Archive for the 'Random' Category



25
Jun
08

Wimbledon Employs Pigeon Assasins

The tournament at Wimbledon has begun play, and as someone who especially loves the grass, I am excited. It hasn’t been all fun and games across the pond though, Wimbledon it seems is besieged by pigeons that disturb the players and the courts.

Initially 2 hawks were employed to dissuade pigeons from being in the area and bothering players on the courts. Unfortunately the hawks were unable to do the job completely, and so the staff at Wimbledon turned to some army marksmen to cull the pigeons.

“The hawks are our first line of deterrent, and by and large they do the job,” Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins said. “But unfortunately there were one or two areas where the hawks didn’t deter the pigeons, so it was deemed necessary to take a harder approach.”

Predicatably, the whiners at PETA immediately took offense to this and started making trouble.

“Since the use of marksmen to kill pigeons appears to have been carried out as a first, rather than a last resort, and not out of a concern for public health, but rather because the animals were deemed inconvenient by players, you appear to be in clear violation of the law,” PETA vice-president Bruce Friedrich said.

Ignoring the fact that PETA is totally ignoring that Wimbledon first tried to use hawks to get rid of the pigeons, the fact that army marksmen were being used to do this is totally awesome; and second of all, who gives a shit? They’re pigeons! Even the most ardent Buddhist could care less about pigeons, they’re flying rats. They spread disease, they poop on everything and provide zero benefit to the world. Even further, it’s not as though there is a lack of pigeons in England. I’ve lived in England, there are too many goddamn pigeons there, killing the few that are around Wimbledon is no big deal and there will be no discernible difference in the nation. It’s not as though they are endangered, or protected, or useful, or attractive, or interesting.

Also, I love that, to PETA, it’s totally fine for hawks to kill pigeons but not humans. I can gurantee that the marksmen kill the birds a whole lot faster and painlessly than the hawks do. If I had to choose an expert marksman or a hawk to kill me, I think the decision is pretty easy. So PETA doesn’t mind animal-on-animal violence right? Well, what exactly are humans if not smarter animals? So Bruce Friedrich, sit down and shut up, no one is going to rally around your cause for pigeons.

Maybe if they were cuter. Or nicer. Or worthwhile in any manner. But they aren’t. I only wish the marksman could set up outside PETA. No wait, that’d be cruel.

I only wish that a swarm of hawks can be released inside PETA headquarters. I’m perfectly willing to allow some pigeons to live if it were to mean less PETA douches.

24
Jun
08

As Long As We’ve Got Each Other

Sure the hockey season is now over, and all 35 hockey fans are totally saddened by that. However, today we bring you a fine hockey video that is notable. The reason for that is because this is from the Blues fanfest held sometime during the season which featured a “celebrity” hockey game. With the game down to penalty shots, the Yellow team turned their lonely eyes to a man who wanted to show them his smile again; that man, Growing Pains dad Alan Thicke.

Sure he’s not super slick on the skates, and his triple deke move left a lot to be desired, but c’mon, it’s Alan Thicke! After all, he did help raise Kirk Cameron into a fine young gentleman and there isn’t a price that can be put on that. Plus he takes the net out but managed to get the shot in goal before he did so, that’s a skill move. Finally, it’s hard to hear, but after he scores they play the Growing Pains theme song which is one of the best of all time. So, all in all, a highly worthy clip for his resume in the TV dad Hall-of-Fame.

19
Jun
08

Baseball is Amazing!

Last year, on June 17th Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers, hit an inside-the-park home run (video HERE). That’s pretty remarkable because he’s about 260 pounds and not fleet of foot. Today, June 19th, in the 5th inning, Prince hit ANOTHER inside-the-parker! Nearly a year to the day! Amazing! That has to be the only time in baseball history that almost exactly to the day that a man hits an inside-the-park home run, especially one as large and slow as Prince. Tim Kurkjian and Jayson Stark are going to be creaming themselves looking this one up!

t1_fielder

18
Jun
08

This Guy Loves Only One Thing More than America

dsc01675

“Hey man, wanna go to the Yankees game against the Padres with me?”

“Definitely! Hey you know what will make us totally awesome and show everyone how much we care about baseball?”

“Bring an American flag to aimlessly hold when they do ‘God Bless America’!”

“You read my mind! Lemme just change into my lucky pot leaf shirt and I’ll be good to go.”

“I love weed!”

“Where are we going again?”

2589026230_370509108f

Of course, this isn’t the first time weed and sports have overlapped…

17
Jun
08

Is It OK to Get Your Ass Kicked by a 5 Year Old?

Vodpod videos no longer available.

I took karate at the YMCA so I know that I’m pretty damn tough, but watching this video of a 5 year old boxer makes me glad that I’m not in the ring with him. First off, his nickname is Pretty Boy Bam Bam, that’s awesome! He definitely came up with that one on his own. Second off, listen to the crack when he’s throwing those punches, I’d get beat up and then I’d have to go hide in the mountains in Nepal to try and escape the embarrassment. But even the monks up there would be like “There is the loser who got beat up by a 5 year old,” and then they’d make me get all the firewood.

There’s no escape.

17
Jun
08

Marketing Can be Terrifying

Here’s a marketing campaign that ESPN has apparently been using, I’m guessing to advertisers but I don’t know for certain, if anyone out there does, please let me know.

Click the image to see it larger.

Regardless, I like the idea that ESPN gets you closer, but those eyeballs are terrifying and the packaging even more so. If I opened that box and a giant eyeball was staring back at me, I’d freak out. Did one of my friends get so high that he took his own eyes out? Is it a warning from the Mafia because of that shipment of flat screen TVs I stole from them? Is that sailor I “accidentally” killed with a tire iron on spring break sending me message?

Whatever, I want the baseball.

[Scaryideas.com]

16
Jun
08

How to Settle a Welsh Pub Argument

It has been said that Great Britain and the United States are two nations separated by a common language. I’d say that it is events like the following that are the true separators. In the Welsh village of Llanwrtyd Wells (how in the world is that pronounced?) they held their 28th annual Horse-vs-Man 22-mile race. Nearly 500 runners went up against 46 horses in the contest through the hills of Wales.

This year, John Mcfarlane (human) was bested by a mere 30 seconds by Dukes Touch of Fun (horse), making the record for the equines in this race a robust 26-2. Three years ago, Huw Lobb (seriously, Welsh is an alien language right?) became the first human to win the race, and last year German Florian Holtinger outran the same Dukes Touch of Fun by 11 minutes to win. Dukes got his revenge this year, edging out Mcfarlane and retaining the crown for horses everywhere. For Geoffrey Allen, owner of Dukes Touch of Fun, the day was quite the success and he was very proud of his horse. “She deserves a good rest and some extra carrots now,” he said after the race.

Gordon Green, the organizer of the event said, “Everybody finished the race with no problems and it has been a great day – the weather was perfect. It’s not just eccentric – we’re the largest horse race in Britain, as the Grand National only has 40 horses.” Green, who is one of the founders of the race, explained the rationale of the event.

“It started from a conversation we had with huntsmen in a pub, about who would be fastest over a long distance. I said a runner would be fastest, and the huntsmen said it would be a horse. We’ve been running it ever since. It is getting better and better with people coming from far and wide.”

This isn’t even the strangest athletic event in the town though, as LLanwrtyd Wells also hosts the Bog Snorkeling championships every year.

So far, it looks like the horses have had the advantage, but only by a nose. I’m going back to my training to prepare for next years race, no horse can keep me down.

21
May
08

Poles? We Don’t Need no Stinkin’ Poles!

Most people are looking forward to the upcoming long weekend, but for some avid sportsmen in Vermont, May 25 signals the end of days. That’s because this coming Sunday is the final day of the annual Vermont fish shooting season, an activity allowed only on the northeastern part of Lake Champlain and nowhere else in the country. From March 25 to May 25 fishermen (hunters?) are allowed to use guns and particularly shotguns in order to go after the carp, bowfin and pike that reside in the lake.

‘It’s harder to shoot a swimming fish than it is a flying duck, though it’s not easy to shoot either,” said Ron Gallant, a hunter from New Hampshire. John Noyes of Vermont said: ”Some people think it’s like shooting fish in a barrel, but it’s not that easy. It takes a lot more stamina than sitting on a river bank with a pole.”

So long as you are not using a semi-automatic weapon able to house 7 or more rounds, anything goes. You want to use a .357 Magnum, go nuts. I’m not a hunter, I’ve never gone ever, although I wouldn’t be totally opposed, I’ve just never had the opportunity, nor do I think I have the requisite patience required for such an affair. Fishing I’ve done, and found it to be incredibly mind-numbingly boring, although, I did once catch a speedboat from a bridge overpass, and the dude whose boat it was cussed me out pretty good, helping my 8 year old self learn some valuable swear words.

According to a Vermont gaming spokesman, the annual fish shooting is not a ”sporting event,” and he added: ”We’ve always had people try to stop the shoot. The idea of banning it has been introduced in the Legislature, but it never got off the ground.”

Apparently “the hunters regard the fish shoot as a way to take advantage of the good weather after a long, cold winter. ”It’s a way to get out of doors with the guys and a chance of landing a large pike,” Gallant said.

I’m not totally surprised by this, Vermont has some of the loosest gun laws in the country (despite their reputation for liberalism) and people in that area love to hunt from what I’ve gathered. That said, shooting fish just seems neither sporting nor difficult and more rednecky than anything else. At least it’s not dynamite fishing I suppose. It would seem to me that shooting fish would be more damaging to the good parts of the fish to eat, not to mention leaving lots of fun little pellets within the fish itself. Nothing I enjoy more than biting into some food and finding tiny metal shards used to bring said creature’s death about. Fun!

That said, who wants to get a gun and go shoot some fish, let’s make our own deadliest catch…

16
May
08

The Most Definitive Interview of the Decade!

There are times when the Internet is a really beautiful thing. Take for instance my posting last month about Shaun Weiss, who as a teenager played the role of “Goldberg the Goalie” in the Mighty Ducks movies. It received some pretty good page views, seemed well liked, and then, I received this comment,

Hey, it’s Shaun Weiss. This article is HYSTERICAL and makes me feel famous again. Didn’t lose weight on purpose but the ‘Duck’ money ran out and I’m just not eating as many steaks! And hey, you still recognized me in less than 30 seconds, the other day I stood in line behind Ed Norton at Gelson’s for ten minutes and had no idea till someone told me- so there. And no. not even my mother has ever written anything that long about me. Quack-
Weiss.

I love the Internet! Also, he’s totally right, my first article IS hilarious. So I emailed Shaun and asked if he’d be down for an interview via email and he agreed. Come along as I strap on my outer Barbara Walters (gross…) and Shaun reveals the truth behind the Ducks movies and the seedy underbelly of American celebrity worship.

goldberg

Slanch: If you could fight one other child sports actor who would it be?

Weiss: Thomas Ian Nicholas. That guy has always annoyed me and he used to carry around his guitar and sing Christian songs to everybody.

Watch your back Henry Rowengartner, Goldberg isn't the only one that wants to come after you...

S: Did it bother you how the Ducks were the best youth team in the world in D2, but only one player could get above the freshmen team in D3?

W: Not really, they were all older and bigger. An average squad of seniors should be able to handle some 15 year olds- no matter how good they are.

S: Do you get free tickets to Anaheim Ducks games?

W: I used to, until one particular incident that you’ll have to research yourself. Google: Goldberg, Arrowhead Pond, VIP box, hooker,cocaine…

 

We’ve all had to kill a few hookers in our day…

 

(Go after the jump for the rest of the interview that will blow your brain; Emilio Estevez, Rollerblading, backstage orgies, oh my!)
12
May
08

How Much Do YOU Love Wiffleball?

This guy and his kids LOVE wiffleball the most. Check out this video, not only have they built a totally awesome stadium in their front-lawn, but the guy who built it is kinda hilariously crazy, in a suburban Dad kind of way.


Also, I totally want to play wiffs in that replica Fenway stadium. You guys that made it, send me an email and let’s play!

04
May
08

People Like Horseys More Than You

At Saturday’s running of the Kentucky Derby the only filly in the race, Eight Belles valiantly raced to second place, but her near-victory was short-lived as in the process she broke both her front ankles and it became necessary to euthanize her on the track immediately. For those of you wondering why it was necessary to euthanize her because of her broken ankles, the answer is here. Of course, with such a popular event like the Kentucky Derby invariably a circus-like atmosphere can develop.

For example, the pre-race hullabaloo included making sure the Democrat candidates made their picks for the race. Barack Obama picked Big Brown, the favorite before the race, who did indeed go on to win. Hillary Clinton’s choice though was fellow filly Eight Belles. Not exactly the best omen for one’s campaign to present.

When the injury to Barbaro in 2006 occurred there was an outpouring of ridiculousness from all sorts of people across the world. Fan blogs, message boards, people sending gifts, and giant cards were just the beginning with the insane way people reacted, and overreacted to the accident that befell a horse. After all, in the end it is just a horse and this is no longer the 19th century and horses are unnecessary anymore except as rich guy status symbols. I love that these people who cared so much about Barbaro and somehow found inspiration or something in his attempts to recover could give a shit about actual people in the world. However, a horse that they never met, would never interact with, that could care less about you and your thoughts and that was the plaything of some rich people to prove how big their wallet-dicks are, was such a focal point in these crazy people’s clearly otherwise empty and pathetic lives.

Continue reading ‘People Like Horseys More Than You’

02
May
08

Jose Canseco No Longer is Encino Man

Jose Canseco is a douche, we’ve established this, it seems though, that his bad luck continues to follow him. First he gets blackballed by baseball because he can’t hit a fastball or a breaking ball anymore and can’t play in the field, the NERVE! Now, in an attempt to qualify for US Weekly’s “Stars They’re Just Like Us” (using the term “star” very very very loosely) Jose admitted that his Encino home was foreclosed upon.

It seems that Jose’s manse, which admittedly seems quite nice, with its 7000 square feet and stylish front door design, has over $2.5 million owed on it. What the Surreal Life money didn’t cover that?

“I’ve been out of the game for about eight or nine years and obviously this [is an] issue with the foreclosure on my home,” he told “Inside Edition”.

“I do have a judgment on my home and it to me is very strange because it didn’t make financial sense for me to keep paying a mortgage on a home that was basically owned by someone else,” he said.

How very astute and responsible of Jose. Fortunately, he’s not actually homeless like most people would be after having their home foreclosed on, but he ain’t doing great neither. Canseco said much of the money he earned from playing ball went to pay for his divorces. “I had a couple of divorces that cost me $7 or $8 million.” Yowzers. Then again, if I had to be married to a ‘roid using, tiny dicked Jose Canseco I too would clean him out in a divorce.

Now to clarify, I don’t HATE Jose, I just think he’s a scumbag. In his first book, “Juiced,” I appreciated and believed the things he wrote about the various players who used steroids. And he was vindicated when other evidence came out about those players, but then Jose’s humongous ego came back into play. At that point it became about how baseball kicked him out for telling the truth, (not because he simply wasn’t good enough without the steroids and that his body was breaking down and his reaction time was non-existent) and about how Jose believed himself to somehow be the rescuer of baseball on some giant white stallion.

With “Vindicated” he seems to simply be making up stories for the sole purpose of selling books. That’s fine, but that’s called fiction, and he shouldn’t pretend he’s doing otherwise.

However, I am glad about this story about his home. Not so much because he lost his house because as toolsy as he is, that still is a major jones, but, more because I found out that Jose used to live in Encino.

It makes so much sense now! Jose is really just a caveman found and unfrozen by Paulie Shore and Sean Astin and who ended up becoming a baseball player! I can’t believe it has taken us this long to realize. Much like how “Vindicated” is fiction, Encino Man is cinema verité!

=

The truth comes out at last!




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