Friday, January 7, 2011
Pretty Girl 01.07.11 - Jane Krakowski
Viking Quest
Norris Cole leads the pack for conference player of the year averaging 21 points, 5 boards and 5 dimes while shooting 85% from the line. Kid is a semi-finalist for the Bob Cousy award as the nation's best point guard.
Former Kent State head man Gary Waters led CSU to 21 wins in his 2nd season, the second round of the NCAA tourney in his 3rd and now, in his 5th year, is steering perhaps the grandest Viking ship ever.
Cleveland State could get even better towards the end of the month when 6'4" senior D'Aundray Brown returns form a hand injury. It is still unclear whether Brown will take a medical redshirt, but he is on track to graduate at the end of the semester and his combination of production (8.6pts, 5.6rbs, 52%fg) and athleticism could push the Vikings over the top.
Waters gives much respect to his team's defense and the numbers back it up - opponents ppg 59.9 (29th of 366 teams), opponent fg% 39.0 (34th) and steals per game 8.9 (42nd). Butler is suffering from inconsistency in the wake of losing Gordon Heyward to the NBA and CSU is primed for the deathblow.
To see if the Vikings can climb to the top of Horizon mountain, tune in to ESPNU or click here.
Harbaugh's Day's Night
They're Real? And We Haven't Been Scheduling Them?
Also...
The Cubs acquire Matt Garza from the Rays along with OF Fernando Perez and an unnamed minor league pitcher for (pause to take a breath) OF Sam Fuld, former Tribe prospect RHP Chris Archer (part of the Mark DeRosa trade), OF Brandon Guyer, SS Hak-Ju Lee, and IF Robinson Chirinos. In the recently released 2011 Baseball America prospect ranking, Archer rated #1 (wish he was still in the Indians org), Lee #4, and Guyer #10. That is a haul for Tampa Bay. Garza will never be a #1 starter, but he does project as a strong #2 in the NL. The thinking is that the Cubs made the move now because (a) comparable pitchers simply are not available this winter and (b) they would have had to pay more at the July deadline. Yah, ok, Garza had better show up.
The Reds sign World Series MVP (and my personal least favorite person in the world; see 1997) Edgar Renteria to a 1-yr, $2.1mil contract.
The Orioles continue to add talent, inking righty closer Kevin Gregg to a 2-yr, $10mil deal. I find it hard to believe that O's can climb above both Boston and New York, but they are certainly giving it their best shot.
Terrelle Pryor will have surgery today to stabilize a ligament in his right foot. Assuming TP is true to his word about returning in the fall, he should have plenty of time to recover during his 5-game suspension.
Notable underclassmen declaring for the NFL draft: Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett and 3 Crimson Tide - RB Mark Ingram (former Heisman winner) along with WR Julio Jones and DE Marcell Dareus (both high on the Browns list).
Cheers.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Indian Bummer
Also, from the "who gives a crap" file, the Indians sign RHP Doug Mathis and acquire RHP Joe Martinez from the Pirates for a PTBNL. The former gets a spring invite, the latter is expected to compete for a rotation spot. Great.
Regression to the Mean
I haven't really ranted in quite some time and I'll tell you why. I spent the majority of December couch surfing, assisting my aging parents and dulling my perceptions with spirituous liquors. All of these activities appeal to me, each embodies an aspect of life that I find sorely lacking from my daily banality.
To live without a fixed address, to commune and temporarily cohabitate, to live out a bag and a pillowcase is quite intoxicating. During the most enjoyable month of my life, I did this exclusively, to my great joy and satisfaction. The course brings a connection to those who open their doors to you. More than any conversation, gift, or handshake, the most fundamentally brotherly act that one can perform on another is to invite you into his home. For a a period, however inevitably brief, you belong to that home, as if your stay was to be permanent. It is a firm hug and firefly. It is comfortable and calm. At the same time it is an adventure. Without ever truly knowing where you might lay your head for the coming night, you are forced to live in the moment that you find yourself. With absolutely no expectation for the future, the present becomes important in the span of each breath. It provides focus and freedom, honing perception to razor clarity.
Most actions in this world are purposeless, automated. They serve only to maintenance the machine that we continue to build. Despite acumen in certain areas, beyond my desire to give back and contribute, I am fundamentally unable to motivate myself into works that are inherently absent of meaning. Classes, office jobs, customer service, what a waste. Think of it like the BCS. If anyone were to start from scratch and build a post-season system, it is inconceivable that the end result would be the Bowl Championship Series. Whatever methodology, whatever priorities came into play, the BCS could only exist as a refinement of an antiquated sensibility. Such is modern life. Lacking the wherewithal to reinvent ourselves, we continue to slap duct tape over the oxidation and replace windows with garbage bags. In vain hubris we pat our state-of-the-art sound system and smirk at our 22" rims. Soon the engine will die as we choose to disregard it, denying our fate until it sputters to death in a hail storm. In my loquacity I intend to impart that helping my parents to complete tasks, day-to-day or long-term projects, filled me with a sense of accomplishment that I have not felt before in my adult life. I paid a nickel on a debt of millions and savored every second. Perhaps the issue is with me, but there must be some path that I can walk that is similarly bereft of existential angst.
I saw an episode of Cougar Town last nite (stop laughing). One of the plot lines revolved around the perpetually adolescent father being shown the contents of Pandora's Box. Eyes opened to the indecency and idiocy of the world at large, he became unable to live his blissful existence or sink a simple putt. Through the course of the story, he learned to accept and ignore the unkempt horror of humanity and live through it. Somehow my chemistry is off. Someday I hope that the Doc will determine to proper cocktail to allow me that sort of grace. Until then my glasses are made of booze bottles, my disbelief dulled by the warm hand of a Swedish master.
"I do not need to be given their glory. I do not need to steal their gold. They are they and I am I, our paths simply fall side by side."
December was a top 5 month in my life. I wish more of you had been a part of it.
Cheers.
To live without a fixed address, to commune and temporarily cohabitate, to live out a bag and a pillowcase is quite intoxicating. During the most enjoyable month of my life, I did this exclusively, to my great joy and satisfaction. The course brings a connection to those who open their doors to you. More than any conversation, gift, or handshake, the most fundamentally brotherly act that one can perform on another is to invite you into his home. For a a period, however inevitably brief, you belong to that home, as if your stay was to be permanent. It is a firm hug and firefly. It is comfortable and calm. At the same time it is an adventure. Without ever truly knowing where you might lay your head for the coming night, you are forced to live in the moment that you find yourself. With absolutely no expectation for the future, the present becomes important in the span of each breath. It provides focus and freedom, honing perception to razor clarity.
Most actions in this world are purposeless, automated. They serve only to maintenance the machine that we continue to build. Despite acumen in certain areas, beyond my desire to give back and contribute, I am fundamentally unable to motivate myself into works that are inherently absent of meaning. Classes, office jobs, customer service, what a waste. Think of it like the BCS. If anyone were to start from scratch and build a post-season system, it is inconceivable that the end result would be the Bowl Championship Series. Whatever methodology, whatever priorities came into play, the BCS could only exist as a refinement of an antiquated sensibility. Such is modern life. Lacking the wherewithal to reinvent ourselves, we continue to slap duct tape over the oxidation and replace windows with garbage bags. In vain hubris we pat our state-of-the-art sound system and smirk at our 22" rims. Soon the engine will die as we choose to disregard it, denying our fate until it sputters to death in a hail storm. In my loquacity I intend to impart that helping my parents to complete tasks, day-to-day or long-term projects, filled me with a sense of accomplishment that I have not felt before in my adult life. I paid a nickel on a debt of millions and savored every second. Perhaps the issue is with me, but there must be some path that I can walk that is similarly bereft of existential angst.
I saw an episode of Cougar Town last nite (stop laughing). One of the plot lines revolved around the perpetually adolescent father being shown the contents of Pandora's Box. Eyes opened to the indecency and idiocy of the world at large, he became unable to live his blissful existence or sink a simple putt. Through the course of the story, he learned to accept and ignore the unkempt horror of humanity and live through it. Somehow my chemistry is off. Someday I hope that the Doc will determine to proper cocktail to allow me that sort of grace. Until then my glasses are made of booze bottles, my disbelief dulled by the warm hand of a Swedish master.
"I do not need to be given their glory. I do not need to steal their gold. They are they and I am I, our paths simply fall side by side."
December was a top 5 month in my life. I wish more of you had been a part of it.
Cheers.
First Class - Sandy Koufax
I realized today that I could not picture the delivery of the man I consider to be the greatest pitcher of all-time. Koufax was more dominant than anyone that we have ever seen. Better than Cliff Lee. Better than Pedro Martinez. Better than Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens or Randy Johnson. There is disturbingly little video available on-line, but I did learn that Casey Stengel agrees with me. The film does not do his work justice. Regardless, take a few and enjoy.
Young Luck, Unsaintly Young & Unlucky Saints
Stanford QB, Andrew Luck, considered by most to be the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft has decided to return to Stanford for his redshirt Junior season. What now Carolina? This can only hurt the Brownies as it increases the possibility that A.J. Green(Geo) will not fall to #6. Assuming so, the Browns look at WR Julio Jones(Ala), CB Prince Amukamara(Neb) & DE Marcell Dareus(Ala). I vote wideout.
Tired of Vince Young's shenanigans and siding with 16-year incumbent Jeff Fisher, Titans owner Bud Adams has stated that Young will not be back with the team next season. Top 5 suitors - Cardinals, Dolphins, Redskins, 49ers, Seahawks. & now, maybe, Carolina?
The Saints have places RBs Chris Ivory & Pierre Thomas on IR. This means that both will be unavailable for the entirety of the Saints playoff run. N'Awlins is left with Reggie Bush and Julius Jones who combined for exactly 1 touchdown this season. Go Seahawks!
Cheers.
Jenni-Les?
I could not be later to this party, but, hey, it's funny nonetheless. Tropic Thunder was on Fx, sue me. Les Grossman movie in development.
And, just for kicks, here is, from the same broadcast, Sandra Bullock kissing Scarlett Johansson.
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