- 09:20 AM
- 12/21/24
No vision whatsoever. No plan. All gut and style -- and wayy too much money thrown at both. I look forward to some kind of blueprint, any kind of blueprint, for this team. Their fans are too supportive and show up with real numbers that make ownership very lucky...but it can't last forever. Time to start winning.
posted by diastematic at 02:08 PM on June 17, 2008
clemens has a huge future with the WWE. don't fight it, roger.
posted by diastematic at 12:45 PM on April 28, 2008
He mentioned that he doesn't rent the place out. Wow, he could make a boatload doing so.
posted by diastematic at 11:46 AM on January 17, 2008
I was one of those people who thought that Clemens should have sued right off the bat to try to clear his name. I thought that's all he could do to attempt to clear his name -- BUT I think he should have done it immediately, right out of the gate. Why? So much has transpired over the course of the last 24 hours: the 60 Minutes interview, the press release, the taped conversation...and now, finally, the lawsuit. All this weeks after the Mitchell Report. The timing and orchestration of these events doesn't bode well for him IMO. In the court of public opinion, this is so messy now that there's no way he'll ever definitively clear his rep., even if he's telling the truth.
posted by diastematic at 07:15 PM on January 07, 2008
I agree with you on the proof ... if there IS no proof, then Clemens should go after him in court because he'd have nothing to lose. A lack of proof in court means Clemens' reputation is cleared. But if Clemens has something to hide, he's better off hiding with the news media rather than in the courts. As he has been doing. And that's why I don't believe Clemens.
posted by diastematic at 09:36 AM on January 04, 2008
I feel badly for the fans in Oakland who want the team to stay in Oakland. They're being asked to put up with 2-3 years of full-on suckage (fun to watch, but not much winning), and then just when the team's ready to win again, they'll leave (supposedly for Fremont). Whaddyagonnado.
posted by diastematic at 09:07 AM on January 04, 2008
So back to Clemens: agree with you about going under oath. But... What I find funny and odd about this is that McNamee is considering suing Clemens for saying McNamee's accusation isn't true. Why would McNamee care about his own name when Clemens has so much more at stake? Mc's got Mitchell, etc. on his side -- he's the benchmark of truth, as flimsy as that may be, for all intents and purposes. If I were him I'd just sit back, arms folded behind the head and tell Roger to sue me if you don't agree with what I said. Be a man and fight for your honor! That would put the onus on Clemens to do more than yak to Mike Wallace...it would force him to do something he doesn't have the balls to do, and that's take Mc to court. Far as I'm concerned, Clemens is guilty until he does that.
posted by diastematic at 09:00 AM on January 04, 2008
There's a difference between a perfect record and a perfect team. Perfect record = fact. Perfect team = debatable and entirely subjective. Is this something on which we can all agree (even you, Footballcrew)?
posted by diastematic at 03:08 PM on January 03, 2008
Roger Clemens. Barry Bonds. Jose Canseco. Now we're talking.
posted by diastematic at 03:58 PM on December 26, 2007
Gall dang that new logo would look perfect on a bag of chips. As for a baseball team's identity, it absolutely positively blows...unforgettable, unownable, unexciting. What exactly does it say about the team? "Hey folks, come and nap in our stadium!" Who the hell is designing pro sports teams' visual identities these days and why are they designing them to look so dang temporary? At the very least, a visual logo for a sports team should leverage a design and colors that are iconic and memorable. For example you could put one hand over one eye and stand 40 feet away from a Detroit Red Wings, NY Yanks or SF Giants uniform and still recognize it instantly -- even if you can't make out the type. Seems that many new baseball and hockey unis are going for looks that are contemporary but quickly dated...no fun.
posted by diastematic at 08:02 PM on November 08, 2007
Giants and A-Rod. A match made in heaven. Just replace one marquee player with another and poof! no need to shore up your system, no need to even necessarily win. Just hit them dingers, guy, and we're in business.
posted by diastematic at 04:10 PM on October 29, 2007
That's funny because it looks the same from over here too.
posted by diastematic at 03:10 PM on October 25, 2007
Sigh. Will Buffalo ever cheer again, in any sport? Gotta feel for the fans.
posted by diastematic at 12:29 PM on October 09, 2007
I thought the colloquialism was "looks like a monkey fucking a football." At least that's what I've heard before. Cuz...after all, it's just not that odd, seeing a monkey holding a football, now, is it?
posted by diastematic at 05:43 PM on September 07, 2007
...and apparently, now, no longer a major-league baseball player with the New York Mets. From wow to aww.
posted by diastematic at 04:10 PM on July 12, 2007
Geez. Franco is forty-freaking-eight. Wow.
posted by diastematic at 11:11 AM on July 12, 2007
Meanwhile, Kelvim Escobar strikes out 14 in 6 innings (!). And loses.
posted by diastematic at 10:04 PM on June 12, 2007
I was once caught in the middle of a very Pacers-Pistons-like fight. But it was hockey in Rochester New York, 1987...nasty melee between players and fans. Shane Churla, Binghamton's goon, was exiting the ice after an ejection for fighting. For some reason he was directed right through the overflow-seating area, and (imagine this) some fans didn't like the guy and let him hear it. Before I knew it, Churla and about a half-dozen other Whalers had jumped right into the stands and were duking it out with fans. Which is when I knew it was time to get the hell out of there -- taunting, fun. Fighting with well-equipped giants, stupid. In any case, a pic of the mess made it to the next morning's paper. My grandmother spotted me right away, clipped the photo out of the paper and put it on the fridge ;-)
posted by diastematic at 01:04 PM on May 16, 2007
Ugh. Buffalo has given up. One shot in six power plays. Pffffffffffftttttttttttttttt.
posted by diastematic at 12:08 AM on May 15, 2007
Ottawa looks great. But I get the sense this would be a different series tally right now if Buffalo could do something with its power play, which has sucked all year long and cotinues to do. 5 on 5, Buffalo is the team to beat. Fortunately for Ottawa, it's not always a 5 on 5 game. Sometimes during these two games I've wondered if Ottawa might even be better than Buffalo if they played the entire game 4 on 5. They did get that one SH goal, and Buffalo's 0 for 12? 15? on the PP.
posted by diastematic at 11:30 AM on May 14, 2007
Finally, Milwaukee baseball fans get to see two winning teams play each other right there in Miller Park.
posted by diastematic at 01:50 PM on April 09, 2007
Chris Simon would wilt if he ever crossed paths with him...that...thing. And I'd pay to see it. Like, a buck or two.
posted by diastematic at 05:26 PM on March 10, 2007
I smell an opportunity for Vince McMahon. Let's revive the spirit of the XFL...gentlemen, start your engines...it's the XHL!
posted by diastematic at 12:40 AM on March 10, 2007
I was surprised at how prolific he's been so far (though it's only been two days, and the easiest days in the course of running a blog are the beginning). Personally I can't stand him, but it'll be interesting to watch this unfold over the course of the year. It has the potential to redefine the relationship between fan and player...and fan and market...and so on.
posted by diastematic at 01:30 PM on March 08, 2007
If we're not going to ask why a team from Detroit is named the Tigers, then we may be missing something.
posted by diastematic at 01:18 PM on March 07, 2007
Seems like there's just TOO MUCH unfocused stuff. I'd love it if they'd just ask me -- before ever loading a page -- hey, which sports are you into? and which teams in those sports? Then they'd do their magic and the only things I'd see are items/people/posts/stuff relevant to my beloved Oakland A's and Buffalo Sabres. Cause I'm certainly not going to do the work to get that far, so back to RSS we go.
posted by diastematic at 11:34 AM on March 04, 2007
I forgot Bud Selig. Bettman and Bud will someday be the guests in their very own special level of hell. Their hosts: South Park's Saddam and Satan.
posted by diastematic at 10:13 PM on February 28, 2007
I'd pay five seconds for a site that allowed me to "scribble your message on X's face." Surely it's gotta be out there. Anyone?
posted by diastematic at 05:07 PM on February 27, 2007
6. Tie Domi. Wipe that smirk off your face. 5. Curt Schilling. Clean your socks. 4. Jason Varitek. Drop the 'tude. 3. Roger Clemens. You too. 2. Jeremy Giambi. Slide. AND... 1. Gary Bettman. Why do you hate the NHL?
posted by diastematic at 01:52 PM on February 27, 2007
Read that this morning, and I thought golly, the planners of those newer stadiums must not have much vision if, just a few years into it, they're already tearing apart large chunks of the stadium. I'm thinking you, Milwaukee. Speaking of Milwaukee, that Brewers club image kinda misses the point, what with most the seating at the "bar" forcing people to sit with their backs to the game. I could understand it if it were for the kids, but kids shouldn't be in barstools anyway. Maybe I'll have a more positive post tomorrow. ;-)
posted by diastematic at 02:09 PM on February 17, 2007
Just goes to show you that the NHL is still stuck in the "because that's the way we've always done it" mentality. Mark Cuban would be a welcome addition to the hockey world. I hope he finds a way to get more involved.
posted by diastematic at 03:15 PM on January 16, 2007
That's pretty awesome. Think about it: he's admitting that he scrounges for pills anywhere he can find them. Picture it. What a sad, sorry and perfectly appropriate image for this sad, sorry human being.
posted by diastematic at 11:45 AM on January 11, 2007
I actually like the idea. It's an innovative use of more than just the guys on the field to create a competitive advantage. Anything that helps! (It ain't about fair. It's about using all the tools at your disposal to win.) On the other hand, if they wanted to really restrict the opponents' followers, they should just hire political-event security experts. They're really good at keeping the uninvited out ;-) I recall something like this happening during the Buffalo-Dallas Stanley Cup playoffs. The Mark Hotel (?) in Buffalo was undergoing construction when Dallas was visiting town and its players were staying there. Supposedly there were all sorts of late-night distractions, drilling, and other noisiness which led to complaints by some guys on the visiting team. Love it.
posted by diastematic at 03:48 PM on January 10, 2007
Lex, my sense of the pulse for MLB here in Portland is that it's dead. Did MLB ever take Portland seriously? Did Portland ever take MLB seriously? Perhaps a look at the minors tells the story of prospective support: if the non-pro WHL team here can draw 10,000+ on a night at the Rose Garden, but the PCL's Beavers can rarely go above 5,000 in beautiful PGE Park, I have a hunch that people would support an NHL team 40x/year. Meanwhile, it's Comcast that owns the hockey-ready Rose Garden (for now). Given that VS. is their network, there's plenty of incentive to bring a team to Portland. Seems like a no-brainer to bring a team to town, especially one that the entire Pacific NW US can claim to be its own.
posted by diastematic at 10:56 PM on January 03, 2007
Portland...Oregon. (Maine can keep its AHL team.) I'm amazed that there is no West Coast team between San Jose and Vancouver. NorCal, Oregon and Washington is one heck of a gap...
posted by diastematic at 02:38 PM on January 03, 2007
Portland Portland Portland Portland. I have nothing else to add. Just sprinkle the fairy dust and make it happen.
posted by diastematic at 01:12 PM on January 03, 2007
If you don't want people to know your calls, stop yelling them. Use sign language. Send an SMS. Sock puppetry, whatever. Speaking kinda gives it away.
posted by diastematic at 07:50 PM on December 13, 2006
Isn't this about the time in the story when Baltimore stands up and pulls out its checkbook?
posted by diastematic at 11:16 PM on December 02, 2006
Damn sam, hell's bells, judas priest and mariah carey -- I'm on a Mac. No such luck. Thanks anyway. PSST -- how was the game coverage?
posted by diastematic at 10:07 PM on December 01, 2006
Is there any other way to watch this game in the US outside of Center Ice? I have VS and the internets. Yahoo? Google? Comcast? I assume if I lived on the East Coast this would be easier, but I don't.
posted by diastematic at 02:28 PM on December 01, 2006
Sir, could you please use the proper terminology? That's "mount Al Davis."
posted by diastematic at 04:42 PM on November 29, 2006
Morten Anderson. Amazing -- he's 46! And his percentage is nearly the best it's ever been.
posted by diastematic at 12:32 PM on November 28, 2006
I don't think it's that Wash didn't believe in the theory. Rather, he was a developer of players. His job was to get them to swing, hit, field, catch, run, throw, etc. And he was/is a stellar defensive-minded coach; that's a big part of the Moneyball take, in that defense is traditionally an underrated asset. As a coach in the player-development role, Wash worked wonderfully with Beane's world. That said: Wash never would have been a good fit under Beane because Wash is his own man. Period. Beane loves to tinker with decisions that should be left to the Manager, and there's no way that would have ever worked out. Sad to see him leave Oakland, but it's for the better. I hope it all comes together for him.
posted by diastematic at 04:12 PM on November 06, 2006
I think the live Yahoo games is an incredible offering, but I'm on a Mac. And it don't work. So I usually go straight to the source, over at Comcast.com (or is it .net) and the Comcast/Versus games seem to work fine there. Question: how delayed will "delayed" games be over at Google? Can we sort of fake that it's live, or will it be, like, "next-day" delayed? Just want to know how much work I won't be doing starting at 4 p.m. daily this winter. ;-)
posted by diastematic at 11:15 AM on November 02, 2006
Especially if you threw in ex A's Jason Giambi, Jermaine Dye, Johnny Damon, Ramon Hernandez and Eric Byrnes. Your hindsight has excellent vision. Dye had one good half-year with Oakland before his leg made him a very expensive mistake for not one, but two more years. Giambi, well, he's decent now, but his best days were clearly in Oakland. And as for Damon...well, he flat-out smelled money. That's something the A's don't have. So he left. I still can't get over Macha pinch-hitting Melhuse for Dye in playoffs a few years back. But my hindsight has fantastic vision as well...
posted by diastematic at 09:21 AM on October 17, 2006
He was been making between $2 mil and $4 mil a year for the last five years. I hope they've socked some away; if so, then that extra $1 million may not mean a whole lot, all things considered.
posted by diastematic at 11:13 AM on October 13, 2006
Feed the animals! Why not leverage her nuttiness -- get all the loud, obnoxious fans just like her and offer them a seat in a special (perhaps better) section, where they're completely noticeable, on a platform...and contained. If the team can show that they appreciate this kind of fanaticism, then everyone wins.
posted by diastematic at 02:11 PM on October 12, 2006
Minnesota and the Mets. Al Franken wins.
posted by diastematic at 07:46 PM on October 01, 2006
From the story: "The Fan Value Index is an effort to find the ballparks that offer the best experience for the money, not the ballpark that has the best experience in an absolute sense." Now the funny part about that is that "the best experience for the money" is a ranking that's entirely useless. If I live in, say, Boston, which got ranked near the bottom, then what am I gonna do with this information? Move to LA to better afford baseball? Heck no. What matters IS the experience -- what sticks in my mind at the end of the day, when I'm resting my head and starting to nod off, and I think about the great time I had at ballpark X watching team y with my friends z, z, and z...and what factors contributed to that. I'm certainly not thinking about how I could have had all that for ten bucks cheaper on the other side of the country. Now I understand that you gotta measure even menaingless stuff from time to time to get to a bigger point. But that's it -- it has to go somewhere, allow me to derive meaning from all this data. And in this case, it just ain't there. It's a needless exercise.
posted by diastematic at 12:09 AM on September 14, 2006
How on earth do winning teams keep signing this guy? Yes, his numbers are well above average -- perhaps fantastic -- but he cannot be counted on when the going gets rough. Just ask an Ottawa fan. Or a Buffalo fan. Or... But I suppose Detroit has little to lose with a contract like that...
posted by diastematic at 04:32 PM on July 31, 2006
Portland. We already have the arena. Now's the chance to stock it with a franchise that can win a game here or there.
posted by diastematic at 11:06 AM on July 31, 2006
Report: Dallas Stars to sign Frank Thomas to a $500,000 contract laden with incentives...
posted by diastematic at 09:04 AM on July 17, 2006
Soriano and cash to Oakland for a bag of donuts. Or Dan Johnson and Mark Ellis.
posted by diastematic at 07:25 PM on July 14, 2006
And Jose's a dual-tool guy. He's hitting and pitching for this team. I'd pay to see that. About a nickel, but I'd pay it.
posted by diastematic at 12:58 PM on June 30, 2006
"YouTube immortality." Love that. Indeed, this act will get him there. Dumb boy. One more reason I won't ever be able to get my wife to watch baseball. Dar!
posted by diastematic at 01:19 PM on June 26, 2006
Any short-handed, game-winning goal in OT jumps to the top of the list for me. I think there were two in these playoffs (Buf vs. Ott, and then an Edmonton game) but I could certainly be wrong.
posted by diastematic at 11:24 AM on June 22, 2006
Half their defense. And Connolly. C'mon, Buff would have romped had they been healthy.
Carolina rocked, that's for sure, but Buffalo was able to keep it close with an AHL defense. Had Buffalo been able to stay healthy, they would have beaten them handily in 5 or 6.
posted by diastematic at 06:17 PM on June 02, 2006
Interestingly, Buffalo apparently represents most of who's watching...Saturday's game 1 against Carolina "had a preliminary rating of 31 on Channel 2, which translates into 198,400 households" in Buffalo alone. "To put the rating in perspective, Outdoor Life Network (OLN), the National Hockey League's American cable rights holder, averaged 246,000 households nationally for its second-round playoff coverage." http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060523/1066437.asp
posted by diastematic at 11:48 AM on May 23, 2006
Thank you Detroit, you've been fabulous. My goodness, folks, what a class act. And now for our next act...
posted by diastematic at 01:35 PM on May 17, 2006
Are you ready for some (weird-looking) football?
Interesting to think of what's possible when you blow things up and then start to rebuild. Wondering how this approach may affect baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, etc., if at all.