I just had to get this off my chest. Why is it that so many ex-athletes think the "common folk" don't understand so much about sports. Sure we don't understand what its like to be in the spotlight, in the locker room and in the game, but other than that we get it. I hate to call one guy out, but Mike Golic got me fired up this last week and change talking about the ND USC rivalry like we don't understand what it is like because we haven't been in the game. Of course he just happened to make it to that game and not to many others. How is he such a big fan? How does he get the rivalry so much? Has he driven to USC or ND for a road game in a packed car? I doubt it. Has he had to save up all year to make it to the ND games? NO! There are people who are die hard fans who do this EVERY game. He went to the school for 4 (or was it 5 because of injury) years! Many people are fans of teams from the time they can walk! They have been hating their rivals for 16 years before going to college.
I understand its different on the field than in the stands, but guess what. We get it. We understand its a bigger game. Every year before Iowa and Wisconsin games the players get a little more fired up. SO DO WE! We get fired up for the game a year before it happens, the day after the game is done! We want to get revenge if we lose, crush them over and over if we win! 1/4 of the players haven't even stepped on the field!
Its not just Golic, its a lot of ex-players. I like a lot of Golic has to say actually. We get it though. We are a HUGE reason the rivalries continue. If the stadium is 1/2 full, the players won't care as much. Rivalry games are PACKED. The media puts it out there, kids on campus let players know its a big game.
So please, quit trying to tell us about rivals. You don't know them any better than we do.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Selig vs. a Donkey
After telling you all about the soon to be change of coaches in Ohio I think its only to give you a much more believable prediction that is easier to comprehend: If a Donkey was running Major League Baseball the sport would be better off.
Bud Selig is beyond an idiot. I don't even know where to start.
Ok, I'll start with him trying to contract the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos. The Twins had a great franchise that was struggling and trying to rebuild. All Selig wanted was a new stadium so he could make more money and with Pohlad wanting the same thing they worked together to try and force it on the Minnesota fans. He never received the criticism he should have for trying to do that.
Then a couple years later he couldn't even get the All Star game to decide a winner! How lame was that. Calling the game as a tie. Why play if its going to be a tie? It was embarrassing to MLB. He is embarrassing to MLB. To make matters worse we found out that AJ Pierzynski had even offered to pitch - which would have been the highlight of the game - and Selig said no.
Then the whole Steroid controversy came around. Selig and the owners tried to play dumb, tried to "crack down" on the users. I think he may have done a better entering a beauty contest. He knew McGuire and Sosa were juicing, we all did. He did nothing because it was helping him look good by baseball growing in popularity. Then he started testing players urine. Of course most of the steroids they were using only showed up in blood tests. Apparently America is as dumb as he thought though because once again he escaped without much question at all. The players were left to hang as the bad guys. The owners and Selig were left with much bigger wallets and no blame at all from the media. The Red Sox were left with 2 titles thanks to the best 1-2 punch in baseball juicing up. The Twins fans were left wondering what could have been if the infield (minus Morneau) would have hit more than 3 HR's over 4 years....or something close to that.
Selig has done many other dumb things as Commissioner, but this post season is proving to be his finest idiotic move. Baseball a game made to be played every day. Its a game that is supposed to be played in the summer - remember the boys of summer? Well now because Selig thinks he can squeeze a few extra bucks out of TV contracts and save a few small headaches caused by booking hotels we get neither. Now we play games into November - assuming all goes well in the World Series. Now we have breaks in between games that NFL players are probably jealous of.
The Yankees unfortunately finished off the Twins on Sunday. The Angels finished off the Red Sox on Sunday too. Common sense would say take a day off and start play on Tuesday, maybe Wednesday at the latest in case the NLCS has to wait. However we had to wait until Friday to play - that's 4 full days off for both teams. A game that doesn't have more than 1 day off the entire season other than at the All Star break all of the sudden shifts gears and takes a 4 day break. I thought about watching the series, but instead of starting on Tuesday or Wednesday when there was nothing on TV, I had to wait until Friday. Sure the NLCS started Thursday, but Cinci and South Florida were playing. 2 undefeated teams who might have an outside chance at getting in the National Championship game. Sorry. Can't watch. Friday night? Well I forgot it was on, it was the night before college football. It was Friday night. I'm not gonna sit in and watch a game played.
I also don't understand how MLB is so worried about ratings, why would you have a game Monday Afternoon? Monday at 1pm for the 35 million people who live in California. 4pm for the people in NY. Do people magically get off work at 3pm to get home or to a bar to catch the game???? DER.
The Worlds Series now is scheduled to start on October 28th. That of course unless there are any delays. A snow storm in NY or Philly. Bitter Cold in either (it happened in Colorado). What then?
The games should be done by mid October. TV Ratings should come second.
Then Selig's biggest downfall, which has gotten worse and worse throughout his tenure. There is still somehow no salary cap in baseball. The only major sport without a way to keep things fair. Sure there are cute stories occasionally. The Twins continue to surprise people. The Rays made it to the World Series. Other teams will breakthrough every once in awhile. The problem is after every team does, it loses its players and has to rebuild. Can anyone honestly say that if the Twins had Santana and Hunter this year they would not have been the best team in baseball? This isn't including the terrible trade of Bartlett for Delmon which was necessary because we couldn't keep Hunter. Add in a RH hitter batting .290 with 30 HR's in that lineup and watch out. Put an Ace on the mound every 5 days and you know you have that stopper, you have a guy that takes pressure off the bullpen and off the young starters who get put in tough situations.
I can't get into baseball that much when there is nothing fair about it. The Yankees went out and paid CC Sabathia (top 3 in Cy Young this year) AJ Burnett (13-9 4.04 ERA) and Mark Texiera (only hit 39 HR and batted over .290) - and that was on top of a team that without them already had the highest payroll. The Angels rank 6th, Phillies 7th and Dodgers 9th. The teams above them that aren't left had numerous injuries (Mets/Cubs) got knocked out in the first round (Red Sox) and lost a playoff game to get into the playoffs (Tigers) and the Astros just stunk.
Baseball needs a salary cap. I don't care if they want to gives teams a benefit for spending a little more. Even if you want to have a minimum of around $40 million and a max of around $110 million it would be fine. Selig needs to do something.
Baseball has taken a backseat to the NFL. It could take a backseat to College Football if it hasn't already. If the NCAA gets smart and puts an 8 team playoff in, it will pass MLB in a heartbeat. March Madness already has in my mind.
I think a Donkey would be able to keep MLB as the #2 sport because a donkey would understand fairness, a donkey would know if it plows a field every day all summer it should do the same in the fall. A donkey would know if something wasn't finished, finish it (don't let it end in a tie).
That is why a Donkey would be a better commissioner than Bud Selig.
Heck, worse case scenario it would do nothing. Couldn't hurt that much.
Bud Selig is beyond an idiot. I don't even know where to start.
Ok, I'll start with him trying to contract the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos. The Twins had a great franchise that was struggling and trying to rebuild. All Selig wanted was a new stadium so he could make more money and with Pohlad wanting the same thing they worked together to try and force it on the Minnesota fans. He never received the criticism he should have for trying to do that.
Then a couple years later he couldn't even get the All Star game to decide a winner! How lame was that. Calling the game as a tie. Why play if its going to be a tie? It was embarrassing to MLB. He is embarrassing to MLB. To make matters worse we found out that AJ Pierzynski had even offered to pitch - which would have been the highlight of the game - and Selig said no.
Then the whole Steroid controversy came around. Selig and the owners tried to play dumb, tried to "crack down" on the users. I think he may have done a better entering a beauty contest. He knew McGuire and Sosa were juicing, we all did. He did nothing because it was helping him look good by baseball growing in popularity. Then he started testing players urine. Of course most of the steroids they were using only showed up in blood tests. Apparently America is as dumb as he thought though because once again he escaped without much question at all. The players were left to hang as the bad guys. The owners and Selig were left with much bigger wallets and no blame at all from the media. The Red Sox were left with 2 titles thanks to the best 1-2 punch in baseball juicing up. The Twins fans were left wondering what could have been if the infield (minus Morneau) would have hit more than 3 HR's over 4 years....or something close to that.
Selig has done many other dumb things as Commissioner, but this post season is proving to be his finest idiotic move. Baseball a game made to be played every day. Its a game that is supposed to be played in the summer - remember the boys of summer? Well now because Selig thinks he can squeeze a few extra bucks out of TV contracts and save a few small headaches caused by booking hotels we get neither. Now we play games into November - assuming all goes well in the World Series. Now we have breaks in between games that NFL players are probably jealous of.
The Yankees unfortunately finished off the Twins on Sunday. The Angels finished off the Red Sox on Sunday too. Common sense would say take a day off and start play on Tuesday, maybe Wednesday at the latest in case the NLCS has to wait. However we had to wait until Friday to play - that's 4 full days off for both teams. A game that doesn't have more than 1 day off the entire season other than at the All Star break all of the sudden shifts gears and takes a 4 day break. I thought about watching the series, but instead of starting on Tuesday or Wednesday when there was nothing on TV, I had to wait until Friday. Sure the NLCS started Thursday, but Cinci and South Florida were playing. 2 undefeated teams who might have an outside chance at getting in the National Championship game. Sorry. Can't watch. Friday night? Well I forgot it was on, it was the night before college football. It was Friday night. I'm not gonna sit in and watch a game played.
I also don't understand how MLB is so worried about ratings, why would you have a game Monday Afternoon? Monday at 1pm for the 35 million people who live in California. 4pm for the people in NY. Do people magically get off work at 3pm to get home or to a bar to catch the game???? DER.
The Worlds Series now is scheduled to start on October 28th. That of course unless there are any delays. A snow storm in NY or Philly. Bitter Cold in either (it happened in Colorado). What then?
The games should be done by mid October. TV Ratings should come second.
Then Selig's biggest downfall, which has gotten worse and worse throughout his tenure. There is still somehow no salary cap in baseball. The only major sport without a way to keep things fair. Sure there are cute stories occasionally. The Twins continue to surprise people. The Rays made it to the World Series. Other teams will breakthrough every once in awhile. The problem is after every team does, it loses its players and has to rebuild. Can anyone honestly say that if the Twins had Santana and Hunter this year they would not have been the best team in baseball? This isn't including the terrible trade of Bartlett for Delmon which was necessary because we couldn't keep Hunter. Add in a RH hitter batting .290 with 30 HR's in that lineup and watch out. Put an Ace on the mound every 5 days and you know you have that stopper, you have a guy that takes pressure off the bullpen and off the young starters who get put in tough situations.
I can't get into baseball that much when there is nothing fair about it. The Yankees went out and paid CC Sabathia (top 3 in Cy Young this year) AJ Burnett (13-9 4.04 ERA) and Mark Texiera (only hit 39 HR and batted over .290) - and that was on top of a team that without them already had the highest payroll. The Angels rank 6th, Phillies 7th and Dodgers 9th. The teams above them that aren't left had numerous injuries (Mets/Cubs) got knocked out in the first round (Red Sox) and lost a playoff game to get into the playoffs (Tigers) and the Astros just stunk.
Baseball needs a salary cap. I don't care if they want to gives teams a benefit for spending a little more. Even if you want to have a minimum of around $40 million and a max of around $110 million it would be fine. Selig needs to do something.
Baseball has taken a backseat to the NFL. It could take a backseat to College Football if it hasn't already. If the NCAA gets smart and puts an 8 team playoff in, it will pass MLB in a heartbeat. March Madness already has in my mind.
I think a Donkey would be able to keep MLB as the #2 sport because a donkey would understand fairness, a donkey would know if it plows a field every day all summer it should do the same in the fall. A donkey would know if something wasn't finished, finish it (don't let it end in a tie).
That is why a Donkey would be a better commissioner than Bud Selig.
Heck, worse case scenario it would do nothing. Couldn't hurt that much.
Ohio Football
I have been talking a lot recently thinking I was pretty smart. Well after today's upset by the Boilermakers its time for my bold prediction of the year: OSU will have a new coach next year. Tressel is gone after this season. Not just because of this last game, but because he can't win the big one. His one big game he won was won on a phantom flag against Miami in the National Championship game. Sure that's sports, but then you have to win some on your own to prove you are made for the big programs. OSU consistently gets the best talent. Last year they returned 20 of 22 starters I believe from a team that lost in the National Championship game. They went out and got pummeled by USC early in the season and lost once again in the bowl game.
OSU will lose 3 games this year BEFORE bowl season. I think Michigan beats them, which will prove devastating to Tressel. After that, and another step backwards, Tressel is done.
That is a bold prediction, since OSU has been consistently at the top of the Big Ten. What is even Bolder is my prediction that OSU will stay in state to replace him with Brian Kelly of Cincinnati.
You heard it here. Brian Kelly will be leading the Buckeyes next year.
OSU will lose 3 games this year BEFORE bowl season. I think Michigan beats them, which will prove devastating to Tressel. After that, and another step backwards, Tressel is done.
That is a bold prediction, since OSU has been consistently at the top of the Big Ten. What is even Bolder is my prediction that OSU will stay in state to replace him with Brian Kelly of Cincinnati.
You heard it here. Brian Kelly will be leading the Buckeyes next year.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Dog Shows
So I was flipping through the channels and noticed that on ESPN was a dog show. These people walking the dogs, owning the dogs and judging the dogs actually make money. Probably very good money.
This is proof that EVERY professional athlete deserves every cent they make. Yes I said it. If people get paid to walk a dog around in a circle and to judge those dogs then Mo Vaughn deserved his $18 million to be injured all year. Carl Pavano deserved his $44 mil or whatever the yanks paid him to win 12 games or some crap like that. Brian Grant deserved to make $75,000 per minute played for blazers. Yes, every athlete deserves every cent they make because someone gets paid to judge a bunch dogs walking in circles.
This is proof that EVERY professional athlete deserves every cent they make. Yes I said it. If people get paid to walk a dog around in a circle and to judge those dogs then Mo Vaughn deserved his $18 million to be injured all year. Carl Pavano deserved his $44 mil or whatever the yanks paid him to win 12 games or some crap like that. Brian Grant deserved to make $75,000 per minute played for blazers. Yes, every athlete deserves every cent they make because someone gets paid to judge a bunch dogs walking in circles.
Friday, September 18, 2009
BEARS.....CAUGHT IN A JAR AND SHOT BY THE LOCAL SHERIFF
I know I haven't even posted my breakdown of the first two games yet, but they are mostly done and will be put up soon.
Right now however the most important thing is the preview of tomorrows game, #8 Cal visiting the 2 votes by coaches (Brew has voted us in every poll, someone joined last week) Minnesota Golden Gophers!!!!!!!
On paper, this game is over. 14 point favorites, Javed Best leading the running attack (and who may have been fast enough to compete at an Olympic level in sprints), a QB who seems to be finding his grove, a WR core that is very solid, one of the best backfields in the country, and solid lines on both sides of the ball. They also rolled over Maryland who has been solid for the past decade or so, blew out Eastern Washington, and are looking to finally get that monkey off their back and win the Pac 10. I have to say they are right now a Title Contender.
Not good news for the gophers. SO probably the spread is right....or is it?
Before we all jump to conclusions on how good Cal is, lets look a few things first.
1) Cal dominates at home. Going back to last year the trend continues. 20+ point winners over their last 6 home games. That's good. They have lost 4 straight road games. That is not good. That includes losses at Maryland and Arizona.....neither team really wows me. This game is on the road for them.
2) Maryland barely snuck by James Madison last week....at home. Who is James Madison??? A FBS team. They play in the conference as Maine (yes they apparently have a football team) Hofstra, Northeastern (you know they are bad when its just a direction, not even a direction in a state) and the famous Delaware (Joe Flacco). In other words, Maryland sucks.
3) Cal beat Eastern Washington last week. My grandma and her bridge players could take down Eastern Washington.
4) Cal Plays @ Oregon next week to open the conference schedule. That is a BIG game for them because its a winnable game on the road and they need to win that to have a chance at the conference.
4a) They play USC the next week. Oregon is overrated every year. Every year. They are still always rated though. Cal is already worrying about whats to come in the following weeks. The coaches know they have to show up, the players can say what they want but they are looking ahead.
With all of things going against Cal, its up to the Gophers to play their best and give them a run. My keys to the game:
1) Adam Webber needs to step up his play and play he did last year before the injury. He is a GREAT QB, he has one of the best receivers in the game and a bunch of young receivers waiting to break out.
1a) We NEED a second receiver to step up his game
2) O LINE. Please, just knock the guy across from you on his arse. If they can improve their play from the first two games and protect Webber plus open up holes, we can put up some big points.
3) D Line. I'm not worried about our LB's. I think our DB's are very good. Our line however needs to win the battle in the trenches. Best is gonna make plays, he just is. That is what superstars do. If we can win the battle at go though it will make it a lot harder for him. If he has to juke and reverse directions in the backfield instead of just printing forward it gives our line backers time to read the play and get to him early.
4) Special teams. This is a battle we can win and need to win. Lets get a big play out of a return team or block a kick. Lets make it happen. WE have a great kicker. He will be a difference maker.
All said, the weather looks great for us. The crowd is going to be wild. Our players aren't looking forward to ANY game this year. This is the biggest game of the season for us. It has to be.
Final Score:
Cal 31, Gophers 34.
(thanks to Common for the title)
Right now however the most important thing is the preview of tomorrows game, #8 Cal visiting the 2 votes by coaches (Brew has voted us in every poll, someone joined last week) Minnesota Golden Gophers!!!!!!!
On paper, this game is over. 14 point favorites, Javed Best leading the running attack (and who may have been fast enough to compete at an Olympic level in sprints), a QB who seems to be finding his grove, a WR core that is very solid, one of the best backfields in the country, and solid lines on both sides of the ball. They also rolled over Maryland who has been solid for the past decade or so, blew out Eastern Washington, and are looking to finally get that monkey off their back and win the Pac 10. I have to say they are right now a Title Contender.
Not good news for the gophers. SO probably the spread is right....or is it?
Before we all jump to conclusions on how good Cal is, lets look a few things first.
1) Cal dominates at home. Going back to last year the trend continues. 20+ point winners over their last 6 home games. That's good. They have lost 4 straight road games. That is not good. That includes losses at Maryland and Arizona.....neither team really wows me. This game is on the road for them.
2) Maryland barely snuck by James Madison last week....at home. Who is James Madison??? A FBS team. They play in the conference as Maine (yes they apparently have a football team) Hofstra, Northeastern (you know they are bad when its just a direction, not even a direction in a state) and the famous Delaware (Joe Flacco). In other words, Maryland sucks.
3) Cal beat Eastern Washington last week. My grandma and her bridge players could take down Eastern Washington.
4) Cal Plays @ Oregon next week to open the conference schedule. That is a BIG game for them because its a winnable game on the road and they need to win that to have a chance at the conference.
4a) They play USC the next week. Oregon is overrated every year. Every year. They are still always rated though. Cal is already worrying about whats to come in the following weeks. The coaches know they have to show up, the players can say what they want but they are looking ahead.
With all of things going against Cal, its up to the Gophers to play their best and give them a run. My keys to the game:
1) Adam Webber needs to step up his play and play he did last year before the injury. He is a GREAT QB, he has one of the best receivers in the game and a bunch of young receivers waiting to break out.
1a) We NEED a second receiver to step up his game
2) O LINE. Please, just knock the guy across from you on his arse. If they can improve their play from the first two games and protect Webber plus open up holes, we can put up some big points.
3) D Line. I'm not worried about our LB's. I think our DB's are very good. Our line however needs to win the battle in the trenches. Best is gonna make plays, he just is. That is what superstars do. If we can win the battle at go though it will make it a lot harder for him. If he has to juke and reverse directions in the backfield instead of just printing forward it gives our line backers time to read the play and get to him early.
4) Special teams. This is a battle we can win and need to win. Lets get a big play out of a return team or block a kick. Lets make it happen. WE have a great kicker. He will be a difference maker.
All said, the weather looks great for us. The crowd is going to be wild. Our players aren't looking forward to ANY game this year. This is the biggest game of the season for us. It has to be.
Final Score:
Cal 31, Gophers 34.
(thanks to Common for the title)
Liscense Plates
I have always been a person who is against personalized licence plates. I mean come on. I don't care what your name is, I don't care what kind of stupid hippy car you drive (you know what I'm talking about 'bug1', 'bug2' 'mybug' etc, just call it what it is 'lame') and I don't care about anything else about you.
However, now I am in a bind because I might want to be the next turd sanich to personalize a plate. First I need some help. I get 6 letters with 2 spaces or 7 letters with 1.
My options (I think):
SKI UMAH
SKIU MAH
GOPHS
GO GOPHS
GPHRS RB (yes, that's for the rose bowl we are going to in the next 3 years)
MN GOPHS
etc.
I am pretty sure I am going with first.
So yeah, I am now going to be that dipstick driving around with a plate that no one knows what it means (does anyone actually know the REAL story???)
So now if you have a problem with it, deal with it. At least I'm not the dbag with "joes car" or "drnkscny" on the back.....wait that last one is actually everyone who lives to the east of the greatest state.
However, now I am in a bind because I might want to be the next turd sanich to personalize a plate. First I need some help. I get 6 letters with 2 spaces or 7 letters with 1.
My options (I think):
SKI UMAH
SKIU MAH
GOPHS
GO GOPHS
GPHRS RB (yes, that's for the rose bowl we are going to in the next 3 years)
MN GOPHS
etc.
I am pretty sure I am going with first.
So yeah, I am now going to be that dipstick driving around with a plate that no one knows what it means (does anyone actually know the REAL story???)
So now if you have a problem with it, deal with it. At least I'm not the dbag with "joes car" or "drnkscny" on the back.....wait that last one is actually everyone who lives to the east of the greatest state.
The House that Brewster Built....and is Still Building!
For those of you who didn't see the game.....I'm sorry. But the Gophers' first game in TCF Stadium was unreal! The outcome made it that much better, but just standing and looking around the stadium and taking in the crowd was more than anyone could have imagined it to be. The stands were full of Maroon and Gold, something I have never experienced at a Gopher football game. Watching the game outdoors could not have been better with the great weather, the fly over by the replica WWI planes, the sunset around halftime and the bright lights to cap off the night! Watching the crowd and experiencing it first hand was as great as watching the gophers win a must win game in a season that we NEED to win 8 games to take the next big step - and get a few HUGE recruits who are waiting on a good record. Its a shame we couldn't have every recruit at the game. Anyone who was at the game experienced something that was as great as any atmosphere in the country! I've been at to Ohio Stadium, which had twice as many people at it, and it wasn't even close. There is something neat about playing in a stadium with tradition. That's why you play on the road. You get to play at those stadiums no matter what team you are on. You get to experience what 100,000+ is like. In a few years though we will see what 75,000 feels like. I feel that our 51,000 were just as loud as OSU fans were, and in a few years our 75,000 will be louder! You will get to not only have the 70+ degree early season games, but also the snow in November! Some of the greatest football games ever have taken place in the snow! And nothing could more fun than tailgating around a grill with snow flakes falling! Oh, and lets not forget that these players get the FINEST locker room in college sports. As for the building process, Tim Brewster has done more for Gopher Nation than most people realize. He has brought in better recruits already than Mason did his entire tenure in Minnesota. He got us one of the top QB recruits in the country in Gray. He got us the best that MN had to offer last year, and other than #1 recruit in the nation he has gotten us the best we have to offer this year. He has guys wanting to play here over schools that compete for titles every year! If we do get Seantrel Henderson (I am one of the few who think we will... if we win 8 games this year) we will have possibly a top 15 recruiting class! He is building this program the right way. He also is making sure that everyone remembers this programs roots, the title teams from the 30's, 40's and 1960, the legendary players, the legendary coaches, and much more. This program has not been in a better place in a half century. The one down side is we have the hardest schedule we have had as long as I have been alive....but with 8 wins that will quickly turn to a positive because we do have one of the top 10, if not top 5 hardest schedules in the country! Yes, TCF Bank Stadium is brilliant. The crowd was amazing. The team looked good. And they will look better. Sooner than most think too! SKI U MAH
Monday, August 17, 2009
New Posts
I know there haven't been any posts lately, but there are 2 reasons for that.
1) I am working on my marshmallow cereals post, and it is very important.
2) I am in the middle of a move to a new job and house, so it is taking up quite a bit of time.
For a little teaser, here is a quick restaraunt review:
Brazenhead Pub, Dublin, OH
Food: 9 / 10 - Onion rings rock. Burgers are great. Chips are great.
Beer: 3/10 - Applebees has almost as big of a selection on tap. Its a pub. Come on. (they had a lot of bottles, but beer is best on tap)
Service: 0/10 - Possibly the worst service I have EVER Had
1) I am working on my marshmallow cereals post, and it is very important.
2) I am in the middle of a move to a new job and house, so it is taking up quite a bit of time.
For a little teaser, here is a quick restaraunt review:
Brazenhead Pub, Dublin, OH
Food: 9 / 10 - Onion rings rock. Burgers are great. Chips are great.
Beer: 3/10 - Applebees has almost as big of a selection on tap. Its a pub. Come on. (they had a lot of bottles, but beer is best on tap)
Service: 0/10 - Possibly the worst service I have EVER Had
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Marshmallows Make things great!
If you are like me two things come to mind when you think of the word marshmallow: The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters and Marshmallow Mateys, the best thing Malt-o-meal has ever done.
I still remember the first time I walked into the back part of the cafeteria in Centennial Hall. My tray was full of course because of all the great food I thought I had found. Then I saw the cereal stacks and realized I made a big mistake. I needed at least two bowls of cereal, and of course Marshmallow Mateys were my choice for both. From that day on I had cereal at EVERY meal my freshman year at the cafeteria until the last day when I had to make myself not get it once. I usually had Marshmallow Mateys ever meal, it is just too good to pass up.
Unfortunately it was the only marshmallow cereal they offered. I would have liked to have had the choice of more because there are so many that have been great! Of course there have been others that I wonder why they do it. My second favorite is Boo Berry - there is nothing like a blueberry flavored cereal with marshmallows as a complement.
Here are a few more, some you may have tried, some you may not have. I rate them on a scale of 1 marshmallow (being the worst) all the way to 5 marshmallows (being the best)
Marshmallow Mateys: 5 marshmallows
Boo Berry: 5 Marshmallows
Magic Stars 4.5 marshmallows
Franken Berry 3.5 Marshmallows
Fruit Loops with marshmallows (not sure what the official name is) 3 marshmallows
Lucky Charms 4 marshmallows
Cocoa Crispies with marshmallows 4 marshmallows
Chocolate Lucky Charms 4 marshmallows
Count Chocula 4 Marshmallows
Smorez Cereal 3.5 marshmallows (its about a 4.5 for half the box, but then is too much)
Sbonge Bob Cereal 3.5 Marshmallows
Marshmallow Alpha Bits 3 marshmallows (just something too much)
Hanna Montana Cereal 1 marshmallow (I haven't tried it, but come on. It sucks)
I still remember the first time I walked into the back part of the cafeteria in Centennial Hall. My tray was full of course because of all the great food I thought I had found. Then I saw the cereal stacks and realized I made a big mistake. I needed at least two bowls of cereal, and of course Marshmallow Mateys were my choice for both. From that day on I had cereal at EVERY meal my freshman year at the cafeteria until the last day when I had to make myself not get it once. I usually had Marshmallow Mateys ever meal, it is just too good to pass up.
Unfortunately it was the only marshmallow cereal they offered. I would have liked to have had the choice of more because there are so many that have been great! Of course there have been others that I wonder why they do it. My second favorite is Boo Berry - there is nothing like a blueberry flavored cereal with marshmallows as a complement.
Here are a few more, some you may have tried, some you may not have. I rate them on a scale of 1 marshmallow (being the worst) all the way to 5 marshmallows (being the best)
Marshmallow Mateys: 5 marshmallows
Boo Berry: 5 Marshmallows
Magic Stars 4.5 marshmallows
Franken Berry 3.5 Marshmallows
Fruit Loops with marshmallows (not sure what the official name is) 3 marshmallows
Lucky Charms 4 marshmallows
Cocoa Crispies with marshmallows 4 marshmallows
Chocolate Lucky Charms 4 marshmallows
Count Chocula 4 Marshmallows
Smorez Cereal 3.5 marshmallows (its about a 4.5 for half the box, but then is too much)
Sbonge Bob Cereal 3.5 Marshmallows
Marshmallow Alpha Bits 3 marshmallows (just something too much)
Hanna Montana Cereal 1 marshmallow (I haven't tried it, but come on. It sucks)
Shrek Cereal 2.5 stars
Cereal rocks. Marshmallows make it better. Help the economy. Eat more cereal!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Tubby Time!
I know there is all this excitement about Gopher Football, and for great reasons, but lets not forget that Basketball Season is right around the corner, and its going to be a GREAT one!
The last time I was this excited about Gopher Basketball (other than when I heard we got Tubby) was March 18, 2005. That was the last time the Gophers were in the NCAA tournament. I still carry the ticket with me in my wallet. College basketball is the BEST sport in the land, hands down. And once again we have one of the best teams in the country!
I know we still have a lot to figure out, but so does every team. What we do not have to figure out is whether or not our coach can get the most of his players. Tubby has proved year in and year out that he can coach. He proved it here in Minnesota, even without top talent. Now we have added one of the best players in the country in Royce White, one of the most exciting freshman in country in Rodney Williams (if you haven't watched him dunk a basketball you are missing out) and we have added a promising point guard and a Big Ten ready power forward who is ready to prove his doubters wrong! For those of you who don't know much about Trevor Mbakwe I can tell you from watching him play and coaching against him in that he wants to, he can play with ANYONE. Playing for Tubby, he will want to, I guarantee it.
Looking at our lineup the one thing I worry about is getting guys enough playing time.
Point guard will be our biggest question. We have seen Al Nolen play at an All-Conference level, but have also seen him struggle against weaker competition. Hopefully Cobbs can push him to play his best.
At shooting guard we have an explosive scorer in Westbrook. Devoe Joseph proved that he can play with back to back great games against Penn State and Michigan. He also has shown at times he can play a little point guard if needed.
We are STACKED with small forwards. I don't even know where to start. Damien Johnson is one of the best all around players int eh country. He plays defense, he can score, and he can pass. Paul Carter and Devron Bostick both struggled at times, but both have the talent to play at a high level, its just a matter of them flipping the switch to "On". Rodney Williams won't be a star his first year, but he will bring the kind of excitement to games that can change the momentum in our favor with a big dunk or swat.
Oh, and then there is a guy you might have heard of named Blake Hoffarber. You may remember a few big shots he has made in his career. He struggled a little last year with his shot, but with less pressure on him this year look for him to get hot when we need him.
Royce White is for real. So is T Bak. These two will play together at times, and will dominate when they do, but they also will split some time depending on whether or not we need more power or finesse. This is our strongest position because of the raw talent we have, I'm guessing Tubby will get the most out of it too.
Ralph Sampson and Colton Iverson made our team what it was last year. Colt 45 started out great. He is hard worker, has good foot work and is smart. Ralph came on stronger in the second half and showed us why he was our best recruit in last years class. He is going to be a force on defense, should continue to improve on offense, and with the two of them working together gives us one of the better front courts in the Big Ten.
Overall I think we are set to finish in the top 4 in the conference. Mich St. and Purdue are going to be hard to top. Otherwise I think we are in a fight with Illinois for the 3rd spot. It won't be easy to stay ahead of Michigan, but I think our coaching advantage and depth will help us.
I see the Big Ten going like this:
Purdue 14-4
Mich St. 13-5
GOPHERS 12-6
Illinois 11-7
OSU/Mich 10-8
Wisc9-9
PS 8-10
NW got lucky last year....too many times
Indiana is still way too young
Iowa sucks. Period
The last time I was this excited about Gopher Basketball (other than when I heard we got Tubby) was March 18, 2005. That was the last time the Gophers were in the NCAA tournament. I still carry the ticket with me in my wallet. College basketball is the BEST sport in the land, hands down. And once again we have one of the best teams in the country!
I know we still have a lot to figure out, but so does every team. What we do not have to figure out is whether or not our coach can get the most of his players. Tubby has proved year in and year out that he can coach. He proved it here in Minnesota, even without top talent. Now we have added one of the best players in the country in Royce White, one of the most exciting freshman in country in Rodney Williams (if you haven't watched him dunk a basketball you are missing out) and we have added a promising point guard and a Big Ten ready power forward who is ready to prove his doubters wrong! For those of you who don't know much about Trevor Mbakwe I can tell you from watching him play and coaching against him in that he wants to, he can play with ANYONE. Playing for Tubby, he will want to, I guarantee it.
Looking at our lineup the one thing I worry about is getting guys enough playing time.
Point guard will be our biggest question. We have seen Al Nolen play at an All-Conference level, but have also seen him struggle against weaker competition. Hopefully Cobbs can push him to play his best.
At shooting guard we have an explosive scorer in Westbrook. Devoe Joseph proved that he can play with back to back great games against Penn State and Michigan. He also has shown at times he can play a little point guard if needed.
We are STACKED with small forwards. I don't even know where to start. Damien Johnson is one of the best all around players int eh country. He plays defense, he can score, and he can pass. Paul Carter and Devron Bostick both struggled at times, but both have the talent to play at a high level, its just a matter of them flipping the switch to "On". Rodney Williams won't be a star his first year, but he will bring the kind of excitement to games that can change the momentum in our favor with a big dunk or swat.
Oh, and then there is a guy you might have heard of named Blake Hoffarber. You may remember a few big shots he has made in his career. He struggled a little last year with his shot, but with less pressure on him this year look for him to get hot when we need him.
Royce White is for real. So is T Bak. These two will play together at times, and will dominate when they do, but they also will split some time depending on whether or not we need more power or finesse. This is our strongest position because of the raw talent we have, I'm guessing Tubby will get the most out of it too.
Ralph Sampson and Colton Iverson made our team what it was last year. Colt 45 started out great. He is hard worker, has good foot work and is smart. Ralph came on stronger in the second half and showed us why he was our best recruit in last years class. He is going to be a force on defense, should continue to improve on offense, and with the two of them working together gives us one of the better front courts in the Big Ten.
Overall I think we are set to finish in the top 4 in the conference. Mich St. and Purdue are going to be hard to top. Otherwise I think we are in a fight with Illinois for the 3rd spot. It won't be easy to stay ahead of Michigan, but I think our coaching advantage and depth will help us.
I see the Big Ten going like this:
Purdue 14-4
Mich St. 13-5
GOPHERS 12-6
Illinois 11-7
OSU/Mich 10-8
Wisc9-9
PS 8-10
NW got lucky last year....too many times
Indiana is still way too young
Iowa sucks. Period
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Who needs lots of sugar
I know we all love the taste of "sugar" cereals (Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, Marshmallow Mateys, Frosted Mini Wheat etc.) but if you are looking for something healthy that still tastes great have no fear. The Cereal Connoisseur is here!!!
When many people think of "healthy" cereals they usually think boring. I know Cheerios probably come to mind first for most people, but look a little further and you will see that many of the healthiest cereals also taste great! Most of these cereals still have small amounts of sugar, but that is hard to get around. Here are the best of what I consider "healthy" cereals
-Special K (with or without strawberries. Stay away from the other flavors, they have more processed sugar)
-Wheaties
-Crispex
-Chex (corn are my favorite by far)
-Corn Flakes (can't go wrong with a cereal with a rooster on the front)
-Grape Nuts (let the milk soak in and they are Great!)
-Total
-Rice Krispies
I know these cereals are better with some sugar on them, but add a little Splenda and you won't notice a thing.
If you are going to choose one to snack on go for the Crispex, the corn and rice combo is great dry!
NEXT: Marshmallow Cereals
When many people think of "healthy" cereals they usually think boring. I know Cheerios probably come to mind first for most people, but look a little further and you will see that many of the healthiest cereals also taste great! Most of these cereals still have small amounts of sugar, but that is hard to get around. Here are the best of what I consider "healthy" cereals
-Special K (with or without strawberries. Stay away from the other flavors, they have more processed sugar)
-Wheaties
-Crispex
-Chex (corn are my favorite by far)
-Corn Flakes (can't go wrong with a cereal with a rooster on the front)
-Grape Nuts (let the milk soak in and they are Great!)
-Total
-Rice Krispies
I know these cereals are better with some sugar on them, but add a little Splenda and you won't notice a thing.
If you are going to choose one to snack on go for the Crispex, the corn and rice combo is great dry!
NEXT: Marshmallow Cereals
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Clinton 2012???
I like to stick with Food and Sports for the most part because they interest me more than news and I know more about them than I do politics and current events, however I am sticking with this prediction: Hilary Clinton WILL be the Democratic nominee in 2012. I said it before, and I even predicted some things that would happen to help her. Well today the Clintons took a big step forward as Bill Clinton visited North Korea and met with Kim Jan Il to discuss the release of some American Journalists. (http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-08-03-clinton-nkorea_N.htm)
Why is this important? North Korea has been very aggressive with its nuclear program and many countries are carefully watching what their every move. If Clinton can help influence KJI to stop trying to develop nuclear weapons the rest of the world will remember who did it. I believe that Americans do care what other countries think of our leaders (part of the reason I believe Obama crushed McCain instead of beating him slightly).
This could be a big step forward for the first Female Presidential Candidate.
Why is this important? North Korea has been very aggressive with its nuclear program and many countries are carefully watching what their every move. If Clinton can help influence KJI to stop trying to develop nuclear weapons the rest of the world will remember who did it. I believe that Americans do care what other countries think of our leaders (part of the reason I believe Obama crushed McCain instead of beating him slightly).
This could be a big step forward for the first Female Presidential Candidate.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Numero Quatro
I already told you that Favre was coming back. T Jack has a sprained knee and the Preseason hasn't even started. As much as I would like to see what Travaris can do it seems like I can't because he can't stay healthy for the entire season. A knee sprain can be as simple as a few weeks of healing, or as complex as requiring surgery. Its too bad this had to happen so soon, but now Management HAS to make the call to Favre. They might as well call him right now and ask him to come in after the second Preseason game to start practicing. That or ask him when he wants to come in because in this writer's opinion he wants to come in about week 5 or 6 so he won't wear out come playoff time.
Chilly will have to make sure that he isn't the one to make the decision, but believe me the decision will be made and Favre will be on this team by mid-October.
Chilly will have to make sure that he isn't the one to make the decision, but believe me the decision will be made and Favre will be on this team by mid-October.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Mike and Mike are Idiots
So I was listening to Mike and Mike this morning on the radio and just about had to pull over and hit someone. Sometimes I wonder why we have National Media when they are all so East Coast Bias, with the few exceptions for the West Coast lovers and John Madden who has a man crush on the all time leader for INT's thrown in the NFL. This morning they stated that we can't look at teams of steroid users and look down on that team or second guess their success....BULLSH*T!! Manny and Papi testing positive in '03 and you think we can't second guess the Red Sox titles in '04 and '07. I can do whatever the hell I want, and I choose to say they are crap in my mind. We are not talking about a couple of role players on a team with depth, we are talking about two of the BEST hitters in baseball at the time. They were far and away the best and most feared duo in baseball at the time. I know we can't predict how much PED's help a player, but they obviously help quite a bit or Bond's wouldn't have hit more home runs in a 4 year stretch in his late 30's than he did in all of his 20's. Of course Mike and Mike won't call them out like they should though because of fear of hurting the feelings of the poor saps in Boston who haven't had a team win a World Series in 70 some years in my mind. The biggest reason you have to call out the whole team is there is absolutely no way that ownership, coaches and teammates are not aware of these things. It doesn't happen.
I sure wish that a few Twins would have been juicing in the 2003-2007 seasons. We might have won a few more games. Could you imagine if Luis Rivas was hitting 15 home runs a year what that would have done to our line up? Or if Torri Hunter had put on 15 pounds of muscle and hit 40+ a year? Instead Twins fans were left to go crazy when he put up back to back 20 HR seasons. I have been against steroids from the time they showed up in baseball as a problem, but since according to Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb (aka Mike & Mike) every team was doing it, I wish every Twins player would have so at least we could have another World Series....of course if that was the case those two idiots would be making a big deal out of it.
To make matters worse TDee & T Dumb went on to say they felt sorry for Selig.....Really??? The guy who promoted baseball with McGuire and Sosa - two guys who looked like they kick 2 different kinds of dog sh*t out of Andre the Giant - is someone we should feel sorry for in this situation??? NO!!!!! Selig should have been fired years ago. He knew the entire time players were doping, but he wasn't going to say anything because his precious sport is getting crushed by the NFL in popularity. The Home Run chase is what brought baseball back. Selig deserves everything he has coming. He sucks. Period. When he was busy trying to contract the Twins because we didn't to give the RICHEST owner in sports a new stadium he should have instead been working to contract himself.
I sure wish that a few Twins would have been juicing in the 2003-2007 seasons. We might have won a few more games. Could you imagine if Luis Rivas was hitting 15 home runs a year what that would have done to our line up? Or if Torri Hunter had put on 15 pounds of muscle and hit 40+ a year? Instead Twins fans were left to go crazy when he put up back to back 20 HR seasons. I have been against steroids from the time they showed up in baseball as a problem, but since according to Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb (aka Mike & Mike) every team was doing it, I wish every Twins player would have so at least we could have another World Series....of course if that was the case those two idiots would be making a big deal out of it.
To make matters worse TDee & T Dumb went on to say they felt sorry for Selig.....Really??? The guy who promoted baseball with McGuire and Sosa - two guys who looked like they kick 2 different kinds of dog sh*t out of Andre the Giant - is someone we should feel sorry for in this situation??? NO!!!!! Selig should have been fired years ago. He knew the entire time players were doping, but he wasn't going to say anything because his precious sport is getting crushed by the NFL in popularity. The Home Run chase is what brought baseball back. Selig deserves everything he has coming. He sucks. Period. When he was busy trying to contract the Twins because we didn't to give the RICHEST owner in sports a new stadium he should have instead been working to contract himself.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Shame on Big Bappi and of course ALL of MLB
I remember where I was when I heard it. Driving around Columbus, OH looking for a good place to buy NES and SNES games I heard something I wasn't quite sure how to react to: Big Papi, once one of my favorite players, calling out steroid users in baseball and saying anyone who tests positive should be suspended 1 year off the bat. Don't remember that, well the world wide leader is sports ESPN can refresh your memory. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2009/news/story?id=3911153
When I heard this I didn't know how to react because as much as I loved Ortiz, I always wondered just a little bit because of the numbers he put up. I wanted to believe him, and after hearing what he said I figured he was telling the truth....well unfortunately for him he was not. Now I can't respect him. If he had admitted it or even just shut up about it that would be different, but to call for a 1 year suspension when he used is hypocritical. I am now glad I dropped a ball he threw me over the Baggie in Right Field at the Dome.
Its hard to tell how good he would have been, after all his last year as a Twin he hit 20 home runs in I believe only about 2/3 of a season. However as we learned from many players recovery time is one of the biggest reasons players cheated, and he was injury prone early in his career. Funny, once again he is injury prone, but this time he doesn't have PED's to help.
I know he wasn't the only player to cheat, but he called others out for the same thing he did.
Still think he should have been MVP??? I don't.
Its hard to tell how good he would have been, after all his last year as a Twin he hit 20 home runs in I believe only about 2/3 of a season. However as we learned from many players recovery time is one of the biggest reasons players cheated, and he was injury prone early in his career. Funny, once again he is injury prone, but this time he doesn't have PED's to help.
I know he wasn't the only player to cheat, but he called others out for the same thing he did.
Still think he should have been MVP??? I don't.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Food
I love eating. Cereal might be my favorite food. I am a self-proclaimed cereal expert. Ask anyone I know and they will agree. For those of you who aren't quite the cereal connoisseurs I am, I will let you in a few quick secrets:
1) Marshmallow Mateys are THE BEST marshmallow cereal (Plus they are made in Minnesota). Lucky Charms don't compare, and other off brands fall quite a bit short.
2) Looking for a healthy breakfast with a different flavor? Try mixing Wheaties and Special K. It will blow your taste buds away.
3)If you truly love the flavor and texture of Apple Cinnamon or Honey Nut Cheerios get the real thing. There is something about off brands texture that seems to also throw the flavor off. One of the few lines of cereal I only buy the real thing for.
4) Be careful if you eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch dry out of the box. Maybe you will be more disciplined than I am, but I usually polish off at least 2/3 of the box the first time I open it. And yes, this is one of the BEST cereals dry. I don't eat it with milk ever, just coffee to bitter the taste buds. Try it and you won't regret it.
More cereal talk to come.
1) Marshmallow Mateys are THE BEST marshmallow cereal (Plus they are made in Minnesota). Lucky Charms don't compare, and other off brands fall quite a bit short.
2) Looking for a healthy breakfast with a different flavor? Try mixing Wheaties and Special K. It will blow your taste buds away.
3)If you truly love the flavor and texture of Apple Cinnamon or Honey Nut Cheerios get the real thing. There is something about off brands texture that seems to also throw the flavor off. One of the few lines of cereal I only buy the real thing for.
4) Be careful if you eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch dry out of the box. Maybe you will be more disciplined than I am, but I usually polish off at least 2/3 of the box the first time I open it. And yes, this is one of the BEST cereals dry. I don't eat it with milk ever, just coffee to bitter the taste buds. Try it and you won't regret it.
More cereal talk to come.
The Danger of Drugs
If you didn't see it or hear about it in the news, Jeff Dubay was sentenced today to 180 days in a work house. How sad is it to see a guy who had so much going for himself to fall this far. His job was to do what a large percentage of guys do for free or pay to do everyday, watch and talk about sports. He was a great personality on KFAN, he always showed passion working for FSN on Gopher games, and he was a HUGE Gopher rube, something KFAN is missing from its radio waves. All of this because of cocaine. Once again we see how dangerous drugs can be and how fast they can tear a person down. Our prayers go out to Jeff that he recovers, and that he doesn't make the same stupid mistake when he gets out. He needs to clean up his act and get real help. He still has a chance to change his life and hopefully he also can change a few others when he gets clean.
More Twins Baseball
As I said earlier this week, Twins baseball is simply spending enough money to keep the fans happy but not enough to have a real chance to win a title because we don't want any "down years". Once again the Twins are already setting themselves up to keep up the Twins Baseball tradition. The worst part is a lot of fans and even media members are enablers this year!!! I could not believe it when I heard it today, but on a certain station up the dial from KFAN (who actually has the balls to call out the Twins) had the audacity to say that maybe the Twins will stay put because of this late winning streak.....WINNING STREAK!!!!! We've won 3 fritten games!!! And that is coming off a 1-5 stretch against Joakland and Anaheim - who is missing probably its 2 best RH hitters. 3 games is not a real winning streak, especially when 1 win was a gift from the White Sox thanks to a couple of errors. I have heard fans saying similar things too. This is absolutely asinine! Win streak. Phooey. Get back to me when we knock off 7 or 8 in a row, or 12 of 15. REAL contenders do that. Pretenders go 6-4 then 4-6 (sound familiar)
We ponied up the dough for a stadium, its time for the Twins to pony up a few paychecks that they don't really want to - especially if they are short term. I wouldn't be suprised if the St. Paul Saints payroll didn't eclipse the Twins one of these years.
We ponied up the dough for a stadium, its time for the Twins to pony up a few paychecks that they don't really want to - especially if they are short term. I wouldn't be suprised if the St. Paul Saints payroll didn't eclipse the Twins one of these years.
Is Favre really done??
You heard it here first, Brett Favre is NOT done.
You can not believe anything he says, as he has proven. I would believe Cartman that he was going on a diet before I believed anything Favre said. He is a habitual liar, well more of a habitual waffler. He changes his opinion by the hour, which is fine, but always makes sure it leaks so everyone can stroke his ego.
That said, I do believe he is worried about being able to make it through the season. The good news for him is QB's are likely to get hurt, it happens every year. By him doing this to the Vikings he opens himself up for the possibility of keeping in shape and hoping for Sage to get injured, at which point he will be one of the only QB's on the market. Then he can come in and be ready to go by for the second half of the season and playoffs. A big risk for him, but its the only way for him to keep his consecutive starts streak in tact - and of course all he cares about is himself, so he won't chance losing that streak.
Option #2 for Favre: The Pack. The Drunken Sconnies can try and deny it, but they still love him. If Rodgers were to get injured he could be called upon to step in with a one year deal.
In the meantime we know he will be riding his lawn mower around town in a one man parade waving at everyone in the city all day because he needs that attention.
You can not believe anything he says, as he has proven. I would believe Cartman that he was going on a diet before I believed anything Favre said. He is a habitual liar, well more of a habitual waffler. He changes his opinion by the hour, which is fine, but always makes sure it leaks so everyone can stroke his ego.
That said, I do believe he is worried about being able to make it through the season. The good news for him is QB's are likely to get hurt, it happens every year. By him doing this to the Vikings he opens himself up for the possibility of keeping in shape and hoping for Sage to get injured, at which point he will be one of the only QB's on the market. Then he can come in and be ready to go by for the second half of the season and playoffs. A big risk for him, but its the only way for him to keep his consecutive starts streak in tact - and of course all he cares about is himself, so he won't chance losing that streak.
Option #2 for Favre: The Pack. The Drunken Sconnies can try and deny it, but they still love him. If Rodgers were to get injured he could be called upon to step in with a one year deal.
In the meantime we know he will be riding his lawn mower around town in a one man parade waving at everyone in the city all day because he needs that attention.
Monday, July 27, 2009
THANK YOU M&M BOYS & THE HAMMER!!!
FINALLY we have a voice that matters speak out about the Twins' roster situation: There is a lack of talent. It means nothing to Management when fans and media call them out because the fans still show up to the big bubble known as the Dome. We haven't had a player call out management since Cy Young Winner Johan Santana - Then the best pitcher in baseball (and still in that conversation)
That was different though. That was 1 guy calling out for help with a team of young rising stars like Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan......well what do you know, now those 3 are the 3 best players at their respective positions in ALL of baseball.
Justin Morneau has the Hardware - and a 2nd place finish. Mauer has a 6th place finish and 4th place finish (many argue he was actually more valuable to the Twins in 06) and Joe Nathan has been as good as ANYONE as a closer over the last 5 years.
I have heard some people say the players need to worry about playing but tell me this, how could they be doing any better? Morneau is again an MVP candidate and would be the leader if not for our record. He is in 9th in Average and LEADS the AL in HR and RBI - and that's with having terrible players hitting 2nd half the season - taking away a few potential RBI. Mauer I guess has struggled, he is now only hitting .358 with a .427 OBP and 17 HR. Nathan has struggled with 3 blown saves...of course he has converted 27 and has a 1.5 ERA.
So I applaud these 3. They realize that an athlete only has so many opportunities to win a title, and with the core of our team all playing great - Span, Kubel and Cuddyer all continue to have great seasons - all we need are a few pieces. I say go get Halliday!!!!! He would give us something we haven't had since Santana. A guy that you just expect to win night in and night out. We would still have him for next year too, so hopefully by then Liriano figures something out, Baker settles back into what he had last year, and Slowey will be healthy.
I don't want to hear anything about being a small market, if we win we attract as many fans as the big market teams. Small market means you aren't doing enough to make it a big market - lets not forget we have a lot of fans from Iowa, the Dakotas and the ENTIRE state of Minnesota - that's 4.5 Million people. That is our market. I don't care if the "market" is considered within a certain distance of the stadium because we all know that fans from all over MN come to the cities all the time to catch a weekend of Twins baseball.
The Twins better act fast too because it won't be long before fans realize that a better weekend would be to come down in the fall and see a game at TCF Stadium - the greatest stadium in college football - where they know they are going to see a winning team with management that gives everything they have!
That was different though. That was 1 guy calling out for help with a team of young rising stars like Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan......well what do you know, now those 3 are the 3 best players at their respective positions in ALL of baseball.
Justin Morneau has the Hardware - and a 2nd place finish. Mauer has a 6th place finish and 4th place finish (many argue he was actually more valuable to the Twins in 06) and Joe Nathan has been as good as ANYONE as a closer over the last 5 years.
I have heard some people say the players need to worry about playing but tell me this, how could they be doing any better? Morneau is again an MVP candidate and would be the leader if not for our record. He is in 9th in Average and LEADS the AL in HR and RBI - and that's with having terrible players hitting 2nd half the season - taking away a few potential RBI. Mauer I guess has struggled, he is now only hitting .358 with a .427 OBP and 17 HR. Nathan has struggled with 3 blown saves...of course he has converted 27 and has a 1.5 ERA.
So I applaud these 3. They realize that an athlete only has so many opportunities to win a title, and with the core of our team all playing great - Span, Kubel and Cuddyer all continue to have great seasons - all we need are a few pieces. I say go get Halliday!!!!! He would give us something we haven't had since Santana. A guy that you just expect to win night in and night out. We would still have him for next year too, so hopefully by then Liriano figures something out, Baker settles back into what he had last year, and Slowey will be healthy.
I don't want to hear anything about being a small market, if we win we attract as many fans as the big market teams. Small market means you aren't doing enough to make it a big market - lets not forget we have a lot of fans from Iowa, the Dakotas and the ENTIRE state of Minnesota - that's 4.5 Million people. That is our market. I don't care if the "market" is considered within a certain distance of the stadium because we all know that fans from all over MN come to the cities all the time to catch a weekend of Twins baseball.
The Twins better act fast too because it won't be long before fans realize that a better weekend would be to come down in the fall and see a game at TCF Stadium - the greatest stadium in college football - where they know they are going to see a winning team with management that gives everything they have!
Motivation for the Twins
I know that The Common Man tries to always take credit for certain athletes in this state getting hot, but I don't remember ever hearing him call out Cuddyer in the clutch. Me on the other hand, I was calling him out in the clutch just a couple of weeks ago. He always had seemed to get that "Big Home Run" with the twins up 6-1, or get that big RBI double with them down 7-0. Well folks, what do you think of him now? He must have heard my rant a few weeks ago while we were in Uptown because once again tonight he got the Big hit - a 2 run homer to put us up 4-3. This also sent our winning streak soaring to 2 - I'm not gonna hold my breath for much more.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Wine
Isn't it amazing that people talk about buying wine to store for 20 years before drinking to make it taste better!?!?! If I buy some "good" wine I'm gonna drink it within a month or two.
You want some great wine at a good price? Try Menage Trois White and Red. About $10 a bottle and fritten awesome!!!!!!
You want some great wine at a good price? Try Menage Trois White and Red. About $10 a bottle and fritten awesome!!!!!!
More twins baseball.....
2 of the top 3 MVP candidates....... no pitching or help at 3b, ss or 2b.
The good news we are about to make a big trade! That's right, I heard we are going after a future HOFer, a guy who would be the best #2 hitter we have ever had! That's right Ricky Henderson!!!!!!! oh, too bad, he turned us down....but we tried right...
The polahd regime continues. The worst part is the current owners didn't even make any of the money they have, it was all given to them!!!!!
My guess, we go out and get an over achieving SP who every other team knows can't keep it up, and he won't when he gets here.
The good news we are about to make a big trade! That's right, I heard we are going after a future HOFer, a guy who would be the best #2 hitter we have ever had! That's right Ricky Henderson!!!!!!! oh, too bad, he turned us down....but we tried right...
The polahd regime continues. The worst part is the current owners didn't even make any of the money they have, it was all given to them!!!!!
My guess, we go out and get an over achieving SP who every other team knows can't keep it up, and he won't when he gets here.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
What exactly is "Twins Baseball": Part 1
I'm only going to start on this subject tonight, but tune in for the next two parts this weekend.
We always here about "Twins Baseball" from coaches (who are among the best in baseball) and from the media folk that seem to think the twins can do no wrong, but I offer you this question: What exactly is "Twins Baseball". If you ask Gardy, who is in my opinion one of the top coaches in MLB (other than a few decisions recently I don't like...not putting Nathan in twice and going Gomez/punto at the top of the order) he would tell you it is playing great defense, having strong pitching and getting the most out of every batter and base runner. This was true for quite some time. However now we don't really do any of them well. Instead we have 5 hitters who are as good as ANY 5 on a single team in baseball right now. Span is solid as a lead off hitter. Mauer might be the best singles and doubles hitter in baseball (with a little more power this year) and draws walks as well as anyone who doesn't hit 40+ home runs a year. Morneau is a triple crown threat, Kubel is showing what coaches (and my buddy ZO) have been promising for years - an all star caliber hitter, and Cuddyer hits as well as any outfielder in his pay bracket. We aren't the same old Twins relying on the piranhas to carry us. We also have a guy in Crede who, when healthy, is a solid 7 hitter because he has some pop. Delmon is not living up to expectations at all, but he is hitting close to .270.
The problem with our line up is we are forced to play too much of this Twins BBall by playing Gomez (.239) Punto (.203) Buscher (.212) Tolbert (.178) and Casilla (.173).
What we need is a decent #2 hitter, or a decent 9 hitter - you know - a piranha. Someone who can get on base at a .350 clip, steal some bases and play some defense. A guy like Freddie Sanchez maybe, who is better than a piranha.
We will most likely not get a guy like that though for 1 reason....THAT IS TWINS BASEBALL!!!!
Twins baseball is doing just enough to keep fans happy. Its making sure we are good enough to stay in contention every year until other teams make moves to take that next step. Its dishing out just enough money every year to make it appear we are trying without breaking the bank.
One last thing for tonight: We will sign Joe Mauer to whatever he wants. If he wants $20 million he will get it, and you know why? So the Twins can say "look, we spent the money". In reality, its because they HAVE to sign him or risk losing a huge fan base that will come watch Joe even if we are in last place. Yes fans, THAT is a big part of what "Twins Baseball" has become.
We always here about "Twins Baseball" from coaches (who are among the best in baseball) and from the media folk that seem to think the twins can do no wrong, but I offer you this question: What exactly is "Twins Baseball". If you ask Gardy, who is in my opinion one of the top coaches in MLB (other than a few decisions recently I don't like...not putting Nathan in twice and going Gomez/punto at the top of the order) he would tell you it is playing great defense, having strong pitching and getting the most out of every batter and base runner. This was true for quite some time. However now we don't really do any of them well. Instead we have 5 hitters who are as good as ANY 5 on a single team in baseball right now. Span is solid as a lead off hitter. Mauer might be the best singles and doubles hitter in baseball (with a little more power this year) and draws walks as well as anyone who doesn't hit 40+ home runs a year. Morneau is a triple crown threat, Kubel is showing what coaches (and my buddy ZO) have been promising for years - an all star caliber hitter, and Cuddyer hits as well as any outfielder in his pay bracket. We aren't the same old Twins relying on the piranhas to carry us. We also have a guy in Crede who, when healthy, is a solid 7 hitter because he has some pop. Delmon is not living up to expectations at all, but he is hitting close to .270.
The problem with our line up is we are forced to play too much of this Twins BBall by playing Gomez (.239) Punto (.203) Buscher (.212) Tolbert (.178) and Casilla (.173).
What we need is a decent #2 hitter, or a decent 9 hitter - you know - a piranha. Someone who can get on base at a .350 clip, steal some bases and play some defense. A guy like Freddie Sanchez maybe, who is better than a piranha.
We will most likely not get a guy like that though for 1 reason....THAT IS TWINS BASEBALL!!!!
Twins baseball is doing just enough to keep fans happy. Its making sure we are good enough to stay in contention every year until other teams make moves to take that next step. Its dishing out just enough money every year to make it appear we are trying without breaking the bank.
One last thing for tonight: We will sign Joe Mauer to whatever he wants. If he wants $20 million he will get it, and you know why? So the Twins can say "look, we spent the money". In reality, its because they HAVE to sign him or risk losing a huge fan base that will come watch Joe even if we are in last place. Yes fans, THAT is a big part of what "Twins Baseball" has become.
More Thai
So going on about some great Thai Places Ruam Mit Thai might have the best Pad Thai in the Twin Cities. I have been there twice, but have not been there in over 2 years because the service was so bad. If you are patient and don't need refills on drinks I recommend trying it, you will love the food (assuming it hasn't changed). And who knows, they may have improved the service too.
If you are on your way to the airport stop in to Supatra's Thai Cuisine. They boast a great atmosphere if you are meeting friends or going on date too. The food is great! The Chicken Pad Thai is as good as any other, and they also boast some other fabulous dishes. If you need an appetizer go for the Wontons - the best I've had anywhere.
My final recommendation for the day is Pad Thai in St. Paul. It is nothing special for atmosphere or taste, but it is still very good food and a nice atmosphere. You won't leave disappointed or ecstatic, but you will leave satisfied and with a few more bucks in your pocket. I've been there twice and will be going back.
TOMORROW: A double dose of Taste of Thailand and more!
If you are on your way to the airport stop in to Supatra's Thai Cuisine. They boast a great atmosphere if you are meeting friends or going on date too. The food is great! The Chicken Pad Thai is as good as any other, and they also boast some other fabulous dishes. If you need an appetizer go for the Wontons - the best I've had anywhere.
My final recommendation for the day is Pad Thai in St. Paul. It is nothing special for atmosphere or taste, but it is still very good food and a nice atmosphere. You won't leave disappointed or ecstatic, but you will leave satisfied and with a few more bucks in your pocket. I've been there twice and will be going back.
TOMORROW: A double dose of Taste of Thailand and more!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
News - sometimes its too much for the brain...literally
So according to BBC News (see link below) we are apparently only about 10 years away from making a human brain. that is weird. clones are weird. I don't want any of that crap. I'm worried enough about robots taking over the world, I don't want super genius humans powered by fake brains to worry about too. Its almost time to move to Canada where everything is 10 years behind. In fact, we should also go back to the Zach Morris style cell phone too, I'm not afraid of those. I am afraid of the iphone, I knows it keeps track of how drunk you are just so it knows when to attack.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8164060.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8164060.stm
Tim Brewster...Greatest Man Ever?
Yes, it's true. Tim Brewster is the greatest man currently alive. The debate should be over by now - sign the man to a 40-year extension while we still can. He will lead Gopher Nation to Pasadena with his many brilliant measures, including:
- Relentless recruiting of 4 & 5-star players
- Social networking to attract recruits
- Excellent assistants whose message always seems to resonate with recruits
- Victory walk
- Tough scheduling
- Campus rumors of him earning respect by chugging PBR's at an on campus bar in 2007
- Chunk of Rose Bowl grass in the locker room
- Connecting with MN high school coaches
- Visits to all MN high schools to help lock down the borders
- Aggressively poaching Wisconsin talent
- Renewed focus on academics that has yielded results
Sawatdee....Thai it, you'll like it!
I know there are plenty of great dishes to get at Thai restaurants, but I only get Pad Thai unless I get two dishes. Pad Thai is just too good, and it is a lot of fun to compare the numerous places and their Pad Thai.
I'm not going to rank them yet, this is the first time I am mentioning them, you have to stick around to see which is the best. Its called a cliffhanger in the business - it makes you come back wanting more.
Sawatdee: There are 7 locations now, 4 that I've been too. Its hard to say what my favorite is because the St. Paul location (the first authentic Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities) has a little better taste to the Pad Thai, but the Washington Ave. location is not far behind and has a bigger portion. It also has a better atmosphere than the St. Paul location if you are eating in.
The Minneapolis Bar & Cafe location is very solid, about as good as Washington Ave. , but not quite the same portions. The Uptown location is my least favorite of the four. While I would never turn down an opportunity to eat there, I would try and get to one of the other Mpls locations first.
I recommend going with the chicken first, go for about a 3 for spice (on a scale of 1-5). You also might want to ask how the chef cooks; some chefs tend to go a little hotter than others. The pork is also very good and the shrimp works too. I love shrimp, but it just doesn't quite taste right in Pad Thai to me. The noodles are the best part of the dish, so if you aren't sure what to do feel free to go without meat, it still is great!
If you are looking for an appetizer there is 1 you have to try: Supenn's Fresh Spring Rolls. They are flat out amazing.
TOMORROW: The Best of the Rest
I'm not going to rank them yet, this is the first time I am mentioning them, you have to stick around to see which is the best. Its called a cliffhanger in the business - it makes you come back wanting more.
Sawatdee: There are 7 locations now, 4 that I've been too. Its hard to say what my favorite is because the St. Paul location (the first authentic Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities) has a little better taste to the Pad Thai, but the Washington Ave. location is not far behind and has a bigger portion. It also has a better atmosphere than the St. Paul location if you are eating in.
The Minneapolis Bar & Cafe location is very solid, about as good as Washington Ave. , but not quite the same portions. The Uptown location is my least favorite of the four. While I would never turn down an opportunity to eat there, I would try and get to one of the other Mpls locations first.
I recommend going with the chicken first, go for about a 3 for spice (on a scale of 1-5). You also might want to ask how the chef cooks; some chefs tend to go a little hotter than others. The pork is also very good and the shrimp works too. I love shrimp, but it just doesn't quite taste right in Pad Thai to me. The noodles are the best part of the dish, so if you aren't sure what to do feel free to go without meat, it still is great!
If you are looking for an appetizer there is 1 you have to try: Supenn's Fresh Spring Rolls. They are flat out amazing.
TOMORROW: The Best of the Rest
Where to get the best Pad Thai
Are you craving Pad Thai tonight?? I know I am.
That's why I'll be enjoying Pad Thai from one of the many Thai Restaurants in the Twin Cities tonight. I'll also fill you in on where to go this weekend for the best Pad Thai in town!
That's why I'll be enjoying Pad Thai from one of the many Thai Restaurants in the Twin Cities tonight. I'll also fill you in on where to go this weekend for the best Pad Thai in town!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
TCF Bank Stadium
I know as sports fans here in the Twin Cities we have been blessed with Williams Arena (the best basketball stadium in the country) since 1928 but as a huge Gopher fan I have been craving an outdoor stadium since my first experience outdoors in Iowa. There is nothing like outdoor football, and having the new stadium on campus makes it even better. This stadium is not just better though, it is the most beautiful man made thing I have ever seen! It is frickin amazing! The first time you see pictures of TCF Bank Stadium you just about cry. The first time you drive onto campus from any direction and you see the brick, the scoreboard and the rest of the stadium you do cry. I know most of us have been jacked since they broke ground, but I don't think anyone knows how great it will be until September 12th. I do believe that TCF Bank Stadium is one of, if not the, greatest college stadium!
Now that September 11th is approaching (I don't think 1 day of tailgating will be enough, so me and some friends are starting a day before the home opener) the most important subject to now approach is what to eat? The single MOST important food item to have is of course shelled peanuts, I suggest Fischer's, the best of the best. Sure the bulk ones in grocery stores are cheaper, but they are not served at the Dome (the one thing they did right) and the bulk ones always seem a little stale. If you crave candy, you can't go wrong with Sugar Babies; they taste great, last long, and are fun to throw and spit at your friends. Of course you also need some real food.
Here is what you want:
Brats
-The best you can get are from your local meat shop. If you are lucky, they will have Wild Rice brats
-Try the Jalapeno and cheddar brats if you go to the store
-You can never go wrong with beer brats - any brand
Hot Dogs
-Do I really need to tell you......NATHAN'S NATHAN'S NATHAN'S
No questions asked
MAKE SURE you get the brat buns - the big ones
If you like spicy mustard, try Jack Daniels Old no. 7
Burgers
-You can't go wrong with fresh ground beef
-Try the Rancher's Preferred frozen burgers. The Mushroom and Swiss are the best, bacon and Cheddar are great too
Others:
-Chicken is always good
-guys, go with the giant turkey legs if you want to impress the ladies....well the kind of ladies who don't care how and what you eat
-CORN ON THE COB - cook it with the husks on - it is amazing
Beverages: Beer, Beer and more beer....and some water for hydration
The best of each class of beers:
Cheap Beer:
-Lacrosse Light ($14 per 30)
-Red Dog
-Mountain Crest (its just plain cheap)
Middle of the Road
-Bud - its the King of beers for a reason
-Mich Golden Light (Does anyone out of Minnesota realize how good this beer is?)
-Michelob Amber Bock (5.0% alcohol, light on calories)
Expensive
-Fat Tire - The best of the best, an Amber beer with an amazing flavor
-New Castle - Worth every cent
-Corona - when its hot out this is possibly the best beer around (try it light too, and don't forget the lime)
See you the 11th (or 12th for those of you who don't feel like taking a day off work)
Now that September 11th is approaching (I don't think 1 day of tailgating will be enough, so me and some friends are starting a day before the home opener) the most important subject to now approach is what to eat? The single MOST important food item to have is of course shelled peanuts, I suggest Fischer's, the best of the best. Sure the bulk ones in grocery stores are cheaper, but they are not served at the Dome (the one thing they did right) and the bulk ones always seem a little stale. If you crave candy, you can't go wrong with Sugar Babies; they taste great, last long, and are fun to throw and spit at your friends. Of course you also need some real food.
Here is what you want:
Brats
-The best you can get are from your local meat shop. If you are lucky, they will have Wild Rice brats
-Try the Jalapeno and cheddar brats if you go to the store
-You can never go wrong with beer brats - any brand
Hot Dogs
-Do I really need to tell you......NATHAN'S NATHAN'S NATHAN'S
No questions asked
MAKE SURE you get the brat buns - the big ones
If you like spicy mustard, try Jack Daniels Old no. 7
Burgers
-You can't go wrong with fresh ground beef
-Try the Rancher's Preferred frozen burgers. The Mushroom and Swiss are the best, bacon and Cheddar are great too
Others:
-Chicken is always good
-guys, go with the giant turkey legs if you want to impress the ladies....well the kind of ladies who don't care how and what you eat
-CORN ON THE COB - cook it with the husks on - it is amazing
Beverages: Beer, Beer and more beer....and some water for hydration
The best of each class of beers:
Cheap Beer:
-Lacrosse Light ($14 per 30)
-Red Dog
-Mountain Crest (its just plain cheap)
Middle of the Road
-Bud - its the King of beers for a reason
-Mich Golden Light (Does anyone out of Minnesota realize how good this beer is?)
-Michelob Amber Bock (5.0% alcohol, light on calories)
Expensive
-Fat Tire - The best of the best, an Amber beer with an amazing flavor
-New Castle - Worth every cent
-Corona - when its hot out this is possibly the best beer around (try it light too, and don't forget the lime)
See you the 11th (or 12th for those of you who don't feel like taking a day off work)
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