys would be setting up in the lobby around three…about an hour or so from now. With that in mind, we sat down near the bar to have a beer and a glass of wine.
Across the room, I thought I saw a relative of ours, Glen, the husband of one of Terry’s cousins and a dentist who had graduated from and did some instruction in the Rutgers system. Terry poo-pooed the idea but we later ran into him, his dad, his wife (Terry’s cousin) and their daughter. They had driven up from NJ last night stopping in Niagra Falls overnight. Glen’s brother had driven up Friday morning and was over taking a tour of the Rogers Centre.
We purchased a couple of T-shirts when the guys got their little booth set up and then headed over to the ballroom where the pep rally was to be held.
The crowd seemed to follow us and soon had the foyer to the ballroom packed shoulder to shoulder.
Things got so bad that they had to shut the escalator off because people would arrive at the top and have no place to go.
As the magic hour approached, the marching band and color guard arrived by means of the stationary escalators.
When they finally allowed us to enter the ballroom, we found the marching band arrayed at the far end and a stage beneath a big Rutgers banner to the side.
The cheerleaders and dance team did a couple of routines that could only be described as gymnastics to music.
Several recent Rutgers graduates, FB Brian Leonard, QB Ryan Hart and TE Dave Kelly were introduced by the emcees, the radio voices of Rutgers’ Football on WCTU. Each got to make a little speech that basically said thanks for the support. It means a lot and please keep it up. (Although Brian Leonard got a wee bit emotional during his.)
Then the marching band struck up the fight song and the current players mounted the stage to the cheers of “Up stream Red team, Red team up stream, Hoo-rah, Hoo-rah, Rutgers Rah!”
As they entered, it was interesting to see many of the players taking pictures of the crowd. With 8000+ fans in town for the game I guess they were a bit surprised to see how many were in that ballroom!
Coach Schiano made his way to the front and briefly addressed the crowd. (Briefly because he seems to be on the verge of losing his voice.)
(Damn, but it’s difficult to get a decent picture over distance in a flash environment!)
A few words from team captains and another rendition of the fight song and then the players were on their way for the night.
The band would head north to Nathan Phillips Square for a battle of the bands. (Terry and I opted out to go down the water front to Capt. John’s for a very nice seafood dinner.)
Hockey Hall of Fame
After lunch, we trekked west on Front Street and headed for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
As we approached the corner of Front and Bay, we saw several guys from RU (who we found were from the era of Frank Burns—that’s 1972 to 1983). In fact, everywhere we went there was lots of Rutgers Scarlet.
Back to the Hall of Fame. The Hall is a relatively new building but with many surprises. The first is that when you first enter the building in which it is housed you are reminded of the Air Force Academy’s Chapel. The interior is a series of metal A-frames from one end to the other but within that giant A-frame is a beautiful old bank built some time back in the beginning of the 1900s. To get to the Hall, you go down stairs into yet another food court and press south.
Enter the Hall (there is a reasonable fee) and you’re in a modern museum of hockey in both North America and the World. There’s memorabilia from the NHL and international competition. Colorful (or is that colourful?) jerseys from teams past and present abound. You can spend an hour or two walking about the displays or head over and try your luck as a shooter or goal tender at the interactive games area.
Unsuspectingly you come to a small stairway with a sign: “Stanley Cup” and an arrow. Follow the arrow and you climb up into that beautiful old bank to find a wooden paneled room with an awe inspiring stain glassed dome above.
Look around at the architecture. It’s worth the time.
But it’s not why you’ve come to this shrine. Across the room you see it perched upon a pedestal before a wall of the greatest players, coaches and promoters of the game of hockey.
THE Stanley Cup
Every little hockey fans fantasy is to have his name inscribed upon the base of that cup. And lots of them come here to gaze upon their hero’s name and dream a little harder.
Me? I’m not much of a hockey fan. Just as I was starting to get into it, that is when I figured out this blue line thing and what the heck an offsides was when everyone is skating at 60 mph, the damn thing went on strike for a whole bleeping year! That’s when I figured I was better off sleeping through the months between football and spring training. (With the current NFL playoff system, that sleep has become a mere nap.)
We left the Hockey Hall of Fame and headed south toward the Lake and the Westin Harbour Castle which is the official headquarters of RU fans on this excursion and where there was a pep rally scheduled to take place a little after four o'clock.
As we approached the corner of Front and Bay, we saw several guys from RU (who we found were from the era of Frank Burns—that’s 1972 to 1983). In fact, everywhere we went there was lots of Rutgers Scarlet.
Back to the Hall of Fame. The Hall is a relatively new building but with many surprises. The first is that when you first enter the building in which it is housed you are reminded of the Air Force Academy’s Chapel. The interior is a series of metal A-frames from one end to the other but within that giant A-frame is a beautiful old bank built some time back in the beginning of the 1900s. To get to the Hall, you go down stairs into yet another food court and press south.
Enter the Hall (there is a reasonable fee) and you’re in a modern museum of hockey in both North America and the World. There’s memorabilia from the NHL and international competition. Colorful (or is that colourful?) jerseys from teams past and present abound. You can spend an hour or two walking about the displays or head over and try your luck as a shooter or goal tender at the interactive games area.
Unsuspectingly you come to a small stairway with a sign: “Stanley Cup” and an arrow. Follow the arrow and you climb up into that beautiful old bank to find a wooden paneled room with an awe inspiring stain glassed dome above.
Look around at the architecture. It’s worth the time.
But it’s not why you’ve come to this shrine. Across the room you see it perched upon a pedestal before a wall of the greatest players, coaches and promoters of the game of hockey.
THE Stanley Cup
Every little hockey fans fantasy is to have his name inscribed upon the base of that cup. And lots of them come here to gaze upon their hero’s name and dream a little harder.
Me? I’m not much of a hockey fan. Just as I was starting to get into it, that is when I figured out this blue line thing and what the heck an offsides was when everyone is skating at 60 mph, the damn thing went on strike for a whole bleeping year! That’s when I figured I was better off sleeping through the months between football and spring training. (With the current NFL playoff system, that sleep has become a mere nap.)
We left the Hockey Hall of Fame and headed south toward the Lake and the Westin Harbour Castle which is the official headquarters of RU fans on this excursion and where there was a pep rally scheduled to take place a little after four o'clock.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
A remarkable feat!
As reported on at AOL News:
Two Women Get Successive Holes-in-One
Congratulations go out to the ladies. But as anyone who has read Terry Prachett’s Disc World books knows, million to one shots happen nine times out of ten.
Two Women Get Successive Holes-in-One
June Wiener, 75, and Sue Baskind, 61, both aced the 152-yard par-three 24th of the 27-hole course at the Moor Allerton Golf Club in Leeds, northern England during a four ball last weekend.
"We were told the odds were a million to one -- I wish I'd had a pound on it," said Wiener, whose two artificial hips appear not to have hampered her golf swing.
Congratulations go out to the ladies. But as anyone who has read Terry Prachett’s Disc World books knows, million to one shots happen nine times out of ten.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Iditarod results
Congratulations to Lance Mackey for finishing first in the Iditarod. Lance and nine of his dogs (16 started the race) pulled into Nome a tad after 10 P.M. local time. It took him 9 days, 5 hours, 8 minutes and 41 seconds to complete the trek from Anchorage to Nome.
Lance’s father, Dick, won the race in 1978 by just one second and his older brother, Rick, captured the title in 1983. Both of them were competing in their sixth Iditarod and wearing bib number 13. This being Lance’s sixth Iditarod, he, of course, chose number 13. Seems to have worked out just fine.
Second place went to Paul Gebhardt who finished third last year. This year’s third place finisher was Zack Steer and fourth place went to Martin Buser.
Lance’s father, Dick, won the race in 1978 by just one second and his older brother, Rick, captured the title in 1983. Both of them were competing in their sixth Iditarod and wearing bib number 13. This being Lance’s sixth Iditarod, he, of course, chose number 13. Seems to have worked out just fine.
Second place went to Paul Gebhardt who finished third last year. This year’s third place finisher was Zack Steer and fourth place went to Martin Buser.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Nearly Half Way...
...in The Last Great Race, THE Iditarod
Sometime within the next 24 hours, the first musher will make his or her way into the ghost town of Iditarod. He or she will have succeeded in completing nearly half the 1122 mile race. From the checkpoint at Iditarod to Nome is 589 miles.
Already 10 of the 82 teams that started the race have had to pull out due to physical injury to the mushers and/or their sleds.
Because of different strategies as to pace and when and where to rest their dogs, it is difficult to identify exactly which musher leads in a long distance race like this. All have a mandatory 24 hour rest period ahead and all have a mandatory 12 hour rest period ahead. Some may stop at Ophir (90 miles short of Iditarod) and some will go on to Iditarod for their 24 hour rest.
Currently, Lance Mackey and Zack Steer are into the checkpoint at Takotna. (They moved on since I started writing this and are headed to Ophir.) Both seem to have large (16 dog) fast teams but both are looking over their shoulder at the positioning of Martin Buser whose 2002 team holds the record for the fastest Iditarod by completing the race in 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes and 2 seconds. Buser may not be the fastest on the first half of the race, but he has a distinct advantage over his competitors vis-Ã -vis the care and conditioning of his dogs. As tribute to his treatment of his racers, Martin was awarded the coveted Leonhard Seppala Award in 1988, 1993, 1995 and again in 1997 for the most humanitarian care of his dogs. And in this race, it’s the dog power that gets it done. He and his team are currently out of McGrath and on their way to Takotna. They could very well blow past the current leaders and move on to Iditarod for their long rest.
Sometime within the next 24 hours, the first musher will make his or her way into the ghost town of Iditarod. He or she will have succeeded in completing nearly half the 1122 mile race. From the checkpoint at Iditarod to Nome is 589 miles.
Already 10 of the 82 teams that started the race have had to pull out due to physical injury to the mushers and/or their sleds.
Because of different strategies as to pace and when and where to rest their dogs, it is difficult to identify exactly which musher leads in a long distance race like this. All have a mandatory 24 hour rest period ahead and all have a mandatory 12 hour rest period ahead. Some may stop at Ophir (90 miles short of Iditarod) and some will go on to Iditarod for their 24 hour rest.
Currently, Lance Mackey and Zack Steer are into the checkpoint at Takotna. (They moved on since I started writing this and are headed to Ophir.) Both seem to have large (16 dog) fast teams but both are looking over their shoulder at the positioning of Martin Buser whose 2002 team holds the record for the fastest Iditarod by completing the race in 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes and 2 seconds. Buser may not be the fastest on the first half of the race, but he has a distinct advantage over his competitors vis-Ã -vis the care and conditioning of his dogs. As tribute to his treatment of his racers, Martin was awarded the coveted Leonhard Seppala Award in 1988, 1993, 1995 and again in 1997 for the most humanitarian care of his dogs. And in this race, it’s the dog power that gets it done. He and his team are currently out of McGrath and on their way to Takotna. They could very well blow past the current leaders and move on to Iditarod for their long rest.
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