Archive for March, 2009



24
Mar
09

Citi Field Flushes Away the Competition

New stadiums, concerned about the possibility of issues with their plumbing system, run tests to see if the system can handle having every single toilet flush simultaneously. Citi Field is no exception, especially considering it resides in Flushing, Queens…So, Uni Watch’s Paul Lukas managed to score an invitation to this special event, and blogged all about it. Along the way he scored some awesome photos of the as-yet unopened stadium that only whet my appetite for when I can afford to go see a game in late 2015.

Check out Uni Watch for the full story and plenty more pictures, but here are a couple of my favorites, starting with the NYC skyline that used to grace the Shea Stadium scoreboard that now rests atop a concession stand.

3375930702_2dfd4ee25b_b

[Uni Watch]

24
Mar
09

That’s Not a Regulation Court

In Miami, in an effort to promote the Sony Ericsson Open which begins tomorrow, Venus Williams and Andy Murray headed out to the streets. Getting on top of top specially modified cars, the two played an “impromptu” match, if a publicity stunt can be referred to as “impromptu”… No word on if the cars actually were driving around too or not with the tennis stars on top, but I for one doubt it. Meaning this promotion is lame and not dangerous enough; now, do this on the highway and I’ll be impressed.

24
Mar
09

Soriano’s Car Can Play Music Loudly

Alfonso Soriano is one of the few players to ever reach the lofty 40-40 club and he has been well-compensated for his exploits, having earned almost $50 million in salary so far. It seems that he’s been putting the money to good use, for example, here he is with his custom Cubs blue painted H2 and one of the most ridiculous looking stereo systems I’ve ever seen.

alfonso-sorianos-hummer

That’s the type of stereo that could cause you to crap yourself I think. Awesome. Look out Chicago, I have a feeling you’re about to be blasted with the smooth sounds of Reggaeton at deafening levels. Enjoy!

I also sincerely appreciate the Soriano made sure to put his name on the front of the car. I know that if I were walking by that car in the parking lot I’d likely mistake it for my own so it’s useful that there is a sign there letting me know it is in fact, not mine.

[Home Run Derby]

24
Mar
09

She’s a Man, Man, Well, Not Really, But Once, Sorta

sarahgronetGerman tennis player Sarah Gronert has been finding it difficult to gain entry into the professional ranks and has been under intense scrutiny because she was born a hermaphrodite with both male and female genitalia. Despite being medically certified as a female, other players and coaches have very strong feelings about the matter.

One opposing coach had this to say:

There is no girl who can hit serves like that, not even Venus Williams. When I heard her story, I was in shock. I don’t know if it’s fair that she can compete or not. She does have an advantage, but if this is what the WTA have decided, they probably know best. If she begins to play continuously, within six months she will be within the Top 50. This cannot be. This is not a woman, it’s a man. She does not have the power of a woman and no woman has such a technique. She serves like a man. It’s very strange.

I for one welcome Gronert to the professional tennis ranks. Let her play, tennis is boring these days if Ana Ivanovic isn’t playing anyways, why not spice it up a bit?

[Post Chronicle]

24
Mar
09

I’ll Cry if I Want to

While waiting for the Bruins’ inevitable first-round loss, here is goalie of the future Tuukka Rask in Providence during a shootout expressing his displeasure after the winning goal is called despite his belief it hit the post. Fortunately, he expresses himself in a mature, calm and thoughtful manner.

24
Mar
09

You’re Not Going Anywhere

There really are world records for anything. For instance, here is a German strong man trying to set the record for the longest time a person holds back a Lamborghini. He causes the first car to break down, which is probably no big deal, because you can get Lambos fixed super cheap and easy. Then they bring out a Diablo and he manages to hold it from driving away for 7 seconds before the power of the car is too much and it peals out. Awesome.

Since I can’t seem to get the video to not autostart, it’s after the jump, but make sure you see this. Continue reading ‘You’re Not Going Anywhere’

24
Mar
09

Drinking and Bad Hockey Go Together

The NHL is in serious financial straits and the Phoenix Coyotes are one of the teams most vulnerable, already receiving money from the league in order to try and stay afloat. So, this promotion that Sports by Brooks came across makes perfect sense to me.

fe8854faafc42393b61407ac45485088_boozefornhlticketTo be fair, I think I’d probably need more than just one bottle of Smirnoff to get through an entire game played by the Coyotes who are 39 points out of first place and are simply abysmal. The one bright side for Coyotes fans, out of the 6 last place teams the Coyotes are only the 4th worst!

[Sports by Brooks]

24
Mar
09

Who Says the CIT Isn’t Exciting

Since neither you, I, nor anyone else was going to watch the College Invitational Tournament, it’s likely that this awesome moment would normally be missed by most sports fans. That’s where I come in.

So, here is Bradley University taking on Oakland during the CIT. Bradley trailed most of the game but managed to get to tie the game with only a few seconds left. Unfortunately, Oakland managed to score again, going up 2 with only .9 seconds left, things didn’t look good for Bradley. They in-bound the ball to star player Chris Roberts’ hands and from about 75 feet away, he fires up a last ditch effort for the win. It’s here, so you can imagine what happens next.

24
Mar
09

Not That There’s Anything Wrong With It

arod3While speaking with YES for an interview airing later tonight, embattled slugger Alex Rodriguez told Michael Kay that he doesn’t think the other players’ names who tested positive in 2003 should be released.

“This is really about my mistake. You know, many nights I fell asleep thinking about who I can blame, and this guy, or that guy. And when I woke up I kept coming back to the same person; it’s me. I mean, there’s no one to blame. I hope those 103 names never come out.”

So, while he lies in bed trying to fall asleep A-Rod’s thoughts are filled with men.

Makes sense to me, especially considering last week’s photos…

Does anyone else think that A-Rod would be best served by NOT being in the public eye every second? Hey Alex, why don’t you shut the fuck up, go rehab in Colorado–DON’T FOLLOW KOBE’S REHAB IN COLORADO EXAMPLE–and come back and just play baseball?

[MLB.com]

24
Mar
09

Take the Plunge

article-0-040d0534000005dc-601_634x353Pedro Olivia, a kayaking enthusiast is also a fucking WACKO. That’s because he decided to take his kayak over the Salto Belo waterfalls off the Rio Sacre, a tributary of the Amazon in Brazil. The falls, 127 feet high, pour 5,000 cubic feet of 70 degree water every second and yet still Olivia looked at it and thought this was a good idea.

The entire fall took 2.9 seconds, with him traveling nearly 70 mph, and in the process Olivia shattered the previous world record (108 ft) for a descent in a kayak. With a drop nearly 60 feet higher than that of Niagra Falls, you’d think it would be fraught with danger, but the Salto Belo falls were specifically chosen because they provide an extra layer of safety for kayakers.

“Although people have certainly perished upon hitting a pool of water from such heights, the team counted on the massive, gushing rivers of central Brazil to produce the softest water landings on Earth,” said Ben Stookesberry, the leader of Olivia’s team.

“With the massive amount of water mixing with 127 feet of air, the landing was much more like 15 feet of churning dry powder snow than the hard surface of a lake.”

After scouring the falls for the perfect place to go over, the 26 year old Brazilian finally found the optimal boulder-free place. As his crew filmed the whole process, Olivia went over the falls, plunged head-first into a deep pool, disappearing for a few harrowing minutes until he resurfaced, unharmed behind the waterfall. He then grabbed onto a rock formation so as to right himself before floating down the river and meeting up with his crew.

“The actual free fall felt like an eternity of acceleration and waiting for a huge impact in the pool below,” Olivia said. “As I drifted over vertical into a head down position I braced for the worst in a protective tuck position. But the massive impact never came.”

“It’s a story that I will be telling for the rest of my life,” Olivia continued. “In all I have spent the better part of 13 years developing my kayaking skills, searching the Brazilian rivers for the most spectacular rapids and falls.”

I’m both jealous and very happy that I wasn’t the one doing this. But hey, Pedro now owns a world record, so that’s neat!

Here’s the link to the video of him actually going over, check it out!

[Telegraph and Daily Mail]

24
Mar
09

You’re Supposed to Stop the Goals

Shane O’Brien is a defense man for the Vancouver Canucks and his primary job responsibility is to stop goals from being scored on his team, he didn’t live up to that during a game over the weekend. Clear the puck Shane, don’t pass it into your own empty net.




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