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by SavannahGuy
SAVANNAH, GA – Spring is fast approaching and the excitement of a brand spanking new baseball season is upon us. Braves pitchers and catchers have reported and all other players soon arrive in camp. With great anticipation and high expectations we await news. It’s a great time for baseball fans.
Can’t wait…but before the southern Dogwoods and azaleas bloom and I once again become too enamored with real live baseball being played, I’ll get a few issues off my chest and put them on the table.
There’ll be plenty of time soon to get caught up in the games, the players, the teams, trades, stats and standings. Before all of that begins and we baseball fans become immersed in all that is good and wholesome and competitive I wonder: What about that other stuff that can turn good fans into cynics? You know, the baggage…the steroids, the allegations, the excess…the ugly stuff we ignore until it hits the headlines again.
Maybe it’s just my cathartic opine and statement of the obvious, but excuse me sports fans…uh, there’s an elephant in the room. Oh, I’d like it to go away but it won’t leave anytime soon. Perhaps by acknowledging its existence and calling it by name, it’ll at least be put it in its proper place, if but only for a little while.
This big, fat hairy elephant is not just steroids and the players that cheat. It’s the inept or corrupt trainers and team doctors. It’s the enabling owners, the unreasonable and elusive union, it’s the media and most of all it’s the MLB. It’s flamed by the always more, bigger, better, faster, further, stronger, never enough culture we live in.
Theatre of the absurd.
Off the field of play, baseball is seriously flawed. After years of the curse of steroids and a fundamentally rudderless, myopic MLB with a seemingly owner-managed, Howdy-Doody Commissioner, major league baseball has once again become tarnished. Oh, it’s happened before with the Black Sox and the strikes…but never quite like today. Sure, baseball will survive and thrive for the foreseeable future and we’ll enjoy the games themselves, but the gaps between the businesses of baseball, the game of baseball, the players and loyal fans continues to grow wider.
Baseball is in the midst of a perfect storm of steroids, outlandish salaries and payroll pressures never before seen or imagined. Each cascading wave of the storm has a cumulative effect on television costs, game broadcast times and coverage. During the regular season but particularly during playoffs, the games are being played later at night, ignoring an entire generation of youth…the next generation of future fans.
Hey Bud, it’s also the economy, stupid. If MLB leadership doesn’t take a good, hard, rational, big-picture, long term look at baseball then provide reasonably affordable, dependable and consistent access to its fans, they could be unwittingly reducing an American institution to just another reality television property. Our American pastime risks becoming an elitist stadium event and a mid-level television commodity, competing with an explosion of entertainment content choices today.
Don’t blame the players on baseballs economy. Sure, the phenomenon of super-rich players hoisted to the “stratusphere” of an athlete society elite make easy targets, but they are the game. They’re the only reason we watch. They are the content. They take the field and play the game. They are the talent. They play their hearts out. They hit, pitch, catch, throw, scrap and claw, run the bases, score the runs and entertain us with their valiant effort. Like film actors, artists and musicians, they deserve whatever the market will bear. They are the actors on the stage we watch, write about, talk about, measure and obsess over.
Our game is changing. Baseball is either evolving or devolving, depending on your point of view. Perhaps there’s a transformation…no, make that transmutation taking place, but it is in no way unique to our favorite pastime or even sports. The state of baseball is but a reflection of our society, an index to a larger, faster, bigger, better, “let’s see how big we can grow it and how far we can stretch it until we break” it American culture.
Media plays its part in our changing sport culture. Around the clock sports news and non-stop gossip, steroid and designer drug scandals, the he said-she said blather, the paparazzi-like, star-worshiping sports journalists, a “blog universe of rumors” may just mark a shift in sports to attract and appeal to a 24/7 generation of stat-obsessed, instant gratification hooked, win or you stink – lose and we’re personally miserable sports fan culture.
Now, back to that big fat hairy elephant. Wait, that’s no elephant. That’s a Tyrannosaurus rex and baseball may not be evolving…it may be knee deep and wading further into the tar pit of irrelevancy.
So, where does that leave us? Where is the good old inter-subjective, traditional fans game we can get behind and root for? Where are apple pies and the American flag? Where is the Star Spangled Banner? Where are the peanuts and Cracker Jack? Where are the Blue Angel flyovers? Where are the boys of summer? Who in baseball has the “right stuff” to fix it?
What would Tom Wolfe say?
With his “new journalism” style and his amazing ability to go instantly from tarmac to 30,000 feet and back like no other, Mr. Wolfe can delve into the depths of a subculture and emerge holding the beating heart and speaking the vernacular of a generation. Wolfe can coin a phrase, give title to a cultural movement and capture the behavioral, aesthetic essence of a particular group. With that talent, what would the esteemed author write about America’s traditional pastime, the game of baseball?
Tom Wolfe played baseball. In 1952 he earned a tryout as a pitcher with the New York Giants. His baseball career ended when he was cut after three days. A failing Wolfe attributed to his inability to throw good fastballs. Fortunately, for those of us who have long appreciated his social commentary and exploration of sub-cultures, Wolfe abandoned baseball.
How might Tom Wolfe describe the myopic MLB that allows the sport and many of the players to remain caught up so long in a self-perpetuating, ostentatious tsunami of excess, unreasonable expectations and illegal “drugs for enhancement” culture? What would he think of the lowered bar of personal integrity and sportsmanship of those that cheat and those self-serving enablers that look the other way? How would Mr. Wolfe illustrate the ignored health risks taken by drug taking players?
What would Wolfe write about a Player’s Union that staunchly supports excess and eludes drug testing? What of the owners that benefit from the “financial steroids” of a full stadium, big TV deals and enjoy the artificially “pumped up” long ball even more than the chicks!
Perhaps Mr. Wolfe might apply just one word to describe the dark side of baseball. Omerta.
Be wary of the strawberry Kool-Aid.
Perhaps there is an “electric Kool-Aid acid test” for traditional baseball fans. That is, after swallowing all of the news of controversy, steroids and financial excess of our great American pastime, we can still appreciate and enjoy watching the game itself. Despite all of the controversy, so many good, young athletes with God given talent still take the field and play the game.
Kenesaw Mountain Landis is gone and Bud Selig is entrenched at the fenceless zoo, so what can we fans do? We continue to watch the games and root for the old home team, but we have to speak out whenever possible and wherever appropriate. Oh, and give Bud a one-way ticket to Palookaville.
Where is Tom Wolfe when you need him? Perhaps baseball needs a high profile outsider with an understanding and appreciation of baseball that can do what the MLB and misguided Congress can’t do…capture the beauty and essence of the game, identify the threats to the game, magnify the problems, shine a light, put it all into perspective, write the book, make the movie, generate simultaneous love of game and outrage at the ineptitude and corruption around it, create a catalyst to change the culture of the game…and entertain us all at the same time.
C’mon Tom…you could do it.
~SavannahGuy~
Excellent, Savannah! Some very good thoughts there, especially with the latest scandal of Clemens making the meet-and-greet glad-hand tour he’s making of all the Congressmen who will be judging him. (Past disgusting!)
[Y’all should know that in spite of having a miserable migraine, he got up and wrote this for us. Bravo, SG!]
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Thanks, SG! While I wish the big fat hairy elephant would just go away, I still think there’s a lot of honest, hard-working ballplayers who would never sully the game they love by cheating. I want more stringent testing now not only for my peace of mind but to protect the clean players.
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Hairy elephants have not been on the planet in many a moon, but –artistic license and all–I get your drift. Good ‘un, my man, good ‘un.
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Sorry, y’all. For some reason I couldn’t get the browser to talk to the server! Thanks for the help, FBG!!
Got another Valentine this morning! Funniest card I’ve ever seen! Thanks, JP!! Still laughing!! 😆
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Story of my life…tell a joke and the room clears. Sometimes, before I even get to the punch line.
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Very well put, SG!!! A lot to digest…but, I will forever see the commish as, “the Howdy-Doody Commissioner” 😆
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I should have said, forever more see the commish as…
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Excellent lead SG (not that I’m surprised). When the Mitchell Report came out I said that Selig and Fehr both needed to leave, either voluntarily or otherwise. They are both guilty as sin in this matter and if MLB is going to move past this awkward time it needs to happen with fresh faces at the top.
paladin, I think chop seal is more of a herring fan than a grouper fan.
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“Selig is as Selig does.” Forrest Gump
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Say again, Klobber, I’m hard of herring.
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rim shot!
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OK, guys! It’s Feb 13. You have no excuse if you wind up in the dog house! I’ve done all I can for you! 😆
Gil, plenty of room for photos! Please send!!
Paladin, grouper? Chop Seal LOVES grouper! And flounder and salmon and any other fish we can name!
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jimmy smith has another photo on his baseball page. Chuck’s new pitch!
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The dog house is really not that bad. Scratch, lick and bay at the moon. Food is not the best. But, it’s free and regular.
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jjs, the red eared slider looks llike a very slow pitch.
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Somebody asked on the previous page about Firefox auto reload. Yes, there is a download for that and you can custom-set it to refresh at whatever interval you choose.
The only drawback I’ve found is that it needs to be DISABLED before you start writing a prize-winning comment or the comment gets wiped out if the browser refreshes before you submit it. Otherwise, a very handy little gadget!
Don’t know what happened earlier. Suddenly (and for the first time) Firefax refused to recognize the WordPress server. Tried several times with no luck, then switched to IE to finally get through. Now Firefox behaves as always. Strange!
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firefox is obviously female…freckles and fickles.
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Do you want to rephrase that, Sir Knight? What’s wrong with freckled females?
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NOT a thing, dear Lady. A freckled female that shares red-velvet cake is the BEST!
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nice use of howdy doody in the above lead. howdy doody nostalgia makes summer fall winter spring all good seasons. paladin may have seen paladin’s last red velvet cake.
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I’ll be back later. I’m going out to get flbravegirl a Valentine card and a dozen roses. Might pick Chop Seal up a can of sardines, while I’m at it.
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So…Congress holding court with Sir Roger! I DON’T CARE!!!
Now, should I decide to ‘peer’ in, it’s solely to take roll call of those who will not get my vote next election. If they think this is the best use of my tax $$, I’ll show them what fiduciary responsibility is!
Aaaahhhh…I feel better now! Nothing like a good vent!
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Well, at least he knows how to make amends properly. 🙂
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http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/story/10637273/rss
WASHINGTON — Roger Clemens told Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte nearly 10 years ago that he used human growth hormone, Pettitte said in a sworn affidavit to Congress, the Associated Press learned Tuesday.
………………….
On Tuesday, Clemens made the rounds on Capitol Hill one last time, wearing a gray pinstriped suit and squeezing face-to-face meetings into the busy schedules of committee members. He met with five lawmakers over a four-hour span Tuesday, on top of the 19 he saw Thursday and Friday.
“I enjoyed talking with him,” said Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., who said the discussion included baseball stories and personal accounts about the Sept. 11 attacks. “It’s always good to meet the person who is in the spotlight. … I told him, ‘This is not a trial.'”
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It may not be a trial but it’s not supposed to be Fanfest either. 🙄
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I couldn’t agree more with Salty and SG. This is NOT a matter for Congress to get involved in; it is something that baseball itself should handle. Besides, Congress is not going to “fix” anything. All they are going to do is bask in the limelight and spout off sound-bytes. And, as Salty said, waste our tax dollars.
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Waxman’s opening comments. Interesting.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080213&content_id=2371977&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&partnered=rss_mlb
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But, wasting tax dollars and bribing folks with goodies to vote for them, is what Congress is all about!!
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Unfortunately, baseball has proven time and time again that they are either not capable or not willing to fix this problem. I hate to see Congress get involved but baseball is NOT going to fix this satisfactorily until they are absolutely forced to.
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Henry Waxman is well-named. My second choice would be self-serving slime ball.
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CL, I am blown away that Pettitte has said this! I mean, they have been great friends for years. Not watching, but reading on a jazz blog others comments on this. They say Roger is absolute toast…would you (Or anyone else) agree??? Don’t think I want to watch ESPN tonight…only way baseball becomes the top story in Feb. 😦
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paladin, doesn’t he have the weirdest nose in the history of noses?? At least nostril wise! 😆 I have hated him since some things he said back before the first Gulf War….
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I’d say Clemens is in deep doodoo, Berigan. It sounds as if Pettitte spilled his guts. I have to give him & Knoblauch credit for owning up to what they’ve done, at least.
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Klobber, the NFL didn’t get “fixed” by Congress. They have made tremendous progress by putting someone in the job that can wield an ax, not a “hand puppet” like Selig. And I think our Congress has more pressing things to concern itself with than fixing a “pastime”, national or otherwise.
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Berigan, I’ve been reading the opening comments of the principals and, though Waxman seems to be tiptoeing around it, Clemens is done. Pettitte and his wife have written testimony; it is proven that at least two thirds of NcNamee’s testimony is correct. So they all are lying about Roger? Don’t think so.
Even Roger’s opening statement is oily.
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Paladin, I do not disagree with you. But it’s not going to happen with the “hand puppet” in charge.
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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/02/10/mcnamee.clemens.ap/index.html?eref=si_mlb
“NEW YORK (AP) — One of Brian McNamee’s lawyers said Sunday he believed the Justice Department will open a criminal investigation into Roger Clemens’ denials of doping.
Meantime, the chairman of a congressional committee said comments attributed to one of the pitcher’s lawyers could be interpreted as trying to intimidate a federal law enforcement official.”
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Mis-rembered…a word that will live in infamy. Letterman, Leno, and the writers at SNL have to be salivating over that one.
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That would be mis-remembered.
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Maybe Roger C. can replace Nolen Ryan advertising that big screw that goes down in the ground. Appropriate, don’t you think?
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Reminds me of the “I have no recollection of that” from Watergate.
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Did I just get censored?
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Bill, you might have! 🙂
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Not by me, Paladin.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18946222&ft=1&f=1001
“Responding to Clemens’ insistence that he has used neither HGH nor steroids, McNamee stated that Clemens received injections of the drugs — not doses of vitamins and pain relievers, as Clemens has said.
“When I told Sen. Mitchell that I injected Roger Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, I told the truth,” McNamee said.
“I told the truth about steroids and human growth hormone,” McNamee said. “I injected those drugs into the body of Roger Clemens at his direction.”
“Unfortunately Roger has denied this and led a full-court attack on my credibility,” McNamee said. “And let me be clear, despite Roger Clemens’ statements to the contrary, I never injected Roger Clemens — or anyone else — with lidocaine or B-12.”
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Guess not. Many posts this morning. That’s good.
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And the cozy little meeting with Congressmen begin to pay off:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,330530,00.html
“Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., who called the hearing a “circus,” confronted McNamee about conflicting statements to reporters and federal investigators.
“You’re here as a sworn witness, you’re here to tell the truth, you’re here under oath and yet we have lie after lie after lie,” Burton said.
Those lies are putting Clemens’ reputation at stake, Burton added.
“Roger Clemens is a titan in baseball,” Burton said. “With all these lies, if they aren’t true, are destroying his reputation. Now how does he get his reputation back if this is not true? And how can we believe you because you’ve lied and lied and lied?”
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Before I go in for my lunch and nap: “I have no recollection of that” can not make a purjuristic return to bite you in the buns.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23119245/
“Committee chairman Henry Waxman pointed out inconsistencies in Clemens’ comments. Rep. Dan Burton repeatedly read remarks McNamee had made, and each time the former trainer was forced to admit they were untrue.
This is really disgusting. You’re here as a sworn witness. You’re here to tell the truth,” the Indiana Republican said. “You’re here under oath, and yet we have lie after lie after lie after lie, of where you’ve told this committee and the people of this country that Roger Clemens did things — I don’t know what to believe. I know one thing I don’t believe and that’s you.”
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“In 2005, Mr. Waxman said, Mr. Pettitte asked Mr. Clemens what he should say if he was ever asked whether he had taken performance-enhancing drugs, and Mr. Clemens replied that Mr. Pettitte was mistaken and that he had been talking about his wife.
However, Mr. Waxman said, Mr. Clemens’ wife did not take H.G.H. until 2003, so Mr. Clemens could not possibly have been talking about that in 1999 or 2000. The timing seemed to contradict one of Mr. Clemens’s main defenses.
Also, he said, Mr. Pettitte told his wife about the 1999 or 2000 conversation shortly after it occurred.”
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“After Mr. McNamee and Mr. Clemens read their opening statements, the panel of congressman on the House Oversight committee took turns needling them over inconsistencies in their statements and depositions. In one particularly testy exchange, Dan Burton, Republican of Indiana, told Mr. McNamee point blank that he did believe him.“Why did you keep those needles and gauze pads,” Mr. Burton said.
Mr. McNamee responded that he kept the materials because he was afraid Mr. Clemens would later hurt him.
“I have done things for other people and been hurt by it so I held on to it,” McNamee said.
“Why didn’t you give them to the Mitchell report?” Mr. Burton replied.
“I felt horrible to be in the position I was in,” Mr. McNamee said.
At that point, Mr. Burton exploded.
“Gee wiz, are you kidding me!” he said. “I know the one thing I don’t believe, that’s you.”
The tough questions from the committee members provided dramatic and awkward moments for Mr. Clemens and Mr. McNamee. “
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Outstanding post of the day…goes to FBG:
It may not be a trial but it’s not supposed to be Fanfest either.
I love it!
Human growth hormone…so what? Ten year ago…who cares? That stuff has been touted on radio informercials for years. That’s no smoking gun…it’s an old cigarette butt!
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Hello, Everbudy. AnytHing hapPening? I am almost To MacoN. StopPing at a KRystal for some chili PupS.
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Fans hold the trump card for cleaning up baseball…don’t buy tickets!
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jimmy smith once knew a young boy called tiny mcgiver. tiny was called tiny because tiny was very small. jimmy smith remembers when tiny mcgiver’s parents took tiny mcgiver to tiny mcgiver’s doctor and that doctor prescribed human growth hormone for tiny mcgiver. tiny mcgiver took that hgh for a few months and then tiny mcgiver started to grow and now tiny mcgiver is known as small mcgiver. not large, small. but better than tiny.
and some of the sleaziest of the sleazy are in congress. good that it is not a trial – certainly no peer material there in many cases. and hero worship and adulation sometimes cloud judgement. and there is a collector for everything . . . dahmer’s refrigerator even. oh, the humanity! that even gives jimmy smith the creeps.
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http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/live-analysis-of-hearings/index.html?ex=1360558800&en=041ca7071b085600&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
12:33 p.m. ET
“In clearly the most befuddling question of the morning so far, Representative William Lacy Clay, Democrat of Missouri, asked Mr. Clemens “what uniform you will wear into the Hall of Fame.”
Clemens hesitated and said with the merest of smiles he could muster. He said, “Can I state that I didn’t hear that question?”
“That is fine,” Clay said.”
10:06 a.m. ET
“As I visited with congressmen and their staff yesterday, one point they continued to make is that as everyone – from the press to public – watches today’s events, they should keep one thing in mind: This is not an impartial hearing.” [Ya think??]
“Chairman Henry A. Waxman said that in trying to establish whether Mr. Clemens was at the party hosted by Jose Canseco in 1998, the committee had asked Mr. Clemens’s attorneys, Rusty Hardin and Lanny Breuer, for the name and contact information for a Clemens family nanny that was allegedly present.
The request was apparently made last week, and Mr. Waxman said the information was given to the committee on Monday. The nanny, in her interview with the committee, put Clemems at that party, according to Mr. Waxman.
“She did remember that you were at that home during that relevant time period,” Mr. Waxman said. But Waxman also revealed that the nanny said Clemens had contacted her and invited her to his home on Sunday – before her name was given to the committee.”
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So JackAss…what do you think about those congressional hearings concerning the Mitchell Report?…
Well JackAss…What with gasoline prices hovering at or above $3.00 per gal…which is draining money from the pockets of American citizens to fill the coffers of cut-throat dictators and terrorists around the world who are obsessed with causing the ultimate destruction of this country…a country with an economy which is headed toward recession, consequently requiring an infusion of cash from it’s government to it’s citizens in hopes of slowing or preventing such…a country with seemingly indefinable borders or boundaries…a country where God is no longer welcome in public places until there is tragedy…nor in our public schools until some cold-blooded murderer shows up to kill staff or students…or until students kill students…then God is blamed…and the cry is heard, “Where was God in all this?”…a country where the ‘call to prayer’ can be heard blaring from loudspeakers five times a day in some of her cities, but God cannot to mentioned above a whisper…a country where thousands of her ‘legal’ citizens are still without healthcare…a country where the elderly regularly have to choose between necessary life-saving medications or food…a country where our military veterans, who risked their lives so others may remain free, are living on our streets and being treated worse than common criminals…a country where our children are being raped and murdered on a staggering basis…a country where corruption and perversion are rampant among her elected officials, and among those who hold the responsibility of protecting her citizens…a country which is envied and hated by most of the world…a country which is at war with heartless factions, with her continued existence is at stake…a country with countless other major and important problems…with too many damn things that need immediate fixin’…
So TheJackAss is a bit disgusted with our congressional representatives who are now wasting an entire day…and thousands if not millions of dollars… in an attempt to ascertain what caused a boil on Roger Clemens ass!…
Well thank you SouthernJackAss for your kind comments and thoughts…
No…thank you SouthernJackAss for asking…TheJackAss always enjoys blogging with TheJackAss…
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SJA for President!!!
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Here, here!
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One thing is for sure, some smells rotten and it’s not the herring on Chop Seal’s breath (I sure hope Lew remembered to bring those tic tacs)!
So who’s lying? My guess is that they ALL are.
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I’m just offended that these “hearing” and all of this other garbage infringes on my favorite sports time of the year…when the SI Swimsuit Edition comes out. Talk about some growth hormones.
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This whole thing is a web of lies, misdirection, and confusion. Will we ever know the truth?
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Greetings Clif!
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SJA, beautiful!!
HOW, in Heaven’s name, did most of these clowns ever get elected???
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3243182&name=congressional_hearings
“12:29 p.m. ET
Rep. Stephen Lynch turned his attention to an issue I thought I’d never see discussed on national television, from the floor of Congress — a “palpable mass” on Clemens’ buttock.
Lynch recounted how the Blue Jays’ team doctor admitted he had given Clemens a vitamin B-12 shot. But Lynch said the doctor and the training staff said they’d never seen a reaction to a B-12 shot as severe as Clemens’ reaction.
So the committee submitted Clemens’ MRI to an expert on MRIs, Dr. Mark Murphy. And Dr. Murphy, according to Lynch, said the mass was “more compatible with Winstrol injections” than with B-12 injections.
Asked to explain this, Clemens threw the doctor under the team bus, saying, “I hate to get on Dr. Taylor … but if he gave me a bad shot, he gave me a bad shot.”
This grilling went on awhile, whereupon Rep. Davis jumped in to complain about this line of questioning, even saying “this gave new meaning to the term, ‘lynching.’ ”
Was this the biggest national free-for-all in history over a palpable mass on a buttock? I’d vote yes.”
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Hi, Clif! Welcome!
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This just in: “A small seal held up a Krystal restaurant in Macon, Georgia during a crowded lunch-hour period. The seal kept saying, ‘I have herring breath and I know how to use it’ while an unidentified accomplice stuffed edibles into a cloth sack. Witnesses say the accomplice had a strong odor of banana pudding on his breath. More at six.”
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This whole episode of “Who shot Libery Valance” is fast becoming a palpable mass on this country’s buttock.
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journalist suspects jackass is no democratic donkey. clif is right. clemens comes across to this journalist as a sleazy customer. sleazy is relative when considering some of the congressmen present. who was the golly, gee guy? how inappropriate – but probably standard operating procedure there.
who was the blogger here that insists baseball is not tainted? only the few players. not the game? well, m.l.b. is tarnished in this journalist’s opinion and the player getting face-time right now is certainly no hero to jimmy smith.
and to the congressman who termed clemens “one of my heroes” . . .
and baseball won’t clean up its own mess. certainly it is not for the congress to clean up baseball. but a good scare wouldn’t hurt players and management. let them eat beans. not sure what that means – starting to blog like bob.
and valentine’s is tomorrow. still plenty of time.
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“Liberty”, but I kind of like Libery better.
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Thanks for all the updates everyone….And SJA for Prez! 😉
Haven’t turned the TV on, and after 6 hours a sleep, I took a bit of a nap this afternoon. Kept having weird dreams though. I was in on the Mother of all “Puked” episodes(Practical jokes-on celebs for those Chop seals age-though really, isn’t Chopper really ageless?) Michael J. Fox was either in on it, or the one the joke was being pulled on. I think he was in on it. Tom Hanks was as well….it was in the middle of the second day of this joke, and I was supposed to tell Michael some very innocuous thing that was to set him off on a near killing spree…lucky me!!! Felt very real, my acting that is….Didn’t know I had it in me. There was also a Hotel I was staying in, and a mansion with shady charactors….sometimes one wishes one could record and rewind a dream. Other times delete and forget. Man, how many times must I have the dream of Diane Lane rolling around naked in Banana Pudding and Red Velvet cake?????
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Wish this was all happening to Barry Bonds….if you were going to waste the day…why not kill two birds with one stone, and all that???
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jimmy smith has more photos on his baseball page! 😆
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What you have witnessed today with those hearings is a tiny sample of the self-promoting, self-aggrandizing attitude which is the driving force behind the majority of actions, and non-actions, being made by our supposed leaders today…additionally, with those individuals, it seems as though the definition of truth lies directly down party lines…Democrats have their version…Republicans have theirs…somewhat comparable to Bill Clinton’s question as to the definition or meaning of the word “is”…Bill Clinton said…”It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is. If the–if he–if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not–that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement–Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true.”…
I read of a very infamous man long ago asking…”What is truth?”…
TheJackAss thinks that the bulk of responsibility for this steroid mess lies primarily upon the shoulders of MLB…Bud Selig…and baseball owners…TheJackAss finds it hard to accept the fact that all those intelligent people, who had vested interests in multi-million dollar enterprises such as major-league baseball teams and the operation of such, could have simply been unaware or blind to the fact of rampant drug abuse, such as steroids, among members of their organizations…but chicks dig the ‘long ball’…and evidently, so does MLB…Bud…and the owners…they had to know…
If anyone deserves to be sitting in the ‘hot seat’…it is MLB…Bud…and unscrupulous owners…at any rate…let’s put a stop to it…and play ball!…
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SJA, all very good points. But you can’t discount Don Fehr and the union’s role. They held baseball’s feet to the fire and refused to allow testing. They’re just as dirty as Selig and the owners.
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Thanks Paladin…toss that bunch into the fire too…
TheJackAss has left the building…
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Oops…I meant chrisklob…my apologies to both…
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HOW, in Heaven’s name, did most of these clowns ever get elected???
By the numerous ‘mental midgets’ so reliant upon said clown for selflessly and tirelessly (yeah, right!) relieving them of the burden of thinking for themselves.
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Roger Clemens ordered his wife a dozen needles for Valentine’s Day instead of a dozen roses.
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She may be ordering a dozen divorce lawyers for him!
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Ah, one of the first signs that spring is on the way…… the red-winged blackbirds have returned. Shouldn’t be long before the first robins make their appearance.
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That really played out like a Sopranos episode. Carmela, Christopher, Silvio went down but Tony was still standing despite being bloodied.
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Chris, we have daffodils in bloom, hyacinths are up, tulip trees in full bloom and pine pollen. It’s spring. 🙂
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Pine pollen? Allergy season looms… 😦
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CL and Klobber say the red-winged blackbird is the sign of spring. jjs says it is the red-earred slider. Now who is right?
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You and me both, Raisins! 😥
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I’m x-rated.
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Damian Moss signs a minor league contract… will report to minor league camp.
Slow Braves news day… 😐
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One more thing before I go…whither Chop Seal?…while watching a bit of the hearing today…I thought I saw what appeared to be a very tall beet righter sitting in the audience directly behind Roger Clemens?…Chop Seal maybe?…and Clemens seemed to be curling up his nose at certain questions that were posed to him…as if he were smelling the odor of rotten fish…or stale cheese…Chop Seal, is a story forthcoming?…
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Very observant, SJA! I also thought I saw glimpses of our resident beet righter. Clemens definitely had his nose curled, but wasn’t sure why. Hmmm.
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Duty calls. Back later!
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I missed the performance … was it enhanced? Sounds like the orchestration was better than the orchestra … if Jimmy Smith and Equus Asinus, most honorable were to run for President, I’d have to abstain or vote twice.
Jimmy’s right … it’s the fans who have to clean up baseball! But, I imagine that Dame Apathy will win the pennant … that, and instant gratification syndrome. We must protect our heroes … but some of us have different notions what a hero makes … a lot of money these days, I’ve heard. I’ve been mocked for my behavior on occasion but for congressmen to engage in childish hero worship while participating in what is purported to a serious and impartial hearing … is deserving of criticism most stern.
I’m not sure how some of them got elected but I doubt it was “in Heaven’s name”.
It is a bit disconcerting that some, seemingly intelligent folks are claiming to more frequently understand me … am I slipping or are they just funning?
Berigan, I know that Lew is a smooth talker and all that, but it’s a mistake to have a date with Mary Jane when you’re sleep deprived … leads to all kinds of weird dreems and could turn you into a brick.
Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day … got mine today!! How different the untouchables of today are from back in the day … when we had the Babe and Lou … Elloitt, Big Al and “Bugsy” too.
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Shhh… JAcKass and CarUlina Lady, I am UnderCover. Don’t Point me Out.
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Sorry Chopper…if that is the case…maybe you should use my avatar…
Bob journalist…huh?…
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Polonius said that politics’ bedfellows will surprise you if you look under the covers … and methinks that’s where you’ll find messers Selig and Fehr.
“By the numerous ‘mental midgets’ so reliant upon said clown for selflessly and tirelessly (yeah, right!) relieving them of the burden of thinking for themselves” … well they have to rely on somebody. They have theirs and we have ours.
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MosT peepLe think I am On the Way to ORlando. I FiguRe up hear I maY get A scoop. Must Remain UndeRcoveR thougH and SNeak up oN the STory. OnlY BeeT wriTer hear.
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carolina lady is indeed gracious to post the unseemly photos on jimmy smith’s baseball photo page. journalist was not so sure carolina lady would accept these photos as carolina lady has already declined to post a photo of booger on there. still, the queen is a classy gal and should be included in every baseball blog. much like chino cadahia with gloves and a purse.
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I WILL NOT stand here while the lovely CL is compared to Chino w/gloves and purse. OK, I’m seated. Go ahead…at your peril.
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“Bob journalist…huh?…” Most Honorable, I was just following our esteemed First Lady’s lead from a couple days back …. when, with her always charming aplomb, she suggested that folks … even you and the mobile gun totter, would be shocked if she truly expressed what she really thought. I can’t remember what I was trying to say, but trust me, it was good whatever it was!
Actually, I blame it on the weather and too much sleep … got up this morning to unexpected snow … the local weatherman apologized and said it was all a mistake … but that it would be clear and sunny this afternoon … went back to bed and had a crazy dream … woke up to below freezing temps and totally overcast … as it continues to be … maybe he was attending the Hearings and forgot where he was … but, it twern’t Nashville!
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Bob, J…I fear we’re outnumbered…that’s the ‘horrow show’! 😦
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Hee Hee … I’ll drink to that!
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And to this …
Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art,
As those whose beauties proudly make them cruel;
For well thou know’st to my dear doting heart
Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel.
Yet, in good faith, some say that thee behold
Thy face hath not the power to make love groan:
To say they err I dare not be so bold,
Although I swear it to myself alone.
And, to be sure that is not false I swear,
A thousand groans, but thinking on thy face,
One on another’s neck, do witness bear
Thy black is fairest in my judgment’s place.
In nothing art thou black save in thy deeds,
And thence this slander, as I think, proceeds.
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“This season, the acquisition of Omar Infante and the return of catcher Javy Lopez, if he can win a backup job in Spring Training, could lift the bench this season” … I know that there are those will accuse me of having written that because of how well written it is … but it came from the Braves’ web site.
Forgetting the construction of the “sentence”, especially the dual “this season” use … I wouldn’t insult your intelligence with such gross understatements … maybe in the old days, but not now … I’ve reformed.
Hopefully those two are strong enough to lift the bench … maybe not with people sitting on it … but, those benches just aren’t that heavy … not for two grown men. I’m amused at the use of “could” … the bench “will” be stronger, certainly harder to lift, or so me thinks.
It seems to me that if Javy doesn’t make the team, because someone beat’s him out … that’s good too … it means somebody better than Javy makes the team! The same thing goes for Chipper and everybody else … if they don’t make the team, the team is better than if they had … at least in the mind’s eye of those making the decisions.
It will be fun!
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I can take a hint … everybody watching reruns … good time for a hot tub!
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Just missed you Bob! I have a few minutes whilst Mother watches her beloved Wheel and Jeopardy.
My Valentine to Mothers Everywhere
Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, “I’m tired, and it’s
getting late. I think I’ll go to bed”
She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunches.
Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper
the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar
container, put spoons and bowls on the table and set up the coffee
pot for brewing the next morning.
She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes
into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button
She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back
on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer.
She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to
dry.
She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by
the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair.
She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the
envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.
Mom then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Night
solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.
Dad called out, “I thought you were going to bed.”
“I’m on my way,” she said.
She put some water into the dog’s dish and put the cat outside, then
made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on.
She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps
and TV’s, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and
had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.
In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next
day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most
important things to do list She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals.
About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in
particular. “I’m going to bed.”
And he did…without another thought.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, MOM!
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I’m going to bed. And he did…without another thought. Except, HAPPY VALENTINE’s DAY, everyone.
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Tub’s ready but as I go, let me say I don’t envy the rest of you … MyLady is a tough act to follow!
Happy Valentine’s!
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well, sitting out here by the curb has gotten old pretty fast. good thing jimmy smith has a laptop and wireless connection so jimmy smith can blog and surf the internet. apparently, the valentines are not coming tonight. temperatures are dropping and the blue werms just moved a bale of pinestraw over the blue werm hole. gonna be cold tonight. journalist was looking forward to a nice valentine surprise but, alas, not to be.
and now the hot tub . . . on a cold night. wearing socks in the tub? more than one pair? two pair, perhaps?
and roger clemens looks goofier and goofier each time journalist sees roger clemens on television.
and where is the homeboy on all of this? could have been a braves player instead of roger, right? which one(s)?
sadly, no one leads. no owner stands tall. no manager. certainly no player – save maybe knoblauch. and that, too, is debatable.
and jimmy smith has another startling baseball page photo to send to carolina lady. may wait for valentine’s day.
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Having dinnEr noW. RogeR CLemens is seAted cloSe by. We Both oRdered ShrImp. I am Gong tO aPProach him SOOn and Ask hiM TougH quEstions. NO soFtball quEstions like ThoSe congressmeN toDay. OnlY beet WRiter hear all Day. BLending IN with the CrowD. NoBody susPects. RoGer is goinG to be SURPRIsed!
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oh, the humanity! flbravesgirl, look at this! 😆 😆 😆
http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/food/stories/2008/02/13/redvelvet_0214.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
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It’s official, Hillary has jumped the shark………..
http://cgi.fark.com/cgi/fark/youtube.pl?IDLink=3397295
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Chris, I think she was born jumping a shark…or eating one…can’t get the clip to play though, no clip now???
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First Skip, then Chip, now Clip … Harry would be proud!
What? No more Skip?
No more Chip?
No more Clip?
Poor Harry … I can’t get it either.
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MyLady, ’twas me what asked the question … to which FireFox extension do you refer? … I’ve tried “Update Checker” which is a good idea but that keeps giving me false “Update” notices.
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I would have been here sooner but I misremembered the web address…..
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Speaking of Firefox/Mozilla…anyone else get a message that Mozilla was somehow unexpectedly shut down, and do you want to restore the previous sessions??? It wasn’t unexpected by me, I shut’er down!
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Let’s try this link again……..
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I never knew that investigations of baseball would be divided along party lines. We often get the government we deserve, and sometimes not….
Pompous, self serving, grand standing… And that was just Roger… Oh, that elephant is very large in the room…..
Time to move on, however, as most of us will never be allowed to vote for players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The rest is he said, he said and by the way, let’s throw the wife under the bus….
The wife rescued two kittens Monday. A pair of bob tail tabbys. I will post a picture as soon as we can get them to stay still long enough. I wanted to call them Nubby and Stubby but the wife dubbed them Sissy and Sassy. As usual, I deferred to the boss. 🙂
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Thanks for the link, jimmy. I use cocoa in mine & add pecans & coconut to the icing. Got the recipe many years ago from my aunt Sandy’s mother. Miss Florene was quite a character & a serious Southern cook.
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Chris, I kinda wish you hadn’t fixed the link … did I hear the song right? … “instead of war we can negotiate” … with whom?
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told you that whack-job has done gone and jumped the shark!
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Negotiate with terrorists?
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Just in case TheEquusAsinus isn’t here tomorrow…”Happy Valentine’s Day” to the sweetest lady of them all!…she knows who she is…
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from the ajc:
“Asked if he’d be glad when this latest chapter in the steroids saga ends, Cox said, “Yes. Fact is, I think there’s a great testing [program] in place now, except for one test for HGH [there’s still no reliable test for human growth hormone].”
“Cox believes baseball people now understand the importance of maintaining a comprehensive drug-testing program. “I honestly believe the owners and players realize what the consequences [could be] if they don’t get it all together,” he said.”
good stuff. only a few criticisms.
1. what might the consequences be?
2. what would constitute all together?
3. what will bobby do to help get it together?
so much fluff.
cutting edge.
oh, the embarrassment!
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thank you, jackass. carolina lady will also be grateful for the nice valentine wishes. flbravesgirl, too. lew. chrisklob, gil, salty, berigan, chop seal, hillbilly, savannah, raisins, paladin, bob, ww, and everyone blogging here today. roger clemens, too. sorry to here about his a$$. at least those hearings brought that useful bit of information out.
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Don’t know about the rest of you but I am so very tired of Clemens & all the politicians. Thank goodness P & C report tomorrow, maybe then we can hear baseball news about baseball & not about Roger’s rear end! (Not much different from his front end at this point.)
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yes, hearing about the absess or whatever he had was a little annoying….
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Hey, Chris! Are you all ready to sweep Mrs. Klob off her feet tomorrow?
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What’s tomorrow? 🙂
Heck no, I’ve got all day to figure something out!
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“Happy Valentine’s Day” to the sweetest lady of them all!…she knows who she is… … shrewd … shrewd indeed! may I be the first to congratulate you Mr.President, … you’ve just clinched the ladies vote!
Jimmy, don’t tell me we had another Celebrity Guest and I didn’t know it? Roger Clemens?
Asked if he’d be glad when this latest chapter in the steroids saga ends, Cox said, “Yes. Fact is, I wish it would stop right now! It’s all so unfair … now that we’ve started our Florida thingy, I’m gonna be so busy that I’m bound to miss some of the good stuff”.
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OK, Chris flunks Valentine’s. What about the rest of you guys? CL & I have been reminding you. Don’t mess up here unless you really enjoy sleeping on the couch.
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Morning, all! Sorry I’ve been absent the last few days; I’ve just not had any time at all. None tonight, either; got to write a 5-page film review before hitting the sack. Perhaps I’ll have a little time tomorrow night. Just wanted everyone to know I still love y’all, and all that sappy stuff.
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fbg, just kiddin’. We’ve never made much of a big deal about VD or our anniversary, my birthday, my Christmas. Note that I said “my” birthday and “my” Christmas. I’ve learned that she better get something awesome for those two holidays. I’m supposed to be happy when I get socks, underwear, t-shirts, clothing for work, etc., because I “need” those things. One of these days I’m going to give her a new blender as a present because she “needs” one but I suspect the net result will be me spending a lot more time on the couch.
For our last anniversay I came home from work with a card and a very pretty potted plant (told you she never made a big deal about that one). She looked at me and said, “What’s that for?” She had totally and completely forgotten it was our anniversary. Probably wishful thinking on her part.
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Grinch! We’ve missed you. Sounds like you’re trying to do too much at once again. Good thing you’ve got a break coming up.
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Hey FBG… Sleeping on the couch can be an upgrade from the doghouse 🙂
I would call the whole bunch in Washington a bunch of horse’s asses bit it would be demeaning to the horse.
jimmy, what would be better, hard hitting reporting on the Braves or reports of the Braves’ hard hitting?
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OK, Chris, we’ll let you pass then.
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fbg, do you have a valentine?
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Evenin’, all! Sorry to have missed your delightful company; parental obligations! 🙂
FBG has received a gift photo on her photo page! HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
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bedtime… I hope……
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Bah Humbug! 😡
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——-> 😡 <——-
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Well, I said that before CL said nice things…so, whatever… 😕
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The couch? Don’t I wish … Carol’s got the couch!
Christmas Stealer, don’t go plagiarist on us, Lew’s already tried that “no time” routine … but, we love you and believe you too … sappy? … maybe, but methinks not! Why does it have to be a five page review? Couldn’t it be a 4 or a 6 … how do you know in advance?
Happy Valentines!
My grandniece have been invited to the White House Easter Egg Hunt … can’t be political … she’s four and her folks are Democrats … grandfloks too … a fact that I have never been able to understand or live down.
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Thanks for the picture, jimmy!
Chris, not really… um, maybe… kinda sorta… 😳
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Bob, Congrats to your grandniece. Shame about her folks though. 😦
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Well then, fbg, we’ll be expecting a full report tomorrow!
(Dude better not fail. Someone here might come looking for him!)
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Chris, just saw that clip of Hillary…Oh My God…. 😯 she should step down now, right now…’cept I want her to be the Dem candidate….Watched some of Obama’s speech last night….dude is an amazingly good speaker, no one on either side in the race now, or before can touch him from that standpoint….
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Thanks, Chris, but I’m not sure if this is actually going to turn into anything yet. We’ll see.
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now Chris, that’s a lot of pressure to put on fbg and the guy….
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“Well, I said that before CL said nice things” … that’s impossible <b<Berigan … MyLady’s Mama told my Mama and she told me that she’s a few days older than you and the first words out of her mouth were nice … and she’s never deviated once since!
Now I understand she recently thought some things … Oh the humanity.
The things I say and think …
good Night!
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No pressure on fbg. Apparently, all the pressure of VD is on the guy. Actually, that last sentence didn’t come out as I had planned.
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There is a dude on Colbert Report right now telling us that we should eat bugs instead of cows!
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I don’t know, that’d be a mighty small filet mignon.
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This is true, fbg, although that was not the first concern on my mind……
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I don’t even want to get into the ick factor of that idea. I’d have to go vegetarian.
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Dude ate a cicada and seemed happy to do so. Said it was more efficient for us to eat bugs than to raise cattle.
I guess he wasn’t thinking of all the birds that eat those same bugs. What would happen to them if we were to eat all their bugs?
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I guess we’d have to have huge bug farms. Anybody else think “biblical plague” when some of ’em got loose?
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Just downloaded some new Firefox add-ons! Testing!
Nope. That one doesn’t work here.
Moving on…..
Bob, I’m trying to find the add-on that will auto-refresh the page. Haven’t found it yet.
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Berigan, apologies for the bad attempt at effects … but I do agree with your 11:22:33:44 … Obama’s slick man … Maybe the real deal, may not … too many question marks to trust with a Democratic Congress or entrust our Foreign Policy … but he’s slick!
If you watch the news in Kenya, you’ll see that if he nominated, he’ll be haunted by the “Opposition Leader’s” posturing … claims that on Obama’s last visit to see family and friends, when he was greeted as a hero, he lent his support to the opposition and their cause and continues to so do … I haven’t seen that addressed in the American media … just received such reports from friends in Kenya during the fighting.
When Hillary’s advisors reported that she was back in control of her own nomination destiny, she called for unity and a stop to the dirty politics … nice timing.
T’was but a a blip on the screen in 2008 … I hope folks will remember through the years … the power play attempted by the NFL and Advertisers … to control distribution of what has been “marketed” as being free … because something might not fit with their agendas.
I hope some will even remember me in the years after I’m gone … always try to keep the good though it may fall from fashion. There may not be that much you think worth keeping, but what there is … hold on to … don’t let them take it away … lest it be lost forever.
It’s worth the battle, methinks.
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Anyone recall the character actor Pat Hingle? A friend encountered him yesterday at a memorial service here for Frank Capra, jr – Mr Hingle is in pretty bad health and said he doesn’t expect to be around very long himself. That’s sad. A good person and excellent actor. I met him several times and he’s a completely unassuming, down-to-earth regular person. Has lived in a small beach town here for many years.
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Less than 12 hours ’til the official start of ST!!! I see McCann, Diaz & several of the pitchers showed up early.
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Time to snooze. I hope you all have a sweet Valentine’s Day!
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I tried to send all you girls special evalentines … several times … selected different ones for different ones … personalized them all … but it rejected every one … said I was using an invalid “from” email address. Of course, it was a cut and paste from my address book.
I always enjoyed Pat Hingle … It seem like it’s been a while since Frank Jr. died … it was a shock to us … he and Billy were friends … did some business together a few years back. Best be careful how you treat me … I have a better idea where you live now.
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Burton said. “With all these lies, if they aren’t true” … interesting way to express one’s self, don’t you think?
Is he saying “If these lies aren’t true” or “these are lies if they’re not true”?
Goodness!
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Happy Valentine’s to you,
Happy Valentine’s to you,
Happy Valentine’s everybody,
Happy Valentine’s to you!
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oh, the humanity! jimmy smith has misremembered valentine’s day! why didn’t somebody remind this journalist? 😆 jimmy smith is surely in trouble now with all the girlfriends of this journalist. 14th, right? slipped right up on jimmy smith. of course, tomorrow can buy valentines for 1/2 price . . . hmmm…..
and what are the republicans doing with roger clemens? love fest? roger clemens is the valentine of these republicans? nice campaign contributions from the rocket? autographed hides? gil is right . . . “the other side” was mentioned . . . would that be the side with the abscess? oh, the humanity! sure to be banned by carolina lady with such impure thoughts.
and eater egg hunting is one of the favorite preoccupations of baby, er, chop seal. hunting easter eggs at the white house would be a big treat for chop seal. perhaps journalist bob can wrangle an invitation for chop seal? chop seal can be on chop seal’s best behavior while there and will stay out of the koi pond. why koi? why not bream? must ask hillbilly.
and the song for hillary . . . jimmy smith is sure they were looking for a word that rhymes and that is why they used “negotiate” . . . probably should have used capitulate. first time on this blog? ever used on that other blog? how many syllables? uh, too many.
and will chipper report and head over to the daytona 500?
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Happy VD to everyone! 😀
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Terence Moore thinks Clements and Selig are the “losers” in this; Barry Bondoid is the “winner”. Surprise!
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jjs: Eater eggs? Sounds like an infestation!
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Terence Moore is an infestation…
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Today’s the big day! Biggest, most importantest day of the whole year!
PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT!!!!!!!
(oh, and happy valentine’s day too)
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yes, that is correct. freudian slip – eater eggs. chop seal eats all the eggs – plastic ones, too. and why are their no photos of wendy posted hear? journalist must do some research.
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If Wrangler Bob couldn’t wrangle one for hisself, why would Jimmy Smith think if would be different for Chopper? I just don’t have that kind of access … now if he were a communist instead of just a beet righter.
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happy valentine’s day to carolina lady and flbravesgirl from jimmy smith and chop seal. journalist is now going out to the curb again. only 24 degrees here. lonely and cold out by the curb. surely a valentine will arrive soon. right, right?
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VOR: “Happy VD to everyone!”
VOR: “jjs: Eater eggs? Sounds like an infestation!”
🙂
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JJS,
Why Koi at the Whitehouse? My only guess is Symbolism. Koi is a type of carp that is known to damage it’s living conditions by stirring up the substrate at the bottom of the waterways. Makes water conditions unattractive and unsafe for swimming or drinking.
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yes, bob is right. jimmy smith still thinks of chop seal as a small, adolescent seal with aptitude for small engine repair and for journalism. jimmy smith forgets sometimes that chop seal is now a beet writer – and there is no way a beet writer is going to get an invitation to the white house! there, the company is polite and the silverware must remain on the table when it is time to go. no beet writers. and who was it that took the white house silverware home a few years ago?
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Hillbilly, Clinton got those as a gift from the Chinese after he gave them the detailed information on our defense system’s GPS.
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jimmy, a number of pieces of antique furniture and oil paintings were taken along with White House china and flatware. That we know of.
No soapbox – just sayin’
😆
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In North America, the day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of “valentines.” Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The mid-nineteenth century Valentine’s Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow.
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.
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I’m going out and hide my eater eggs so that I will be sure I’ve forgotten where they are when Eater rolls around.
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Valentine’s Day also has regional traditions in the UK. In Norfolk a character called ‘Jack’ Valentine knocks on the rear door of houses leaving sweets and presents for children. Although he was leaving treats, many children were scared of this mystical person.
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In Finland, Valentine’s Day is called Ystävänpäivä which translates into “Friend’s day”. As the name says, this day is more about remembering all your friends, not only your loved ones.
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In Venezuela, the Día del amor y la amistad (lit. “Love and Friendship Day”) is also celebrated but this one does happen the 14th of February. The Amigo secreto (“Secret friend”) tradition is also popular in Venezuela.
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Thanks to a concentrated marketing effort, Valentine’s Day has emerged in China, Japan and Korea as a day on which women, and less commonly men, give chocolate or flowers. It has become an obligation for many women to give chocolates to all male co-workers. In Japan this is known as giri-choko, from the words giri (“obligation”) and choko, (“chocolate”). This contrasts with honmei-choko; chocolate given to a loved one. Friends, especially girls, may exchange chocolate referred to as tomo-choko; from tomo meaning “friend”. In China, the common situation is that the man gives chocolate, flowers or both to the woman that he loved. In chinese, Valentine’s Day called “qing ren jie”.
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In Saudi Arabia in 2008, religious police banned the sale of all Valentine’s Day items, telling shop workers to remove any red items, as the day is considered an un-Islamic holiday. This ban created a black market of roses and wrapping paper.
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That was most unreasonable… 😀
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HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO A SUPER BUNCH OF FOLKS!!
🙂
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VOR; you had better get busy on something for which you can bill or your “Valentine” is going to be a pick slip. 🙂 .
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Since Finland’s Ystävänpäivä, which translates into “Friend’s Day”, is more about remembering your friends, Happy Ystävänpäivä. I am proud to be a part of this great B&S community.
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pick slip, huh? at least raisins will have some eater eggs. oh, the humanity! paladin could hide the eggs now and not find them this afternoon. 😆
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jjs; What were we talking about?
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Paladin, you are sooooooooo correct.
I worked until 9am-8pm Monday, 8am-11:45pm Tuesday, 7:30am-8pm last night… 🙄 My clients are relatively caught up now, but I’m still a bit behind. With a little luck and no surprises, I should catch up by tomorrow…
I’m getting on it. C-ya’ll later —>
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jjs: I’m looking for an Eater Egg Pie recipe.
Well, actually, I’ll look for it later… Back to the salt mines…
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VOR: There is no known recipe for Eater Egg Pie. Who would be cruel enough to beat an Eater Egg? Rim shot please, Ringo Klobber.
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An eater beater?
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vOr and I are giving everyone corn-candy for valentines.
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I love candy-corn. It’s awful for the teeth (and the waistline) but it’s quite tasty… 😀
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Rim shot for paladin!
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Valentine’s Day by the numbers:
–12.3%: Consumers who are planning to give a gift card.
–35.9%: Consumers who will buy flowers.
–48%: Consumers who will buy candy.
–48.2%: Consumers planning to celebrate with a special night out.
–$84.72: Average amount women will spend on Valentine’s Day.
–$163.37: Average amount men will spend.
–$367 million: Estimated amount to be spent on pets.
–$17.02 billion: Expected total spending on Valentine’s Day.
–$1.1 billion: Amount Americans will spend on candy, 75 percent of that being chocolate.
–Valentine’s Day is the No. 1 holiday for florists. It also ranks at the top for fresh flower purchases.
–37%: Valentine’s Day floral purchases made by women. Sixty-three percent are made by men.
–214 million: Estimated number of roses produced for Valentine’s Day in 2007.
–1913: The first year Hallmark offered Valentine’s Day cards.
–2,000: Number of Valentine’s Day greeting card designs Hallmark offers.
–190 million: Approximate number of Valentine’s Day cards exchanged industrywide (not including packaged kids’ valentines for classroom exchanges).
I didn’t see anything about how many red velvet cakes were consumed on Valentine’s Day. Seems like an appropriate cake for such a holiday to me. FBG, can you shine some light on this subject for us?
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Paladin: Cupid was really black.
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Oh, and sour gummi-worms are good too… even the blue ones.
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Terrence Mooron… 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
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Black gummi worms are better than blue gummi worms
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Hey! What happened to my other two laughing dudes?
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Another example of trying to keep the yellow man down! 😡
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The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.
Uh…am I missing something here? Guys dote on the ladies, but the cards are bought by the women? To give themselves? Is this like having them pick out their own engagement ring? Never understood that one either? 😕
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Pitchers and catchers have reported today. Not one brother reported today though.
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According to the ajc, local celeb plans for VD:
ARTHUR BLANK: “I’m going to buy [wife Stephanie] a cat and make dinner for the family.” That romantic devil…
JOHN ROCKER: “Alicia Marie and I will be at a spa for a couples’ massage, going to a live jazz club and spending the night at a posh hotel champagne, strawberries in the room where a personal chef is going to come and prepare dinner. Piece of Cake in Buckhead is making a special Valentine’s Day cake for after dinner.” “Then we’ll shoot some Wistrol.”
STAN VAN GUNDY: “I’m taking my wife to the Van Halen concert.” My kinda guy…
BILL CURRY: “What I plan to do for my sweetheart on Valentine’s Day is ask her why her book club, which meets tonight, just read ‘Frankenstein’ — no kidding — and whether that has anything to do with her choice of valentine.” Another romantic devil…
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…oh, yeah, I forgot –
TERRENCE MOORE: “Where can I find black roses?”
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Red velvet is not the way to go. Black velvet is where it’s at.
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Why is the seal on top of this blog white? Seals are black. Everyone knows that.
A white seal wearing a Braves hat – not a black seal. Imagine that.
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VOR, where do you find black roses, you ask. What are you a scout for the Braves. They have similar problems finding black players.
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Okay, terrencemooron has to go now. I am working on a new column. Well, actually I am just rearranging the same article I have written for the last decade. Guess what the subject matter is? The Braves should go get Ken Griffey, Jr.
Chop Seal, you are not taking ole Terrence Mooron’s columnist job.
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Oh, Terry almost forgot that Terry took pictures of the beet lefter at the AJC expressing his heartfelt Valentine’s Day wishes to the beet righter over here.
Click on the link:
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Do you think Terence gives licorice to Ms. Mooron???
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footbal boy’s shirt logo reminds me: Too many sweets will rotterdam teeth out. Or in Alabama: tooth.
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Terrence is a lover of ladies though, no matter the color. So, Terry sends a heartfelt Happy Valentine’s Day card to Carolina Lady and sweet flbravesgirl. Click the link:
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“CDC: Gulf Trailers Have Toxic Air.” Too much red beans n rice?
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Chris, Red Velvet would be a good choice but chocolate is so associated with Val. Day that I think people automatically make or buy something chocolate.
Salty, men probably just buy a card for their significant other if they even get a card. Women are more likely to send cards to family & friends too. For instance, I sent a very amusing ecard to a friend, “At least you’re not dating Mr. Wrong”.
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Real news! The reported and accepted minor league option status of Jeff Bennett has been that he is out of options and would be battling Blaine Boyer for the long reliever spot. It has been revealed today that Bennett, in fact, has 2 options left.
OK, not earth shattering, but substantive news nonetheless.
Hey, I’m trying, OK?
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“No soapbox” … would have taken that too but it was empty.
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Yes. Ms. Red Velvet herself says Valentine’s Day is all about the chocolate. Could not have said that better myself.
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Okay folks, I will confess, I am an addict…. I am addicted to this blog…. Will that confession come back to haunt me if I am ever called before congress to testify? And should we now label Frank Wren as a liar as he obviously lied to DOB and Mark Bowman when questioned about the Braves interest in Javy Lopez after the astute Jersey Gil outed the Braves by his report of Javy working with Braves coaches in Puerto Rico?
Happy Valentines Day to all, it is not necessary for me to plan anything special on this day with Josie as everyday is Valentines Day for her. 🙂 We shall have dinner out tomorrow when the restaurants are a bit less crowded.
The snow circumvented Mechanicsville last night and headed north. Hopefully Lew’s flight to sunny Tampa was not delayed this year by bad weather. It is cold here however, a good day to stay inside and watch the qualifying races at Daytona.
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Thanks, VOR, we’ll take any real news we can get at this point.
Awww, Gil, that’s sweet. Sounds like Josie is a lucky lady.
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Well, well…. Bennett having options changes the picture dramatically… Looks like Richmond is going to have a pretty good starting rotation this year.
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Let’s see…. Smoltz, Hudson, Glavin, Hampton and a starting pitcher with no options….
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Chuck James… options Jeff Bennett… (options) Jar Jurrians… options who is left?
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…everyday is Valentines Day for her.
According to who? Her or you? 🙂
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Buddy Carlyle ? JoJo has options…. who boy… going to be a dog fight for the fifth starting spot…. Really does give the Braves some flexibility if Bennett has options. Boyer will get the spot unless he is traded or is injured yet again.
Could mean the Braves could actually pick the guy with the best arm instead of being backed into a corner like they are with Thorman at first.
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That would be her… 🙂
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I have never needed a special occasion to bring flowers, give gifts nor bestow affection.. 🙂
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Of course sometimes gifts are more special than others…. Okay… Race time… later folks…
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mrgil, please do not bring up “race” again. That subject is exclusive to another blogger here. 🙂
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Careful, chris, or you’ll be “black” flagged!
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Klobber, don’t think ole Terry did not take great offense at Gil saying he was going to be watching “qualifying races” at Daytona. Everyone says they are for unity but there’s always a qualifier isn’t there? Woe is Terrence.
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Yes, VOR, even the checker flag is not black enough for ole Terry.
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CarUlina Lady, I haVE been in a fiGht. I doN’t feeL so gOOd.
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OOOH, Terrrence, I am a really big fan!!! You write for the biggest paper in the ATL! Sure, it’s the only one as well, but still….and I know you all lose tons of readers each year, but who cares? losers!!!
Hey, we should get Ken Griffey, but have you noticed how fit Brian Jordan looks on TV?? We should give him a chance to be the 1st baseman!!!!
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Sorry to hear that Chopper…did someone think you were pointing a gun at them??? Now that I see the compete picture that is used as your avatar, I see that is not the case….but, in that avatar….
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Or was this a fight with a girl seal???? Did you forget Valentines day CS????? Or did your girlfriends find out about each other????
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ROger CLemens boDDy gards
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Berigan wishes all those losers here with significant others a happy Valentine’s Day!!! I will now go out to buy spark plugs, and put them in my Dad’s 1975 Lincoln!!! Talk about a fun way to spend the afternoon! Bet everyone wishes they were me, right about now! 😆
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Oh, you poor thing! You just get away from that nasty old cheatin’ Clemens & come on down to Florida for spring training.
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Oh…sorry to hear that Chopper. Did you say booty guards??? Were you trying to see the abscesses??? Man, you are a brave Seal! Seeing that backside would give me nightmares for years!
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Berigan, big excitement here too. Laundry & soon I will be going to the grocery store. wee.
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theres a joke that has a punchline that goes abscess makes the heart grow fonder, but I forget it…and sorta speaking of Fonder,
Jane Fonder,Jane Fonda….did you all hear what very, very, very, bad word she uttered on the Today Show???? Men folk can search, but the ladies might just want to skip it….but it will likely be news. Not the first time something dumb has come out of her mouth….Bet NBC gets fined, even though it was her stupidity…..she should have to pay it.LikeLike
Flb, just be sure to take your heart meds before taking on such daunting tasks as those!!!! 😛
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I can handle it, Berigan. Walmart is what makes the blood pressure rise.
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As a wise man once said, no one goes there anymore, it’s too crowded! 😉
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From the TMI department…if folks out there are on the edge of their seats wondering why I am not buying plugs right this moment….my stomach has told me, what’s the rush??? Why not stick around the house for awhile???
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Time to get off the computer & do those chores. I’ll talk to y’all tonight ( at least those of you who won’t be out with your sweetie).
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I waS going to Ask a questioN and soMeBoDy saID, “that musT be the LITTle beet wriTer from AtLANta, get him!” I neVer got to ASk the quesTion. LAter someBudy aPoloGized and Said thEy thougHt I was Somebudy else. CarUlina Lady, do I have InsuRance?
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from yahoo sports:
McNamee lawyer: Bush will pardon Clemens (AP)
One of Brian McNamee’s lawyers predicted that Roger Clemens will be pardoned by President Bush, saying some Republicans treated his client harshly because of the pitcher’s friendship with the Bush family. Lawyer Richard Emery made the claims Thursday, a day after a congressional hearing broke down along party lines.
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Ohh, little Chop Seal! I am so sorry you were injured!! Let’s see, that occurred during the performance of your profession, so Workman’s Comp should handle it. If anything is not, just contact jimmy smith; he’ll take care of everything.
Just returned from Sam’s Club. And Wal*Mart. Just ask me how I’m doing about now! 😡 Or not!
FBG, you’re right about the card-buying. We women buy them for the men, the kids, the teachers, the co-workers, parents, sisters, brothers, and anybody else we can think of! 😆
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All those cards…my, my! What about the poor trees…who thinks about them?
I go ‘green’ on holidays! 😆
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Just wondering… By being a fan of NASCAR would TM consider me to be a “racist”?
jjs… Are you sure Emery didn’t mishear the rumor? 🙂
I am sure Roger’s nanny misremembered her whereabouts when saying she was indeed at Canseco’s house. Will MLB put an “asstrick” beside Clemen’s name? Why not a pardon for Bonds as well? Opps… I may have just misspoke….
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Salty…. There is a reason God created pine trees….
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust but a plastic bag is forever….
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I do feel bad for those poor black tires they abuse in every race. Wish they would abuse a white tire every once in a while. But then I would complain that they were pushing out the black tires in favor of the white tires. Guess I can’t have it both ways.
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Terrence Mooron; You are a white-mark on humanity. And your and idiot.
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Gil…work with me here! 🙂
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Paladin: Just white-out his remarks…
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While I was out I saw a vehicle with a rear-window decal that said, “All eyes are on me”. The vehicle was driven by a female, but that is not the point. What an appropriate motto that is for this generation.
Also, I wonder how many words would be in a young person’s vocabulary if you took away “Really!”, “Exactly” and “I go…”?
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“Like…”, “No way!”
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Blissful peace would reign! Think of how many cell phones would remain in pockets and purses!
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Did y’all read the story about Josh Booty being tasered after a traffic stop? One of the Rhodes Scholars doing night work as a policeman said, “After being tased, he was fully compliant.” Well, duh! He was fully supine, also.
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Another thought from the Attic of an Ignoramus: Is a seal marsupial? If not, where does he carry his pocket knife? Inquiring minds…
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Don’t tase me, bro’!
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Shake Shake Shake
Shake Shake Shake
Shake “it” Booty…
Or is that Twitch????
If he was allowed to phone his lawyer, would it be considered a “Booty” call??
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If not, where does he carry his pocket knife?
Uh…his lips are…sealed! Oh! Rim shot, please!!!
More young person vocab…”Dude”, “You know”, and “You’re/I’m so fly!”
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Booty Call! Good one, Gil!!!
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gil… 😀
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Dude, I, like, go “Dude”, like, you know, all the time, you know…
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What the heck is going on with people anymore? There’s been another shooting at a school! 😦
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/14/university.shooting/index.html
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A generation ago, social critic Christopher Lasch diagnosed narcissism as the signal disorder of contemporary American culture and he hadn’t even met THIS generation. But, to them I say: You wouldn’t spend near as much time worrying about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.
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I just went to check on the shooting and on the same page was a reference to Fonda’s vulgar comment that Berigan mentioned earlier. NOTHING she says or does can compare to the vulgarity of her posing on the N. Vietnamese AA gun and she and her (vulgar term) can’t wither away fast enough for me.
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I’m with you on that one paladin.
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I can’t misagree with you on that one Paladin….
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Two more guys that have publicly acknowledged their illegal use of PED’s. Glenallen Hill and Matt Herges both have issued written apologies apologizing for their actions.
I have a little more respect for them (as well as a few others) for taking personal responsibility for their actions.
http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080213&content_id=2372257&vkey=news_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col
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Unfortunatly, the US was suckered into a war we could not win because of a corrupt government in place in South Vietnam and the ego of a few who thought they were smarted than everyone else.
Sometimes you just have to let people fail on their own. LBJ was played for a sucker. Even the French realized there was no longer a future for westerners to control Vietnam.
It was not the fault of the American troops that were sent there to fight. A failed plan executed to perfection will still result in failure.
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Yeah, chris, I agree. I don’t condone it, but at least they’re manning up and admitting it. I don’t see that anywhere in the same light as the denials and the lies. That just exponentially magnifies it to me.
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Millions of dollars are spent in professional sports for super star players, I hope that management will protect their investment by assuring players are not guilty of cheating.
Want to clean up the sport? Simple, If a player is caught “doping”, force his team to forfeit all games in which the offending player participated. Any bonuses from winning would have to be paid back by his team mates…. Wow, would that result in control or what????
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hmmm… what if players on both sides were doping during the same game? A tie? A double loss? Vegas would go nuts!!! I like it. 😈
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Raisins, totally agree. People make mistakes all the time but America is a forgiving country. We just don’t like to be told lies. If Clemens had just come out and admitted his wrongdoing when the Mitchell Report first came out, the repercussions wouldn’t have been as severe as they are, and I suspect, will be in the future. He’s really dug himself into a whole and frankly, it’s too deep for him to climb out of now.
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Yeah, he’s dug into a deep absess…
In my little micro-cosm of a world, when my 12-year-old son screws up, (and 12-year-olds are a walking screw-up, OK? They just are…) I get ticked, but I can discipline him and it’s done. When he lies to me about a screw-up, I go ballistic, and he pays much more than he would have.
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Rasins… I was always a very truthful person until I went to work for WeSaySo… The culture of lying pervaded their culture that it became the norm to believe absolutely nothing they said.
The going joke was: Q. How do you know the boss is lying? A. His lips are moving….
I think the same could be applied to most of our politicians….
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Gil, so you’re saying that you’re not a truthful person now? 🙂
Raisins, I have a 10-yr-old and a 12-yr-old. The rule has always been that if they’ve done something wrong and come to me or their mother and tell us about it, they will be in much less trouble than if we find out on our own (which, I assure them, we will). And if they are caught lying about it, they’re in 10x the trouble as they would have been in if they had simply told us about it.
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Politicians=Panderers.
Sad but true. They all are, some just to a lesser degree than others, but they all are. And the whole “political correctness” movement was simply a way to justify lying in general. It has become accepted in our day and time to say one thing and mean another. You can’t say the real truth, just the acceptable truth. Truth should never have any ambiguity. Truth should never be subject to interpretation and definition. Truth should simply be.
When the truth is offensive, perhaps the offended party should take a look in the mirror, huh?
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OK, climbing down off my soapbox to go to dinner.
Later, ya’ll!
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Yes, a double loss…. Could really level the playing field. It is also very easy to double blind test. Oh by the way… Don’t pay the people minimum wage. Make sure they have something to lose by screwing up. Good wages do not provide assurance that good people will always be hired but it sure allows you to be picky.
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Gil, Raisins – excellent points!
Berigan, how’s the lead coming along??
Gil, you’re after Berigan.
Just checked the blog’s mailbox. If all those winning lotteries, etc that have been received were legit, we’d own the entire National League! 😆 😆
Wouldn’t that be FUN!!! The only blog with our own league! 🙂
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I got a Valentine Card and it wasn’t obscene. 🙂 Seriously, Thank you you-know-who, and I appreciate it.
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Some really funny photos in the Redneck Scrapbook
http://boortz.com/more/funny/redneck_pics.html
http://boortz.com/more/funny/redneck_pics_dui.html
http://boortz.com/more/funny/redneck_pics_nascar.html
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I’m going to bed after having a scrumptious dinner. I would tell you what it was but I don’t want to ruin yours. Appropriately for the day, eat your hearts out.
Now, with this holiday out of the way the next in line is one in which we cram our most famous Presidents while a private citizen has his own. Might seem fair to some, but not to me.
Hope BB gets going soon so I can get down off this soap box and take the mound. Good night.
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How many of these can you answer?? 😆
http://boortz.com/more/funny/redneck_iq_test.html
‘Night, Paladin!
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paladin is welcome.
and now, a major discovery has been made by journalist jimmy smith! this could be a really important discovery for the atlanta braves and for bobby cox. the jelly belly jelly bean company has a new booger-flavored jelly bean! that’s right, a booger jelly bean.
a small jar of booger jelly beans close-by might be just what is needed to return decorum to the braves dugout – and to answer the booger urge for bobby cox. and these booger jelly beans would surely be a more pleasant alternative to bobby cox stuffing thumbs, fingers, and elbows in bobby cox’s nose going for real boogers while on camera.
potential drawback: jelly beans might not be warm like a real bobby cox booger likely would be. answer to this: hotplate technology – or, chino cadahia can be the booger bean caddy. not thought-out yet. just found out about the booger flavored jelly beans. idea is still developing. jimmy smith will pick some good options and share them with the bloggers.
only on the carolina lady braves and stuff blog.
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jimmy, can we talk??? ?????? ?????????
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journalist has received a very nice valentine and it is not from diane lane. thankyouverymuch, and happy valentine’s day!
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REALLY big news, honest!!! Just heard on Fox that Barroid Bonds failed a steroid test in 2001!!!! Just found this story on it…not even on ESPN yet….
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=4294063
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Just saw the same story on foxnews.com………..
Happy Valentine’s Day Barroid!
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hope barry won’t be getting the big head over all this new publicity.
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uh, too late for that, jjs.
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JJS, as you might say…..
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yes, mr green
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now on espn, a bit more…..
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3246542
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Morning, all. I’m one worn out Grinch. Bah. JJS, I’ve actually seen some of those jelly belly mix packs; they have beans flavored like popcorn, pizza, vomit, you name it. And yes, boogers, too. I wonder what they used as a sample during research? Someone in QC had to make sure it was accurate. Yikes.
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“Two more guys that have publicly acknowledged their illegal actions” … “written apologies” … that’s nice … but sounds stupid to me … were I to so do, it would mean fines and jail. I don’t think I could take all three!
Jimmy, jelly beans are nice but methinks you must be more careful with what you say publicly. My four year old grandniece loves the Braves and uses Dragon to help her read the Blog … a real fan of you and Chopper too.
She was all excited that Chopper wanted to come to the hunt, but then when she heard “Eater Eggs” this morning, she got all upset and starting crying … nobody could figure out why. Her mama told me that she kept screaming “No!! He can’t come! He can’t come!” When she finally calmed down, she said “Mama, tell uncle Bobby that I’m sorry and I really do like Little Chopper but I don’t want him to eat my eggs.” … Jimmy, you should be ashamed!
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jimmy smith has new baseball pictures! 😆
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oh, the humanity! journalist bob must make things right between jimmy smith and the little grandniece. jimmy smith regrets the unfortunate “eater eggs” reference. chop seal would never eat her eggs. chop seal is recuperating in washington, d.c. and hopes to be on the way to spring training in a few days.
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“Bonds, the greatest hitter of his era” … I know that the “Babe” had a better ERA than “Barry” if he had one and was the greatest hitter of all them what did or does.
Barry was a good hitter … and certainly the most feared by many in recent times … all except Chuckie and a few others perhaps, but ESPN’s is a pretty bold statement … “best hitter” … sounds like it should should have been an opine shared by many rather than a universal posit.
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Chop Seal has added a photo.
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Hannah lives in Washington … where’s he staying?
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oh, the humanity! lew is gonna be steamed! chop seal is surely going to here about this.
chop seal is not revealing chop seal’s whereabouts since beet writers are so unpopular these days. carolina lady should consider allowing chop seal to become a columnist. good therapy for chop seal.
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Ted Williams was a pretty fair hitter too…
Chop Seal…you ain’t right boy!…
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More from Chop Seal –
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…..and from jimmy smith
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sja, what happened to your avatar? terrence moore get a hold of it?
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chris…if you stare into the darkness long enough…TheEquusAsinus will appear…
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nice pics jjs and chop seal. Chop seal, you better hope Lew doesn’t find out about that one picture while y’all are both in Florida. jjs might have to rescue you from another clubbing!
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In other words, SJA is saying the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
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TheSouthernEquusAsinus has always liked anything black…no matter what color it is…
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Terrific story here!
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A little something to warm all of our hearts (at least the guys). Don’t worry CL, nothing dirty here! Seems that Pamela Anderson has taken up Chop Seal’s cause. Better tell those dirty, rotten scoundrels in DC to lay off!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080214/en_nm/france_nude_seals_dc;_ylt=AltAB9yMp8mtSMJLD4uRTIhb.nQA
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Good for him! Reminds me of my Gran-Gran’s buddy Marge. She walked everywhere, all over town. One day some young thug grabbed her arm & told her to hand over her purse & jewelry. She proceeded to backhand him across the face & he took off. The next day her wrist was sore & she went to the walk-in clinic. The dr. wanted to know how she hurt it so she told him what had happened. When she described the guy, the dr. started laughing & said “He was in here yesterday. You broke his nose!”
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I tried Jimmy, honest I did … she just laughed and laughed … said Jimmy Smith was funny. Her granddaddy said nobody was going to eat those Republican Easter Eggs … but he was going to save them for her so she could sell them on EBAY to pay for her college education.
When I told her that “chop seal would never eat her eggs”, it hurt her mama’s feelings.
Terrance Moore is what he is … hopefully Terrance Mooron isn’t.
It’s warmed up … unfortunately, I have too … 101 … maybe some Mexican Cheese soup will help.
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Good evening all, Just a quick howdy before heading off to bed. Just a reminder to all to beware the “Ides of February” 🙂 I think that was famous or something. Blame it on public schools… Anyway, Chopper, beware of blonds professing to be your friend, After all, the chlamydia you catch in Vegas does not stay in Vegas….
One last comment, our thoughts and prayers should go out to the victims of the idiot who took the life of those young people in Illinois. I am at a loss to understand the craziness the has permeated our society. 😦
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TheJackAss would like to wish an eleventh hour “Happy Valentine’s Day” to all the ladies in the house…Paladin excluded…TheJackAss has been busy for most of the day sorting through all of the hundreds…and I do mean hundreds…of Valentine’s Day cards and gifts…TheEquusAsinus would also like to thank all those ladies who sent those aforementioned cards…gifts…and kind messages…especially the thoughtful message from the ever lovely Carolina Lady…that’s right boys…eat your hearts out…
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The protection of baby seals is good, but I thought it had long been under control … back in the early fifties, I was the envy of the neighborhood and school whenever I sported my hand made, baby harp sealskin boots. They were the most beautiful and comfortable that I have ever owned … though I know not now what happened to them.
My next door neighbor had them made for me from pelts he obtained in Newfoundland … Not sure but I think that abuses later led to stringent controls if not outlawing their killing entirely.
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Most Honorable, I’m jealous … truly jealous! I got a few cards, messages and some tamales … but, if you have too many gifts and want to share … I’ll consider resuming my search for a certain shiny new white pickup truck.
Later, after the soup and some generic Industrial Strength Tylenol.
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I want one of those big ol’ Toyota’s…a Nissan…or even a Dodge Hemi Ram …
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TheJackAss joins mrgil in prayer for all those affected by the senseless shooting spree today at Northern Illinois University…TheJackAss mentioned such atrocious acts as this just yesterday…the only hope we have is prayer…but that is all the hope we need…
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Well I guess I’ll leave the light on for BobJ…and the night shift…
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I join Most Honorable and Gil in those thoughts and prayers … and will be back around, if my head clears … probably in about an hour.
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Thoughts and prayers from me as well…..
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Finished the next blog…whew…..man, how you guys that crank them out, can crank them out…good for you, I just ain’t a natural.
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And CL, that was a great story about the 80 year old that fought back! I just saw him on TV, he was pretty beat up, swollen eye, cuts over his face and arm….too bad he didn’t get those 2 brothers out of the gene pool.
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and just to clarify…those 2 siblings out of the gene pool….
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Top of the morning, everybody, and a belated Happy Valentine’s Day to one and all from the Scribe and his family here along the southern rim of the capital city.
I echo the prayers for those impacted by the shooting at Northern Illinois yesterday. Absolutely senseless and hard to grasp why somebody would do something like this. Just remember those in prayer and lift them up today.
Now, Braves (noted transition from the Scribe): First full-squad workout today at Lake Buena Vista. Sounds like a lot of the guys who will be fighting for spots already are there. Sounds like Bennett’s lost a lot of weight and actually does have options.
I’m still thinking he’s got a great chance to make the team, especially if Hampton isn’t taking up the fourth spot in the rotation. Now that I type that and give it some thought, IF Hampton does make it back and can start the season in the rotation, it might make sense to have Bennett as the seventh reliever/spot starter anyway. Hmmmm … think the dude is in if he has a good spring.
Now, SG’s blog (more transition): SG, you did the coast proud on this one, bro. Great job. Really enjoyed it. I couldn’t agree more about the need for an impartial observer from outside the game to come in and help straighten up this mess. Bud Selig obviously isn’t capable. The union is only going to watch out for their own interests; same with the owners.
It stinks because, as I wrote yesterday on my blog, baseball just can’t stand prosperity. Look at all the bright young stars in today’s game. Look at attendance and TV ratings. Things are going great, yet baseball continues to suffer from these self-inflicted wounds.
Alas, though. Great post. And speaking of which — I’m helplessly behind on my blog reading — great post by SJA Wednesday about Congress taking time to look at the Mitchell Report. I love baseball as much as anything, but with that said, I believe there are more important things — things that impact my family and my kids’ future and my nation — that our lawmakers should focus on, and SJA said it perfectly. Bravo!
Also, a great SJA post from the last blog about the job CL has done setting up this place and making sure we all behave. Here, here!
OK, time to go. Fish to fry, and the moving starts this weekend, which means I’ll be in and out for the next two weeks, along with two major projects at work, going out of town next weekend and perhaps a freelance assignment or two along the way, and writing for Big League Blog. But I’ll be around.
Selah, good folks.
The Scribe abides.
–30–
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I would like to say that it was the first time I received a Valentines wish from a jackass, but it’s not. Now, as far as being from the biggest jackass, well that’s another matter.
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journalist did not sleep well last night – thinking of booger jelly beans. can not imagine who buys such jelly beans. much as grinch, jimmy smith wonders, who does the taste-test?
well, this appears to be an endorsement opportunity for bobby cox. no more siding doctor. no more going to the siding doctor to have bobby cox’s prostate checked. no more inconsequential endorsements. only endorsement for booger jelly beans now.
as they say in baseball . . . a natural.
absolutely perfect for bobby cox! yes, a small jar of booger jelly beans discretely located in the dugout could answer bobby cox’s craving for a game time booger.
and this arrangement can make enjoyment of the game so much more wholesome for fans watching on television.
let’s hope jelly belly’s people will get in touch with bobby’s people. or that bobby’s people will get in touch with jelly belly’s people. spoken like an ad man, right?
and, what color is this jelly bean? oh, the humanity!
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Good morning to all here in this Brave new world. Happy day after VD.
jjs: I thoroughly enjoyed the new baseball pics. Thanks!
CL: Great story about the 80 year old dude. My hero!
Lotta work again… I’ll be in and out.
C-ya’ll –>
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Good morning ladies and gents.
Seems like a month since I’ve been here. Fought a flu bug for over a week (it won), fought a migraine (it won), wrote a blog lead (subject matter may have caused migraine), back to Atlanta on bidnez (jury still out on who won), watched C-Span half the night in the hotel room due to away-from-home insomnia and witnessed four hours of Congress doing what it does best…being pompous, bloviating, self-righteous idiots sticking their noses where they don’t belong (there were no winners in the kangaroo court), got back home last night and tried to catch up on the blog before catching up on sleep (the bed won).
This morning I hooked myself up intravenously to the coffee pot and have been making my way through all of the posts of late…still haven’t caught up but it’s obvious…the denizens here are the best. Many good and thoughtful and funny posts here. This place is a gold mine of good people… each and every one…therefore, good stuff. B&S is batting 1000! Makes for a very enjoyable read.
Oh, and thanks for the kudos and good comments on my blog lead…it’s greatly appreciated…like a shot of B-12 (in arm, not in buttocks). Since sending my post to CL I haven’t seen it, so I just checked it out and would like to clarify one word, since one word can make or break a sentence. The line read:
Perhaps Mr. Wolfe might apply just one word to describe the dark side of baseball. Omert‡.
The word is Omertà. Not sure how the symbol (mathematical?) replaced the “a”, but there you have it. Must’ve been the accent over the “a”. It’s a mafia thing I suppose…it got whacked. Since it’ll be archived for God knows how long, I’ll kindly ask CL to edit and correct. Thank you ma’am.
See you guys off and on this afternoon.
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Well, I have spent the last half hour rearranging my desk so that I have both computers (laptop for work, desktop as network server and permanent B&S blog monitor) in direct field of view. Hopefully this will facilitate less neck and back pain through better posture thereby promoting greater productivity. Only problem is, I was forced to reposition my coffee cup. Major adjustment period ahead… We are creatures of habit, aren’t we?
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Good morning denizens. SG, sounds like you’ve been on a pretty long losing streak. Sorry to hear about your illness. The flu is running wild up here! What escapes me is how you could watch four hours of CSpan without your eyes rolling into the back of your head! Four MINUTES is about all is takes for me…….
Raisins, I’m glad to see that you’ve figured a way to have some balance in your life.
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promotional idea for carolina lady. any blog can have tee shirts . . . or talk about having tee shirts and not have any tee shirts. tee shirts are passe. first use of passe?
jimmy smith proposes that carolina lady invest in little glass jars inscribed with “braves and stuff blog” and filled with jelly belly booger-flavored jelly beans. official jelly bean of the braves and stuff blog.
novelty. long shelf life. keeps the name out there. memorable gift. lots of positive reasons to go with this promotional campaign. obvious tie-in with this braves team.
what does carolina lady think about this?
a side note to carolina lady . . . journalist talked with chop seal this morning and chop seal sounded better. chop seal hopes to be on-the-way to florida by late afternoon.
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Government skeet shootong
(I hope I did that right…)
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This time with proper spelling:
Government skeet shooting
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jimmy…thanks to you, my breakfast is considering a return engagement! 😦
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Booze-flavored soap jelly beans? Could be. “Bill”
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SG…get well!
Raisins…ergonomics are everything to productivity…glad you sorted it out…and maintained your priorities (B&S monitor in full view!)! 😆
Klobber…you’re right. No way does insomnia and C-Span reside in the same room!
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Salty: Still struggling with the coffee cup. Its repositioning has totally screwed up my groove. I’ll adjust…
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Just dropped by to catch the overnight post. I have found it is very time consuming to try and catch up on all the good work here if I go too long between visits. It’s off to Mother’s house again this morning, and then Josie desires to look for a new vacuum cleaner. She has made her decision on what she wants, now down to where to buy it.
In other news, awaiting reports of substance on spring training. Not to be confused with reports on substances. Too much of that already.
When it comes down to it, there are very few unanswered questions as far as the Braves line up this season. We have yet to learn who will be the back up catcher with Javy the odds on favorite. The second bench player with Pena and Prado vying for the spot and the fifth starter. Jeff Bennett or Chuck James…. Every other position is pretty much set. I guess the only other question is when will Mike Hampton break down….
JJS… Bad idea on the jelly beans, you would do better with the “eater” eggs… 🙂
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One thing in Waxman’s favor: With a nose like that, he has no room for boogers. But, I bet he roots for truffles.
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Paladin: Waxman looks like he’s from Who-ville.
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On the skeet shoot, they could always out source to the Chinese like everything else. They have been successful at that sort of thing using technology they have stolen from us…
Okay, off of soap box but… well… “You Know”
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good booger dialogue. like old times. except spelled rite.
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gil: I keep picturing Yosemite Sam standing with his hands on his six-guns bellowing, “I’m gonna blast ya!”
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VOR; I hope you have one of these rubberized keyboards like mine. Hard as hell to type on but withstands direct hits with coffee, wine, boogers…you name it.
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No, Pal, I’m afraid I’m not practicing “safe keyboarding”.
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Speaking of Yosemite Sam: Anyone got an acceptable avatar-ready likeness? At this point in my life I probably resemble him more than I do Richard Boone, except I can still eat soup off of Sam’s head.
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Safe keyboards can be purchased anywhere they carry Depends and other senior-citizen paraphernalia.
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paladin, I’m sending you a pic for your avatar, care of Carolina Lady.
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Got a good’un for you, Pal. Where should I send it?
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Why is the aviator asking for an acceptable aviator? Looking for a new wingman?
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longstreethull@bellsouth.net. Food stamps, warm coats and canned goods would also be appreciated.
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How about cheese? Need some of that?
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Hello, everBudy, I am BEtter now. BeeT wriTing is toUgh busiNess. I will be leAving for OrlandO as Soon As I Check out OF the HosPital.
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ww!! Welcome back! I thought you were off chasing ambulances or something. I’ve needed you. They have been ganging up on me.
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No cheese necessary…I cut my own. Rim shot, please.
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Rim shot!
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They wouldn’t let me become Yosimite Paladin. Oh, well.
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jjs, on the promotional suggestion – NO. Stomach-turning and unpleasant.
You need help!
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Mucho gracias to Raisins and Klobber. And for your help, I won’t blast ‘ya. Everyone else: Look out!
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They wouldn’t allow “Yosemite” either, so don’t get on my case.
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You long-eared, fur-bearin’, flat-footed varmint!
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unpleasant? and watching bobby cox now is not unpleasant? jelly beans seem so much more refined than just plain boogers. and carolina lady thinks jimmy smith needs help? what is paladin, chopped liver? paladin is assisting jimmy smith in many ways in keeping this blog on this blog’s toes. and a big company like jelly belly would not produce such a jelly bean if there were no market for the booger jelly bean. still think this is a viable promotional idea and must run it by savannah. can pick and choose how to use a booger jelly bean.
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“Great horny-toadies! I think I dug all the way to Chinee!”
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good booger dialogue.
Absolutely not possible. And watching Bobby Cox…I look away.
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As for BC’s record number of tosses: I think the umps want to get him away from them before he boogers ’em.
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“Great horney toads! A trespasser, gettin’ footie prints all over my desert!”
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“When ah say, ‘Whoa!’ ah mean ‘Whoa!'”
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According to wikopedia(which I have used with permission from Raisins) Sam has been a knight and was also known in one episode as Riff-Raff Sam. And with no connection to the last: John McCain is sometimes called Washington’s Yosemite Sam.
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And when I say cut the cheese(‘scuse me ma’am)I means “Stand back”!!
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What’s up, Doc? “I’m no Doc, ya flea-bitten varmint! I’m Riff-Raff Sam, the riffiest riff that ever riffed a raft!
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Sam is my hero…
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Now we know why VOR keeps getting behind on work. He’s splitting his time between the blog & watching Looney Tunes.
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Busted! 😯
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I, uh, multi-task. Yeah, that’s it, I multi-task!
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Actually, at the moment, I’m scarfing down a chili-dog.. while working… and blogging…
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Maybe you need to check out those rubber keyboards after all.
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Ya chili-dog eatin’, multi-tasking varmit. Now, ah’m going to have to blast ya!
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All right! Don’t rush me. I’m a-thinking… and my head hurts.”
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I know that it’s a hard concept, … possibly too political for some and totally unbelievable for others, … but the truth is that it’s really not an absolute requirement that upon completion of the course you forget what you’ve been taught or learned.
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Typo Spurs Erroneous Bonds Drug Reports
By PAUL ELIAS
Associated Press Writer
SAN FRANCISCO — A typo in court papers regarding Barry Bonds filed late Thursday by federal prosecutors touched off a brief tempest over the mistaken belief that he failed a drug test in November 2001, one month after breaking the home run record.
In fact, the government meant to reference a previously reported November 2000 failed drug test, U.S. attorney spokesman Josh Eaton said. That drug test was included in the indictment unsealed last year, when prosecutors said the test was for a player they called “Barry B.”
The mistake prompted at least one erroneous report that was quickly posted to Web sites around the country.
oh, the humanity!
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Gotta run for a bit.
See you galoots later –>
“Now I hope that’ll learn ya, you humpbacked muley!”
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Voice of Reason Says:
February 15, 2008 at 10:35 am
Paladin: Waxman looks like he’s from Who-ville.
Now that’s funny VOR!
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amazin’ ain’t it??? You can easily bold text here…don’t need to make sure you have eliminated spaces between paragraphs, from free software….
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Well, Worpress may have paid for it..I don’t know…I guess I should have said free to us, or somethin….
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TheJackAss would like to thank the esteemed ssiscribe for his gracious words…
Also TheJackAss reminds those acquainted with prayer to please include the family of the alleged shooter at Northern Illinois University…for they too are victims of yesterdays atrocity…TheJackAss saw the shooter’s father on the news today standing there in tears asking the media to please leave them alone…he too lost a child…along with bearing the weight of knowing that his own son caused the pain and loss of other folks’ children…
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Back up on my soapbox/pulpit briefly: I don’t have any answers regarding these shootings except–for God’s sake quit giving them the 15 minutes, or more, of fame they seek. And that the copy cats THAT will come later to seek theirs, to see. The media should only refer to “a shooter”, not even giving the sex. Deny those that would emulate the “pleasure” of thinking they will be “famous”.
A shotgun and a handgun in a room full of 100 students is horrible enough but think what carnage an automatic rifle and/or grenades will do. It is only a question of time if nothing is done. First amendment rights be damned; these panderers must be stopped from fueling the fires of hell!
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After reading what I wrote I see that the syntax is fractured; but judge me on the passion and not on my composition.
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SJA: Once again you exude wisdom. I cannot imagine being in any of the victims’ families shoes, but most especially the shooter’s father. It is a tragedy on many levels.
Now, baseball. No injuries on the first day. Yea!!! 😀 OK, that was weak, but I got nothing else and I really wanted to talk baseball. 🙄
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VOR; I admire your’s and SJA’s compassion but only to a point. Implicit in what both of you say is put yourself in the shoes of the shooter’s father. I put myself in the shoes of the victim’s parents, and I would say: Let God forgive them. I can’t.
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The boss just asked me if, in my 1:10, I had failed to drop the other shoe or if I expected Paul Harvey to visit the Blog …
Now, I personally thought that what I said was pretty good … all by itself … but, I have been known to hold minority, if not singular prejudiced views on such matters.
However, I do admit that I had been drinking and on drugs when those thoughts popped into what’s left of my brain … indeed those thoughts were triggered by recent events …
Must we really continue to see needless misfortune and disaster resulting from folks not taking needed and prescribed medication? … We learned in Commonsense 101 that folks with certain illnesses and conditions can be expected to be a danger to themselves and others without proper medication … and those who passed the course probably well remember that. However, why is it they can’t remember that the potential danger is such that those with such conditions can’t be entrusted with remembering to take the medicine as they should? My bad, I now recall that “an ounce of supervision in such cases is worth a pound of lamenting and sorrow” was taught in Commonsense 102.
While publicized, needless disasters bring highly polarized feelings and expressions of dismay, frustration, indignation, concern and genuine compassion … such afflictions come in many forms and are more widespread than imagined … as does the damage done!
Nary a shot being fired, a building being bombed, or a church being torched … a single life being taken or being physically injured … is required for extensive, irreparable damage and mass destruction being effected … an unkind word can be the most lethal of all weapons … to knowingly proffer something that has the potential to inflict irreparable damage and mass destruction is a crime most foul, regardless of conviction or agenda … let’s remember to take our medications as prescribed, and those of us who have memory deficiencies, entrust such responsibilities with those who care.
Now for some more coffee, generic Tylenol, a hot tub and some lunch.
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Gunnery 101: Fire only at preidentified targets and hit what you aim at. Otherwise you may start unintended wars.
Courage 101: Come down out of your Ivory Tower; circulate with the masses. And do not talk/write in the abstract.
Grocery 101: Go to the store.
I’m fixin’ to follow #3. Someone else, when they dry off, should consider #s 1 & 2.
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Thanks Klobber… the flu was last week and feel much better now… despite the Witch trials and yes, 4 hours of C-Span takes a certain ability to withstand pain and typical boredom. Under normal circumstances, a Congressional hearing would have been enough to put anyone to sleep. Insomnia is something I experience two or three nights a year, whether I need them or not.
On the Clemens hearings, I’ve never seen anything so outrageous. No…I’ll take that back. After all, I have watched the hearings of Clinton’s Impeachment, the OJ trial, the Oliver North hearings/trial, the Clarence Thomas affair, Robert Bork and on and on, so I actually have seen something just as outrageous and wrong. Congress is like that…outrageous. What’s even more outrageous…they keep getting reelected. I digress…
The whole Clemens affair was such a monumental waste of time, a waste of taxpayer money, a gross miscarriage of “justice” being administered without due process, a legal besmirching of a man’s reputation and a glaring example of our government leaders being complete idiots. This was not a hearing…it was a sanctioned, public lynching.
The Mitchell Report, as I’ve said on more than a few occasions, made a critical mistake in naming any players in the steroid scandal. First, the players named are but a small percentage of those that undoubtedly took performance enhancement drugs. That’s not fair and it won’t solve beans.
Second, those players that were named were automatically assumed guilty, without any possibility of proving themselves innocent. That is an unconstitutional travesty and a disgrace.
Third, players, once named, have already been found guilty in the court of public opinion. Their names and lifetime accomplishments have been tarnished, reduced or destroyed. Watching the “hearings” was like watching a third world, fascist version of a kangaroo court and a tossing aside of our constitutional rights as citizens.
Now we have sports and other news pundits…even MLB, all telling us that Roger Clemens “didn’t do himself any good”, or that Clemens “was not believable”, or that Clemens was “obviously lying”, or “he was not credible”, or that Clemens “twitched this way when he said this or fidgeted when he said that”, or “unconvincing in his testimony”, or “our polls show that 70% of everyone watching thought Clemens was the loser”, or “he didn’t look relaxed, therefore…” or he looked down or away when he said…”.
Are we to suppose that, because some in Congress, Sports Illustrated, MLB and most other talking heads, hack-lemming journalists and talking heads have sentenced him that we should too? Was Saddam so devious and such a liar that he would actually bury entire jets or WMD’s in the desert to elude retribution and risk losing them to an attacking Country? Guess not…the media and the UN and France, Germany, Russia and Democrats have told us not. I digress again…
Note to the pundits and citizens that have subjectively criticized Roger Clemens’ unpolished or ill-advised testimony declared him guilty of taking steroids and lying under oath:
Rogers Clemens is not a public speaker nor is he particularly articulate, he is not a lawyer, he was nervous (surprised?), he was stating his case, reading his prepared notes (yes, he looked down when he read), albeit imperfectly and unpolished he answered all questions directed to him. All of this while being ridiculed, insulted, accused and attacked by members of the United States Congress during the entire proceeding.
Since when are we judged by how well we talk? Since when did our judicial system not allow attorneys to speak to their client’s accusers during what amounted to a public trial? Since when do we citizens have to prove our innocence due to unproven accusations?
Since the hearings, many pundits have said that McNamee looked “believable”. On MLB.com, there was even a quote from Katherine Darmer, a former assistant U.S. attorney in New York and an expert on criminal procedure, saying that McNamee “owned up” to his past transgressions and came across as the more credible person. What? More credible? More believable? In my opinion that statement is incredible and unbelievable.
McNamee is an admitted lying, cheating, drug-dealing weasel. He even looks like a weasel. To my way of thinking, Henry Waxman didn’t look credible. Henry Waxman IS a weasel. How far did MLB have to look to arrive at that quote from that person? Are they up to something here? Making a point by throwing an icon under the bus? Hmmm…
Look, I’m not defending Clemens and, honestly, I too believe he probably took steroids. That’s not the main issue here. Clemens may have taken steroids. He may have lied. He may be a jerk and pick his nose in public. Whether we think those things or not makes no difference. None. Nada. Zilch. Point is, we don’t know and we may never know the truth. Even if he did steroids, what will proving it do to change the MLB and the Player’s Union and steroid use? Nothing!
So, if he is a cheating, lying jerk…so what? At the end of the day, it changes nothing. I’ll cut Mitchell some slack and say that he erred in including names in his dubious report. He was unwittingly used to chase a red herring in providing a partial, unproven, uncontested report that listed players that, according to a lying felon drug dealer, did steroids. Was Mitchell chosen as a Prince to give an appearance of cleansing the MLB? Did he then unwittingly do the dirty work of the MLB? Methinks there may be an MLB motive…Machiavellian at that.
Clemens, McNamee, Knoblauk, Petitte, Rocker, Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, Segui, Palmeiro et al have their demons, their conscience, their health, their honor and now their legal issues. No matter the outcome of any of them or their respective issues, MLB will not change unless it is under investigation itself.
What message to the kids in this? Children who aspire to play sports have received an instructional lesson with this inept at best, devious at worst demonstration of MLB and Congressional tactics. Here’s the take home: Do steroids, get to the bigs. Do more and get to the HOF. Just buy your own meds through your own crooked physician (doctors can’t testify), pay cash and don’t leave a paper trail, use an undetectable designer drug du jour, administer your own injections and carefully, secretly discard the evidence immediately afterwards. Whatever you do is OK, just do not tell anyone and by any and all means…do not get caught. I’m afraid that’s the core message to our youth.
There was greater awareness of the dangers of steroid use in the news, causing a growing public outrage over three things: the harmful message that was sending to our youth and the tragedy it was wreaking on the lives of players and the competitive “unfairness” of artificial enhancement.
MLB decided it had to do something and do something in a very public way. They opted to throw a big, political smokescreen over the whole steroid mess to placate the fans, the lawmakers and the general public. They hired George Mitchell. Mitchell wrote a report, but that was not enough. They needed a criminal. Bonds was a perfect target, as he is a jerk and he was blatant. That was not enough. MLB needed someone else…not a Knoblauch or a Palmeiro…no…they needed an HOF white guy that many fans didn’t like to perfectly balance it all out and serve as a bookend to Bonds (who fans don’t like).
Then it would be fair, public and from a civil rights point of view, balanced. From a PR point, they will be seen as “doing something”. Congress will get off of MLB’s back, the attorneys will have their fees, the media will have their stories, the general public will have their blood and life will go on…
business as usual.
Oh, they won’t come up with a foolproof testing and force the Player’s Union to go along. Nope. That would cost too much and require owners to spend too much as well. So much cheaper and easier to take a few players down and get a “perp walk” out there.
Perfect! MLB gets off the hook. Union gets a pass. Owners enjoy business as usual. Henry Waxman and his band of idiots get to feel high and mighty. Fans get to watch baseball unfettered by such unpleasantness and life goes on.
Sometimes doing nothing takes a lot of time and money and a few people get hurt, but what the hell…that’s baseball in America.
As you well know…I could blather on forever, but I’ll just go ahead and jump to the bottom line here. The whole circumstance is frustrating and depressing, but I will move on and I’ll also enjoy watching the game as much as ever. I may detest and ridicule much about our politicians and many/most in both Houses of Congress, but it’s because I love America. The same goes with the MLB, Player’s Union and the game of baseball.
Bottom line: Through public pressure and outrage, force Selig and Fehr to resign and replace them with baseball traditionalists, reformers with intelligence, good character and leadership skills. Begin state-of-art testing with blood samples saved for 50 years to retro test for currently undetectable drugs. That’s it…Period.
Otherwise, it’s just more enhancement and more Omertà, ya’ll.
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TheJackAss’ compassion does not, nor ever will hinge upon anyones’ admiration…and having worn the shoes of a victim many times during my own life…I will say that forgiveness was one of the main components that preserved my very existence and sanity…if Christ gave His life that all mankind might receive forgiveness…who am I to deny it?…
Sorry that I never talk much baseball…
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Well, seems I haven’t been banned for bloviatingness. See what happens when you watch C-Span? Take that as a lesson, all you bevity boys and girls.
Salty, missed your get-well note earlier…thanks. Flu is gone mostly. I’ll knock on wood (my head).
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Savannah, if I can find them, I’ll send a series of photos taken of one of those Iraqi jets being uncovered in the desert.
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SG; Bravo! Long, but well-thought-out and well-written. I don’t agree with all of it, but if I feel strongly enough about my feelings on the matter I can publish a dissent. I don’t and won’t. Glad you are on the mend. We’ve missed you.
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CL; If you can’t find your photos of the jets being uncovered, I think I have some. Should be in the box right under my pictures of Henry Hyde and the impeachment team; Clarence Thomas, Ollie North, Robert Bork and on and on. 🙂 I got a feeling that SG and I agree on the OJ trial.
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SG, photos located and sent.
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The blog does seem to have slowed a few clicks since my, uh…post. Berigan must get ready to rumble. Anyway, there is much to consider that is very important to Braves and Stuff, but not serious, urgent or critical…
still think this is a viable promotional idea and must run it by savannah. can pick and choose how to use a booger jelly bean.
Journalist Jimmy Smith, I’ll have to side with CL on the, uh…booger idea being a clever idea but may not leave a very good, well, taste with consumers. But, mind you, the idea is solid even if the product is squishy. Might I suggest a twist to the booger jelly bean with another, less nauseati…uh, distastefu…uh, green (marketing term) promotional idea around the booger concept?
Here’s a product idea that fits your booger concept, but it’s not a food product. It’s called Bobby’s Depth Gauge (resembles a WS ring). Wear it on the finger and never have to worry about, uh…going too far when picking and such. This could be promoted as a brain and nasal cavity safety product. As we know, going too far with finger up the nose can lead to brain bruising and eventual dementia. Before you know it, you’re throwing closers out three days in a row with 6 run leads in each game.
Now, for the jelly bean. Maybe Chino’s Jelly Bellies?
Let me know if you like these ideas. We can go into production very soon.
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Paladin, thanks. Man, you are slipping…I figured you’d throw a tomato for that long gass post. You’ve changed. You even look different. Hat? New pistols? Still travel?
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Don’t mean to rain on the promotional parade of the BDG, but many potential users are mouth breathers and finding detail in a black hole would be easier than locating their “brain”. Promote it instead as a way to prevent them from losing their elbow.
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Excepting lawyers of course. Their Rolexes would be their first line of defense. 😉
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Against my better judgment, a gift photo is posted on jimmy smith’s photo page.
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Carolina Lady, thanks, got’em. Actually I have seen them before and I think you were the one who sent them about 6 months ago or so. They are pretty incredible photos. Goes to show, big is relative. As big as an Iraqi desert or a country, the huge jets are a needle in a haystack.
Wonder if WMD’s the size of a bread box could be hidden in a Country that large?
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I’m a looney tune for real, now. 🙄
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Morning. SG, you need to get out more. 🙂 And while I agree McNamee is a slimy dude too, and most of the congressmen there were slimier than Clemmens, Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and Palmiero put together and having them interrogate ANYONE about doing ANYHING immoral is a sick twisted joke…Clemmens is completely full of $%#@ and we all know it. His WIFE was doing it and he “didn’t even know what HGH was” until a year ago? My dog could have tried harder than that and she doesn’t even have a lawyer whispering in her ear. Anyhoo, it doesn’t matter; I, and I hope young people everywhere, will no longer look at the game the same way as far as statistics are concerned. Does that decrease my enjoyment? No way. I have just as much fun watching games now as I ever did and that won’t change over steroids. Does it cheapen the people who play the game IMO? You bet. I don’t look up to them the way I used to. But then, the more one learns about life, the less one looks up to just about anyone. Just gotta do your own thing; that’s all you can control.
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That is why I took on the persona(and statue)of little ole Sam. He looks up to everyone. 🙂
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Mornin’ Grinch. Yep, having a “bug” and watching C-Span can definately put a crimp in outdoor activities. Now, I must take issue with one of your comments.
If a lawyer whispered anything in your dogs ear he’d best be saying, “nice girl…want a bone?…wanna go outside and play?”…or no doubt he’d be pulling back a with a mere nub of a nose.
Or maybe she’d just fall in love with him right then and there.
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CL, that gift photo guy on JJS’s page sure could have used Bobby’s Depth Gauge ring. Would have saved his right eye.
That should send a powerful message to all: Must remember nose picking safety.
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oh, the humanity! that is one ugly picture raisins gave jimmy smith. now, the inevitable comparison between the booger and the raisin. about the same size. about the same color. wrinkled about the same. gooey about the same. maybe the jar should contain raisins instead of booger jelly beans. compromise. can go to market within 30 days.
and grinch is wise for a college kid (oh, the humanity!) – as grinch says, heroes must be made of sterner stuff. and the records are of no consequence any longer. and we all knew what was happening when it was happening. and those that could intervene chose not to intervene. and that includes the atlanta braves organization.
and, interesting thoughts about a depth gauge – mostly that is the wrist but there could be instances where something else might be employed – say a straw or a teaspoon. anyway, all this booger talk is making carolina lady queasy and it must stop!
and why do fish and chips suddenly come to mind?
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Hey Y’all-Eighy degrees warmer today inOrlando than in Vermont ;ast night.
Report from ST-Kotsay and Brayan Pena hit nothing but line drives. Javy hit several over the wall onto the lawn. Gonzalez and Hampton threww very free and easy. They looked strong. Terr4y Pendleton lost about 40-50 pounds-a mere shadow of himself. BMac lost about 10-15,looks good and signed my painting. Chipper will be there tomorrow. Had dinner with Jason From Maine last night and went to the workout with him today. He and Wife are expecting their first child and just found out. MOre tomorrow.
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nice report from correspondent lew. lew, chop seal has been detained in washington. please keep the beet-writer-type reports coming until chop seal arrives there. why would lew want mccann to sign the deer painting?
congratulations to jason in maine – but not really in maine, in florida. very confusing but happy for jason just the same.
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Good report Lew. Keep’em coming.
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Thanks for the report, Lew. Did you get my email?
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SG, I believe it would be option number two on the pup. She’s a lush, and not much of a guard dog. Fearsome looking from a distance, though, I hope.
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I’m getting close to banning a certain subject, jimmy.
Yuck! Not something most folks enjoy reading about. 😯
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So when are we going to get some reel news from ST from our own reel, resident beet righter Chop Seal?…
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jjs; I think she means it. Please be good. I so enjoy being your foil.
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And where has Raisins been? Did he drop his chili-dog on his unprotected key board? Please come back Raisins, you varmit.
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The beet righter from across the way sez that Glavine still gives an A-1 interview. Mehopes that TG can still walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
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not a problem. journalist will pick something else to do. can read about politics and religion here but not about baseball related boogers. something wrong with that. can’t put jimmy smith’s finger on it. selah.
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I’m going to bed. Morpheus(Damn Grinch for high-jacking a name-of-the- realm)waits for no one. C y’all tomorrow.
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Paladin, this is early to be heading off to bed, even for you. Must be a poker game.
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CL, that link to that photo…yikes!!! And Yuk!!! Don’t encourage JJS’s dark side!
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Does Paladin live in England??? I think he went to bed at 7 last night. Perhaps he’s 90????
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Grinch, I had an english setter for about 13 years. Her name was Georgia. Went everywhere with me. She ran and hid from fireworks and thunderstorms. Once, when my apartment was broken into while I was gone, I found her hiding in the bath tub.
A fine companion she was. Guard or hunting dog…not so much.
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Lew,
Thats amazing that Gonzalez is already throwing the ball!!!! Is he still projected to be ready no sooner than the all star break????
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Seems there is now a subject that best be referred to as the “B word” on the blog.
I don’t mean B as in birthday. Then again, August 3 is a good day in Savannah.
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Glad you mentioned birthdays, SG! Here’s the list so far:
ChrisKlob: Feb 4
Chop Seal: Feb 33
jimmy smith: Mar 1
ssiscribe: Mar 11
Raisins: Mar 13
Berigan: Mar 15
Hillbilly: Mar 16
MrGil: Apr 15
Paladin: Apr 28
Lew: Jun 14
williamwallace: Jun 27
FloridaBravesGirl: Jul 8
SavannahGuy: Aug 3
BobJournalist: Oct 6
Carolina Lady: Oct 7
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The bad news: It took me until just now to catch up on the last three days of the blog. The good news: It took me until just now to catch up on the last three days of the blog. Many many many good and excellent posts. A joy to read…and it now takes longer than ever to read it. A very good and high class problem it is.
Journalist Jimmy Smith is right, Carolina Lady has created a blog powerhouse. I’ll second that emotion. Goode spellin an english to.
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SG I once owned an English setter who was also gun shy… She once flushed a covey of quail and the sudden noise frighten her so badly she ran all the way home with her tail tucked. Yes, great companion, loving nature and a great nose but as a hunter… not so much…
Thanks for the info Lew, anything to get us off the jelly bean topic….
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Berigan-Gonzo did not throw from the mound, but was doing long toss. I asked him how his arm was doing and he said “Very good-Thank you for asking.” A very nice guy. Got to talk to Kotsay (who was quite popular) and he was also very nice. Will Ohman was extremely nice,too and is quite happy to be with the Braves and not with the Cubs. Javy was crunching the ball today. He hit some good distance shots to left.
Bryan Pena was the most impressive hitter, though. Every single ball he hit was hit very hard-he was right on everything. Quite impressive. Hapmton was all smiles after his session on the mound. I was shocked just how well he and Gonzo were throwing. Jurrjens was lighting it up,too.
FL BRaves Girl-Yes, I got an email from youbeforeI lefty. I talked to Grinch andhe says no cheesecake this time around. Oh well. THat’s how the Red Velvet Cake crumbles,I suppose.
I’m out of here folks. I have to get a new keyboard for my daughter in law. This one requires a hammerto use the space bar. Later.
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Carolina Lady, would it be Ok to list Mr. Fly, sleuth reporter’s birthday too? He was originally born on July 21, 1969, aboard the Eagle landing craft on a moon mission with Neil Armstrong. Was a science experiment.
American Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the Moon. Not widely known was that a baby (still just a cute little maggot) Mr. Fly was nestled safely inside his suit, so he was the first fly on the moon. The astronaut stepped onto the Moon’s surface, in the Sea of Tranquility, at 0256 GMT, nearly 20 minutes after first opening the hatch on the Eagle landing craft.
Armstrong had earlier reported the lunar module’s safe landing at 2017 GMT with the words: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed with the little baby Fly in tow.”
As he put his left foot down first Armstrong declared: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for Mr. Fly.”
Mr. Fly has another birthday too, sort of, when he stepped into the telepod with Jimmy Stewart and was genetically altered. That was the day everything changed for Mr. Fly. Not sure if you want that date too. Two birthdays for one sleuth reporter might push it.
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Lew, Hammertoes shouldn’t be trifled with!!!
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I hope everyone who ends up there will remember suntan lotion! I still recall the bad burn I got during spring training in Tampa back in 1981….A bit further south of course, but still….
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Lew, when the new keyboard is purchased or a smaller hammer is found and you sign back on, how are the starters looking? Smoltzy, Huddy, Glavine look fit and hungry?
Glad to hear the good news on Javy.
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Man… I love how good competition brings out the best in a player. No magic pills, everyone playing on a level field, guys making a statement they are ready to go from day one.
Yes, it’s a long time between now and October but I get the feeling I am really going to enjoy this season. Hit the ball hard somewhere and run like the wind. May be a little harder for some but it is so nice to hear players reporting in shape and with a good attitude.
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Lest I forget, my grandniece has forgiven Jimmy Smith and now understands that is was nothing but a simple little misunderstanding … and wanted me to wish Chopper a Happy Birthday but doesn’t quite know when I should so do.
No, she didn’t say so do … but, give her time … she’s very smart and loves her great Uncle Bobby!
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Gil, I really prefer they hit the ball hard somewhere they ain’t … but, I agree with the rest of it 1,000% … and unlike some, I’ll stick to it too!
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Jimmy, it’s okay with me if you talk about boogers … methinks that’s better than those boogers who talk about bloggers!
Why was I not surprised at Paladin’s response to my earlier post … well, upon reflection, I guess I was a bit at that for he is purportedly a man of letters and working to get more.
In that earlier post of mine, there were no intended targets, identified or no … unless it be me. I assure paladin and others that the tower in which I live is not made of ivory though that may not be well understood … and I do circulate with the masses when my circulation allows, perhaps more than most, both from desire and circumstance … and I generally find them delightful if not enchanting … though I do try to chose the ones with whom I sup.
What I write may seem abstract to some but hopefully not to all … certainly not in the current case, nor was it intended to be esoteric.
Funny, while methinks the Southern Equus Asinus, most honorable almost most always talks about baseball, his insights and heartfelt comments regarding the Illinois tragedy were certainly appreciated in this quarter and I think in most … a matter of perspective I guess.
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Ok, last post, I swear….on Santana….
FANTASY
Santana’s NL numbers are frighteningly good.
NATURAL HIGH
Johan the Great just got a lot greater with his trade to the Mets
By Tristan H. Cockcroft
Johan Santana is about to take his numbers to a crazy, ludicrous, insane level. But there’s no reason for Congress to freak. Santana will only be benefiting from one of the oldest performance enhancers in the medicine cabinet—a move to the NL.
Baseball fans have long suspected that the senior circuit, with its DH-free lineups (1), turns good starters into great ones and greats into legends. But suspicion doesn’t pay the fantasy bills—hard facts do. So we looked at all the pitchers since the 2001 season who A) made the leap from the AL to the NL, B) started at least 10 games in the seasons before and after switching leagues and C) ranked among MLB’s top 25 in ERA at least once. There were 23 such pitchers, and wouldn’t you know it, our league swappers saw their collective ERA drop from 4.71 to 3.83 to go along with an 8% spike in K rate. That’s some serious juice.
Of course, there’s a simpler way to project how Santana will perform as a Met: Look at his career interleague splits (2) as a full-time starter. Wow. And just in case you think Santana’s numbers are merely the fluky product of a small sample size, we point you to the corresponding splits for Dan Haren (3), who traded in his A’s uniform for a D-backs one over the winter. Again, wow.
With all these mind-blowing stats in mind, a 20-win, 2.50 ERA, 250K season is certainly possible for Santana, making him worthy of a top-five draft spot. Meanwhile, with his move to Arizona, Haren cements his status as a top-10 starter.
Not even Brian McNamee could provide that kind of boost.
(1) AL DESIGNATED HITTERS VS. NL NO. 9 HITTERS, 2007
AVG OBP SLG AB/K
AL DHs .265 .351 .443 5.00
NL No. 9 hitters .182 .236 .261 3.24
(2) SANTANA’S INTERLEAGUE SPLITS
GS W-L ERA WHIP BAA K/9 SHO IP/GS
Santana vs. AL teams 133 68–31 3.02 1.02 .215 9.69 2 6.68
Santana vs. NL teams 16 10–3 2.16 0.83 .184 9.18 2 7.29
(3) HAREN’S INTERLEAGUE SPLITS
GS W-L ERA WHIP BAA K/9 SHO IP/GS
Haren vs. AL teams 90 36–32 3.74 1.23 .258 7.30 0 6.44
Haren vs. NL teams 12 7–2 2.93 1.10 .219 6.61 0 6.92
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Thanks Berigan, I enjoyed that!
Bold as you were, I thought that was going to be some serious hype as in eyeopening but goodness …
“Wow. And just in case you think Santana’s numbers are merely the fluky product of a small sample size,” we’ll show you one more … goodness!
We also have fewer dropped passes in the National League than the Giants of the NFL too … shorter players in the NBA … but that didn’t affect what I pay for green tea, nary a penny. Santana’s move to the NL doesn’t change his talent level though it may change it in the minds of those who don’t understand the difference between the leagues.
What is revealing is Cockcroft’s notion that “what has been long suspected” has now been somehow proven by the analysis … but that’s not as revealing as what I recently saw on the Met’s web site … “All focus during Spring Training will be on Santana” … I sure hope so … methinks it’s why they’re losers … improper focus.
Hopefully too, those in the Atlanta Spring Training Camp will focus on things other than the stars who positions assured … like fundamentals, conditioning, players trying to make the team, and those returning from injury.
Much ado, but it’s late … bye
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There’s more than one error but “shorter players in the NBA” and “will focus on things other than the stars who positions assured’ are glaring … the intent was “and have shorter players …” and “… stars with positions already assured” … less ado but it’s later!
Good to see Lew’s report … good conduits are good … the news was too! Congratulations to friend Jason and wife … will pass the news along to Carol, Lynda and others!
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My nephew Justin who sometimes reads the Blog has a Golden Retriever named Rivers … not sure which rivers but Rivers is beautiful dog … under two so a pup actually … meets every AKC physical requirement … and might be a “Best of Breed” candidate were it not for a few very minor flaws … nervous as a cat, barks at everything and is afraid of its shadow as well as cats and other dogs, especially those that are bigger … not that Rivers has ever been to the zoo … smart pup, that. Carol’s says that I’m being unkind to Rivers and that it’s a really sweet pup … just a little confused since Rivers is a boy’s name and Rivers is a girl … she doesn’t know which rivers either.
Sir Guy, though my son is too young to remember seeing Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, I gave him a Moon rock and Neil’s autograph which he still has, along with his more than casual interest … he’s watched the video I guess hundreds of times over the years; visiting both the Cape and the SJC many many times and met with several of those involved in the program, mostly technicians. After seeing the size and complexity of some of the components and just little of what was involved, it’s hard to imagine its ever getting off the ground; the program that is.
He’s met Armstrong more than once over the ensuing years, though not recently methinks. I know they have corresponded and the word “fly” was probably mentioned, this is the first I’ve heard of Mr. Fly having made having that trip on A11 … sounds a little fishy to me … but Carol thought it more likely to have been just an honest mistake and that you confused Mr. Fly with one of Chopper’s kin, trying to get a story.
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I am done with women. Enough. And I mean enough. FBG; nothing to do with you. Just enough. Not worth it. Never been. Never will be. Don’t know why god is so sick as to equip me to keep trying; I get the joke already. Not funny. Wasn’t before; isn’t now. Won’t be tomorrow. Please stop. Just stop. Honor an honest man’s request for once. Just stop.
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Grinch; That is one reason I go to bed so early. If I stayed up I might be tempted to go honky-tonking and get myself in trouble…again. Some nights I find it hard to get to sleep, but that too passes. So the only consequence is having to take crapola from people like Berigan, who is just jealous of anyone that CAN sleep.
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Bobj; During my purported search for letters I have learned that one should work on reaching as much of his or her audience as possible instead of just spouting profundities. I’m sure that at GT you were learned different. But, that will do for me since I find it quite easy to communicate with the whittlers on the square as well as members of academe .
And you were lucky you made your home improvements back when you did. What with the price of ivory, now.
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Grinch, my friend… sometimes it is best to stop looking and regroup. At times life is like swimming against the tide, but it’s just the natural ebb and flow of being single. Timing the incoming tide is helpful when swimming upstream. It’s what we do between tides that prepare us for that next venture into the water. God does not keep us from happiness. We do that on our own without Him.
Goodness, this sounds like preaching or Kahlil Gibran… but I don’t tell you something here that I don’t know to be absolutely true and have experienced myself. Here’s a little Kahlil for you: “Love and doubt have never been on speaking terms.”
In my honest opinion, having gotten to know you by your writing and having broken bread with you in person, it will be a very blessed and fortunate woman that finds the Grinch. The Grinch must simply prepare for that time and keep the faith, brother.
On a lighter note: Without women, men would still be living in caves.
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jimmy smith has received a gift photo from williamwallace.
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…..and one from chrisklob.
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Ah’m goin’ to the store to get the vittles for my Sat. nite dinner. (Rabbit gets old!) When ah gits back, any more talk of boogers and ah’m goin’ to blast ya!
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Oohhhhhhhhhh, my head. Someone please kill me now and put me out of my misery. And make the Grinch pup stop eating my toes.
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A Queen and a First Lady… snot nice. Soon Journalist Jimmy will bring out the, uh…flavored jelly beans again. The “B” word has become “B” pictures. Next, “B” movies? Mercy.
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Mornin’ Grinch. Never fear, after last night you’ll feel better in a few weeks.
Did the Grinch puppy eat all the way through the big yellow shoes? Now they are air-conditioned for summer. Smart and practical puppy.
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Hello, all! I made a hasty exit last night as time snuck up on me! I had to get ready to take my littlest raisinette to the annual Daddy-Daughter Dance in town. It is a long time tradition in our community, and the first time my 5-year-old daughter is old enough to attend. We had a great time.
Thanks, Lew, for the onsite reports. They are awesome!
Now, I have to go and feed my family. I just wanted to check in, catch up, and say hello. “Hello”.
C-ya’ll, later –>
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Oh! And congratulations to Jason in Maine. 😀
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Bob, Journalist… it may sound fishy to you that Mr. Fly was there on the first moonwalk, but Mr. Fly does not “misremember”. Incredible to be sure, but Mr. Fly has been places and done things that no ordinary human could imagine.
Some adventures were top secret and some have been revealed on the blog. Monkeys were not the only creatures that ventured into space. Since the Telepod mutation experience, Mr. Fly has come to appreciate the limitations of man’s understanding of what they cannot fathom or care to believe.
Mr. Fly’s mission is to instruct, enlighten, promote humanity and report on baseball. Oh, and eat and have fun and visit his little peach and orange blossoms. Mr. Fly also knows that some will surely attack him and not believe his adventures. Mr. Fly accepts that and takes no umbrage in those with swatters and sticky paper. Not usually anyway.
Once, on a secret mission in space at an impressionable young age, Mr. Fly witnessed a dust up between two fellow travelers. This is how blog and space skirmishes begin. Glad we don’t have that around here.
Mr. Fly believes in whirled peas at Braves and Stuff. Maybe one day, Carolina Lady will give Mr. Fly his own column and a computer and a private jet and a big expense account like Chop Seal. Is the blog big enough yet for a beet writer and a sleuth reporter? Mr. Fly likes fish too… sautéed with lemon and capers with a light wine sauce.
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I don’t know about Chop Seal. Carolina Lady sends him down to spring training. He reports in that he is hitch hiking down to Florida. Next thing we know he is in a Washington D.C. hospital after getting a beat down from Roger Clemens and his people.
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Can talk Falcons for a minute? I really like what Dimitroff is starting to do. I like both Coleman and Crumpler but they are both getting long-in-tooth and short in playing time. And I think both can be adequately replaced in free-agency. Also, as Branch Rickey told Kiner, “We finished last with you; we can finish last without you.” Now, other “nice guys”, but dead-wood, have to go, as well. Such is a rebuilding process.
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Paladin, I agree with your Branch Rickey quote. I hate to see Crumpler go though because he was so good during the Vick tenure. But Crump was good to me with Vick because of the style of offense that was run. The Flacons never pounded the ball up the middle. Everything was done to the outside with Vick, Dunn, Norwood running and the wide receivers. Crump was their only real legit up the middle threat. And he would be open more because teams were not that worried up the Falcons going up the middle except for Crumpler. With a different style of offense and QB, Crump ain’t the same player. Plus he has become injury prone, fatter, and has developed a big head and become part of the problem in that locker room with constant griping, poor mouthing the coach and demanding the ball.
Look at the Giants. A talented team the last few years but they did not win until their two best offensive players Tiki and Shockey were no longer available and contaminating things with their me first attitude.
Next gone should be DHall. Hard to let a 23 year old that talented go but he is nowhere near as good as he claims he is and will create problems here no matter who the coach is.
But big thanks are due to Coleman and Crump for that run to the conference championship game a few years ago. Will never forget how important they were to that run.
But it’s time to clean house and start over. Such a shame. Reeves handed McKay, Mora, Vick, and Blank the keys to a car that could take them to the Super Bowl and the four of them screwed it up.
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Warrick Dunn should be cut as well – as sad as that will be because he is a good man.
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87 hits left for 20,000! Let’s git ‘er done today for CL.
That will make it:
10,000 hits in the first 40 days.
10,000 hits in the in the next 33 days.
Trending upwards.
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Reeves handed McKay, Mora, Vick, and Blank the keys to a car that could take them to the Super Bowl and the four of them screwed it up.
WW: I don’t know a fraction of what you and Paladin know about the players, the the details of Falcons or NFL for that matter… but from what I do know and have observed, your assessment sounds pretty right on the money.
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Mr. Fly has called in to his Savannah headquarters with a correction: His main mission is to entertain… himself and others. The other mentioned Fly mission aspects were correct, especially the blossom visitations.
Hopefully Carolina Lady will set Mr. Fly up with a Braves and Stuff pressroom for the summer games. Hopefully the pressroom will be replete with catered meals (cheeseburgers and other treats), a hot tub and a very small customized keyboard.
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Mr. Fly just called back: He would also like a large flat-screen TV in the pressbox, cheese soup and assorted chocolates too. Walls must be painted with a dark blue (Braves color) matte finish non-toxic latex paint. Must have a safe gripping surface. Walls are important. Must also have an escape door in case a hungry reptile or amphibian wanders in. Safety and comfort is all he asks.
Also, no fans. Mr. Fly has lost many cousins in the fans. Should be outlawed.
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Oh, don’t worry Savannah. I know about as much about football as I do politics – not much….. but it doesn’t stop me from pretending I know a hell of a lot about both.
I liked your post on Clemens. Agreed with most of it. It was very frustrating to watch that occur. I don’t understand why people gave Burton and his fellow Republicans a hard time about calling McNamee exactly what he is. They did stick up for Clemens a bit too much. If the stupid waste of time hearing was gonna be conducted, both Democrats and Republicans should have blasted away equally at Clemens and McNamee instead of picking which one to defend. But, really, the ones who should have been torn apart were MLB.
One of the things that annoyed me at the hearing was the Mitchell Report lawyer that was there stated that he believed everything in the Mitchell Report to be true. That’s bothersome to me. How does he know that? Just based upon the word of one lying drug dealer when they did not even bother to collect any verifiable evidence to corroborate the claims of a sketchy guy? Very troublesome to me.
My thoughts were that the Mitchell Report was just a collection of allegations that were out there that were compiled in one document. I thought it was their way of saying this may or may not be true but this is what is being said. So it was realy surprising to hear the Mitchell Report lawyer claiming that all of the allegations contained therein were true when he had no way to prove that.
I also agree with you that the names should have been attached privately and handled in house by Selig and the players.
If you have not read the Pettitte deposition, you should. It is hard to believe Clemens is innocent after reading what Pettitte had to say.
I read a story today about Jorge Posada in the NY papers where he basically throws Pettitte under the bus and supports Clemens. Very interesting since Posada is gonna be Pettitte’s catcher this season.
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“…..Posada is gonna be Pettitte’s catcher this season.” Oh, mercy!!
20,000?? Wow!! 😯 😆
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ww; I have to disagree on Me Angelo. The Falcons have too many holes to fill without opening up that one. And he might surprise us and become a “leader” under a new regime. Now, if they could trade him and fill one of the holes, that would be a different matter. For instance, trade him to the Giants for that rook who came in and filled the tight-end role when Shockley went out. I would certainly go for that and it seems to me, it is doable.
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Paladin, I am a Giants and Falcons fan. I wouldn’t want MeAngelo’s cancerous attitude on either team. But with his talent, as a Giants fan, if you were gonna trade MeAngelo straight up for Boss, the Giants would be robbing the Falcons. Boss is a nice little player but if you are gonna trade for comparable talent …. and baggage …. you would have to trade MeAngelo for Shockey. But even that would not be fair to the Falcons because Shockey is older, has suffered more injuries and tight end is less important than cornerback in my opinion.
What will most likely happen is that the Falcons will trade MeAngelo for draft picks…. hopefully they can get a first rounder out of it ….. what did the Redskins get from the Broncos for Champ Bailey? Have to go look that one up. That is what I would be aiming for if I were the Falcons
MeAngelo is my least favorite athlete in the world right now. I’m not a big hater of athletes but I hate that guy.
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ww, “RookieRulesOfEngagement” – yours?? Just saw the inbound link.
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I stand corrected. I should have said Boss…and a pick. And a blocking tight-end that can catch will be a big part of the new offense. Believe me!
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A fellow once asked TheJackAss to give the best example that TheJackAss could of the term ‘diametrically opposed’ using just two words … education & wisdom … said TheJackAss…
Great baseball discussion today…if one can find it…
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In: Hello!
Out: C-ya!
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Hey, Raisins!
SJA, you’re looking a bit peaked there in your avatar. Maybe some iron would help? 😀
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Paladin, I am truly envious of those who find it easy to effectively communicate and because of my own difficulties and limitations in so doing, am as sympathetic to those who honestly try and fail as I am appreciative of the few who truly can. I generally find the work product of the pedant to be just as tedious as I find rhetoric and actions designed to curry favor to be repugnant.
If I do indeed have a retreat, or ivory tower if you will, it is surely here on “Braves and Stuff’ where I can enjoy the company of some might fine folks who allow me the privilege of so escaping … indeed they are my friends, no capitals, just friends.
Sir Guy, most fans are nice and should be allowed … Mr. Fly was probably speaking of Met fans and most of them are already considered outlaws, methinks.
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MyLady,/b>, all Most Honorable needs is some sleep … his insights appear to be as sharp as ever.
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Pardon my Chinese and my boldness … looks like I need some help … maybe some Hunan beef with hot mustard!
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Feeling a bit peaked too…
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Bobj; Have a nice day, sir.
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Ill humor and the distemper TheJackAssthinks…
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Waterboarding … is it like skateboarding? Perhaps we could familiarize members of our Water Boards with it … goodness!
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Oh, the humanity!
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Diametrically opposed could also be someone who calls himself learned on the one hand and a jackass on the other. Methinks, anyway.
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“… looks like I need some help … maybe some Hunan beef with hot mustard!”
Oh… the Hunanity!
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Yeah, CL, that rookie rules of engagement blog is mine ….. something I had set up back when I did those as a joke last summer ….. but I took the rules down because, well, things have changed, and now I just have a bunch of links on there that I use as a home page of sorts so I can find my baseball articles easier
If anyone else finds it helpful, go ahead and use it:
http://rookierulesofengagement.blogspot.com/
If not, then just ignore
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Water-boarding is a poor substitute for keel-hauling. And if you can’t do the “time”, don’t do the crime.
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Well hell paladin…obviously you’re one of those educated ones…
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SJA; Have a nice day, sir.
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Methinks ill humor, or rather ill attempts thereat, is worse than bad breath which is better than no breath at all … and distemper is good if it’s used to soften attitudes.
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Why thank you paladin…TheJackAss knew all along that there just had to be a diamond somewhere amid all that crap…
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No Bob, Journalist… it’s those electric fans Mr. Fly is concerned about. Like a death-trap. Makes a giant sucking sound then…bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzPOP.
Messy way to go. Maybe a bug screen would help. Little details…
Where’s my pedantic Fly reporter? Next thing you know, he’ll be related to Albert Einstein. Actually…I think Albert was in the Telepod can there somewhere. Anyway, Mr. Fly is supposed to be in Orlando at Spring Training camp sending back stories… some denizens are complaining about not enough baseball talk. Maybe it’s best if the Southern Jackass cover some baseball for us before that moving target becomes too tempting. Or is that the purpose?
Had Mr. Fly on the string with a promise of a nice expense account and pressbox (OK CL?) but he just buzzed over to another orange grove to check the blossoms.
Lew, if you see him, buy him a cheeseburger and tell him to stop the hanky-panky (first use on blog?) and galavanting (first?) around and get on the schtick…uh, stick.
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Those that advised me to let it drop should communicate with others. If it be possible…to “communicate”, that is.
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Boy I sure hope that paladin isn’t a staunch conservative…because TheJackAss can be a bit overly liberal with his humor at times…
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“Diametrically opposed could also be someone who calls himself learned on the one hand and a jackass on the other” and “Methinks … confuting testimony Paladin … but proof positive that you are indeed educated … based on Most Honorable’s horseshoe posit.
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As long as it is “humor”, SJA. I thought we learned that about each other a long time ago.
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I have to go for a while. I have people working on my house and casing it for a later robbery. Mast go out a play “Massa”. I’ll be back. Be gentle.
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TheJackAss thought that paladin had learned long ago(along with most everyone else) that 99.9% of what TheJackAss says is in jest … as for that remaining 0.1% that isn’t…there usually is no doubt about it’s intent…
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I’m not feeling very reasonable lately, so I’m reinventing myself. 😯
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CL…I just received an email inviting to Bravesandstuff…and I’m already here?…
VOR…does that mean you’re just a grape again?…
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Apologies Paladin, I get emails all the time saying to “let it drop” … all the time … but my computer thinks they’re spam and I never see them … except those from friends with access … what Frank?
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SJA: I haven’t been a grape in alot of years… but, as a wise man once said, when handed raisins, make Raisin Bran. OK, no wise man said that, but it sounded good.
See, there’s a perfect example of my state of un-reasonableness… or something like that. (I seem to have mis-remembered the exact word…)
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I suppose to unraisin is to become a grape so what are you currantly, mon ami?
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Well, currants are a variety of seedless grapes. The fact is, the word raisin is from the french word for grape. So, currantly, I would be considered both grape and raisin simultaneously.
Now, that almost sounded reasonable…
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California Raisins, on the other hand, began as clay. No grapes were harmed in the making of the California Raisins.
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More about raisins than I ever wanted to know. One more “raisin” and you’ll be raisin yore paws, or Ah’ll blast you, ya varmit.
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Hot day at Disney today. Glad I took the SPF 50 with me. Got there too late to catch Chipper, but Jason in Maine did get his autograph. Smoltz signed a drawing. Got Chris Chambliss to sign a baseball. I’ll put it next to my Dale Murphy ball. Chambliss was the only one who ever protected Murph in the lineup, so that will be an appropriate place. Also got McCann to sign a ball and Jurrjens, too. Nice young man.
Savannah Guy-Kathy said your package arrived today. You put the wrong zip code on it SHOULD be 05060 you put 040. I’ll listen to it when I get back. Later, y’all.
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Real Chinese hot mustard may not be reasonable or good for what ails you, but it does make Spring Training roles taste really good … as well as the Hunan beef … I wonder how it is on fried rice?
“And the reaction in the room was not just approval, but encouragement”
It tastes pretty good too … all this talk about dropping it … now, how does one get Chinese hot mustard out of Egyptian cotton?
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Now, baseball. Remember Terry Mulholland? I have the secret of his longevity in the game.
From mlb.com: “During a recent morning, while other players were fixing themselves Cheerios, Fruity Pebbles or waffles, Mulholland was seated in front of his locker with a different breakfast. His daily routine calls for a bowl of buckwheat groats soaked in water with raisins and maple syrup. After that, he’ll open up a bag of walnuts.”
OK, I had to dig back a few years for that, but raisin-MLB connections are few and far between.
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Below is a Joey Devine article from MLB.com by Mark Thorma.
PHOENIX — Joey Devine is used to making good first impressions, and his first bullpen session as an Oakland Athletic was no different.
Acquired Jan. 14 with Jamie Richmond for Mark Kotsay and cash, Devine showcased the powerful stuff that helped him make the Major Leagues the same year he was drafted.
Devine was selected in the first round by Atlanta in 2005 and made his Major League and postseason debuts that same year. He has appeared in the Majors during each of his three previous professional campaigns.
Thursday, Devine showed A’s manager Bob Geren why he was ranked Atlanta’s No. 9 prospect by Baseball America prior to last season.
“He looked pretty impressive,” Geren said. “Strong, good movement on his fastball, good velocity. He made a real nice first impression.”
Last year, Devine was 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA for the Braves, after being hit hard in his first two tours in the Major Leagues. He struck out 78 in 57 Minor League innings last year, with a 1.89 ERA.
Devine admitted he was “a little surprised” when the Braves traded him, but Atlanta teammate and former Athletic Tim Hudson had already told him plenty of positive things about the A’s, and Devine was friends with A’s outfielder Travis Buck from when they were both on the U.S. national team.
Besides, after what Devine experienced in 2005, changing teams wasn’t that scary a proposition.
“It was overwhelming [in 2005],” Devine said. “To think I was pitching in an NCAA regional in Lincoln, Neb., and two months later, I was pitching in the big leagues.”
A’s general manager Billy Beane is hesistant to call Devine a “future closer” as so many others have, but he remains high on the right-hander with a powerful heater and a biting slider.
“To anoint guys as future closers when they’re in college is usually a mistake,” Beane said. “I think he’s got a chance to be a late-inning guy. Where remains to be determined. The ninth inning is mainly mental.”
Devine has a strong shot at making the A’s Opening Day roster, given his Major League experience and strong stuff. To do so, he’ll need to show he can control his powerful pitches. Devine has walked 22 in 19 2/3 Major League innings.
Devine said by dealing with a hip flexor in 2005 and a bad disk in 2006, he’s learned a lot about his body and his mechanics. At 24, he still has plentyHe has also experienced success and failure on a high level, which he believes has toughened him and made him more consistent in his approach. As a rookie, Devine threw a scoreless 17th inning in the Braves’ final postseason game before allowing a series-winning home run to Houston’s Chris Burke in the 18th frame.
Through trying experiences such as that and conversations with veteran teammates, Devine learned how to best approach the game.
“Just being able to be around John Smoltz and Tim Hudson was incredible,” Devine said. “Whether it’s their start or their off day … they’re great leaders and great teammates.”
Now, Devine is getting to know a new organization, and he plans to make the most of it, even if the competition is stiff.
“It’s still early on, it’s almost like a new beginning,” he said. “I’m very excited … the more eyes you have on you, the better you can be.”
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AS Govanah of the State of Callefornya, I Arnold the body, wish to thank you for publicizing one of our crops. They don’t call us the land of fruits and nuts for nuzzin.
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Let there be peace! Please??
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Raisins are peaceful produce items.
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Are we at war? And here I thought that was thunder. I’m off to the bunker.
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ww, good article! Great site you have! I’ll add a link in our Blog Roll. Would have earlier had I known about it.
Raisins, love it! 😆
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Lew, is Chipper trying out as a pitcher? I always liked Chambliss, not so much for his talents as a player, just somebody I liked … not sure why.
I’m really surprised at Sir Guy’s “05060 040” Zip Code mistake … I thought everybody knew that Zip’s have at least 5 digits.
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Great moments in raisin history:
218-203 BC – One of the greatest military leaders in history, Carthaginian general Hannibal catches the Romans off guard during the Second Punic War by crossing the Alps with troops fuelled by none other than raisins!
Hannibal was known to be able to turn on a fastball.
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19,985 hits. Sooooo close to 20K. 😀
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No Chipper’s not pitching, but several position players like Francoeur, Kotsay and a few others like Kelly Johnson are there anyway. KJ gave Jason a signed, broken bat today. The Boy from Maine was thrilled.
Kotsay is looking GOOD. He is swinging free and easy and hitting nothing but line drives. The fans really like this guy and he looks like we may have made a great move getting him. He is an exceptionally nice person.
Bob-Chambliss was always one of my favorites, too. He was very nice and signed several balls for fans. SG put 04060 instead of 05060. The Postal employees of Vermont were confused trying to deliver it where there was no such zip.
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And where is our resident ‘digit expert’ when we need him? … jimmy smith..whither jimmy smith?…
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Great moments in raisin history:
154 BC – Ancient Rome can’t get enough raisins. Raisins are used variously as rewards in athletic competitions, payment for taxes, a medical cure-all, and barter currency. (Legend has it that two jars of raisins can be traded for one slave boy. editor’s note: or Ryan Langerhans) Romans feast on raisins in Bacchanalian proportions.
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I was sure SG knows there are six digits in a zip code. Jeez Louise.
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Grinch, just gettin’ on for the day….I understand where you are coming from….we are just wired to be stupidly optimistic, ain’t we??? I can get pretty bitter looking back on my “love” life, or lack thereof at times.
Some danger signs I have seen in the past. Gee Berigan*, my last boyfriend hated my dog, always pushed it away from him. Gee Berigan*, my last boyfriend(That she lived with for 3 years) would have been bored to tears at the Scott antique market….Seems to these increasingly cynical eyes that the more some women are treated like jerks, not listened to, cheated on, the more the women tried to make things work. A “nice” guy was not much of a challenge….
I have two good friends that don’t seem like complete losers. They open doors, they listen to people, would never cheat on one…and they are 40 and single. Of course, they ain’t rich, don’t look like a Greek God….good thing I don’t sound like a bitter man!
I know there are lots of nice women, they just all were scooped up by some pretty smart men long ago….
*Not real name 😉
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The “bunker”(root cellar) is populated with snakes. I’ll face atomic bombs, any day!
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If your root cellar is, say, 20′ x 20′, would it be considered a square root cellar? Just wonderin’… 🙄
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Your seeds confute the notion that you’re a currant, Oh Reasonable one!
I always thought that it was a pack of derms he took over the Alps … you tryin to tell me it was a box of raisins? At least you knew it was Hannibal … otherwise, Sir Guy would try to tell me that it was Mr. Fly. Hannibal was actually a pitcher, as suggested by his name which is a Carthaginian corruption of “hand me the ball” … he may have had a decent fastball but methinks his curve was among the best in his day … as are yours, albeit always reasonable.
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New name for Berigan: “Zorba” 🙂
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Lew, you said Kotsay is looking GOOD, which is very good news! But, I bet he still doesn’t look nearly as good as his wife!!!! 😆
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WW, thanks for the Devine story!
Paladin, Zorba the weak, is me! Even after going to the gym….moreso after the gym… hmmm, moreso is not a word??? 2 words I guess???
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I’ve got your square root and your 3.1416.
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Great moments in raisin history:
1374 – Raisin inflation! Raisin prices in England jump to an unheard-of two pence and three farthings per pound.
Evidence indicates that an ancestor of Scott Boras represented the local growers.
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SJA, I have no idea where that invite came from! Electronics are just amazing!! Obviously something “burped” somewhere! 😆
Berigan, this lady wasn’t treated nicely (at all!) and has since remained single for x number of years, electing to live alone and raise a handicapped daughter alone rather than risk that hellish nightmare again. It goes both ways. 🙂
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Berigan…from the sound of things…you might want to leave the cat outside tonight…
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Hopefully, the root cellar isn’t a circle … can you imagine VOR having to determine the square root of pi? It just wouldn’t be reasonable.
Berigan*, or whatever your name is … most young women who look beautiful like grapes aren’t raisins but, when they become raisins they usually look like it. God knew this when he made them and blessed man with vision that also changes with age.
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Great moments in raisin history:
1942 – With the demand for high-energy foods and sugar substitutes escalating during World War II, the War Production Board orders California’s entire wine grape crop to be made into raisins.
To date, MLB has no testing policy in place for raisins.
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Incidently, square root(pi) = 1.77245385
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“To date, MLB has no testing policy in place for raisins.” 😆 😆
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CL
If that _____ is still alive, me and a few dozen bloggers here would gladly meet up with him and kick him in the place that would hurt the worst, several times! 😈 I am sure you being the classy lady you are, have moved on, but…we haven’t. No one can hurt our lady and get away with it! Well, he won’t get away with it when he shuffles off his mortal coil.
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Not to worry VOR…neither does MLB have much of a testing policy in place for performance enhancing drugs either…
Looks like you know your (pi) too…
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Berigan: I have always felt that crackin’ a knee cap with a 2×4 is a great way to take care of business. It tends to cause the offender to reflect upon his wrong-doings with every step.
You see, that was most unreasonable. I mis-remembered my reasonable upbringin’
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In semi-interesting baseball news. Did anyone notice that every player has lost his arbitration hearing so far??? Chien-Ming Wang, Brian Fuentes , and Jose Valverde all lost. Used to be even bad players got huge raises…..
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Wang, Fuentes and Valverde. Sounds like entertainment lawyers…
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Hand that ignorant A$sClown over to TheJackAss for about 5 minutes in paladin’s root cellar…and that is a long time to be couped-up in a dark place for 5 minutes with an angry JackAss…
TheSoutherEquusAsinus has departed…
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SJA: Your last post is gonna give me nightmares… 😯
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Thank you Hipparchus and Pythagoras for the lesson in roots determined by squares. But, I thought we were funnin’, not showing off our math skills. I’ll know better next time.
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Not math skills, google skills…
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By the way, I often have Hipparchus first thing in the morning, but after I stretch, and take 3 Advil, it usually goes away…
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SJA; You may have the use of my root cellar, for that purpose, on the house. Will you be needing the snakes?
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Can you imagine both Paladin and SJA on your case at the same time???
Berigan, your stock just went up 39%. 😀
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CL, glad to hear that! 🙂 Perhaps there will be a stock split soon! And I am 240 pounds of pure….Berigan. I could sit on him if nothing else….
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I admit to having being accused of treated women badly … usually by my mother … and it may be true cause she was right about most things … an Independent rather than Republican, but usually right in her thinking … but it’s not a sexist thing with me … nor was it ever … I’ve always tried hard to show no discrimination in my abuse.
I was just lucky I guess, every one of my wives were good looking, smart, sweet, loving, and reasonable … except when they weren’t. Man, Carol was beautiful, brilliant, loving … strong willed … beautiful voice … what happened?! Well, I don’t have many pictures … don’t need them … she hasn’t changed much since she was in college … well, maybe just a little prettier and a little sweeter … still can’t cook, ‘cepting meatloaf and “beens and meet”, Mexican style but they can’t be beet!
Words from the boss … “I’m Carol McB, exiled journalist’s wife and I approve this message!”
Surely, you didn’t think I’d say anything else, knowing she would read it … but it is true, at least the part about me not having many pictures.
Well, the part about being lucky is also true … and in a word, there’s only one … she’s wonderful! Well, maybe two, … goodness!
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Great moments in raisin history:
1949 – Children living in the isolated city of Berlin delight in packets of raisins dropped for their benefit by planes participating in the Berlin Airlift. These planes become known as the “raisin bombers.”
The last time I raisin bombed, I popped 2 Imodium. To date, MLB has no testing policy in place for Imodium.
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Hi, Carol! Much love to you!!!
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Thanks paladin…but TheJackAss is afraid that your root cellar may also end up ‘on the house’…along with the snakes…you might want to have those house fixers to hang around a bit longer…just in case…
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SJA: Perhaps paladin was saying that the root cellar is already on the house, hence the need for house fixers. Makes sense anyway. I’m just sayin’…
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Also a big hello to Carol…from TheJackAss…
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At any rate VOR…the root cellar most likely won’t be located in it’s original spot afterwards…the thinkin’ in this place is a gittin’ a bit too abstract for TheJackAss’ understandin’…
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Maybe giving huge raisins rather than raises is the answer … but I don’t know about the stock split … at the rate the dollar is declining, she may have been breaking some news as nicely and gently as only she can.
I’ve been busy trying to solve the math puzzle she gave us but still haven’t been able to determine “x” … trick question, methinks.
“No one can hurt our lady and get away with it!” … I take it back, whoever you are … your stock is now high enough to split!! … with me!
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I see 20K hits! Congrats, CL! Exceedingly well done!!!!
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Great moments in raisin history:
1962 – Astronaut Scott Carpenter bites into a raisin-filled, granola-type confection, thus becoming the first person to carry and consume raisins in outer space.
Hmm… granola and raisins. Just how do they “go” in space, anyway?
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Well, that obviously didn’t work…
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Well, the Boss said she to tell you she was plum tuckered, not to be confused with plain tuckered, from making me say those nice things abouter (prompted by Jimmy’s eater eggs, methinks) and has gone into the animated room in preparation for Clint’s “Letters from Iwo Jima” … but, in her words “am much obliged for the nice greetings from my very special friends”!
Hot tub and the movie for me!
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Berigan, in my experience nice girls get zero attention from men unless they also happen to be blond bikini models. So it’s tough over on this side too.
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Well, I’ve never asked them but I guess they go ’bout the way as everybody else … I imagine the old saying “You go your way and I’ll go mine” applies in outer space as much as anywhere else … well, maybe not in inner space where things are real cramped.
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Hot tub and a movie… sounds nice. I’m lookin’ at leftovers and SpongeBob.
Oh, the inhumanity!
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VOR, SpongeBob eh??? What are the kids gonna watch??? 😆
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Raisins has some new photos!!
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That last was hopefully recognized as being for VOR … Carol says that FGB make a point but … I ask “how tough can it be to model blond bikinis”?
After the movie …
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Hey, Salty!! 20,000???? Absolutely amazing!!
Free Diet Coke for everyone!!!
😆 😆 😆
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I’m having bacon-wrapped filet, baked potato with chives and bacon bits, salad with ranch/buttermilk dressing, crusty french bread and washed down with 2, 3, 4 glasses of chianti. Sound familiar? That’s ’cause I have it every Sat. nite. I’m in a rut. But, name me a better rut to be in.
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Berigan-Kotsay’s wife may even be the second most beautiful woman in the world, but I’ve been married to Number One for 33 years.
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Paladin, sounds fabulous!!!
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ChrisKlob: Feb 4
Chop Seal: Feb 33
jimmy smith: Mar 1
ssiscribe: Mar 11
Raisins: Mar 13
Berigan: Mar 15
Hillbilly: Mar 16
MrGil: Apr 15
Paladin: Apr 28
Lew: Jun 14
williamwallace: Jun 27
FloridaBravesGirl: Jul 8
SavannahGuy: Aug 3
BobJournalist: Oct 6
Carolina Lady: Oct 7
We’re still missing some birthdays! Y’all chime in so I can add yours to the birthday list!
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For me, it’s leftover BBQ from the Iron Pig. Awesome BBQ and stew. If you’re ever in the Jefferson area, I highly recommend it. 😀
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Well little lady(John Wayne imitation), you are welcome to come eat that dinner with me anytime. I’ll have Hop-sing set another place. 👿
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Evil-head? Perhaps another carafe of chiante is in order…
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…or chianti, even…
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…or chianti, even…
I sounded like Snagglepuss…
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Stay out of this Raisins. You are too young to understand.
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And to think… I offered you chiante and chianti.
Exit, stage left…
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Raisins 🙂
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Alright… gonna hang out with my raisinettes for a while. 😀
Happy trails… until we meet again…
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Now, Bob, you know what I meant.
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Do ya’ll believe this stuff we are getting over our plan to shoot down that satellite? We are testing out missile defense system? Right! Shooting down a target that is basically dead in the water will be a great test of our system. Now admittedly, we don’t get a chance to shoot at targets 130 miles up, but if it’s within range, why not? ‘Course if we miss, will we look like and idiots or what?
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When I get in the hot tub, it’s normally not for public viewing … gonna catch the later viewing of the movie … sounds like Kathy may read the Blog too.
20,000 … Diet Coke? … my goodness, this blog is the Reel Thing … and deserves the Original Real Thing too!!
I’d like to buy the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves.
I’d like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I’d like to buy the world a Coke
And keep it company
That’s the real thing.
What the world wants today
Coca-Cola
Is the real thing
I’d like to teach the world to sing
Sing with me
In perfect harmony
I’d like to buy the world a Coke
And keep it company
That’s the real thing
What the world wants today
Coca-Cola
Is the real thing
Ain’t no mention of Diet nowhere that I can see
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I’m going to bed soon, whether you folks talk to me or not. So, I’ll go get on my jammies with the bunny feet and see if anyone is talking. Then, I’m gone.
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“jammies with bunny feet”? 😆
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flbravesgirl; Don’t tell anyone. Us macho types have our secrets.
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I’m gone. Hoppity hoppity hoppity. shuffle shuffle.
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If Paladin really did tell the truth and the whole truth, he would’ve mentioned that those PJ’s not only had bunny feet but a little flap in the back with a tail sewn on.
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Leave for a little while and we hit a milestone of 20k hits!!! All the hippies in Seattle would be proud. The mafia would be proud. Mohammed Ali would be proud. Dick Clark would be proud. So would any major league baseball team.
Carolina Lady has built it and we came. Thanks CL for all the behind the scenes work on keeping Braves and Stuff going.
Then, I see where I missed Carol. I truly regret not being here for her rare
(first?) cameo appearance. Belated Hello Carol…love sent your way! Now, Bob, Journalist, after what you said about women right there in front of your Lady you’ll be lucky if she let’s you have any popcorn for Clint’s flick. Might get your hand slapped if you try to sneak some out of her bowl. Where is the mouth soap?
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Raisins… funny pics. The double decker outhouse is right on. We do know what runs downhill and who it lands on below.
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No worries WW… thanks and yep, we most likely agree on most of the shenanigans (first use on blog?) with the Clemens “hearings”. Hearings is in quotes because it was more like the “Tellings”. Congressmen once again telling us how important they think they are while reminding us how inept they are.
Lew… I had someone at the office that I used to trust ship your CD’s. Sorry they took such a circuitous route throughout Vermont before arriving. They should be well seasoned by now. Maybe Kathy can bring them down when she comes. Or are you lone wolfing it?
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Looks like I got in the caboose after closing time.
Night Ladies and Gents.
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lew614 Says:
February 16, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Berigan-Kotsay’s wife may even be the second most beautiful woman in the world, but I’ve been married to Number One for 33 years.
Lew is a wise man! 🙂
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FBG … did I? I guess perhaps I did at that … I wasn’t sure, but I definitely do know you’re nice and decided the wearing of the blond bathing suit had to be the tough part … which, tough as it is, you must do, since you are indeed most popular. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and some fellows like red and brown and black and white bathing suits too.
It’s tough too, not having folks know what you mean … even when they do, some pretend they don’t … just to be mean, methinks.
I’ve heard that one should use smiley faces so that folks know when to laugh and when to cry … and I’ve tried it … but, I attended enough TV shows where they held up cue cards to tell you when to laugh, cheer and applaud to last me a lifetime.
Folks may not always know what I mean, but when they’re unsure as to my intent, they can safely leave their umbrellas at home cause it’ll only storm maybe 1/10,000 times.
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Thank you, Sir Bob, but said popularity doesn’t seem to extend beyond the blog (& the baked goods probably have something to do with it here. Maybe I should carry a cake everywhere I go?). Part of it is my own fault for being very shy.
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Did everyone follow the bunny-footed Paladin’s lead & turn in?
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G’night all!
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Didn’t turn it yet….watched Follow the Fleet with Fred and Ginger. They were named after two of our cats, or vise-versa.
Irving Berlin wrote the music and lyrics….he was Joe Strummer from the Clash, and no Amy Winehouse ….which I think’s a good thing….
There may be trouble ahead,
But while there’s music and moonlight,
And love and romance,
Let’s face the music and dance.
Before the fiddlers have fled,
Before they ask us to pay the bill,
And while we still have that chance,
Let’s face the music and dance.
Soon, we’ll be without the moon,
Humming a different tune, and then,
There may be teardrops to shed,
So while there’s music and moonlight,
And love and romance,
Let’s face the music and dance
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Don’t you love it when these hot dogs start flapping their gums…. ? Post it on the bulletin boards Bobby…
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080216&content_id=2375631&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym
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To be fair, these lines from Amy Winehouse’s Rehab…man, straight to ya heart!!!!
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’
Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
I ain’t got the time and if my daddy thinks I’m fine
He’s tried to make me go to rehab but I won’t go go go
I’d rather be at home with ray
I ain’t got seventy days
Cause there’s nothing
There’s nothing you can teach me
That I can’t learn from Mr Hathaway
I didn’t get a lot in class
But I know it don’t come in a shot glass
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’
Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
I ain’t got the time and if my daddy thinks I’m fine
He’s tried to make me go to rehab but I won’t go go go
The man said ‘why do you think you here’
I said ‘I got no idea
I’m gonna, I’m gonna lose my baby
so I always keep a bottle near’
He said ‘I just think your depressed,
this me, yeah baby, and the rest’
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’
Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
I don’t ever wanna drink again
I just ooh I just need a friend
I’m not gonna spend ten weeks
have everyone think I’m on the mend
It’s not just my pride
It’s just ’til these tears have dried
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’
Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
I ain’t got the time and if my daddy thinks I’m fine
He’s tried to make me go to rehab but I won’t go go go
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Gil, you are so right!!! This paragraph should be highlighted on the board….
[b]”Let me tell you this,” Beltran said. “Without Santana, we felt, as a team, that we had a chance to win in our division. With him now, I have no doubt that we’re going to win in our division. I have no doubt in that. We’ve got what it takes.”[/b]
It will be sweet with those two fighting it out for a distant 2nd place come September….
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uh-oh….I didn’t use the symbols, did the brackets…they work on several forums…..you’d think there would be a universal works everywhere system….but that makes sense.
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Let me try this again…music was a playin’ and me brain wasn’t payin’…..attention…
once more, from the top…with feeling!!!
Didn’t turn in yet….watched Follow the Fleet with Fred and Ginger. They were named after two of our cats, or vise-versa.
Irving Berlin wrote the music and lyrics….he was no Joe Strummer (Clash) and no Amy Winehouse ….which I think’s a good thing….
There may be trouble ahead,
But while there’s music and moonlight,
And love and romance,
Let’s face the music and dance.
Before the fiddlers have fled,
Before they ask us to pay the bill,
And while we still have that chance,
Let’s face the music and dance.
Soon, we’ll be without the moon,
Humming a different tune, and then,
There may be teardrops to shed,
So while there’s music and moonlight,
And love and romance,
Let’s face the music and dance
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Love that music, Berigan!
NEW BLOG IS UP!!
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