Lennon Is Spinning In His Grave

I simply have no words.

Mark Reynolds Strikes Out A Lot

And now he can do it Baltimore.  The Orioles pulled the trigger on a deal sending RHPs Kam Mickolio and David Hernandez to Diamondbacks for the ultimate feast or famine.  Reynolds hit .198 with 32 dongs and 211 Ks last season.

And the D-Bags didn't stop there.  Arizona also signed IF Melvin Mora and RHP J.J.  Putz.  Huh-huh, Putz.


A big trade along the Canadian border as well with the Brew Crew sending 2B Brett Lawrie (#2 in the system for 2010) to the Blue Jays for starter Shaun Marcum.  Given Lawrie's defensive struggles and an incumbent Aaron Hill, there is likely a switch to an outfield corner coming.  Apparently Marcum wanted an extension and the Jays were unwilling to pony up the cash.  I have no idea what that's like.

Brown and Orange, the New Black and Blue

Hey, I know a win is a win, but this latest reinvention of the Browns certainly likes to win ugly.  After what many have described as the worst win in team history, the Brownies went right ahead and scored 13 points against the Talents of South Beach.  How did our girdiron heroes pull of such an underwhelming victory, you ask?  Well, first of all we can all thank Michigan's own Chad Henne for stinking like the red tide.  If a quarterback throws, say, a thousand balls into the ground without a completion or an interception, his passer rating is 39.6.  Henne's rating on Sunday was 37.8.  Thus, he was better off never getting out of bed in the morning.  We all remember when DA put up a 10.5 against the Bears last year.

A strange time to be a Browns fan, for sure.  The team is 5-7 with a decent shot to finish .500 (Bills, Bengals and an upset).  Still, I can't help but wonder if the franchise is doing anything more than treading water.  Part of this sensation is a bunch of sour grapes as I'm irritated that Colt McCoy is not playing, but it transcends such petty animosity.  Joe Haden, he of 5 picks in his last 7 games, is the first to admit that his speed ("low 4.3") produces the picks rather than his skill.  While you can teach the latter and not the former, all Joe needs to fail is a to simply rely on that quick closing.  TJ Ward has slipped from the forefront following his pop on Jordan Shipley.  Peyton Hillis is tired and waiting for another mistake free game from Delhomme is like praying for rain in the desert.  Holmgren needs to show up on draft day and put some impact players on the field.  Watching is painful.  That sucks.  The man up top needs to make it fun again.  At least we have the Cavs...  I mean, the Indians are gonna bring in a bunch of talent... err... Cleveland State is 10-0.

Cheers

Sweetest 16

I'm a huge proponent of this and Jim Tressel has my back.  Imagine the excitement in Columbus with a realistic shot at the National Championship still in play.  Imagine the despair I would have felt after my Bobcats phoned it in against Kent and missed a real shot at getting the #15 seed here.  Whatever dollar signs the NCAA has attached to the bowls, the eruption of following for, the absolute imperative to watch these games would dwarf whatever they can imagine.  And who gets the shaft here?  No one (hush up #12, 2-loss Missouri).  Ah, a fool can dream.

Cheers.

N'Awlins? I Spent A Month There One Weekend

Both of my Ohio teams are bowlin' in the Big Easy --

Ohio Bobcats Vs Troy Trojans Saturday - December 18, 8pm (New Orleans Bowl)

Ohio State Buckeyes Vs Arkansas Razorbacks - Tuesday January 4, 8pm (Sugar Bowl)

It's the 6th straight BCS bowl for the Bucks (2-3) while the 'Cats will look for their 1st bowl win ever (0-4).

Open invite to either.  Let's go.

Btw, that Adrian Gonzalez trade is official.  No extension signed.

Cheers,

Pretty Girl 12.06.10 - Molly Sims

A picture's worth a thousand word.  That teeny bikini?  A million bucks.

Werth? Wat? Where?

In a classic case of runnin' to get paid, Jayson Werth has signed a 7-yr, $126mil deal with the Nationals.  The outfielder will be 38 when the contract expires.  Cubans for everyone!

The Cards have agreed to a 1-yr, $8mil deal with Lance Berkman.  All signs point to the slugger playing left field for the RedBirds with Matt Holliday moving to right.  St. Louis has admitted that they gave Berkman a higher salary in exchange for the brief length of the contract.  Uh, nice middle of the lineup next year, eh?

Be aware that the Adrian Gonzalez trade detailed yesterday is not yet done.  All players have passed their physicals but Gonzalez has not yet agreed to a contract extension with the Sox.  This is not necessarily a deal breaker and the deadline was supposed to be 2pm today, but there is no definite answer either way right now.

Aaron Harang terms with the Padres: 1-yr, $3mil.

Pretty Girl 12.05.10 - Kari Byron

There's something I'd sure like to Bust in her Myth.

There's a Serious Noumena in My Pants

Loved the post e. But do we have to change the rules of exchange? I mean we are fucking awesome but there are limits.

I certainly get that modern society is anything but satisfying to us. But rather then transforming it, the question I'm more interested in is this: how does one live out one's life within that society, but not necessarily playing by the same rules.

Though I hate the overuse of the word, we still have freedom going for us. Yes, we have to pay for the shit we consume, and yes we have to put up with the opinion and an judgment of other people. But one can certainly live his life the way he chooses to if he has the basic means and fortitude to.

In other words, how do you "decouple" from common, modern society? What are everyday actions you can partake in that are more satisfying?

I think a major first step is getting out of mainstream, common media. This blog is an excellent start. Enough TV. Enough with the news. Its great to read a book, or to create something, or to experience something and do it without having to check in with what the mass of other people think of it.

I'll end this with my experience at the German's wedding in Milwaukee. You know, Milwaukee is largely out of the national mindset. I had few preconceptions of the town. Not only was it a good time, but when I was out on a deck on the river drinking an excellent, local micro brew, I was struck with the thought of how many places like this exist, outside of the common mindset, outside of what you should know about, that are just fucking great in and of themselves. Regardless of how it stacks up against other places, Milwaukee was a fun time for me at that point in time. Shouldn't that be the focus of everyday life?

Grace Potter

This is a video no one has seen. But that's the point right? This band is very real, very un-produced. I love this video. Its an "unplugged" version of their hit that stands on it own. It has hot chicks and jesus look a likes...




Paris
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals