![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
for squeegeman...
Jul. 1st, 2008 | 01:40 pm
Here is a jeopardy board for you...I made up all the questions..
First Lady First Names (I gave you their first name you give me the presdient they were married too)
$200 Mamie
$400 Grace
$600 Claudia
$800 Thelma
$1000 Lou
Before and After Shakespeare
$200 BC leader's healthy offering
$400 17th Century Royal aircraft
$600 Romeo confident and Epic Peter O'Toole film
$800 Aragon nobleman and former Cy Young winner
$1000 Fredrick's older exiled brother who is having trouble remembering something
"A" Shot in the dark (I give you the ingredients you give me the shot that it makes-notice the A in "")
$200 Rockers Scott Ian and Joey Belladonna probably are partial to this combination of Captain Morgan, Bacardi white rum, and Crown Royal as opposed to the powdery substance that nobody wants to touch
$400 This combination of 2 types DeKuyper's schnapps along with their buttershots liqueur is not a cereal but it might wake you up in the morning
$600 Bear Bryant probably preferred this concoction of amaretto almond liqueur, with some Southern Comfort, sloe gin, a splash of OJ and some sweet and sour mix
$800 Not banned by baseball yet but mix Blue Curacao liquor with Midori Melon Liquor add some Vodka and you have this
$1000 A little Vodka and Vanilla Extract and you get this shot named for favorite game show host
DC Comics Home Worlds (I give you the character you give me the planet they are from)
$200 Martian Manhunter
$400 Superman
$600 Wonder Woman
$800 Hawkman (Katar Hol)
$1000 Darkseid
Cooperstown Teammates (I give you 2 hall of fame players you name the franchise they were teammates on
$200 Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson
$400 Frank Robinson, Tony Perez
$600 Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan
$800 Frank Robinson, Don Sutton
$1000 Frank Robinson, Gaylord Perry
Link | Leave a comment {2} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
JOHARI ME!!!
Jun. 16th, 2008 | 03:34 pm
http://kevan.org/johari?name=Etheridge2
taken from edscrabble who took it from airbretty
I bet I know what the top choice is...and it better not be SHY
Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
20 KICK ASS ALBUMS!!!
May. 30th, 2008 | 12:27 pm
Stephan Smith-Nows the Time (great folk artist dylan like)
Sass Jordan- Racine (canada's answer to melissa etheridge only less gay and not as popular or good)
Bob Dylan-The Essential Dylan (yeah I am allowing compilations otherwise I would have like multiple albums from 8-10 artists)
Stevie Wonder-The Definitive Collection(He is just awesome)
Arrested Development-3 years 5 months and 2 days in the life of (greatest rap/hip hop album ever)
Tribe Called Quest-Low End Theory (2nd greatest rap/hip hop album ever)
Poison-20 years of rock (Yep they are my favorite band EVER!!!)
Melissa Etheridge- Greatest Hits the road less traveled (the self titled debut and Yes I Am are both awesome but this gives me a bit of everything)
Pink Floyd- The Wall and Darkside of the Moon (The first band with 2 albums I like both these albums too much to not include them each)
Black Crowes- Shake Your Moneymaker and Southern Harmony and Musical companion (These albums are so awesome top to finish, not even Poison had a better first 2 albums to start their career ;)
Richie Havens- Mixed Bag (classic album from one of the greatest folk artists ever)
Frank Sinatra-Reprise The Very Good Years (No matter what every greatest hits album of his is missing something but this one is the best)
Elvis Presley- Elv1s the #1's (Gotta have the KING in the mix don't I?)
George Michael-25 (Yeah I dig George Michael so what are you gonna do about it????)
Scatterbrain-Here Comes Trouble and Scamboogery (man I loved both these albums from this hard rock/metal band that was gone in the blink of an eye...Don't Call me Dude is such an awesome song)
Garth Brooks- The Ultimate Hits (Even bigger and better then the first greatest hits album which was AWESOME!!!!)
Johnny Cash-The Essential Johnny Cash (The Essential series is AWESOME!!! Dylan, Cash, and others it is the best way to hear a true retrospective of an artist.)
Well that's 20 you got a little of everything in there...if I was going to add another it might be a James Brown Greatest Hits...Uhhh I feel good..
Link | Leave a comment {2} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
A message for Hillary and a tribute to Dr. Seuss
May. 19th, 2008 | 11:09 am
The time has come
The time is now
Just go Go GO!
I don’t care how
You can go by foot.
You can go by sow.
Hillary R. Clinton will you please go now!
You can go on dates
You can go back to your sleaze
You go in a hat
But please go PLEASE!
I don’t care you can just take a hike
You can go on a bike if you like
If you like you can go to Kalamazoo
Just go, go, GO!
Please do, do, DO!
Hillary R Clinton, I don’t care how.
Hillary R. Clinton will you please GO NOW!
You can go in a hybrid.
You can go on some fish.
You can go in a gas guzzling SUV if you wish.
If you wish you may go by the White House
Or to Orlando and hang with the mouse.
Get on your way please Hillary R,!
We want you to go away and go away FAR!
You can go by balloon….
…or on your witch’s broomstick
Or you can go by donkey, but you are making me sick.
You can go under Bosnian sniper fire.
I don’t care how you go. YOU LIAR!
So get yourself up on your broom
Hill, Hill, Hill! Will you please leave the room!
Hillary R. Clinton I don’t care how
Hillary R. Clinton will you PLEASE GO NOW!!!
Link | Leave a comment {2} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
Rained out and catching up on LJ
May. 3rd, 2008 | 10:17 am
1. Are you a vegetarian? Vegan?
Vegetables are liken idle hands, both play things of the devil.
2. What's your favorite food?
Turkey Sammiches
3. White bread or whole wheat?
I choose a nice tomato basil bread lightly toasted with some sara lee honey roasted turkey and a couple slices of muenster and maybe some bacon (cause every sammich needs some veggies)
4. What's for breakfast?
pretty much anything so long as it is accompanied by some fresh squeezed OJ, really though some bacon and eggs (scrambled) with some pancakes works nicely
5. You're making a Dagwood sandwich. What's in it?
If it doesn't have turkey then i don't care
6. What's on your pizza?
Why ruin a perfectly good pizza with toppings? I suppose if I have to have something sausage and if itn is chicago stuffed then spinach isn't bad.
7. Coffee, tea, milk, or soda?
Of these a glass of moo but I prefer some fresh squeezed OJ.
8. Dark, milk, or white chocolate?
I am gonna say skim, gotta watch my figure you know
9. Teetotal, beer, wine, or hard liquor?
I am a teetotaling fool
10. Does cilantro taste like citrus, or like soap?
what is cilantro?
11. Is chorizo the greatest thing ever or is it totally disgusting?
chorizo as a food is eh ok...CHORIZO as a giant racing sausage is in a word AWE-SOME!!!!!!
http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/mil/fan
12. Do you use garlic like a vegetable or like a spice?
I use garlic to ward off vampires and on tasty bread to be eaten with pasta and that is it.
13. Onions: raw, cooked, or not at all?
Grilled on a Charlie Beinlech's cheeseburger medium rare with cheddar...all other onions suck.
14. Does broccoli taste sweet or bitter?
Broccoli tastes like candy.....I am not even sure how it got classified as a veggie as it is clearly FANTASTIC!!!
15. How do you feel about fish?
I like it best in stick or Filet-O form
16. How about sushi?
Not a fan though I have seen placves where you can eat Sushi off of a hot naked chick and that seems to have some merit, so i guess I would give it another show if the circumstances were right.
17. Fave ethnic cuisine?
Chinese (YUMMY!!!!)
18. What's your favorite fruit?
Fresh picked strawberries
19. Cheese - thumbs up or thumbs down?
Muenster-Up
Cheddar-Up
American-Up
Brie-Down
Limburger-Down
Havarti-Down
20. Finally, favorite dessert?
Warm Apple Pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top.....hmmmmm hmmmmmm
Link | Leave a comment {3} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
I hope this works..cross posted from CGP
Apr. 17th, 2008 | 12:19 am
Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
Scrabbling in The Good Land...
Apr. 15th, 2008 | 04:43 am
Ah so sometimes Scrabble is just fun and that was the case this past Sunday as I ventured up to Milly-Walk-Kay AKA The Good Land for some hot tiling action. I met up with the EZ one, the weak-kneed pumpkin eater, Melismatic, and the asian sensation known as Mr. Renato (Domo Arigato Mr. Renato just keeps running through my head). Oh and of course Mama Z and Baby Z were there as was old Willy Green Thumbs. Anyway a good time was had by all as we first fueled up at a local coffee shop were I got to play the blonde one, Petey, Mr. Roboto, and EZ. I went 2-2 and enjoyed all 4 games. Then we headed over to a local watering hole for some chow and more Scrabble I got the chance for a REPETE and a game against Slick Willy... here are some recaps and highlights...I rarely post these scrabble things but the day was fun so why not....have fun deciphering..I mean reading...if only I knew how to do that behind the cut thing...damn
I kicked things off against a fellow member of the Illini tribe and it was nice cause we hadn't played on a real board against each other in quite some time. Anyway I shall try to not be too melodic in my embellishments, and really nothing too spectacular happened she got both blanks but a lot of drek in the middle (2 exchange 6's) allowed me to stay in it. Her early bingo was TEETERS (I forget what the ? was) and I got down UPDARTS. In the end victory was mine 420-345
Game 2 was against me ol' huckleberry and current top 10er Petey A. He opens with an exchange 1 and I plop down OVARIAN for 78 knowing he will likely come right back, but I got to play the bingo. he held AEMNTZ? He took a while to make his play and settled on NiZ(A)MATE for a 2x2 and 122 points. I held, I knew NIZAM but wasn't sure about NIZAMATE and I foolishly challenge and lose. I saw one of his other plays but thought he took the gamble and went for the 2x2 and I thought if I had it challenged off I could really put him in a hole even with the Z? on his rack. Alas he drew DEELIO? out of the bag and came right back with the 84 point BANGO...I opened with a 78 point BINGO and after 2 plays he is beating me by 128 (things did not look good). When I am down I tend to try and score but also open the board and hopefully give myself high scoring spots, unfortunately in this game it seemed everytime I did open something up it seemed he was able to capitalize. I did have a nice RETINA+M rack so got a cheap bingo there and also had a SLANTER rack and played from an E so I endded up cracking 400 but still lost by over 100 524-402 (I think it was my first ever loss to the Prince of Pennsylvania so I got that going for me.) Of course with a rack of CEINOPS I completely miss both words through the R that is open and play POCOS* for 30 (It stayed)
Game 3 was me and Mr. Styx and despite knowing each other for 4 years this might have been our first meeting over a board (we got 1 scrabbulous game under our belts though). Anyway I have a 3 T opening rack and play RATTY for 24 he cam back with SWITCH for 28 and on his next turn with a rack of SENOSW? played through the R in Ratty making the blank a Z. I hold and challenge off the word (fairly certain it was 2 words at leats for Scrabble purposes I am sure most of you can guess what he played.) Unfortunately I had a nice 6 vowel rack and had to exchange, but at leats it was like a free trade. He did bingo through the R making the blank a G this time but only for 60 points. The game went on and I had a couple more exachnages in my future though i did get to play RENTERs (Though making the blank a Y and I could have played for more points elsewhere but i am a dumbass and didn't think of that.) To further illustrate my dumbassedness (that ought to be good) I later on in the game completely missed the bingo in AEILMNT (Yeah BOTH of them) and even worse missed 2 of the 3 through the G that would have played. Instead I played MIN(G)LE through the G. Despite my utter stupidity I had a shot at winning if he had let my 46 point SWITCHY/YA play stand but he smartly challenged the crap off the board. Anyway he also bingoed out to win big 423-313 in a game I pissed away, but that is what you do when you are you know STUPID!!!
Game 4 was against the legend that is EZ. I love and hate playing him. I love it because the games are good and fun, but I hate it because he knows so many damn odd words that I am scared shitless to challenge, this one time at band camp (ok at the redeye really, but band camp stories are always better) anyway he play HOTELFUL on me and I held but decided in a tight game and with a 60 point X play coming back i better let it stay....UGH!!!!! I coulda won that game...oh well. anyway the game started out really exciting. He traded 2 and I had AERTOOU and traded OOU, he traded 2 again, and I drew QAE to my AERT and traded all 3 again. Finally he opens with JAR for 20. I ended up picking up ELZ and played JARL/LEZ for 43. then he gets down the bingo with NNOSTU? I later got down a bingo with BEOPRT? making the plank an A, I totally missed the other and much cooler 7 making the blank an H.. Nothing great happens for most of the rest of the game I played SICKO for 43, and that padded my slight lead, in the end game he plays (J)UG for 11 creating a hook for his case S (All the A;s were gone) I was nervous and with 4 in the bag played off ILE to make VILE for 8 and block the bingo line with the S. I was drawing to IQRT and had 2 spots for QAT so knew I wasn't going to get Q stuck. I draw FWY and leave 1 in the bag. He is down 369-323 and doesn't have anything too great to play, so he plays off 1 hoping to draw a bingo (he has an H to play from/through. I breathe a sigh of relief as I have a rack of FIQRTWY and my E from VILE is open. i finally get to play QWERTY and for 42 points at that. He drops his S to make QWERTYS/JUGS for 34 and i go out and win 437-363
Before game 5 we move over to nifty little SOLANO and grab some chow and some frothy beverages (of course they are out of Sprecher so I stick with the H2O) Anyway I got me a rematch with Repete and he opens again with an exchange only this time of 4 tiles. I feel better about opening with MIRAGE for 24 (I left myself with an I) he plays HAW for 38 and I have DDELIPR. The 7 wouldn't play. I did see it, wasn't 100% it was good but didn't matter because it didn't play. Instead I went for an 8 through the I. I mean if it is an adjective it ought to compare right? Well the weak kneed one held but didn't challenge (phew cause it ain't good) My next few turns though are VOWEL city I get down OXEYE for 32 but the next 2 plays are AUTO for 10 and OUT(L)AID for 8. He meanwhile got down TaC(O)NITE and a 31 point J play (slotting the J right above a TWS and I had no O). Instead I play FIG for 21 (F right next to another TWS and opening up a TWS bingo line with any back hook for AG) The board is wide open with scoring chances now. My next turn I get down SILENCE for 84 and then come right back with a 66 point ADZ play. I am up 339-219 (fairly late in the game) He plays VISIERS* I hold and I am thinkin I know it is good with a Z it makes the score 339-299 my lead and it opens a 3x3 line and that JO spot right above a TWS is still sitting open. And there is a nice TWS line open with an S to front hook to HUN) I have the other ? on my rack along with EGIPQR, I see nothing that scores well in the 3x3 line and play off PIG(S) for 14 to go up 353-299 and drawing to EQR?. He plays OM/JO/OM for 43 and now it is 353-342 my lead and I luck out with a draw off UIR to go with EQR? the 3x3 line is still open though S needs to be in the 7th spot, but still 101 for REQUIReS suits me just fine and yes i saw the other 2 that both played. repete ain;t happy because he was going to play a 3x3 there (thought turns out it would have been no good BENTNE(S)S*- would have drawn a challenge for sure too). Anyway he played BESET for 37 and a couple more plays to close it out and I win 502-393 so we finish 1-1 with him +13 on the day.
Game 6 saw me and 1 eyed willie facing off. I hadn't seen old 1 eye since way back at my very first tournament (when I asked him to vote for me for president of the united states.) anyway since then my political ambitions have cooled and he went and had himself a couple of kids and hasn't played a tourney since either. Anyway his rating is under 1000 but he is much better then that. Though he opens with GLIPH* I didn't like it but decided to let it stay as I am a chicken shit. I played FEEB back thought and he challenged. seems he hasn't got the OWL 2 on his palm yet so he thought it was no good, I told him he needs to update his dictionary. After the lost turn he exchanged and i got down RATOONS, I didn't have any great plays from there on but a bunch of decent scoring plays and he seemed to be dumping tiles left and right, 2 O's here a WU there, and exchange every now and again. Before you know it I am up 321-137 (He even overdrew once and I took his S away.) He did get down M(O)NOTONE, but too little too late. I win 419-296
Game 7 was my very first SUPER SCRABBLE EXPERIENCE. It was a FATAL 4-WAY with EZ and MAMA Z in 1 corner well MOONWALKER and myself were in the other. We played on the new deluxe SS set and with the old fashioned wood tiles and all. MAMA Z was hitting lead off with EZ in the clean up spot. I was slotted in the 3 hole and moonwalker was batting 2nd. The possibilities of 2x2 are crazy in this game and of course the 3x4 is out there though nobody got it. Oh and did I mention 4 blankaroos??? The gloved one did get to play COUTEAUX for like 122 early, but I got RECANTS and PARFAIT to keep a slim lead. BABY Z was getting cranky by this time and the game almost needed to be called on account of bedtime, but he muscled through and we finished it up. EZ bingos out with CREATION picking up 13 each off moonwalker and mam z's rack but only 3 off mine. In SS we all lose our racks while EZ got the points.
Final score me 422, moonwalker 408, EZ 391 and Mama Z 357
Well anyway it was a lot of fun and I am glad I braved the construction and made the trip, might even do it again next Sunday, after that the schedule gets pretty crowded, but a good time was had in the good land of beer and cheese.
Link | Leave a comment {4} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
The World According to Lipe
Apr. 11th, 2008 | 02:43 pm
GILMAN CHATSWORTH, (They are two towns off the same exit on Interstate 57 and a friend of mine once told his parents almost named him GILMAN CHATSWORTH because when they were dating that is where they would always meet, I always thought it sounded catchy. If I ever write a book I think it will be called The Life and Times of Gilman Chatsworth
2. What do you with with change that you receive from banks/purchases/find on the ground?
Usually put them in the car somewhere or let them lie around the hosue till I get the urge to clean. Every once in a while when i am flat broke I change it all in for cash and end up with a good $40-60
3. If you could travel back in time to change the course of one historical event, what event would it be?
You see, there was this thing, in Florida, back in the year 2000...(Ileft Lipe's answer because I like it, but I might go one further and say sometime around october 2005 when George and Barbara were feeling frisky, I might have just hosed them down and saved the world from the bastard even being born in the first place.
For purely selfish reasons I would also like to go back and change game 6 of the 1985 WS...HE WAS OUT!!!! Oh and then there was the game vs. Dave W. at the PC last year where i didn't see NITERIE as an OUTPLAY TO WIN!!!!! I might change that...
4. Would you rather live a safe, stable, moderately interesting life or one where every day was dangerous, volatile, and different?
I like different
5. What do you think you'll be remembered for when you die and, if you could, would you change it to something else?
Hopefully not being a douchebag, but I am sure there are those out there that feel even I at times can be douchebaggish.
Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
UGH...Weddings what to do???
Apr. 5th, 2008 | 08:15 pm
I earn my income from a variety of sources but one of the bigger ones is umping softball games and softball season is about to start. I usually work 7 days a week during softball. I do 4 games a night M-F (5 hours) and then work about 12 hours on Saturday and another 9-12 on Sunday. I make between $25-$30/hr. It can be upwards of 40 hours at good money. However if there is a rainout or I take a day off I get paid ZERO!!!!!!
My big money days are Saturdays I usually pick up the equipment at 7:30AM and go to the fields to set up (5 Diamonds- 2 12" softball, 1 16" softball, and 2 kickball) I am usually out at the fields until the last games end at about 7PM I got paid throught so 11.5 hours at $25/hr. or almost $300
This summer is shaping up to not be so good, The first Saturday of Softball is 4/26 and I am going to miss it because I will be in DC.
The season looks like this
Week 1 4/26 (I am in DC)
Week 2 5/3
Week 3 5/10 (Richie Havens concert 7PM)
Week 4 5/17
Week 5 5/31
Week 6 6/7
Week 7 6/14 (invited to wedding at 6:30PM)
Week 8 (Playoffs) 6/21
Week 9 (Playoffs) 6/28 (Going to NY for Big Apple Tourney)
Week 10 (Championship) 7/12
On May 10th I have tickets to a show at 7PM so I need to be home by 5PM and I will only be able to work a half day
So on the weekend of 4/26 I will miss out on $300 on the weekend of the Big Apple Tourney I will miss out on not only Saturday but Friday and Sunday as well and that is like $600-700. The Saturdays of the Havens concert and the weddings I need to be done early so I am not sure if they will even want me to do the pick up/set up or not?
I guess my reason for this post is I am wondering how rude it is not to attend a wedding. the 5/31 wedding is a girl I was VERY good friends with in high school, but don't see more then once a year or so, and I haven't gotten the invite yet, but she emailed me asking for my address. The 6/14 wedding is one of my best friends from high school and beyond though we don't see each other much these days. However I do judge speech meets for him every winter as a matter of fact just got a check for $385 in themail today for doing just that. My question is if I reply I am not attending how big of an ass do I become? The other factor is that a few years back (right around the time I started playing Scrabble a lot) I sort of cut ties with a lot of friends from college and high school. There was no falling out per say but rather it seemed the relationships fizzled and I went days, then months, and now years without talking to or seeing people I used to see every week. And now when i do see them it seems well awkward, and I feel uncomfortable. There is a good chance that many of those people may be at either or both of these weddings, so I am not looking forward to that. Just last Saturday I was having breakfast and one of the women I was very good friends with in college and post college came in with her mother. I had recently bumped into a good friend of hers. Anyway I went over to say hello and the reception seemed icy. I have no desire to spend a whole night of awkwardness, but these people invited me to the wedding so I don't know what to do??? Should i go or not? In all honesty I think i would prefer to work those weekends all the way through and make an extra $100-$200?? What do you think???
Link | Leave a comment {4} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
In a perfect world....
Apr. 5th, 2008 | 12:22 am
I open with GARBAGE for 74 at H3
He makes (B)OO for 7
I come back with FUCKING/(E)F for 81
He makes THI(EF) for 12
I play BASTA(R)DS/D(O)/S(O) for 77
He plays RAT/A(B)/T(A) for 14
I play (T)RAS(H)MAN for 21
He plays DEFE(A)T for 20
comes back with JEEIN(G)/J(AB)/E(TA) for 57
He lays down (D)ILDO for 14
I play OX/O(E)/X(I) for 52
He gets down PERV/V(OE) for 16
I play V(I)LE/(E)L/(F)E for 34
He plays L(I)AR for 4
I play WEINE(R)S for 20
He plays (S)LIMY for 20
I play (W)AZOO for 54
He plays PUT(Z) for 16
I play WINO/O(P) for 18
He plays UN(W)IT for 20
Bag is empty he holds EEIOQRY and I hold ECDHU??
I am winning 488 to 143 and it is my turn guess what I play as an out????
to see the board go here
http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.ph
It will never happen in real life, but a boy can dream......
Link | Leave a comment {8} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
F-U TRASHMAN!!!!
Apr. 3rd, 2008 | 02:52 pm
mood: 
pissed off
1ST PLACE $475
2ND PLACE $300
3RD PLACE $200
4TH PLACE $150
5TH PLACE $125
CLASS PRIZE $125
THAT IS A TOTAL OF $1375 PAID OUT IN PRIZE MONEY.
THE HOTEL COST ME $800 FOR THE ROOM FOR 2 DAYS AND COFFEE/TEA/WATER FOR THE 2 DAYS
THE NSA CHARGED $36 TO RATE THE TOURNEY AND THERE WAS SOME MISC. EXPENSES SUCH AS POSTERBOARD/SHARPIES/ETC.
ADD THAT ALL TOGETHER AND YOU WILL SEE I ACTUALLY LOST MONEY ON THIS TOURNAMENT, BUT STEVE HARTSMAN WHO WON 1ST PLACE WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE PAYOUT AND LODGED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE NSA ABOUT ME SAYING I
"UNETHICALLY POCKETED MONEY THAT I HAD PROMISED FOR PRIZES."
OF ALL THE FREAKING NERVE...I MEAN IF ANYBODY ELSE HAD MADE SUCH AN ALLEGATION I WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPY BUT GIVEN SOME BOTD THAT MAYBE THEY WERE CONCERNED AND FOLLOWING PROPER CHANNELS, BUT STEVE FREAKING HARTSMAN??? I MEAN PLEASE PEOPLE REALLY HOW HE EVEN HAS THE NERVE TO LOOK AT HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR IS BEYOND ME. OVER THE LAST YEAR I ACTUALLY THOUGHT STEVE HAD BEEN DOING A NICE JOB OF TRYING TO REPAIR HIS REPUTATION AND GETTING HIS LIFE BACK IN ORDER AND THEN HE DOES THIS???
I MEAN REALLY WOW, OH DID I MENTION STEVE'S ENTRY FEE CHECK FOR THE TOURNAMENT DID NOT COME IN THE MAIL UNTIL SATURDAY THE 22ND, SO I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING IF IT WAS GOOD, LUCKILY HE WON 1ST PLACE (WELL SORT OF LUCKILY...I JUST TORE UP HIS CHECK AND SHORTED HIM $100 ON THE PRIZE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IN ENTRY FEE.
I WOULD WRITE MORE BUT I GOTTA GO TO A CLASS...I AM PISSED
DOUCHEBAG!!!!!!
Link | Leave a comment {36} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
TRIVIA QUIZ
Feb. 21st, 2008 | 08:28 am
I have recieved many questions so far, but keep them coming....I gots to come up with 50 of them every week.
Television (potential 15 points)
1. Many movies have been turned into television shows. Ferris Bueller's Day Off was briefly turned into a half hour sitcom for NBC, what future star got her start playing Ferris sister Jeannie on this short lived TV show?
2. Another 80's movie turned sitcom was the Melanie Griffith film Working Girl, What congenial actress reprised Griffith's role of Tess McGill in this short lived sitcom?
3. For 1 point each name the 5 fictional Law & Order Series that have been aired by NBC?
4. Only 1 person has portrayed the same character on all 5 of those series, for 1 point each, name that person and the character the portrayed?
5. In the series finale of the Mary Tyler Moore Show who was the only member of the WJM news not fired in the series final episode?
6. On what ABC sitcom did Brad Pitt, Hilary Swank, and Heather Graham all make multiple appearances before going on to film stardom?
7. What is the longest running show (By years on the air) in the history of television?
8. Who has won the most Emmys for acting in the history of the awards?
9. What city was the show One Day at a Time set in? (NOBODY got this one and I thought it would be too easy..)
10. Who was originally cast as Alex P. Keaton in the sitcom Family Ties?
General Trivia (Potential 14 points)
1. We celebrate President's Day every February, but how many Presidents were actually born in February?
2. What month has seen the most presidential birthdays?
3. Three Presidents have died on July 4th, but only one was born on that date, who is it? HINT (He was born in between the start of the Civil War and the end of WWI)
4. Name the year, Love Will Keep us Together by the Captain and Tenille was the top song, Jaws was a box office hit, All in the Family was the #1 show in America, The Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup and the Warriors were NBA champs, oh and both me and Tiger Woods were born. What year was it? (2 points for getting it exact, 1 point if you are 1 year off)
5. In Scrabble how many I's are there in a full set of 100 tiles?
6. John Grisham has written 21 books, for 1 point each name his first book and his most recent book?
7. A Triangle that has 3 sides all of different lengths is called?
8. What is the capital of Bolivia?
9. For 1 point each, list the 3 shortest words in the English language that use all 5 vowels AEIOU?(HINT they are all 7 letters long)
10. In Superman #75, the man of steel dies at the hands of what super villain?
Music (potential 13 points)
1. What groups' original line up consisted of Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, Craig "Doodlebug" Irving, Mary Anne "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira and Silkworm?
2. What was the Beatles first #1 single in the US?
3. What country star's latest album is entitled Long Trip Alone?
4. What bands discography includes the albums, YEAH!, Slang, Retro-Active, On Through the Night, and High and Dry?
5.Based on the following lyrics, name the artist and song, for 1 point each
6. What soundtrack holds the record for the longest run at #1 on the billboard pop charts of any album in history?
7. What music pioneer of the 1990's was born 40 years ago today(Feb. 20th)?
8. What group was formed when, the lead guitarist for the Amboy Dukes, one of the guitarists/vocalists for Styx, the bassist and lead vocalist for Night Ranger, and drummer Michael Cartellone joined forces in 1989?
9. Who originally wrote and recorded the song Blinded by the Light?
10. The GREATEST rock band ever, POISON, has had 3 lead guitarists, throughout their musical careers, for 1 point each name them?
Sports (potential 21 points)
1. Who has taken the checkered flag the most times at the Daytona 500?
2. What players holds the record for most NBA All Star game selections with 19?
3. Shaquille O'Neal failed to make the All Star game this year ending a run of 14 consecutive seasons in which he was selected. Only 2 other players have ever been selected to 14 consecutive NBA All Star games, for 1 point each who are they?
4. The Indiana Hoosiers have won 5 National Championships (Only UCLA and Kentucky have more). They won the first 2 under coach Branch McCracken and the last 3 under Bobby Knight, who coached the Hoosiers in between these two coaching legends?
5. The Sacramento Kings are one of the most well traveled teams in professional sports, having called 5 different cities home. For 1 point each where did this franchise originate and what was it's original nickname?
6. This Hall of Fame Pitcher's 12 year career started in a less than stellar fashion, In his first 7 seasons in the majors, he had a record of 54-53 in just over 947 innings pitched, with 952K's and an ERA of 3.95. Who is he?
7. Justin Morneau has hit 30+ HR each of the last 2 seasons, who was the last Minnesota Twins player to have back to back 30HR seasons?
8. Jerry Rice is one of only 2 players to ever gain more than 23,000 all purpose yards in NFL history. Who is the other?
9. There are 5 NCAA Division 1 schools whose teams nicknames do not end in S and have nothing to do with either a color or an animal, for 1 point each name them?
10. Six players have won WS Rings with 3 different teams, for 1 point each who are they?
Movies (potential 26 points)-LAST ROUND=DOUBLE POINTS!!!
1. Who directed The Empire Strikes Back?
2. What is the name of the upcoming Indiana Jones film?
3. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have worked together on many films. What was the very first film they both worked together on?
4. Another LEGENDARY screen pairing has been that of the 2 Coreys Haim/Feldman. How many films have the Coreys made together? (2 points for getting it exact 1 point for being 1 off)
5. Vince Neil, Gilbert Godfried, Ed O'Neil, Robert Englund, and Sheila E. all appeared in what film?
6. Identify the movie from the following passage
7. Little Shop of Horrors has twice been adapted for the big screen, for 2 points each who are the 2 men who have portrayed the masochistic dental patient?
8. What former Outsider has an uncredited role in the movie Young Guns?
9. Kevin O'Connell is up for his 20th Oscar this Sunday, despite being nominated 19 times for his sound mixing skills, he has yet to win, for 2 points name the film that garnered O'Connell his 20th nomination?
10. Only 3 Movies have ever won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress, for 2 points each what are they?
Link | Leave a comment {13} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
Shockingly all the red went to the bottom
Jan. 7th, 2008 | 11:28 pm
Your Results:
Chris Dodd
Barack Obama
Mike Gravel
Hillary Clinton
John Edwards
Dennis Kucinich
Joe Biden
Bill Richardson
Rudy Giuliani
John McCain
Tom Tancredo
Mitt Romney
Mike Huckabee
Ron Paul
Fred ThompsonLink | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
FUN BOARD POSITIONS YOU WILL NEVER SEE IN A REAL GAME!!!
Jan. 3rd, 2008 | 04:58 pm
What is the definition of too much time on your hands???
How is this here are 4 creative and unique board positions that could never come up in a real game but, I think still can provide a lot of fun when looking at them.
In each position find your best scoring plays and your best strategic plays and what your opponents best comeback plays may be given the board and unseen tiles.
Position 1
http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.ph
I showed this one to many people in Albany and many found it quite enjoyable
Score 303-267 Your Lead
There are 3 in the bag and you have a rack of DEJLSU?
The unseen tile pool is
EEIPQTTUU
Position 2
http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.ph
Score 440-383 You are behind
There are 3 in the bag and you have a rack of ILOTXY?
The unseen tile pool is
AEILNOQUZ?
Position 3
http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.ph
Score 343-261 Your lead
There is 1 in the bag and you have a rack of CIJNR??
The unseen tile pool is
HKNOSVYZ
Position 4
http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.ph
Score 414-340 you are behind
There are 2 in the bag and your rack is AISUZ??
The unseen tile pool is
AAEEIJLTU
Link | Leave a comment {18} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
how do i post quackle positions to LJ??
Jan. 3rd, 2008 | 03:11 pm
Link | Leave a comment {2} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
Ethics in Albany
Jan. 2nd, 2008 | 04:33 pm
Well I am back in freezing Chicago, after 5 days and 4 nights of fun in Albany, NY. I'll chime in on the issues of the tourney in a moment, first I want to just say how much fun I had, and how I am already looking forward to next year. Now onto the issues of the tourney.
By the way for those that don't know I earn the majority of my income working as an official.
Mostly I umpire softball games, but I have reffed football and dodgeball and even soccer(despite barely knowing the rules) from time to time. In the winter I even act as a judge at high school forensics meets (speech team). I make a life out of making judgement calls, and I often get to see how 2 people can watch the exact same event and form 2 completely different opinions of what just happened, unfortunately this often causes friction between people and this is how many altercations occur on the field of play. Fortunately I have yet to see Scrabble players come to blows, but who knows it may happen.
1. The six pass rule, winning a game like this is not unethical at all, as the object every time you sit down to the board is to win the game. Like Herm Edwards said "Why do we play the game?" I know both Terry and Andy and like them both, so I will try hard not to make judgements here, but I am guessing that while from terry's perspective Andy's pronouncement that the game was over may have come across as snooty, I don't think that Andy was trying to be smug. Though he probably was pretty happy over securing another win, and doing it quite frankly a clever way. As Andy tells it he foresaw the possibility of a 6 pass win and strategically took into account not only the score, and board position at the time, but his opponent and the perceived lack of respect she had for his playing ability. I'm not sure how I would have proceeded in such a situation, but I can find no fault in Andy's behavior here at all. I wonder if Andy had just played his tiles on the board in the highest scoring possible (say he extended fixed to the TWs with AEERIIU also making AAA, ODEE, and GRITER for 137 points) Is that more or less ethical then taking the win? Actually ethical is a bad way to put it but what is the more sporting of the two options? Do you pass and secure the win or give your opp. the option of challenging your play and ebding the game and/or leaving the ridiculous phony on the board in order to resume the game, but from a 266-28 hole and with a 3rd of the tiles already played. If you are the opponent do you challenge the word and lose the game? Or let the phony stay on to have a chance to come back, but at the same time risk taking a huge spread hit as you would be 236 points down already. Really this situation was a unique one and it doesn't come up often, but I find no fault in the actions of the player who takes such a win.
2. In the situation where the opp.'s head is down and you make a play, well I would hope most people would show concern for the well being of their opp. and also make sure to make them aware that a play has been made. At the same time, in any game it is the obligation of both people to be alert and aware. I had to call a batter out on strikes this season when he inexplicably stepped out of the batters box with a 2-2 count after the pitcher had just released the ball. He was IRATE, claimed I should have called time out. I told him I can not call time out if he doesn't ask for it and especially not right when the ball is on it's way to the plate. fact is even if he wasn't 100% to take the pitch he stepped into the batters box. In Scrabble if a player isn't feeling well, regardless of the cause, the onus is on them to be alert and play the game. Now again if I am sitting across the table I would certainly show concern and not try to be sneaky, but again it is also possible that the same situation can be perceived in multiple ways. The play of AF that was made this case might have been done so intentionally by an player thinking he could get a fast one by a player clearly not at their best, or it might have been one of those moments we all have where we think boy I could play EYE along here making EF/YO/EH then we think hmm wish I could play off an A and keep an E and we think oh wait AYE is a word and play it without realizing we just made a phony 2. I sat next to a player that played RO in division 1. It happens to all types of players all the time, I had a player almost play TE against me, and I almost didn't notice until she pointed it out. None of us knows what was going through the players mind who made the play, but I generally belief in giving benefit of the doubt to most players.
3. The Joe/Ben game, well this one is certainly the biggest issue of all and while for many it seems easy to judge from afar, I know it weighed heavily on Joe's mind. Here are the facts that we are aware of, they played each other in a close game and after the game had a recount. During the game Joe doubled the score of one of his plays that should not have been doubled and announced the incorrect score. Ben didn't catch this error and the game progressed. After the game, Ben asked for a recount as it was a close game, and even in the recount Ben failed to catch the scoring error and neither did Joe. Was Joe's scoring error intentional or an honest mistake? That we can not know, we can only infer and as I know Joe to be a decent guy, I like to extend him some BOTD and say it was an honest mistake. We also know that shortly after the results slip was handed in and before the next round even began Ben caught the error, and notified Joe. Joe acknowledged the error, and the director was called. This is were the controversy started and most of it is due to the ambiguity of the rule and like it or not Drew Allen the rule is at best ambiguous.
I will restate the rule even though it has been done already, and this is right from the NSA website, verbatim......
III. Ending the Game
F. Recording the Game
When the game is over, fill out your contestant scorecard and sign your opponent's card, thereby attesting that the scores recorded are correct. When both cards are signed, no further scoring adjustments may be made, unless both players, in agreement, notify the Director that there was a scoring error.
Leave the tiles on the board after the game to facilitate the next pre-game count.
Appendix D: Guidelines for Players and Directors
12. Changing Game Results
Section III.F., regarding changing the outcome or score of a game, refers only to the situation where the players' Contestant Score Cards (CSC) already show identical results for a particular game, and one or both players later realize that those results are incorrect.
In contrast, whenever an individual game result is not recorded identically on both players' CSCs, it is the Director's responsibility to make a concerted effort to determine and post the "actual" result.
If a Director uses a "Tally Sheet" to post tournament results, on which both players have signed and recorded the game results, then it is not mandatory to verify each CSC. By signing the Tally Sheet, the players have agreed that it records an accurate game result. However, the Director could review any evidence that suggests a Tally Sheet is inconsistent with the players' CSCs. In such disputes, when there is too little evidence for resolving the situation, the Director is advised to maintain the Tally Sheet as the final arbiter.
If, prior to the end of the tournament, both players have not signed a Tally Sheet, the tournament staff should require the missing signatures/initials from the player(s), or at least verify the game's results on the CSCs.
So changes are not allowed unless both players notify the director of an error. The problem is, what is considered a notification? Do both players have verbally tell the director of the error and what the correct score should be and then sign a slip attesting to the correction? Or is it acceptable if Ben tells the director of the error and then the director asks Joe if Ben was correct and Joe just verbally says yes or his a head nod sufficient. Hey I'm not even trying to be funny here, but what exactly is Joe obligation in terms of notifying the director and what is the director's obligation in questioning Joe? Obviously Ben did everything he could in this situation after the fact though had he been more diligent in his score keeping the situation would be avoided all together so what if any onus should be on Ben?
I spoke with Joe about this game almost immediately after it happened and our conversation was brief, he wondered why it all fell on his shoulders to decide and after reading the rules I am not sure that it actually does fall on his shoulders to decide. It also seems important to note that a rule was even written to handle such a situation. That fact alone told me the creators of said rules felt that in this situation above all others that getting the score right is more important then the finality of a scorecard or tally slip.
I ran my first tournament over Labor Day last year and the one interesting director's call I had was with an incorrect challenge. Player A played a word and Player B challenged. Player A had transposed 2 tiles, however when Player B wrote out the challenge and typed it into the computer she typed in the correct spelling and the play came back as acceptable. Upon returning to the board both players realized what had just happened and they asked me what happens. I ruled that Player B only gets one bite at the apple and if she failed to challenge correctly that the word stays on the board and Player B loses a turn. We all knew the word was invalid but at some point we have to accept that our mistakes can hurt us. Should Player A have been allowed to correct her mistake of transposing the tiles? Should player B have been allowed to correct her mistake of not typing the the word into the computer as it was played?
Alas I digress, the situation here is similar, but here the rules allow for the past mistake to be corrected, however they are unclear as to exactly what needs to be done to correct it.
Some people have likened this game in Albany to a situation in Dayton, well their are similarities but the situation is different, and actually there are two Dayton stories that relate.
The first is a game between Alex Fiszbein and Tony Claitor, in that game Tony lost by 7 points and did not ask for a recount. Upon Quackling the game later that night Tony realized that Alex had made a pretty bad miscount on his score. Alex played a 2x2 bingo (not sure of the word) but hooked the 7th tile an S onto another word also DWS. However instead of just 2x on the hook Alex double/doubled the whole play and Tony didn't catch it. There was no recount and the result slip was turned in. Tony asked Alex to look at the score and to notify the director. Alex didn't want to do this and said he would think about it and perhaps if Tony was in the running for the money (The game took place on day 1) he would agree to change the result, as it turns out Alex was in the running for the money and he never had the result changed. Alex finished in 7th place and netted $375 however with one less win (his spread was very low as is) he likely would have been out of the money. Of course changing the result would also have resulted in pairings being changed as I believe John Chew's program takes into account the current standings when it pairs players, so who knows Alex or Tony's win totals would have been had they corrected the score.
The second game took place in division 4 toward the end of day 3. Kelly McKenzie was playing Phil Wertheimer and they ended up tied 390-390. I believe neither player asked for a recount in this case either and at the end of day 3 Kelly was sitting with a 14.5-6.5 record and a nice spread, he was in contention. Well that night Phil Quackled the game and realized he actually won by a point, he pointed this out to Kelly the next day and Kelly with no hesitation had the result changed and his record was then 14-7. In the end Kelly went 7-3 and finished in first place at 21-14 thanks to about 300 spread points. He won $1400 and a custom board, and he won the respect of many people including myself for being so willing to make a correction that hurt his chances to win, just because he felt it was the right thing to do.
Now we go back to Albany the stakes here aren't as great as in Dayton as neither player involved was in the money, but the situation is similar and the question remains what is the right thing to do and whose responsibility is it to see that it gets done. Is it more important to get the call right or to abide by the signed tally slip? It seems clear from the way the rules are written that getting the result correct takes precedence and it seems the majority of people feel that way, but should Joe have been put in the situation he was in where he felt like it was his responsibility to tell the director to change the score or should the director be able to change the score without Joe's consent so long as Joe acknowledges the scoring in error. I talked at length with both Joe and Ben about this on New Years Eve, (not at the same time) and it seemed clear to me that both men acknowledged the scoring error, so should the rule be written to allow the director to change the result without a signature so long as both players agree the error occurred? It seems this would solve future situations like this from occurring. Player A loses and realizes he later should have won do to a counting error. He goes to the director and points out the error and when and how it occurred. The director then goes to Player B and asks him to look at what Player A has shown him, the director asks Player B if he/she can attest to the truthiness (thank you Steven Colbert) of Player A's claim. Player B has three options, they can either attest to the claim, disagree with it, or essentially claim they can not recall (I call this the Alberto Gonzales defense). In the end though it is on the director to decide if the result should be changed. It seems in this case none of the facts were in dispute, but rather all the authority to make a decision was placed in one of the players involved and that is in general a bad thing. It would be like me asking players to call themselves safe and out in a game, it may work from time to time but it will cause problems in the long run.
In my conversation with Joe on Monday night I urged him to really look at this from a cost/benefit perspective. In other words what is the benefit of not changing the result and keeping the win and what is the cost of doing so? From my perspective the only benefit is the minimal ratings points to be gained from having an additional win on the record books. The cost however seemed great. Joe obviously dealt with a great deal of stress in just considering the matter. He, while a well liked guy will also certainly bear the brunt of some negative feelings towards what happened and how he chose to handle it. This may not be fair but it is a fact, that it seems the majority opinion fell on the side of Ben should have gotten the win. I myself felt that way and told Joe as much, in the end though I still like Joe quite a bit and don't harbor any ill feelings towards him. If anything I feel bad for the criticism he will incur, but again it is a bed of his own making.
Basically while I think it would have been a wonderful gesture for Joe to have requested the result be changed, i do not think he did anything that violated the rules of the game and I would ask others to not judge him so harshly Joe is a good guy and an asset to the game I enjoy his posts to CGP and LJ as well as his personality and presence at tournaments, so I hope he sticks with the game, and learns to sit back and enjoy it a bit more. Remember folks win or lose this is just a game in the end and we should be playing it because we enjoy it and if you stop having fun, then it might be time to look for a new hobby.
OK well that's my 2 cents (ok more like 25 cents, but what can I say I am long winded.)
Later
Jeremy
Link | Leave a comment {9} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
The Mitchell Report.....my take in an open letter to Curt Schilling...
Dec. 20th, 2007 | 10:52 am
Ok so I haven't posted in a while, and have been wanting to post about many things, Scrabble, Acting, and most of all Baseball. Most of you probably know that MLB released 400+ page document called the Mitchell Report, put together by former Sen. George Mitchell and his staff over a 20 month period. it was an attempt to clean up baseball with regard to Performance Enhancing Drugs or PDE's. Several players were named and many denials were made, some players made admissions but many qualified them with I only did it once. Most prominant amongst the names in the report are Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, arguably the 2 greatest players of the last 50 years. Anyway much has been made of the Mitchell report and many people have chimed in as to what they thought of it. I have read and listened to many people, but was most intrigued by the position taken by Curt Schilling on his blog 38pitches.com While I disagree with Curt on a whole host of topics, but I appreciate his candor and he certainly seems to be an on the level type of guy. For whatever reason his thoughts (They can be read at his blog) provoked me to respond. So I posted this reply to his blog, of course it is one of over 500 replies and he will likely never see, but I posted it anyway and thought I would post it here as well, as I know there are a good number of baseball fans out there. Anyway I will post more on other stuff later in the week, but for now here is my take on baseball and PED's......
I am not sure this will ever see Mr. Schilling's eyes, but I felt compelled to post to his latest Blog entry.
First off let me say that I am glad you seem to be clean and that you so virulently seem to be advocating for clean play and against PED's. It is a long overdue campaign and more players need to be on that bandwagon. The problem, is that almost across the board it is so hard these days to have faith in ANY player, and yes that would have to include you. Haven't we the public been lied to enough? It has gotten to the point where it is so hard to tell who if anyone is telling the truth anymore. I remember growing up in the 80's and respecting guys like Lyle Alzado and Hulk Hogan, just to name a couple. Both of them were very good role models at least based on what they said, don't do drugs, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins. I for one bought into the whole package, I didn't do drugs and always looked at them as a bad choice be they PED's or just the recreational kind. Then again I was never a world class athlete. Problem is we know Hogan and Alzado used steroids, and Alzado paid the ultimate price for his use. I learned a long time ago that while it is nice to have icons, it is always best to never be shocked by what you may or may not find out about people.
Getting to the issue at hand and PED's in baseball, well I certainly agree they sullky the game, but at the same time I must say I am not sure what the appropriate response is. I do know one thing your revisionist history however altruistic it's intent is a horrible idea. Like it or not what has happened can not be changed and any attempt to rewrite the history books will do nothing but create further chaos. The fact is players of all skill levels and ability were using. Both pitchers and hitters were guilty. Players on every team where guilty and we only know of a handful of names where there is proof or a somewhat credible accusation. To think that is anything but the tip of the iceberg is naive. Why stop at individual awards? Should we also revoke the world championships from teams that had users whpo played key roles? Lets not just take away Roger's Cy Young awards but his WS rings as well, of course what about the users that were on the Braves and Mets in those years? Would you be willing to hand over your '01 ring if it were proven that Luis Gonzalez got that series winning hit thanks to PED's??? Of course we couldn't give the trophy to the Yankees because they were guilty too, so maybe the Mariners or Braves or Indians or Cardinals or Astros or Athletics are more deserving?
I think Bob Costas has thus far summed up the whole era best when he said (I am paraphrasing here) On the front page of the baseball record book there should be a preface that says, "Baseball while having the greatest continuity of numbers of all the sports has over its lifetime had many eras that have impacted those numbers, this book is a complete and unadulterated looks at the history of baseball with out regard to those eras which include: Segregated and nonsegregated play, day baseball and mostly night baseball, higher pitchers mound and lower pitchers mound, 154 game season and 162 game season, the advent of relief pitching and expansion, DH and no DH, f smaller ballparks and the advances in weight training and equipment and prominant amongst those is the so called steroid era where several players used perfomance enhancing supplements in an effort to boost their performance."
Again that is not verbatim, but it is the basic gist of what he said and I could not agree more. throughtout time there have always been reasons to question one era against another era, how can we legitimize Babe Ruth's numbers when he never had to face the likes of Rube Foster, Satchell Paige, and others in a game? How valid are the careers of Bob Gibson and sandy Koufax?? Aren't their numbers enhanced by the higher picthers mound they got to throw from? Is it fair to expect pitchers since to compete with those numbers? Why despite better conditioning programs today are pitchers less able to complete games? (Up until about 1980 you needed at least 20 CG most years to lead the league and sometimes 30+ and in the last 20 years only you in 1998 and Orel Hershiser in 1988 have had as many as 15 CG in a season.) The fact is as much as the game has stayed the same it has also changed and we have to accept that the good and the bad.
Let us also look at how revisionist history would work? Where do you start and where do you stop? Do you just take away a players awards? Do you erase their numbers? Their names in their entirety from the record books? If Barry Bonds 73 HR disappear then what happens to all of the runs scored as a result? Do his teammates who were on base when he hit those homers give back the runs? Do the pitchers who were on the hill get points shaved off their ERA? What if Bonds homered off Gagne? Since they were both using do we just leave that one alone? It is a pandora's box and their is nothing to be gained from rewriting the history books, we must accept what has happened as part of the games past and work towards making sure the same things don't happen again.
Another point i want to make, and this may come off as largely ignorant, but it is something that I have often thought. What do we know about PED's? By that I mean what are the various PED's out there and how do the actually help/harm a player? Is there anyway to actually measure their tangible effects? I was under the belief that Steroids used to be used to build muscle mass and get stronger. The theory behind a baseball player taking them would be to gain mass and add power and thereby hit the ball harder and farther resulting in more home runs. From a pitcher's perspective theoretically they could be used to help throw the ball faster. However amongst the effects were that your body would become more fragile. You were more susceptible to injury. Add the shrinkage in testicles, acne, and modd swings and it was a high proce to pay, but for some perhaps worth it. Problem being is even if you became bigger and stronger, if your body broke down and you were injured you couldn't play so steroids were maybe not such a big problem back in the 80's 90's. Then technology reared it's ugly head and steroids like everything else became more advanced. BALCO is perhaps the best example, it was now a matter of designer drugs that didn't just add muscles and make you stronger but allowed your body to recoup faster and maintain a peak level of performance longer. My question is, do these drugs actually enhance your performance, or do they just allow you to perform at a peak level for longer? It would now not be as risky for pitchers to start using as they could seemingly benefit as well. However do we really know what the tangible benefits are and by that I mean take Bonds for example. Assume he used in 2001 when he hit 73 home runs, how many of those home runs were a result of the drugs, and how many would he have hit without those drugs? Is there anyway to know? Did the drugs just allow Barry Bonds to be at his best everyday without showing the wear and tear of a season or did they actually raise the what his peak level was? People point to the fact that he had never even hit 50 HR in a season prior to then, but the history of baseball is littered with statistical anomolies. Look at Hack Wilson and Roger Maris, both of them had a couple of monster years in midst of a couple of otherwise mediocre careers. Carl Yastremski saw a 4 year power spike in the middle of his career in the late 60's for some unexplained reason he never had that power early on and he wasn't able to maintain it either? There are more but you get the point.
Also where do we draw the line at putting one's health on the line to be able to enhance one's performance and help one's team? If I recall correctly there was a very famous pitcher who got injured during the playoffs a few years ago. His ankle was a mess and the best thing he could have done for his personal health would have been to shut it down and rehab. Instead though he chose to take drugs, drugs that allowed him to go out and pitch (allbeit in some pain). Still though without these drugs it is likely he wouldn't have been able to picth or at least certainly not at the level he pitched at. Yet he was lauded as a hero and an incredible teammate. Why were those performance enhancing drugs OK?
Another thing I will quickly mention is the wide array of players who at this point are known to have used and how there seems to be no consistancy within the results of users. The best examples are those of the Canseco and Giambi brothers. In the case of Jose and Ozzie Canseco they are twin brothers, so there biological make up is identical and both played ball and both used steroids, yet Ozzie never hit a big league home run and barely had so much as a cup of coffee in the majors while Jose won an MVP and hit 460+ HR. The Giambi's while not identical twins are still built from the same gene pool. Both also used and Jason was an MVP while Jeremy was a bench warmer. What was the reason for this? Was only one using the good stuff? Maybe steroids weren't the only reason for Jason and Jose's accomplishments? Maybe they were worthy of being major leaguers.
Lastly lets talk about Cooperstown and how this era will be reflected there. Perhaps we have gotten a glimpse in the fact that Mark McGwire got a mere 23.5% of the vote last year is telling. We will see in a couple of weeks if he fairs better the 2nd time around. Does the Mitchell report help McGwire's cause or hurt him? It could hurt him in that it further increases the negative attitude towards PED's and those who used, or it could help in that it shows McGwire (if he used) was just one amongst many and the whole era was tainted and he was still better then most. Of course McGwire was really only in the mitchell report for his use of Andro, something he never hid and freely admitted to when he played. it was neither an illegal substance nor was it banned at the time within baseball so should he be punished for that? Another shocking omission from the report was the lack of Sammy Sosa's name. Does he get a clean pass now? What becomes of Rafael Palmeiro? He had the strongest denial in front of congress a couple of years ago only to be shamed when he actually failed a test. His initial explination that he got a tainted B12 shot from teammate Miguel Tejada was scoffed at and he was further castigated for implicating a teammate like that, but now that Tejada has been fingered does that maybe mean we should look again at what Raffy was telling us? Maybe he wasn't lying? Of course he said he would address things at the appropriate time much like Clemens today and we have yet to hear from him. I am of the thought that a player must be judged not only against time but also against his era when considering hall of fame inclusion. To me McGwire passes the test if ever so slightly. I don't mind the denial of first ballot ommission, but I do believe he should be enshrined. Right now Clemens, Bonds, and Sosa may all come up together on the ballot if 5 years and it will be interesting to see what their vote totals are. Palmeiro will be up in another 3 years and of course in the meantime we can look at how McGwire fairs to give us an indicator. Your former teammate the Big Unit may be on the ballot with Clemens, Bonds, and Sammy if he doesn't play next year either, and of course right now for next season we have Yourself, Glavine, Maddux, and I believe Smoltz all under 1 year or final year deals, so the 2013 ballot may also be an interesting statement. None of you 4 have stood accused, but will that enhance your vote totals? Will you all go in together? Only time will tell.
Sorry to rant on for so long, I realize many people may never read these words, so i might just post them to my own livejournal account, but I felt compelled to write them in response to your blog Mr. Schilling so thanks for giving me the chance to unload and I apologize if I came off as accusatory at any point. My questions were all aksed out of the desire to look at things as objectively as possible. Oh and any MIZSPELLINGS or PUNK CHEW WAY SHUN errors are the sole fault of the author and he is just too damned LAZY to go back and edit this post so just DEAL!!!
Thank You and good day from Jeremy C. aka Etheridge2 in Chicago, IL.
Link | Leave a comment {1} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
What is a MEME??
Nov. 15th, 2007 | 01:23 pm
I see these all the time on here, they are sort of interesting but I have no idea what MEME means, anyway here you go squeegman.
1. Do you have a tattoo? NO
2. How old are you? 32
3. Are you single or taken? Depends who is asking, but generally single
4. Fish? Sticks?
5. Do you dream in color? Technicolor my man....technicolor
6. Ever seen a corpse? Dude the question is how many have I seen...
7. Hipsters or Hillbillies? Y'all already know the answer to this one.
8. How did we meet? On some enchanted evening in a hotel room in the Smokey Mountains over a bottle of win and a deck of cards.
9. What's your philosophy on life and death? Life- live it....death- postpone it...
10. If you could do anything with me, and have no one know, what would it be? (If I said wouldn't everyone then know????)
11. Do you trust the police? I trust everyone being a cop doesn't make somebody untrustworthy, but being a douchebag does and there are douchebags all over even in the police force.
12. Do you like musicals? the are AAAAAAMMMMMAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHZZZZZZZIIIINNN
13. What is your fondest memory of me? There are just so many to choose from I pick Phoenix in August of aught six, was a warm summer's eve and I feel as though we bonded.
14. If you could change anything about yourself what would it be? My ban account would have more 000000000's between the first number and the decimal point.
15. Would you cheat? At what??? There is always a scenario where I can imagine saying YES, so i say YES!!!
16. What are you wearing? I'll leave that to your imagination,
17. Have you ever peed in a pool? Dude seriously have you not???
18. Would you hide evidence for me if I asked you to? Evidence of what, I'll go with sure, I just don't promise to hide it well.
19. If you only had one day to live and had to be with me that day, what would we do together? It would involve a lot of SCRING if you know what I mean.
20. Which do you prefer - short or long hair? Hair SUCKS!!!!!
21. What's your favorite day of the week? Tomorrow because you just never know what'll happen, well except of course that the sun'll cpome out.
22. What's your favorite color? RED BABY!!!!
23. If you could bring back anyone that has passed, who would it be? My grandfather (on my mother's side)
24. Tell me one interesting/odd fact about you? I am the coolest person you know.
25. What was your first impression of me? He is SO GAY!!!!
26. Have you ever done drugs? You have seen me when I am completely sober and off drugs can you imagine what would happen if you introduced drugs into the equation??? The answer by the way is NO!!!!
27. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you? Maybe...
Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
The Final Act
Nov. 15th, 2007 | 02:24 am
So just got back from my final acting class of the level 1 session. Level 2 starts ina couple of weeks. After class tonight we all went out. First we went to 10 Pin a Bowling lounge (means fancy swanky bowling lanes), then to The bar at the Hotel Sax, very trendy bar and there were lots of very attractive scantily clad women there, it was fun trying to figure out which ones were pros and by pros I means hos peoples...Anyway Maria was there along with most of the class, If you missed my post about last weeks class then check out www.wwedivas.com and click on Maria. Tonight we also met a Maxim magazine photographer who was with his model girlfriend Lisa Christine to see more of Lisa go here
http://modelmayhem.com/member.php?id=895
G'night folks
Link | Leave a comment {1} | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend
A Scrabbulous world...
Nov. 14th, 2007 | 08:31 am
So I have 4 tournaments on the horizon: elmhurst, austin, tx., albany, and nyc.
Here are my expectations for all of them
Elmhurst, at first I was debating playing and then decided to support the local tourney even if I had a lousy time, but now it looks like it could be a lot of fun. I am still going to be a top seed (probably second), but I don't care about that as long as it will be a good fun field and it looks like it may. Peter is always fun to play, winter is well winter and I need to beat him because I played like shit when we played in Ohio. I can not wait to play Kelly as we have never played but I know how good he really is and it should be a fun game, ditto Georgie V, though we have played 2-3 times and I believe I have won them all but also gotten away with phonies in all of them, I don't think I can be so careless this time around. Bob Prentiss and I have only played once, but I like Bob. I have never played or met Ned so i am looking forward to that and Dave Johnson I have seen at tourneys, but don't recall ever speaking to him and I know we haven't played, so that should be nice. Al who is crazy will probably drop out because he won't want to risk his rating, but if he does play I OWN HIM, so I'm cool with that too, also Hartsman, not the most fun to play, but I draw better against him then anybody else, I like to think of it as Karma. I am 6-1 against him I think? Interesting thing is the 12 seed is 1440 right now, but it is a tie?? The tourney is advertised as a 12 person RR format with 4 even divisions. What happens when somebody is tied and on the cusp??? Who plays up and who plays down??? It is between Daiva and Harriet right now, and if that is the way it stays I hope it is Daiva because playing Harriet is just a painful experience. Of course when Al inevitably drops out then both wioll be in div. 1. I am trying to get Jeff Clark and Mike Weepie to both come so then Harriet will be div. 2 regardless of Al. As for my expectations at this tourney, I think I really have a shot to win it, though I know it won't be easy. I don't know enough about Dave and Ned to know how good their chances are, but Kelly, George, Winter, Peter, and Steve are all more then capable of winning it all, so I like my chance but really if I am 7-4 and in the top 3 I will consider the weekend a success. Either way I think I will have a good time.
Austin: I am looking forward to going to Texas in december, I am even going for 4 days just to increase my time there. hanging with Jean is always fun and I am looking at the field on X-Tables and it could be great fun. I have only played 10 games against the whole field (and 3 are against Jean she is the only one I have played more then once.) I have never played Thevenot or Cree or Swift so it will be nice to play them. Also David Weiss is coming down from Montana and hanging with him is always fun. (by the way I have the Today show on as I write this and I am wondering how Celine Dion is so popular, I mean yeah her voice is OK but man she is just annoying.) Anyway I also have a stepsister and her family in Austin I don't get to see them often and her and her husband have a couple of kids who are just great boys, so it will be nice to see them too. I think one of them might even have a birthday while I am there. I know he was born the first week of December, I just don't know when exactly. Anyway the field here will be WAY tought, so it will take an incredible amount of luck and good fortune to place, but the nice thing is if I lose some ratings points in Elmhurst I will be likely to gain them back here. really anything near or above .500 would be fine with me here.
Albany: Seriously I used to HATE new years, as a single guy who doesn't drink it was always just a crappy holiday, I never did anything memorable on New Years, until last year. Albany was just AWESOME. I have been to 2 tourneys there July 4th and Albany in 2006 and both were about as much fun as any tournaments I have ever been too, and this one is shaping up much the same. With Sam and TK and KFC and Rodzilla and Cheezychick, and wisemonkey, and Johnny O, and CBB and the Funky Fresh Dougie B and Shells and the Ubester and of course Lipe and geez this will never end if I don't stop now, but you get it, the tourney will be a BLAST!!!!!!! I will say right now I could go 0-24 and I will still look forward to going back next year. My hopes for this tourney are to win close to half my games and to have a damn good time.
NYC- OK so I may go to the Redeye or something in January, but with Austin and NYC and Albany the tournament fund may not be able to afford a january tourney, but a Comfort diner tourney in Feb will totally KICK ASS!!! I was at the Big Apple classic in October and hada great time, but that was nothing compared to what Ira does for his 1 day events. he has hinted towards something bigger then he has ever done, and I don't know how that is even possible, but I am certainly eager to find out. Also I can add to my collection of Big Apple tiles (I have 4 sets and counting and am thinking the next ones will have a pink/red valentines theme). Anyway since divisions will be set by up to date ratings there is no way to know where I will end up but I am guessing it won't change that much, If I do well over the next month I could end up in div. 1 but I am guessing I will play div. 2 either way I don't care. Playing div. 1 would be cool because I have never played Matt Graham and that would be nice also I could play RPD, though I could easily go 0-7 too. Of course in div. 2 I could go 0-7 so eh whatever I will be spending a weekend in NYC and that alone is worth it. I have lots of family out that way so I will try and see some of them if ever so briefly.
OK SCRABBLE BREAK. I have the Today show on because i want to see the interview with this douchebag cop Drew Peterson from Bolingbrook whose FOURTH (YEAH FOURTH) wife is missing and his THIRD WIFE died under mysterious circumstances. This guy is so freaking clueless it is unbelievable, at one point he actually brushed off the fact that his most recent wife asked for a divorce by essentially saying she did it when she was on the rag ( I am paraphrasing but that is basically what he said). I mean he claims he hasn't looked for her partly because he believes she isn't dead. OMFG I CAN NOT BELIEVE THE NERVE OF THIS ASSHOLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is so full of shit it is unbelievable, I mean I usually like to give benefit of the doubt, but this guy is either the unluckiest and most clueless guy in the world or needs to be just beatdown silly. I have a few questions too...How exactly has this man been married FOUR TIMES??? Really can their be 4 women that desperate??? Also what ever happened to his first 2 wives, are they still alive and if so can they provide any insight into what drives this douchebag???? Ok I mean this guy just PISSES ME OFF!!!!!!!!!!
Ok back to Scrabble, so i was supposed to get together with Brett Sunday to play but I was sick, I am still not 100% but feeling much better now. Anyway I went to a meetup.org or whatever scrabble group. They are non NSA but draw some scrabble enthusiasts who don't make it to club and don't always know about the NSA. From time to time I try and go these things to meet new folks and maybe recruit some new NSA types. So it was at a hot dog joint in the burbs and 9 people showed up. I played 1 game against this high school teacher from palatine named Bobby. He was GREAT, he needs some fine tuning but it was a great game. He got to play INDEXES-97 BOOTHs/JAILORs-44 (he knew that using the blank like that was usually unwise felt he needed to stay in the game he was down 144-68 before making the play). He also played DOZEN-45 and had a 37 point MIST/VAVS play. I let him use the cheat sheet, but he didn't rely on it too much. I got to play SANGRiA-73, SAUTEED-70, and QUINTE(T)-52 and ended up winning 411-365. all in all it was a really fun game and I told him he should really consider playing a tournament or two if he has the time, he said he might consider it. Another guy who was there was Jack Badofsky, anyway he was a character and he has been playing Scrabble for years. He played a tournament in the 1970's at Northwestern and he said the guy who won it was named James Holicky. Anyway I googled them both and James Holicky was indeed an NSA player. Not sure if the Northwestern tourney would have been an NSA event or not, he said it was in about 1975 so over 30 years ago. Anyway the guy was a pretty solid player in his own right and seemed like he has led an interesting life. I am guessing he may in fact also be the inspiration behind the SNL character Dr. Jack Badofsky (played by Tim Kazurinsky). Tim was a chicago guy back in the 70's and anyway it was really neat to meet both of these guys. In addition the organizer dori and another lady Joan?? (Got I am horrible with names) anyway they were both also very nice and both were familiar with one of our more colorful local scrabble peoples. Mr. Adrian Mannella. Those of you who don't know Adrian will not appreciate this, but those who do will get a chuckle.
For the record I flip flop on Adrian, I didn't like him when I first met him because he was very unfriendly, but he has softened at least towards me quite a bit and at my labor tourney he was a HUGE help, so I invited him to my place Thursday for a scrabble night.
Anyway Adrian can be tempermental to say the least, and I won't go into it, but there was a blow up at club about 18 months ago or maybe longer. Anyway he hasn't been back since and I think he was banished. As such I guess he had been going to these scrabble meet ups regularly over the last year. Meet ups are generally very informal and draw competative living room types but not NSA or tourney peeps, but you never know when u might find a diamond in the rough. Anyway I guess recently Adrian had a little issue with the director of the Scrabble meet up. She did say until then she had thought very highly of him and he was a great help, but it is telling that this is becoming a pattern. I really think Adrian could be a good guy when he tries of course the same can be said of Al Helfgott and I guess we are all a little crazy at times, but man some people are just crazier then others.
In other news my final acting class of level I is tonight and then a couple of weeks off before level II starts and I do a voice over class as well. Ok I really need to clean my place up as people are coming over tomorrow.