Back in black fight fans. Black since I need to return to the grind in a couple of days. Back from an incredibly great, relaxing vacation. Back to the North of NJ.
Random thoughts from my week away:
Rehoboth Beach (and surroundings) is a great place
Crabs are plentiful in the Delmarva
Check out what may be my favorite restaurant here
Why do vacation haunts always have a 20" TV?
Any place with outlet shopping attracts interesting types
The Phillies may have the biggest bunch of homers broadcasting
Apparently ESPN is letting Baseball Tonight take a backseat to football now
Five Guys makes what might be the best burger I've ever tasted
Mets need some bullpen help. Quickly
Jake's is highly recommended
The Cape May-Lewes Ferry is a great way to travel
The price of gas is killing me. Who remembers (the good old days) two summers ago when we we're topping 2 bucks.
The Yankees are just about D-E-A-D
My NFL team, the Oakland Raiders will be lucky to go 4-12
A-Rod just hit into another DP to kill a rally
I feel sorry for the Rays - how about showing up Tampa folks?
How come the worst shows are in re-runs?
Some good TV begins this week (besides baseball)
Scott Boras is an a**
Have a safe Labor Day.
8.31.2008
8.22.2008
Sand and Surf
So for all my loyal listeners - vacation has arrived. And I am off!
Going to the great state of Delaware, for a week of beachtime. As you may or may not know, people from NJ don't go the beach, we go to the shore. But once your at the shore you can go to the beach. But since I'm going to another state, I guess I'm going to the beach.
Access to the WWW will be limited while I'm away, so you'll have to make do. Be back soon....
8.19.2008
The Curse of Ryan
I often have spirited discussions with friends and acquaintances who root for the NY Yankees. If you live in the NYC area, you know the type; the one's who always bring up 26 World Championships, 1986 as the last year the NY Mets won the series, etc. These discussions always end up with me winning this battle of wits, because: 1) they are ill-prepared for my devastating rips, and 2) they've been drinking the Yankee Kool-aid for way too long.
So let me let you in on a little secret: the NY Yankees have been under the spell of The Curse of Ryan since they last won the series. What is The Curse of Ryan, you ask? Let's digress.
Obviously you all know the famous ones - Curse of the Bambino, finally exorcised in 2004; there is the Curse of the Billy Goat, which is still going strong, but looks like it has chance to graze no more; and a lot of people, especially them's in New England point to the Curse of A-Rod. Well how about the more obscure curses - like the Curse of the ex-Cubs, which has not always been fool-proof, but has a pretty good batting average all the same; or the Curse of Pedro Borbon.
Liking the whole voodoo of the curse factor, I propose that The Curse of Ryan is now in full effect. So here's the tale.
On October 26, 2000, a young man was born named Ryan. His dad (that would be me) is a HUGE METS FAN (all caps on that). The evening of 10/26/2000 was also the night the Mets lost the World Series to the Yanks at Shea. Bittersweet, since the birth of my second son was so joyous, but sad because my Mets lost. So Ryan placed the curse that night, for the Yankees to never win the WS again.
And, yes, I know, they got there in 2001, but the kid was a year old folks. The little guy's mojo wasn't too strong yet. Every year though, he gets older and the curse is getting stronger. He's 7 now, and the Curse is keeping the NYY down in the standings. By the time he's 13, the Yankees will resemble the KC Royals!
So a message to you all - he won't take it off, and you all have your celebrating at Shea on that night to blame. Light a candle, say a novena, because it's on.
Note: Pick up Baseball's Most Wanted if you want to read about a ton of BB oddities. Great read.
So let me let you in on a little secret: the NY Yankees have been under the spell of The Curse of Ryan since they last won the series. What is The Curse of Ryan, you ask? Let's digress.
Obviously you all know the famous ones - Curse of the Bambino, finally exorcised in 2004; there is the Curse of the Billy Goat, which is still going strong, but looks like it has chance to graze no more; and a lot of people, especially them's in New England point to the Curse of A-Rod. Well how about the more obscure curses - like the Curse of the ex-Cubs, which has not always been fool-proof, but has a pretty good batting average all the same; or the Curse of Pedro Borbon.
Liking the whole voodoo of the curse factor, I propose that The Curse of Ryan is now in full effect. So here's the tale.
On October 26, 2000, a young man was born named Ryan. His dad (that would be me) is a HUGE METS FAN (all caps on that). The evening of 10/26/2000 was also the night the Mets lost the World Series to the Yanks at Shea. Bittersweet, since the birth of my second son was so joyous, but sad because my Mets lost. So Ryan placed the curse that night, for the Yankees to never win the WS again.
And, yes, I know, they got there in 2001, but the kid was a year old folks. The little guy's mojo wasn't too strong yet. Every year though, he gets older and the curse is getting stronger. He's 7 now, and the Curse is keeping the NYY down in the standings. By the time he's 13, the Yankees will resemble the KC Royals!
So a message to you all - he won't take it off, and you all have your celebrating at Shea on that night to blame. Light a candle, say a novena, because it's on.
Note: Pick up Baseball's Most Wanted if you want to read about a ton of BB oddities. Great read.
8.15.2008
Lettuce Story
Remember Bob Probert? Maybe the toughest SOB ever to lace up a pair of Bauers. Goon of goons, the self-proclaimed heavyweight champ of hockey. But this guy had nothing on the ladies at my local supermarket over at the Salad Bar.
I felt like a salad for lunch - and I work near home. So I went to my local market, where the greens are a known quantity. I'm pretty simple with a salad; some lettuce (except iceberg), some tomatoes, maybe a little pasta florentine and away I go. Grab my plastic container, work the tongs and voila! - lunch.
Now, the salad bar is a two-sided extravaganza, with a little alcove area at the end for your fruit-based components. Plenty of room for the nimble to load up and move on. Nope.
I get there during lunchtime and head straight to the SB. And when I get there, I spy two women descending on this island of earthy goodness - one to a side. And then it begins. Neither woman will allow me the courtesy of laying down a bed of greens on my canvas of plastic. They hunch over the lettuce areas like vultures. And I swear, one of them was picking up individual romaine bits piece by piece, examining them like a forensic pathologist and placing the bits that passed muster into her tub. It was maddening. The best part was the evil glances they kept giving me while I waited. And since I was growing a bit impatient, I decided to make a move in to the sway. And that's when individual-piece-of-lettuce lady threw the block, almost a hip check really, so I could not enter the veggie zone. Wow. But since I was raised a gentleman, I could not punch either lady in the side of the head like I so desperately wanted.
My saving grace was they saw some poor schmo looking to buy some clams or a piece of Chilean Sea Bass (which is neither from Chile or a bass), and looked to give him a hard time.
And after some time, I was able to fill my container with my choice of farm-fresh produce and go on my way. Rough.
Maybe I should have gone for a slice instead.
I felt like a salad for lunch - and I work near home. So I went to my local market, where the greens are a known quantity. I'm pretty simple with a salad; some lettuce (except iceberg), some tomatoes, maybe a little pasta florentine and away I go. Grab my plastic container, work the tongs and voila! - lunch.
Now, the salad bar is a two-sided extravaganza, with a little alcove area at the end for your fruit-based components. Plenty of room for the nimble to load up and move on. Nope.
I get there during lunchtime and head straight to the SB. And when I get there, I spy two women descending on this island of earthy goodness - one to a side. And then it begins. Neither woman will allow me the courtesy of laying down a bed of greens on my canvas of plastic. They hunch over the lettuce areas like vultures. And I swear, one of them was picking up individual romaine bits piece by piece, examining them like a forensic pathologist and placing the bits that passed muster into her tub. It was maddening. The best part was the evil glances they kept giving me while I waited. And since I was growing a bit impatient, I decided to make a move in to the sway. And that's when individual-piece-of-lettuce lady threw the block, almost a hip check really, so I could not enter the veggie zone. Wow. But since I was raised a gentleman, I could not punch either lady in the side of the head like I so desperately wanted.
My saving grace was they saw some poor schmo looking to buy some clams or a piece of Chilean Sea Bass (which is neither from Chile or a bass), and looked to give him a hard time.
And after some time, I was able to fill my container with my choice of farm-fresh produce and go on my way. Rough.
Maybe I should have gone for a slice instead.
8.14.2008
The Olympics
So, it's four years already. Time flies. Olympics, Summer that is.
Remember when both Winter and Summer Olympics were in the same year (or thereabouts)? But awhile back (1994), the IOC (which has a reputation that makes the Gambinos look like candy-stripers), decided that they should stagger the games, and have one happen every two years, which of course, makes them less special. Great job, IOC!
Anyhoo - now the SO is back, and NBC's got 'em. And showin' 'em. Everywhere. On my TV, with about 5 channels (though I didn't count), on my PC, and if I had a cell-phone, I guess I could get it there as well.
And judging from the medal count, once a communist regime is over-turned, a country loses all hope of multiple medals. See USSR and East Germany if you don't believe me.
So, being a PATRIOT, I root for the U.S. in every sport. As a matter of fact, we need to totally dominate and teach these lesser beings a lesson! (-'
(Note - that is the first time in my life I've used the cutesy symbol!)
Go for the Gold!
Remember when both Winter and Summer Olympics were in the same year (or thereabouts)? But awhile back (1994), the IOC (which has a reputation that makes the Gambinos look like candy-stripers), decided that they should stagger the games, and have one happen every two years, which of course, makes them less special. Great job, IOC!
Anyhoo - now the SO is back, and NBC's got 'em. And showin' 'em. Everywhere. On my TV, with about 5 channels (though I didn't count), on my PC, and if I had a cell-phone, I guess I could get it there as well.
And judging from the medal count, once a communist regime is over-turned, a country loses all hope of multiple medals. See USSR and East Germany if you don't believe me.
So, being a PATRIOT, I root for the U.S. in every sport. As a matter of fact, we need to totally dominate and teach these lesser beings a lesson! (-'
(Note - that is the first time in my life I've used the cutesy symbol!)
Go for the Gold!
8.07.2008
Dog Days
That' what August brings - my family and I vacation at the end of August, so by the first week of month eight I am usually chompin' at the bit to get away.
Now here is where I become an enlightened sort. Though I am a North Jersey guy, and pledge allegiance to the greater metro NY area, we've grown fond of vacationing in Delaware, on the Delmarva Peninsula. Because we go when we go, Delaware is a lot more economical than the Jersey Shore, so we save a bundle, have a great time in the surf and getaway from it all. I've even learned to live with the absence of the NJ Sausage and Pepper sandwich, my favorite. Like the Bolis though.
Just a couple more weeks!
Now here is where I become an enlightened sort. Though I am a North Jersey guy, and pledge allegiance to the greater metro NY area, we've grown fond of vacationing in Delaware, on the Delmarva Peninsula. Because we go when we go, Delaware is a lot more economical than the Jersey Shore, so we save a bundle, have a great time in the surf and getaway from it all. I've even learned to live with the absence of the NJ Sausage and Pepper sandwich, my favorite. Like the Bolis though.
Just a couple more weeks!
8.04.2008
Green Baseball
In my near daily quest for information on the WWW, I came across something that interested me - a documentary about the development of the game of baseball in Ireland.
The Emerald Diamond is the film in question and it is an interesting look into how the game was first introduced in the land o' me ancestors. For National Pride these folks play a game that most take for granted in the U.S. Incredibly refreshing to see how people not jaded by all we have here explain their fascination and love for the game. Check it out.
8.02.2008
ARGGGH!
M. Loretta hits a Grand Salami last night to lay a beatin' on the NY Mets when the score was tied in the 8th. Rough. Heilmann is having a tough one this year folks. I wonder how Minaya will get a quality reliever during the restricted trade period, because they are a little short right now. Maybe it's time we see Eddie Kunz and see what he's got.
The TRADE DEADLINE saw some moves.
The TRADE DEADLINE saw some moves.
- Texeira to Angels is the one that will haunt the rest of the AL and have the biggest impact.
- Yankees get Nady, Marte and Pudge. But unless one of them is a starting pitcher, then they are still a little short when they are featuring Ponson and Rasner every 4th and 5th day!
- Manny to LA. Hit into a DP to end game in his debut. I think LA will challenge Florida for the worst fielding team (sorry R. Martin!) in BB. At least he's not on the Phils or the Fish.
- J-Bay to Red Sox. Graziano claims the Red Sox have thrown up the white flag on season. They will win division. Funny - a Google Search shows he's used the same phrase at least four other times with four different teams.
- Jr. to White Sox. Without all the injuries, we'd be watching him chase the HR record. I hope he does well, and gets deep in playoffs. He deserves it.
Later.
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