On June 7, Raw ran a three-hour show, advertised as Viewer's Choice. For the first 2 and a half hours, it was a non-descript show and I found most of it very boring.
Jericho and Show in a body slam challenge. Ho-hum. The Hart Dynasty against Great Khali and Hornswoggle. So the fans picked the giant and the midget over the Uso clan? More likely, WWE rigged that one. And two days later, I see this new tag team on Superstars? The C show? Way to kill momentum for two young guys!
The dance-off between Santino and Kozlov was a great surprise. The giant, stoic Russian suddenly got over as a big babyface with his dancing "ability" and had the crowd cheering like crazy. I never saw that coming.
The A-Team guest host angle with Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper, Gene Okerlund, Ted DiBiase...was pointless and will sell no tickets, no merchandise, and no PPV's.
Then came John Cena vs. CM Punk. As Cena takes the advantage, NXT winner Wade Barrett begins sauntering down the ramp towards the ring. All of a sudden, the seven 7 other rookies from NXT Season 1 attack Punk and Luke Gallows. Then all eight of them enter the ring simultaneously and surround Cena. They beat Cena and then Skip Sheffield kicks TV announcer Matt Striker in the face. Then Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel attack Lawler. The rookies destroy the ringside area and beat up the ring announcers and time keeper and whoever they can get their hands on. Then I saw the image that I thought meant little except to further the angle. Daniel Bryan, who I'm calling by his real name from here on, is choking ring announcer Justin Roberts with his tie in a camel clutch position. Eventually, they all attacked Cena some more and destroyed the ring. Danielson yelled “You are not better than me!” at Cena, kicks him in the head, and spits in his face.
The angle was amazing, surprising, controversial, exciting, and had wrestling fans, including me, buzzing. Eight new starts had been created instantly. For the first time in years, I was pumped for the next Monday to watch Raw.
Then Friday morning, June 11, I see the headline on Facebook:
"WWE has agreed to terms on the release of Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson)."
I thought it was a joke. I figured he would be taken off TV for a week or two and then come back. But he is a veteran, very respected in the locker room, and clearly the most accomplished of those eight rookies. If they're going to have the NXT crew in matches against the WWE pros, Danielson would probably do the bulk of the work along with Barrett and Gabriel. Certainly, he didn't do anything that was overly outrageous in the attack, at least compared to the other seven. As it turns out, when he choked out Roberts with a tie, he overstepped the boundaries. Someone got mad, like a sponsor, or a toy company, or Linda's Senate campaign, or some bigwig shmuck who has stroke. It was apparently too reminiscent of Chris Benoit.
So this is a company where on TV you can run people over with cars, blow them up, set them on fire, break into their house, bury them alive, but choking with a necktie is going too far? Instead of donating to my church or high school or kids who are starving, I'm saving my money up for "Parents Against Necktie Violence." Forget the war, forget the oil spill, it's this necktie violence that is clearly ruining our great country.
What clinched it for me was when I saw Danielson was accepting indy bookings. As much as I would love to see him back in ROH, he's done everything there, except winning the tag team titles. But I don't think he would have much to gain by returning to the indys.
Maybe it is an angle. I admit nothing is impossible. But it seems legit and I am so upset with WWE right now for letting him go. Screw you Vince, screw you Stephanie, and screw you Laurinaitis. You have as much ability to recognize wrestling talent as I do to be the President of South Korea!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
2 weeks down
I'm leaving for Blues on the Fox in about half an hour and it's been a while since I've posted. So let's recap what's been going on.
1) Last weekend, I went to Wrigley Field and saw the White Sox edge the Cubs in a great pitcher's duel between Mark Buehrle and, somehow, Carlos Silva. Plenty of rain that day, but the game was played. Good to see the Sox win. Thanks to Joe for purchasing the tickets and driving. And nothing like some clam/bacon white and sausage/sauteed mushrooms pizza at Piece afterwards!
2) I tried the bison dogs, and while I prefer the beef, I like that the bison is the same price and that it is healthier meat. I think I will stick with the "1 of each" plan when the Mets come in come September.
3) That was a great winning streak the Mets put together, winning 8 in a row and 12 of 13. But it's over. Now Johan needs to step it up tomorrow afternoon and win this series in Yankee Stadium.
4) I am getting more and more into the World Cup. I never thought the US would rally after falling behind by two goals to Slovenia. Their rally absolutely floored me. And then to see that third goal was disallowed by a bogus referee. That was terrible. And the sad part is the incompetence of that ref overshadowed the comeback. That said, beat Algeria and advance to the Round of 16.
5) Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks for winning the Stanley Cup. And I'm happiest they won in Philadelphia. and all their fans got to see the Cup get presented to a visiting team.
6) That said, to Ed Olczyk. Shut up. Quit knocking the New York Rangers and the city of New York. The only Stanley Cup you ever won was in New York City. And for 50 of those games, you were wearing a suit jacket, not a jersey. So be thankful Neil Smith traded for you. And PS, for national broadcasts you are a poor man's replacement for John Davidson. It's like comparing Jim Ross and Michael Cole on Raw.
7) Florence Henderson is a guest host for Raw in July. Oh joy, I have to see that live and in living color (insert groan and a double dose of sarcasm)...
8) Finally got to tan outside by the pool this morning. The rain this spring has been ridiculous. I long for 80 degrees and hotter.
9) Ultimate frisbee soccer was too much for me to handle on Thursday. My feet swelled up and my endurance is just not what it was a few years ago. I kept it kind of quiet, but after about 30 minutes of play, I already felt blown up. At least I scored twice.
10) I am so sick of these twats who never post anything on Facebook except when they have date night and wedding plan updates. Lord help me, I just want to hit my screen with a sledgehammer sometimes!
Song pick: "Paradise Riviera" by Stevie Ray Vaughan. one of the best instrumental pieces ever recorded.
1) Last weekend, I went to Wrigley Field and saw the White Sox edge the Cubs in a great pitcher's duel between Mark Buehrle and, somehow, Carlos Silva. Plenty of rain that day, but the game was played. Good to see the Sox win. Thanks to Joe for purchasing the tickets and driving. And nothing like some clam/bacon white and sausage/sauteed mushrooms pizza at Piece afterwards!
2) I tried the bison dogs, and while I prefer the beef, I like that the bison is the same price and that it is healthier meat. I think I will stick with the "1 of each" plan when the Mets come in come September.
3) That was a great winning streak the Mets put together, winning 8 in a row and 12 of 13. But it's over. Now Johan needs to step it up tomorrow afternoon and win this series in Yankee Stadium.
4) I am getting more and more into the World Cup. I never thought the US would rally after falling behind by two goals to Slovenia. Their rally absolutely floored me. And then to see that third goal was disallowed by a bogus referee. That was terrible. And the sad part is the incompetence of that ref overshadowed the comeback. That said, beat Algeria and advance to the Round of 16.
5) Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks for winning the Stanley Cup. And I'm happiest they won in Philadelphia. and all their fans got to see the Cup get presented to a visiting team.
6) That said, to Ed Olczyk. Shut up. Quit knocking the New York Rangers and the city of New York. The only Stanley Cup you ever won was in New York City. And for 50 of those games, you were wearing a suit jacket, not a jersey. So be thankful Neil Smith traded for you. And PS, for national broadcasts you are a poor man's replacement for John Davidson. It's like comparing Jim Ross and Michael Cole on Raw.
7) Florence Henderson is a guest host for Raw in July. Oh joy, I have to see that live and in living color (insert groan and a double dose of sarcasm)...
8) Finally got to tan outside by the pool this morning. The rain this spring has been ridiculous. I long for 80 degrees and hotter.
9) Ultimate frisbee soccer was too much for me to handle on Thursday. My feet swelled up and my endurance is just not what it was a few years ago. I kept it kind of quiet, but after about 30 minutes of play, I already felt blown up. At least I scored twice.
10) I am so sick of these twats who never post anything on Facebook except when they have date night and wedding plan updates. Lord help me, I just want to hit my screen with a sledgehammer sometimes!
Song pick: "Paradise Riviera" by Stevie Ray Vaughan. one of the best instrumental pieces ever recorded.
Saturday, June 05, 2010
2 AM and I should be asleep
Then again, I just got home from the Cadillac Ranch. I acutually danced to one song. And I wasn't quite ready to crash under the covers. Something about the combo of LI iced teas, music, and after midnight that fuels my creativity.
1) I love this. So two certain baseball teams play each other next weekend. I can only wonder who the fraud will be rooting for...
2) Cooked up mustard-bourbon pork chops and roasted garlic mashed potatoes today. I was working so hard I felt the sweat streaming down my face. But I seriously may have outdone myself this time. Between the seasoning and length of time in the pan, I don't know if I have tasted a better pork chop in my life. And I have learned a key lesson. Roasted garlic makes the best mashed potatoes in the world.
3) Good job my Mets beating Florida twice. Now they have to learn to win on the road.
4) Has there ever been a phonier injury in the history of sports than Follie Perez suffering from patella tendinitis? He should be placed on the DL for a completely lack of backbone! Or because he simply blows!
5) Over the last 48 hours, I have prayed as hard as I can remember in a long time. I do believe in the power of community prayer.
6) At rare times, I may feel isolated. But it sure beats the alternative I could have been living with if I had chosen to take that particular path.
Song pick: "Because You Can't Be Mine" Merle Haggard
1) I love this. So two certain baseball teams play each other next weekend. I can only wonder who the fraud will be rooting for...
2) Cooked up mustard-bourbon pork chops and roasted garlic mashed potatoes today. I was working so hard I felt the sweat streaming down my face. But I seriously may have outdone myself this time. Between the seasoning and length of time in the pan, I don't know if I have tasted a better pork chop in my life. And I have learned a key lesson. Roasted garlic makes the best mashed potatoes in the world.
3) Good job my Mets beating Florida twice. Now they have to learn to win on the road.
4) Has there ever been a phonier injury in the history of sports than Follie Perez suffering from patella tendinitis? He should be placed on the DL for a completely lack of backbone! Or because he simply blows!
5) Over the last 48 hours, I have prayed as hard as I can remember in a long time. I do believe in the power of community prayer.
6) At rare times, I may feel isolated. But it sure beats the alternative I could have been living with if I had chosen to take that particular path.
Song pick: "Because You Can't Be Mine" Merle Haggard
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wisconsin Day 2
1) I had been awake for 18 hours and driven for maybe 6 of those hours. I crashed in the guest bedroom and slept till 8, despite waking up at 6. Caleb, 1, is still something of a screamer.
2) Nef had a Saturday morning meeting and I got to see Karen preparing breakfast for the three kids and eventually herself! As for me, I read a John Ortberg book as well as George Steinbrenner's biography most of the morning. The weather was remarkably warm for the morning, so I spent most of it outside.
3) Karen and I drove the kids to UW-Madison and the six of us ate outside at the terrace, which overlooks the lake. It's great spot to chill out, study, or eat. Wasn't quite that good at Gordon. As I walked down towards the lake, I noticed a large amount of algae on the shore. There was even a dead fish floating in it.
4) With Caleb getting a little restless, they decided to take him home. I think I went on the back porch and caught up on the sleep that I had been missing over the last two months. I think I slept on the back porch for about two hours.
5) Eventually, I did some more reading and then heard some shrieking and hollering in the yard. Emma and Sophie were clearly having a ball and I heard a few chuckles from Nef too, though I wasn't sure what as going on. I didn't really need to see. The sound was good enough. But Karen came outside with Caleb and I walked over to see what was going on. Nef set up the sprinkler for himself and the girls. They were sliding on one of the those flat plastic slides. A few kids from next door came over and joined in the fun too. I was fine just watching.
6) Then Nef and I took off for Milwaukee. I was happy to see his Iphone had access to WFAN radio and we listened to some of Steve Somers as we cruised down 43.
7) This was disaster Round 2. Fernando Nieve and Oliver Perez were absolutely pathetic. And seeing Corey Hart hit three straight home runs, for seven RBI was just disgraceful.
8) It was amazing how I called three things: 1) Top of the third, Mets trail 5-3. Bases loaded, two outs, pitcher's spot up, a lefty is pitching. Jerry Manuel decided to pinch hit, smart move. I looked into the on-deck circle. The second I saw Gary Matthews step in the circle instead of Fernando Tatis, I yelled out loud "Oh no!" I turned to Nef and said, "Watch, four pitches, he'll strike out." Ball 1, followed by three straight strikes. I knew they were in trouble right there.
9) After Perez allowed Hart's third homer, they Mets were down by four. Against some reliever named Estrada, Ike Davis stepped up with two runners on. I said that Ike would do something big. And he did, swatting a three-run homer to right field that trailed the deficit to 7-6. We were feeling good by this point.
10) The Brewers countered yet again, this time scoring once, extending the lead to 8-6. In the top of the fifth, the Mets loaded the bases on a Frenchy single, Reyes after striking out and the ball getting away, and Castillo on an error by the catcher. In comes Todd Coffey, who gets Jason Bay to weakly ground out to second base. To that point, every inning had at least one run score. I sad to Nef and the Mets fan sitting behind us, "Watch, knowing the Mets, there won't be any more runs in the whole game." Not only was I right, but the Mets never had another baserunner for the final four innings of the game.
11) So we got in around 11:30, and I had a hoarse voice and sore feet. I woke up the next morning and took off around 6:30. I had breakfast at the Machine Shed in Rockford and enjoyed some sourdough French toast with their apple cider syrup, which was amazingly smooth and warm. Three fried eggs and some thick cut bacon rounded out the meal.
12) I headed straight for church and arrived just in time to hear Brain Coffey deliver his message on marriage. And I had a rather large cinnamon roll ready for the group...
2) Nef had a Saturday morning meeting and I got to see Karen preparing breakfast for the three kids and eventually herself! As for me, I read a John Ortberg book as well as George Steinbrenner's biography most of the morning. The weather was remarkably warm for the morning, so I spent most of it outside.
3) Karen and I drove the kids to UW-Madison and the six of us ate outside at the terrace, which overlooks the lake. It's great spot to chill out, study, or eat. Wasn't quite that good at Gordon. As I walked down towards the lake, I noticed a large amount of algae on the shore. There was even a dead fish floating in it.
4) With Caleb getting a little restless, they decided to take him home. I think I went on the back porch and caught up on the sleep that I had been missing over the last two months. I think I slept on the back porch for about two hours.
5) Eventually, I did some more reading and then heard some shrieking and hollering in the yard. Emma and Sophie were clearly having a ball and I heard a few chuckles from Nef too, though I wasn't sure what as going on. I didn't really need to see. The sound was good enough. But Karen came outside with Caleb and I walked over to see what was going on. Nef set up the sprinkler for himself and the girls. They were sliding on one of the those flat plastic slides. A few kids from next door came over and joined in the fun too. I was fine just watching.
6) Then Nef and I took off for Milwaukee. I was happy to see his Iphone had access to WFAN radio and we listened to some of Steve Somers as we cruised down 43.
7) This was disaster Round 2. Fernando Nieve and Oliver Perez were absolutely pathetic. And seeing Corey Hart hit three straight home runs, for seven RBI was just disgraceful.
8) It was amazing how I called three things: 1) Top of the third, Mets trail 5-3. Bases loaded, two outs, pitcher's spot up, a lefty is pitching. Jerry Manuel decided to pinch hit, smart move. I looked into the on-deck circle. The second I saw Gary Matthews step in the circle instead of Fernando Tatis, I yelled out loud "Oh no!" I turned to Nef and said, "Watch, four pitches, he'll strike out." Ball 1, followed by three straight strikes. I knew they were in trouble right there.
9) After Perez allowed Hart's third homer, they Mets were down by four. Against some reliever named Estrada, Ike Davis stepped up with two runners on. I said that Ike would do something big. And he did, swatting a three-run homer to right field that trailed the deficit to 7-6. We were feeling good by this point.
10) The Brewers countered yet again, this time scoring once, extending the lead to 8-6. In the top of the fifth, the Mets loaded the bases on a Frenchy single, Reyes after striking out and the ball getting away, and Castillo on an error by the catcher. In comes Todd Coffey, who gets Jason Bay to weakly ground out to second base. To that point, every inning had at least one run score. I sad to Nef and the Mets fan sitting behind us, "Watch, knowing the Mets, there won't be any more runs in the whole game." Not only was I right, but the Mets never had another baserunner for the final four innings of the game.
11) So we got in around 11:30, and I had a hoarse voice and sore feet. I woke up the next morning and took off around 6:30. I had breakfast at the Machine Shed in Rockford and enjoyed some sourdough French toast with their apple cider syrup, which was amazingly smooth and warm. Three fried eggs and some thick cut bacon rounded out the meal.
12) I headed straight for church and arrived just in time to hear Brain Coffey deliver his message on marriage. And I had a rather large cinnamon roll ready for the group...
Wisconsin Day 1
1) Up at 5 to hear Boomer and Carton's opening about the Mets sweeping the Phillies and posting those three shutouts.
5) I must have walked those paths for two hours. I just wish I had worn my sneakers so I wouldn't have this blister on my right heel that bothered me for several days.
6) After wall that walking, I really wanted a bottle of water. I walked up to the snack stand at McKinley Beach, where my car was parked. The stand had 30 people on line and at least 100 people were waiting for their orders. So I took off for Brady Street.
7) I liked that neighborhood, which has been renovated rather recently. It has a lot of modern and independent little businesses with shops and restaurants. Not too many I found that appealed to males my age who prefer women...
12) The chipotle chicken baked potato was awesome as always. My seat was the last row of the 200 section right behind home plate. That put me right in front of all four Mets announcers, Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, Howie Rose, and Wayne Hagin, who even waved to me. I was hoping something good would happen so I would have a chance to go nuts. That never came. Great job by Johan though. And one guy sitting next to me introduced me to one of the vendors as Mike Piazza. And I had not even mentioned his name the entire night! Great job by the Miller Park staff saying Ike Davis was batting second AND fourth and playing BOTH first and second base. Embarrassing.
2) I have to remember to avoid driving through downtown Barrington unless that is my final destination.
3) The garbage plate with homemade toast at Frankie's was awesome as always.
5) I must have walked those paths for two hours. I just wish I had worn my sneakers so I wouldn't have this blister on my right heel that bothered me for several days.
6) After wall that walking, I really wanted a bottle of water. I walked up to the snack stand at McKinley Beach, where my car was parked. The stand had 30 people on line and at least 100 people were waiting for their orders. So I took off for Brady Street.
7) I liked that neighborhood, which has been renovated rather recently. It has a lot of modern and independent little businesses with shops and restaurants. Not too many I found that appealed to males my age who prefer women...
8) I had lunch at a Mexican restaurant called Cempazuchi. Looking back, I almost wish I had tried the al pastor tacos with the sauteed duck. Instead, I went with the al Gusto. They had onion, cilantro, and two had steak while one had a mix of spicy chicken and pork. In all fairness, I wish I would have spent the extra six bucks and tried the duck. The tacos were certainly good, but they weren't anything special.
9) I walked down one block and stopped at Peter Sciartello's bakery, which has lots of Italian cookies, breads, and gelato. They even stuff their cannolis fresh to order, and I picked up four (just ate the third five minute ago). I also got some sesame cookies as well as a few chocolate chips for the Serranos.
10) It was around 2:00 by this point and I planned to arrive at the Milwaukee Ale House around 4 p.m. With a little extra time, I headed down by the river to the heart of downtown and visited the Public Museum. For 12 bucks, I thought it was a solid value. Some of the displays that I remember best were the butterfly garden where I got to walk in this light, heated room while butterflies whizzed right past my head. There were some nice displays for Native Americans too. I especially liked the displays of animals from across the globe. There was even a real African elephant. I wish they hadn't explained the gruesome process of transporting the elephant into the museum and then upstairs and then into the display area. I even had a brief chance to dance to some Pacific Island music...
11) The Milwaukee Ale House was just half a mile away. I arrived at 3:45 and waited 15 minutes until happy hour, when they start serving $2.50 pints. I drank my trusty Juneau Ale and headed to Miller Park.12) The chipotle chicken baked potato was awesome as always. My seat was the last row of the 200 section right behind home plate. That put me right in front of all four Mets announcers, Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, Howie Rose, and Wayne Hagin, who even waved to me. I was hoping something good would happen so I would have a chance to go nuts. That never came. Great job by Johan though. And one guy sitting next to me introduced me to one of the vendors as Mike Piazza. And I had not even mentioned his name the entire night! Great job by the Miller Park staff saying Ike Davis was batting second AND fourth and playing BOTH first and second base. Embarrassing.
13) My GPS sucks in Wisconsin. I wound up taking three wrong turns until I got to 4913 Flad.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Goose egg sweep
5 of 6 wins against the Yankees and Phillies at home is a remarkable performance by the New York Mets that absolutely nobody could have seen coming! And to win three games against the arrogant Philadelphia, shut them out, and two of those starts were by Hisinori Takahashi and R....A.....DICKEY!!! It's stunning.
I just hope they are not setting me up for a heartbreaking fall against Milwaukee this weekend. Somehow, I feel pretty good.
Time to get on the road...
I just hope they are not setting me up for a heartbreaking fall against Milwaukee this weekend. Somehow, I feel pretty good.
Time to get on the road...
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Wrap up
90 degrees in May. I could get used to that. First inning of Mets vs. Yankees right now. Johan vs CC. This has to go better than last year did.
1) My softball team is 2-0. I guess I'll have to get used to that red t-shirt we wear. I haven't had a chance to catch a fly ball in the outfield, just throw one ball into the infield that was a base hit. Brian is not the most accurate pitcher in the league, but he's tough. That said, we can't afford to give up so many walks when we play the better teams in the league. Hopefully, this Darren guy an give us a little more stability in the circle. I like our defense, particularly at shortstop and third base. We have Erics, two Tims, and two Georges and all six can hit line drives. And between Clay (who I still want to call Lincecum because of his hair) and me, we're two speedy, hustling outfielders.
2) Congrats to the Chicago Blackhawks for reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. They lost a ton for years, drafted very well, and got the right coach. That said, I am still not sold on Antti Niemi. Anyway, my team has not even sniffed the semifinals in 13 years. Will take something special to get them back there.
3) Played my first round of disc golf on Saturday. Didn't do too great, but I think it will be better next time. No lost discs, though I did have to retrieve one from the edge of a lake. I really want to become a better putter this year.
4) This week will be brutal. My day job includes three hours of Blessing White training on Thursday morning plus all the extra makeup work my team has to do right now. For the Herald, baseball, softball, and volleyball all begin playoffs and soccer is in the sectional round. But it all ends Thursday night and I leave for Wisconsin the next morning.
5) Danni Leigh. How is she not a star in American country music while the talentless continue to thrive?
6) (Two hours later) I like my new black ladder bookshelf. Had the same brown fake wood desk in my bedroom for 20 years. A change was necessary. The assembly wasn't bad either. Sorry about the black mark on the ceiling, Mom.
7) DR is a real sweetheart.
8) Biggest thing I got from Proverbs 19 was patience and how it isn't necessarily about being good at waiting. It's about having wisdom and good sense.
9) Current books: Satchiel Page, Steinbrenner
10) Put it in the books!
1) My softball team is 2-0. I guess I'll have to get used to that red t-shirt we wear. I haven't had a chance to catch a fly ball in the outfield, just throw one ball into the infield that was a base hit. Brian is not the most accurate pitcher in the league, but he's tough. That said, we can't afford to give up so many walks when we play the better teams in the league. Hopefully, this Darren guy an give us a little more stability in the circle. I like our defense, particularly at shortstop and third base. We have Erics, two Tims, and two Georges and all six can hit line drives. And between Clay (who I still want to call Lincecum because of his hair) and me, we're two speedy, hustling outfielders.
2) Congrats to the Chicago Blackhawks for reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. They lost a ton for years, drafted very well, and got the right coach. That said, I am still not sold on Antti Niemi. Anyway, my team has not even sniffed the semifinals in 13 years. Will take something special to get them back there.
3) Played my first round of disc golf on Saturday. Didn't do too great, but I think it will be better next time. No lost discs, though I did have to retrieve one from the edge of a lake. I really want to become a better putter this year.
4) This week will be brutal. My day job includes three hours of Blessing White training on Thursday morning plus all the extra makeup work my team has to do right now. For the Herald, baseball, softball, and volleyball all begin playoffs and soccer is in the sectional round. But it all ends Thursday night and I leave for Wisconsin the next morning.
5) Danni Leigh. How is she not a star in American country music while the talentless continue to thrive?
6) (Two hours later) I like my new black ladder bookshelf. Had the same brown fake wood desk in my bedroom for 20 years. A change was necessary. The assembly wasn't bad either. Sorry about the black mark on the ceiling, Mom.
7) DR is a real sweetheart.
8) Biggest thing I got from Proverbs 19 was patience and how it isn't necessarily about being good at waiting. It's about having wisdom and good sense.
9) Current books: Satchiel Page, Steinbrenner
10) Put it in the books!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Perception
1) I can't help but wonder where my presence matters. Or if it really matters anywhere. Or does it matter to the people that matter in my life.
2) My work load will lighten in roughly 20 days. When that period elapses, I wonder what I fill it with.
3) With what I have, I should be happy. Yet, I feel I should have something more. Or maybe, just something different.
4) Every times I write the word "have" I always mix up the h and the a. Every time.
5) Is Bryan Danielson going to be in WWE? Is it possible?
6) I long for some hot weather. 60 degrees does not count. I am ready to sweat a little bit.
7) Why was it taken away from me before I had a chance to experience it? It just isn't right.
8) I'm glad we are studying Proverbs on Sunday mornings. We could all use a little wisdom.
9) I don't know about softball right now. Looks like I'm playing against my friends but will play with some of the guys from last year. I want to play, but I don't know how excited I am. But once I see that first fly ball fly in the air, then descend and feel it settling in my tan leather glove. Then I grab that softball in my right palm and hurl it in towards the infield. When that happens, I'll be good.
10) I was out of the house for 15 hours today. Now it is 11:50 pm and I can hear the rain crashing down hard outside. My eyes are so ready to close. Yet I want to listen to more music. I'll finish it off tonight with Johnny Cash's coffer of "If You Could Read My Mind."
2) My work load will lighten in roughly 20 days. When that period elapses, I wonder what I fill it with.
3) With what I have, I should be happy. Yet, I feel I should have something more. Or maybe, just something different.
4) Every times I write the word "have" I always mix up the h and the a. Every time.
5) Is Bryan Danielson going to be in WWE? Is it possible?
6) I long for some hot weather. 60 degrees does not count. I am ready to sweat a little bit.
7) Why was it taken away from me before I had a chance to experience it? It just isn't right.
8) I'm glad we are studying Proverbs on Sunday mornings. We could all use a little wisdom.
9) I don't know about softball right now. Looks like I'm playing against my friends but will play with some of the guys from last year. I want to play, but I don't know how excited I am. But once I see that first fly ball fly in the air, then descend and feel it settling in my tan leather glove. Then I grab that softball in my right palm and hurl it in towards the infield. When that happens, I'll be good.
10) I was out of the house for 15 hours today. Now it is 11:50 pm and I can hear the rain crashing down hard outside. My eyes are so ready to close. Yet I want to listen to more music. I'll finish it off tonight with Johnny Cash's coffer of "If You Could Read My Mind."
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Done
Repeat: they are done. Johan is garbage. Eighty percent of this roster is garbage. Why was I cursed to root for these four pathetic franchises that always smack me in the face with a sledgehammer and then stick it up my rear end every damn year?
Why must the Mets lift our hopes to the rooftop? Eight wins in a row. Nine of ten on the homestand and an absolute ass-kicking of those assholes in Philly on Friday. I was so giddy. I wore my Mets gear on Saturday. I was so proud to put the blue and orange on. That afternoon, they get embarrassed by Doc Halladay, but I can live with that. He's the best pitcher in the game. Each team wins a blowout game, fine. But never in my sickest dreams did I envision the bullshit I would watch tonight.
The Mets pitch their supposed ace Johan Santana against 97 year old Jamie Moyer. Top of the first" David Wiright drills a 3-run homer and I am going nuts. Bottom of the first: our ace allows homers to Polanco and Howard. 3-2. I'm not pleased, but I can handle it, CBP has smaller dimensions than a little league park.
Fast forward to the fourth inning. This inning sums up this franchise and everything they have been since 2007. Following a Tatis strikeout and a Francoeur single Rod Barajas drills a two-run homer off the left field foul pole. Bottom half: here we go! Utley doubles, Santana retires the next two. Fine, all is well. Then Ibanez singles Utley home. But with 7, 8, and 9 coming up, I had no real worries. Uh huh. The immortal Juan Castro singles. Carlos Ruiz walks on four pitches and Santana never gave him a thing to hit. But that is completely against Santan'a tough, aggressive mentality that he used to have. Up comes Moyer, the ancient pitcher. On seven pitches, this overrated, so-called great ace pitcher walks Moyer. He freakin' walks him! Run in. Second pitch to Shane Victorino, it's a grand slam! 8-5! If that wasn't enough, Polanco promptly singles, and Utley homers! 10-5! Finally, our manager, who thinks he is Johnny Carson, brings in Takahashi who gives up a single to Howard and double to Werth. 11-5, nine runs in one inning. Oh, and over the final five innings, against Moyer,the legend that is Chad Durbin, and Dennys Baez, how did the Mets offense fare? One walk, no hits. Way to show heart, you pussies.
All the optimism built up over 10 days has been extinguished. But here is what I have come to realize. Santana sucks. He is finished. He sucks. He may have a good outing against the Pittsburgh's and Washington's of the world. But he is nothing close to approaching the No. 1 ace pitcher he used to be in Minnesota and in his first year with the Mets. Please. Ollie Perez looks better than this stiff. Go back to Minnesota Ollie and their jerk-off fans up there. You're done, you're crap, you're a failure. A damn failure.
I don't like sounding like a broken record. But how else can I sound? Between the Mets, Jets, Knicks, and Rangers, I have one championship in 23 years! I am so tired of this and yet, I cannot get these teams out of my blood. It's like a terminal disease, like cancer. A lifelong drawn out death.
Seriously, hoping for glory and happiness with this team was like chasing after Stephanie in high school and later on, Jen in college. Runaround after runaround after runaround. Tease after tease after tease. I'm so blinded by the hope or the infatuation or whatever. And I keep coming back for more! I wish I knew why! I am such a moron! I apologize to all four of my grandparents that I have turned out this way. I really do.
God, why was I destined to become a devout follower of this chain of failure and misery? Why?
Epilogue: One John Daly and Two High Lifes down. I could use a Pissed-off Life right now because my life is not very high right now. Off to Cincinnati.
Why must the Mets lift our hopes to the rooftop? Eight wins in a row. Nine of ten on the homestand and an absolute ass-kicking of those assholes in Philly on Friday. I was so giddy. I wore my Mets gear on Saturday. I was so proud to put the blue and orange on. That afternoon, they get embarrassed by Doc Halladay, but I can live with that. He's the best pitcher in the game. Each team wins a blowout game, fine. But never in my sickest dreams did I envision the bullshit I would watch tonight.
The Mets pitch their supposed ace Johan Santana against 97 year old Jamie Moyer. Top of the first" David Wiright drills a 3-run homer and I am going nuts. Bottom of the first: our ace allows homers to Polanco and Howard. 3-2. I'm not pleased, but I can handle it, CBP has smaller dimensions than a little league park.
Fast forward to the fourth inning. This inning sums up this franchise and everything they have been since 2007. Following a Tatis strikeout and a Francoeur single Rod Barajas drills a two-run homer off the left field foul pole. Bottom half: here we go! Utley doubles, Santana retires the next two. Fine, all is well. Then Ibanez singles Utley home. But with 7, 8, and 9 coming up, I had no real worries. Uh huh. The immortal Juan Castro singles. Carlos Ruiz walks on four pitches and Santana never gave him a thing to hit. But that is completely against Santan'a tough, aggressive mentality that he used to have. Up comes Moyer, the ancient pitcher. On seven pitches, this overrated, so-called great ace pitcher walks Moyer. He freakin' walks him! Run in. Second pitch to Shane Victorino, it's a grand slam! 8-5! If that wasn't enough, Polanco promptly singles, and Utley homers! 10-5! Finally, our manager, who thinks he is Johnny Carson, brings in Takahashi who gives up a single to Howard and double to Werth. 11-5, nine runs in one inning. Oh, and over the final five innings, against Moyer,the legend that is Chad Durbin, and Dennys Baez, how did the Mets offense fare? One walk, no hits. Way to show heart, you pussies.
All the optimism built up over 10 days has been extinguished. But here is what I have come to realize. Santana sucks. He is finished. He sucks. He may have a good outing against the Pittsburgh's and Washington's of the world. But he is nothing close to approaching the No. 1 ace pitcher he used to be in Minnesota and in his first year with the Mets. Please. Ollie Perez looks better than this stiff. Go back to Minnesota Ollie and their jerk-off fans up there. You're done, you're crap, you're a failure. A damn failure.
I don't like sounding like a broken record. But how else can I sound? Between the Mets, Jets, Knicks, and Rangers, I have one championship in 23 years! I am so tired of this and yet, I cannot get these teams out of my blood. It's like a terminal disease, like cancer. A lifelong drawn out death.
Seriously, hoping for glory and happiness with this team was like chasing after Stephanie in high school and later on, Jen in college. Runaround after runaround after runaround. Tease after tease after tease. I'm so blinded by the hope or the infatuation or whatever. And I keep coming back for more! I wish I knew why! I am such a moron! I apologize to all four of my grandparents that I have turned out this way. I really do.
God, why was I destined to become a devout follower of this chain of failure and misery? Why?
Epilogue: One John Daly and Two High Lifes down. I could use a Pissed-off Life right now because my life is not very high right now. Off to Cincinnati.
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Too complicated
I wish I knew about Light Scribe before I brought this computer. I want to burn some DVD's and supposedly, this program will allow me to burn the label right onto the disc. It doesn't look like I have the capability though. And considering what it would cost to buy software, new drive, and everything else, it's doesn't really seem like a worthwhile investment.
Finally visited Prime in the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin. I thought the setup was remarkable. With the bright red and black colors, it felt like an upscale restaurant with a great bar married a 50's diner. We split a chopped salad and I was very impressed. the balsamic vinaigrette tasted light and not overpowering like so many do. The chicken was charbroiled and I liked the addition of jack cheese. too many places use bleu cheese and the jack added some sharpness to the salad that worked well.
Mom got the drunken bull burger which came on a pretzel roll with onions, shrooms, Maytag, bleu, crispy prosciutto, and a Cabernet reduction along with sweet potato fries on the side. Mom didn't seem too thrilled with the pretzel roll, but seemed to enjoy everything else. And the fact that the upgrade to sweet potato was just $1, I thought that was a really sweet deal.
I went with BLT&A. Jack cheese, Bacon, lettuce, tomato, half an avocado, lemon aioli, red onion. No mayo of course. I went with white truffle fries, which had fresh parsley and some shredded jack cheese on them. I liked that I got so much avocado. I think my issue was there were so many ingredients that I lost the burger. I think simplicity might be the best bet. But the flavors of the bacon, jack, and avocado complimented each other so well. Maybe next time, I should try the Kobe patty. The fires were very unique, I liked the garlic and parsley flavor the truffle fries had. I think I prefer sweet potato though. Oh, and I got a creme brulee milkshake that I had to lean up to reach the top of. Swirls of homemade caramel in there too. Awesome.
I would certainly return to Prime, I think now I have a better idea of what to get though. Hopefully, Ewa will be working there next time...
Johan pitching later tonight. We really need you to deliver.
Song pick: "For All We Know" Johnny Hartmann
Finally visited Prime in the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin. I thought the setup was remarkable. With the bright red and black colors, it felt like an upscale restaurant with a great bar married a 50's diner. We split a chopped salad and I was very impressed. the balsamic vinaigrette tasted light and not overpowering like so many do. The chicken was charbroiled and I liked the addition of jack cheese. too many places use bleu cheese and the jack added some sharpness to the salad that worked well.
Mom got the drunken bull burger which came on a pretzel roll with onions, shrooms, Maytag, bleu, crispy prosciutto, and a Cabernet reduction along with sweet potato fries on the side. Mom didn't seem too thrilled with the pretzel roll, but seemed to enjoy everything else. And the fact that the upgrade to sweet potato was just $1, I thought that was a really sweet deal.
I went with BLT&A. Jack cheese, Bacon, lettuce, tomato, half an avocado, lemon aioli, red onion. No mayo of course. I went with white truffle fries, which had fresh parsley and some shredded jack cheese on them. I liked that I got so much avocado. I think my issue was there were so many ingredients that I lost the burger. I think simplicity might be the best bet. But the flavors of the bacon, jack, and avocado complimented each other so well. Maybe next time, I should try the Kobe patty. The fires were very unique, I liked the garlic and parsley flavor the truffle fries had. I think I prefer sweet potato though. Oh, and I got a creme brulee milkshake that I had to lean up to reach the top of. Swirls of homemade caramel in there too. Awesome.
I would certainly return to Prime, I think now I have a better idea of what to get though. Hopefully, Ewa will be working there next time...
Johan pitching later tonight. We really need you to deliver.
Song pick: "For All We Know" Johnny Hartmann
Sunday, April 25, 2010
ROH still rules
To quote the Emerson Drive song, I should be sleeping. I have accumulated eight hours of sleep over two days and will need plenty more for this upcoming week, which is looking very busy right now. Thankfully, my jobs do not require me to speak very much...
Now it's Thursday and I finally have the energy to finish this. I guess two pulled pork sandwiches and some banana pudding can do that. First of all, Saturday. I woke up at 4 AM and dropped Mom off in Rosemont. Unfortunately, the gym does not open until 7 AM so home I went. After paying some bills and running a few early chores (including purchasing a second Greg Norman shirt in as many days), I hit the gym around 11. 45 minutes on the elliptical always feels pretty good. I headed home for a few minutes to watch the Mets-Braves. Little did I know, it would be another win in this Amazin' home streak where the Mets won 9 of 10!
I left home around 3 PM. I wagered between eating at Cheeseburger in Paradise and Fuddrucker's, but I went with CIP for something different. Game 5 of the Blackhawks-Red Wings was on TV so I watched it after I settled onto the stool at the bar. I went with several Arnold Palmers and for food, I picked sliders and a Cuban. The sliders were really good, nice and thick with mustard, pickle, and onion, just the way I like it. The guy at the bar hyped the Cuban up pretty good. I went with it just to see. I thought the bread was OK (finding real Cuban bread is tough, but this is what makes the best sandwich). Now on the menu it said mustard, mayo. So I asked for no mayo. turns out it's a mustard-mayo mix that they use. So whoever wrote the menu was not telling the whole truth. The bar guy gave me some regular yellow mustard which made it a little better, but certainly not great. The crisp sweet potato chips with S&P made the meal a bit better though. CIP is a fine place, but the Cuban is not worth $10.
After the Blackhawks tied the game with 10 seconds left and that thug Hossa won it in OT, I'd seen enough and I walked out to my car. From Downers Grove, I headed for the Frontier Fieldhouse, 25 minutes south on 294 in Chicago Ridge. I got in around 5:45 and Q and Chris were standing at the front of the line. We got in around 6:30 and I brought 5 DVD's for $60. I decided not to see Jim Cornette, I'd met him already and I didn't need to get into a God debate at that point.
No Bobby Cruise, but there was a Bobby Dempsey battle royal, highlighting the pre-show. Rasche Brown beat Sami Callahan and the DCFC literally destroyed the Bravado Bros, who will soon be working security again. As for my picks:
Tyler Black vs. Chris Hero
Pick: Tyler Black 1/1
Come As You Are Street Fight
Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Steve Corino & Kevin Steen
Pick: Colt Cabana and El Generico 2/2
(1) Roderick Strong vs. (4) Davey Richards
Pick: Roderick Strong (Draw) 2/3
The Briscoe Brothers vs. Austin Aries & Kenny King
Pick: Briscoes 3/4
ROH World TV Champion Eddie Edwards vs. The Metal Master
Pick: Eddie Edwards 4/5
Petey Williams vs. Rhett Titus
Pick: Petey Williams 4/6
Josh Raymond & Christian Able with Truth Martini vs. Erick Stevens & Shawn Daivari with Prince Nana
Pick: Erick Stevens & Daivari 5/7
The show was just amazing, one of the best in Chicago since GTGM. Roderick-Davey was a 20-minute hard-hitting classic. Black-Hero was really good. The street fight was legendary. I knew it was going to be good when the ring announcer warned us to grab our belongings and keep them close. They all brawled into the crowd right by us and then back into the ring.
The after-party was awesome. After our traditional double-decker pizza, Q sang Smooth and I did Friends in Low Places (3rd verse included) with Q. I dedicated to my ex, who got married the next day. The Briscoes, Pearce, Roderick, and Kenny King joined in and I got at least 30-40 people singing along. And halfway through, Mark Briscoe took my mike, but I knew better than to try to get it back from him. Sweet Home Chicago was the best ever with 15 people singing up front, including Dwayne and Q. I was right in front of them screaming every word. My voice would not recover fully until Tuesday night. The only good thing about my voice being so strained and fatigued is I could do a great Bob Dylan impression.
Nana and Pearce were great to me, as always. Eddie Edwards (from Boston) put the jerk-act on, but it was just friendly ribbing back and forth. I think. Christian Able was a complete dick to me. I took a good photo of him performing some song and wanted to show it to him. I tapped him on the shoulder several times, but he was talking to different women all night and would not even turn to look at me. So I say screw him, I will be booing him hard if he comes back.
Shame Jerome missed this.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Long Saturday, ROH tonight
So I have the house to myself for the next week. I woke up at 4:45 AM and will not be going to sleep until 3AM Sunday morning. You would think this would be reminiscient of my college days.
Right now, it's 9 AM. Between car insurance and my monthly maintenance (which in the summer just means lawn mowing and flowers that deer will eat by June), I just spent $650. I'm heading up to Huntley in a few to the Greg Norman outlet. I think I could use a new golf shirt.
After that, I'll head to the gym for a while and then head back home for a little bit of the Mets-Braves game. I plan on leaving home around 3 or so. Not sure where I will grab lunch, but I plan on stopping around Yorktown. Maybe Cheeseburger in Paradise, I haven't been there in a long time.
And then Ring of Honor. This looks like a pretty solid show.
ROH World Title Match
Tyler Black defends vs. Chris Hero
Pick: Tyler
Come-As-You-Are Street Fight
Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Steve Corino & Kevin Steen
Pick: Colt Cabana and El Generico
Pick 6 Challenge Match
(1) Roderick Strong vs. (4) Davey Richards
Pick: Roderick Strong
The Briscoe Brothers vs. Austin Aries & Kenny King
Pick: Briscoes
ROH World TV Champion Eddie Edwards vs. The Metal Master
Pick: Eddie Edwards
Petey Williams vs. Rhett Titus
Pick: Petey Williams
Josh Raymond & Christian Able with Truth Martini vs. Erick Stevens & Shawn Daivari with Prince Nana
Pick: Erick Stevens & Daivari
I'm so tired of being alone, so tired of on my own... It will be fun...
Right now, it's 9 AM. Between car insurance and my monthly maintenance (which in the summer just means lawn mowing and flowers that deer will eat by June), I just spent $650. I'm heading up to Huntley in a few to the Greg Norman outlet. I think I could use a new golf shirt.
After that, I'll head to the gym for a while and then head back home for a little bit of the Mets-Braves game. I plan on leaving home around 3 or so. Not sure where I will grab lunch, but I plan on stopping around Yorktown. Maybe Cheeseburger in Paradise, I haven't been there in a long time.
And then Ring of Honor. This looks like a pretty solid show.
ROH World Title Match
Tyler Black defends vs. Chris Hero
Pick: Tyler
Come-As-You-Are Street Fight
Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Steve Corino & Kevin Steen
Pick: Colt Cabana and El Generico
Pick 6 Challenge Match
(1) Roderick Strong vs. (4) Davey Richards
Pick: Roderick Strong
The Briscoe Brothers vs. Austin Aries & Kenny King
Pick: Briscoes
ROH World TV Champion Eddie Edwards vs. The Metal Master
Pick: Eddie Edwards
Petey Williams vs. Rhett Titus
Pick: Petey Williams
Josh Raymond & Christian Able with Truth Martini vs. Erick Stevens & Shawn Daivari with Prince Nana
Pick: Erick Stevens & Daivari
I'm so tired of being alone, so tired of on my own... It will be fun...
In light of Sunday
I`ll pretend I`m free from sorrow
Make believe that wrong is right
Your wedding day will be tomorrow
But There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Why, oh why, should you de-sert me
Are you doing this for spite?
If you only want to hurt me
Then There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
I`ll believe that you still love me
When you wear your veil of white
But you think that you`re above me
So There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Shame, oh shame for what you`re doing
Other arms will hold you tight
You don`t care whose life you ruin
But There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Thank you Hank
Make believe that wrong is right
Your wedding day will be tomorrow
But There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Why, oh why, should you de-sert me
Are you doing this for spite?
If you only want to hurt me
Then There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
I`ll believe that you still love me
When you wear your veil of white
But you think that you`re above me
So There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Shame, oh shame for what you`re doing
Other arms will hold you tight
You don`t care whose life you ruin
But There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Thank you Hank
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Disgraced
Have the New York Rangers gotten off the plane yet?
After winning 8 of their last 9 games and then winning one of the greatest hockey games I have ever seen at home against the Phucking Phlyers on Friday night, the Rangers had a win and in opportunity in Philadelphia. One game, the winner makes the playoffs and the loser goes home.
And Jody Shelley score four minutes in and I am going crazy. I know it's a long way from over. But the asshole fans in that building are quiet. And that dead, fat piece of lard Kate Smith is crying. From then on, I thought only Henrik Lundqvist and the 4th line of Prust Shelley, and Anisimov showed up. The Phucking Phlyers outshot the Rangers 17-4 in the first period. Seventeen to four! That is atrocious!
Second period. Two minutes of even play. Then Aaron Voros (enough of him!) gets suckered into a fight with Ian Laperriere. Philly gets all the momentum back. By the grace of the King, it stays 1-0. Nothing else to say.
And after PA Parenteau (who has no redeeming value aside from the shootout), takes his second penalty midway through the third period, Matt Carle, standing all alone in front of the net, beats a sprawled Lundqvist. Had no chance.
The Rangers somehow survive to get to overtime. Both teams traded good scoring chances in the extra period, but both goalies held their ground, and the 8th seed of the NHL Eastern Conference would come down to a shootout.
Erik Christiansen gets stopped and Parenteau scored. Claude Giroux makes it 2-1 and the season comes down to Olli Jokinen. Olli freakin' Jokinen. One of the biggest floaters in the history of this team. No Marian Gaborik. No Brandon Dubinsky. No Vinny Prospal, who also stunk by the way. Jokinen, who came over in March and will be gone along with his 5 million dollars next month. He does not get a shot off. And those motherphuckers in Philly make the playoffs. The Rangers are left to scratch themselves and reserve tee times.
This was a terrible season. In a year with the Eastern Conference this mediocre and one of the three best goalies in the world and a newcomer who scored 43 goals, it is disastrous that they missed the playoffs.
Sather will not go anywhere. Tortorella will not go anywhere. I'll have an offseason plan later. Right now, I'm sure the powers at be will settle for corporate suits buying tickets and more mediocrity on the ice, which is exactly what we Rangers fans have seen for 5 years now. The 8 years before that were downright embarrassing.
How long will 1994 be the only thing we have to be proud of?
After winning 8 of their last 9 games and then winning one of the greatest hockey games I have ever seen at home against the Phucking Phlyers on Friday night, the Rangers had a win and in opportunity in Philadelphia. One game, the winner makes the playoffs and the loser goes home.
And Jody Shelley score four minutes in and I am going crazy. I know it's a long way from over. But the asshole fans in that building are quiet. And that dead, fat piece of lard Kate Smith is crying. From then on, I thought only Henrik Lundqvist and the 4th line of Prust Shelley, and Anisimov showed up. The Phucking Phlyers outshot the Rangers 17-4 in the first period. Seventeen to four! That is atrocious!
Second period. Two minutes of even play. Then Aaron Voros (enough of him!) gets suckered into a fight with Ian Laperriere. Philly gets all the momentum back. By the grace of the King, it stays 1-0. Nothing else to say.
And after PA Parenteau (who has no redeeming value aside from the shootout), takes his second penalty midway through the third period, Matt Carle, standing all alone in front of the net, beats a sprawled Lundqvist. Had no chance.
The Rangers somehow survive to get to overtime. Both teams traded good scoring chances in the extra period, but both goalies held their ground, and the 8th seed of the NHL Eastern Conference would come down to a shootout.
Erik Christiansen gets stopped and Parenteau scored. Claude Giroux makes it 2-1 and the season comes down to Olli Jokinen. Olli freakin' Jokinen. One of the biggest floaters in the history of this team. No Marian Gaborik. No Brandon Dubinsky. No Vinny Prospal, who also stunk by the way. Jokinen, who came over in March and will be gone along with his 5 million dollars next month. He does not get a shot off. And those motherphuckers in Philly make the playoffs. The Rangers are left to scratch themselves and reserve tee times.
This was a terrible season. In a year with the Eastern Conference this mediocre and one of the three best goalies in the world and a newcomer who scored 43 goals, it is disastrous that they missed the playoffs.
Sather will not go anywhere. Tortorella will not go anywhere. I'll have an offseason plan later. Right now, I'm sure the powers at be will settle for corporate suits buying tickets and more mediocrity on the ice, which is exactly what we Rangers fans have seen for 5 years now. The 8 years before that were downright embarrassing.
How long will 1994 be the only thing we have to be proud of?
Saturday, April 03, 2010
The heat is here
1) And it's hottest in my cubicle at the office. As of 11 AM today, I now have a new boss and four schools to work instead of three. Time to learn to set a steady, consistent pace.
2) The BBQ pulled pork sandwich at Honky Tonk BBQ has become one of my favorite sandwiches in the word. Toasted ciabatta filled with chunks of pork and some extra BBQ rub sprinkled on top. I preferred the tomato vinegar sauce to the Carolina mustard sauce and it complemented the pork perfectly. Throw in a side of beans and a cornbread muffin and I was stuffed. Drank my first Konig Pilsner, which is a lighter tasting, refreshing German beer. Had my second right afterwards. And I like the atmosphere of the place. A lot of old wood, so it feels like a classic saloon. Live music, a lot of 1920's Old West art on the walls. In the middle of a pre-dominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen, this place really stands out. I will definitely return, when I'm in the hood anyway.
3) Wrestlemania was a fun night with the guys. The card on the whole was decent, but Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker made it very good. I can say I am fortunate to have watched Shawn for 22 years and I wish him all the best with whatever he does now.
4) Four fantasy baseball teams. I picked 1, 2, 3 , and 5. So I wound up drafting a lot of the same players for multiple teams. I guess that means this season will be really good or really bad.
5) I believe I can sniff out a cigarette from two miles away.
6) The great season of Easter has arrived. Checked out the Good Friday service at Willow, will go back on Saturday afternoon, and then probably over to Wheaton Bible on Sunday. I really prefer a traditional service for Christmas and Easter.
7) Since they lost what I felt was a killer game to Boston two weeks ago, the Rangers have picked up 9 points in 10 games. they are just two points out of the playoffs after demolishing Tampa Bay 5-0 in Florida tonight. If they beat the Panthers on Saturday, this will get very exciting. Five games left to play...
8) On April 1, a friend of mine wrote this on his Facebook account: "Happy Atheist's Day." It was April Fool's Day. Maybe not the nicest thing to say, but certainly creative. Not like I expect to hear a whole lot of well wishes from atheists about Easter anyway.
9) Trying to get into jazz music. Got a couple of Miles Davis CD's from the library. I like what I hear, but really, I'm just trying to appreciate one song from the next. Because without words, a lot of jazz does sound similar to me. Sounds great though, so I guess that's good.
10) Ring of Honor debuts in Charlotte, NC Saturday night. I am really excited to watch this show, I just wish it wasn't beginning at the same time as the Rangers. My picks:
ROH World Title Match – Triple Threat Rules
Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong
ROH World Tag Team Title Match
Jay & Mark Briscoe defend vs. The Kings of Wrestling with Shane Hagadorn
Pick 6 Series Match
(5) Kenny King vs. Davey Richards
Grudge Tag Team Match
Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana
Lucha Super Estrella
Blue Demon, Jr. & Misterioso vs. Super Parka & Solar
Lucha Estrella
Cassandro el Exotico vs. Magno
Butcher’s Rules
Necro Butcher vs. Erick Stevens with Prince Nana
Song pick: "I Want My Rib Back" Keith Whitley
2) The BBQ pulled pork sandwich at Honky Tonk BBQ has become one of my favorite sandwiches in the word. Toasted ciabatta filled with chunks of pork and some extra BBQ rub sprinkled on top. I preferred the tomato vinegar sauce to the Carolina mustard sauce and it complemented the pork perfectly. Throw in a side of beans and a cornbread muffin and I was stuffed. Drank my first Konig Pilsner, which is a lighter tasting, refreshing German beer. Had my second right afterwards. And I like the atmosphere of the place. A lot of old wood, so it feels like a classic saloon. Live music, a lot of 1920's Old West art on the walls. In the middle of a pre-dominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen, this place really stands out. I will definitely return, when I'm in the hood anyway.
3) Wrestlemania was a fun night with the guys. The card on the whole was decent, but Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker made it very good. I can say I am fortunate to have watched Shawn for 22 years and I wish him all the best with whatever he does now.
4) Four fantasy baseball teams. I picked 1, 2, 3 , and 5. So I wound up drafting a lot of the same players for multiple teams. I guess that means this season will be really good or really bad.
5) I believe I can sniff out a cigarette from two miles away.
6) The great season of Easter has arrived. Checked out the Good Friday service at Willow, will go back on Saturday afternoon, and then probably over to Wheaton Bible on Sunday. I really prefer a traditional service for Christmas and Easter.
7) Since they lost what I felt was a killer game to Boston two weeks ago, the Rangers have picked up 9 points in 10 games. they are just two points out of the playoffs after demolishing Tampa Bay 5-0 in Florida tonight. If they beat the Panthers on Saturday, this will get very exciting. Five games left to play...
8) On April 1, a friend of mine wrote this on his Facebook account: "Happy Atheist's Day." It was April Fool's Day. Maybe not the nicest thing to say, but certainly creative. Not like I expect to hear a whole lot of well wishes from atheists about Easter anyway.
9) Trying to get into jazz music. Got a couple of Miles Davis CD's from the library. I like what I hear, but really, I'm just trying to appreciate one song from the next. Because without words, a lot of jazz does sound similar to me. Sounds great though, so I guess that's good.
10) Ring of Honor debuts in Charlotte, NC Saturday night. I am really excited to watch this show, I just wish it wasn't beginning at the same time as the Rangers. My picks:
ROH World Title Match – Triple Threat Rules
Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong
ROH World Tag Team Title Match
Jay & Mark Briscoe defend vs. The Kings of Wrestling with Shane Hagadorn
Pick 6 Series Match
(5) Kenny King vs. Davey Richards
Grudge Tag Team Match
Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana
Lucha Super Estrella
Blue Demon, Jr. & Misterioso vs. Super Parka & Solar
Lucha Estrella
Cassandro el Exotico vs. Magno
Butcher’s Rules
Necro Butcher vs. Erick Stevens with Prince Nana
Song pick: "I Want My Rib Back" Keith Whitley
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)