How do you get from luxury products to stadium architecture? Ask the team at Studio Massaud.

A series of columns seem to support the roof with a prayer and wing as accessories. Architecture is rife with poor renderings of late that are hyper-suggestive of things that just will not be. This is due mainly, in my opinion, to the reality suggested by computer imaging and compositing -- the reality of any project tends to be a lot more messy than this rendering supposes. I once gave a critique to a thesis student whose final project was an airport. He had a lovely model -- the form of the airport and the tarmac surrounding it were pristine and seductive. Problem: this is not what airports are like. When I tried to tell him that, he (and the other jurists) thought I was unfairly coming down on a fine project. I call 'em as I see 'em.

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 04:10 PM on November 10, 2004

If the Yankees get Kevin Brown,

Talk to me about catch-up next September. Now let's put this deal together for Ufez!

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 05:09 AM on December 03, 2003

I say why not let them go to the Sugar Bowl if the complete the season undefeated? Beating Oklahoma looks unlikely for anyone and even if they did what have we gained? Two one-loss teams claiming a national championship because the ball bounced in one teams favor on one day? No matter what the system, someone will always be left out. How many years are we saddled with controvery for a champion versus not anyway? And when that controversy exisits, how many teams are involved. That's someting I would like to look at.

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 09:13 AM on November 10, 2003

Big East to add 5 teams today,

Wow.

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 12:16 AM on November 05, 2003

The road to Calvary

Last night, my brother was watching the taped reply on OLN; I had "watched" the stage earlier in the day via the online updates. We talked about the strength of Jan this year and Lance's chances. We could not discuss the days results but I said to him that I sensed something would happen tomorrow (now today) and sure enough something is. Someone had to make a move before leaving the Pyrenées and that someone is...

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 09:46 AM on July 21, 2003

History of Tour de France

Thanks Fat -- Each year I relish the approach of the tour, wondering how much I will see and how much I will miss. (My biggest miss was when the tour traveled in Paris along the very street I was living , the rue du Faubourg St Antoine -- making two or three passes! I was enjoing a vacation in Ireland at the time though, so all was not lost.) Poulidor is an amazing story and truly known to all the French: my wife, even having been very young when his career was at its peak and not very interested in sport, can recount the populist memory of his woes. Watching the tour is free, yes, but takes a certain finesse and knowledge to increase the odds of watching at the right time. Tuning into the coverage 1/2 hour before the end of each stage is a good start. Looking at the mountain stages and predicting when (all recently by Lance) the race will be won is more difficult. I wonder if another surprise like Lemond's come-from-behind final stage victory will ever occur again. That was the stuff.

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 09:03 AM on June 07, 2003

Sosa ejected for cork in bat.

A little snippet with Adair.

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 09:51 AM on June 04, 2003

Sosa ejected for cork in bat.

Which era of crooked baseball would that be, kjh? Oh, I see, all of baseball history. :-/ As long as sports exists with rules (surely required to actually be called sport) there will be cheating. Vito touches on the cheating that really hurts though -- when athletes feel the need to abuse their bodies. Next up: cycling! As I re-read your post though, maybe you were already being sarcastic?

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 12:56 AM on June 04, 2003

He was neither generous nor stupid -- not generous because giving a golf ball to a hall of fame is not an act worthy of the description generous. Was he stupid? No, but if he had sold the ball and the donated the cash to someone then he could have been generous and savvy.

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 03:22 AM on May 29, 2003

There's no protesting in baseball!

* My panties are in such a bunch right now that I don't even know what to say. The hall of fame is not only a tool of MLB but now also of those who profess an "obligation to act and speak responsibly". Please.

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 05:32 AM on April 11, 2003

Nebraska lawmaker pushing pay for college football players.

But are they really making millions for these schools? More and more I read that the numbers just don't wash. The competition to attract players essentially wipes out any profits. On the other hand, the image that the school projects can ride the coat tails of a sporting success story, so why not skip the whole farce that big time sports has become, pay the players and then let the team be "sponsored" by the college: make it a self-supporting subsidary of the university which simply carries the name, gives alums something to dream about and the students a reason to get trashed Saturday mights. Oh, wait a sec, students don't need a reason to get trashed Saturday night (or any other night for that matter -- what was I saying?)

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 03:04 AM on February 12, 2003

For me, in the end, this all comes down to an opinion. The fact, or not, that Rose bet on baseball or that Joe Jackson was involved in a scheme to throw the 1919 series has nothing to do with admitting either of them into the Hall. Any ban from the Hall is unrelated. According to this article, Joe Jackson was not officially banned from the Hall until 1991 when the connection of being banned from baseball was made to the Hall. (I am guessing this was on the account of Rose's difficulties.) Why is that important? Because the Hall of Fame is not the property of Major League Baseball, despite a board with many Major League connections, including the commissioner. (Let's be clear here too: betting on baseball is not a rule of the game, it is a rule of Major League Baseball with good reason. But it is not written in the rules of the game, even the ones used by MLB.) I've been to the hall. Rose and Jackson have not been expunged from the records, game equipment from their playing days is on display. The Hall is about the game: all of the game, not just the Major League cartel that continues to sap the richness from the sport. Controlling even the most egregious behavior of those involved in a sport is within the interest of those who attempt to control the profitability of a modern sport. Control may relate directly to profit. If no money can be made on a sport because the game seems fixed (I won't say it's impossible -- professional wresting turns a buck), then let the sport die or enact controls to limit the damage. So Rose and Jackson are banned by Major League Baseball. Is the Hall part of the control that MLB needs to exert to profit from its product? I say no.

posted by 8ighteenAcres at 05:23 AM on January 24, 2003