Sorry gang, I’m in the woods today and won’t get a chance to throw any posts up unfortunately. However, I’ll be back at it late tomorrow afternoon and the new site is nearly ready so get ready! 2010: The Year of Slanch!
Archive for December, 2009
28
Dec
09
What’s Going On
Now, I’m no expert, but as I understand it, Thursday follows Wednesday and precedes Friday in the standard understanding of what makes a week. This year, Christmas — you might have noticed — falls on a Friday. So, if you’re the NFL, obviously that means Thursday Night Football right!
Um.
What?
Was Friday Night Football too difficult to say? I can’t wait to watch Monday Night Football Saturday afternoon.
I’d say I’m surprised but this is the NFL Network we’re talking about and their ineptitude is legendary.
Chris Paul, Steve Nash and even Rajon Rondo seem to garner more headlines than Utah’s Deron Williams, but that’s OK, he continues to be one of the best point guards in the league, quietly going about his business up in Salt Lake City. Take for instance, this kickass crossover he lays on Dwyane Wade before he just SLAMS one down over the Heat defense. That’s the play of a superstar.
What is less than inspiring is how Wade just completely gives up on the play almost instantly. That’s some fine hustle there Dwyane.
According to Dave Berri, an economics professor at Southern Utah University NBA players reach their peak at 24 years old and then everything from there is downhill. In an examination of every player from 1977-2008 Berri found that the average 24-year-old who plays 35 minutes a game is equal to 6 wins per season,
After that point, the player’s productivity dips. There are exceptions of course, Kobe peaked at 24 (he was worth 15.5 wins a year) but at age 31 this year he’s still worth 14.3 wins. Then there is LeBron, last season he played 2/3 of his games at age 24 and was worth a fabulous 27.7 wins for his team. He’s already shown that he’s over the hill; this season he’s worth a mere 24.2 wins. Pathetic.
It’s sad when athletes just hang on.
23
Dec
09
Talk About Gruesome
Derrick Roland is a senior guard on the Texas A&M basketball team, but last night was likely his last game in college after he suffered a BRUTAL double fracture of his fibula and tibia. Roland underwent surgery today getting an iron rod inserted into his leg. Unfortunately, because of the extent of his injuries and the need for immediate surgery, and it being an away game in Washington, Roland is stuck in Seattle for the time being. His basketball career is likely over after such a devastating injury. If you’re squeamish, I wouldn’t check it out.
In 1867 the first-ever Belmont Stakes was run, since then the third and longest leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing has been run through thick and thin; world wars, great depressions, the Carter administration, none of these were big enough to stop the race. That all might change this year. The NY Racing Association, who runs the Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga race tracks may not be able to open for the Spring-Summer season due to budgetary concerns.
“Anytime you face the possibility of not running the Belmont spring meet, and therefore the Belmont Stakes, it is a serious situation,” spokesman Dan Silver said Monday.
NYRA President Charles Hayward has reported previously that the Association is likely to run out of operating money in May or June.
One of the major stumbling blocks has been the delay in naming an operator for the slot machines at Aqueduct, which was approved in 2001 but has yet to be enacted.
Last year the NYRA received a state bailout of $30M to help stave off bankruptcy, but that money will be gone by spring meaning the Triple Crown may find itself a Double Crown for the first time.
Don’t let the her super-cute looks fool you, 22-year-old Anastasia Ashley is not just another pretty face, she’s one of the world’s top surfers. Starting from age 5, Ashley has been out on the waves and along the way she has won some of the most prestigious awards out there; she won the Rookie of the Year from the ASP and the Pro Surf Tour of America’s women’s tour championship at the ripe ol’ age of 16! She was also recently a finalist for PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian contest which is almost reason enough for me to pay attention to PETA, almost.
I think I’m going to have to watch a lot more surfing from now on, because, seriously, these women are RIDICULOUS.
Dallas Stars rookie defenseman Ivan Vishnevsky is still looking for his first NHL goal, he kind of achieved that dream though last night when he took a loose puck and accidentally deposited it in his own team’s empty net. Oops!
Andy Murray is a 22-year-old Scottish tennis star who living a pretty standard early 20s existence. For instance, his super-cute now ex-girlfriend Kim Sears broke up with Murray in November because she was tired of him playing video games 7 hours a day.
Now, a mere 5 months after passing his driver’s test Murray, the world’s #4 ranked player, decided he wanted to buy himself a used car — partly to get over his recent breakup. Like most of us buying our first cars, he wanted to get a good deal, and so, obviously, he bought a Ferrari. He DID get a good deal on the car, paying nearly £50,000 less than the cost of a new supercar, but is probably in line for a big shock when he gets his first insurance bill. 
That’s because, being a new driver, under 25-years-old, newly qualified to drive a high-performance auto and a celebrity means that his costs for insuring the car are likely to be astronomical. Murray paid £100,000 for the car and according to a survey of insurers, is likely to pay right around that sum A YEAR in order to get the appropriate insurance. Yikes!
Considering he’s already banked over £10M in endorsement contracts alone in his nascent career this purchase, and its subsequent costs, shouldn’t bankrupt the young star but it still is mighty exorbitant. But hey, he’s freaking 22-years-old, if you gave me that much money at that age I’d equally blow it in similarly fun fashion, so, more power to him. Enjoy it Andy!
Hosting the WWE’s Monday Night Raw, Johnny Damon found himself the center of some unwanted touches when he was amorously attacked by octogenarian wrestling legend Mae Young. He can deny it all he wants, but he wanted it; why else would he have dressed that way?
22
Dec
09
Melky Cabrera? That’s IT?
What the hell are the Atlanta Braves doing, all t the talk has been about how they need acquire a bat to help their struggling offense and the team’s biggest chip was Javier Vazquez who was OUTSTANDING last season. So, in a move to bolster their offense, the Braves move Javier for MELKY CABRERA? WTF?
What am I missing here? Why would the Braves look to add an outfielder who, at best, is a 20 HR hitter and has a career OPS+ of 88? They already have Nate McClouth, now they’ve added a WORSE hitter and in exchange gave up a 200 IP, 200+ strikeout, seems like some shrewd management there.
Is it possible that Melky was the BEST deal available? That can’t be true, he’s like a shittier, younger Marcus Thames and he just got traded for one of the best starters in the NL the last two seasons. At least when the Yankees acquired Vazquez the first time they included Nick Johnson who can actually perform in the majors.
With Jason Heyward, rookie extraordinaire looming, the Braves can have a pretty young outfield in place as early as next season, although, of course, one of those spots will be with Melky who really isn’t good enough to deserve it. This is a GREAT move for the Yankees and the Braves just BLEW it. After all, why would you want to trade a really valuable piece for something USEFUL!
I just hope that Vazquez’ previous struggles in NY will return, but so far, the Yankees offseason has been going swimmingly.
The Slanch Report 
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