ALL MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY NOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION.
by The Grinch
ATLANTA, GA – Anyone else notice what’s missing? We’ve all heard a lot over the last few years about how “Atlanta isn’t a sports town.” In fact, there used to be a big billboard that had that quote up over the interstate with an enormous tomahawk coming down right through the middle. Remember that? Where did it go?
I was reminded of that sign (and its absence) a few days ago when I was going through some old videotapes I found in a box in my attic. One had me and an ex of mine sitting on a couch in a house I used to live in on the Northeast side, and we were watching and cheering on the Braves. I was glad to see that, because while I remembered her as a hot 17 year old redhead (I was 19 at the time; I don’t want to hear it), I also remember her as an evil, shrieking harpy whose soul I continuously wished into the sixth circle of hell. Nice to see she was once happy about something.
Anyhow, my mind took that memory and ran with it, as minds will do, and I remembered a few other things from that time period.
I remembered the year before (1991) where I was living in the same place and dating the same girl, and I worked 2nd shift (5pm to 3am) at a local machine shop. There being no internet or cell phones at the time, this naturally meant the only way to keep track of the Braves was by portable radio/walkman (the predecessor of the I-pod for all you youngsters out there).
This practice of wearing headphones during Braves games had never been a problem before because the Braves had been terrible so long it didn’t exactly interrupt work. We were nine back of the Dodgers that year at the break, and then something funny started happening. Not funny “ha-ha,” but funny like “hey…don’t you guys start messing with us now; you don’t have a chance. Do you?”
It was gradual, of course; nobody believed it for a while. But they kept winning. And winning. The Dodgers got nervous, and obliged us by starting to lose. The silent fist-pumps after wins got stronger and more animated, eventually accompanied by one or two people mouthing “YES!” (You couldn’t hear anything over the machines or headphones).
The impossible started happening, less work got done, and late in the season it began to get to even the most cynical of us, even me. Yes, the Grinch’s two-sizes-too-small heart started pounding a little faster for the first time that didn’t involve drugs, authority, or hot 17 year old redheads.
Nixon set the table and automatically stole second, and sometimes third. Terry Pendleton was clutch. Glavine was steady. Avery was way too young to be that nasty. Belliard was smooth as butter. Pena had ice water in his veins (does anyone remember how good he really was? Nobody ever talks about it). Jeff freakin’ Treadway hit .320 (I can’t believe I remember that).
It was going to happen, it was a miracle, and we were witness to it. So little work got done we lost a contract with Lockheed to build parts for the F-22 (don’t kid yourselves that it hasn’t been in the works for a while) and the 2nd shift foreman got fired (he was the biggest Braves fan of all, and didn’t have the heart to order the radios off).
It didn’t matter. WE WON. And when Nixon went down Dion rode a helicopter in and took over. It didn’t matter, WE WON.
If Minnesota hadn’t openly cheated in a half-dozen ways, we would have won it all. We won our three home games by an awful lot of runs, and that was good enough. We knew who really won. The city was ON FIRE.
The next year I was at my girlfriend’s place watching game 7 of the NLCS and we were down 3-0 in the 8th. I was mad at her anyway so I left to walk home (I had a suspended license). When I got to the bridge over 85 cars started laying on their horns as they passed me and people had their heads out of the windows hollering. I kept checking to see if I had panties hanging out of my jacket pocket or something, then finally noticed people were doing it on the interstate below as well. Sid slid and THE WHOLE CITY WAS ON FIRE.
Where did that go, people? When was the last time you saw anyone in this town laying on the horn and hollering out the window that wasn’t just an isolated drunken fool? This city had spirit at one point; you can’t tell me all those people have moved since then. They just don’t seem to care that much anymore.
Back then, you brought your own beer, food and liquor into the stadium and everyone had a good time regardless. Now, you’re frisked like a terrorist, charged a kidney for beer so you don’t even have something left to filter it, and when you get loud with excitement people look angrily at you because you’re disturbing their cell phone calls. Who are these people, and what did they do with the old ones? I was gone from Atlanta from 1994 to 2006, so the change was a shock to me. I assume it was gradual; I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.
The billboard has disappeared, and with it the baseball spirit of this city. It’s been replaced by quiet mediocrity and worse, apathy. Look what passes for a beet writer, for (censored)’s sake (hopefully soon to be supplanted by Chop Seal)! Instead of quietly (censored)ing and moaning on message boards that we’re gonna lose it all every time a lead gets blown, then shrugging our shoulders and saying “I told you so” ‘cause we knew it was gonna happen when it finally does, we need to TAKE OUR (CENSORED) CITY, STADIUM AND TEAM BACK.
Did this country give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor (shut up, I’m on a roll)? NO! I don’t care if we win 40 games next season; I don’t want to be the only one out there making some REAL noise, not just polite yuppie applause in between stock tips. If you can’t make it to the game, lay on your horn and stick your head out the window and yell like a fool. If you don’t do either there’d better be some yellow clown shoes involved and I want to hear the details.
Now. Who’s with me?
And yes, I’m sober, though it shouldn’t matter.
Grinch
Just superb, Grinch! Many thanks!!
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Somewhere along the line Delta closed it’s Boston operation to Atlanta. Now we have a town of Red Sox fans.
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Outstanding, Grinch! Wow! I’m ready to hit the Connector and lay on the horn!!! 🙂
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😀 😀 😀 Grinch! Oh, I remember that… when we took at least one trip to Atlanta every year for games. When the Chop would break out spontaneously in the stands & be LOUD. When you could only buy 2 postseason tickets because of the demand & my dad, the biggest baseball fan I know, let his girls go to the ’93 NLCS while he & Mom watched on TV in a sports bar. Sitting in the car in the parking lot, listening to the radio for hours to see if they’re going to play in the fire-damaged stadium (yep, I was there, along with a few thousand other diehard fans). Sitting at the end of the couch in despair, thinking it’s all over & then Sid slid. I must have jumped straight in the air ’cause Dad & I were jumping up & down & screaming in the living room. Being there for Game 4 of the ’95 NLCS & chanting “Sweep, sweep, sweep!” with the rest of the packed house.
Wow, I miss all that. Lead the way, Grinch, somebody’s got to show people how to be real fans again.
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Whoa, Grinch! That was good blogging.
Carulina Lady, that was a good lead-in but what did you censer? Jimmy Smith said some of the problem is players that don’t close their stance 4 inches to help the team for selfish, self-aggrandizement (yes, this is Chop Seal, beet writer with a vocabulary). Hard to love ’em.
Grinch, thanks for the plug but I want to be a collumist.
Ever hear a seal blow a horn? More on that later.
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Oh, the SealManity!!! A double post by an expeerienced beet writer. Cannot happen! I want to have a collum.
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Christmas Stealer, have you ever considered becoming a beet writer? You have my seal of approval! My guess is that with a little work, you could do it better than most … there’s soon to be an opening, what with Chopper becoming a communist or something … or maybe you could become our man in Lawrenceville if Gil turns down the job.
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Howdy, all; just got a sec. Thanks, Bob, though I could’ve done a little work of my own if I wasn’t practically forced at gunpoint to write it on the spot last night (luv ya, CL!). Journalism’s not really my bag; I’m not cool enough to hang with big Frank and smoke cigars. I’m afraid I’ll have to hide away in my shack in the woods and write Wadsworth-Longfellow-esque greeting card poetry and sigh occasionally. Oh, well. Off to Abnormal Psych. I wonder if there are any chapters on beet writers in the DSM-IV? 🙂
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Today, we have a lot of columns … when I was a boy, we only had four … but there was talk of a fifth columnist back during the war … underground newspaper guy methinks.
Well, this computer is now headed back to the shop … hopefully get it back on Friday!
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journalist bob, is there a submersible computer? must ask rosalynn.
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Testify brother Grinch, testify!!!! I think at least part of it is us winning the division every year, and also knowing that the team was often put together to be just good enough to get in the playoffs, but not good enough to win it all…….As nice as the streak was, I think if the Phils or Muts were as good as they were last year, we would have lost one or two times during the streak, and that would have made us mad! And we wouldn’t have put up with J.S. giving us another piecemeal bullpen at the start of every year.(Hey, relievers were fairly cheap back then!) Or two rejects being our starting left and right fielders.
I think not being in the playoffs for 2 years straight will be one of the best things to happen to this organization…..
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Hey Chop seal, be cool man, be cool! 😯 You seem to have a gun in your right…..flipper? And by the looks of your eyes, you either haven’t slept in a few days, and may have gotten into Uncle Grinches special medication!!!!
Just say, over and over, everything is swell and super! and think of this
emoticonSmilie while saying thismantrasaying (Sorry for the big words kind seal! Oh yeah, this smilie——-> 😀LikeLike
Top of the afternoon, denizens, as we await the rain/sleet/snow/freezing rain/locusts/looters/National Guard to descend upon the southern rim of the capital city.
Grinch, you did good, bro. Nice job capturing the passion of those days in the early 1990s. I could write a book on it, but I’ll save it for later. Suffice to say, the passion and fire that swept Atlanta in those days have long since simmered down. But those were special times back then, and I don’t know if you ever could replicate it. Those of us who lived it should consider it a blessing to have been a part of it.
Heaven knows I do.
Methinks it’s time to step out onto the patio before the weather turns sour. A cup of coffee, a good cigar and a short break from frying fish here on the ol’ laptop. In six weeks, I’ll have a covered patio from which to work. By then, I doubt I’ll be looking out for sleet pellets and dealing with wind chills.
Selah, denizens.
The Scribe abides.
–30–
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“A cup of coffee, a good cigar and a short break from frying fish here on the ol’ laptop.”
and it is no wonder the computers have to go to the shop.
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Good catch, jimmy. Frying fish on the laptop…corn oil…canola…perhaps peanut oil!?! And…hushpuppies? I’m gettin’ hungry!
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“Scientists discover huge extinct mouse” A 1-ton rodent?! Eww! And here I thought Boras was the only one of his kind.
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baby, er, chop seal is looking forward to the sleet showers. provisions have been brought in. cheese and fish, milk and bread. fresh batteries. and jimmy smith remembers leaving game 4 of the ’91 series and everyone was delirious and horns were honking and it was an exciting time. great series. great. journalist also remembers leaving a few games after kolb or reitsma – not great. maybe the product is not so good anymore. expensive, though. and pena was good. and senor smoke. oh, the humanity! gene larkin!
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Looks like that outher blogg may be missing a blogger:
(AP) – Police say a man accidentally shot himself in the groin as he was robbing a convenience store. A clerk told police a man carrying a semiautomatic handgun entered the Village Pantry Tuesday morning demanding cash and a pack of cigarettes.
The clerk put the cash in a bag and as she turned to get the cigarettes, she heard the gun discharge.
Police say surveillance video shows the man shooting himself as he placed the gun in the waistband of his pants. The clerk wasn’t injured.
A short time later, police found Derrick Kosch, 25, at a home with a gunshot wound to his right testicle and lower left leg. He was expected to have surgery at a hospital.
Police plan to charge him with armed robbery.
And stupid. Should also charge him with stupid. He’s and idiot.
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Heeeeyyyy!!!! Grinch you nailed it. I can remember the entire home town section of fans doing the Chop AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES. Our mascot is the Buckaroo, so there was no excuse as to why we were tomahawking in Smackover, Arkansas…No excuse except for the fact that the Braves had taken the entire South by storm…Not just the Atlanta area.
JJS, Leaving games after Kolb and Reitsma –> Still honking the horn, but different body parts out the window, and different words being yelled.
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Great post Grinch…. Really, it reminded me so much of the excitement of the ’91 team and all those two out hits that translated into runs. Yes, I remember the passion and how proud I was to be a Braves fan.
Now I learn that the love I felt was unrequited. Where did the passion go? It left when year after year the Braves were winning instead of being the doorstop for the Dodgers or the Reds or any other decent team in the league. Like the children of rich parents who never allowed their kids to know what it was to be hungry, to work for a living, to appreciate the real value of a dollar. They became spoiled with a since of entitlement.
Atlanta filled with neo yuppies who had a since of entitlement, they did not experience the pain of 20 years of bad teams. Let them eat cake is their motto. They are the same fans that abandoned the Falcons, that let the Flames escape to Calgary and etc.
Yes Grinch, I know from where you come because I have been to that same mountain top. Now I am reminded that promises are made to be broken, to get it in writing and don’t open your heart too wide unless you are prepared to have it ripped out of your chest and trampled upon in the name of money.
I doubt I shall ever feel passion again for the Braves nor anything more than contempt for the Braves organization. I have heard it all before, the same finger pointing, it’s not our fault, for the good of the stock holders crap all the while shipping jobs overseas so they could exploit people with such a low standard of living that they would do anything to eke out and existence.
I am not quite sure yet how all this is going to play out. I suspect however, that my two favorite teams may be the one I ultimately give my tactic support too and whoever is playing the Braves. I very well may be banned from several blogs before all is said and done. One thing for sure, I will not have the same rose colored view I have had in the past.
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MCDONOUGH, Ga. — It’s snowing!
–30–
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snowing in Jonesboro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Don’t everyone get too excited!!!! 😕
I assume everyone here is out in the stuff!!
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CL, any snow your way??? These is weird, cuz it’s in the upper 30’s and I haven’t seen snow at this warm a temp since I lived in St. Louis….and that was very rare…
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Took some pictures, don’t know if this link will work this way or not…
http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=10663
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A shot across my neighbor’s yard….
http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=10664
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Chinese sub, destroyer confronted Kitty Hawk in Taiwan Strait: report
(Back in Nov) Let’s see if this in mentioned tonight Lew! 🙂
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8U691DG0&show_article=1
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Scribe/Berigan…we have the same ‘fog’ here in Woodstock, too! 🙂
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No snow here on the coast of NC – about 39/40 – raw, gray, cloudy, rain forecast.
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Berigan, loved your photos!
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Well, it ain’t snowing in Nashville … yet!
A covered patio from which to work … that’ll be nice! I can relate … we had one of those years ago back in South Dakota … covered with snow and I did plenty of work therefrom too, shoveling.
Actually, it was quite beautiful … red/maroon cement with embedded quartz and white granite, covered with clear polyurethane … made it myself … same size and design as Webb’s swimming pool, he gave me the design for free … goodness, I ain’t never.
We did later add a nice extension that covered about 1/5 of the patio, just before we moved back to Georgia.
Methinks I’m suing Circuit City … took this computer back earlier today to have some work done … stuff they had promised to do … and they wanted $150.
As I may have mentioned, I realized after buying the computer on Christmas eve that had they stuck me with a $250 service agreement which I didn’t want and plan to have it removed but have yet to so do.
I explained all of that to the young man who was trying to “help” me … but the only thing he did was to keep repeating that it didn’t matter because of all the labor involved … and when I asked him to explain, he said that was what he had been told to say.
I told him if that was their attitude, I’d return the computer and stop doing business with them … not a big customer but have probably averaged $5,000 a year since moving to Nashville, just not much over the last 5 years … that was okay too, except for returning the computer and expecting a refund on it and the service agreement … as it had been more than 14 days since I bought it.
The only reason I bought it was the price … and the fact that they guaranteed that what I wanted to do with the machine could be easily done and that that would do it for me if I had any problems in so doing.
Of course, that was a different young man who also told me how much he knew about computers in general and that one in particular … a charming young man, … I asked him what the bus speed was on the machine … said he wasn’t sure … but he would find out … that was okay, until I overheard him ask someone … “that crazy old man over there wants to know what the bus speed is. How fast do our buses run? … ain’t it about the same as cars?” No joke … he/they had no idea about that which I was asking … just assumed that I was old and confused, which I suppose was truer than they had the right to assume.
That didn’t make me mad as I thought it funny …. I explained that I was talking about a different kind of bus and that we should be able to find out on the Intel web site, which we did … It’s a decent computer … which I needed but couldn’t afford, even without the extra charges and false promises … so I guess I’m the one to blame … but, it still ain’t right!
I promised Carol not to do anything rash so I’ll consider my options in the hot tub … tomorrow is another day!
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It is snoeing! Snow everywhere. A light dusting over the blue werms. Snow telling what will happen now.
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Bob, that sounds pretty darn crooked what they did to you! You did pay by credit card, correct??? Might be time to contact them to see what they might be able to do….Oh, what brand is this, by the by????
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More stuff…… Yes Bob, another satisfied customer. It is what happens when a company lays off sales people who have accrued experience and hire cheap inexperience help so their bottom line looks better. Consider you self fortunate you were able to find a sales associate who could speak English.
Your experience is not dissimilar to one I had with them when a TV I had purchased quit working. They refused to honor the warranty even though I had not done anything to the set. I ended up repairing it myself by soldering a loose connection on the antenna input. It was obvious it was defective from the factory.
They got me on that one but I refused to do business with them any longer. The last TV I bought was from Sears. It cost me a few dollars more but I never had a problem with repairs or returns with them.
Take them to small claims court. Also report them to the Better Business Bureau. Or just annoy the heck out of them. Ask to see the store manager. And let the rest of the world know like you just have on the blog as to what a shady bunch of characters they really are…..
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Great blog Grinch! I don’t live in the ATL and unfortunately only get there every few years to get to a game but I have definitely picked up the same vibe, or lack thereof, that you are talking about here. In 1991, Charleston was on fire with Braves passion. That lasted six or seven years and has been waning ever since. It was so hot that most of the restaurants that I called on hoped that the Braves would lose because on those nights that the Braves had a playoff or Word Series game, business would be atrocious.
Nowadays, not even the sports bars that have a zillion tv’s will offer a Braves game unless you ask them to change one screen over to it. Pretty pathetic!
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Journalist Bob, if you need this beet writer’s help, just let Chop Seal knoe. I can be like Feerless Fosdick if I need to bee.
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Chopper….schizophrenic avatar?
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Berigan, it’s a modified HP Media Center m8120n with 3 SATA hard drives … Intel Core 2 Quad processor … 4 gig memory … with vista Premium preinstalled. The graphic card is weak by today’s standards but I can swap it out with what is on my old one … I think the computer will be okay, if and when I get it set up properly.
I hadn’t thought about the Credit Card … it’s a visa bank card but used as a credit, rather than a debit, card.
I assume that I could disable the active hard drive containing the Vista and install the Microsoft Server operating system without a problem … which has to be installed first … then, if I so wanted, add Vista and dual boot. The problem there is that there is no vista software … they preinstall and you have the ability to create a Vista recovery disk from flat files on the machine.
The problem is Circuit City … not HP. The story is even more sorted than I have indicated (can say that?) but I assume it’s incompetence rather than shady dealings. I honestly attempted to make it clear when I was buying the thing … what I wanted, and that I had no interest in their Firedog program … but it places me in the same position as if it were.
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Gill, I think some damned yankee beat me to saying it but “it ain’t over till it’s over” … actually, this is the straw that may have broken my weak back … it was a display model, sold “out of box” … came with a wireless mouse and keyboard but they didn’t tell me that … gave me a regular mouse and keyboard, purported to be what came with it. When I got home, the old monitor I had wouldn’t connect to their video card.
I went back, explained my problem to another salesman who had previously shown me computers back in early December and he sold me a new monitor of the kind connected to a computer similar to mine … got home … and found it had the same connection as my old one. Reflecting, I realized that there must be an adapter that came with the video card … went back and the service technician tried to locate me one but there were none to be found … he ultimately gave me the one being used in the shop … nice kid named John.
I kept the monitor … couldn’t really afford to so do but, it’s a good one and was at a good price … and so I rationalized.
However, when I later discovered that the computer came with the wireless mouse and keyboard … I went back and John swapped them, this time without question, … giving me the “wireless” set they were using in the shop … which turned out to be the same HP models as that which comes with my computer.
I jokingly wondered aloud where he got them in the first place … and he seemed to confirm that which I then suspected. I don’t now doubt that the same holds true for the video card adapter, though one would otherwise assume since they would routinely work on computers requiring same.
I’m always hesitant to think bad of folks … rather look at where I might have fallen short of the mark … comes from being small, old, broke and a coward … “Buyer Beware” may carry more weight than “the customer is always right” but I do think they’ve taken a bit more advantage than is proper.
Small claims court? If I go to that trouble, it’ll be for big bucks!! No, but in reality it is big bucks when you ain’t got it … the very least I will do is to write/email Circuit City, HP and perhaps our local BBB … and, as Jimmy might say, it won’t be esoteric … maybe more.
Fearless Fosdick … a tip of me capp to ewe sir! Thanks, I might just dew just that!
Thanks too, for putting up with the rants of an old man …
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gil, it’s not that I think you’re old and hard of hearing, I just felt like shouting! Or, maybe I just forgot to close the font tag … can’t remember … a hot tub has been ordered.
Granola does work better than corn … cheaper than peanut … but will try that next.
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Still snowing, y’all? Looks like there might be more this weekend in Rabun. I might have to build a snowman, the way the forecast is sounding.
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It’s snowin’ up heah in A-town…peace up, yo. Bob, I’ve been getting all my new electronics since I moved back here two years ago at the same Best Buy store down the road from my house. Spent about 6 grand there so far; couple of problems with equipment (but not above average all told) yet they take it right back, bust their behind to replace it on the spot, thank me kindly for waiting and give me coupons. No muss, no fuss. I’ve had them (different people almost every time) go out of their way to do circumvent company policy if it should happen to get in the way, which it rarely does. Don’t know if it’s just that store in particular or what, but you might consider switching.
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I actually got a handwritten card (full on both sides) from an assistant manager around Christmastime thanking me for my business. I know it isn’t much, but little things like that separate some companies from others.
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Must be your charming personality, Grinch. You’ve got ’em eating out of your hand.
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Bob…eh???
Okay, I was calming down, moving on to the acceptance phase of my loss and boom…. I read this….
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports/more.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-01-16-0230.html
Seems a bit like piling on to me. I doubt we will have baseball here in the Rivah City in 2009. Likely we will miss a year. Personally, I don’t care if the AAA Braves have to play in Miami. The Marlins don’t seem to be using the stadium for anything.
Most of the locals would rather have a basketball team or pro football.
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Grinch, the Christmas season is of the upmost importance to the retail sector. When the BB people see you coming they’re probably scared you’re gonna steal their Christmas and ruin all the analysts profit projections! 🙂
Truth be told, it is the little details, such as the handwritten note you mentioned, that make the difference between good and great!
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Gil, you WILL have baseball in your fair city in 2009. The agreement between the major league franchises and the minor league affiliates are all set to expire once this season ends only in even-numbered years. Not all of them expire after this year but many will. I don’t know squat about Richmond but I am sure that there are many redeeming qualities about the city and it’s location relative to many major league cities such as DC, Baltimore, Philly, Pittsburgh, Boston, New York, etc. etc.
Not only are you located in the midst of the Int’l League but Carolina League, Sallie League, and Eastern League teams are all a possibility. I can’t imagine a market as large as Richmond going without a team, especially when cities like Columbus, Ga continue to attract teams with absolutely zero support and horrible stadiums.
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Dueling E-mails between Richmond and Atlanta……
In the saga of the decision to move the Richmond Braves to Gwinnett County, Ga., now we have dueling press releases.
Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder’s office issued a press release yesterday that said Mike Plant, executive vice president of the Atlanta Braves, had told the mayor that the Atlanta organization “had been involved with Gwinnett . . . officials for the past two years in planning for a new ballpark there.”
Today, Plant fired back with a release of his own.
“I feel compelled to set the record straight,” said the release from Plant’s office.
Plant’s release said he told Wilder that Gwinnett County, outside Atlanta, approached the Braves two years ago about a feasibility study to see if minor league baseball could thrive in Gwinnett.
“Every time we were approached regarding our interest in Gwinnett County,” Plant’s release read, “we advised them we were not interested and I reminded them Gwinnett was our territory and we would not allow another minor league team to relocate there.
“Due to continuous missed deadlines [in Richmond] and lack of clarity on stadium funding plans, we finally began to negotiate with Gwinnett County in October of 2007. . . . I can only assume the Mayor completely misunderstood the facts of our discussion. . . . ”
Plant cited two segments of Gwinnett’s July 2007 feasibility study, each pointing out that Atlanta Braves officials had said repeatedly that they were not interested in putting a minor league team in the county.
Tonight, Wilder spokesman Linwood Norman issued a brief statement that said, in part, “Why would you put any more confidence in what the Braves’ representative is saying now, as compared to what he said in his January 7, 2008 written communication to the City.”
In a Jan. 7 e-mail — eight days before the Gwinnett County Commission voted to purchase land for a stadium and the Atlanta Braves officially announced the plan to move their Triple-A team — Plant said the Atlanta Braves were “still supportive of a stadium located at the Boulevard.”
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Bob, I’ve also been very pleased with Best Buy. Have had the same experiences as Grinch.
Several years ago Mother was in a nursing home recovering from a fractured pelvis (7 months she was there). I spent 14 – 16 hrs a day with her. During the time, Christmas was right upon me and I hadn’t been able to get out to do any shopping.
One evening, I sat down at the computer – did online comparison of prices, availability, etc. Made a list. When Mother was in physical therapy, I dashed into town to Best Buy. Just as I entered the door, I was greeted (as always) by an employee who asked if he could help.
I told him I have a list of exactly what I needed and I have :15. He looked over the list, said “Wait right here” and off he went. He returned in a remarkably short time with everything on the list, rang up the sale, and I was out the door and on my way within my :15 alloted time. Got all the Christmas gifts and made it back to the nursing home before Mother finished PT. True story.
Several times, either Kelly or I have had to return something and it is exactly as Grinch said. They bend over backwards to be accommodating.
I highly recommend both BB and HP! 🙂
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Back again. Klobber, never thought about my reputation preceeding me; makes sense!
FBG, you have no idea. 🙂
Lew, you still up?
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Off to spend some quality time with a book. ‘Night, y’all.
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I don’t know what happened, I walked by a seal and **POOF**!!!
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Just a cold, rainy, soggy night here in Jonesboro….dang it….I lived in Jacksonville Florida from 1983 to 1993. Always teased with snow juuust north of Jacksonville. Best chance of a real snow in Jacksonville was our last year there, 1993. March. THE STORM OF THE CENTURY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “They” were predicting 5-6 inches of snow. It was as close to a mortal lock as you could get, they said. Well, it rained, and rained, and rained. Got down to 27 degrees, but, it only rained. 😦 Got about 1 and 1/2 inches of ice. All the power lines went down. We were without power for 3+ days! It got down to 47 in my room. I grew up in St. Louis. I have seen 18 inches of snow. I have seen it go down to -15. I never was trying to sleep in my bed when it was 47! And there I was, in Florida, fearing hypothermia in my bed!!!
Anyway, that story has nothing really to do with my point, which is…ummm. Oh yeah, I love snow! 🙂 I miss snow though. Always teased about snow, wherever I live. I thought moving here to Atlanta, I would see a lot more snow. Not really. Once chance, usually around Thanksgiving each year. “They” would predict 1-3 inches. We’d get 1/2 inch. A snow lover like myself will fool themselves into thinking that if it snows a month before Winter begins, it will surely snow again. Nope. It seems like the last few years, no chance of snow before, or after Thanksgiving. Glad some folks juuust a bit north of me are getting snow. Need to move to Nashville I guess….
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Good morning all, It is predicted that the storm currently moving along the east side of the mountains will miss me by about 20 miles. A little mixed precipitation is expected. So, I plan to take one of my boats to the repair shop this morning. I get to beat the rush.
I could fix it myself but I just don’t feel like fooling with it any longer. Too aggravating when you need something to have to wait for a part to be shipped to you. (No pun intended)
I was fortunate to find an honest repair person to do the work. After years of being riped off it has been such a blessing to find an honest mechanic. Oddly enough, he is not in Mechanicsville, go figure… 🙂
A little primer for those who are unaware of the attitude of Richmond’s current Mayor who is catching a lot of flax over the loss of the R Braves to Gwinnett, that is, he is Doug Wilder and your not. He has cleaned up a lot of crap left over from some very corrupt government officials who preceded him. He received 87% of the vote when elected. He is not concerned with pissing off a few people.
Anyway, I am past my anger stage. Slipping quickly into acceptance.
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Ooooooohhh, you said the P word! 🙂 It’ll all be good, my friend. How many freakin’ boats do you have? I got one to row on my pond.
Berigan, you said 30 miles south of the airport? That sounds about like me. You’re not the black man named Thomas who lives next to me are you?
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Night, all…chiropractic appt. first thing.
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Top of the morning, denizens, on about the nastiest morning you could ask for: rain, 33 degrees, cold wind … makes me glad I work from home.
My kiddies finally got to see snow yesterday. We had a decent little burst when I brought them home, and tried to get some pictures of them out in it as the small flakes fell and melted. Then, around 5 p.m., the bottom dropped out, we had 45 minutes of pouring snow with the big silver-dollar sized flakes, and we got about an inch on the ground. They played in it like crazy, running from dad’s accurate snowballs from 60 feet, 6 inches (wonder if Frank will read this and invite me to spring training?).
Alas, it changed to rain by 7:30 p.m. I went to get pizza at 6 p.m. and peeled out in the empty Pizza Hut parking lot, which was white. At 8 p.m., I ran out to get my wife a coffee, and the parking lot was all wet. Oh well, my kids got to play in it and that was awesome.
Bring on the 80-degree days and warm breezes from the southwest … it snowed in the A; now, it’s time for spring.
The Scribe abides.
–30–
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Berigan, I was also in Jacksonville (actually Atlantic Beach) for some of the time you were there. I moved down there after Hurricane Hugo created a few changes in my life in 1989 and was there until mid-1991. Do you not remember the snow that fell just before Christmas in ’89? I lived at the beach and we wound up with about three inches of snow on the beach. It was pretty freaky. Most of my friends, all in their twenties and thirties, had never seen snow before as they were all Florida natives.
I missed Christmas with my family for the first time that year. Charleston had about eight or ten inches of snow and the roads were closed for several days. You know we just don’t have the ability to manage a lot of snowfall in SC, especially on the coast.
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Gill, I can do small engine repare. I work pretty cheep at everything that’s how I can afford to be a beet writer. Only need fish and cheese and cigares. I really only like the fish – the cheese and cigares go with beet writng.
I am still looking for a collum. I have an uncle that plays the horns and can balance a ball on his nose -and he is an embarrassment to my family. Circus seal. I think being a beet writer might make me worse.
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Well…no school today, though looks ok to me. Daughter’s tickled…sleeping in is very important! Woodstock got a very good dusting…better thatn an inch….still plenty on the ground despite the transition (for you, Scribe!) to rain. Winter is wasted without one snowfall…but agreed, let’s move on to spring training and warm breezes!
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oh, the humanity! another embarrassment for the atlanta falcons. arthur blank must let everybody else hire a coach and then see who is left. can offer the last coach standing a deal. still, no guarantees. may have to coach the team from the owner’s box, er, sidelines in a suit. and chan gailey has found work! and jim mora may replace joe gibbs. last laugh. and arthur keeps hammering away with no takers. hmmm…. what a mess the franchise has become (again).
and now, baseball . . . still a mess. need to get out of washington for good. not the team, the commissioner. looking silly. sillier. first use of sillier on the blog. polonius. american league.
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Chopper, not a very small engine on this dingy. Looks like I am going to have to wait another day as the snow managed to drift just far enough east to catch me. No use being stupid and tow a boat in the snow. The weather people are calling for real snow this weekend.
Grinch, the fleet now stands at two. Originally I bought the rig for the trailer to swap out with my first boat but after a good cleaning, The new boat turns out to be in pretty nice shape. It is perfect for bay fishing. It is a twenty footer with a cuddy and lots of open deck space.
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Yes and a story on TV of sea lions (seal’s cousins?) doing aerobics in California. Only aerobics I can manage is to feed the cat. Oh the humanity, “hard body” seals….
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Don’t know how to link it from here, but if you go to the AJC home page and to Gallery 2 of the snowfall, you can see my little guys in the snow (pics 10 and 11).
http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/weather/0108snow2/
Still tickled they got to play in it yesterday before the transition (agreed, Salty) to a cold, nasty rain.
–30–
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Washington owner should not be viewed as being intellectually superior to Arthur Blank. Dan Snyder is a “fantasy football” owner who has a real team. He makes many bad choices but does not mind as roaming charges for cell phone service is amongst the highest in the nation around DC. As long as the government is in Washington, he has unlimited cash.
And I doubt he will build an aquarium for Washington either.
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Good looking mini-Sscribes!!! Thanks for sharing!
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Scribe, those are two beautiful boys!! Many thanks for the pics!
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Aww, thanks, Scribe. What cuties!
Chris, we got that pre-Christmas snow ’89 down here too. The only time I’ve seen snow here. The flakes melted instantly ’til dark when they piled up a bit on parked cars & bushes, etc. but we had flurries all that day. I’ve only gotten to see real snow 3 times & that’s in the past few years on trips to GA/SC. Might get more this weekend, I’m making a quick trip up.
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Something neat to play with!
Can you hit a fast ball? 🙂
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Braking News: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Bud Selig was given a three-year extension as baseball commissioner through the 2012 season.
And why not? Makes sense to this Seal. Jimmy Smith does not like it, though. Some things never change.
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By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/17/08
The Falcons lost one head coach candidate on Thursday after Jason Garrett phoned owner Arthur Blank to inform him he would remain with Dallas as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Phoned Arthur Blank? What about the new G.M.? Arthur seems to be drawing a blank on this subject. Firing blanks. Fill in the blank. Blank check. Blankety-blank Falcons. Can say that, Carulina Lady? 😀
And here is some baseball news: no news. Beet writing is hard. Must call Frank. Or maybe write a story about Hoss.
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Chopper, it’s true that some things never change … Polonius said that too … is “Jimmy’s not liking things that make sense to you” one of them?
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=214&ar=1050wmv&ak=nul
Some things do change … what you think? … make sense?
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Chris, I seem to recall that snow….we lived in Orange Park(Not nearly as neat as the name sounds! 😉 )and I think it was once again a predicted big snow event that turned tame. Perhaps an inch maybe 2 where I lived. There as here, I don’t like snowfall that makes it look like your yard has stubble! 😛
We had lots of weird weather when we lived there. First winter,(1983) it got down to 17! Our Florida room had been a screened in porch. Just had a wood stove for heat(Until Dad took out all the glass, and sliding door between Living room and Florida room, furnace couldn’t heat the room)
Oh, I forgot to mention, it got down to 17, Christmas Morn! 😯 And the Tree and gifts were in that Florida room. So, our first Christmas in Florida was with us wearing coats, our breath steaming, waiting for the Wood stove to warm the room!
Next winter was the coldest on record(Didn’t it get down to 0 in Atlanta, in 1984?) The Airport registered 7, we went down to 5 at our house. 5 is cold whether you are in St. Louis, or Florida, I found out! Somewhere, we have some great photos of ice all over our bushes, from leaving the water on outside. Noreasters a could times a year(remember those?) Oh, how the paper pulp plants stunk when those rolled through…..
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Scribe, great photos!!! It has been a long time since it snowed here, hasn’t it? I even remember it snowing after my Birthday (march 15th) once, 7-8 years ago….
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Grinch, yes, I am Thomas!!! Small world!!! 😛 You claim Atlanta, but making a comment like that….No offense to anyone of course, but the fact is I am a minority in my neighborhood. It’s about 80-20 right now.
I do worry that one day I will be the only one left. You know, the only Braves fan here! 😕
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Scribe, two fine looking lads you have there. Some day you must send them to “Uncle” Lew’s house in Vermont so they can learn to ski. Perhaps some type of arrangement could be made where they work out their room and board by clearing his drive way…. Lots of upper body strength can be developed by shoveling snow. 🙂
Well, we now have mostly a cold rain with a tab bit of sleet mixed in….(hard water?) Maybe just heavy rain…..
Anywho, The wife has talked me down from my anger over the Braves moving. I suppose I will just go to the games this summer while I have the chance. It is funny but I never really minded the Yankees farm club leaving in ’64. By that time I had developed a strong dislike for everything Yankee because of all the really bad teams that played here.
I have concluded that as far as the Braves moving to Gwinnett, well, it’s just business. Doug Wilder is not the only culprit in this, just the most visible. Certainly not the first time in my life I have been lied to and I doubt it will be the last.
It will be a few years before Richmond gets a new team. So they may as well take the time now to do it right. Perhaps the next group that occupies the ballpark will be intelligent enough to figure out it is stupid to run out of beer by the fourth inning of the first game when you are playing a double header.
I expect Gwinnett to put up great numbers in the first couple of years. By that time the new will start to wear off.
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Two California Highway Patrol Officers were conducting speeding
enforcement on I-15, North of MCAS Miramar. One of the officers was
using a hand held radar device to check speeding vehicles approaching
near the crest of a hill.
The officers were suddenly surprised when the radar gun began reading
300 miles per hour. The officer attempted to reset the radar gun, but it
would not reset and turned off.
Just then a deafening roar over the treetops revealed that the radar had
in fact locked onto a USMC F/A-18 Hornet which was engaged in a low
flying exercise near the location.
Back at the CHP Headquarters the Patrol Captain fired off a complaint to
the USMC Base Commander.
Back came a reply in true USMC style:
“Thank you for the message, which allows us to complete the file on this
incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in
the Hornet had detected the presence of, and subsequently locked onto
your hostile radar equipment and automatically sent a jamming signal
back to it. Furthermore, an air to ground missile aboard the fully armed
aircraft had also automatically locked onto your equipment. Fortunately
the Marine Pilot flying the Hornet recognized the situation for what it
was, quickly responded to the missile system alert status and was able
to override the automated defense system before the missile was
launched and your hostile radar was destroyed.
Thank you for your concerns.”
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Willy Aybar traded for a 27 year old with a 189.00 ERA and only one third of an inning in the majors despite being drafted 8 years ago. And they traded 2 infielders with .390 OBPs for that? I thought the Rays were ridding themselves of problem children but then they go get Willy Aybar. Go figure.
This Aybar trade makes the Betemit and Edgar trades look even worse than they initially did for the welfare of the 2008 team.
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Goodness My Lady … and thanks for making the link work!
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🙂 You’re welcome!
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CL…you do like them fly boys, don’t you? 🙂
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Salty, I built model airplanes when I was a little kid, flew with my father and his friends, joined the Civil Air Patrol when I was 13 – traveled to military bases all over the US and Puerto Rico during the summers (I have a good bit of time in military aircraft from helicopters to jet trainers), had a pilot’s license at age 16, started with an airline when I was 19, spent my entire professional career in aviation including accident investigation and was instrumental in changing a number of FARs pertaining to commercial aviation and cabin safety, in particular. A miserable encounter between my little Toyota and an 18-wheeler ended that career. Probably a shock, but I spent a total of 46 years in airplanes and airports. When you start so young, that’s easy to do! 😆 (Forgot to mention that I worked with both the FAA and NTSB.)
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BRaking News: Jan 17, 2008 1:26 | Updated Jan 17, 2008 15:21
First Temple seal found in Jerusalem
Famous. More on this later.
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I was not aware that the Ancient Hebrews kept seals in their Temple. With the Ark, perhaps? Was it one of the Infamous Seven Seals? An ancestor maybe?
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First Temple seal found in Jerusalem
Did they also find old clay vases of the original beauty lotion, Oil of Oye Vay?
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Gil, glad to hear that you’re feeling a little better about it. The initial anger just showed how much you cared.
Berigan, are you really Grinch’s neighbor?!? That’s wild.
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kitty hawk. don’t forget kitty hawk. oh, the humanity! journalist is asking for it! just kidding, carolina lady. 😛
and chop seal is very excited about the temple seal discovery. chop seal is into genealogy. so far, seal clubbing is chop seal’s brick wall.
now, willy aybar is gone. traded. wren-ched from the team. how long will it take for chipper to miss willy aybar?
and coaching the falcons . . . what will arthur do? homer from home depot? will arthur turn to lowes? better wood there. and how about lew up in vermont? tampa fan.
now, stuff . . . casino workers will be allowed to vote in nevada. wayne newton franchised. zamfir. ziegfried, no roy. cher. captain and tennille.
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Grinch Your lead post was completely enjoyable. Alternately funny as hell and sentimental…in a tomahawkin’ 1991 Braves, Cars-ish crazy ex-girlfriend, Shakespearian taming of the shrew, Dylanesque I’ll be your baby tonight, take this job and shove it Paycheck, gone out walkin’ after midnight Patsy, back when Coke was still Cola and a joint was a bad place to go Merle, you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone Joni, teenage wasteland Who, sorta way. Brilliant.
You may deny interest, but you are either a writer or a comedian or both. Good stuff. You ask, “Where’s the fahr”? Well, it’s right there in you. And us. And many others…just waiting to be stoked once again. More on that later maybe.
Good post. Funny too.
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chop seal is following a news story about tiger bombing. slow day in baseball. beet writer has to make a living. flbravesgirl, if berigan was a neighbor, berigan would know. ukelele player with big speakers. on the roof with a gun. and now, tiger bombing – not sure grinch was involved in tiger bombing but has done study on london bombing recently. al grinchba.
and will francouer be allowed to have francoeur’s franks at the game ever again? f-r-a-n-k-s ? spelling franks makes this journalist nostalgic about a fine blogger on that other blog who was done a great dis-service by randy google and the google search. will frank permit another frank at the ted? frank(s)? nothing furter on this at this time.
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Gil, I ditto flbravesgirl on that. Glad you worked through the anger stuff…very understandable but just plain old free enterprise, necessarily secretive deals and bad luck for Richmond Braves fans. Just hope you stay primarily a Braves fan…for our sakes. We need the Mil from Mechanicsville on our side in baseball and other stuff too.
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Mil? Meant Gil. I pulled a Gil there.
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Frankly, sounds better than Frenchy’s Wienerschnitzels.
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This Aybar trade makes the Betemit and Edgar trades look even worse than they initially did for the welfare of the 2008 team.
WW, I’m almost afraid to find out about this. Sounds…ominous. Troubling. Hmmm.
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4 in a row…going for 5
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top that suckas…six
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SG, good to see you around. I hope everything is okay!
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Carolina Lady, very impressive resume’, however you forgot one of the fisrt laws of physics that I taught my EMS students. When involved in a traffic crash you always, always want to be the one driving the dump truck. The only exception….. when you are involved with a train…. 🙂
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Chris…SG’s bloggin’ with himself right now. Give him a bit, he’ll get back to you! 😛
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SG… It’s all about hand eye coordination…. Often my finger hits the submit button before my eyes finish reading what I typed.
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CL…you have quite the ‘Earhart’ in you, huh? Very impressive…thanks for sharing a very colorful history! 😎
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Maybe Frenchy’s fries?
Oh, hey Klobber. Thanks. All is well and back home where it’s always good to be.
Salty, yep…on a roll. Was getting embarrassing. Nah…not really. Being a middle child I learned to entertain myself at an early age!
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Gil, has the snow arrived? I was in what seemed to this southern boy a damn near blizzard yesterday in Atlanta (Lew chuckles when he reads that). For a few hours at least it was a winter wonderland. Went out and walked in it. Love that stuff.
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Glad to hear things going well, SG.
Looks like I’m not headed to GA this weekend after all. This wasn’t really an essential trip & we Floridians don’t know how to drive on ice.
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Salty, like I’ve told CL, that 18-wheeler didn’t stand a chance with her and her little car. She has what we call, “protection”.
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Nacly, he must have some pent up feelings he needs to express. I don’t think I’ve seen him around for a few days so he’s gotta have plenty to get out!
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Lots of rain here. Snow to the west and north. May have a little snow this week end. I fear the ice even more…. People go really crazy here when there is ice,
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It was back in the early 80s that I discovered how useless 4 wheel drive is. You can go pretty good but it still does not help you stop.
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Thanks FBG. You should be fine if you leave in the morning to N. Ga. It’ll get pretty iffy after that. Big cold and big ice comin’.
Klobber, this round is on me. KC all around. Gil, if I’ve misspelled anything, it’s not my fault or the rooskies, it’s the cats. They’re making up for lost time by walking across my keyboard. I doont eever mispel anytheng.
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Dylan song inspired by Grinch story…(and pent up stuff per Klobber).
I’ll be your baby tonight.
Close your eyes, close the door,
You don’t have to worry any more.
I’ll be your baby tonight.
Shut the light, shut the shade,
You don’t have to be afraid.
I’ll be your baby tonight.
Well, that mockingbird’s gonna sail away,
We’re gonna forget it.
That big, fat moon is gonna shine like a spoon,
But we’re gonna let it,
You won’t regret it.
Kick your shoes off, do not fear,
Bring that bottle over here.
I’ll be your baby tonight.
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Couldn’t leave ’til Sat. am, SG. It’s sounding too risky now.
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Actually, neither do I, however, I am often misread 🙂 It is a bit like a curve ball. It really goes straight, it is just an optical elution that makes one think the words are misspelled.
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FBG…we have to get you an avatar. You are as pale as a ghost and no hair.
CL, can you do a makeover for FBG? She’s lovely as she is so don’t get me wrong…we just have to bring out those featres a little. A little nip here, tuck there, hair…eyes…ears…nose…mouth…you know, just the basics.
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Slow day in baseball Chopper? Wait … Braves got Jeff Ridgway for Willy Aybar, who had a good winter according to Frank Wren, and Chase Fontaine, our 2nd round pick in 2006 … that following our getting 32 year old Mark Kotsay and his questionable back/future for Joey Devine and Jamie Richmond. Personally, I think getting rid of Richmond was a mistake … Frank got that memo telling him the Braves wanted to sever ties with Richmond and he misunderstood.
Ridgway’s 189.00 ERA is interesting … in three outings, he got one man out … gave up seven hits, seven runs … one homerun. Look at the bright side … he’s only 27.
Surely there’s a story in there somewhere … are they still auctioning old Frank Wren pictures on Ebay?
Berigan, I found out tonight that my Moto DVDs had been delivered … Tuesday … where and to whom, is anyone guess!
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See what I mean??? 🙂
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SG, I actually am quite fair-skinned. Unlike the bathroom-symbol person I have hair ( medium/long brown).
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Bob, The Braves needed a pitcher to replace the home runs that would have been given up by Devine. Ridgway fits that bill…
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jjs insists that I was the technical adviser for the Wrights at Kitty Hawk.
sigh…..
🙄
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FBG, if you want an avatar, I’ll be happy to help you.
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Folks, I really should have seen the move out of Richmond coming. Frank Wren saw how the Colts sneaked out of town during his stint in Baltimore.
I see another quality arm coming to Richmond… 8)
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FW pics on ebay…funny.
Bob, J…Frankly these Wren trades make no sense to me. But severing ties? Isn’t that a successful solo flight training thing? Best ask CL.
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SG, when you’re flying it’s best not to have anything get severed! Usually has unhappy consequences! 😆
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I have never seen an era of 189. before. Wow.
And we traded for him?
Really??
How much did they pay us to take him?
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Bob… Ridgeway uses the “Rope a dope” approach to pitching. He lets the other team hit the ball until they are arm weary. Then when another pitcher comes in to relive him, that pitcher is very effective. Of course it helps if your team provides a lot of run support.
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I’ve been trying to find a cake picture to use, CL, without much success. Checking out clip art now.
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FBG, let me check my graphics folders.
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Gil, I suppose you have a point … I like the smokescreen, I mean trend … trading two perceived losers for one … fewer names to remember too!
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I’m scratching my head with the Aybar trade too. He seems like a useful player to me. For Frank (can say?) to trade him for Ridgway PLUS give away another prospect frankly seems a little suspect to me. I know for a fact that Ridgway has had shoulder problems in the past (he was a D’Rays prospect that played in CHS some years ago). His short stint doesn’t bother me, but the fact that he finally made his mlb debut this year after seventeen years in the minors (exageration) is puzzling.
If Aybar had been sent out for Ridgway PLUS someone else coming back our way might be a different story. Makes you wonder what they know about Aybar that we don’t know.
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CL, you have mail
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FBG, Chris has a great avatar suggestion! I’ll email it to you. Do you know how to upload them? (It’s super easy!)
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I still cannot get over the “high paying jobs that will be coming to Gwinnett as a result of the relocation of the Braves AAA team” I did not realize that parking attendants were payed all that well….
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FBG, if you like the avatar I sent we’ll have to negotiate a price for it, of course. I’m sure we can work something out in trade! Perhaps we can finally seal the distribution deal that SG and I have been working on for the last couple of months!
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or paid either…
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Gil, it’s not the parking attendants. It’s the hot dog vendors that are making bank!
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Gil, do you use firefox? It has a built in spell check. Anything with a red line under it is misspelled.
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I knew there had to be a catch.
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Gil, what is your new avatar?
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🙂
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That is a frog…. may have to change it… Stay tuned 🙂
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So your new avatar is a frog. Frog is sometimes used as a slang expression for French people. Some people think that the French are traitors for their actions during WWII. Gil thinks the Braves are traitors for leaving Richmond and thinks that the City of Richmond is a traitor for allowing them to leave.
Coincidence? I think not! 🙂
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FBG, you have mail. I’ve resized the image so it should upload and fit easily. Let me know if you have any problems.
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I wonder if Jeff is any kin to Matthew …
Chris, anything with a red line under it is misspelled … provided your vocabulary is a subset of the dictionary database.
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Gil is now going to turn into a Prince!
Klobber…negotiating with an avatar for baked goods. That is despicable and downright capitalistically taking advantage of sweet little FBG.
In other words…brilliant. For that you get dibs on brownies or cookies.
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provided your vocabulary is a subset of the dictionary database.
Because my vocabulary is so elementary I find this works for me. You sir, are smarter than the average bear, and I suspect smarter than the average spell check program too! Your posts must be full of words with red lines below.
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Thanks, CL, got it. It seemed to go pretty easily. We’ll see if I messed it up or not.
Chris, thank you. That is exactly the type of picture I’d been looking for.
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SG, you know the expression about desperate times and desperate measures. Negotiations have been at a stand-still. Gotta do something to get this deal done!
Oh, and “sweet little fbg” my a@@! This girl’s been playing hardball. Don’t let the scent of fresh baked goodies go to your head man.
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fbg, once you sign off on the distribution rights (long term, of course) I’ll tell you my secret.
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Your posts must be full of words with red lines below … you sir, have no idea!
At Kroger’s, my bill was $39.96 … gave the kid 2 twenties and told him to keep the change … called the manager to find out which key to punch.
Goodnight all!
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Hey, it was either this or the snake….
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Don’t mean this to sound chauvinistic or anything but…I love it when the ladies are in the other room fixin’ each other up real pretty and primping and such. There’s something just nice and family and sexy and cute about that.
(Massively digressive transition) Just Political Questions: Will Slick Willy blow a gasket before November? Will Barak sing Danke Schoen to the Nevada judges? Will Hillary cry a river in the desert? Will Edwards Breck away from the pack? Is Dennis a menace?
On the other hand: Is Rudy counting on dimpled chadville? Is McCain the Cambodian Candidate? Is Fred dead? Is Ron apPaulling? Will Huckabee become a conservative in time? Is Mitt legit? Mitt-Newt?
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Chris!! Be nice.
How long does the pic usually take to start showing up?
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FBG, did you put it on your credit card when you signed up? Avatars are $2.50 per month or $25 per year … I can get them for you for $10.
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It should be up VERY shortly – if it doesn’t show in a few minutes, reload as you did before. Sometimes the server is a little slow, but it certainly should be up by now.
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I just got an email … Foreclosure Listings – search for one in your neighborhood!
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Bob, that’s funny. I just got the same (or similar) email too!!
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Hmm. I did it again, seemed as if it worked.
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Sorry fbg!
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Klobber, Baron Bob, Earl of Journalist may not spell any better than spell check but he sure can write better. He’s also got a damn fine command of the King’s English. I think he wrote the first draft of the Magna Carta over a long weekend in London. Didn’t even sign it. That’s the kind of old school guy he is…
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Gil…I was expecting a prince but now your have no hare. You’re bald agin!!! Very patriotic though.
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Klobber…now Bob is trying to horn in on the baked goods. Offering FBG an avatar deal for a yearly discount. Shrewd. What to do? We do need a Nashville connection.
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OK, it’s saying I should see it soon. What’s their definition of soon… glacial?
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6:00 will be here much quicker than I want it to be! Y’all have a great night!!
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FBG, great! It’ll appear sooner or later! At least, we know it’s “in the system.” It’ll be perfect for you! Chris hit a homer with that one! 🙂
‘Night, y’all!
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FBG, your avatar will be up in the time you bake a cake and box it and send it to the coastal cake consortium. No time at all. A watched pot…must busy yourself with baking. Makes the time go faster.
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On that note…I’m hittin’ the sack too.
In the morning I expect to see Gill as a prince and Flbravesgirl as a Queen.
Night all.
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They are
incorrigiblepersistent, aren’t they, FBG?? 😆OK – I’m really shutting down this time! 🙂
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You were right with the first one, CL. Guess I’ll have to wait ’til tomorrow to see it. Night y’all, my book awaits.
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Incorrigible? I don’t think so! SG and I are only trying to increase fbg’s wealth by increasing her distribution throughout Georgia and the Carolinas! Her current distribution only provides a network through her family and friends in Florida. What we are trying to provide is a network that will cover the entire Southeast with the wonderful, delicious goodies that she can provide. She has a product. We have a service. Individually we have nothing. Collectively, we can supplant Little Debbie as king of the baked dessert throughout the region. Once we’ve accomplished that, the world is our oyster!
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If you act right now, I can expedite it for only $5.00 more … email me your credit card number and expiry date and I’ll do the rest.
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My GOD my new entertainment system rocks. It ROCKS. Yeah. Well, you’d just have to be here to fully understand. And it isn’t like you’re not invited. You’re all just anti-social. Fine. I understand. 1 free pass awarded by the Grinch. No mas, however. Life is short; stay as close to me as possible. 🙂
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I live large.
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SG, I think we have the Nashville territory covered now.
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Thanks Chris! No problem, I trust FGB … and have expedited things and put it on my own credit card! I expect no payment if she is dissatisfied with the service … unlimited avatars over the lifetime of the Blog … $72.00.
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There it is!
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Wow, FBG! How (obviously) appropriate an avatar you have! 😎
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Well, FBG, I think you can travel safely up to NE Georgia this weekend. Once the weather gurus officially forecast snow, it’ll never happen! Three inches…yeah, we’ll see!
Sscribe…if, IF, the forecast holds, you want have to go far for the mini-Sscribes to build snowmen…hopefully it’ll be enough.
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OK, I’m pulling an SG and amusing myself this AM! 😦
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Nice avatar fbg!
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oh, the humanity! nice red velvet cake avatar! can’t miss flbravesgirl now. and when will lew have an avatar? still waiting for the hartebeest. and this new braves pitcher has been throwing mattress ball in the basement to improve for the season. sounds like a plan. mattress cannot hit him.
and grinch has a new entertainment system. thomas will soon complain. wait and see.
now, baseball . . . still waiting for pitchers and catchers to report. national pie day fast approaching.
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I’m ready for some cake, FBG…brought my fork!!!
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Mornin’ denizens. It’s gonna take an extra cup o joe this morning. Weirdest thing…I woke up with a crinkled up lampshade on my head. No telling how it got there.
That was a late night at Klobber’s place. Looks like there was also an after-hours soirée after the Saloon turned the lights out. Wonder if Berigan felt his house vibrate from Grinch’s new sound system?
Now FBG is all gussied up and lookin’ good. Congratulations FBG on the new avatar and CL for the girlfriend makeover and Klobber for styling assistance. FBG, you were starting to resemble Lew…it’s not good for a Lady to resemble Lew. Besides, it’s hard to make out Lew anyway in that blizzard he’s in.
Problem is, that looming red velvet cake is going to send Chop Seal into a dessert feeding frenzy. Got milk?
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Top of the morning, denizens, on this, quite an interesting morning along the southern rim of the capital city.
At a total standstill on a few projects, and in need of groceries, AND in keeping an eye on about seven different weather forecasts, I just got back from the grocery store. We now are stocked up and ready to go, with all the necessary items, and some fun stuff, too (hot chocolate, snacks, etc.).
The weird thing about the forecast for snow for tomorrow is several folks here are calling for a significant snow event. Normally, when we get snow in the ATL, we don’t have a storm follow right on its heels. But the atmosphere is going to be cold, and getting colder, with temps falling through the day once the Arctic air mass arrives, and the atmosphere already is saturated.
I’ll be interested to see what the folks say at noon. Up until noon Wednesday, they weren’t saying anything about any appreciable snow. From the pics on here yesterday, you can see they were wrong. Either way, when a weather forecaster in Atlanta comes on and tells you the potential for 4-to-6 inches of snowfall exists, you pay attention.
For the record, Channel 2 and Channel 5 are saying no accumulation. Channel 11 and Channel 46 are saying 2-to-4 inches. The Weather Channel is saying 1-to-3 inches. The dude on WSB-AM 750, who I trust the most, says he’s not sure so for now he’s saying no accumulation. The NWS says no accumulation.
Like my pals say in Sin City, “Place your bets!”
Now, baseball (transitioning from the weather desk to sports): I’m not quite sure I understand the trade of Aybar. I think putting Wily at third in Richmond would have been good insurance when/if Chipper misses substantial time. I’d rather have Aybar playing everyday than Infante, and Infante serving as the backup rather than Prado.
We shall see. Frank will do what Frank will do. The beat writers will report it. The fans will debate it. The results will play themselves out. I like the makeup of the bully now, but I wonder if there is doubt in Ring’s ability to throw strikes and be the second lefty.
Don’t make too much of Ridgway’s bloated ERA, either. It’s funny in a way, but I wouldn’t take that one bad big-league appearance as a harbinger of gloom and doom. Dude may not be able to pitch in the bigs, but he won’t give up seven runs every time out. 🙂
Off to the porch for a cigar and a cup of joe.
Selah, denizens.
The Scribe abides.
–30–
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And thanks, all, for the comments on my double-play combo. They have their moments — don’t all kids — but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Thanks much, again.
I just hope they don’t get too upset if it rains tomorrow. 🙂
–30–
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Just finishing catching up on blog and looking at the pics too. Nice looking lads there Scribe. You’re a blessed man. I’ll hope for their sake that you guys get lots of snow on your weekend. Either way, sounds like an exciting and memorable time for them.
I’ll always remember the 6″ snow we got here in Savannah when I was about their age. From sunup until dark my brother and I squeezed an entire childhood of missing snow into that one day.
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A high school history teacher was discussing the funeral of the Pope with his class. One student asked how they chose the new Pope.
The teacher explained the process, finishing with, “So, the Cardinals pick him.”
A student in the back of the class asked, very seriously, “Why would they let a baseball team pick the next Pope?”
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chop seal is preparing for a snow day. and for beet writing. and to scribe, it is perhaps a concern for ring’s cold finger. and the young scribes are handsome scribes much like this journalist. and what is the toe health of the new braves pitcher?
and remember, aybar has no hamate bone.
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also, no hammock bone. of course, only one of those.
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“Infante……broke his hand this past weekend in the Venezuelan Winter League and will likely miss most of Spring Training.”
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080117&content_id=2349888&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
Oh, great. Here we go.
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ssiscribe, send me a copy of those 2 photos of your boys. I have an idea for an avatar for you! 🙂
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Infante with a broken hand reported on the Braves site with a minor little, “oh, by the way”. This…after a whole month with the Braves. That’s troubling. Gonzo back from TJ surgery by June? Right. No problem. We gave Aybar up for what? Tex will surely give a hometown discount in 09? Right?
Braves PR machine working overtime on these stories? Ok, I’ll not go negative. More trades coming. All will be well by Grapefruit League of soon thereafter.
Mr. Wren has his hands full juggling chainsaws. Here’s hoping…
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Clemens hires Clinton’s attorney
Posted: Friday January 18, 2008 05:36AM ET
Roger Clemens has bolstered his legal team, hiring a powerhouse Washington lawyer, Lanny A. Breuer, who represented former President Bill Clinton during his impeachment hearings as well as numerous corporations that were the subject of Congressional investigations.
New York Times
Hiring a dance instructor before the big dance? Somebody is scared.
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While I think we go jacked on the deal sending Aybar AND HIS UPSIDE(right, jjs?) to Tampa Bay (could have gotten more in return), it clears a few things up in the log-jammed infield:
First, Aybar had no options. He or Prado would have been lost anyway. I would have rather seen Prado go, but it’s not important what I think.
Now Infante is injured. This may give Lillibridge an opportunity to shine and become the extra utility man over Prado. Both will more than likely be on the roster opening day and until Infante can return, they can battle it out for that final infield bench spot. Should BL shine, he could play shortstop while Escobar moves over to play 3rd for the inevetible Chipper DL stint. Prado gets traded for more upside and hammock bones, and everybody’s happy. Should Prado shine, he could remain on the roster as the backup 3b with Infante returning to back-up ss. BL gets optioned back to Richmond and nobody gets traded.
Either way Lillibridge and Prado will get their chances to earn their keep on the roster while Infante is recovering.
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Infante broke a hand this past weekend and Frank traded Aybar yesterday. That means Aybar was not going to play for this teem. Looks like Prado makes it out of camp and what of Lillibridge? And what happens when Chipper hurts a hammock or an oblique or a toe? Escobar to third, Lillibridge to short? Must call Frank and find out what is going on.
And the Rays are looking at Aybar at first and in the outfield. Eva Longoria is at third there. Weak glove, great legs. Remember, Aybar has no hamate bone. Need a hamate to play baseball?
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Woodward is calling Frank right now. Discount.
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Y’all-This was a nothing trade-absolutely nothing and of little to no consequence. We gave up a minor league ballplayer with serious issues (that do not coincide with the Braves’ way of doing things) and a minor league infielder none of us ever heard of and quite far down the food chain, for another minor leaguer no on had ever heard of. A nothing trade. Read it as the Braves had little or no faith in Willie Aybar and clearing a logjam in the infield, where we have a large number of options.
This gives a pretty clear shout to Lillibridge and Prado to take their time as utility men. I think Lillibridge has been in their plans for a while and almost everyone has been wondering when he would get his shot-now we know. I have no idea what the bad rap on Prado is all about. He has hit fairly well in limited playing time and has played good defense. Not so sure why so many are so down on him.
As someone on the other blog said-I doubt that come October, anyone will proclaim we lost because we did not have Willie Aybar. I tend to agree. A nothing deal.
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Uhmmm…a broken hand six weeks before reporting shouldn’t be a show stopper. Much ado ’bout nuttin’, IMO.
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Israel Seals Gaza Strip Border Crossings
Have no idea what this means. Will call the Great Seal of the United States and find out.
Here is some baseballl talk: Clemmens has a lawyer now that can hang with the big boys. Definition of “is”, is. Nothing to hide, right? B-12 and butt deadener.
Alas, Aybar, did not know him well. But no hamate. Has no hamate on a team with hammocks. If I was his agunt I would go to Pawley’s Island (can still go, am on an expenze account now) and get him a nice rope hammock. And what manner of man tells a beet writer that he has broken his hammock bone? And what manner of beet writer writes it in the paper? Dewey wins!
Hammock Bones. Should be a song about that. Prize to the winner.
These bones, these bones, these hammock bones . . .
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Hello all….. Well, I guess the honeymoon is over…. I have come to the conclusion that I don’t much care what the Braves do any longer. Normally I would agonize over such events but truthfully, I am in a who cares mood….
I think the pain of the heart break is too much. You might forgive but it is really tough to forget. I may be to the point that “Frankly” my dear, I don’t give a D***…..
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from BaseballAmerica.com:
“But the big news of the week is clearly the departure of the Braves from Richmond. The decision caught Richmond by surprise despite eight years of negotiations to renovate the Diamond or build a new ballpark. The same article mentions two teams have already contacted the city about relocating. Richmond mayor Doug Wilder said this morning on a radio show that the city did not support spending millions of taxpayer dollars for a new ballpark, which does not necessarily jibe with earlier plans. Wilder also talks about being embarrassed by sagging at attendance R-Braves games, notably a playoff game last season: “I looked around and you could have counted the teams, you could have counted the groundskeepers, you could have counted the service people – we didn’t have a thousand people barely. I sat next to [Atlanta Braves Executive Vice President] Mike Plant and I was embarrassed,” he said this morning on Lite 98.1 FM.
Meanwhile, Times-Dispatch columnist Michael Paul Williams takes the city to task for losing the club.
Naturally, the mood is a bit brighter in Gwinnett County, which will build an expected $45 million ballpark for the Braves. The big winners in the deal appear to be the Braves themselves, who will reap most of the profits from the county-built ballpark. Gwinnett County commissioners made a strong push for the team, pulling off in four months what Richmond could not in eight years.”
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As the mighty Grinch might say….good morning everybody! 😉
I was without the internet all last night into the wee hours!!!!! 😯 😯 😯
No fun, no fun at all. It’s almost as bad as being without power. I forget what an addict I am til something like this happens. I even had some legit biz to attend to online that I couldn’t do. I am sure Earthlink will refund me for the time I was without service. Right after Jessica Biel knocks on my door asking for a backrub….Diane Lane is too old for me. 😉
And if you believe that…..
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Gil, I hate to hear you talk like that, but I understand being mad at the home team. Different curcumstances, but when Whitey Herzog traded away all the folks I loved on the Cards(Ted Simmons, Keith Hernandez, Gary Templeton) and guys like Pete Vuckovich(who won the Cy Young in 82 with the Brewers) and the recently traded for Rollie Fingers.(Never played for the Cards-Won the Cy Young in 1981!)
Yeah, the Cards won in ’82, but it was Whitey ball, which I was not much of a fan of. And with all the new players(The late Darryl Porter was the Catcher as well-instead of Ted Simmons) it really was like watching another team play, who just happened to have Cardinal uniforms on. I rooted for the Brewers in fact during the World Series, that is how made I was at Herzog.
I then moved to Jacksonville in 1983, and started to watch Cubs and Braves games on cable, and became fans of both teams. Strangely enough, I became a bigger fan of the team that had less success…you know which team I speak of.
Over time, I could stand the Cards again, once Whitey was gone. And as a long time power starved Card fan, what a thrill to see McGuire pound homers at the old Busch statium! And I was very glad to see them beat the Tigers in 2006.
What does this mean for you though??? You have been a big fan for longer than I was with the Cardinals. I wasn’t throwing away as much as you would be throwing away. But, hey…without the Braves, you wouldn’t know a swell bunch of folk like us!!!! 🙂
I believe in hatred, I really do. Just on an individual basis. Not a whole group. Hate the folks in charge of the Braves organization, the dopes in Richmond that didn’t think fast on their feet. But, don’t hate the players, minor or Major league level. Or the fans of either. After all, you are part of the Braves after all these years. Don’t hate yourself…..
Give it time, talk to us about everything but baseball if you want….
There, let me get off this soapbox…..man, I am up pretty high, help me down will ya????
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Berrrygan, I have told Jimmy Smith the same thing, Diane Lane is to old. And she will be older on January 22. Still, not bad for Jimmy Smith -but can’t cook. Made wings and pancakes for dinner one time. And Gill is still steeming but must keep his BRaves hat.
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Lew, I don’t know….Willie is a career .292 hitter…..Jeff Ridgway has a 189.00 ERA. from last year….I bet Willie hits .280 this year. While Ridgway…..who knows what will happen with him??? Just another deal that makes one scratch your head.
Betemit!!!!!!
Sorry, just felt compelled to mention his name! 😛
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Chopper, you still need to put that gun down! And get some sleep! You look mighty tired. Beet righting is not the easiest thing in the world!
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Berigan-No Aybar was a player who had two broken hands in the short time he was with the Braves, had substance abuse (and apparently depression and/or other) issues who just came back from missing an entire year in baseball. We still have Lillibridge, Prado and Infante (when he returns) to fill out the middle infield and replace Chipper duties. Infante should be back to shape as soon as he rehabs since he played winter ball all year.
Sorry, Dude, we got nothing in return for nothing. Same appears to be true with Betemit. He sure hasn’t done anything worthwhile since he left Atlanta. Nothing but culling the herd, so to speak.
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Berigan-What are you worried about? Chris Woodward is still available.
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Berigan, Aybar’s no loss …a career .292 hitter … what career? I know that 383 plate appearances is quite a career for some folks … too long, methinks!
Wilson’s another story … he suffered the dreaded “Journalist Jinx” Jimmy and I touted him big time and I nicknamed him the “Buttermint Babe” … the name didn’t catch on but he did … got a lot of media and fan attention … and then Bobby wouldn’t play him.
Same thing happened to Diaz … poor kid … again we touted him … then everybody started doing it … cursed by the “journalist jinx” … 706 plate appearances over 2 years with Atlanta .333 BA … in 2007, he hit .356 against lefties, .318 against righties … obvious that he had to be platooned … Andruw’s below Mendoza, Scott’s about the same … Willie’s hitting over .400 and … Bobby wouldn’t play him.
The Buttermint may have been buttermilk and turned a bit sour but … methinks he would have been at least a supersub with the Braves … the game’s played above the neck and he felt loved in Atlanta.
Willie Harris evidently had a flaw in his swing … or his setup/approach … they found it … but he had something special … I would have liked to have seen them work on solving the problem rather than showing him the door … “something special” is something else!
Why would a highly successful GM want to become President? There’s a new sheriff in town and we’re on the outside looking in.
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Hey gang, Okay, I will try to refocus on the team. I have often rooted for other tams who had so many ex Braves playing for them. So it was for the Braves because there were so many ex R-Braves on the team.
I do not wish to bring everyone else down being a nattering naybob so I will try to stay positive. I am positive the train wreck was not done single handedly by Doug Wilder. He tried to pull the same trick that Gwinnett County did while he was Governor of Virginia and move the Redskins to Northern VA. He was blocked by the Va Retirement fund who held a large share of the property that would have been used for the stadium. Now the area is blessed with strip malls instead and the Redskins play in Maryland.
The former Chairman of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors is as much to blame as anyone as she worked against the Braves building a downtown stadium. So, there is plenty of blame to go around.
So, there were many conspirators in this caper, many remain unnamed.
In other news….. Looks like the snow will now move east of us here in central VA. Perhaps a bit will fall upon SG and CL.
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I sure hope not, Gil!! Just checked the forecast and there is a small chance of a bit of sleet and/or snow Saturday evening. It sure is going to be cold! Lows around 20??? brrrrrrr FBG, you got room for some guests???
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I’ll take 20 … it’s supposed to be 12-15 here, high around 32.
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I stated several months ago that I did not believe the Braves would not start two rookies in the outfield at the same time. The signing of Kotsay confirms that for me. I have been a Diaz supported since he arrive in Atlanta but apparently the Braves just don’t really like this guy. Why else would they try to sell his contract to a Japanese league team last year.
If the Braves sign Teixeira to a long term deal, they will offer less money to Diaz or trade him too. I think he would be a great player for Philly or Washington. I wonder if he will go by the same route as Langerhans?
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Sigh….. that should read the Braves would not start two rookies in the outfield. Time to put away the Jameson….
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Gil…can an ‘eagle’ drink and fly? ❓
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Salty, did you get your avatar like you wanted it? Get the screenshot I sent?
SMILE! You’re on Candid Camera! I’m making each of us a page where photos can be posted. I’ll still have to upload them for you but each person will have his/her own photo page. I think it’ll be pretty neat! 🙂
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Lew and Bob….whoa, whoa, whoa… Betemit did nothing last year??? 14 HR’s and 50 RBI’s in 240 AB’s is nothing??? 😯 You youngsters wouldn’t remember, but I recall 14 HR’s and 50 RBI’s were considered good numbers for a SS to have for a full season! I know, he only hit .229….30 points above the
MendozaWoodward line of last year. Woodward, in 136 Ab’s also meant 8 RBI’s last year. That is nothing. Betemit is a bit better than nothing. And I imagine Aybar will put up decent numbers in Tampa. Just you wait…….bet money on it! 😕LikeLike
the braves have some andruw jones bobbleheads still available for only $19.99. head bobbles all the time – like last year when swinging the bat. and what other bobbleheads are available? and does the chipper bobblehead sustain injury when bobbling?
and what is the status of the chop seal bobblehead?
and remember betemit pinch-hitting against the braves? oh, the humanity!
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I’m not going to be able to post much here anymore….now that I have found this forum….
http://www.icechewing.com/
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Berigan, I’ve been looking for a good ice blog for years. Thank you. Finally, there is a place for we ice lovers.
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Salty…is your new avatar from the Antiques Road Show? French silverware for oyster eating? Caviar? Let them eat cake? Oh, the humanity!
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Berigan, that one falls under the category of “Now I’ve Seen It All”! 😆
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Bob, Journalist…Aybar schmaybar…who cares. I want to see Matt Diaz own left field and start every day until he proves he needs to platoon. But then Bobby would have to alter his crusty old book and give the clutch guy a chance.
Gil, I wish we would get snow here in the coastal empire. That three hours in Atlanta earlier this week didn’t quench my snow thirst. I’m tempted to just get in the car and drive to north Georgia.
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SG…well…if the blog will allow, I wanted a ‘fork’ to honor FBG’s red velvet cake…shouldn’t use fingers you know (‘cept when no one’s looking!) However, it popped up initially, then reverted back. Are you telling me you see the fork? I ‘Sea Salt’ on my screen. 🙂
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CL…yes, received your screen shot and replied. We ‘underlings’ lack the access you have…my only option was ‘post’. I’ll live!
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Bob….whoa, whoa, whoa… Betemit did nothing last year??? … whoa is right Berigan, you’ve been chewing too much dry ice and it fogged up your glasses if you think I’m down on Wilson … back before the trade when he was being hyped, it looked to me like self imposed pressure got to him a bit … like Mark DeRosa in ’04 … but, while methinks Wilson’s a keeper and the Braves made a mistake in trading him, what they done did, can’t be undid.
Aybar may prove to be okay too but chances are at least reasonable that, above the neck, he’s a long road ahead of him … high risk for a utility or situation player.
From a business perspective, it’s probably best to sincerely wish him success and let him be someone else’s problem, if that’s what he turns out to be.
The Motos arrived, three days after the said they had been delivered … so it’s supper and a few hours of mystery and intrigue.
Later …
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Hi, Salty! The avatar that shows now is of the forks on the yellow background. Didn’t receive a reply – must be floating around in space somewhere! 🙂
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Sir Guy, before adjourning … Bobby didn’t play Matt because it was somebody else who came up with the idea after he struggled at the start of the season … Bobby’s stubborn! I imagine he’ll get the “chance” … hopefully, it won’t be “waiting for, and expecting him to fail”/”I told you so” type of chance.
It should be interesting … my guess is that Matt’s work ethic will stand him in good stead … might even win a Gold Glove before he’s through … might not … but, he’s better than is perceived by most … and improving.
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Salty…as Yogi might’ve said, when you get to a fork in the road…eat red velvet cake with it. If you do, Klobber and CL are gonna have to bake her another avatar.
Bob, Journalist, I hope chance gives Matt a legitimate chance. I think he’s an All-star waiting to happen. Clutch too. Love the guy.
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Sorry Bob, if I seemed to put you in the anti-Betemit group…Don’t know that Lew fits that group exactly either, but I’d take him over whatshisname from last year…..
Glad the Moto’s arrived! 🙂 I found in our box sets, they had the newer movies on the left of the box, which makes no sense to me….
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HEY! Where is the 9-11 crowd ❓
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Lew, is this your dog??????
http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=0sUL0KCIc48&feature=related
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Morning, all! On my way out; just thought I’d say howdy. Berigan, it’s nice to see some appreciate my mightyness. I went to Petsmart today and got a whole bunch of stuff for my new puppy then found out I have to wait ’till tomorrow to pick her up. Drat! BTW, Petsmart isn’t the cheapest place to buy things. A big doggie pillow, some chew toys, some spray to make my new furniture unappetizing to chew on and a 20 pound sack of Eukanuba was 90 bucks. However, she’s my little Fatbaby and will soon grow fearsome and have mighty tooths.
Glad Lillibridge is getting a shot; I think he’ll do well. The mighty beet writer from you-know-where thinks he’s a better choice than Prado. Alas, he’s probably right. Prado’s not bad, but he ain’t great either. Not too dismayed at Aybar’s trade anyway.
Off into the wild blue yonder.
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I’m here Berigan. Just got in.
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Berigan, while the soundtrack is a little dated, the video you posted was pretty cool and it reminds me why I live here. Snow is great if you’re skiing. Otherwise, not so much.
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Berigan-I really have no opinion of Bate A Meet either way. I look at him, Aybar and many such players as the pawns on a chessboard-they will be the first casualties, but occasionally contribute something worthwhile-just not enough to really care at all-they fill a purpose but aren’t all that important. We probably have another couple dozen in the minors that will play for a while and then be moved to another team, to fit the whim of the moment. They will be shuffled around and others will take their place.
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Chris, I felt sorry for the dog!!! Silly thing kept doing it though! Looks like the kinda snow Lew gets…wonder where it is????
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The Yankees avoided arbitration with Betemit on Friday, coming to terms on a one-year contract worth a reported $1.165 million.
Not bad for a guy that hit .240 last year…..
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Salty… This eagle has landed.. 🙂 Or maybe is just grounded….
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I am going to miss Lillibridge most of all I think. Wow, what a great little ballplayer he is. If you folks liked (or remember) Brett Butler, you are really going to love this guy. I would not be surprised to see him playing full time somewhere in 2009. He is too good to have riding the pine anywhere.
Looks like the truth is coming out about how Atlanta really felt about sending prospects to Richmond. Now we know why “Homeboy’s” kid ended up playing the Rivah City so much.
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Even more, now we know why he quit baseball and returned to school. Tough love from dad….
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And everyone else has gone to bed, not even a sniff of red velvet cake to be had….. Or ice 🙂 Man, that was cold berigan… 🙂
Ring around the moon tonight…. Rain before noon?
SG… The wife has told me she wants to drive to VA Beach tomorrow to see the snow. Go figure, I am sure we will get snow in February or March during our 2 weeks of winter….
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And six….. 🙂
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Catch ya’ll in the morning….
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POOF!!!!!
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Hey Gil, still up???
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And Betemit did not hit .240, it was .229!!! But, he drove in 50 Between LA and New York….Woodcrud drove in 8. But hey, who is to say that having a utility guy driving in another 42 is such a good thing? That instead of killing rallies, an extra 13 homers spread out over the season might have helped us win some games??? Oh, I will, I will!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Though, I have to say, the Woodster really did prefect the slow rolling grounder to SS.
He “earned” $850,000 last year. Apparently, Betemit hitting 30 points higher, driving in 42 more runs, and hitting 13 more dingers is only worth $300,000 more than .199, 1 HR and 8 RBI’s. Betemit needs a better agent, Yankees pay their ballboys 5 Mil a year…..
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Gil-Strangely enough, my wife and I were present for Jonathan Schuerholz’s one moment of glory. Several years ago, the Braves played the Twins at Cooperstown at the HOF game. Since it’s only about five hours from here, and was on my birthday, we went and spent the weekend and cruised aroudn Cooperstown and went to the game on Monday. Jonathan was the MVP of the game. He hit a HR and I think, a double. Played center field=right in front of us. Great weekend. I still have the ticket stub. Guess he won’t be at Spring Training to sign it, will he?
Time to hit the bed. Goodnight all.
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Berigan-The reference to Woodward earlier was sarcastic. He’s one of the worst utility players I ever saw and I’m an old Dude. Good night.
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Well. cruising around the sports world, it is funny how the drainage problem the Richmond field had two years ago keeps popping up. No one bothers to mentioned that Atlanta had their grounds keeper personally supervise the repair work and no problems since.
It’s like dragging up old arguments in a divorce case. By the time folks get through trashing us, we won’t get a rookie league team……
Of course the Nationals would love to come play here but until the Marlins move to Vegas there are not going to be any AAA franchises available. If they put an A ball team here, you will be able to count the fans on two hands. Double A ball will have a better chance at success.
I can remember The Robins packing in 10,000 people a night when Richmond had an American Hockey League franchise. After they were gone and it took several years for hockey to return, hockey has struggled to stay viable. The folks who like hockey do not like going downtown at night.
The whole nature of the city has changed the past few years. What was once a very vibrant area much reminds me of Pottersville. People are afraid to go downtown after dark. It only takes a few robberies and a couple of killings to cause people to shy away. To be honest, Richmond has bigger problems right now than losing a ball club. However, it doesn’t help.
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Lew, I assume anytime anyone mentions Woodcr*p, it’s sarcasm! 😛
Or a masochistic nature.
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Where is the snow????????? :X
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I say, where is the snow?????? 😡
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Berigan, it’ll probably snow after noon, early afternoon when the temp drops. Looks like Georgia is going to reduce some water deficit over the next week or so. The trees, rivers and ponds are lovin’ this.
We’ve got a gully-washing frog strangler over here on the coast. Strange how some sick individual would be nice enough to clean gullies yet kill innocent frogs.
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Football question: Should Arthur Blank hire Herschel Walker as Falcons offensive and defensive coach? Two in one. Save money that way. Bernie Marcus as head coach? Homer the Home Depot handyman as new Prez?
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Berigan, what a great video! The info from the owner said it was in Colorado in 1998. Bailey (the dog) died shortly after that in a house fire. Bailey sure loved playing in that snow!
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On this day in history
1807 – Confederate General Robert Edward Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Lee was commander of the Army of Northern Virginia for most of the Civil War.
1809 – Edgar Allen Poe was born
1861 – Georgia became the fifth state to secede from the Union.
1934 – Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis denies Shoeless Joe Jackson’s appeal for reinstatement.
1953 – Lucy Ricardo gave birth to baby Ricky on I Love Lucy. More people tuned in to watch the show than the inauguration of President Eisenhower.
1957 – Johnny Cash made his first network TV appearance, on CBS’
“Jackie Gleason Show.” (should be on other blog? No, SG loves the real MIB too.)
1977 – U.S. President Ford pardoned Iva Toguri D’Aquino (the “Tokyo Rose”).
1996 – U.S. first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury. The investigation was concerning the discovery of billing records related to the Whitewater real estate investment venture.
2001 – President Clinton admitted he made false statements under oath about Monica Lewinsky.
2008 – Savannah Guy woke up (always a good sign of a potentially great day), had some coffee and a nice breakfast, played on the internet while entertaining the thought of hopping in the car and heading to Atlanta to see snow. Then an Osprey was spotted enjoying a fish breakfast on the top of a piling in the pouring rain. Savannah Guy then decided to stay put.
All very important things.
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Berigan…snow just started up here in Woodstock…it’s been sleeting all morning. At least I didn’t get wet on my run…just had to squint to save my eyes. Now…let’s see if it lasts…and amounts to anything. There’s a big shield of snow headed this way, per radar, but that, like weather predictions (and predictions of Mets winning pennants) won’t get you a cup of coffee! 🙂
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Still don’t get this avatar thing…’Flaky Sea Salt’ I shall remain. Frankly, it is appropriate!
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Snow? Maybe I’ll drive to Woodstock then. Could be fun. Will need my time machine though. It’s in the garage.
Salty, has Wavy Gravy announced anything about bad brown acid yet? Seen Max Yasgur? Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young played yet? Richie Havens? Hendrix? Santana? Country Joe? Sha-Na-Na (why were they there?), Who? Joe Cocker, The Band, Johnny Winter, Paul Butterfield, Ten Years after? Twenty-nine Years after! Lotta freaks. All old now. Some dead. Some have short hair…some have no hair.
Oh, you must mean Woodstock, Georgia…not three days of peace and music? One day of snow? That sounds nice too. Maybe add some peace and music.
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Salty, you may be using subliminal advertising for your catering business. Very clever. How many clams would you charge to cater a denizen dinner at CL’s house?
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Salty, maybe you need to clear your computer’s cache. I think the rest of us see the 2 forks avatar. Which one is supposed to be seen?
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Savannah Guy-Did you get a picture of the feasting bird of prey? No more snow here at the moment, but the cold snap that will be in efect in Green Bay tonight for the NFC Championship, hits us sometime on Monday. Low’s to minus 10 actual temperature. Enjoy your snow, I need long johns!!!!
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Our Own Candid Cameras! page is up!! Each person has his/her own photo page where I can post your photos. There’s just no way this system will let anyone other than the ‘administrator’ post them, so we’ll just have to do it this way.
Send your stuff to me and I’ll upload it for you!
It ought to be a lot of fun!
❓ Yes? No? Yawn? Whatever? ❓
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Well, like a fool, I stayed up to see all the snow that was going to start last night. I wouldn’t take any stock suggestions from the weather folks. 😕 I was up til 10 AM, no snow. So, slept for 3 hours. Now there is snow!!! Not covering the roads anywhere it appears. There have been bigger snow events here. A few times I have seen the roads and the yards covered. Today, just the trees and yards. Well…Yard have a lot of stubble still. 😉 Anyone seeing their driveways or porches covered???
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CL, probably a mistake, but I sent the photo of me I used for my avatar…..I look about a creepy as someone can look….don’t think anyone would want me to show up to pick up their daughter looking like this! 😛 Normally, I keep the hair nice and tied up….laugh away!!!!
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Berigan and I have some photos posted on our pages! Lew, I posted a few snow pics you sent on yours.
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Well, snow about stopped here…..maybe an inch on the car????? Not quite what I was expecting. This seemed like a can’t miss snow event, all this moisture, and all this (Coming soon)cold, cold air…still a flop.
Salty, you are right! weather predictions are similar to folks predicting Mets the winning pennants. Computer models were off on that as well! 🙂
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Hi folks, been working on my income tax returns and thought I would take a little recess. I was looking at some of the arbitration eligible players and the amount they signed for. Does not look to me like a million dollars buys you much any more. 🙂
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Snowing pretty steady here in Mechanicsville. The tow truck drivers refer to it as “White Gold” 🙂 We were on the fringe of the storm so I don’t know how much more we will get but about an inch on the ground now.
CL… I am going to send some pictures of my toys. Everybody needs a hobby, guess what mine is? 🙂
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toe truck
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More photos from Berigan and Gil!
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snow?
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Not here! About an inch of rain so far today, though!
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lotta rain here. buckets. cats and dogs.
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Send some of it up here! Along with your photos! 🙂
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Lots of rain here before the wimpy snowfall. Maybe an inch here in Jonesboro. So hard to get a snow event here. Yet, In Jackson, Mississippi it snowed for hours and hours and they are further south than we are. Not that I am bitter or anything.
Thing is, I haven’t seen a good real snowfall since 1982, and I am getting the feeling I never will again! Just 4-5 inches of snow would make me happy. Need to win the lottery so I can go somewheres way north and get sick of it! 🙂
And I imagine smart folks like CL and SG know this, but it’s getting very cold tonight, there is going to be a lot of black ice out there! 😯
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It’s supposed to go only to about 32 tonight, but EIGHTEEN tomorrow night! That’s brutal! (Lew, quit laughing!)
Let’s see: pictures up for Chop Seal, JJS, Lew, Berigan (more coming), MrGil and Carolina Lady (more coming).
I’ll post more later – the server is slowing considerably and I’m having trouble getting them to load. Need a break anyway! 😆
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Wow….no posts for 5 hours??? Everyone must be sleepy!
CL, weird that you are only supposed to go down to 32, and us 18-19! Must be some cloud cover there to protect you….
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4 hours…it’s late…suddup! 😡
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or shuddup…your call
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The United Way realized that it had never received a donation from the city’s most successful beet writer. So a United Way volunteer paid the beet writer a visit at his office.
The volunteer opened the meeting by saying, ‘Our research shows that you don’t give a penny to charity. Wouldn’t you like to give something back to your community through the United Way ?’
The beet writer thinks for a minute and says, ‘First, did your research also show you that my mother is dying after a long, painful illness and she has huge medical bills that are far beyond her ability to pay?’
Embarrassed, the United Way rep mumbles, ‘Uh… no, I didn’t know that.’
‘Secondly,’ says the beet writer, ‘ did it show that my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair and is unable to support his wife and six children?
The stricken United Way rep begins to stammer an apology, but is cut off again.
‘Thirdly, did your research also show you that my sister’s husband died in dreadful car accident, leaving her penniless with a mortgage and three children, one of whom is disabled and another that has learning disabilities requiring an array of private tutors?’
The humiliated United Way rep, completely beaten, says, ‘I’m so sorry, I had no idea.’
And the beet writer says, ‘So…if I didn’t give any money to them, what makes you think I’d give any to you?
Pleeze Carulian Lady, make me a collumist soon.
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Our “beet” writer could cross picket lines and write for Leno…. 🙂 Of course that could leave Atlanta humorless.
The sun is out and BRIGHT!!! Reflection off of the snow is blinding. It is suppose to be cold tonight. Once it drops below 30 degrees for me it makes little difference. Then it only becomes a matter of how long I can stand to be outside… or not…
In baseball news….. Everyone is watching football today. 8)
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Where is everybody???
💡 I got it! Y’all are digging through all your photos trying to decide which ones to post! Ok – that’s good! I’m processing them as fast as I can – more and more are going up! 🙂
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Hey, no fair! 😡 Gil has his cars up, and I don’t!!!!! Can I have you put up a photo of my ancient Lincoln???? Can I CL, huh, can I?????? 🙂
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CL, I hope that photo of me didn’t scare ’em all off! 😯
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Send ’em, Berigan! 😆
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Photos now up for Berigan, CL, Chop Seal, jjs, Lew and MrGil!
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oh, the humanity! carolina lady has cropped sealma hayek on this journalist’s photos page. 😀 cropped in the worst sort of way!
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Pat’s win! Was a good game. It’s amazing to see an NFL (or any other pro team) go 18-0. One more and they make big history.
Now I’ll pull for Favre to win tonight and make this a Super Bowl worth watching.
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CL, I just sent pictures.
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Ma’am, I sent two photos of my mellow yellow Lincoln!!!! 😛
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The photos being sent are just terrific! However, after having spent the majority of the afternoon working on all of it, the Photo Editor is closing until morning. She be cross-eyed! 😆
Keep ’em coming!
Gil, I’ll swap you some eastern NC BBQ for that red convertible. Yes?
That’s exactly what I need to sport around in. With my frail 83-yr-old mother riding shotgun.. 😆
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Berigan, that is one classy automobile!!!
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CL… The boss says no thank you but she appreciates the offer.. 🙂
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There was once a man who was as nice as could be, except he absolutely hated beet writers. Whenever he would see a beet writer on the side of a road, he would swerve his pick-up truck and run over him.
Then one day, he was driving down the freeway when he saw a minister next to his car, which had broken down. Being such a nice man, he pulled over and offered the minister a ride to the next gas station.
While he was driving, he saw a beet writer on the side of the road. He started to swerve over, when he realized there was a minister in his car. He thought he missed the beet writer, but he still heard a loud bang. Then he pulled over and confessed to the minister about his problem and said that’s why he swerved the car.
He told the minister that he thought he missed the beet writer when the minister interrupted him and said, “That’s okay, I got him with my door!”
pleasse make me a collumist soon.
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Gil, ….sigh…. Well, thanks anyway……
😆
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Chop Seal, what does a collumist do? And where would you do it?
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CL, if you’re still up, you have mail.
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Just got it, Chris. No problem. Any idea when?
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You want to post it tomorrow? I’ve got to download pics still but the lead itself is basically finished.
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That would be good if you can manage it.
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CL, it’s on the way.
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top of the morning, everybody. A quick post here, as I get ready to enjoy my day off and ride out to my hometown to see a buddy of mine who is sick.
We got 1 1/2 inches of snow Saturday afternoon, then most of it melted before nightfall. Still, got to sled (albeit we gave up after three or four tries), and we built a little snowman, and we had a heck of a good snowball fight.
Now, ENOUGH!! My kids have seen snow, and that itch has been scratched. Yesterday, all of us complained about how cold it was and we couldn’t really get out and do much and blah, blah, blah.
Give us our Georgia weather back, please. I’m ready for the 80s!
Hope all is well. CL, gonna try and shoot you a couple of pics before I depart this morning.
The Scribe abides.
–30–
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SCribe-Glad you enjoyed your snow. That much wouldn’t even necessitate a moment’s hesitation up here. No one would do more than say “It’s snowing”. The problem now is that Green Bay has nothing on Randolph Vermont. It was two below last night. Same again tonight. Now THAT’S cold. I don’t see how those crazy people could actually go out to a game in that cold. I couldn’t breathe in it.
Time to go take medicine. My hip is arthritically screaming at me and Kathy messed up her ankle again (so much for surgery?). I’ll check in later. Must go paint McCann’s portrait.
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Gooooood morning, everyone!
CHRIS is pinch-hitting for us and has a NEW BLOG POSTED!
Thanks for all the photos – I’m working on them! They’ll all be posted before the day is out.
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