[LA Times]
Archive for February, 2009
24
Feb
09
Duke Goes Out Walking
Fresh off Corey Maggette’s 6 step travel comes this video of a Duke player taking it one step further. And they say that kids don’t have the desire to excel. Here is a nice little 12 step move before taking off, and of course, it went uncalled. Ah, college!
24
Feb
09
What the H!
A confused helicopter pilot made a lot of cricket players VERY confused when he mistook the “H” painted on a corner of the field and landed during a match. The game on Saturday was delayed when the hapless pilot suddenly landed his craft scattering the players and disrupting the game.
“It landed suddenly. No one knew what was happening,” the competing Punjab team manager told the paper after his side won the interrupted game. “There was chaos. Everyone ran for cover.”
The home team, Himachal Pradesh have a large “H” painted on the field representing their team and the pilot saw it and assumed he was at his helicopter landing pad. A nearby fire also disoriented the pilot who “misinterpreted it for smoke signals.”
The game was stopped for about 30 minutes before the very embarrassed pilot took off once more and peaced out.
I for one find it reassuring to have the pilot of my helicopter unable to distinguish landing fields and particularly unable to notice a group of people playing CRICKET while he is landing the craft. Not to mention someone who thinks that there are SMOKE SIGNALS being used to relay information. What is it 1834? Helicopters are a ridiculous flying machine, I’m sure it’s comforting to have your pilot so aware of the situations around him.
[Yahoo]
While doing normal tree maintenance work along the first tee at the Norwich Country Club in Norfolk, England workers discovered a surprise buried in the wood of one of their felled trees. While sawing into smaller pieces some diseased trees that were felled, greens keeper Richard Mitchell discovered a golf ball inside the trunk!
“We think the ball came off the first tee, went into the trees and was lost. It must have lodged in a fork or embedded itself in the trunk and the tree just grew round it,” said club manager Peter Johns.
The cross-section of tree trunk was saved and given to a member of the club who is also a skilled wood worker and there is a thought to make it into a trophy plaque honoring members who score a hole-in-one. Regardless, it’s a pretty neat thing and something that nearly didn’t happen.
“It’s an incredible find,” said Johns. “It was pure luck that it was discovered. If Richard had cut the trunk an inch or two either way we’d never have known the ball was there.
[EDP24]
23
Feb
09
Guinness Records Be Crazy
I didn’t even know that there WAS a Guinness Record for throwing people, but then, here is Juha Rasanen of Finland on a Spanish TV show throwing a 132 lb person 17.7 feet! Now, the clip it turns out is from 2006, but then I’m only JUST getting caught up on my Spanish TV from that year so please forgive me. I particularly enjoy the bounce that the tossee takes on the floor mattress when he lands, I hope I too can someday strap someone in a harness and throw them on national TV, especially if the host is as hot as that Spanish chica…
23
Feb
09
Let Them Eat Cake…and Ribs
The US-Government-Owned Citi Field opens in just a few short months, and a city famed for its restaurants and high food cuisine should be expected to serve similarly delicious treats to the fans at the game. Sure, Shea was characterized more by the few food stands, limited options, and often overcooked meats, Citi Field will be totally different, providing you’re able to even afford to get into the stadium in the first place.
From there, it shouldn’t be a problem to make your way to one of these stands and at least inhale its aroma, since you’ll already be broke from just getting the ticket. But say you’re a lucky person and received a healthy government bailout or maybe you’re a lottery winner so you got a little money to burn, well, here are some of the high class options available to you inside the bricked walled of the Citi.
- Blue Smoke is expected to serve up a scaled-down version of Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Park restaurant, including Kansas City spareribs and Memphis baby back ribs.
- Shake Shack, another Meyer venture, is set to grill up the famed ShackBurgers and vegetarian ‘ShroomBurgers that fans line up for at its Madison Square Park post.
- Acela is a reservations-required restaurant that [Nobu’s Drew] Nieporent – also owner of Tribeca Grill – has slotted for a space overlooking the diamond. Named after the high-speed Amtrak train, the fine-dining spot has yet to unveil its menu.
- Verano Taquería will feature authentic tacos created by chef Floyd Cardoz of Tabla fame.
- Box Frites will serve freshly-cut, Belgian-style fries with a wide selection of dipping sauces.
- The Delta Sky360 Club will be another premium-seating dining destination on the Field Level directly behind home plate, offering waiter service and “Best of Ballpark” food.
- Wheelhouse Market is expected to be a casual cafe serving speciality brews and “classic, artisanal comfort foods,” which usually means hand-crafted cheeses and cured meats.
- Zachys will be run by Westchester wine merchants Andrew McMurray and Jeff and Don Zacharia, offering fine wines from around the world.
I for one would love to get my hands on some Blue Smoke ribs while watching David Wright ply his trade, and maybe even a Shake Burger, depending on the quality of the line. Of course, probably most of these options will only be available if you are in the super luxury seats that I’ll never ever get tickets to, so I’ll have to content myself to a soggy pretzel in the plebe sections…
Right before starting a match, British snooker player Mark Selby, ranked 4th in the world, was accosted by a surprising fan. This wasn’t any autograph seeker though, it was Selby’s former manager George Bamby who was serving Selby with papers and a bankruptcy notice. “All I could think about was what was in the envelope,” said Selby.
The match began and understandably, Selby was off his game, eventually losing.
Even better, it was all on TV, so we can all enjoy the awkwardness of the moment!
[BBC and Sports Rubbish]
20
Feb
09
Li’l Wayne Loves the WWL
Li’l Wayne’s blog for ESPN is fairly entertaining and he’s well-informed on his sports which I appreciate. However, what I don’t follow is him getting a special tattoo to show he’s dedicated to writing on the blog. I mean, I’m dedicated to writing here, but that’s mostly because I ain’t got nothing else. Although, maybe a Slanch Report tattoo on my face would drum up readership. Hmmm…something to think about…
[Sports by Brooks]
Now an annual event, the Red Sox held a ping-pong tournament yesterday for a segment on Comcast Sportsnet. Last year’s winner was Mike Lowell but unwilling to not acquire more hardware, Dustin Pedroia took home the “coveted” golden paddle award besting his double play partner Jed Lowrie in the finals. Look at that maniacal grin on Lowrie’s face though, that’s the look of a man possessed, watch out Julio Lugo.
Rick Reilly wrote an interesting concept article the other day for ESPN where he awards MVP awards to players who were beaten out by steroid users. However, I find that he makes some ridiculous assumptions within his piece.
For example, “here’s yours from 2001, Luis Gonzalez, after you finished behind The Barry Bonds Pharmacy. We won’t even mention the home run title you would’ve won that year.” Now, while there is no tangible evidence that Gonzo used steroids, there was that spike from 31 homers in 2000 and then 2001’s 57, followed by a return to the 28 home run range that he had been in the rest of his career. But sure, we’ll assume that Gonzo did it clean.
Reilly isn’t done with picking and choosing his assumptions though, moving on to awarding Albert Pujols 3 more MVP awards saying:
[Pujols] hit .335 and averaged 41 bombs [from 2002 to 2004] and yet you finished second behind the clearly creaming Bonds in ’02 and ’03 and third behind Bonds and Adrian Beltre in ’04. We’re throwing out Beltre since, while he denies ever using PEDs, he fell off the face of the planet once baseball put in stricter steroid suspensions in 2005. If he wasn’t cheating, I’m the Queen Mother.
So, Beltre is suspect despite insisting he never used steroids and had his best year in a contract push, so immediately Reilly assumes that Beltre is guilty. Sure, that’s some sound logic.
This is what I hate about the Steroids Era, everyone is suspect, but then reporters will pick and choose who they think WASN’T using. Sure, you’ll say Luis Gonzalez is clean because he’s a nice guy, ignoring that he produced a stat-line completely out of line with any of his other career numbers. Sure, Reilly will accuse Beltre who hasn’t been listed in any steroids talk because he’s a sourpuss and not fun for reporters to talk to, but ignore a player like Ivan Rodriguez who played with all the other Rangers users, noticeably shrank in size and production and jobbed Pedro of the ’99 MVP. But oops, there I am making an assumption!
Here’s the deal, people won awards by cheating, people played in the big leagues or stayed in the big leagues through cheating, and the reason it happened was that everyone was getting paid. Reporters didn’t write the stories because interest in baseball was high and newspapers need readers. Owners didn’t press because fans were in the seats and buying foam fingers. The players didn’t care because everyone’s salaries were rising rising rising.
Now, an entire era is tainted, a whole slew of players will forever be in doubt unless there is some way to retroactively test everyone. So it goes. That unfortunately is the way it is. The only thing to do is to accept it, ensure that there is nothing going on anymore and the drugs can’t still be used. However, we can’t just pick and choose anecdotal evidence and decide who did and didn’t, it’s irresponsible, it’s unfair and it’s wrong.
Reilly should know better, I know he only has to write like 50 words but c’mon, you can do better.
[ESPN]
19
Feb
09
Think He’ll Sign with the MLS?
Vodpod videos no longer available.
That’s 6 year old Frenchman Madin Mohammed plying his soccer skills, who is already being compared to Zinedine Zidane and has Real Madrid and Chelsea scouting him. To be fair, I also look that good on a soccer field when I play against 6 year olds. I fucking DOMINATE those little kids.
Christian Lazaoui, president of Roubaix, Madin’s local club, said “He has an amazing talent. He plays every day and has a great passion for football. “He can cross the ball, control it, swerve, pass between the legs – he is spectacular with the ball… he really is magic with it.” I’m sure that that is in reference to Madin, but I’m gonna take it as a compliment of my own skills.
19
Feb
09
Rugby Be Violent
Rugby baffles me still, I understand the rules and all but I just don’t see the appeal. Then again, maybe I’m more of a delicate flower than most rugby players. By which obviously I mean that I’m super tough I just don’t want to play. Yeah!
Anyhoo, here is some rugby game with a prime example of why I have nothing to do with this sport. Fast forward in the clip to about the 50 second mark to see a rocking take-down that leaves the opposing player on the ground quite dazed. Enjoy!
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