From this weekend’s Patriots/Bills game, for those of you who didn’t see the game, the wind was swirling, at times up to 50+ MPH affecting the kicking game drastically. Check out this field goal attempt by the Bills where even with compensating for the wind there really is no chance.
Archive for December, 2008
30
Dec
08
Wide Right!
30
Dec
08
Bring Hanley Back
It seems like it’s a moot point, but I like the aggressiveness of the Red Sox brass in checking in on former farmhand Hanley Ramirez’ availability in the aftermath of the Teixeira signing. That said, the reported starting price of Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury seem pretty high. Even still, I’m not sure it’s not worth it to get Hanley, with the condition that Ramirez comes as a center fielder and not as a shortstop. I didn’t want to give up Jacoby and Buchholz for Johan Santana but for Hanley I think it is not necessarily too much. All of 25 years old, Ramirez has averaged 27 HRs and 36 steals per season with a career OPS+ so far of 135!
Sure, would giving up on Buchholz and Ellsbury hurt? You bet it would, just as the initial trading away of Hanley did, but just like that trade, the reward would, I believe, ultimately outweigh that cost. Adding Hanley as a center fielder would add that power bat to the lineup that the Sox need, his speed matches Jacoby’s, keeping that new element in the Sox’ game and his star is rising, every year Hanley is getting better and better. If he can be moved off shortstop where he is a butcher getting by on sheer athleticism I think there is no reason he isn’t one of the most dominant players in the game for the next 10 years.
On the other hand, for the Marlins, even getting back two STUD prospects might not be enough for Hanley. That franchise has no one else to market their team around otherwise. I mean, Dan Uggla does not park fans in the seats. Then again, nobody on the Marlins seems to bring fans to the stadium…
Todd MacCulloch parlayed one pretty good NBA Finals series as a 76’er against the Lakers in 2001 into a $34 million contract with the New Jersey Nets. After only one year in Jersey, albeit one that took them to the Finals, he was traded back to the Sixers for Dikembe Mutombo. Unfortunately for MacCulloch and the Sixers, it turned out that MacCulloch’s feet were battling against him, eventually receiving a diagnosis of bilateral neuropathy, a condition which means he has severe nerve damage in his feet. Only 2 years after signing that 6-year $34 million contract, the 28 year old MacCulloch was retired, unable to stand the rigors of playing basketball any more.
These days MacCulloch passes the time playing on any of his over 80 different pinball machines. In fact, he’s so into pinball that he participates in tournaments and is a ranked player, currently 130 although apparently the rankings are a bit screwy and he really should be more like 60-70. For someone whose average game salary in the NBA was approximately $70K, MacCulloch has pulled down a robust $700 in pinball earnings.
Continue reading ‘That 7 Foot Tall Guy Sure Can Play a Mean Pinball’
29
Dec
08
Hockey is Back!
Since it has been nearly 48 hours since I posted any hockey action I figured I was due.
I wish that the other major sports leagues would follow the NHL’s example and have high quality highlights available for free on youtube. It is nice to see a league who won’t shut down fans who are trying to share the awesome moments with one another, unlike certain other unnamed baseball leagues.
So, how about this totally balls out neato goal from Washington Capital Alexander Ovechkin. He totally scores while sliding on his face across the ice; I am unable to do that. Or at least I’ve never been given the chance.
Make sure you are watching it in high quality, another awesome bonus of NHL allowing their clips on youtube, no shitty pixelation!
Who knows, maybe I’ll just become all hockey all the time!
That or old recapping David the Gnome episodes.
29
Dec
08
These Clown Shoes Are Konkles
I imagine for a professional basketball player having your own Nike shoe is a great honor; after all, they are the brand of Michael Jordan. Kids across the world would be desperately wanting to wear your shoes (while other kids would be stitching them together obviously).
These, however would not be my choice for my show line. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Kevin Durant’s clown shoes.
Now, to be fair, if I were looking for an awesome shoe to wear for Halloween events or perhaps was needing something for a brief moonwalk, I would absolutely consider these. On the basketball court though, I’m not so sure. How do you not even trip over these, that toe looks HUGE right?
I wear a size 10. I will wear these all the time.
[Fan IQ]
28
Dec
08
The Reds Can’t Win
I guess the trade of Ryan Freel and the loss of Corey Patterson left Reds management desperate for another singles-only hitter who barely contributes to your team, they signed Willy Taveras over the weekend to a 2-year deal. Sure, Taveras has lots of speed and had a ton of infield hits (37 bunt singles in 2007!) but he is incapable of scoring runs. Even on that strong offensive 2007 Rockies team, which scored 860 runs, and in spite of hitting .320 and stealing 33 bags, Taveras managed a scant 64 runs.
Yes, it was in only 97 games, but that’s a pretty good sample size, and this year in 133 games he also scored only 64 runs, this time stealing 68 bases. Maybe it has something to do with having an anemic OPS and thus being incapable of hitting at the top of the lineup. In 2007, which by any reasonable measure was Taveras’ best year, he managed an OPS+ of 89. 89! He had 120 hits last season and 102 of them were singles, and that’s with playing in Colorado with the spacious alleys. Essentially, he can’t hit the ball out of the infield, and if he can’t leg out a hit he has no chance of ever getting one.
Also, his defense is atrocious. For someone who is so fast he gets bad reads on balls, misses plays he should get and doesn’t patrol center field impressively at all.
At first glance I hated this deal for the Reds, but astonishingly, after looking at the remaining free agent outfielders I changed my mind. Continue reading ‘The Reds Can’t Win’
28
Dec
08
The NBA: Where Champions Battle
Last night in a battle of professional basketball teams the Washington Wizards outlasted the Oklahoma Stupid Names 104-95 in DC. The only reason this game received any attention whatsoever, considering that the two teams were so awful, was that exact reason. The Wizards were 4-23 coming into the game and the SNs had gone a robust 3-27.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there had never been an NBA game matching teams who had played at least 25 games combining for worse records…
“It’s no fun having three wins, but it’s important we stay together and we continue to compete for one another,” Oklahoma City interim coach Scott Brooks said.
“Not one guy in this locker room is a loser. Unfortunately, we are not getting wins like we feel like we should.”
Sorry Coach, gotta disagree . If you have won only three games at this point, you are in fact, losers. You are getting housed. You remind me of the Boston Celtics circa 2006. I mean, right?!? That’s not good company, that team lost 18 straight at one point. I know you only recently took over the team, but let’s not bullshit one another, your team totally blows. And that’s even with Durant stroking the ball and scoring 20 per! Your season is over and it isn’t even 2009 yet.
28
Dec
08
Eric Mangini Hates Pig Tying
So this is random, from the New York Times:
Jets Coach Eric Mangini is one of the most cloak-and-dagger wielders of the National Football League’s injury list. The phenomenon peaks with one of the league’s most common injury areas — hamstrings — which have been pulled, strained or otherwise aggrieved 1,154 times among the league’s 32 teams since 2006.
Amazingly, the Jets have apparently had only one hamstring injury in Mangini’s three seasons. It belonged to the former receiver Tim Dwight, whose malady was listed less specifically as “thigh” almost every week of the 2006 season except for Week 4, when it snuck in as “hamstring” before scampering back.
26
Dec
08
Are You Kidding Me!?!
Canadian teenager John Tavares, who terrifyingly was born in 1990, is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey team currently playing in the World Junior Hockey tournament in Ottawa and is widely anticipated to be the first pick in this year’s NHL draft. He also scored an astoundingly incredible goal during Canada’s first game of the tournament. Make sure you see the high quality version because this will blow you away.
Seriously, that is absolutely AWESOME! It reminds me of the moves from D2 of Dwayne Robertson, played by Ty O’Neal, who interestingly is now a professional rodeo cowboy.
26
Dec
08
The Scots are Some Weird Folk
Golfers in Scotland have been finding something quite unexpected in the woods off the courses, deer mauled to death. In some cases the deer were found hanging from trees. Clubs in Bearsden, Bishopbriggs and Milngavie all reported finding deer carcasses and the SSPCA believes that deer poachers have been using lurcher type dogs to kill the deer for sport.
Tom Gatherer, from the SSPCA, said: “Using dogs to kill deer is cruel and callous and it is unthinkable in this day and age that people still consider this sport.
“The deer in these areas, although wild, are used to seeing people either out playing golf or walking their dogs so they may not have the same flight response as deer in remote areas.
“The people involved in this activity are getting easy pickings and it is deplorable.”
[BBC]
26
Dec
08
Got 125K and Need a Car?
Now that Christmas is over, it’s time for all the great bargains from the retailers. Even NBA stars are getting in on the action. Tracy McGrady listed his tricked out 2001 Mercedes CL-Class sedan on eBay for a “buy it now” price of $150,000 with an end date before Christmas, to make it the perfect gift for someone with bad taste. The car, which features over $180,000 in special modifications is a BARGAIN at that price.
But wait, there’s more!
Since no one purchased the car at that price, he has relisted it, now for the even MORE bargain price of $125,000! You’re basically making money if you buy this car. And think of the sentimental value of owning something from NBA legend Tracy McGrady! He’s ALMOST won a playoff series! Think of the stories you can tell your kids.
The car comes with a custom paint job, which appears white but under direct light is actually a light baby blue. As well it has 20 inch chrome wheels, special side skirts and mufflers, spoilers and front and rear parking sensors. The heated seats are black leather with Gucci print accents as well as coming with built-in massagers, each headrest also has a T-Mac logo. The center console has a 10 inch LCD display with input for CD, MP3, XM and DVDs and in the trunk is a customized JL stereo system with 15 inch sub woofers and their own power source.
What more could you want!?! The work was all done by West Coast Customs, the guys who did all the stuff for MTV’s “Pimp My Ride.”
If all those features and special items weren’t enough, the winner of the auction will get the opportunity to meet Tracy McGrady himself and get him to sign the dashboard if you so desire. Pretty sweet no?
The Slanch Report 
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