Really, Shea Weber? In your career you've never done anything so blatantly goon-ish. You're better than that. Way better than that. You've been tagged as the guy who'll win Norris Trophies, not a higher profile Matt Cooke. Hell, the glass might as well be a turnbuckle & you're wearing a singlet. What's more disturbing is that it was the end of game so no penalty. The NHL isn't going to suspend you, but they'll hurt your wallet. Yeah. What are you going to do without that $2,500? Wait . . . that's it? You drop $2,500 at Dick's for golf clubs. Even the 'punishment' sucks. I thought Brendan Shanahan was going to put an end to this kind of thing?
April 13, 2012
Shea Weber . . . What The Hell Bro?
The Nashville Predators & Detroit Red Wings began their seven game playoff series Wednesday. Now, I love nothing more than when division rivals become playoff foes. There is already a hatred there & it only gets worse (better?) when they are forced to play an additional four to seven times. Detroit has owned the Central Division for . . . like what? Twenty years? Nashville entered the league in 1997 & has been the Red Wings' annoying little brother. They play Detroit rough, but Detroit usually wins (they bounced the Predators twice out of the first round of the playoffs). So little Nashville wants their sibling to know they mean business. They're not going to be pushed around anymore. They're getting the last cookie & they're watching Spongebob, damnit!
Really, Shea Weber? In your career you've never done anything so blatantly goon-ish. You're better than that. Way better than that. You've been tagged as the guy who'll win Norris Trophies, not a higher profile Matt Cooke. Hell, the glass might as well be a turnbuckle & you're wearing a singlet. What's more disturbing is that it was the end of game so no penalty. The NHL isn't going to suspend you, but they'll hurt your wallet. Yeah. What are you going to do without that $2,500? Wait . . . that's it? You drop $2,500 at Dick's for golf clubs. Even the 'punishment' sucks. I thought Brendan Shanahan was going to put an end to this kind of thing?
Really, Shea Weber? In your career you've never done anything so blatantly goon-ish. You're better than that. Way better than that. You've been tagged as the guy who'll win Norris Trophies, not a higher profile Matt Cooke. Hell, the glass might as well be a turnbuckle & you're wearing a singlet. What's more disturbing is that it was the end of game so no penalty. The NHL isn't going to suspend you, but they'll hurt your wallet. Yeah. What are you going to do without that $2,500? Wait . . . that's it? You drop $2,500 at Dick's for golf clubs. Even the 'punishment' sucks. I thought Brendan Shanahan was going to put an end to this kind of thing?
April 11, 2012
Third Lap
February 18th, 2001. Daytona, Florida. The Great American Race. We lost a legend.
On the last lap of the Daytona 500, the NASCAR community saw Dale Earnhardt turned left by Sterling Marlin & t-boned by Ken Schrader. His skull was fatally fractured. He died instantly. A seven-time Cup champion & winner of seventy-six races & flag-bearer for a sport was gone. His son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second & Michael Waltrip, driving a car owned by Earnhardt, won the tragically historic race.
For a year after his death, every track NASCAR visited held a silent third lap in respect to the trailblazing racer. It was a touching tribute & fans raised their hands in the air with three fingers pointed skyward. His death ushered a revolution in driver safety. His legacy lives on in the SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barriers which line the walls of all race tracks today. The Intimidator lost his life, but has saved many more. Rest in peace, Dale.
On the last lap of the Daytona 500, the NASCAR community saw Dale Earnhardt turned left by Sterling Marlin & t-boned by Ken Schrader. His skull was fatally fractured. He died instantly. A seven-time Cup champion & winner of seventy-six races & flag-bearer for a sport was gone. His son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second & Michael Waltrip, driving a car owned by Earnhardt, won the tragically historic race.
For a year after his death, every track NASCAR visited held a silent third lap in respect to the trailblazing racer. It was a touching tribute & fans raised their hands in the air with three fingers pointed skyward. His death ushered a revolution in driver safety. His legacy lives on in the SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barriers which line the walls of all race tracks today. The Intimidator lost his life, but has saved many more. Rest in peace, Dale.
Triple Crown
The Triple Crown is the ultimate achievement in United States horse racing. One Thoroughbred must win three races (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, & Belmont Stakes) over the course of five weeks. It is a daunting task. People have to realize that a race horse is every bit the athlete has a Olympic-level runner or swimmer. Hell, they're practically the same in terms of training & conditioning. Don't believe me? Let the 1973 Belmont Stakes & Secretariat convince you:
Like the aforementioned unassisted triple play, a Triple Crown winner is rare. The three legs of the Triple Crown are designed to test a horse's ability. The races vary in distance with the Kentucky Derby being 1.25 miles, The Preakness a mile, & The Belmont a grueling mile and a half. The compact scheduling of the events also hinder a competitor's chances. Since 1875, there have been only eleven Triple Crown Champions. Yeah, just eleven. The last was Affirmed in 1978. The past decade has seen four horses come close (War Emblem, Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, & Big Brown each won the Derby & Preakness but lost the Belmont). If there's a rash of Triple Crown winners, maybe horse racing will emerge again in the American sports fan's landscape. It couldn't hurt, right?
When was the last time you saw a racehorse on the cover of Sports Illustrated? Keep it tight, Affirmed.
Like the aforementioned unassisted triple play, a Triple Crown winner is rare. The three legs of the Triple Crown are designed to test a horse's ability. The races vary in distance with the Kentucky Derby being 1.25 miles, The Preakness a mile, & The Belmont a grueling mile and a half. The compact scheduling of the events also hinder a competitor's chances. Since 1875, there have been only eleven Triple Crown Champions. Yeah, just eleven. The last was Affirmed in 1978. The past decade has seen four horses come close (War Emblem, Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, & Big Brown each won the Derby & Preakness but lost the Belmont). If there's a rash of Triple Crown winners, maybe horse racing will emerge again in the American sports fan's landscape. It couldn't hurt, right?
Triple Play
So I am on campus today for twelve hours with three distinct breaks. I know this is cheating, but I'm running with this three-motif & giving yins three blog posts involving the number after two. Naturally lets begin with baseball & the rarity of a triple play.
A triple play is of course the defensive team recording all three outs at the same time. There are tons things that need to happen to even set one up. There has to be at least two base runners & the defense has to be in proper position & the moon needs to have a blue tint & a chicken must be sacrificed in left field. I've watched baseball for ten years & have never seen one. Sure they happen, but I don't count seeing the highlights on SportsCenter. The odds of a triple play occurring in a inning are 1,400 to 1 (The Odds on Virtually Everything pg. 50).
Even more rare is a unassisted triple play. That's when one player gets all three outs without throwing the ball. One has to caught a line drive then tag a base & runner. Since 1909, there have been only fifteen unassisted triple plays. That's insane.
Here's a regular triple play:
Here's a unassisted triple play . . . damn MLB media blackout . . . http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=19995921&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_19995921&v=3
A triple play is of course the defensive team recording all three outs at the same time. There are tons things that need to happen to even set one up. There has to be at least two base runners & the defense has to be in proper position & the moon needs to have a blue tint & a chicken must be sacrificed in left field. I've watched baseball for ten years & have never seen one. Sure they happen, but I don't count seeing the highlights on SportsCenter. The odds of a triple play occurring in a inning are 1,400 to 1 (The Odds on Virtually Everything pg. 50).
Even more rare is a unassisted triple play. That's when one player gets all three outs without throwing the ball. One has to caught a line drive then tag a base & runner. Since 1909, there have been only fifteen unassisted triple plays. That's insane.
Here's a regular triple play:
Here's a unassisted triple play . . . damn MLB media blackout . . . http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=19995921&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_19995921&v=3
April 10, 2012
He Said What . . . ?!
Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen has never been mistaken with being 'tactful' or 'respectful' or 'smart' when it comes to opening his mouth. The fiery player turned skipper has offended every subculture, race, & lifestyle. Its in his nature. He's a blunt speaker with no shut down switch. But what he said two days ago to Time Magazine is irrehensable.
"I love Fidel Castro. I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last sixty years, but that fucker is still here."
Way to go, Ozzie. Do me a favor & look at that 'M' on your baseball cap. It stands for Miami. Out of the foreign population there, forty-five percent are from Cuba. Why so high a number? Because they fled the DICTATORSHIP of FIDEL CASTRO! Way to slap your prime fanbase in the face, Ozzie. A five-game suspension isn't enough here. Bud Selig needs to step in & pull a Roger Goodell & yank Ozzie out of the dugout for a year. Maybe then he'll start thinking before he speaks.
"I love Fidel Castro. I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last sixty years, but that fucker is still here."
Way to go, Ozzie. Do me a favor & look at that 'M' on your baseball cap. It stands for Miami. Out of the foreign population there, forty-five percent are from Cuba. Why so high a number? Because they fled the DICTATORSHIP of FIDEL CASTRO! Way to slap your prime fanbase in the face, Ozzie. A five-game suspension isn't enough here. Bud Selig needs to step in & pull a Roger Goodell & yank Ozzie out of the dugout for a year. Maybe then he'll start thinking before he speaks.
April 7, 2012
Playoff Beard
Around 6:30pm today, the Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. This was the end of the regular season. The playoffs for the Stanley Cup begin Thursday. A lot of guys & a majority of the Pens did something around 7:00pm that hopefully the bunch won't do again til mid-June.
They shaved, thus marking the beginning of the 'playoff beard'.
The playoff beard has been a tradition in the NHL since the New York Islanders of the 1980s began growing full, majestic beards during the post-season. Its a team unity thing that was carried over to the various fanbases. My buddy Ziggy had the best playoff beard when the Pens won the Cup in 2009. It wasn't as grand as Zdeno Chara's or Max Talbot's, but it was the clear winner amongst our group. This year, Ziggy will have some competition . . . me.
Years past, I have been forbidden to participate in this manly practice because Sheetz (my workplace) doesn't allow facial hair. However, there is a loophole. I can grow a mustache. So I am. A playoff mustache. Lindsey is pissed. I think she's the only person in the Steel City who's wishing for the Penguins to bow out early. I admit, a mustache isn't the most age appropriate thing but I feel compelled to join in the superstition. Sorry, babe. Let's Go Pens!
Mike Commodore (2006)
Max Talbot (2009)
Scott Niedermayer (2007)
They shaved, thus marking the beginning of the 'playoff beard'.
The playoff beard has been a tradition in the NHL since the New York Islanders of the 1980s began growing full, majestic beards during the post-season. Its a team unity thing that was carried over to the various fanbases. My buddy Ziggy had the best playoff beard when the Pens won the Cup in 2009. It wasn't as grand as Zdeno Chara's or Max Talbot's, but it was the clear winner amongst our group. This year, Ziggy will have some competition . . . me.
Years past, I have been forbidden to participate in this manly practice because Sheetz (my workplace) doesn't allow facial hair. However, there is a loophole. I can grow a mustache. So I am. A playoff mustache. Lindsey is pissed. I think she's the only person in the Steel City who's wishing for the Penguins to bow out early. I admit, a mustache isn't the most age appropriate thing but I feel compelled to join in the superstition. Sorry, babe. Let's Go Pens!
April 6, 2012
Fair Weather Fan
The Penguins have been running commercials this season about the diehard nature of fans. The ending tag line of these ads is, "If being a fan was easy, it wouldn't be great". I couldn't agree more.
Being a fan means sticking with your team on both ends of the valley. Sure, it's a blast when the team wins & the town loves them. Yeah, it completely sucks when they . . . suck. The thing of it all is, you still want to cheer for them either way. I've been a Pirates fan for ten years. That's in the middle of the team's historic nineteen year losing streak. I'm aware of this. I've seen management unload great players for nothing because 'the team cannot afford them' or 'it helps us in the long run'.
The pains of watching the Pirates for years was gawked at by London Tower veterans. Last year, hope shined through the clouds. The team was in first place . . . in fucking July! People were talking about the Buccos without a punchline. Crowds gathered at PNC Park & shirts where wore with pride. This phenom is called, 'fair weather fans'. The minute the Pirates started losing again, the fans disappeared. Its too easy to like a team when they're winning.
Look at the Penguins. Before they drafted Sidney Crosby they were terrible. The purest of shit. I know, I saw them play like shit for years. Steve McKeena was our power-play star. Mike Eastwood anchored the defense. You don't know these names? There's good reason for that . . . they were pathetic! The true fan knows these names, however. It is the question I ask people who swear their lifelong devotion to the Pens. If they know, they're good. If not, they're a phoney.
Lesson is kids, be supportive of your team not matter what. Be that guy who looks in the camera and says, "I've been waiting for this for thirty years" & mean it.
Being a fan means sticking with your team on both ends of the valley. Sure, it's a blast when the team wins & the town loves them. Yeah, it completely sucks when they . . . suck. The thing of it all is, you still want to cheer for them either way. I've been a Pirates fan for ten years. That's in the middle of the team's historic nineteen year losing streak. I'm aware of this. I've seen management unload great players for nothing because 'the team cannot afford them' or 'it helps us in the long run'.
The pains of watching the Pirates for years was gawked at by London Tower veterans. Last year, hope shined through the clouds. The team was in first place . . . in fucking July! People were talking about the Buccos without a punchline. Crowds gathered at PNC Park & shirts where wore with pride. This phenom is called, 'fair weather fans'. The minute the Pirates started losing again, the fans disappeared. Its too easy to like a team when they're winning.
Look at the Penguins. Before they drafted Sidney Crosby they were terrible. The purest of shit. I know, I saw them play like shit for years. Steve McKeena was our power-play star. Mike Eastwood anchored the defense. You don't know these names? There's good reason for that . . . they were pathetic! The true fan knows these names, however. It is the question I ask people who swear their lifelong devotion to the Pens. If they know, they're good. If not, they're a phoney.
Lesson is kids, be supportive of your team not matter what. Be that guy who looks in the camera and says, "I've been waiting for this for thirty years" & mean it.
April 4, 2012
Miami Semana: The Florida Panthers
I ripped the NHL representatives of South Florida in one of my last pieces but after going to a Panthers game last night, I have been enlightened some. First off, the Panthers don't play in the city of Miami or on the outskirts even. Their home, the BankAtlantic Center, is nearly an hour away in Sunrise, Florida. Sunrise is like a smaller scale Cranberry & the arena sticks out like a massive pimple. Parking to the game was FREE. Three tickets to the game were a total of $30. Its like the Panthers are screaming at us, "Please come to a game! Just show up!"
The fans of the Panthers can be divided into two categories: serious ones who bleed for the hockey team & mall-rats. Yins know what a mall-rat is, right? People (usually teenagers too early adults) who go to the mall for the purpose of chilling out. Not too buy anything. Just using the mall as a backdrop for a social gathering. These fans walk around the arena aimlessly, don't pay attention to the game, & chat endlessly about nothing.
The serious fans are lost in the shuffle. They are loud. Very loud. It was surprising too hear how loud they get when you think about how few of them there are. They also know the game & have passion about the Panthers. None, however, are from Miami. They are exiles from other cities who claim the Panthers as their own. I enjoyed talking to them. Sadly, there are not enough of these fans & the future of the struggling Panthers franchise will probably end in relocation. Sorry, guys.
The fans of the Panthers can be divided into two categories: serious ones who bleed for the hockey team & mall-rats. Yins know what a mall-rat is, right? People (usually teenagers too early adults) who go to the mall for the purpose of chilling out. Not too buy anything. Just using the mall as a backdrop for a social gathering. These fans walk around the arena aimlessly, don't pay attention to the game, & chat endlessly about nothing.
The serious fans are lost in the shuffle. They are loud. Very loud. It was surprising too hear how loud they get when you think about how few of them there are. They also know the game & have passion about the Panthers. None, however, are from Miami. They are exiles from other cities who claim the Panthers as their own. I enjoyed talking to them. Sadly, there are not enough of these fans & the future of the struggling Panthers franchise will probably end in relocation. Sorry, guys.
April 2, 2012
Miami Semana: Sun Life Stadium
The Miami Dolphins play at Sun Life Stadium & Wrestlemania 28 was there last night. The place is archaic. The concrete its made of is stained badly & the restrooms cannot support the masses of people needing to piss in them. The Marlins got a new stadium. I hope the Dolphins are next in line. This building needs torn down.
Plus its a eyesore. What do yins think?
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