Miguel Cabrera's Ridiculous Plate Coverage
posted by NoMich at 02:33 PM on May 24
"DA CHAM-YEONS!" Goddamn I can't stand that thing. Not because it's bad, because they play it in and out of every break during a game on Fox Soccer. And the ads. And when I'm sleeping they come to my house and play a muted, minor key version. Unless it's already in a minor key and then they're just banging pots and pans together and that might be raccoons.
posted by yerfatma at 07:02 AM on May 24
etagloh, I have a particular Pavlovian reaction to that tune. I always feel like a Heineken.
Cheers, Zadok!
posted by owlhouse at 12:22 AM on May 24
Every shot the Blackhawks had tonight that managed to get past Howard somehow found a post. Phew. What a game.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 11:14 PM on May 23
Same play, three different announcers, three different feelings.
"I'll race you to the airport." is an awesome final line.
(Also, listen for the Super Mario Bros. "coin" noise as they count off the runs for the Indians.)
posted by grum@work at 10:29 PM on May 23
The story behind the bloody Champions League tune.
posted by etagloh at 10:20 PM on May 23
Post game interviews for the Cincy Bearcats are worth watching.
posted by grum@work at 06:31 PM on May 23
which ones do you trust to break a story that makes their sport look bad?
Valid point, but I don't think ESPN would risk its TV contracts with various leagues by making them look bad either. That may be the one remaining area where print journalism and its internet presence still serves us well. Although there are tie-ins between some print media and teams (Boston Globe/NESN/Red Sox/Bruins comes to mind), If there is anything that is slightly odoriferous, it will soon enough be smelled by some reporter somewhere. That's why a wide variety of outlets is to be preferred to "The World-Wide Leader".
posted by Howard_T at 05:43 PM on May 23
Boston Celtics are now officially unbeatable.
fatty, they usually tell baseball spectators to watch out for balls hit into the stands, but it seems that now there need to be warnings of enthusiastic pitchers posted in the dugout. Whatever happened to the myth of the stoic Japanese? Also, I read Finn's piece on the Diamond Mines new feature, but I probably won't go there. My wife already complains about the amount of time I spend on the computer.
posted by Howard_T at 05:35 PM on May 23
Can't remember if we've already covered the new scouting section at Diamond Mines; either way, Chad Finn provides a nice primer on it. </RedSoxDay>
posted by yerfatma at 04:16 PM on May 23
Not sure if he's known for this nationally, but in addition to being a great reliever, Koji Uehara's enthusiasm is hilarious. He just needs to be careful with guys who have recently come off the DL for back problems.

posted by yerfatma at 09:04 AM on May 23
Sporting News is quick to point out the speedy recoveries of Terrell Suggs and Demaryius Thomas from the same injury, but every recovery's different and I imagine for every Terrell Suggs story, there's a story of someone whose recovery took a lot longer than 6-7 months.
posted by evixir at 09:26 PM on May 22
Brain Urlacher retires.
Prompting the Arizona Cardinals to honor him by channelling Dennis Green.
posted by NerfballPro at 05:11 PM on May 22
There are many alternatives on my Direct TV package
In a way, I think you've made Leitch's point though:
NESN - owned by the Red Sox and Bruins
CSNNE - Comcast-owned, beholden to the Celtics
NFL/ NBA/ NHL/ MLB Network - belong to their respective leagues
Big Ten Network, et al - belong to their conferences
While those networks may offer lots of detail and some (very sanitized) "behind the scenes" access, which ones do you trust to break a story that makes their sport look bad?
posted by yerfatma at 04:56 PM on May 22
Brain Urlacher retires. Where does he rank on the All-Time LB list?
posted by yerfatma at 04:53 PM on May 22
On ESPN's staff cuts.
I don't watch ESPN very often any more. There are many alternatives on my Direct TV package: NESN and Comcast Sports Net New England for local stuff; NFL Network for football; NBA Network for basketball; NHL Network for hockey; MLB Network for baseball. Add in coverage of the lesser-seen sports on NBC Sports (the NHL games are indeed lesser-seen in some areas of the US), CBS College Sports, and the Big Ten Network for coverage of that conference and its a cornucopia of sports broadcasts. To be clear, I have watched ESPN for a little bit of college basketball and NBA playoffs, as well as college football whenever Penn State is on, but ESPN is nowhere near the to of my favorites list. There might be a bit of hubris on ESPN's part when they fail to understand the more detailed coverage of the professional sports on the various league networks and the growing threat from NBC and CBS. If I want talking heads, I can always turn on sports talk radio, but then I can indulge in the Chinese water torture whenever I feel like I deserve punishment for my sins.
posted by Howard_T at 04:52 PM on May 22
posted by goddam at 04:30 PM on May 22
Pulse + LH + reasonable velocity = LOOGY at worst
I feel like I'm living proof that's not true. Though I suppose it depends on your definition of "reasonable velocity" and whether it has to violate local speed limits. In my defense, I've only just discovered what a doctor said was most likely just some spikiness on my shoulder blade when I was 16 was actually a partial tear of my rotator cuff. So 55mph is about where I top out.
posted by yerfatma at 03:35 PM on May 22
Finally something to make golf interesting.
Hopefully these guys are paired in the next tournament. I'm envisioning one of them at the tee ready to address the ball then tossing his club to the ground, throwing his hat, removing his driving glove and initiating an altercation.
Not that it would actually get me to watch golf, but at least there could be something noteworthy for the nightly sports highlights.
posted by cixelsyd at 02:32 PM on May 22
Or does that not meet the high hope/bitter letdown criteria?
That doesn't meet my nascient fanhood / confessed historical ignorance standard.
posted by tahoemoj at 02:24 PM on May 22
Sergio Garcia apologizes for saying he'd serve Tiger Woods 'fried chicken'
Am I the only one who believes that Sergio is sincerely remorseful for making what he realizes was an inappropriate joke? Tiger seems to agree. It would be nice if this wasn't discussed ad nauseum until the U.S. Open and beyond, but if today is any indication, that ain't going to be the case. The Worldwide Leader must have its pound of flesh!
Wait, was that racist?
posted by tahoemoj at 02:21 PM on May 22
holden:
Don't worry about speed. Teach your lefties to throw junk, and they can have a 20+ year career.
posted by grum@work at 02:20 PM on May 22
The stadium in Queens is not a done deal.
As a RBNY supporter, I've been against NY2 for a number a reasons. When the rumors started that MCFC would be involved, that jumped to the top of my list. The hypocrisy of MLS doing business with Sheikh Mansour after rolling out their 'Don't Cross the Line' campaign two months ago is almost laughable.
posted by goddam at 02:09 PM on May 22
Congrats on the baby front, yerfatma and grum. As a father of three young boys, we could maybe pull some arranged marriage stuff -- craft brews, bourbon, old copies of Bill James abstracts, and Garth Iorg jerseys are all acceptable dowries.
On the CY Young front, at least one and maybe two of my boys are lefties. I keep figuring that if I can just somehow get one of them to be able to pump it in there high-80s to low-90s, I really don't have to plan for retirement. [Pulse + LH + reasonable velocity = LOOGY at worst]
posted by holden at 02:05 PM on May 22
Dunno about you grum, but my wife was unwilling to make the gender announcement like this:
Apologies for the repeat if you follow me on Twitter.
posted by yerfatma at 01:40 PM on May 22
Grum, I'm thinking she may win the 2037 Cy Young for the Blue Jays but she'll be winning the 2039, '40 and '43 World Series wearing pinstripes.
Yerfatma, here's hoping she'll be safe (and healthy) at home a few months from now!
posted by billsaysthis at 11:43 AM on May 22
And by doing so, will further privatize Flushing-Meadows Corona Park. Bloomberg actually has three major projects cooking right now that will steal parkland from Queens residents for the benefit of private interests.
http://www.savefmcp.org/
posted by ursus_comiter at 11:39 AM on May 22
Cheers to my first high hope / bitter let down season.
Are you forgetting last season, when Spurs actually qualified for Champions League but were edged out by fifth place Chelsea since as defending champs they had the right of return? Or does that not meet the high hope/bitter letdown criteria?
posted by billsaysthis at 11:38 AM on May 22
MLS requires a certain number of home nationals. As for profits, considering they'll need to pay off the stadium I doubt there'll be that much for a number of years. Plus, teams are allowed up to three Designated Players; for the DPs only $400k of salary counts towards the cap, which is how LA Galaxy had Beckham and have Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane.
Remember too that MLS is a single owner entity. That is, the league owns 51% of each of the teams and all the players sign contracts with the league. Owners own 49% of the team and a proportional share of the league. When players are sold to teams in say Europe, that fee goes to MLS, with the team getting a small share.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:36 AM on May 22
Sergio Garcia apologizes for saying he'd serve Tiger Woods 'fried chicken'
posted by BornIcon at 11:25 AM on May 22
Cheers to my first high hope / bitter let down season
Ahhhh! 2008-2009 ... Liverpool lose only 2 games and still fall behind ManU by 4 points due to an abundance of ties. The memories.
posted by Ricardo at 08:35 AM on May 22
Congratulations, grum! However I see you more as the coach of her under 10 girls soccer team.
With sabermetrics.
posted by owlhouse at 06:58 AM on May 22
I need to express my crushing disappointment at Spurs in person.
Try being a Derby County fan from birth. My family emigrated half way around the world.
These things may be connected.
posted by owlhouse at 06:56 AM on May 22
More like Fox Sports 1, if they're not doing high school soccer ... not sure how long the contract is, but beIn has the Championship, so they're good.
One of my aspirations is to travel to England and take a tour of some of the smaller stadiums, like the non-league ones ... now I'm being tempted to take a detour.
BTW, Barnet's in for a shock ... Premier Sports works on a cheap match-fee basis (GBP 5K home team, GBP 1K away team) with the Conference.
posted by jjzucal at 11:26 PM on May 21
Well done, grum! And fatty. Good luck to you both.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:47 PM on May 21
Congratulations, Grum! Don't let her throw off-speed until she's 18.
posted by rcade at 10:16 PM on May 21
Congratulations, grum! Having two daughters myself, nothing is better.
posted by dyams at 08:38 PM on May 21
Well damn, I'll be able to walk to games!
posted by Hugh Janus at 06:58 PM on May 21
Congrats!
Just found out today we're having a girl as well!
posted by yerfatma at 06:48 PM on May 21
If NBC keeps gobbling up English football rights, beIn Sport might be forced to air Barnet games by 2015.
posted by yerfatma at 06:47 PM on May 21
I think a bunch of them just want to make their jerseys relevant again
That's why I'm hanging onto my circa-1974 Dave Keon Whalers jersey. Keep the dream alive!
posted by tahoemoj at 06:44 PM on May 21
Robin Helen Joan Hudson was born on Sunday May 19th at 10:05pm.
She's got her right hand in the air as if she were ready to deliver a pitch. Seriously heavy dose of "cute" there, grum. Congrats to you and, of course, to her mom (who apparently is the one who really knows how to deliver the goods).
posted by Howard_T at 06:10 PM on May 21
My fellow Leaf fans are salivating at the idea of Max Domi becoming a Maple Leaf in the future. I think a bunch of them just want to make their jerseys relevant again.
posted by grum@work at 05:44 PM on May 21
Say hello to the 2037 American League Cy Young winner!
Robin Helen Joan Hudson was born on Sunday May 19th at 10:05pm.
Given this 5lb 12oz bundle of joy's solid finger grip, I am already planning on grooming her to be a star sinkerball pitcher for the Blue Jays (after she graduates from university).
posted by grum@work at 05:39 PM on May 21
I adopted Spurs because of Edgar Davids. When I didn't know enough about soccer to understand what I was seeing during the games, Davids was always a whirling dervish in a stylish white-and-black uniform.
posted by rcade at 04:57 PM on May 21
Sergio isn't the last waterbender, but right now, he's the most notable one.
posted by beaverboard at 04:57 PM on May 21
I need to express my crushing disappointment at Spurs in person
Yep. I decided a few seasons ago, simply because I thought I'd enjoy Premier League that much more with a rooting interest, to break from the Man U/Arsenal pack and jump on the Tottenham wagon. Cheers to my first high hope / bitter let down season.
posted by tahoemoj at 04:42 PM on May 21
The "feeder" club concept (as with Watford) concerns me, but I believe MLS has a limit on foreign players? Also, I realize there is the cap (with exceptions); does that mean a ton of money (as in profits) will head back to England as opposed to benefiting this club (since it likely would have reserves, academies, community projects)?
posted by jjzucal at 03:02 PM on May 21
Sergio Garcia no me gusta Tiger Woods.
posted by rcade at 02:35 PM on May 21
This sounds cool, but I'm bummed that there are two teams in New York City and still none in the southeastern U.S. The closest MLS team to Florida is DC United.
posted by rcade at 02:34 PM on May 21
The Slainte Irish pub in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood has epic curry fries.
One of these days I'm doing some Premiership tourism. I need to express my crushing disappointment at Spurs in person.
posted by rcade at 02:24 PM on May 21
One wonders whetherhopes that Sheik Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has understood the MLS salary cap and spending limits.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:32 PM on May 21
If you're ever near Portsmouth (NH), I highly recommend the curry fries (and pretty much everything else) at Street 360° The Coat of Arms does a decent job as well and is the de facto gathering place for football fans in the area.
posted by yerfatma at 12:12 PM on May 21
"French fries with curry sauce"
I have found two places over here that do a good job of this. One is in Hartford, the other is in Toronto. I haven't quite reached the point where I'll fly to Toronto just to get them, but it's close.
As for the games, I suspect if you've been to a USA-Mexico game, then you've not much to fear about Arsenal-West Ham.
It is worth going to an English game if you have the chance though - even if you're just on an appropriately timed layover at Heathrow - the noise and the constant singing is such a contrast to the moribund crowds I've been in in the US.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 11:55 AM on May 21
Apparently, Max Domi is better at the hockey than dear old dad...
Holy shit, man. That was almost too much awesome! From the pass to Domi between the defenseman's legs, to his nifty between the legs move, to the perfect saucer pass over the defenseman's stick onto the tape of the winger. That was just plain beautiful!
posted by tahoemoj at 11:13 AM on May 21
Owlhouse: You make an interesting point, but I guess maybe they had to mess with the accent a bit. Really becomes noticeable at the end of the trailer.
Movie looks so freakin' good! Though that trailer shows so much I feel like I've seen the film.
Trivia: First F1 race I ever watched was the '76 Fuji race.
posted by Drood at 11:05 AM on May 21
Premier League 2012-13 Final Standings
SpoFi 11-12 League
| 1 | Tuscaloosa Dumplings | BS Johnson | 60 | 2,135 |
| 2 | Heffron United | Patrick Heffron | 31 | 1,968 |
| 3 | The Foreign Exchange | el tigre negro de holden | 54 | 1,950 |
| 4 | BillSaysThisScores | billsaysthis billsaysthis | 63 | 1,910 |
| 5 | Garrity Motors | Lawn Wrangler | 59 | 1,908 |
| 6 | Ball Booters | ca buki | 37 | 1,852 |
| 7 | Gators FC | t s e l s o n | 25 | 1,800 |
| 8 | Dharma Bums | Fat Buddha | 35 | 1,797 |
| 9 | Dover Divers | Tom Clancy | 33 | 1,766 |
| 10 | Buckeye FC | Jeffwa Hogue | 62 | 1,755 |
| 11 | FC EAV | Tim Truxell | 61 | 1,692 |
| 12 | Blind Mango Chutney | Bill Pennington | 61 | 1,506 |
SportsFilter 2012
| 1 | Tuscaloosa Dumplings | BS Johnson | 60 | 2,135 |
| 2 | BillSaysThisScores | billsaysthis billsaysthis | 63 | 1,910 |
| 3 | Gators FC | t s e l s o n | 25 | 1,800 |
| 4 | Dharma Bums | Fat Buddha | 35 | 1,797 |
| 5 | FC EAV | Tim Truxell | 61 | 1,692 |
| 6 | Bel Biv Defoe | Jennifer Muller | 54 | 1,636 |
| 7 | Unmarked Attackers | Rogers Cadenhead | 19 | 1,575 |
| 8 | Blind Mango Chutney | Bill Pennington | 61 | 1,506 |
Thanks to MeatSaber for the Tableizer link
posted by billsaysthis at 10:51 AM on May 21
Didn't know Niki Lauda was South African.
posted by owlhouse at 10:17 AM on May 21
So, at the theaters this weekend seeing The Great Gatsby, and saw this trailer for Rush. Can't wait for the movie itself.
posted by Bonkers at 09:08 AM on May 21
Apparently, Max Domi is better at the hockey than dear old dad...
posted by MeatSaber at 11:37 PM on May 20
John Wockenfuss. Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time.
posted by ursus_comiter at 09:00 PM on May 20
From yerfatma's link...
Pedro Ciriaco errant throw hits Chris Parmelee in the leg while running to first
To quote my grandfather, after seeing John Wockenfuss take a foul tip in the giblets, and Al Kaline saying "oooh, right off the inner thigh,"...
Bullshit, he had three balls there for a second...
posted by MeatSaber at 07:21 PM on May 20
Does anyone have a script to turn a fantasy league table into code easily posted here? Would like to post the Premier League results.
posted by MeatSaber at 07:16 PM on May 20
unusual Twin killing
CUP CHECK!!! (and I'm not talking about Lord Stanley)
posted by Howard_T at 04:17 PM on May 20
The link you posted isn't right, and I suspect you copy/pasted the link from a playlist.
I think you meant this one?
posted by hincandenza at 01:51 PM on May 20
There was an . . . unusual Twin killing in yesterday's Sox game.
Pun stolen shamelessly from here.
posted by yerfatma at 01:42 PM on May 20
Does anyone have a script to turn a fantasy league table into code easily posted here? Would like to post the Premier League results.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:49 AM on May 20
Until we get another "golden age" of American tennis, attracting viewers will continue to be a problem.
It's sad to think so many missed out on one of the greatest rivalries the sport has seen because Nadal and Federer weren't American.
posted by Whizbang at 09:54 AM on May 20
Is your state's highest-paid employee a coach? Probably.
posted by bender at 11:45 PM on May 19
24 Hours of the Nurburgring is on right now. Here's a legal live stream for you, should you be interested. http://www.24h-rennen.de/en/live/
Almost 180 cars running this year.
posted by Drood at 04:44 PM on May 19
The location where they found him is very poignant. It's possible he never really got over his granddaughter's death, and that combined with the health problems he was facing were just too much to deal with.
I'm not into NASCAR or car racing in general but as a Wisconsin native the name always resonated with me. Hope he has finally found peace.
posted by evixir at 11:29 AM on May 19
ESPN will face the same problems CBS has faced: the first weekend is the Labor Day weekend: many people have plans that do not include staying home. On both weekends, competition with football and baseball. The article refers to the other sports but does not mention the competition for viewers.
Another problem: Sam Querrey (19), John Isner (20) and Mardy Fish (40) are the only American men's singles players among the top 70 ATP players. Serena Williams (1), Sloane Stephens (17), Venus Williams (24) and Varyara Lepchenko (31) are the only USA women's singles players in the top 50 WTA players. Most American viewers want to see American players, but few have been good enough in the rankings to even get into the tournament. Until we get another "golden age" of American tennis, attracting viewers will continue to be a problem.
posted by jjzucal at 03:33 PM on May 18
Dammit, we need a way to favorite comments on this site.
posted by insomnyuk at 10:46 PM on May 17
It's not looking good for Gonk. At this point, I wonder about his future with the Patriots.
Perhaps they could upgrade and replace him with an R2-series astromech droid.
posted by holden at 10:05 PM on May 17
Pain cause of Dick Trickle's suicide
posted by justgary at 07:58 PM on May 17
James Harrison: I spend between $400K and $600K on body work' annually: "The live-in staff includes a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, a homeopathic doctor, a trainer and a number of masseuses."
posted by billsaysthis at 05:06 PM on May 17
The Boston Globe has been running a line of tweets from reporters, fans, and the like during the Stanley Cup playoffs. This one from last night has made it to the top of my favorites list:
"My blowup doll is a Rangers fan and we're not speaking right now."
I couldn't have said it better.
posted by Howard_T at 04:59 PM on May 17
It's not looking good for Gonk. At this point, I wonder about his future with the Patriots.
posted by feloniousmonk at 04:35 PM on May 17
I'll never forget the first time I saw him lighting up and smoking during the yellows back when you could show tobacco products on TV.
I wonder if he had got news he had a terminal disease.
RIP Dick Trickle
posted by steelergirl at 01:44 PM on May 17
I really only know him thanks to Patrick and Olbermann..
Same here. I actually heard the news while listening to the Dan Patrick show.
Sad.
.
posted by BornIcon at 01:15 PM on May 17
.
posted by yzelda4045 at 12:00 PM on May 17
That's terrible. I'm not a NASCAR fan, so I really only know him thanks to Patrick and Olbermann, but he seemed to be a likeable guy with a good sense of humor.
.
posted by Rock Steady at 11:29 AM on May 17
Oh my god, the Sharks just Maple-Leaf'd this game!
I hate myself.
posted by grum@work at 12:51 AM on May 17
I'm type 1. Secondary. (Meaning I don't have diabetes the usual way. I have it because of surgery to remove my pancreas. I discovered it's the bodies surliest organ and will try and kill you the first chance it finds).
My Dad is type 2.
All I can say is I'd rather face needles every few hours and be able to eat what I want than deal with the type 2 bullshit. Holy crap that's tiresome and my Dad's diet was basically misery on a plate.
posted by Drood at 12:18 AM on May 17
Daniel Murphy invents a new version of the hidden ball trick.
posted by grum@work at 10:20 PM on May 16
Yeah, I happened to have a few minutes this afternoon and saw that collision live. I'm not a doctor, but I'm guessing it's the LCL or PCL that's torn. If that's the case, I'll be very surprised to see him play another NHL game in 2013, and he wouldn't be available for the 2014 Olympics.
posted by grum@work at 10:17 PM on May 16
Canes' Eric Staal suffers leg injury in World Championships
posted by NoMich at 07:29 PM on May 16
Heartbreaking news out of North Carolina today.
Retired race car driver Richard "Dick" Trickle, 71, died Friday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Lincoln County deputies said.
posted by NoMich at 07:27 PM on May 16
Not to defend Patriots' decision to cut Kyle Love, rather to present another side of the story,one must understand 2 things. First, in order to effectively manage Type II Diabetes, one must carefully watch his diet, and above all lose excess body weight. Even exercise to burn carbohydrates is insufficient, although helpful. Medication is available, but it is only useful if the patient manages his life style. Second, Kyle Love is a defensive tackle. His effectiveness at the position depends on his size and weight. Here you have 2 things that work against each other. A lighter Kyle Love would not be a good defensive tackle, and a heavier Kyle Love would be endangering his long-term health. The effects of head injury are well known and are now the subject of much study in prevention and care. Because the effects of poorly managed diabetes are not immediate nor usually as dramatic as those of concussions, the disease is overlooked among athletes.
posted by Howard_T at 03:51 PM on May 16
Note to Tebow with what will surely be disturbing news: a rostered NFL QB recently underwent a radical position reassignment procedure.
They just checked on him in post-op. He's doing fine and is expected to make a full recovery.
posted by beaverboard at 03:19 PM on May 16
Bellicheck FTW!
I am in no way defending the Patriots here as it's distasteful no matter what the reason they give, but this isn't Belichick gaming the system. This is the system screwing athletes. The fact the NFL wore patches honoring Gene Upshaw for a year tells you all you need to know about the strength of NFL labor. Think baseball owners are trying to find a way to honor Marvin Miller?
posted by yerfatma at 12:22 PM on May 16
In this day and age, who really thinks that diabetes can't be overcome by a professional athlete?
Hell, it's been almost 44 years since this guy proved it can be done.

posted by grum@work at 11:08 AM on May 16
Pats cut starting DT Love after diabetes diagnosis even though other players (e.g., Jay Cutler) continued their careers after being diagnosed with the more serious Type 1 variant. Bellicheck FTW!
posted by billsaysthis at 10:41 AM on May 16
Just "being on the Jaguars" killed what could have been a really good career.
Crohn's Disease didn't help either. Pretty impressive he got on the field at all.
posted by yerfatma at 10:06 AM on May 16
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
So, right down the middle to Cabrera, then?