I was able to spend Father’s Day with my very own Father at the U.S. Open. It was a great day of golf, on a gorgeous course. We followed “Lefty” around for a while, and it seemed to do him good as he finished with 68. We hung out at the gorgeous 13 for a few hours and saw some incredible approach shots to a tight pin placement on an elevated green behind 3 bunkers. We almost got hit by Tiger’s drive on 1. We were there on 18 for Tiger’s put that sent the whole thing off to 18 more holes.

Professional golf is one of those things that should be experienced in person to truly grasp the energy, and the U.S. Open is no different. It’s great to watch on television as your favourite golfers walk up the fairway to a roar of the crowd, but the chill you will get from being the roar is even better.

Special thanks to Kyle Davidson for being important; No Special thanks to the sun block that failed me.

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Last night Manny proved all the critics wrong once again. His play in left field in Baltimore is not something we will see again anytime soon.

Keep in mind, that wasn’t after a play, or after an inning, or after anything at all. That was during the play which continues to Manny rocketing the ball into his cut off man, DPeds, who throws Aubrey Huff out at first base. Manny claims he is simply campaigning for his All Star bid.

Manny Ramirez

“I think that’s how you get your All-Star vote, I’m pretty sure that guy’s going to vote for me. One at a time, that’s how it’s going to happen.”

Later in the game Manny continued his normal antics by calling himself safe seconds after he beat out a single, everyone in the place agreed with him, save the first base umpire. Manny play baseball with the kind of joie de vivre I wish every ballplayer had, it’s amazingly fun to watch a guy love what he does that much.

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Video by Tom Guilmette.

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Apparently (and according to their subscribe-able calendar) on April 17th, the Boston Red Sox played 3 games… on 2 coasts. I guess that whole 4 season openers in/on; 4 cities, 4 coastlines, 3 countries thing wasn’t enough for them. Usually I think a doubleheader is tough enough, but the BoSox are better than that.

The (currently, though not on April 17) last place Padres could only muster up enough energy to play one game, which they probably lost, because no one on the team is aware that hitting the ball over the outfield fence automatically scores a run.

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I have 2 allegiances in baseball, Padres and Red Sox, and I had already found my way to Dodger Stadium to support the BoSox in their exhibition game, so last Friday we decided to see Peavy v. Penny and support the Pads. Left field bleachers, no Padres hats present, Kyle, Liz and myself. There we were minding our own business, cheering for our team, witnessing countless Padres fans heckled, assaulted with peanuts, popcorn, seeds, soaked with beer, etc. Granted these fans were a little more outspoken, and finally each one at some point had enough and started throwing things back or yelling back, and every one of them was kicked out. What about the 30-40 Dodger fans who started the whole ordeal? Oh, they were fine, no need to stop that kind of behaviour in the stands.

I really was shocked, I had dealt with some obnoxious Dodger fans at moments in the old days of The Murph, I guess I just expected that to be the exception, not the rule. It is definitely the rule. The Dodger organization apparently supports this kind of behaviour and does not care about the fans of opposing teams and their right to enjoy a ballgame. The Dodger organization is a classless lot, which is probably why their fans like them.

We sat in the front of a section, Dodger fans behind us, it started out quite friendly and the guy directly behind me realised we knew baseball and we had some good fun talking a little trash with a known and vocalized respect that it was all in the fun of the game. I love trash talking, it’s encouraged, but at the end of the day, when the game is over, let’s go have a beer and laugh about whichever of our teams sucked the worse, it’s just a game. So this guy had a couple friends with him, they were apparently die hard fans (whom later told me they didn’t even like the Dodgers, and only came because of a free ticket) who refused to let any sort of friendliness exist with Padres fans. They decided the best way to act was to constantly talk trash and heckle while their team was losing.

Soon they realised we didn’t really care about what they had to say, and if they were gonna annoy us they had to step it up, so they did. Next thing you know I have a guy pulling up my hood. Is this 4th grade? Is this really happening? I shrug it off, whatever, we have style and grace they lack. The Padres continue with the monster 4th inning which seems to seriously upset said Dodger fans. Now they have moved on to poking us in the back, now mind you the main offender was already warned to stop causing trouble earlier when he was throwing seeds at people, so I turn around and tell the guy that if he touches me again, I’ll tell security he is back to throwing seeds at people and there happens to be a huge pile right behind me that will dispute his surefire response to not having anymore seeds, of course since it’s 4th grade he pokes me in the back once I turn around.

So then I turn and glare, and this guy thinks it’s a good idea to touch my face, now I know how this stuff works, he wants me to hit him, but I’d rather introduce him to the full face wipe, and then it gets a little heated and out of precaution Kyle restrains me. So I walk over to security, let them know the guys behind us are “poking and touching us the whole game” (yes, definitely the creepiest thing I have said in a while) and that I want them thrown out. So security takes them out, for 10 minutes, and then lets them back in. Wait, what? Yeah, apparently they just needed a time out. Well knowing these guys behaviour and track record you can bet they didn’t just calm down after almost being kicked out. Instead they tried to plot what they would do to us once they got their chance.

The main flaw in trying to plan an attack on people sitting right in front of you, is that they are right in front of you. I heard every word, and was planning my counter attack. My counter attack was brilliant and mostly involved ducking and shoving him down the stairs. I spent the rest of the game waiting for these guys to jump out of their seat and try to hit me, it was a really great way to enjoy a Padres victory. They stayed seated because a couple of LAPD had posted up near our section, joining the security a few feet away from us. I was even more excited for the assault now, knowing I would get to press charges, but eventually the officers decided to walk across to the opposite end of the bleacher, and conveniently the security guard left too.

The chatter of their plans grew more intense, and I kept an eye turned towards the main offender. Kyle and I exchanged some glances that ensured we were on the same page. During one of my looks back, the third rabble-rouser who was very intoxicated decided to show me the knife he had. He pulled it out of his pocket, and gave me a look that wasn’t very welcoming. I’ve never been in a knife fight, and I imagine they aren’t like the ones in Westside Story, I imagine this guy is the sort to let his friends start a commotion and slip in and stab somebody in the middle of it all.

So to make sure we are all up to speed, the Dodger fans behind us, who were only there because of free tickets, who had already been kicked out for their behaviour, but then were allowed back in, who were also allowed in with a knife, were behind us plotting their attack. After 2 outs in the ninth, we left, I turned around to the 2 sober ones and said “guys, it’s only a game”, extended my hand to them and left.

Thanks for the great night of baseball Los Angeles.

Interested in the Dodger Stadium code of conduct? I wonder if anyone who works there has ever read that?

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Go ahead, join it, and let the trash talking begin. If anyone wants to get into a crazy full on drafting league where we geek out over weird stats, let me know, I’m game for one.

League Info

Get in the action now:

http://games.espn.go.com/bbc/group?groupID=6951

Game Front:

http://games.espn.go.com/bbc/frontpage

Group: Don’t Say Industry
Password: redsox

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Brandon drove separately because they had to stop in Van Nuys (read: he doesn’t know Dodger Stadium isn’t south of Van Nuys), and once they finally got there a lovely time of heckling Yankee fans (seriously why do they show up to Dodger v. Red Sox and Angels v. Red Sox games?) and trying to convince Planet Man Ram that he didn’t need to worry about the game. Manny was focused though, and played a solid outfield for 4 innings (read: he didn’t have one ball hit to him).

I tried to convince the concession lady to put duct tape (or scribble with a Sharpie) over the Dodger’s logo on the Souvenir cup, she wouldn’t so I went with a small beverage and a Red Sox dog (there are somethings you will never do, and I won’t support the Dodgers even in my ordering habits). Cocoa Crisp made 2 terrible plays out of routine flies in center, to show us all why he lost the starting job to Ellsbury, and later showed us all why he is great trade bait as he caught one while diving into the wall.

Buchholz drove his pre-season ERA to >9, while I refused to make eye contact with, while berating, the Silverlake girls in front of us.

Dialogue With Silverlake Girl

Her: Why is every Boston fan so grumpy?
Me: I’ll throw ice at you.
Her: I think you need a beer.
Me: I think you need a shower.

It was an absolutely lovely day at the game, and even though the Sox failed to score a run, we left the day happy, because, after all, the Sox are in first place.

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Basketball Coach Billy Donovan locked his players out of their practice facility, only a few days after he said that his team wasn’t committed and doubts they ever will be.

ESPN

Coach Billy Donovan, feeling like his players had settled into a state of complacency and entitlement, banned them from Florida’s $12 million facility. He also told them they couldn’t wear any Florida attire.

This is absolutely the most amazing thing a coach has ever done. It’s absolutely fantastic to see a Coach react to his teams lack of effort by taking away the comforts that they have grown so accustomed to (some Pro Coaches should probably take this approach, starting with the Knickerbockers). ESPN went on to discuss how bad the Gators are this year, how awesome Donovan is, and how they are going to lose to my Alma Mater SDSU in the opening round of the NIT*.

If you are wondering why the title of this brings up Urban Meyer, the UF Football coach, he is the one who originally sprung this move on his Gators team in 2005.

* I made this up, probably.

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These people think the play calling would have gone the same way if there was 40 seconds less on the clock. Like the Giants would have still run plays that would have only gotten them 40 seconds away from winning the Super Bowl, and not targeted longer passes or thrown at the end zone. Wow, this is just pure hilarity:

A request for the NFL to investigate the final 1:40 of Super Bowl XLII

Nowhere in the above rules does it state that in the conditions of what was happening on the clock should be stopped. Also in addition to this six seconds were added to the game clock. Had this illegal clock stoppage not occurred there would have been 40 seconds less time on the clock, 46 seconds less if you consider the six seconds added on after the play. This means that after that play, if the clock was running the way it is supposed to by the rulebook, there would only be 42 seconds left on the clock. Furthermore if this was not enough on the subsequent play time was not taken off during the play followed by a random flashing of numbers on the clock.
The following drive took the Giants a total of 52 seconds on the game clock from the point that six seconds were added to the clock. However if the time was managed the way it was supposed to be there would have been no time left on the clock after Eli Manning was tackled at :50 seconds on the game clock. This irrefutable proof demands that Super Bowl XLII be reviewed from the point of the first illegal stoppage.

So should the Patriots have won? Who cares, Eli Manning is going to Disneyland World, maybe. More on that later, maybe.

My vote is to asterisk the Patriots record with no explanation to whether the asterisk references the “clock management violations” in the Super Bowl or the fact that the Patriots cheated this season at least once. It would be the perfect end to “The Perfect Season®”.

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Patriots players that would go in at Quarterback before Matt Cassel if Tom Brady went down in the Super Bowl:
1. Wes Welker
2. Matt Vrabel
3. Kyle Brady (As a decoy alone)
4. Troy Brown

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I have had a general distaste for most of the newer logos, but must admit a few of them have grown on me (including this years).

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Gregg Doyel wrote a fantastic piece about Rivers over at CBS Sportsline which I highly recommend reading. Doyel knows Rivers a bit more than the casual columnist as he covered Rivers college days at NC State.

Rivers’ honesty refreshing, but many don’t want to hear it

“This is one of the more fun guys in the NFL. He’s everything we say we want in a professional athlete. He talks to the media and says what’s on his mind. He shows unscripted emotion on the field. He pumps his fist and flaps his gums. He’s a professional football player, and you can tell how much fun he’s having.

And so we bitch and we gripe. Why? Because Rivers isn’t like everybody else. Never mind that we’ve already bitched and griped about athletes who are boring and talk in clichés and act aloof and seem to be playing for nothing more than a paycheck. Like Eli Manning. Never mind that we resent those guys for making football look like a miserable burden.

Here comes Philip Rivers, and he has some nerve — he’s nothing like those guys! Who does he think he is?” …

… “Philip Rivers isn’t like any of them. You know who he’s like? He’s kind of like us.”

This really couldn’t describe any more perfectly why I root for the guy. After he got drafted by the Chargers I started to hear some of the stories about his intensity and passion for the game, along with the fact that in 4 starting years he was the MVP of 5 bowl games, and you sort of got the feeling that this guy just loves football. When he steps out on the field he is the ultimate competitor and pours every ounce of everything he has into the game. Sure sometimes this backfires and he gets too pumped up and he throws a ball 4 feet over a WR’s head, sure the guy is still young and has a lot left to prove.

Rivers acts exactly the way I did when I played sports; talking all the way, stirring the rivalry and competition, loving every minute on the field. It’s perhaps why I relate so well to the guy, and why I find it so shocking that other sports fans don’t realise this guy is playing the exact same way they would. The truly refreshing thing about Rivers is that when it’s all over on the field, the switch turns off, and it stays there until the next time he steps out in competition.

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Len Pasquarelli, ESPN

“Courtesy of San Diego’s upset victory Sunday at the RCA Dome, the world won’t get to see the NFL’s two best teams vying for the right to stretch the AFC’s Super Bowl winning streak to five by whipping an overmatched NFC opponent. And we won’t have an opportunity to see another chapter written in what has grown into an epic rivalry, one in which the two organizations just flat-out don’t like each other.

The next revisiting of New England vs. Indianapolis will have to wait for another day.”

It’s really annoying when people try to hold on to statements about one team being better than another (scoreboard, everytime) when the supposedly better team lost once, let alone twice, but to act like the Chargers and Patriots don’t have a far more heated rivalry than the Pats and Colts is just ridiculous.

Do you remember the team who went into Foxborough and ended the Patriots all-time home winning streak? Do you remember the team who came into the Q last year and upset the Chargers on some 4th quarter magic, then showed their lack of class on the 50? Too recent you say? Do you remember the team who won the AFL championship in 1961 by dismantling the Boston Patriots 51-10?

There is history, and this should be an absolutely great game to watch.

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The rain and clouds provided quite the ambiance to add to the ridiculously high energy at “The Q” and I loved every minute of it.

The fabled Jordan Percy was present for said activities, and even led an expedition up Mount Ikea-Shortcut-To-The-Trolley. Jordan also has pirate facial hair currently, inspired by one Jack Sparrow, you should check it out.

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ESPN

“Williams wasn’t on the field for the start of practice Thursday. Instead, he watched from behind a window in the players’ lounge as he ate an apple.”

Do you really think it’s a good idea to give this guy an apple?

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We are all familiar with the Duke Lacrosse accusations of last year. This week the NCAA granted Duke Lacrosse coach John Danowski’s request for an extra year of eligibility. The request was first reported the week before the Men’s Final Four of Lacrosse by places such as ESPN, and was quickly written off as implausible. The NCAA however found enough just cause that the players deserved their full 4 years of eligibility that was taken from them when Duke University canceled their season 8 games in.

The NCAA stepped up huge, and this almost covers up for Duke treating the accused and the entire team so ridiculously. I hope Duke has done a lot of personal apologizing (read: settlement check writing) in the past few months, because they absolutely need to. I am now anxiously looking forward to another Duke appearance in the Championship game next year, and another season of redemption.

Not all in Lacrosse are thrilled with the decision, Virginia coach Dom Starsia said:

“Everybody in the lacrosse world was embarrassed by what happened. But it almost feels now as if nobody’s really paying for this thing. I would’ve been the first to say that Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty probably deserved another year. But I’m not sure that everybody involved here should be painted with the same broad brush and it just seems that’s what the NCAA chose to do.”

It should also be noted that this is the same Virginia who won the National Championship* in 2006, the season “*Duke was a lock to win it all before the rape allegations came out”. Dom doesn’t make a whole lot of sense here, I’m not sure if he knows the entire teams season was canceled and that the entire team was innocent and that the entire team appeared on CrimeStoppers posters or what. I think Dom should stop talking and be happy with his asterisked National Championship.

Also this week one of the former accused, Reade Seligmann, announced he will attend Brown University and play Lacrosse for the Bears. Look out Reade, those girls break hearts.

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These kind of lawsuits must come from that group of archaic minded individuals that still think; it’s a gun manufacturers responsibility when someone gets shot, it’s a girls fault for dressing “provocatively” when she gets raped, it’s McDonalds fault when you spill coffee on your lap. These people should be counter-sued for wasting the systems time.

ESPN (Source)

ST. LOUIS — The father of the late St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock has filed a lawsuit, claiming that a popular restaurant continued to provide drinks to the reliever even though he was clearly intoxicated before the drunk-driving crash that killed him.

The lawsuit brought by Dean Hancock names Mike Shannon’s Restaurant, which is owned by the long-time Cardinals broadcaster. It also names Shannon’s daughter, who’s the restaurant manager.

Police say Hancock was drunk, speeding and using a cell phone when his SUV struck the back of a tow truck in the early hours of April 29.

Also named in the lawsuit are the tow truck company and driver and the driver of the car who was getting help from the tow truck on Interstate 64.

How dare the bar not offer to drive him home, how dare they not give breathalyzer tests, how dare they think an adult should be able to be responsible enough to know their limits and/or call a cab. Shouldn’t any bar in the potential vicinity of a baseball team be closed anytime one of the teams players could potentially walk in the door anyway? Can you believe the gall of that person whose car broke down? A baseball player needed to drive drunk, why were you breaking down in his path? The tow truck driver should have known to look out for drunk drivers, that is their job you know. Why isn’t the Highway Patrol being sued because they failed to enforce the speed limit before he crashed? Why isn’t the person whom he was on the phone with being sued for not stopping him from driving?

I’m sorry for your loss Mr. Hancock, but pretending your Son didn’t have an alcohol problem, nor a penchant for the shady locale is just plain ignorant. You know who should be sued? You, Mr. Hancock. Failing to notice the demons your Son battled when he was alive and could have been helped is tragic, denying them in his death is just shameful.

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I got over the $1200.00 bike when I realised I would be scared to take it out in public, so I decided that I should purchase an urban bike. You know the kind that bike messengers ride? I would go urban biking (yeah i make up a lot of urban ______ sports, but that’s what we do here in the Arts District), I would ride at night and rule the streets.

Fortunately I have a former professional mountain biker in my friend Jordan Percy (who rides his bike to work every day, and once rode from Pacific Beach in San Diego, all the way up to Oceanside just because he was bored), and fortunately Jordan paid us a visit last week. We took some time out of our interviews and meetings to discuss my bike situation with Jordan.

Jordan shot down my urban bike idea in seconds, claiming those mountain/bmx hybrids were for adults who rode bmx bikes as kids and want to pretend like they still can so they get an urban bike. I tried to explain that I am exactly that person and have no issues with it, but he demanded we go another route. Jordan then suggested a fixed gear bike. I being a good friend have listened to Jordan talk about these bikes before and know I want no part in a bike that you have to peddle to slow down. I immediately deny him, and go back to the urban bike.

Jordan finally asks me why I want an urban bike and why I was so fixated on the $1200.00 bike, so I tell him the most honest 2-drink answer ever, “to intimidate people.” Now I’m (not yet) a cyclist, but I feel intimidation is a big part of cycling. I need to look like someone who rules the streets at night in the cutthroat world of urban biking.

Jordan finally convinces me to let him build me a perfect single speed bike from vintage road bike parts and some sort of cut off bars that will look mountain bike-esque but he assures me will still intimidate. We have not yet set a bike building day, but you shall be updated… and you have been warned.

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There were a few wardrobe delays getting to the track, but once all was overcome an absolutely wonderful time was had on a gorgeous day. I really wish they would create a Place-Show Exacta, because I would win them all (and yes I would bet it). Other important lessons learned were; the 9 horse is out to ruin me, a $0.10 Superfecta box on the entire field of 12 is costs more than you would think, some horses just have pure natural instinct to finish (with or without a jockey), the only horse I didn’t bet on is always going to win the Preakness. I missed about 5 Exacta’s by one position, blew a Superfecta by one position, and threw countless monies at horses who just couldn’t finish.

The other entertaining moments of the day were a close encounter (seated at the table next to us) with the infamous Wal-Mart wine/condom guy, and a baffling game of “are we girlfriends, or are we girlfriends” with attractive mid-twenties East Coasters as the subject.

I pretty much lost all day and had thrown in the proverbial towel on the day via text message, when my last bets all hit with the 3 horse in the Seventh. A good day turned even better, thank you for the luck kind text message-ers.

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Legedu Naanee, Wide Receiver, THE Boise State.

I love this kid, mostly because the scouting reports say “he catches the balls he is supposed to catch.” Novel approach, I know.

Brandon Siler, Line Backer, Florida.

Projected 3rd rounder this year, should have stayed for his senior year… but we get him in the 7th? That’s fine.

I feel like it was quite the draft for the Chargers, addressed the needs and got some good value. Road trip to the first public mini camp anyone?

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Then, before we could notice The Bolt was back on the screen (on a pristine white field) and traded up to pick Eric Weddle, Safety, from Utah.

I’m not sure if Eric has a knickname, and I’m not the kind of person to go handing them out… but I will propose that his finishing move (read: when he hits someone) be called “The Weddler.”

The Chargers also drafted a Line Backer, but it was past the Chargers webmasters bedtime when that happened (11:07 PM EST) so they are not yet acknowledging the pick, and thusly I cannot be proper and post his picture. We love you just as much nameless/faceless LB… really we do.

Edit:

“nameless/faceless LB” is actually Anthony Waters, Clemson University.

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The really truly amazing part about this whole ordeal to me was the fact that after all the years of profiling against minorities we decided to solve the problem by inversion. It really echoes a lot of the civil rights policies of the past few decades (Yes, I am referring to Title IX and Affirmative Action). It’s really all a microcasm for what I believe this countries biggest issue is; people do not fight for the just cause, they fight for their advantage. It’s a shame people like Jesse Jackson haven’t realised that we all deserve justice and freedom. Continuing to segregate organisations for the cause of ending the damage segregation did, is such a ridiculous concept and will never truly rid this country from the issues of colour bias. Until the NAACP becomes the NAAP we have no hope at equality, though I’ve never been sure if their goal was equality or superiority.

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper dropped all charges against the three lacrosse players…

Roy Cooper

“based on the significant inconsistencies between the evidence and the various accounts given by the accusing witness, we believe these three individuals are innocent of these charges.”

…and discussed the political motivations of the case and the prosecuting DA:

Roy Cooper

“tragic rush to accuse and a failure to verify serious allegations”

“This case shows the enormous consequences of overreaching by a prosecutor”

DA Mike Nifong, who should at any time be barred from working in the law ever again had this nice statement prepared:

Mike Nifong

“To the extent that I made judgments that ultimately proved to be incorrect, I apologize to the three students that were wrongly accused.”

It’s nice he apologised for ruining these three students lives forever, they will always be known to many as rapists (even after being found innocent). I for one, really hope he is actually help accountable for the witch hunt he led.

I am glad that our justice system got this one right, profiling people based on the colour of their skin and their societal status is wrong no matter which side of those genres they fall into. Sometimes the rich, white people are actually innocent.

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