I never cease to be amazed by the lack of quality shows on television. If I'm not mistaken, 99% of programs between 6 and 10 p.m. are 'reality' shows, and the majority of these are ridiculous, far-fetched, scripted, or a spin-off of another show. Basically, they're anything but 'reality.'
Now remember, I'm the guy who, as a 24 year old, married college graduate, still watches the Real World, and it's spin-off step-brother, Real World/Road Rules Challenge shows religiously, but even I have to admit, things have gone too far. It's sad when a fantastic show like Friday Night Lights has to sweat it out every season, worrying that it will get cancelled due to low ratings, yet shows that are quite literally an embarrassment to humanity (The Flavor of Love, Rock of Love, I Love New York, and Shot at Love series's*, Surreal Life, etc) get brought back for multiple seasons.
As terrible as many of these shows are, I figured I had seen the worst of it with the aforementioned trash on Vh1. However, last night I saw a preview for what may go down in history as the most embarrassing show featuring B and C-list celebrities ever to be produced. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you...Celebrity Circus!
Regardless of how bad this show will be (and it will be bad), the title pretty much sums up the culture in which we live, where anyone can be a celebrity and no matter how irrelevant you are as a 'celebrity,' you can claim another fifteen minutes or so by subjecting yourself to skating or dancing with a professional, living in a home with other quasi-celebs, filming your drug rehab, singing or dancing when you're terrible at both, or a myriad other things, just to get on TV and collect a paycheck one more time.**
For a great example of how out of control our culture is with reality TV, check the left column of the Celeb Circus link. I mean, wow. I realize that most of the shows listed have been cancelled, but good grief, those are a ton of reality programs.
-Twig
*Each of these shows center around B-list celebs (Flavor Flav, Brett Michaels, Tila Tequila, and "New York," a reject from the Flavor of Love series) trying to find their "true love," Bachelor style. Each show as been through at least two seasons, because-shockingly-the first time around, their true love didn't turn out to be the real thing.
**That paragraph just won the "Sentence that was so long, it became it's own paragraph. Sorta like how Australia is a continent and a country" award.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Gettin Older By The Day
As some of you may have heard by now, today is my birthday. That’s right, I’m celebrating the completion of my 24th year here on planet Earth. (And subsequently, the start of my 25th year, which makes me feel old)* To commemorate this fantastic day, I’m gonna run down my life and give a highlight or two from each year. I apologize if this seems self-centered and arrogant, I needed an idea for a post and well, this day only comes around once a year. Here goes…
Year One: May 23, 1984-May 22, 1985- Didn’t do too much. My days consisted mostly of sleeping, eating and pooping. Not unlike my freshman year at ACU.
Year Two: May 23, 1985-May 22, 1986- Started this year out by overindulging myself with chocolate cake in front of family and friends in the backyard. I think I learned to crawl that year, too. This was probably awesome because I could get around the house, and run amok.
Year Three: May 23, 1986-May 22, 1987- My first birthday as a big brother. This was probably cool because there were more people at my party.
Year Four: May 23, 1987-May 22, 1988- Tuesday/Thursday school began, which was again, probably neat, as was graduating into being a very good walker and more than adequate runner. (I may have been a good runner/walker earlier than this, but really, I don’t remember)
Year Five: May 23, 1988-May 22, 1989- Don’t remember too much from this year. The late ‘80s were hard, I guess. I do remember, however, losing my first tooth the day before my fifth birthday. I did this by, wait for it, wait for it…biting a tennis ball. What was wrong with me?
Year Six: May 23, 1989-May 22, 1990- Began and completed my first year of real school, at Bethune Elementary in Temple, Texas. That school year was especially sweet since it began with me wearing my killer Snoopy shorts to school the first day.
Year Seven: May 23, 1990-May 22, 1991- First grade. Tee-Ball. Not much else.
Year Eight: May 23, 1991-May 22, 1992- Second grade. Tee-Ball and Soccer. Moved to Belton. Not much else.
Year Nine: May 23, 1992-May 22, 1993- Third grade. Our family moved into our new home in Belton, where many of my boyhood memories reside. Also, the Dallas Cowboys won their first Super Bowl of my lifetime, a 52-17 whippin of the Buffalo Bills.
Year Ten: May 23, 1993-May 22, 1994- All Cowboys, all the time. They beat the Bills for the second straight year, sending me into great expectations for the ‘Boys for the rest of my life.
Year Eleven: May 23, 1994-May 22, 1995- My basketball Jones is struck, as I see the Houston Rockets win the first of two consecutive NBA Championships. Between January 1993, and January 1996, teams I rooted for won a combined FIVE Championships. Great times for a young sports fan.
Year Twelve: May 23, 1995-May 22, 1996- The Boys win their third Super Bowl in four years, placing my expectations for them somewhere in the “unrealistic” stratosphere for the rest of my childhood. My final year of Little League baseball also came to a crushing end, as my (awesome) team, the Indians, lost for the first time all season in the district tournament. This was especially disappointing since the state tournament was held in Belton that year, and we expected to be there. Our season ended with a 35-2 record. Not bad, but very disappointing since the two losses came back-to-back to end the year. And no, I’m not still bitter. For real.
Year Thirteen: May 23, 1996-May 22, 1997- My first year at Belton Junior High is in the books, as is my first year of organized football. This turned out to be highly disappointing since I saw myself as a potent wide receiver threat, but the BJH coaches saw us as a highly effective running team. Conflict of interest ensues.
Year Fourteen: May 23, 1997-May 22, 1998- I see my first live NBA game in San Antonio. The Spurs are playing the Rockets, and Chuck Barkley gets kicked out of the game for punting the ball into the stands. It is at this point that I officially convert to being a Spurs fan for life. This is a decision that will pay off greatly in the future. Also, organized football is officially out of my life. I choose to focus my high school career on basketball, track, and mid-level AP classes.
Year Fifteen: May 23, 1998-May 22, 1999- Get through my first year of high school alive. Good enough for me.
Year Sixteen: May 23, 1999-May 22, 2000- Lowlight of this year would undoubtedly be watching my mom fall on a bunny slope in Steamboat Springs, CO and break a few ribs and puncture a lung. It would have been a much better trip if that hadn’t happened.
Year Seventeen: May 23, 2000-May 22, 2001- Make the varsity basketball team at BHS, end up starting the second half of the year, and help the team get to the playoffs for the first time in ten years, as well as get named Second Team All-District. A heartbreaking OT loss in the first round of the playoffs really sucked, though.
Year Eighteen: May 23, 2001-May 22, 2002- The basketball team had a great season, winning our first 11 games and finishing 29-6. Another Second team All-District selection was nice, but winning the school’s first outright district championship was very cool. As far as track went, decent year overall, a third place finish in the district meet was acceptable.
Year Nineteen: May 23, 2002-May 22, 2003- Arguably the greatest year ever for me. ACU, freshman year, dorms, curfew, lighting the bathroom on fire, staying up, sneaking out, meeting some of my best friends to this day. All in all, a pretty stinkin good year.
Year Twenty: May 23, 2003-May 22, 2004- This year started on a very bad note, as I got a ticket for speeding on my birthday on my way home from a super-cruddy summer job at a factory. It got progressively better, though, as I made the wise decision to pledge GSP in the fall, and yes, met Kayla in the Spring of 2004.
Year Twenty-One: May 23, 2004-May 22, 2005- Another great year at ACU, highlighted by my first year living in the Burgh with my roomies, being GSP intramural director, and participating in Insanity For Humanity, the 60-hour softball game that GSP played in order to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.
Year Twenty-Two: May 23, 2005-May 22, 2006- What do you know, another great year in college! Began this one in Oxford, England during a Maymester Summer Course. The great year continued with the UT baseball team winning the NCAA championship, the Spurs winning their third NBA Championship, and of course, the Horns winning the BCS championship in the greatest bowl game ever. Oh yeah, I also proposed and graduated that year.
Year Twenty-Three: May 23, 2006-May 22, 2007- Lived by myself in Graham, Texas. While it was different, it was still quite the learning experience, and I enjoyed living out there. Special memories of Graham include coaching the 7th grade B team to an 18-16 victory over Vernon with my dad in the stands, and getting to drive his truck around for a week after my car broke down on New Year’s Day.
Year Twenty-Four: May 23, 2007-May 22, 2008- Two weeks into this year, I got married. That was neat, and so was the Honeymoon to El Dorado Royale. I Began working at Sartartia Middle School in August, and got my special education certification shortly thereafter. In December, I started the sports blog you’re reading with a buddy. I still think that was a good idea. And now, as one year of life ends, and another begins, I’m preparing to move waaaayyyy out West to pursue a Master’s Degree. Whoda thunk, going from sleeping and pooping all day to chasing advanced education? And to think, it only took six years.
*Alright, I need help with this, because it’s really freaking me out. While today I celebrate my 24th birthday, it’s really the beginning of my 25th year, right? So why don’t we celebrate our birthday the day before we were actually born? For instance, I was born on May 23, 1984, so shouldn’t my first birthday have been celebrated on May 22, 1985, since that marked the completion of my first year? Because the way we go about celebrating birthdays is actually to celebrate on the first day of the person’s next year, correct? And if so, that just cheapens the whole experience of a birthday party, like hello, we need one more candle here!?!? If this makes sense to anyone, help me out; if it was too confusing and poorly worded, I apologize, I’m just a bit frazzled here.
-Old Twig
Year One: May 23, 1984-May 22, 1985- Didn’t do too much. My days consisted mostly of sleeping, eating and pooping. Not unlike my freshman year at ACU.
Year Two: May 23, 1985-May 22, 1986- Started this year out by overindulging myself with chocolate cake in front of family and friends in the backyard. I think I learned to crawl that year, too. This was probably awesome because I could get around the house, and run amok.
Year Three: May 23, 1986-May 22, 1987- My first birthday as a big brother. This was probably cool because there were more people at my party.
Year Four: May 23, 1987-May 22, 1988- Tuesday/Thursday school began, which was again, probably neat, as was graduating into being a very good walker and more than adequate runner. (I may have been a good runner/walker earlier than this, but really, I don’t remember)
Year Five: May 23, 1988-May 22, 1989- Don’t remember too much from this year. The late ‘80s were hard, I guess. I do remember, however, losing my first tooth the day before my fifth birthday. I did this by, wait for it, wait for it…biting a tennis ball. What was wrong with me?
Year Six: May 23, 1989-May 22, 1990- Began and completed my first year of real school, at Bethune Elementary in Temple, Texas. That school year was especially sweet since it began with me wearing my killer Snoopy shorts to school the first day.
Year Seven: May 23, 1990-May 22, 1991- First grade. Tee-Ball. Not much else.
Year Eight: May 23, 1991-May 22, 1992- Second grade. Tee-Ball and Soccer. Moved to Belton. Not much else.
Year Nine: May 23, 1992-May 22, 1993- Third grade. Our family moved into our new home in Belton, where many of my boyhood memories reside. Also, the Dallas Cowboys won their first Super Bowl of my lifetime, a 52-17 whippin of the Buffalo Bills.
Year Ten: May 23, 1993-May 22, 1994- All Cowboys, all the time. They beat the Bills for the second straight year, sending me into great expectations for the ‘Boys for the rest of my life.
Year Eleven: May 23, 1994-May 22, 1995- My basketball Jones is struck, as I see the Houston Rockets win the first of two consecutive NBA Championships. Between January 1993, and January 1996, teams I rooted for won a combined FIVE Championships. Great times for a young sports fan.
Year Twelve: May 23, 1995-May 22, 1996- The Boys win their third Super Bowl in four years, placing my expectations for them somewhere in the “unrealistic” stratosphere for the rest of my childhood. My final year of Little League baseball also came to a crushing end, as my (awesome) team, the Indians, lost for the first time all season in the district tournament. This was especially disappointing since the state tournament was held in Belton that year, and we expected to be there. Our season ended with a 35-2 record. Not bad, but very disappointing since the two losses came back-to-back to end the year. And no, I’m not still bitter. For real.
Year Thirteen: May 23, 1996-May 22, 1997- My first year at Belton Junior High is in the books, as is my first year of organized football. This turned out to be highly disappointing since I saw myself as a potent wide receiver threat, but the BJH coaches saw us as a highly effective running team. Conflict of interest ensues.
Year Fourteen: May 23, 1997-May 22, 1998- I see my first live NBA game in San Antonio. The Spurs are playing the Rockets, and Chuck Barkley gets kicked out of the game for punting the ball into the stands. It is at this point that I officially convert to being a Spurs fan for life. This is a decision that will pay off greatly in the future. Also, organized football is officially out of my life. I choose to focus my high school career on basketball, track, and mid-level AP classes.
Year Fifteen: May 23, 1998-May 22, 1999- Get through my first year of high school alive. Good enough for me.
Year Sixteen: May 23, 1999-May 22, 2000- Lowlight of this year would undoubtedly be watching my mom fall on a bunny slope in Steamboat Springs, CO and break a few ribs and puncture a lung. It would have been a much better trip if that hadn’t happened.
Year Seventeen: May 23, 2000-May 22, 2001- Make the varsity basketball team at BHS, end up starting the second half of the year, and help the team get to the playoffs for the first time in ten years, as well as get named Second Team All-District. A heartbreaking OT loss in the first round of the playoffs really sucked, though.
Year Eighteen: May 23, 2001-May 22, 2002- The basketball team had a great season, winning our first 11 games and finishing 29-6. Another Second team All-District selection was nice, but winning the school’s first outright district championship was very cool. As far as track went, decent year overall, a third place finish in the district meet was acceptable.
Year Nineteen: May 23, 2002-May 22, 2003- Arguably the greatest year ever for me. ACU, freshman year, dorms, curfew, lighting the bathroom on fire, staying up, sneaking out, meeting some of my best friends to this day. All in all, a pretty stinkin good year.
Year Twenty: May 23, 2003-May 22, 2004- This year started on a very bad note, as I got a ticket for speeding on my birthday on my way home from a super-cruddy summer job at a factory. It got progressively better, though, as I made the wise decision to pledge GSP in the fall, and yes, met Kayla in the Spring of 2004.
Year Twenty-One: May 23, 2004-May 22, 2005- Another great year at ACU, highlighted by my first year living in the Burgh with my roomies, being GSP intramural director, and participating in Insanity For Humanity, the 60-hour softball game that GSP played in order to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.
Year Twenty-Two: May 23, 2005-May 22, 2006- What do you know, another great year in college! Began this one in Oxford, England during a Maymester Summer Course. The great year continued with the UT baseball team winning the NCAA championship, the Spurs winning their third NBA Championship, and of course, the Horns winning the BCS championship in the greatest bowl game ever. Oh yeah, I also proposed and graduated that year.
Year Twenty-Three: May 23, 2006-May 22, 2007- Lived by myself in Graham, Texas. While it was different, it was still quite the learning experience, and I enjoyed living out there. Special memories of Graham include coaching the 7th grade B team to an 18-16 victory over Vernon with my dad in the stands, and getting to drive his truck around for a week after my car broke down on New Year’s Day.
Year Twenty-Four: May 23, 2007-May 22, 2008- Two weeks into this year, I got married. That was neat, and so was the Honeymoon to El Dorado Royale. I Began working at Sartartia Middle School in August, and got my special education certification shortly thereafter. In December, I started the sports blog you’re reading with a buddy. I still think that was a good idea. And now, as one year of life ends, and another begins, I’m preparing to move waaaayyyy out West to pursue a Master’s Degree. Whoda thunk, going from sleeping and pooping all day to chasing advanced education? And to think, it only took six years.
*Alright, I need help with this, because it’s really freaking me out. While today I celebrate my 24th birthday, it’s really the beginning of my 25th year, right? So why don’t we celebrate our birthday the day before we were actually born? For instance, I was born on May 23, 1984, so shouldn’t my first birthday have been celebrated on May 22, 1985, since that marked the completion of my first year? Because the way we go about celebrating birthdays is actually to celebrate on the first day of the person’s next year, correct? And if so, that just cheapens the whole experience of a birthday party, like hello, we need one more candle here!?!? If this makes sense to anyone, help me out; if it was too confusing and poorly worded, I apologize, I’m just a bit frazzled here.
-Old Twig
Monday, May 19, 2008
Linkin' Up
So here's the deal...Apparently I slept through "how to properly link a website or video" day in Technology for Teachers during the Summer of 2004 from 2-5pm, M-F. Fortunately for you and me, Justin Scott is in Houston for the summer and was able to educate me in proper hyerlinkation, so now you don't have to see links with 63 letters and numbers following the site.
In honor of my new education, I'm gonna go link-crazy and slap a few of my favorite YouTube videos and various articles on here, just to polish the skills and give y'all a reason to waste a few more minutes reading a blog. In the words of Jeff Goldblum, Hold onto your butts...
This has to be a fan favorite for any UT Longhorn fan. Roll Left:
See how that works? The video is right there on the page! Cool, huh? Man the internets are neat. Onward and Upward...
Found this on Yahoo! this morning before work. Does anyone else wonder if Photoshop in Shane Spencer's new business venture?
Funny soccer video found on SportsIllustrated.com:
On a dissapointing note, here's a bit on my favorite sports writer/blogger, ESPN's Bill Simmons. It looks like some bickering with the World Wide Leader may lead to an early departure.
Ever since Scrubs referenced this song on a Season Three episode, I haven't been able to get enough of it. After it was the last song played at our wedding reception last summer, it's reached Favorite Song Pantheon Status. Live it, Love it...Journey.
And for kicks and giggles, here's the transcript from that Episode, My Journey.
Here's a hilarious video from the "Real Men Of Genius" Guys saluting the Dirty Dirty. Can't say that's how I would have thought they looked like.
And a few more UT clips to close out the afternoon:
I can't tell who Texas is playing in this clip, but it's still maybe the most awesome 7-second video you'll ever see:
Say what you will about Mack Brown (I know I have) but it's moments like this speech that show us what Mack is really made of, and why we'll miss him when he's gone from the sideline. The good stuff starts at approx the 1:40 mark and the really good stuff at 5:20.
Hello Recordbook!!
Have Some, Pittsnoggle:
That'll do it for now, I've got a big night of Arena Football and Spurs that I've got to get to. Peace.
-Twig
In honor of my new education, I'm gonna go link-crazy and slap a few of my favorite YouTube videos and various articles on here, just to polish the skills and give y'all a reason to waste a few more minutes reading a blog. In the words of Jeff Goldblum, Hold onto your butts...
This has to be a fan favorite for any UT Longhorn fan. Roll Left:
See how that works? The video is right there on the page! Cool, huh? Man the internets are neat. Onward and Upward...
Found this on Yahoo! this morning before work. Does anyone else wonder if Photoshop in Shane Spencer's new business venture?
Funny soccer video found on SportsIllustrated.com:
On a dissapointing note, here's a bit on my favorite sports writer/blogger, ESPN's Bill Simmons. It looks like some bickering with the World Wide Leader may lead to an early departure.
Ever since Scrubs referenced this song on a Season Three episode, I haven't been able to get enough of it. After it was the last song played at our wedding reception last summer, it's reached Favorite Song Pantheon Status. Live it, Love it...Journey.
And for kicks and giggles, here's the transcript from that Episode, My Journey.
Here's a hilarious video from the "Real Men Of Genius" Guys saluting the Dirty Dirty. Can't say that's how I would have thought they looked like.
And a few more UT clips to close out the afternoon:
I can't tell who Texas is playing in this clip, but it's still maybe the most awesome 7-second video you'll ever see:
Say what you will about Mack Brown (I know I have) but it's moments like this speech that show us what Mack is really made of, and why we'll miss him when he's gone from the sideline. The good stuff starts at approx the 1:40 mark and the really good stuff at 5:20.
Hello Recordbook!!
Have Some, Pittsnoggle:
That'll do it for now, I've got a big night of Arena Football and Spurs that I've got to get to. Peace.
-Twig
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Twig Has Been Wrecked
Well, it's official ladies and germs...The Twig has been accepted to graduate school in the fine city of Lubbock, Texas to study sports management at THE Texas Tech University.
Kayla is going to be in grad school for speech pathology while I'm doing my grad work, so for the next two years or so, we'll be livin on love and not much else. Somehow, someway God will get us through it, so while we're both a bit nervous about the move, we're also excited and confident that it will work for the best. Thanks to those of you who have been praying for us in this decision; it has been a bit of a stressful spring, as we have been anxiously waiting word from both Hardin-Simmons and Tech to see where we'd end up, but we're happy to finally know where we're going and somehow we'll figure the rest out as we go.
Anyone who has known me for more than two or three hours is aware of how big of a Texas Longhorn fan I am. Don't worry fellow Horns, this move won't at all change my preference for UT, but I am pretty excited about going to a D-1 (or bowl subdivision, whatever they call it these days) school that is so passionate about their sports teams. I expect it to be a far cry from the decided apathy directed toward ACU sports. After Texas, Tech is probably my second-favorite Big XII school anyway, so for the exception of the UT/Tech games, I won't have a problem rooting for the Raiders. Plus, they have some of the best football unis in the NCAA. I didn't include them in my top ten a few months ago, because of how often they change/update them, but in my opinion, it's hard to make the black/red combo look bad, no matter how hard you may try.
That'll do it for now, I look forward to blogging live from United Spirit Arena, and Jones AT&T stadium in the fall. Peace out fools.
Wreck 'em (never thought I'd say that),
Twig
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The saga continues, ye faithful readers of the Jig and Twig...
In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell all of you that I have no personal stake in the success and/or demise of the Dallas Mavericks. Unlike true believers Heath Huston and Mason Orr, I shed no tears and produce no jeers when the Mavericks exited playoff stage left for the second straight season in the first round. Does that mean I cannot adequately describe the collective pathos of the Mavs' fanbase? Absolutely not. I've seen how sick these people have become, and it is my duty to pass that along to you, the concerned reader.
The aforementioned patron saint of the Jig and Twig, Bill Simmons, had a landmark column a few years ago when he unveiled his "Levels of Losing" theory. This theory has been expounded upon at this very blog by the infamous Jig when he described the most recent playoff loss by America's Team as a "de-leveler". In that vein, the Mavs' loss in the 2006 Finals to the Miami Heat was what Simmons described as an "Achilles Heel" game. Sure, the loss in 6 games hurt, especially since 2 of those games were won by those on the court wearing gray shirts and black slacks, but they also revealed that the Mavs were simply not winning a title with the Dirk Diggler leading them or the Little General coaching them. Sure, they posted the NBA's best regular season record in 2006-2007, but how long ago does that success seem now?
Today, the Mavs have a new coach (Rick Carlisle), a new Cheech (Josh Howard), and a new corpse (Jason Kidd). When the Mavs traded for Kidd this year, they expected the trade to move them into the category of elite contender instead of mere pretender to the throne, but instead their collective window is closing even more quickly and it does not seem they are capable of an Indiana Jones-esque slide in the face of danger. In the past three years the Mavs have lost in the NBA Finals (in 6 games), lost in the first round as a #1 to an #8 seed (second time in history), and lost in the first round as a #7 seed.
A quick glance into the next five years does not reveal a great deal of hope if you are a Mavs fan. They now have a coach who presided over the glory known as "The Malice at the Palace", a "star" in Nowitzki that should be re-classified as one of the league's top second bananas, and a fanbase desparately wants success to mirror that experienced by their I-35 neighbors, the Spurs. If Jason Kidd continues slip defensively as much as he slipped this year (when he looked he was standing still as he attempted to guard Chris Paul), I could see the Mavs finishing around the 7-9 range in an increasingly strong Western Conference.
In summary: From the NBA Finals in 2006 to the NBA's best regular season record in 2006-2007 to a #7 seed in 2007-2008 to a potential playoff absence in 2008-2009.
Add all of that together and here's what you get: A Mavs' Fanbase Mass Suicide Index rating of 85 out of 100.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell all of you that I have no personal stake in the success and/or demise of the Dallas Mavericks. Unlike true believers Heath Huston and Mason Orr, I shed no tears and produce no jeers when the Mavericks exited playoff stage left for the second straight season in the first round. Does that mean I cannot adequately describe the collective pathos of the Mavs' fanbase? Absolutely not. I've seen how sick these people have become, and it is my duty to pass that along to you, the concerned reader.
The aforementioned patron saint of the Jig and Twig, Bill Simmons, had a landmark column a few years ago when he unveiled his "Levels of Losing" theory. This theory has been expounded upon at this very blog by the infamous Jig when he described the most recent playoff loss by America's Team as a "de-leveler". In that vein, the Mavs' loss in the 2006 Finals to the Miami Heat was what Simmons described as an "Achilles Heel" game. Sure, the loss in 6 games hurt, especially since 2 of those games were won by those on the court wearing gray shirts and black slacks, but they also revealed that the Mavs were simply not winning a title with the Dirk Diggler leading them or the Little General coaching them. Sure, they posted the NBA's best regular season record in 2006-2007, but how long ago does that success seem now?
Today, the Mavs have a new coach (Rick Carlisle), a new Cheech (Josh Howard), and a new corpse (Jason Kidd). When the Mavs traded for Kidd this year, they expected the trade to move them into the category of elite contender instead of mere pretender to the throne, but instead their collective window is closing even more quickly and it does not seem they are capable of an Indiana Jones-esque slide in the face of danger. In the past three years the Mavs have lost in the NBA Finals (in 6 games), lost in the first round as a #1 to an #8 seed (second time in history), and lost in the first round as a #7 seed.
A quick glance into the next five years does not reveal a great deal of hope if you are a Mavs fan. They now have a coach who presided over the glory known as "The Malice at the Palace", a "star" in Nowitzki that should be re-classified as one of the league's top second bananas, and a fanbase desparately wants success to mirror that experienced by their I-35 neighbors, the Spurs. If Jason Kidd continues slip defensively as much as he slipped this year (when he looked he was standing still as he attempted to guard Chris Paul), I could see the Mavs finishing around the 7-9 range in an increasingly strong Western Conference.
In summary: From the NBA Finals in 2006 to the NBA's best regular season record in 2006-2007 to a #7 seed in 2007-2008 to a potential playoff absence in 2008-2009.
Add all of that together and here's what you get: A Mavs' Fanbase Mass Suicide Index rating of 85 out of 100.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The Twig is Burning...
On most weekdays between 11am and 2pm, I'm at work. Yesterday was different, however, as Fort Bend ISD threw its employees a bone, and gave us the day off. Around lunch time, I went to Schlotzsky's Deli and headed to Kayla's school to meet her for lunch. On my way to Westbury, I had the misfortune to realize that my two choices for sports talk radio were occupied by "The Herd" on ESPN Radio, and Jim Rome on Sports Talk 610. It's been previously documented on JAT how much Jig (y'all remember him, right?) despises listening to these two, and until yesterday, I didn't really get it.
I do now. An inexact excerpt from Rome's show:
"So yeah...Here's a story that's crazy. So bizarre. So ree-dik-u-lus...it's hard to believe (two second pause) Can't make this stuff up. Here goes...Some teenagers in Kingwood, Texas. Get this...dug up a grave (three second pause) Cut off this corpse's head. And. Check it out. Used the skull...as a bong. I guess we should call it KingWEED, Texas. Ha. Now I remember some crazy pot stories from the dorms back at UCSB in '85, but this. Wow. How bad off must those kids have been to use a skull. As a bong? What, was there no coke can available? No apple? No paper? (three second pause) I used to work at a newsstand as a teenager. We threw out all the unbought magazines at the end of the week. We ordered like 20 Vogue magazines, sold three a week. Threw out 17. Know what magazine always sold out? Right, High Times. I get the smoking part, but buying a magazine so you can watch someone smoke? I don't get it. Ree-dic-u-lus. (insufferably long pause) And you want to tell me pot isn't addictive...Right, it just makes people dig up a grave. Go Dahmer on a dead person. Please."
Thanks for that, JR. Glad to know I can get a good pot story on a sports talk radio show.
For those who care: Frank Caliendo's impression of Rome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s8BZjcP3qU&feature=related
I won't get too much into the Rangers/Mariners brawl from Thursday, as there isn't too much left to say. Anyone who saw it know that Sexon totally wigged out, and was way out of line to charge the mound, so I won't really touch on that.
However, I will point out one thing that all the TV shows haven't hit on yet: how Ian Kinsler took his beaning like a man.
For whatever reason, Kinsler seems to be the guy who gets all the retaliation from opposing pitchers. Yet even though he knows what's coming, he stands in the box and doesn't even blink as the pitch is headed his way.
As soon as he's hit he stares down the pitcher for a second, and takes his base. That's tough, that's old-school, and that's why, along with his striking resemblance to former GSP president Bert McCall, he's close to becoming my all-time favorite Ranger, moving past Will Clark and Rusty Greer.
So here's to you, Ian Kinsler, for understanding baseball and taking your hits like a man, unlike the ever-underachieving Richie Sexon.
In closing, and continuing with the Texas Rangers theme, I leave you with a troubling story by JAT's new favorite writer, Jeff Pearlman:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=pearlman/080508
-Twig
I do now. An inexact excerpt from Rome's show:
"So yeah...Here's a story that's crazy. So bizarre. So ree-dik-u-lus...it's hard to believe (two second pause) Can't make this stuff up. Here goes...Some teenagers in Kingwood, Texas. Get this...dug up a grave (three second pause) Cut off this corpse's head. And. Check it out. Used the skull...as a bong. I guess we should call it KingWEED, Texas. Ha. Now I remember some crazy pot stories from the dorms back at UCSB in '85, but this. Wow. How bad off must those kids have been to use a skull. As a bong? What, was there no coke can available? No apple? No paper? (three second pause) I used to work at a newsstand as a teenager. We threw out all the unbought magazines at the end of the week. We ordered like 20 Vogue magazines, sold three a week. Threw out 17. Know what magazine always sold out? Right, High Times. I get the smoking part, but buying a magazine so you can watch someone smoke? I don't get it. Ree-dic-u-lus. (insufferably long pause) And you want to tell me pot isn't addictive...Right, it just makes people dig up a grave. Go Dahmer on a dead person. Please."
Thanks for that, JR. Glad to know I can get a good pot story on a sports talk radio show.
For those who care: Frank Caliendo's impression of Rome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s8BZjcP3qU&feature=related
I won't get too much into the Rangers/Mariners brawl from Thursday, as there isn't too much left to say. Anyone who saw it know that Sexon totally wigged out, and was way out of line to charge the mound, so I won't really touch on that.
However, I will point out one thing that all the TV shows haven't hit on yet: how Ian Kinsler took his beaning like a man.
For whatever reason, Kinsler seems to be the guy who gets all the retaliation from opposing pitchers. Yet even though he knows what's coming, he stands in the box and doesn't even blink as the pitch is headed his way.
As soon as he's hit he stares down the pitcher for a second, and takes his base. That's tough, that's old-school, and that's why, along with his striking resemblance to former GSP president Bert McCall, he's close to becoming my all-time favorite Ranger, moving past Will Clark and Rusty Greer.
So here's to you, Ian Kinsler, for understanding baseball and taking your hits like a man, unlike the ever-underachieving Richie Sexon.
In closing, and continuing with the Texas Rangers theme, I leave you with a troubling story by JAT's new favorite writer, Jeff Pearlman:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=pearlman/080508
-Twig
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Happy Birthdays and The Texas Rangers, Together Again.
Before getting to Justin's second guest spot as a JAT blogger, a quick shout-out to today's favorite birthday girl, my mom!! After spending years in her mid-30's, she is now finally 40. And by 40, I mean 49.
Here's to you, Mom, and may God grant mercy on your husband's soul for going on a fishing trip with the 'other' son the day of your birthday, which also happens to be three days before Mother's Day. Bad move, Dad. I mean, really, who would want to suffer the wrath of this lady?
Ellen, Lance, and Reid Agan, March 27, 1987.
Welcome back faithful readers of the Jig and Twig!
The first team involved in calculating the DFW Sports Fan "Mass Suicide Index"?
Your Texas Rangers!!!!
I know, I know, it's a bit difficult to get excited about a franchise that has won exactly one playoff game in its 36 years of existence, but before we run down all of the reasons to fix that Drano martini, let's look at the relevant statistics:
Arrived in Arlington (via Washington D.C.) in 1972.
Playoff Appearances: 1996, 1998, 1999. (Yep, that's it)
Playoff Wins: 1 (which actually took place in the franchise's 1st playoff game, in Yankee Stadium no less)
Playoff Series Wins: 0
American League Championships: 0
World Series Championships: As if I really need to write this, 0.
Current Record: 15-20 after last night's 2-0 win in Seattle.
Finally, in the words of the almighty Wikipedia: "The Rangers (when combined with their predecessor the Senators) are the oldest franchise that has yet to appear in a World Series; in fact, they have yet to win any playoff series. They are the oldest franchise in the 4 major pro sports to never win a championship. In their history the team has only one playoff victory, on the road at Yankee Stadium in the franchise's first playoff game; they have never won a home playoff game."
After that type of horrific statistical rundown, I cannot blame you for a) beating yourself over the head with your remaining pog collection, b)actually fixing that Drano martini, or c) continuing to throw darts at the Tom Hicks voodoo doll pinned to your door.
With that said, it all really went wrong for the Rangers with the beginning of the A-Rod era in 2001. After a group led by Tom Hicks purchased the team in 1998, it appeared that the success of the mid to late-90's would continue for the foreseeable future, but Hicks, in an aim to make a "big splash" in the free agent market, spent the GDP of Ecuador on Pay-Rod, and that my friends, is when the proverbial excrement hit the fan.
A bit of hope arose for Rangers fans in 2004 when a team with a young core of stars such as Michael Young, Mark Teixeira, and Hank Blalock finished with an 89-73 record (even though they actually finished 3rd in the AL West that year. Good year for the AL West. Kind of like the 1994 Oscars with Forrest Gump, Shawshank, Pulp Fiction, and others in the running for Best Picture, but I digress). Unfortunately, the Rangers have finished under .500 in each year since 2004.
So, here we are, my fellow masochists.
The Rangers currently sit at 3rd place in the AL West (thanks to last night's victory over the M's), but the big question is: does anyone in the Metroplex/greater Texas area even care? I'm pretty sure that if the Cowboys had a run of ineptitude this striking, people would be lining up at the edge of Reunion Tower to end it all right there. The problem is, Rangers fans are like the cave-people in Plato's Republic: Since we've never actually seen the sun (playoff success), we're somehow quietly satisfied with watching the shadows created by a mere fire (perpetual mediocrity) instead of venturing out of the cave towards the sun itself. Once you see the sun, there's no going back to the cave as the same person who will be satisfied with the same things that once sated us.
Arguably, the most exciting thing to happen to the franchise in the last 2 years is the signing of Nolan Ryan as the team's President. One of my buddies once said, without a touch of irony, that the greatest moment in Rangers' franchise history was Nolan Ryan's pummeling of Robin Ventura in 1993. The Hicks/Daniels/Ryan brain trust has told us that the franchise's masterplan will have the Rangers ready to contend in 2010, and if prospects such as Chris Davis, Elvis Andruz, and Eric Hurley pan out, we might, but at that point, I might have turned to find a nice, cool glass of Jim Jones-brewed, cyanide-laced kool-aid by my side, just waiting to be sipped.
Fanbase Mass Suicide Index for the Rangers: 78 out of 100.
Tomorrow, the Mavs.
Here's to you, Mom, and may God grant mercy on your husband's soul for going on a fishing trip with the 'other' son the day of your birthday, which also happens to be three days before Mother's Day. Bad move, Dad. I mean, really, who would want to suffer the wrath of this lady?
Ellen, Lance, and Reid Agan, March 27, 1987.
Welcome back faithful readers of the Jig and Twig!
The first team involved in calculating the DFW Sports Fan "Mass Suicide Index"?
Your Texas Rangers!!!!
I know, I know, it's a bit difficult to get excited about a franchise that has won exactly one playoff game in its 36 years of existence, but before we run down all of the reasons to fix that Drano martini, let's look at the relevant statistics:
Arrived in Arlington (via Washington D.C.) in 1972.
Playoff Appearances: 1996, 1998, 1999. (Yep, that's it)
Playoff Wins: 1 (which actually took place in the franchise's 1st playoff game, in Yankee Stadium no less)
Playoff Series Wins: 0
American League Championships: 0
World Series Championships: As if I really need to write this, 0.
Current Record: 15-20 after last night's 2-0 win in Seattle.
Finally, in the words of the almighty Wikipedia: "The Rangers (when combined with their predecessor the Senators) are the oldest franchise that has yet to appear in a World Series; in fact, they have yet to win any playoff series. They are the oldest franchise in the 4 major pro sports to never win a championship. In their history the team has only one playoff victory, on the road at Yankee Stadium in the franchise's first playoff game; they have never won a home playoff game."
After that type of horrific statistical rundown, I cannot blame you for a) beating yourself over the head with your remaining pog collection, b)actually fixing that Drano martini, or c) continuing to throw darts at the Tom Hicks voodoo doll pinned to your door.
With that said, it all really went wrong for the Rangers with the beginning of the A-Rod era in 2001. After a group led by Tom Hicks purchased the team in 1998, it appeared that the success of the mid to late-90's would continue for the foreseeable future, but Hicks, in an aim to make a "big splash" in the free agent market, spent the GDP of Ecuador on Pay-Rod, and that my friends, is when the proverbial excrement hit the fan.
A bit of hope arose for Rangers fans in 2004 when a team with a young core of stars such as Michael Young, Mark Teixeira, and Hank Blalock finished with an 89-73 record (even though they actually finished 3rd in the AL West that year. Good year for the AL West. Kind of like the 1994 Oscars with Forrest Gump, Shawshank, Pulp Fiction, and others in the running for Best Picture, but I digress). Unfortunately, the Rangers have finished under .500 in each year since 2004.
So, here we are, my fellow masochists.
The Rangers currently sit at 3rd place in the AL West (thanks to last night's victory over the M's), but the big question is: does anyone in the Metroplex/greater Texas area even care? I'm pretty sure that if the Cowboys had a run of ineptitude this striking, people would be lining up at the edge of Reunion Tower to end it all right there. The problem is, Rangers fans are like the cave-people in Plato's Republic: Since we've never actually seen the sun (playoff success), we're somehow quietly satisfied with watching the shadows created by a mere fire (perpetual mediocrity) instead of venturing out of the cave towards the sun itself. Once you see the sun, there's no going back to the cave as the same person who will be satisfied with the same things that once sated us.
Arguably, the most exciting thing to happen to the franchise in the last 2 years is the signing of Nolan Ryan as the team's President. One of my buddies once said, without a touch of irony, that the greatest moment in Rangers' franchise history was Nolan Ryan's pummeling of Robin Ventura in 1993. The Hicks/Daniels/Ryan brain trust has told us that the franchise's masterplan will have the Rangers ready to contend in 2010, and if prospects such as Chris Davis, Elvis Andruz, and Eric Hurley pan out, we might, but at that point, I might have turned to find a nice, cool glass of Jim Jones-brewed, cyanide-laced kool-aid by my side, just waiting to be sipped.
Fanbase Mass Suicide Index for the Rangers: 78 out of 100.
Tomorrow, the Mavs.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Come Off the Edge Ranger Fans
In an unprecedented move, JAT is running three articles posted in under fifteen hours of each other! This post comes courtesty Justin Scott. While not killing time on JAT, you should check his blog, Running Down a Dream, which is, quite frankly, the measuring stick to which other blogs desire to be. Take it away J:
Greetings, readers of the Jig and Twig!
Your other guest columnist, Sideshow Maenius, or as he referred to himself, Swig, has co-opted the "ig" suffix used by other authors on this here blog, but since I couldn't not come up with one better than "Sprig", I'm just going with my usual title.
With that said, I'm pleased to be here in the hallowed halls of the Jig and Twig. As I pondered what to write for my guest appearance, I was inspired by the patron saint of the Jig and Twig, Mr. Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons. More precisely, I was listening to one of Simmons's podcasts ("The B.S. Report", which I highly recommend), and he mentioned the concept of ranking various fanbases on what he described as the "Mass Suicide Index". He did not go into great detail explaining the concept, but I was captivated by the idea so we're going to run with it. Presumably, sports fanbases in areas like Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Minnesota are closer to a recreation of Jonestown than those fans leading a charmed life in places like Boston, Boston, and oh yes, Boston.
I'm going to run through the DFW-area pro sports franchises since the majority of this blog's readership aligns itself with America's Team, the Rangers, and the Stars. I realize there is a bit of a divide over Mavs/Spurs loyalty, but I'm going to focus on the Mavs to discern the total "Mass Suicide Index" for the DFW sports fan at large. Also, just because those of you who know me well are aware that I could not possibly do an entire sports series without mentioning Liverpool F.C., I bringing the Reds into the mix due to the fact that Rangers and Stars owner Tom Hicks also owns the England franchise.
What's that?
You don't want to read about the commie-soccer ball-type game? Here's why it matters.
As far as I'm aware, the money trees are dormant this time of year and the amount of money that Hicks pours into Liverpool affects the Stars and the Rangers, just as an influx of cash to the Rangers would affect Liverpool. If you've just planted a nice new money tree that would prove the previous sentence false, I'm all ears. Until then, the butterfly flapping its wings in Liverpool may cause a tidal wave in the Metroplex. First up?
The Rangers.
Check back tomorrow, my friends.
Greetings, readers of the Jig and Twig!
Your other guest columnist, Sideshow Maenius, or as he referred to himself, Swig, has co-opted the "ig" suffix used by other authors on this here blog, but since I couldn't not come up with one better than "Sprig", I'm just going with my usual title.
With that said, I'm pleased to be here in the hallowed halls of the Jig and Twig. As I pondered what to write for my guest appearance, I was inspired by the patron saint of the Jig and Twig, Mr. Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons. More precisely, I was listening to one of Simmons's podcasts ("The B.S. Report", which I highly recommend), and he mentioned the concept of ranking various fanbases on what he described as the "Mass Suicide Index". He did not go into great detail explaining the concept, but I was captivated by the idea so we're going to run with it. Presumably, sports fanbases in areas like Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Minnesota are closer to a recreation of Jonestown than those fans leading a charmed life in places like Boston, Boston, and oh yes, Boston.
I'm going to run through the DFW-area pro sports franchises since the majority of this blog's readership aligns itself with America's Team, the Rangers, and the Stars. I realize there is a bit of a divide over Mavs/Spurs loyalty, but I'm going to focus on the Mavs to discern the total "Mass Suicide Index" for the DFW sports fan at large. Also, just because those of you who know me well are aware that I could not possibly do an entire sports series without mentioning Liverpool F.C., I bringing the Reds into the mix due to the fact that Rangers and Stars owner Tom Hicks also owns the England franchise.
What's that?
You don't want to read about the commie-soccer ball-type game? Here's why it matters.
As far as I'm aware, the money trees are dormant this time of year and the amount of money that Hicks pours into Liverpool affects the Stars and the Rangers, just as an influx of cash to the Rangers would affect Liverpool. If you've just planted a nice new money tree that would prove the previous sentence false, I'm all ears. Until then, the butterfly flapping its wings in Liverpool may cause a tidal wave in the Metroplex. First up?
The Rangers.
Check back tomorrow, my friends.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
And In This Corner...Sideshow Maenius!!
To spice things up a bit, I've asked a few Ninjas to guest blog on JAT every now and then. For the first instalment of "Two Cent Tuesdays" (great name for it by the way, B) here is Brandon Maenius' thought's on the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaking of smiles like a gentleman, Jerry "Smiles" Jones is expected to announce that HBO's Hard Knocks will be filming the Dallas Cowboys this season. I can already envision exotic episodes starring: Jacman Pones (Name changed to perserve the guilty until proven innocent) and the best of Oxnard's Gentleman club. However, this is a clever move for HBO they can now occupy two programming schedules: Primetime and the time at which Pee Wee Herman watches television.
In my opinion this is a Poor move, Jerry. The last time this happened (2002) the Cowboys finished the season @ 5-11. Who was the head coach in 2002? Dave Campo, and who was returned for his second stint with Americas Team, yup you guessed it. That being said, hold your hats and your "Bubble Butts" this is going to be more than an 8 second go round.
- Swig
Speaking of smiles like a gentleman, Jerry "Smiles" Jones is expected to announce that HBO's Hard Knocks will be filming the Dallas Cowboys this season. I can already envision exotic episodes starring: Jacman Pones (Name changed to perserve the guilty until proven innocent) and the best of Oxnard's Gentleman club. However, this is a clever move for HBO they can now occupy two programming schedules: Primetime and the time at which Pee Wee Herman watches television.
In my opinion this is a Poor move, Jerry. The last time this happened (2002) the Cowboys finished the season @ 5-11. Who was the head coach in 2002? Dave Campo, and who was returned for his second stint with Americas Team, yup you guessed it. That being said, hold your hats and your "Bubble Butts" this is going to be more than an 8 second go round.
- Swig
Done, Done, On To The Next One
As of approximately one hour ago, with the completion of No Country For Old Men, I accomplished my goal of reading ten books by the end of 2008. Thanks to everyone who recommended books for me to read, and to Kayla for allowing me to hole myself up in our room for hours at a time when I felt more like reading than watching Dancing With The Stars. Hugs and Kisses all around.
For those who care, here's the list of the ten I've read so far, with a ranking of one star (not great) to five stars (highest recommendation). Of course, feel free to recommend more to me, my mind is an open book. That was really lame. Read on, readers, read on...
1)Forever Odd, Dean Koontz-Second in the Odd Thomas trilogy. A good book, but the ceiling is lowered considerably when the story is based on a twenty-year old fry cook that sees ghosts.**
2) False Memory, Dean Koontz- The fifth Koontz book I've read so far, and one of the best. A psychological thriller, this one was gosh-awful long but very very entertaining.****
3) Con Ed, Matthew Klein- Witty, sarcastic novel about an over-the-hill con man who thinks he has one more great con in him. Blunders and hilarity ensue.***
4)21:Bringing Down the House, Ben Mezerich- Faaantastic book. As many of you know, a movie has been made based-very loosely-on the book. Mezerich interviews the actual people that were involved with the MIT blackjack team, and so the book is predictably more accurate and entertaining than the movie.*****
5) Ugly Americans, Ben Mezerich-Another great Mezerich book based on true events. This time Mezerich goes around the world to interview the young American businessmen who made fortunes trading in the Asian markets.***
6)Rammer Jammer Yellowhammer, Warren St John-Reccommended by Justin Scott, this book delves into the rabid fandome of the SEC, focusing on the authors personal obsession with the University of Alabama, and the 2000 football season.****
7) The Final Shot, Darcy Frey-A documentary of Coney Island's Lincoln High Schools 1991-1992 basketball season. In a neat twist of fate, one of the stories main characters is Stephon Marbury, then an up and coming freshman who started on the varsity.****
8) The Blind Side, Michael Lewis-Another fantastic rec from J Scott. This book parallels the
importance of the left takle position in football and the bizzarre upbringing and subsequent recruiting of Michael Oher. It's particularly relavent since the main character is still in college and has a shot at being drafted next April.*****
9) The Bad Guys Won, Jeff Pearlman-An awesome account of the antics of the 1986 World Series Champion, New York Mets. The '86 Mets were an end of an era squad and Pearlman does a great job of chronicling their bad behavior and performance both on and off the diamond.****
10) No Country For Old Men, Cormac McCarthy-Creeeeepy book, couldn't put it down. As great as it was, I'm gonna have to finally watch the movie so I can hopefully tie up the loose ends that I may have missed while reading.****
That's the list, folks. Again, feel free to recommend more, I'm all ears.
-Twig
For those who care, here's the list of the ten I've read so far, with a ranking of one star (not great) to five stars (highest recommendation). Of course, feel free to recommend more to me, my mind is an open book. That was really lame. Read on, readers, read on...
1)Forever Odd, Dean Koontz-Second in the Odd Thomas trilogy. A good book, but the ceiling is lowered considerably when the story is based on a twenty-year old fry cook that sees ghosts.**
2) False Memory, Dean Koontz- The fifth Koontz book I've read so far, and one of the best. A psychological thriller, this one was gosh-awful long but very very entertaining.****
3) Con Ed, Matthew Klein- Witty, sarcastic novel about an over-the-hill con man who thinks he has one more great con in him. Blunders and hilarity ensue.***
4)21:Bringing Down the House, Ben Mezerich- Faaantastic book. As many of you know, a movie has been made based-very loosely-on the book. Mezerich interviews the actual people that were involved with the MIT blackjack team, and so the book is predictably more accurate and entertaining than the movie.*****
5) Ugly Americans, Ben Mezerich-Another great Mezerich book based on true events. This time Mezerich goes around the world to interview the young American businessmen who made fortunes trading in the Asian markets.***
6)Rammer Jammer Yellowhammer, Warren St John-Reccommended by Justin Scott, this book delves into the rabid fandome of the SEC, focusing on the authors personal obsession with the University of Alabama, and the 2000 football season.****
7) The Final Shot, Darcy Frey-A documentary of Coney Island's Lincoln High Schools 1991-1992 basketball season. In a neat twist of fate, one of the stories main characters is Stephon Marbury, then an up and coming freshman who started on the varsity.****
8) The Blind Side, Michael Lewis-Another fantastic rec from J Scott. This book parallels the
importance of the left takle position in football and the bizzarre upbringing and subsequent recruiting of Michael Oher. It's particularly relavent since the main character is still in college and has a shot at being drafted next April.*****
9) The Bad Guys Won, Jeff Pearlman-An awesome account of the antics of the 1986 World Series Champion, New York Mets. The '86 Mets were an end of an era squad and Pearlman does a great job of chronicling their bad behavior and performance both on and off the diamond.****
10) No Country For Old Men, Cormac McCarthy-Creeeeepy book, couldn't put it down. As great as it was, I'm gonna have to finally watch the movie so I can hopefully tie up the loose ends that I may have missed while reading.****
That's the list, folks. Again, feel free to recommend more, I'm all ears.
-Twig
Monday, May 5, 2008
He Smiles Like a Gentleman, That You Remember When You Were Young
Thank the Killers for the lyrics in today's title. I'm not apt to having a 'Song of the Day' contest, as Justin Scott is over at Running Down a Dream, but it's fitting for today's link of the day...
After stints with 8 MLB teams covering 26 seasons, Julio Franco has called it quits. I remember watching him during his time with the Rangers back in the early 90's and imitating his trademark, 'end-of-the-bat-facing-the-pitcher' stance many times in the backyard with neighborhood friends. It's crazy to think about it now, but he had already been in the league for more than ten years for most of his time in Arlington!
Anyway, this season is the first that will go by in my lifetime without Julio Franco in a Major League lineup and I'll be honest, I don't know if I'm emotionally ready to handle it.
R(etire)IP Julio, you old fart.
-Twig
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