Archive for June, 2009



08
Jun
09

Mike Winters’ Mouth Needs to Be Washed With Soap

Umpire Mike Winters likes to talk a bit of a blue steak. He’s the umpire who 2 years ago angered Milton Bradley by telling him to “shut the fuck up and play the game,” Bradley complained that Winters was “treating him like a piece of shit,” and Winters told Bradley that he was “fucking piece of shit.” Bradley went after him and tore his own ACL in the process. Oops. Also, in 1998 apparently Winters told Charlie Hayes to “go fuck himself” when arguing balls and strikes which made HAYES go crazy. Clearly Winters is a people person.

So, it’s fair to say that Winters likes telling players to go fuck themselves. This video, captured from Saturday’s Dodgers/Phillies game features Matt Kemp getting a called third strike and then complaining to Winters about the call. Winters, thanks to the Fox microphones can clearly be heard telling Kemp that no, in fact he isn’t “fucking kidding.” Fun!

[CMSB]

08
Jun
09

F1 Star Painted in His Own Oil

Hamilton_Oil_01

The above portrait of 2008 F1 champion Lewis Hamilton is due to make its first public unveiling at a VIP event at the British Grand Prix, an event the British-born Hamilton won last year. What makes it particularly notable is that the artist, David Macaluso used the race-oil from Hamilton’s championship-winning McLaren as his supplies. The portrait, paid for by Hamilton’s sponsor, ExxonMobil is not the first that Macaluso has done using motor oil, portraying President Obama in a similar style painting as well.

When explaining his choice of materials, Macaluso said (through an ExxonMobil press release) that,

Painting with the Mobil 1 used motor oil offered a wide range of tones and was obviously a very refined product from its texture. It was extremely smooth and very particle-rich, with all the engine dirt in perpetual suspension, making for a great painting medium.

Hamilton himself likes the painting saying he was “very impressed with the oil painting.”

For more of Macaluso’s work, check out his homepage here.

[Jalopnik]

08
Jun
09

I Thought Center Field was a Glamour Position

During yesterday’s Sox/Rangers tilt, after making a phenomenal catch, Jacoby Ellsbury reinjured the shoulder he tweaked earlier in the game, forcing him to have to come out. With the return of Mark Kotsay to the Sox bench, there are now two center field options, him and Rocco Baldelli and it seems neither was particularly excited to play center. The two men squared off in the oldest of baseball traditions, deciding who plays where via Rocks-Paper-Scissors. Baldelli wins and gets to play right.

I like that Tito allowed this, after all, what’s the difference? Both men play the position solidly and no one else was available with JD Drew having received a cortisone shot earlier in the day. No reason to make it a big deal. I like it!

[Sox & Dawgs]


07
Jun
09

A Rays Doppelganger to Rescue Us All

At the time the Detroit Tigers traded Matt Joyce for Edwin Jackson, the consensus was that the Rays had received the better end of the deal. As of today, Jackson is among the leaders for lowest ERA this season and just won his 6th game; Joyce was only just recently called up after hitting .315 and posting a .938 OPS in AAA. There is still a long ways to go, but it looks like the Rays made their own version of the Bronson/Wily Mo ill-fated deal the Sox made. Matt Joyce should ultimately be much better than Wily Mo, but with the paucity of quality outings by the Rays staff recently, it’s certain that, as of now, the Rays would love to take that one back. From the FX show Rescue Me, where he plays Damian, Michael Zegen is one of the acting standouts, stealing scenes as he makes his way, including a truly hilarious moment recently when he explains what a “hot lunch” is, in voting down a band name. Zegen was also in the best movie I’ve seen in the theaters this year, Adventureland where the talented actor once more stole every scene he was in. While the Rays may regret losing Jackson, you’ll never regret watching Zegen. Now, I look at these two young men and all I can think is, brothers? So, what do you think? And seriously, if you’re not watching Rescue Me, you’re missing out on some kick-ass Zegen.

Makes sure to VOTE in the poll below so that this doppelganger pairing can join its brethren on the PERMANENT Doppelgangers page.

JoyceZegen

05
Jun
09

One Man to Stop the Tanks

This has nothing to do with sports but it is simply an incredible picture. This previously unreleased photo from June 5th, 1989 is of the unknown man who stood in Tiananmen Square and blocked the tanks as three other men flee the scene. After the jump is the more well-known iconic image from this moment. The 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square was yesterday and this photo, from the AP was first made available today. Amazing.

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[The Big Picture]

Continue reading ‘One Man to Stop the Tanks’

05
Jun
09

Bill Laimbeer is a Man of Many Talents

laimbeerBill Laimbeer is best remembered for his days as one of the Detroit Pistons Bad Boys, but today spends his time as the head coach of the Detroit Shock. However, unbeknownst to most people, Laimbeer, while in high school had a pretty awesome summer job; he served as a Sleestak on the original Land of the Lost TV show in the 70s.

“I was the original Sleestak because the costumes were molded out of my body,” said Laimbeer, whose 6-foot-11 frame was what the producers wanted. “That was the TV show, this is the movie.”

“It was a great summer job. The entertainment business pays a lot of money. It was fun. You know, like I said, it paid well and you got residual checks, too.”

While the acting part wasn’t too difficult, Laimbeer did say that there was one major drawback, the suits themselves. “It was a wet suit with scales put all over it, and the mask was hot,” he said.

The actual filming involved little on Laimbeer’s part, “We’d just put our costumes on, go to our spots and stand there,” he said. “We weren’t very mobile, so we didn’t walk around any. We didn’t even make any noise, it was all dubbed in.”

Despite winning two championships as a player and three as a WNBA coach, Laimbeer said that to this day several times a year fans come up to him wanting to talk about Land of the Lost. It’s pretty awesome, almost cool enough for me to forgive him for fighting Larry Bird. Almost.

[Detroit Free-Press]

05
Jun
09

Lord Stanley is Calling

Hey remember hockey? Yeah, I’m struggling too, the ouster of the Bruins has made these playoffs hard for me to watch, but then there are goals like this super pretty one by the Penguins that remind me that hockey is pretty awesome.

04
Jun
09

Just Say No to Jeter

FP_3064699_Minka_Kelly_smallGood news for those of you still interested in my desire for Friday Night Lights actress Minka Kelly; she ISN’T marrying Derek Jeter!

Of course, I thought they were already broken up so…

But, when asked about rumors that Jeter was out ring-shopping with Kelly he responded incredulously, “The what? Engagement rumors with who? I have not heard that.”

First off, there’s nothing classier than referring to your ladyfriend as “who.”

Minka, I would treat you with respect and class, because together, we’d be magic.

MAGIC!

[NY Daily News]

 

 

04
Jun
09

De Rosa Does His Best Work on His Knees

Usually if I were referring to someone on this blog doing some of their best work on their knees I’d be using it in a pejorative sense — although, I think we can all agree there are many wonderful connotations attached to such an act — but here is Raffaele De Rosa, pro motobiker on his knees wowing the crowd.

04
Jun
09

“I Ate Some Mushrooms and Bugged Out”

jereme1Boston-born professional skater Jereme Rogers was taken to the UCLA Medical center near his home for 72 hours of observation earlier this week after taking to his roof, preaching naked to his neighbors all caused when he “ate some mushrooms and bugged out.”

Rogers, 24, who dropped out of high school to become a professional skater is extremely religious, featuring a number of tattoos with religious connotations.

On Monday at about 6:40 in the morning Rogers climbed the 20-30 feet to his roof, pulled off his boxers and started yelling and screaming. “It obviously was not an everyday experience. It was a very out-of-body experience. I’ve never had an experience like that. It was obviously something I shouldn’t have done,” Rogers told a local reporter as he rolled a marijuana joint in his bedroom. “It was just something that happened.”

Police lieutenant Jim Acquarelli was one of the officers who arrived on scene and reported that “[Rogers] would have fragmented, interrupted conversations with people that weren’t there. He never lost his balance. The potential was there for it. If he had taken a few negligible steps to the right, that would have impeded his balance and would have led to his demise.”

Rogers though felt much more confident in his balancing abilities, “I literally was walking on the edge,” he said. “[The neighbors] said my balance was amazing.”

Ultimately, Acquarelli, a former Catholic school teacher talked Rogers off the roof by speaking about spirituality with him. Rogers, who won the TransWorlds Rookie of the Year award in 2006 was taken to the hospital for observation but as of this time no charges have been filed.

As for the joint he was rolling, Rogers said that it is well known amongst his fans that he smokes, “Yeah, I’m rolling weed,” he said. “I have a medical card. I’m a weed smoker.”

[Daily Breeze]

03
Jun
09

Quite the Vantage Point for a Photo

tennislegs

“Dinara Safina serves to Victoria Azarenka during their quaterfinal match on Tuesday.”

[USA Today]

03
Jun
09

You Want Me to Bend My What, Where?

I’m sure I don’t need to remind my well-versed in gymnastics moves audience what the Marinelli Pose is; but for those unfortunate few who AREN’T familiar, it’s an incredibly difficult “inverted backbend where the whole body is supported by the mouth by gripping onto a short post that is held between the gums.” Cake!

contort_1412380c

Well, Iona Luvsandorj, 28, a resident of West Hempstead in London who was born and raised in Mongolia has been training as a contortionist for 19 years and the other day held the demanding pose for a full 33 seconds, setting a new Guiness Record by over 11 seconds. Luvsandorj is now in school studying to become a lawyer but clearly her contortionist training is still very important to her. However, despite the ridiculousness of how hard this pose looks, for Luvsandorj, it’s not a huge deal.

“It’s not painful – if it was I wouldn’t be here now. But there are very few people that can do what I am about to do, so don’t try this at home,” she said.

Yeah, I don’t she needs to worry about me trying this out on my own…

[Telegraph]




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