Archive for September, 2010
Yeah, that’s right, I called out DJ Kitty. I ain’t worried about no East Coast-Midwest rap war. Bring it.
Although born in Massachusetts, Craig Finn, frontman of The Hold Steady, and before that a member of the iconic Minneapolis band Lifter Puller, spent his formative years growing up in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina. During his time in Minnesota before moving to Brooklyn and forming The Hold Steady, Finn developed into quite the die-hard Twins fanatic. So much so, that not only does he routinely wear Twins jerseys when performing, a side project he is a member of, The Baseball Project, a band including Finn, Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate, and Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey of R.E.M., recently recorded an ode to Finn’s beloved baseball team of his youth, entitled “Don’t Call Them Twinkies.”
Listen to the song after the jump.
David Wells has always been known as the kind of guy who isn’t afraid to open his mouth: whether it is to express his controversial opinions on pretty much any topic or when he inhales a meatball hoagie the size of a brand-new paper towel roll for an after-breakfast snack snack. So it should come as no surprise that when given the forum, Wells would use it to reignite his simmering feud with his former manager when he played for the New York Yankees, Joe Torre.
During a Yahoo! Sports’ “Why Is This News?” podcast hosted by Jay Busbee and ‘Duk of Big League Stew recorded earlier this week, Wells, who will be an analyst for TBS during the MLB Playoffs, seized the opportunity to start some s**t and tore Torre a new one (via Big League Stew, where a link to the podcast is available):
“I had [Yankees pitching coach] Mel Stottlemyre come up to me in ’97 and tell me they were going to sit me out in the first round against Cleveland,” Wells told us. “I said, ‘If you’re going to sit me out the first round, you might as well just send me home.’ That pissed me off because I won like 15, 16 games for them. [...] That’s pretty degrading when you have your manager tell your pitching coach to tell you, ‘Hey, you’re going to sit out,’ rather than telling you himself. That’s what Joe Torre is to me, a coward.
“I don’t like him at all. As a manager, I think he’s terrible. He wasn’t a fair manager. He didn’t treat people the same. He definitely didn’t treat me the same. [...] If he tells you anything else, he’s a liar.”
ME-OW! Mighty big words for a, um, big man. That’s not how the saying goes, but you know where I was going with it. The relationship between Torre and Wells has soured mightily since they worked together, including some not-so-flattering statements Torre made about Wells in his book, Yankee Years, so it’s not mind-blowing at all that Wells was just waiting for an opportunity to blast his former skipper.
But here’s my take: in a world full of so much strife, hatred and ill-will, wouldn’t it be better for everyone if these two simply met, broke bread and made their peace? Of course, Torre would have to ignore Wells’ deplorable table manners while Wells would have to attempt to ignore the fact that the skin of Torre’s face is slowly, inch by inch, sliding completely off his skull.
David Wells calls Joe Torre a ‘coward’ on our podcast [Big League Stew]
Besting those of LeBron James and Dwight Howard, whose jerseys finished second and third respectively, Kobe Bryant’s jersey is once again the top-selling NBA jersey in China for the fourth year in a row.
But how does his jersey sell in Eagle, Colorado? That’s the question. Or maybe it isn’t.
The top 10, courtesy of Basketblog:
1) Kobe Bryant – Lakers
2) LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers
3) Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic
4) Kevin Garnett – Boston Celtics
5) Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls
6) Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets
7) Paul Pierce – Boston Celtics
Deron Williams – Utah Jazz
9) Ray Allen – Boston Celtics
10) Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder
Fantastic, and yet another accolade for Mr. Bryant. While I am sure it is extremely gratifying to know that you are tops in the Far East, you do know what they say about Chinese accomplishments: after a half-hour, you don’t even feel fulfilled anymore.
Kobe’s Jersey Tops in China for 4th Year [Basketblog]
Man, they don’t call it Murderball for nothing.
Above is a promotional ad created by Kevin Bogetti-Smith to promote the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships which are presently being held in Richmond, British Columbia. Beginning on September 21st and running through the 26th, the 2010 WRWC features competitors from 12 countries battling it out at the Richmond Olympic Oval.
Along with the above ad, Toby Gorman, director of photography with Vancouver-based Square Wave Productions also created three promotional spots (below) for the Canadian team, which characterize the preparation and dedication exhibited by these amazing athletes and the brutality of the sport they play.
And would you like to know the lengths these insulted individuals are willing to go in order to satisfy their desire for vengeance for when Rex Ryan flipped them the bird at that MMA fight in Miami way back in January? Hold on to your seats, kids, because these guys not only think that revenge is a dish best served cold, it should also be done in person so one can see the look in the enemy’s eyes at the exact moment when they know they are moments away from being vanquished.
That’s right. Both David Hildenbrand and Daniel Convers, the victims of Rex Ryan’s vulgar hand gesture, both intend to be in attendance at Sun Life Stadium when the Jets come to town to take on the Dolphins on Sunday night. And you’ll never guess what they have in mind.
They’re going to boo Rex Ryan. Mercilessly. But they plan on not just booing Coach Ryan, but the entire Jets team. These guys are insane, I tells ya! Oh, man. It’s on. It’s on like Donkey Kong.
Via the New York Post:
“I do plan on attending the game, but to cheer for my team and to boo the Jets, not any individual person,” David Hildenbrand, who took the picture of Ryan in January, told ESPN.com . “It doesn’t necessarily matter that the Jets are playing, I’ll boo any team Miami is playing.”
Wow. Obsess much? Jeez guys, let it go already. It was just a middle finger, guys. Booing people. Sheesh. What kind of sicko does that? Get a grip and get over it.
‘Finger’ fans ready for Rex in Miami: report [New York Post]
Sweet Fancy Moses! That ain’t dancing, Sally. That’s like a full-bodied dry heave set to music.
Seinfeld references aside, if there is one fanbase that you can count on to continue to “Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk” day-in, day-out, it most certainly is Phillies fans. If they aren’t attempting to barter sex acts for World Series tickets, getting tazed, vomiting on people, getting a handful of boob or storming onto the field in a red bodysuit, they never disappoint. Case in point: this enthusiastic fellow was evidently quite thrilled with the Phillies 1-0 victory over the Braves which saw three Philadelphia pitchers – including starter Roy Oswalt – combine for a one-hit shutout. The win increased Philly’s lead over Atlanta to 6 games in the East, a distance which should be nearly insurmountable for the Braves. And that makes this choreographically-challenged guy quite, quite happy. So much so, he had to dance, dance…and unfortunately, dance again.
Still, you nevertheless have to give him credit for the effort. And he didn’t even get arrested, which is a rare occurrence when it comes to a majority of the antics by Phillies fans which get documented in some way, shape or form.
[H/T The700Level]
Chicago Bears running back Chester Taylor recently decided on his 31nd birthday to take a brave technological leap and enter the fray into the world of social media and created a Twitter account (@CTaylor29). While I cannot ascertain exactly when he created his account, his first tweet was Wednesday afternoon. As you can see, his profile photo and background image depict Taylor in a Vikings uniform. The trouble is Taylor signed a free agent contract with the rival Chicago Bears in the offseason. And the fact that Taylor is not shown in a Bears jersey is alienating his new Chicago fans.
Unfortunately for Taylor, as a Twitter neophyte, he has no idea how to change his profile photo nor his background. I cannot believe that there isn’t one person on the Bears squad that could walk him through the most basic ways in which he can modify his profile.
Since no one has come forward to provide technological assistance to Taylor, the specialty back came up with a compromise:
How bout I keep the vikings pic for twitter and keep the bears pic for my facebook what U think?fans alwayz showed me love
Fair enough, although I’m not sure Bears fans will be willing to go along with his diplomatic solution. And I’m not sure they are going to appreciate it if he continues to deliver tweets in a style suitable for Prince songs. Would it help if Taylor uploaded a video of him doing karaoke to “I Would Die 4 U”?
Probably not.
[H/T Randball]
Wake N’ Blog is the Sportress of Blogitude’s morning link dump. Send tips, link submissions and pornodes to weedagainstspeed@gmail.com. Get it? Porn odes? Stupid, you say? Yeah, it’s stupid.
• A 23-year-old German tourist was rescued by firefighters after a hole he dug on a beach in Spain collapsed in on him. The man was trapped up to his neck in the sand for nearly two hours while 15 firefighters and five rescue vehicles frantically tried to free him from his sandy bondage. [Yahoo!/AFP]
• Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco are of the opinion that “Sarah Palin is not Playboy-ish.” Interesting. [Out of Bounds]
• Jets superfan Fireman Ed has been charged with simple assault stemming from the incident when he got in a scuffle with a Giants fan during a preseason game. God, I cannot stand that jagoff. [Tirico Suave]
• If you haven’t seen it, here’s that photo of Braylon Edwards double-fisting drinks at an event the evening he got his DUI. [Ted Williams Head]
• Headline: “Unicycle Football- Where Dorks and Concrete Collide.” After watching the video, I’m inclined to agree. [You Been Blinded]
• David Beckham will reportedly sue the tabloid who published the story alleging that he enjoyed the company of $10,000/night hookers. That’s a lot of money, but when you think about it, it’s still probably cheaper than what it costs to keep his wife happy. [Bob's Blitz]
• The 7 best athlete fan takedowns. [The Last Angry Fan]
• Is the respective triple crown easier for a pitcher or a hitter to accomplish? [Outside the Boxscore]
• Congratulations to my pals at TAUNTR: their Da’Sean Butler animated video was featured on Versus’ The Daily Line. [TAUNTR]
• The top 12 reasons the Vincent Jackson trade didn’t go down. [Five Tool Tool]
• Butter Chicken has a beef with that new show with Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell. [Food Court Lunch]
• The Onion Headline of the Day: Dad Recounts Amazing Story Of How, Through Quick Thinking, He Saved $4.27
For some reason known only to them and uploaded here for no reason whatsoever, here are some Russian dudes trying to ride a bicycle and ski at the bottom of Lake Baikal. Located in the southern region of Siberia, it is the deepest lake in the world.
I have no idea what they were trying to prove, but that’s a bunch of Russians for you. We’re still allowed to say mean things about Russians and hide behind xenophobic attitudes and belief systems, right? Thank goodness for the rekindling of the Cold War. Everybody wins.
It’s 4:19, You Gotta Minute?
Posted by:
• Is surfer Kelly Slater one of the greatest athletes ever? Possibly. [Out of Bounds]
• I agree, it’s high time to abolish the “Icing the Kicker” rule. [Larry Brown Sports]
• Nobody wants to work for the New York Mets. I wonder why. [With Leather]
• What better way to celebrate the return of hockey with a collection of fight videos? [Puck Daddy]
• David Beckham’s alleged mistress prostitute tells all. [Ted Williams Head]
• This Week in NFL Memes: Marmalard in Heaven & Pigwoman. Awesome. [Kissing Suzy Kolber]
• A soccer coach was stabbed by his brother six times while on the pitch. [Bob's Blitz]
• Gisele Bundchen won’t let Tom Brady cut his golden locks. [Shutdown Corner]
• For some reason, MYFO selected the CEO of the Mayo Clinic to preview the New York Rangers. [Melt Your Face Off]
• Who wants to play Super Mario Williams? I know I do. [TAUNTR]
• As always, instant karma will always git ‘cha. [Food Court Lunch]
• The Onion Headline of the Day, Part II: Referee Frustrated By Number Of Commercials Shown In Replay Booth
Send tips, link submissions and dirty limericks to weedagainstspeed@gmail.com.
Because, as you can plainly see for yourself, it makes it all the more abundantly clear that the AFL team has the word “Doo” in its name. Unless the team is for some reason or another named after a distant relation of Scooby-Doo I have never heard of before, it’s a bad call. And even then, it would be Voo-Doo, anyway. Zoinks!
Now I understand the connection between the New Orleans area and Voodoo and perhaps the team wanted to incorporate some of that mysticality into the team’s image, but VooDoo? Really?
Heh. Doo. It’s funny because it’s another word for poop.
New Orleans VooDoo hires Derek Stingley as its coach [The Times-Picayune]
New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced that it will be broadcasting clips from the MLB Playoffs in subway cars running the route between Times Square and Grand Central Terminal. Via an AP report on Yahoo!:
The campaign is an effort by the MTA to raise its advertising revenue. The cable network TBS is paying to air the highlights of the previous day’s playoff games to promote its coverage of the playoffs.
MTA Chairman Jay Walder says it is the first time the agency has offered video images on subway screens.
So does that mean subway riders will also be subjected to ads promoting Conan’s new show ad nauseum as well? I’d bet on it.
I don’t know about this move, man. Let me put it to you this way. It’s the most hectic, nerve-racking city to begin with. Imagine having to take the Times Square Shuttle and while you’re trying to watch some MLB Playoffs highlights, looking like you’re [riding through] Beirut next to some kid with purple hair next to some queer with AIDS right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It would be so depressing.
What’s that? Oh, sorry. I just fallen into one of those John Rocker trances people are always talking about – you know, when you talk ignorantly out of your ass believing that you are being provocative and witty? Happens from time to time to the best of them, so I’ve heard. Hopefully, it never happens out in public to anyone. That would suck.
NYC subway to offer MLB playoffs video clips [Yahoo!/AP]
Despite the insistence by the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) to the contrary, Ines Sainz insists they never sought her out for her side of the story before coming to her defense in a column she wrote for the Mexican newspaper El Universal. Sainz also added that she believes that AWSM set the woman’s movement back “at least 50 years” for quickly coming to her aid immediately after she alleged she was mistreated by New York Jets players and staff last week.
In a follow up interview with McClatchy Newspapers, Sainz added (via Sporting News):
Some kind of attention, huh? Aren’t the people who do things simply to draw attention to themselves the absolute worst?
…
Jeez, beam me up, Tony. Get a look at that set. I especially appreciate the fact that the artist chose to use Lil Wayne, a convicted felon, as one of the panelists over using Jay Mariotti’s ugly mug. Good call. Lofty call.
What we have here are the initial artist renderings of what the space-age, tripping balls sets will look like once Around the Horn (above) and Pardon the Interruption (below) switch over to their new studio digs in D.C. and go high definition.
Erik Rydholm, the executive producer for both shows, had this to say about the new, galactic space opera sets (via ESPN Media Zone):
“The new studios and the move to HD will be a great thing for viewers, but it also means all our guys’ faces will be in HD, which could be a little frightening, though they are doing their best to age gracefully. The PTI set will be a little smaller and a little fancier, and Around the Horn will look like Tony Reali is in a spaceship or an Apple store.”
Ha. Frightening indeed.
It seriously does look like Reali is on the bridge of the Enterprise and he’s communicating with Colishaw in Engineering, Michael Smith in a transporter room, Woody Paige from the Holodeck (of course) and Lil Wayne from Ten Forward.
Just one thing: if you are a comely young production assistant on set and and Woody Paige comes up and asks you if you’d like to see the “Captain’s Log,” don’t take the bait. Please. It’s for your own good.
MidWeek [ESPN Media Zone]
(previously at the Sportress: Pardon The Makeup Eruption: PTI, Around The Horn Going HD Next Week)
Wait. What?
Tommy Lasorda, who has worn many hats during his years in baseball, including but not limited to: legendary and adored MLB manager, endorser of Slim-Fast, a non-payer for sex, occasional napper during interviews, and that’s just the top of the Italian Ice(berg). Who knew he was also a blogger?
That’s right. Tommy Lasorda his blogging at mlbblogs.com at Tommy Lasorda’s World.
His most recent foray into online journalism (which, after looking at the timestamp, I realized was August 6th, but I had already written this post so I’m going with it…how timely, right?) was to announce that he is to be inducted into the Chattanooga Baseball Hall of Fame, incredibly the 17th Hall of Fame of which he can claim membership. But simply mentioning the 17 Hall of Fames wasn’t enough. Lasorda proceeded to list them.
