grum@work’s profile

I will admit that I haven't visited SpoFi that much since the switch. The site design is just terrible now, and it makes it too hard to read all the comments.

As well, it always asks me to sign in, and I don't have the option to do multiple previews of the comments I do make.

Thanks for all the fun I had here the past few years, but unless something changes I'll probably be just following sports somewhere else.

posted at 01:57 PM on September 27

As an alumni of Waterloo, I couldn't be more proud.

Wait, that's not the word I'm looking for...

posted at 08:37 AM on September 05

There's been some dubious judging on a lot of Chinese won events. My wife was the first to say "Is it just me? Or have the Chinese done well in all the scoring events?" This came after I was extremely suspicious during the Womens 3m Synchro Diving where the Chinese kept getting huge scores, despite not even being synchronised on a couple of occasions, and far better diving pairs were getting lower scores.

In general, judging events are always suspect because of the human factor. However, most judging events use multiple judges from different nations, so you'd need to have a other nations helping China "cheat". As well, even if you had another nation willing to boost China's score, there is a system in place where they drop the highest and lowest scores before the calculations. Therefore, you'd need to have at least TWO other nations in on the scam.

At that point, you're getting into tinfoil-hat territory.

(Yes, there was judging scandals at the Winter Olympics with regards to figure skating, but that has since been cleaned up with an even more judging/scoring system.)

posted at 10:25 AM on August 23

I'm going to agree with Hal.

Hamilton up to bat, down by 4 runs, with the bases loaded. The only reason you walk him is because you are worried that he'll tie the game up with one swing of the bat. He can't win it, just tie it.

Josh Hamilton, vs RHP, has had 631 plate appearances in his career.
He's hit a HR 39 times, or about 6.18% of the time.
Therefore, there is about 6.18% chance of Hamilton tying the game during his at-bat.

The moment you walk Hamilton, you make the score 7-4 and still leave the bases loaded. The game can be tied with a double or a triple, and LOST with a home run.

Marlon Byrd, vs RHP, has had 1600 plate appearances in his career.
He's hit a double 70 times, and a triple 11 times, and a home run 26 times (for a total of 107 different ways to end up with at LEAST a tie game).
Therefore, there is about a 6.69% chance of Byrd tying (or WINNING) the game during his at-bat.

You increase your chances of the tie (or LOSS) by walking Hamilton to get to Byrd.

Want to use bases-loaded splits instead?

Hamilton:
Hits a home run 8.33% of the time (2 out of 24).
Byrd:
Hits a double, triple or home run 13.89% of the time (3+2+5 out of 72).

You increase your chances of the tie (or LOSS) by walking Hamilton to get to Byrd.

posted at 01:09 AM on August 21

This guy actually seems super human. (Doehead)

I am convinced that genetically he is a natural swimmer. (YYM)

Who says he's human? The guy has to be at least part fish. WOW!

At least we know he's clean and not using any performance enhancing drugs, right?

Right?

posted at 08:18 PM on August 10

Bison?

posted at 09:51 AM on July 27

BTW, OC Barons doesn't sound so bad. But that might be my old NHL bias kicking in.

posted at 06:57 PM on July 26

Here were the choices for the Orlando franchise: Heat, Tropics, Juice, Magic Here were the choices for the Toronto franchise: Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs, Raptors, Scorpions, T-Rex, Tarantulas, and Terriers Here were the choices for the Charlotte franchise: Flight, Bobcats, Dragons (and Spirit and Hornets for the original one) In general, the choices don't seem to be that great. However, the name that usually wins is good enough that people aren't complaining about it for too long. I'm surprised they didn't try to bring "Dragons" over to the Oklahoma franchise. That is their stand-by option, it seems.

posted at 06:52 PM on July 26

That's the best reason I've heard yet for the Williams sisters to play Indian Wells. Actually, part of me wants them to play at Indian Wells, both of them make the finals, and then both drop out 10 minutes before the match because of "injury". And then never return to Indian Wells again.

posted at 08:46 AM on July 20

I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that Bob Beamon had sex the night before his Olympic event. That turned out okay.

posted at 08:57 AM on July 19

Derek Jeter has had 495 postseason AB -- or about 75-80% of a typical 162 game season for him -- and has hit .309/.377/.469, not much different than his .316/.387/.459 lifetime regular season averages. Actually, it's WORSE than his regular season numbers (since he is likely to get a hit or get on base). Jeter is a (minimal) post-season choker! Not that Tim McCarver, FOX or NYY fans would ever want to hear that...

posted at 02:07 PM on July 09

I think your Royals example may be a touch off base. Soria has a 1.62 ERA, 44 k's aganst 17 walks, and has converted 23 saves in 25 opportunities. I think he deserves it, and I think quite a few Royals fans who are only casual baseball fans overall would watch. Good point. I picked the Royals rep on reflex because (for the last few years) they usually send the biggest example of "filling the need for every team to be represented". Soria has the numbers to go to the show. Then again, almost every team has at least one reliever that is having a good year, and you need a lot of relievers/pitchers for the Some-Stars game, so "filling the need" almost always falls on the relief pitcher. "I wanted to correct them," Hamilton says. "It's 'Josh smoked crack.' If you're going to rag on somebody, then get it right." Heh. Sounds like he's (finally) got a good head on his shoulders.

posted at 03:42 PM on July 08

I'm really turning into for two moments: 1) Josh Hamilton's first at-bat. I'm hoping the crowd gives him a nice ovation. 2) The hope that Mariano Rivera will be the last pitcher of the night and he gets the save for an AL win. I really want Tampa Bay to have home-field advantage in the World Series. ;)

posted at 12:45 PM on July 08

I have to agree. Dioner Navarro does in fact deserve to get the nod over Varitek. Oh, you were talking about Posada, weren't you? Well, Navarro used to be on the Yankees roster if that helps but he does deserve to be an All-Star this year. Navarro is on the roster. He was a manager's pick. If you are going to use 3 catchers, one of them might as well be Posada. My choices would have been Mauer, Navarro, Posada, with Jorge getting into the game in the 9th inning (to possibly catch Rivera). I am not a fan of giving every team a representative. Agreed. It's supposed to give people from every market a reason to watch the game, but I really doubt the K.C. fans are overjoyed that [looks at the rosters] Soria is getting to play. And those at bats against the best pitches in the NL by someone who can't hit a BP fastball currently. Good job, players. I have this horrible fear that Varitek will go yard in his first plate appearance, and the brain-dead section of the Red Sox Nation will go crazy with "I told you he deserved it!" crap. It would be super-duper-classy of "the captain" to bow out of the All-Star game, and Francona picks Posada as a replacement. Sort of like those Christmas time cease-fires during World War I, where bitter enemies can still show some respect for each other.

posted at 12:44 PM on July 08

Mainly, though I think it sucks that Francona didn't pick Maddon to be on his staff. What's that about? Probably some ill-will still exists between the two teams after the Coco Crisp inspired brouhahas.

posted at 10:40 AM on July 08