36: Staying the course…

All material is copyrighted and may not be used without written permission.

by Gil

One of the hazards of being a fan of any team in any sport is the realization that the more you put into something the more you stand to lose. While the stock market as well as the black jack tables has been known to lighten one’s wallet with considerable rapidity, it is sports that take something even more dearly to us than money. It is the feeling of despair at watching your team lose games it should win, that exacts a huge toll on our well-being.

Now, I wish to put forth a theory that comes from many years of observation as well as my own personal experience with the matter. Those beings that people try to isolate themselves from the feelings of woe by one of several methods.

The first is apathy. The idea that if they don’t get involved, they won’t get hurt. This is often demonstrated by the abundance of empty seats often associated with losing teams. Despite the pleas of owners, players and erstwhile fanatics, venues go empty because people just don’t want to feel bad at the prospect of another loss.

The next is abandonment, many people will simply cut their losses and walk away despite the investment of time and energy thinking is no sense in riding a sinking ship to the bottom. Best to jump to the lifeboats while there is still time to save themselves.

A favorite approach by many is the front-runner syndrome. These are the shallowest of fair weather fans. They constantly will check to see which way the wind is blowing and quickly jump to whichever team is winning, claiming to be a lifelong fan and true supporter. This method assures them of the greatest amount of euphoria with the least amount of emotional involvement.

Of course, adapting these traits rob a person of the truest of highs which only comes with experiencing the lows as well as the highs. Supporting a team though it’s darkest times allows a person to savor the sweetness of victory. A bit of caution however in that one can find themselves resentful when the fair weather fans try to jump on the bandwagon to share the feeling of good times.

Therefore, I urge those good fans of the Braves to exercise patience. Do not despair with the short-term aberration of defeat but know the good times are coming!

~Gil~

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798 Responses to “36: Staying the course…”


  1. 1 Carolina Lady April 5, 2008 at 11:55 am

    Excellent, Gil! Many thanks! Looking forward to that trophy in October!!! 😀

    Like

  2. 2 Bob, journalist April 5, 2008 at 12:03 pm

    Here Here!!

    Like

  3. 3 Carolina Lady April 5, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    Thanks to all for the sweet words on our new masthead. I do hope you like it. 🙂

    Like

  4. 4 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 12:21 pm

    Very good Gil!

    Now, before I go to other things I want to leave you with one more “golden oldie”. This was one of my Father’s favorite groups ’cause he said this was the only female he had ever heard who could actually sing bass. You youngsters can enjoy the Michael J. Fox “Back to the Future” clips. Chow, and other breeds.

    http://www.weshow.com/us/p/33841/the_chordettes_mr_sandman_back_to_the_future – 76k

    Like

  5. 5 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 12:50 pm

    Gil, you writ a very fine and true post, sir. Nice picture at the bottom too. I’d like our Braves to get another! Talk about apathy, reminds me of a story I heard: When a random citizen on the street was approached and asked, “did you know that ignorance and apathy was rampant in America?”, the citizen unwittingly replied with the telling answer, “no I didn’t know and I don’t give a damn”.

    Carolina Lady, 766 posts ain’t a bad day at Stuffville. Lots’a good stuff. On the new beautiful masthead, has Smoltzies head gotten larger? 😉

    Raisins, I’ve seen your site and it rocks, brother. Good luck on the gig tonight.

    Paladin, Mr. Sandman is a classic from back in the day I’m sure. That must be what you hear as you head to bed still clutching that bottle of chianti. 😀

    Much good music and stuff on the blog, but since I’m just ducking in for a minute, I’ll right an earlier wrong and bring a few tunes back… even if they are so late twentieth century.

    Since two of my all-time favorite songs that I posted for you guys were tarnished with “Lord of Rings” and the rude “Cruel Intentions” movie clips, I’m calling two musical mulligans here (don’t watch the Verve video – couldn’t find any without a goofy clip):

    Zepp: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/led_zeppelin/the_battle_of_evermore.html

    Verve:
    http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/c/cruel_intentions/bittersweet_symphony.html

    Then, from last blog, I could not resist: A post in the wee hours from a little cabin in the woods in a land far away came this (slightly out of context):

    The current Bush economy’s reducing my investments now to the point I’m lucky to be able to buy a brick…

    Bush economy? Has the Grinch been landscaping? Shrubs can be very expensive, but if you water the roots in the spring they will grow. I like to watch.

    Now, back to TCB stuff. Back later… hopefully for a Braves baseball game.

    Like

  6. 6 Gil in Mechanicsville April 5, 2008 at 2:12 pm

    Thanks all and special thanks to the editor…

    Now baseball…. It is with great sadness to think that Hampton has sustained yet another setback. Alas, how could we not expect otherwise. Those years on the “juice” takes it’s toll on the body. The muscles may get bigger and stronger but the tendons and ligaments don’t. Thus the weakest part of the chain breaks.

    He reminds me so much of a race car I once owned. I spent a lot of time and money making it go fast, I learned the hard way that if you don’t beef up the drive train to handle the increased torque from all that added horsepower, you are still going to go pretty slow in the quarter mile due to broken axles and universal joints. Perhaps I will just call him “Doozie” in honor of that ’72 Nova…

    Like

  7. 7 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 2:20 pm

    Hey SG, I’ll make you a deal. I won’t put on any more clips, if you won’t. 😀

    Like

  8. 8 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    NEW YORK (AP) – With a loud crack, the ball soared toward the fence and fielders ran to get their hands on it. On the sidelines, the batter’s teammates whooped with excitement as four runs were added to their tally.

    This however is not baseball – it’s a high school cricket game.

    Schools in New York City, home of the Yankees and the Mets, have launched a cricket league, apparently the first school system in the country to offer the sport. The response has been overwhelming, a reflection of the city’s growing number of immigrants from the Caribbean and South Asia, where cricket is the most popular sport.

    The season opened Wednesday with squads from Richmond Hill and Aviation high schools facing off in a city park.

    “This is big,” said Wesley Henry, a teacher at Aviation who coaches the cricket team. “I came here from Guyana, I never thought I would see cricket being played here. It’s always basketball, baseball, football.”

    Anything, it would appear, to break down our traditions. 🙄 😥

    Like

  9. 9 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 2:55 pm

    Just checking in for a minute. Nice work, Gil.

    Like

  10. 10 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    SG, I know that being a corporate dude you’re a republican and Bush toady; I would be too under those circumstances so I’ll cut you some slack. Trickle-down economics work fine if you’re standing at the top doing the trickling. However, for the 99% of us being trickled on, it ain’t so funny. Let me go on record by saying I DESPISE CLINTON, but at least when he was president I could afford to fill my damn truck up and not worry about my bank balance. I’ve lost more than $30,000 in the last 6 months alone from this administrative cluster^&%$, and while that may not be much to some of you it puts a nasty bite into my fun money. If it keeps up, it’s gonna put a nasty bite into my grocery money. But I guess I shouldn’t worry; that $900 refund’s gonna make it all ok. Like Lewis Black said, that’s the equivilent of your congressman coming to your house and peeing on your shoe.

    Thus endeth today’s lesson. 🙂

    Like

  11. 11 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    Oh, my lord; now our kids are gonna have crooked teeth, hemophelia and a taste for cucumber sandwiches. Someone please step in and rescue this country! Aquaman? Green Lantern?

    Like

  12. 12 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 3:12 pm

    😆 Grinch.

    Like

  13. 13 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:13 pm

    Pardon me whilst I pick the cucumber seeds out of my tooth. Oh yeah. I was looking at the radar and it looks as if they COULD play tonight. How about an “on scene” observation.

    Like

  14. 14 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 3:14 pm

    Just because they have kids playing cricket doesn’t mean it’s going to take hold in this country. Every other kid in America seems to play soccer but it’s not a mainstream pro sport here.

    Like

  15. 15 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 3:15 pm

    Actually they’re supposed to start in less than an hour, Paladin.

    Like

  16. 16 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:15 pm

    Don’t get political on me now, Grinch, or I’ll have to slap your jaws.

    Like

  17. 17 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:18 pm

    FBG; I love you honey, but you need to get out and smell the roses. Soccer is MUCH bigger here, in rural America, than baseball.

    Like

  18. 18 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    I didn’t realize you worked for Pfizer or BP/Amoco, Pally! My bad; congrats! Can I borrow some money? 🙂

    Like

  19. 19 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    MLS is big there?

    Like

  20. 20 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:22 pm

    I’m retired, remember? And y’all pay my salary. Thank you very much!! 😆

    Like

  21. 21 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:25 pm

    No. Little Johnny keek the bawl is big here. And the breakdown at the base is going to effect the top…soon.

    Like

  22. 22 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 3:26 pm

    I don’t mind chipping in on your salary; you at least earned it. But…hell, I’ll just continue this on an e-mail; nobody wants to listen to me bitch. 🙂

    And why would politics make you want to slap my shark?

    Like

  23. 23 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 3:29 pm

    Oh, I know, Paladin. Eventually pro soccer will get bigger here because of all the kids playing it now. But right now MLS isn’t that big of a deal. Baseball needs to do a better job of attracting kids.

    Grinch, just as soon as I win the lottery you can have as big of a loan as you’d like.

    Like

  24. 24 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:29 pm

    Just funnin’ with you Grinch. And if you are dumb enough to vote for Billary or Osama Obama, you’ll get what you deserve. 😆

    Like

  25. 25 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:32 pm

    FBG; They play very little “organized” soccer in Cuba and the Dominican, for instance. That is why there are so many players from such small areas in the ML.

    Like

  26. 26 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 3:36 pm

    I would not vote them on a boat

    I would not vote them with a goat

    I would not vote them with a fox

    I would not vote them in a box.

    HOWEVER,

    I would not vote for John McCain

    He once was just but now insane.

    So, I guess I’ll just stick my head in the sand and hope the economy somehow bounces back. I’ve still got plenty of ammo, canned food, bottled water and a few krugerands if it comes down to it. I just wish we could vote for someone that wouldn’t cause us to come down to it.

    Like

  27. 27 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 3:39 pm

    Very Seussian from the Grinch. Very nice.

    To quote my dad : “This is the best America’s got to offer?!?”

    Like

  28. 28 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:40 pm

    Good points, Grinch. 😀 And where is George Wallace when we need him?:mrgreen:

    Like

  29. 29 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 3:41 pm

    Thank you, FBG; a cake would do nicely.

    Now, I must feed and water Grinch pup. She must produce plenty of chlorophyll in order to grow.

    Like

  30. 30 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:43 pm

    My name is Grinch. And a green ham, I am. :mrgreen:

    Like

  31. 31 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 3:43 pm

    Hey, I’d be happy to have Nixon back.

    Like

  32. 32 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 3:44 pm

    I’ll see what I can do, Grinch.

    Is Grinch-pup going to turn green?

    Like

  33. 33 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 3:45 pm

    That was Sam.

    I’m more partial to the Who’s Roast Beest, though their hash ain’t bad. 🙂

    Like

  34. 34 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:45 pm

    Otis? Yeah, he was great!

    Like

  35. 35 morpheus45 April 5, 2008 at 3:45 pm

    I’LL BE BACK SHORTLY.

    Like

  36. 36 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    You youngsters are out-typing me, but you ain’t out-thinking me.

    Like

  37. 37 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:49 pm

    I’LL BE BACK SHORTLY.

    That’s what the Rabbi said.

    Like

  38. 38 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 3:49 pm

    OK, I’ll go see if Fox will actually show me the Braves ( they like to tease me with the commercials & then show some other game).

    Like

  39. 39 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 3:59 pm

    I’m actually getting the game!

    1 out for the Muts.

    Like

  40. 40 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 4:00 pm

    That completes my play-by-play.

    Like

  41. 41 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 4:09 pm

    Yeah except it’s stinking Fox the game is on today….

    I hate Fox baseball

    Like

  42. 42 chrisklob April 5, 2008 at 4:19 pm

    Gil, nice lead!

    JB, Fox baseball is better than NO baseball!

    Like

  43. 43 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 4:24 pm

    true but you have to mute it and do your own commentary. Maybe I’m a little spoiled here in Atlanta but I hate listening to Joe Buck and TIm McCarver

    ESPECIALLY Tim McCarver. He makes me a little crazy.

    But I’m just glad y’all can see the game.

    Like

  44. 44 chrisklob April 5, 2008 at 4:26 pm

    BAD WORDS FOR PRADO!!

    Like

  45. 45 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 4:27 pm

    yeah I’m saying them too, Chris

    PS great new banner on the site i love it.

    and Gil, great last post here

    Like

  46. 46 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 4:27 pm

    That was a good soccer play by Prado.

    Like

  47. 47 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 4:34 pm

    TIme for Prado make up for his soccer play.

    Like

  48. 48 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 4:37 pm

    Bobby was real excited with Hudson, huh?

    Like

  49. 49 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 4:42 pm

    No biggie as it worked out. But, I sure would like to see the Braves improve on their fundamentals.

    Like

  50. 50 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 4:49 pm

    Joe Bux suxs.

    Like

  51. 51 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 4:58 pm

    McCarver and Fox both at the same time. Grrrr… Fox needs to learn the fundamentals of baseball game coverage. Show the game, not everything else. Jeeezze. More fundamentals: Missing a double play, not stopping a hard grounder on the infield… (expletive deleted here). Now go get those Mets lads. Some clutch hits would be nice too. Chipper is still a stud.

    OK, I’m over it. Now happy. No work, just play and baseball.

    Grinch… me, corporate? Really? Conservative yes, business owner yes, but me a corporate dude? I think we must have different definitions of that. Never thought of myself like that. Hmmm…

    Bush actually has not nearly as much to do with your economy as you do… and the Dem controlled congress and out of control pork barrel spending by Repubs and Dems. Just a little perspective on political/economic reality there friend.

    The Seussian poem was very nice as was the survivalist creed. :mrgreen:

    Paladin, make a deal with you for no more music links? Why on earth would I ever agree to that?

    Like

  52. 52 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 4:58 pm

    FRENCHY!!!

    Like

  53. 53 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 5:00 pm

    DIAZ!!!

    Like

  54. 54 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    half a step.

    Like

  55. 55 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    SG; Can’t blame me for tryin’.

    Like

  56. 56 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 5:17 pm

    Wow we’re talking politics today?

    Well I guess baseball and politics and baseball go hand in hand.

    Hudson is pitching well right now. Anyone hoping for a CG from Huddy?

    Oh and Paladin we got one of those day night DH’s coming up in May. ugh.

    Like

  57. 57 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 5:17 pm

    And in that case SG, here is one JUST for you.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye3ecDYxOkg – 78k –

    Like

  58. 58 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 5:25 pm

    TEX!!!

    Like

  59. 59 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 5:35 pm

    anyone seen or gonna see Leatherheads?

    Like

  60. 60 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 5:48 pm

    Just got back. Had to leave twice. First to yell at the idiot umpires. Then I came back and looked at Paladins link and had to go spit up. Pal, that was hitting below the belt.

    Now… who’s on first?

    Like

  61. 61 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 5:49 pm

    Hope we work the count and wear on their pen some today.

    Like

  62. 62 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 5:53 pm

    Uh… not like that. Need to work the count. Patience patience patience.

    Patients.

    Like

  63. 63 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    JB, politics today is very mild mannered. Sometimes we just agree to disagree.

    We all agree that most politicians are self serving, power hungry idiots.

    Like

  64. 64 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 6:07 pm

    Huddy gives us another quality start. Go get a shower fella, you earned it!

    Like

  65. 65 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 6:09 pm

    Go tie!!!!

    Like

  66. 66 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 6:10 pm

    Beautiful fundamentals, Senor.

    Like

  67. 67 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 6:14 pm

    Thanks SG. I’ll keep my politics to myself for now.

    Meanwhile, why did Kotsay go to second?

    Like

  68. 68 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 6:15 pm

    Are these umps terrible, or what?!!

    Like

  69. 69 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    you know Kotsay didn’t catch that ball in the fifth but how many times have you heard of umps reversing their calls? And then not ever give us one out on that play?

    Like

  70. 70 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    Yes… Huddy did good. McCarver is still a know-it-all idiot. Where’s Deion?

    Leatherheads looks like a funnygood flick.

    Like

  71. 71 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    I hear they’re playing the Final Four or something today.

    Like

  72. 72 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    If it had been the Muts, Buck and McCarver would still be showing him beat the tag.

    Like

  73. 73 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 6:20 pm

    Moylan don’t hang that ball up there. Tattoo the corners. Like the arms.

    Like

  74. 75 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 6:21 pm

    Two on Prado. Gotta stop that ball.

    Like

  75. 76 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 6:23 pm

    was that ball really out? Lemme go yell at the umps again.

    Like

  76. 77 jbinatl April 5, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    You know I would say let’s get two here but I don’t want Martin to touch the ball.

    Like

  77. 78 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 6:26 pm

    G’Day, Muts.

    Like

  78. 79 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    KJ!!!!

    Like

  79. 80 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    WOW!!!!! Grand salami Kelly!!

    Like

  80. 81 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 6:51 pm

    I’m going in to fix my din din. If they lose this lead, I don’t want to see it.

    Like

  81. 82 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 6:54 pm

    Bacon wrapped steak, baked tater, salad… chianti.

    Like

  82. 83 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 6:56 pm

    Paladin, wear your bib.

    Like

  83. 84 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 7:49 pm

    Yum yum!!

    Like

  84. 85 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    Great lead Gil!!! A lot of truth in there!

    Like

  85. 86 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 7:52 pm

    Welcome back to consciousness, Berigan

    Like

  86. 87 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:06 pm

    Never slept, P-Din! Busy beaver Berigan today! I might beat you to bed tonight…..

    Like

  87. 88 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:09 pm

    wow, didn’t mean to do that!!! Just thru beaver….oh well….still, how’d that happen when I put the strike at the end of the word beaver???? Technology, ain’t it grand???

    Like

  88. 89 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 8:11 pm

    Berigan; You didn’t miss the game, did you?

    Like

  89. 90 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    Where is SG? Oh, my God, you don’t think he is “composing another tome”? Tell me no, please!!!

    Like

  90. 91 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:21 pm

    Not picking on Grinch, but I have heard a lot of folks say back when Clinton was prez, gas was only $1.40….well, gas is now $8 a gallon(More or less) in Italy…..demand is up all over the world. Not just in the U.S. China and India are really starting to suck gas down like a drunk does a bottle of Thunderbird….. 20,000 new cars hit the road every day in China!!!!
    None of the 3 candidates will let us explore in ANWR…..Hydrogen vehicles are our best hope…down the road…but, no one is doing anything to help right now…ANWR wouldn’t help now either…but, if we had gone in there a decade ago….ah, but those caribou are safe from seeing any drilling equipment in the frozen tundra….

    Like

  91. 92 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:21 pm

    Game, what game???? was there a game???? 😯

    Like

  92. 93 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 8:22 pm

    You’re joking, right?

    Like

  93. 94 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    yes, I missed completely…as much as it was raining here, I assumed it was canceled….put the radio on, but it was a commercial…

    Like

  94. 95 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    11 – 5 Braves. Huddy got the win. KJ hit a pinch hit grand-slam homer. Soriono worked the 9th and pitched well

    Like

  95. 96 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:26 pm

    Funny, now it sounds like I am saying yes, I was joking….sleepy…..nothing much matters…even if Jessica Biel came knocking at my door, in desperate need of a backrub….well….might find the energy for that…but, nothing else! 😉

    See no one at 2 am! 😛

    Like

  96. 97 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    Paladin, I’m glad Soriano did well in a 9th inning where the game was not on the line! I’d Think Bobby would avoid that at all costs after last year.

    Like

  97. 98 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    Berigan; You ought to be ashamed. Us old folks are really gullible. We’ll even believe that the check is in the mail.

    Like

  98. 99 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:30 pm

    Now sleep, perchance to dream…of Jessica Biel or Jessica Alba…wait, scratch that…she’s preggers now…sigh…all my unattainable fantasy girls get married…or more likely pregnant. Do they ever think of their fans??? 😦

    Like

  99. 100 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 5, 2008 at 8:31 pm

    It is Paladin, it is! Should be there any day…. :mrgreen:

    Like

  100. 101 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 8:35 pm

    Great win and great to show the Mets who’s house they were in. Here’s comments and player instructions from this know-it-all armchair manager:

    Huddy was lights out except for that funky inning. Good outing though. Rest.

    BMac, way to hustle kid. Good game… except for that slider call to Ring. Rest.

    Tex was automatic. Ice the back from stretching up to get Yunels throws. Rest.

    Prado… you did OK kid, but get grounder and DP practice tomorrow early.

    Yunel, get those throws down a little, you’re stretchin’ Tex. BP early.

    Chipper, your usual good self. Just keep doing whatever you’re doing.

    Diaz, was off at the plate tonight. Looks like his mechanics have changed on his approach and his stance. Seemed off balance and stepping in the bucket. I don’t remember seeing him quite that off. Get a good BP tomorrow.

    Kotsay, a good game and nice near-catch. Just keep it going and get BP.

    Frenchy, you did good kid. Don’t shave. Makes you look meaner at the plate.

    Kelly, just get well and get back soon. Great hit off the bench.

    Bully’s, y’all looked good. Ring, talk to Mac and keep bustin’ it in to lefties. Soriano was good again. Cox should not have put you in today with that lead and those conditions.

    Bobby, how did you manage to not get thrown out in that flukey inning?

    Fox TV: Fire McCarvitup. Keep the cameras on the game. Hire TBS crew.

    Now I’m leaving before I get critiqued. Movie time.

    Like

  101. 102 Paladin April 5, 2008 at 8:37 pm

    And here is another confession, my friend. I don’t have the foggiest damn idea who Jessica Biel or Jessica Alba is. Which one is pregnant?. And by whom? Or, in this day and time, does that matter?

    Like

  102. 103 Savannah Guy April 5, 2008 at 8:41 pm

    Pal, nevermind those young gals. They are the type that, when they walk by all the guys get cricks in their necks looking. You sir might just throw out your back. 😆

    G’nite fellow Stuffians.

    Like

  103. 105 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 10:02 pm

    Where is everybody?

    Today was a good day. A little shopping, Braves win (thank you Kelly Johnson!), skating exhibitions from Worlds ( even though that means it’s the end of the season 😥 ). If I had some chocolate this would be darn near perfect.

    Like

  104. 106 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 10:05 pm

    And my yard is getting a much-needed soaking rain. Even Mother Nature is cooperating today.

    Like

  105. 107 Gil in Mechanicsville April 5, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    News from the farm…

    The Richmond Braves beat the Rochester Red Wings 8-2 Saturday at The Diamond. Charlie Morton tossed 4.2 scoreless innings in his Triple-A debut and the Braves piled up 13 hits to win for the second straight day.

    Richmond jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Josh Anderson scored on an error after reaching on a single. Brandon Jones doubled a run in and scored on a double play ball. The Braves tacked on two more runs in the second. Anderson knocked in a run with a single and Brent Lillibridge chased a run home with a double and also hit a three run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning.

    Damian Moss picked up the win. Lillibridge knocked in four runs for the Braves. Anderson and Sal Fasano had three hits.

    Like

  106. 108 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 10:45 pm

    Thanks, Gil! Good to hear!

    Like

  107. 109 flbravesgirl April 5, 2008 at 11:36 pm

    …crickets…

    Like

  108. 110 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 12:45 am

    Well, since I’m the only one here how about some music I like.

    Like

  109. 113 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 12:51 am

    Chirp….Chirp….Chirp…

    Now baseball…. Isn’t it amazing how the mood of the Braves’ nation ebbs and flows with each win or loss. Suddenly those who might be perceived as idiots suddenly become geniuses. Yes friends, nothing succeeds like success.

    Amazing at it may sound, Thorman is still hitless after three games. With that said, it is about the same average that Kotsay has. Sorry folks but I don’t see what other folks see in Kotsay. Other than the fact he is not batting clean-up and hitting into rally killing double plays. I don’t see what all the fuss was about. I think Blanco or Anderson could have failed just as well and it would have saved $2 million in payroll and a pretty decent reliever.

    Yes, I know it is early in the season but does he get more opportunity to fail than Langerhans did?

    And a word about how the baseball gods can laugh in a team’s face… Did anyone expect the Tigers to be 0 and 4 right now? The Washington National have the same problem the Braves had last year. That is coming up short in one run games. The good news is they are not getting blown out, the bad news is they are still losing…

    Like

  110. 114 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 12:58 am

    FBL.. Is it the stringed instruments that you like or is it the pop classical vibe that you prefer?

    Like

  111. 115 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 1:01 am

    I like a variety of music. This is dear to me because it’s used a lot in skating.

    Like

  112. 116 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 1:02 am

    And I thought the Tigers would be 4-0 now. Who knew?

    Like

  113. 117 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 1:04 am

    Some Celtic Woman:

    Like

  114. 118 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 1:06 am

    Here’s to Charlton Heston. Mediocre actor, but a damn fine human being and an old school American hero the likes of which will be sorely missed. Cheers, my friend. 😦

    Like

  115. 119 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 1:08 am

    Hi, Grinch. You’ll like my music links, I think.

    Like

  116. 120 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 1:13 am

    Amazing the similarity of bluegrass to Celtic music. It is pretty evident the roots of the music. A very fine soprano that lassie is…

    Like

  117. 121 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 1:15 am

    Charlton Heston has passed? Damn… I think he was a fine actor. Hard to argue his stage presence…

    Like

  118. 122 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 1:15 am

    I think it came from all the Irish & Scottish who settled in the Appalachians. Just like clogging came from the Irish step dancing.

    Like

  119. 123 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 1:19 am

    My great grand parents on my mother’s side were from Ireland. Came to America with a boat load of horses (suspected of being stolen) 🙂

    Like

  120. 124 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 1:21 am

    Okay, just stopped in to be neighborly but it is time for me to attempt sleep. Trust me when I say I really need my beauty rest… Night all…

    Like

  121. 125 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 1:26 am

    I have an Irish great-grandmother too. And my great-grandfather was Italian, which was probably an eyebrow-raising marriage at that time.

    Like

  122. 126 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 1:28 am

    ‘Night, Gil. And I guess that was a drive-by from Grinch so no need to hang out here alone.

    Good night y’all (crickets, lurkers, whoever).

    Like

  123. 127 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 3:57 am

    Here’s to Charleton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL2YXqVVyFs

    Erin go Braugh, ya %^$#.

    Like

  124. 128 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 4:01 am

    Better version, since he so delighted in playing historical figures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvAiwPYP_lw&feature=related

    Like

  125. 129 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 4:07 am

    By God, if I had someone to watch my Grinch pup I’d go slaughter some Limeys.

    Like

  126. 130 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 6:24 am

    Say what old chap? 🙂

    Like

  127. 131 Savannah Guy April 6, 2008 at 8:33 am

    Top o’ the mornin’.

    Where have you gone Moses? El Cid, Ben-Hur? Charlton Heston, I’ll miss you. You sir, were a good American, a good actor and quite a man. RIP Chuck.

    Gil, that was a good little report from the farm. Sounds like Thor is once again… still… living in the “Fan” district of Richmond. Looks like you’ll be seeing Scott Spiezio up there. Hopefully he’s had a change of heart and change of habits, make amends like he’s promised, put his drug and alcohol problems behind him and play well. This is his last chance at baseball.

    I think you should give Kotsay a bit more credit or at least a little more time to prove he can make a difference in Atlanta. He’s a solid pro, currently hitting .286, had two hits yesterday and plays center very well. Has a gun for an arm too. Good club guy. What’s not to like?

    FBG: Enjoyed your links, particularly the “some Celtic woman” piece. The other was like watching Dixie Chicks meets Riverdance meets Charlie’s Angels.

    Grinch: that scene from your link… actually most of the film “300” was incredible special animation/effects/digital wizardry. All in all cheese-filled beefcake but the genre is such, I just had to see it. Was entertaining in a comic book way. Frank Miller is a genius… dark, but genius. Sin City was a very good film but I wouldn’t recommend it to the women and children… or the squeamish.

    Like

  128. 132 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 8:45 am

    I guess there are now some who think they can remove the weapon from Charleton’s “cold dead hand”. Well, they will find me, Grinch, SG and hundreds of thousands who will take it back from them…with interest. I hope his family buries him with a weapon in his hand.

    Gil; Are you watching the same Kotsay I am? If so, you are not seeing him as I do. No, he is not off to a red hot start, but the same could be said for others. He’ll be fine and the only ones that will miss Andruw will be the local strip clubs.

    Like

  129. 133 Savannah Guy April 6, 2008 at 8:57 am

    Pal, you got that right… about Heston and the right to bear arms and such. Right about Kots too. You forgot something about Andruw though… there are others that’ll miss him in Atlanta. The all you can eat Squat n’ Gobble restaurant may go out of business and the foreign car dealerships will take a hit.

    Andruw is off to a big start, hitting 200. Mendosa would be proud.

    Like

  130. 134 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 9:02 am

    ‘Mornin Big Guy, what time the game be?

    Like

  131. 135 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 9:08 am

    I’m goin’ out and Cockle doodle dew if you male property owners get my drift.

    Like

  132. 136 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:17 am

    Andruw’s up to .200…already? 😕

    Fifteen or so years ago, was on a plane with Mr. Heston. He was busy reading/writing the whole flight…and I don’t intrude on anyone uninvited. When the flight landed in LA, I figured there’d be an entourage of some sort waiting for him. I walk fast…he walked faster! 😆 Headed off, solo, to where ever he was going…no lights, cameras, notoriety…just the way he wanted it. I was impressed. A good person.

    Like

  133. 137 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 9:25 am

    Mornin’ SG, Salty, And cockle, doodle, dew to you Pallyboy! 🙂

    My far left leaning jazz board was having to control itself with it’s comments on Charlton Heston.

    stuff like…
    I can’t decide whether to say “Rest In Peace” or “Good Riddance”.

    At least they won’t have to pry the gun from his “cold dead hands

    Another class act said…

    He was terrific in “Bowling for Columbine.” That was really great acting, because he couldn’t have been like that in real life, right?

    and the resident grumpy old Atheist there said…
    Well, one less vote for the warmongers.

    Sigh….

    Like

  134. 138 Savannah Guy April 6, 2008 at 9:36 am

    Pal, gametime is 1:30. I’ll be “watching” on the radio while driving to Atlanta with my lady. That, and listening to some great Tull music Lew just sent.

    Salty, was Heston “parting the people” as he walked through the terminal?

    Berigan, those “left leaning” you visit on the hate blog won’t be cured with a V8.

    Like

  135. 139 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 9:44 am

    I met MR. Heston one time, too. A very unpretentious man. R.I.P.!!!

    Like

  136. 140 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 9:48 am

    Berigan; I have a message for your left-collapsed “music” lovers. They can kiss my grits, ham and rutabaga.

    Like

  137. 141 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:49 am

    Nah…he practically sprinted. Clearly a man who marched to his drumbeat. As Paladin noted, unpretentious.

    Like

  138. 142 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 9:59 am

    Paladin, will give ’em the memo! 🙂

    FLB, liked those “Bond” girls! both their music, and their barely there outfits!!!

    Like

  139. 143 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 10:12 am

    One more thing before I get off the subject. Those that say Heston was not a good actor are those that saw him after age, and more importantly, politics, has forced him into roles like “Planet of the Apes”. In his prime, he was one of the best. And, to use a “modern” term, he was buff. The guy had looks, build, voice and passion. What more do you want from a screen actor? But, he was good on the stage, too. We have lost one of the few remaining links to the golden age of films. Again, R.I.P, Charleton.

    Like

  140. 144 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:16 am

    Good morning good people. Sad to hear about Heston, but at the same time it is for the best. I read just last week that he was in the “end stages” of Alzheimer’s. That’s a terrible burden to bear, both for the patient as well as the family. Rest well, good man.

    Now baseball. Found this article today in the San Fran Chronicle. I don’t usually make a habit of reading leftist propoganda rags but a link took me there unknowingly. Here’s the paragraph of the article that is pertinent to the Braves:

    General manager Brian Sabean acknowledged on his weekly radio show that he is looking for a first baseman, preferably a left-handed hitter. The Giants have had internal discussions about Washington’s Nick Johnson, but he might be off the market after winning the everyday first-base job and starting the season strongly. A source said the Giants scouted 26-year-old Braves first baseman Scott Thorman, who hit 11 home runs in 287 at-bats last season.

    Here’s the link if you want to read the whole article:
    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/06/SPMP100KOM.DTL

    Frankly, I’d be very happy to see Nick Johnson go to the Giants, although it’s not going to happen of course.

    Like

  141. 145 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 10:17 am

    has = had.

    Like

  142. 146 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:19 am

    This is great. FanNation has a link to an ajc article about Hampton and how he’s “hurt” about not making his start the other day. Next to the paragraph is a picture that says “Mike Hampton”. Unfortunately, the person in the picture is NOT Hampton, but Carlos Lee (complete with Astros uniform) instead! What and idiot!

    http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/mlb?page=2

    Like

  143. 147 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 10:20 am

    And I would be very happy to see Thorman go to the Giants, although it’s not going to happen of course. 😀

    Like

  144. 148 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 10:25 am

    And isn’t it interesting that none of the “Publications” have been any where near as hard on Hampton as our “exspurts” across the street? Some of those people make Terence Moore sound like an oracle.

    Like

  145. 149 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 10:29 am

    Chris, it’s funny to read those numbers on Thorman…If you knew nothing about him, and needed/wanted a lefty bat….26-year-old Braves first baseman Scott Thorman, who hit 11 home runs in 287 at-bats sounds pretty good, doesn’t it???
    Thing I don’t understand is….any team could have claimed him on waivers a week ago…why didn’t they do it then????

    Like

  146. 150 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 10:31 am

    And P-Din…you are right on Heston. Sometimes like a lot of other actors, Heston needed a great role to sink his teeth into, otherwise he might just send in a performance…

    Like

  147. 151 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 10:34 am

    And now for berigan’s next trick….attempt to work on taxes while watching baseball tonight from last night….and checking in on the blog! Fortunately , Berigan can focus like a laser. It’s happened before, once, maybe twice.
    And Berigan has a headache to boot. I’d like to boot it, as well! Got for me, a decent night sleep, so naturally my bodies mad at me for doing this to it…can’t be the pollen, it’s all been washed away for awhile at least!

    Like

  148. 152 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:34 am

    Berigan, that’s a good question. Those Giants front office people have made some pretty ill-advised decisions so it’s no wonder that they might want to trade for him. But why they didn’t do it a week and a half ago when they could have had him for free.

    I haven’t read much about Hampton and his latest setback. I genuinely feel badly for the guy. So many injuries, so much time rehabbing back. He looked great this spring. To be that close to being back, especially after being gone for so long, and then have the “carrot” jerked away at the last second must be very painful for him.

    Like

  149. 153 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:39 am

    Apparently Vick is playing football again……..

    http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2008/04/05/2008-04-05_michael_vick_playing_prison_football.html

    They need to put these games on pay-per-view. They’d probably make a killing!

    Like

  150. 154 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:42 am

    Speaking of the Giants, it seems that they are removing everything “Bonds” related from their stadium. Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT a fan of his. It does strike me odd though that they would use him for so long (ten or so years while he was using) and then once he’s gone, try to disassociate themselves from him. What a bunch of hypocrites. I hope they don’t win another game this year AND I hope they get Thorman!

    Like

  151. 155 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 10:44 am

    Berigan; I too, am going to work on my taxes. And be totally POd while I do it. To tax my military retirement and social security ain’t right! At least I moved to Tn where the state doesn’t get any of either. If I had stayed in Ga I would be in prison. Those money-grubbin’ b—–ds!

    Like

  152. 156 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 10:46 am

    Klobber; I would think that they would give Thorman Bond’s old locker with all the “goodies” still in there. :mrgreen:

    Like

  153. 157 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 10:54 am

    I hear ya P, taxwise. No way they should tax you on Military retirement or SS! 😡

    And if they gave him Bonds old locker…man, can you imagine the great looking swings and misses he could take then! 😆 and who knows, if he was on just the right amount of HGH and ‘roids, he might actually beat the throw to first once in awhile!

    And Chris, it’s just cruel to wish Thorman on the poor Giant fans! 😉

    Like

  154. 158 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 11:02 am

    Berigan; Bonds, Thorman. 😆

    Like

  155. 159 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 11:07 am

    I saw where they had to take a little piece of Larry’s brain out. I sure hope it wasn’t the “Run, Lindsay, run!” part. 😛

    Like

  156. 160 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 11:15 am

    Pheet! Pheet! Come here, Buzzman. Let’s go to walk.

    Like

  157. 161 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 11:17 am

    Larry King??? Larry Brown??? Larry, Chipper Jones??? really…don’t know…

    Like

  158. 162 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 11:33 am

    Larry Holmes? Larry the Cable Guy? Larry Bird? Larry FLynt?

    Like

  159. 163 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 11:38 am

    Leisure Suit Larry? Larry from Newhart (has a brother Darryl and another brother named Darryl)? Larry Welk?

    Like

  160. 164 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 11:49 am

    Hello Larry??? Sorry, Chris got all the good ones! 😉

    Like

  161. 165 Salty April 6, 2008 at 11:54 am

    Larry Munson

    Like

  162. 166 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 12:16 pm

    Oh…thanks Salty…If only Pallyboy had said Munson, I might have known….
    a Damn midwesterner——>Berigan

    Like

  163. 167 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 12:23 pm

    saw this on http://www.mlbtraderumors.com referencing the article Chris mentioned before on the Giants…

    Scott Thorman, who the Braves have been shopping for over a month, is 26, and hit 11 homeruns in 268 ABs last season. With Mark Teixeira locked in at 1B this season, and plenty of guys who can be moved to 1B next year (Matt Diaz, Mark Kotsay, et al), Thorman no longer seems to be the heir apparent should Teixeira not re-sign.

    Interesting…had I missed talk of Kotsay possibly playing 1st next year??? Diaz would make sense as well…but, Kotsay…interesting. Perhaps Kotsay could go to left, and Diaz to first as well????

    Like

  164. 168 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 12:24 pm

    And here’s an article on Larry Munson if anyone else missed it…Get well soon Larry!
    http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/040608/news_2008040600152.shtml

    Like

  165. 169 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    So, it will be Smoltz Vs. Santana after all, eh???? I understand not wanting to pitch in cold Colorado…but, what about Smoltz’s first start of the year being against The Mutts, with the best Lefty in the game???? I see him trying too hard…but, I guess still better than cold weather, Eh???

    Like

  166. 170 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    A lot of white Nash’s in a row!!!
    TBS has the Red Sox on at 1 PM. Hmmm Mighty weird to say that…. 😕

    Like

  167. 171 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 12:54 pm

    If Grinch or Lew had been here, THEY would have known who I was talking about. Jeez. And it took a Klumpson guy to figure it out. Go figure!! 😆 But, thanks, Salty. 🙄

    Like

  168. 172 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    Berigan; Certainly you know, or should, that Smoltz is, and wants to be, a BIG game pitcher. And what bigger game can you find this time of year than opposing Santana?

    Like

  169. 173 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 1:01 pm

    Who has the TV coverage of the game?

    Like

  170. 174 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 1:10 pm

    Sportssouth Paladin…
    I just don’t want Smoltz reaching back for something extra in a 0-0 game in the 5th or 6th inning….It ain’t worth it in April….

    Like

  171. 175 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    Thanks, Berigan. And I agree. He SHOULDN’T hurt himself trying to prove he is better in April. I want him to prove himself, yet again, over the long-haul.

    Like

  172. 176 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 1:19 pm

    I’m getting the game!!! Or the commercials anyway.

    Like

  173. 177 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 1:26 pm

    Sorry Paladin. I don’t live in Georgia and I’m not a Bulldog fan. In SC, Clemson and So. Carolina are the only two college sports programs anyone talks about here so I truly had no idea who “Larry” was. Can’t even say that I’ve heard of Larry Munson either! Sorry!

    Like

  174. 178 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    Blabbing away while the SSB is sung! Is there no respect anymore?!

    Like

  175. 179 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    Don’t blame you, klobber. I have no idea who the play-by-play guy is for any of those programs.

    Like

  176. 180 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    Paladin, who did that?

    Like

  177. 181 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    Don’t blame you, klobber. I have no idea who the play-by-play guy is for any of those programs.

    Funny, I don’t either!

    Like

  178. 182 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    I don’t follow any college sports….I know Larry from other things on WSB….he used to review some movies…would go with a gaggle of young lassies…smart man!!!!

    Like

  179. 183 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 1:41 pm

    Well, my fantasy baseball team (the Rusty Trombones) has taken over first place, but I forgot Josh beckett was scheduled to come off the DL today and he’s pitching a masterpiece that won’t count for me now. That makes me angry. Oh well; got other things to do anyhow. Later, all.

    Like

  180. 184 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 1:55 pm

    If you guys(And gals!) get a chance, flip over to TBS and see how the Red Sox and Blue Jays work pitchers so they can get in a hitters count…an wonder why NL teams don’t do more of this!

    Like

  181. 185 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:00 pm

    Berigan; You have the attention span of a 2 yr old. 😛

    Like

  182. 186 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:03 pm

    Hey! 😡 I’ll have you know that I c

    Like

  183. 187 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    What do you c ? The choo choo? 😛

    Like

  184. 188 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:10 pm

    Kotsay nearly broke his wrist on that one!

    Like

  185. 189 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:11 pm

    I’m going to have a hard time sticking with this. The sun is out and the temp is rising into the mid-70s.

    Like

  186. 190 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:15 pm

    Throw him another one, John!

    Like

  187. 191 Salty April 6, 2008 at 2:16 pm

    Surprised to say, but…I don’t miss Andruw. I like Kotsay…good versatility…heck of an arm.

    By the way, yesterday’s botched DP; Prado messed up, yes, but Yunel was 2 steps from the bag…always take the sure thing. His odds of not tripping were better than either a good toss, or a mis-handling. My 2 pennies worth! 🙂

    Smoltie…you ol’ codger! Rolling back the calendar!

    Like

  188. 192 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:16 pm

    You d man, Big fella!!

    Like

  189. 193 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:17 pm

    go outside during commercial breaks!

    Like

  190. 194 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    I agree Salty. And Kotsay has done NOTHING to make me miss Puds Andrew.

    Like

  191. 195 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:19 pm

    And miss Viva Viagra?! 😈

    Like

  192. 196 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:20 pm

    KOTSAY!!!

    Like

  193. 197 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:20 pm

    Salty, I like Kotsay since he seems to connect with the ball more than Andrew does these days….I think Andruw is going to get benched a bit in LA. Torre ain’t gonna put up with .200 BA for long. Pierre has to play some as well….Alright Kotsay!

    Like

  194. 198 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:23 pm

    Those Viva Viagra ads are annoying…but, nothing can touch the Pepsi Max ads…almost afraid to mention those!

    Like

  195. 199 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:25 pm

    Pepsi Max? I don’t want to be crude but is that for feminine aids?

    Like

  196. 200 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:26 pm

    Escobar!!! ROCKET!!

    Like

  197. 201 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    Yeah Yunel!

    Like

  198. 202 Salty April 6, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    Smoltie? 😕 Dropping my ‘z’s’ again.

    Yes, Yunel! :mrgreen:

    Those Viagra/Cialis commercials…I just don’t get. More so…what’s up with the two bathtubs on the pier or out in the meadow? 🙄 It’s my wife’s question everytime…but I agree. Not a clue.

    Like

  199. 203 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:30 pm

    I don’t want to say I told you so (well, yes I do) but when people–including a bunch on the other blog–were saying that Yunel was, at best, a utility player, I was saying he was going to be a BIG star. I stand by that.

    Like

  200. 204 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:34 pm

    I have a friend who was on the field when the Braves were taking BP. He said Yunel’s line-drives would not only rip someone’s glove off, it might take a hand with it.

    Like

  201. 205 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    KOTSAY!!!!

    Like

  202. 206 Salty April 6, 2008 at 2:37 pm

    Kotsay! Kotsay! Kotsay! 😆

    Like

  203. 207 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:38 pm

    I hope Gil is watching this!

    Like

  204. 208 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    Why are DPs so pretty when you turn them and so ugly when you hit into them? That is a rhetorical question.

    Like

  205. 209 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    Paladin, I was one that was all for Yunel as well…Some were so upset about losing Renteria….And normally I don’t like getting rid of guys just cuz they have turned 33, and get a lot of money. But this time, I was all for it….

    Like

  206. 210 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:54 pm

    Well, I was one of those wondering what Smoltz was doing this spring….clearly worrying for naught…..just let him do what he wants to do! Except…don’t pitch anymore today! 5 innings is enough!

    Like

  207. 211 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 2:56 pm

    To expand on what Joe S. said: Don’t ever sweat the “real” Smoltz showing up until he arrives using a walker.

    Like

  208. 212 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    Johan Santana has Claudell Washingon style broad shoulders…..
    Yes! Smoltz is done! Long season, lets have him all season!

    Like

  209. 213 Salty April 6, 2008 at 2:59 pm

    Not a strike! No way! 😡

    Like

  210. 214 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 2:59 pm

    That was a ball! Gotay has been ripped off more than once this early season, hasn’t he???

    Like

  211. 215 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    Salty is right! 😉

    Like

  212. 216 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    The old saying is all you ask from an ump is consistency. This guy can’t even be consistent for a 1/2 inning!

    Like

  213. 217 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 3:09 pm

    I love it! But, Smoltz didn’t get that pich in the first…twice.

    Like

  214. 218 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 3:12 pm

    Pich? I don’t get it either.

    Like

  215. 219 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    I just scrolled up. This has been the Paladin and Berigan show, with a pinch of Salt. 😛

    Like

  216. 220 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    No one will talk to me but I don’t care. The BP is gettin’ the job done!

    Like

  217. 221 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 3:55 pm

    TEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Like

  218. 222 Paladin April 6, 2008 at 4:11 pm

    Nice talking “live” baseball with all of you. NOT!! I’m out of here. You can come out of your holes now.

    Like

  219. 223 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 7:20 pm

    Okay folks, maybe I was a bit hasty in my opinion of Kotsay. He did make a nice play on that DP plus a very nifty double down the line. He is moving up on my likability scale. Tex hit clutch homer in the 8th and a very nice play saving Soriano’s butt in the ninth. Did anyone else notice that Soriano was a bit hesitant covering fist on that play. A fast runner and he would have blown that save.

    Now, it is off to the Rock pile… Let’s hope the Rockies still have not put it together until the Braves leave town.

    I am going to get my tickets to see the Braves play Washington Saturday. The have a promotion where you are guaranteed a parking spot when you buy your tickets. Too bad I will miss John Smoltz’s start but I have not seen Glavin pitch in person since he left Richmond. That has been a while folks.

    What in the world was Clint Bowyer drinking at the end of the Texas race?

    Like

  220. 224 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    Y’all who are so uncertain about Kotsay, remember he was an all-star in the AL. The A’s were paying him 14 mil (which he was worth) and he hurt his back and had a bad year. They weren’t willing to gamble that he’d come back so they shipped him to us and payed 12 mil of his salary. His back has healed, and he’s getting his swing back before our eyes. It’s not like he’s some scrub that’s suddenly playing above his station.

    Anyone remember Edgar Renteria having a bad year in Boston and we got him with the Sox paying a large part of his salary because they were hasty? They’re still paying part of his salary to have his third consecutive good season for a rival team over there now (while we turned him into Jair Jurrjens after two years of all-star play at pennies on the dollar).

    The trend is, our front office is smarter than most.

    Like

  221. 225 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:31 pm

    ,b>From Carroll Rogers @ the AJC: I offer a shout-out to Gil from Mechanicsville for his hospitality, intelligent input, and the pillow his wife gave me to sit on for a couple cold innings on the upper deck bleachers during the home opener on Thursday. Preesh….

    Kudos, Gil!! A true gentleman! Way cool! 😎

    Like

  222. 226 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:33 pm

    You’re a sharp one, Mr. Grinch! Well stated! 😉
    Hence forth, I consider your posts to be greenspeak! :mrgreen:

    Like

  223. 227 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:36 pm

    Fillin’ time…and continuing Friday’s edumacation session with more factoids:

    The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.
    (What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)

    Hmmm….need to find some pig info.

    Like

  224. 228 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    Butterflies taste with their feet.
    😕 Who does these studies…and why?

    Like

  225. 229 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    Some lions mate over 50 times a day. 😯

    Don’t really know how to follow that one up! Uh…remember…pigs=30 minutes.

    Like

  226. 230 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
    (Okay, so that would be a good thing) 😆

    Like

  227. 231 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:44 pm

    Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.

    (What about that pig??)

    Like

  228. 232 Salty April 6, 2008 at 9:49 pm

    Alright…I’m outta here! To the fair ladies of B&S-dom, for you:
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=QzC1xWX2dIA 🙂

    Like

  229. 233 Carolina Lady April 6, 2008 at 10:05 pm

    Salty, “Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.”
    Neither can a hippo. Equally good news! 😆

    Like

  230. 234 Carolina Lady April 6, 2008 at 10:07 pm

    But did you know that a 6,000 lb hippo can hit speeds up to 30 mph???
    (Animal Planet)

    Like

  231. 235 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 10:20 pm

    Good evening y’all.

    Salty is watching far too much Animal Planet.

    Like

  232. 236 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    Yeah, CL; just ask Steadman when he makes Oprah mad. 🙂

    Like

  233. 237 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 10:22 pm

    Got a big day in the morning; y’all behave yourselves. You may not hear much from me ’till Thursday or Friday.

    Go Braves!

    Like

  234. 238 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    Oh sure, Grinch, run off & leave as soon as I get here. 😉

    Like

  235. 239 Gil in Mechanicsville April 6, 2008 at 10:25 pm

    More rain in the forecast… Sigh… I know we need the rain to raise the water table but surely there must be a less depressing manner by which to achieve that end.

    Elephants cannot jump… Well, I guess that explains it, no wonder the Republicans choose that mighty beast as their icon, white men cannot jump either.. 🙂

    Like

  236. 240 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    Pouring here again too. I’m not complaining.

    Like

  237. 241 morpheus45 April 6, 2008 at 10:29 pm

    Elephants have the benefit of longer trunks, however. 🙂

    FBG, I showed up and left at roughly the same time, silly. Test in the morning. Hold down the fort.

    Like

  238. 242 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:34 pm

    Greetings BS’ers! Big win today. Matt had baseball practice today so I literally only saw the first inning but it looks like it was a good one!

    I found it very interesting that Mark Bowman’s original article, which was up for several hours after the game, had NO mention whatsoever of the pivotal HR that Tex hit that ultimately won the game. It wasn’t updated until 6:35 this evening. Strange.

    Gil, something tells me that 2008 is going to be a very rainy year in the southeast. We’ve had several years of drought and it’s time for nature to correct itself. I just hope that a lot of our rainfall doesn’t come via hurricane. SG, CL, FBG and I don’t need that kind of help!

    Like

  239. 243 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    Grinch, good luck with your test. Man, I don’t miss those days……..

    Like

  240. 244 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:37 pm

    The Detroit Tigers are three outs away from being 0-6. Who would have thought that would happen?

    Like

  241. 245 Salty April 6, 2008 at 10:45 pm

    Elephants are one of the only animals that cannot jump. It’s said hippos can’t jump either. If either are charging you at 30 mph, you’re the one who wants to jump…somewhere! :mrgreen:

    Like

  242. 246 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 10:50 pm

    I’ll bet neither one has a good east-west move.

    Like

  243. 247 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 10:51 pm

    Grinch doesn’t need luck. He has brains. (even if his behavior occasionally says otherwise)

    Please, no hurricanes. There are nearby parts of Florida that still haven’t fully recovered from the 4 in a row we had a few years back. I don’t want to put the plywood up ever again.

    Like

  244. 248 flbravesgirl April 6, 2008 at 10:59 pm

    Salty, apparently hippos are kind of mean too. You don’t expect that ’cause they’re sort of cute in a dopey-looking way.

    Like

  245. 249 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 11:04 pm

    Watching a movie, but wanted to say a great win! When was the last time Smoltz won a game he left with a 1 run lead????

    Like

  246. 250 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 6, 2008 at 11:40 pm

    Andruw’s “hitting” .136 now…

    Like

  247. 251 chrisklob April 6, 2008 at 11:47 pm

    Berigan, good point about Smoltz!

    Andruw’s “hitting” .136 now…

    Alternatively speaking, Andruw’s NOT hitting at a .864 pace right now. He’s making JS look better by the day!

    Okay, who wants to set the over/under on how many more games before AJ gets put on the bench for Juan Pierre? Oh, the inhumanity!

    Like

  248. 252 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 5:18 am

    Good morning from the far side of the world… Well, maybe not so far.

    Yes, looks like I have a bit of egg on my face over my comment about Kotsay but hey, I have been known to be wrong on occasion. Don’t gloat too much however, the season is still young.

    It appears the Braves organization is loading up the Richmond roster with fringe veterans. With the signings of catcher Sal Fasano and utility man Scott Spiezio. I wonder if Gotay realizes he is on the fringe when Infante comes off the DL. Perhaps there will not be room for Infante either.

    I must say Santana pitched a heck of a game against the Braves yesterday. However, Smoltz brought his A game and would have been even better if not for the wandering strike zone he was faced with. I realize that the outfield camera does not show the true perspective of a baseball as it passes through the strike zone but after watching games on TV for 30 odd years, one dose acquire the ability to gauge the zone from what has been called in the past.

    Now that said, I think Jerry was guessing wrong a lot on Sunday.

    Like

  249. 253 Salty April 7, 2008 at 6:39 am

    Gil…no egg on the face…and you’re not ‘and idiot’, either.

    Question: would Richmond finish last in the NL East? That’s a deep team. I bet some of the season ticket owners are scouts from other organizations! Lots to evaluate.

    Like

  250. 254 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 7:33 am

    Gil, Kotsay may rupture 5 disks the next time he takes a swing. I’m just saying whatever happens in either direction shouldn’t be a surprise. The A’s are paying him 12 mil this year for a reason, just like we’re paying him 2. It’s called a “gamble.” So far, we look smart. We looked smart with Renteria too, but then look at Hampton. His 14 mil this year could give us a hell of a bench. As it could have given us the pitching we needed last year to keep the streak intact, and the year before.

    Damn this is early.

    Like

  251. 255 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 8:14 am

    Gil; If you are going to end up with egg on your face, breakfast is a good time to do it. 😛

    Like

  252. 256 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 8:16 am

    THATS why I couldn’t sleep last night! I was trying to get elephants and hippos to jump over the fence. Damn! I should have tuned into Salty’s Wild & Weird Kingdom.

    Like

  253. 257 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 8:18 am

    What is this thing going on with the Tigers? Are they just spotting everyone a 10 game lead so they can impress everyone when they come roaring back? I haven’t seen a team with this much talent tank since the Orioles.

    Like

  254. 258 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 8:20 am

    Or maybe last year’s Mets team….

    Like

  255. 259 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 8:30 am

    Can Tigers jump…back into the race?

    Like

  256. 260 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 8:42 am

    OK, my long day begins…I sure will be glad when ESPN quits with all the college basketball (men and women’s), ice hockey, what an ugly bastardization of stock car racing NASCAR has become and Tiger Woods so I can have something to read in the morning before I leave. I quite honestly don’t know a single person interested in any of those subjects (save the Thrashers or Bulldogs BBall team when they’re doing well). I’d honestly rather read fun facts about Hippos. Like for instance, it’s a Greek word that means “Underwater Horse.” Not too sure about those Greeks, but then they liked little boys, too, so ya gotta take ’em with a grain of salt. Y’all have fun today.

    Like

  257. 261 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 8:49 am

    I hacked into Salty’s computer and found these facts(yes, there were some) that he didn’t share with us.

    Pigs can cover a mile in 7.5 minutes when running at top speed.

    Snails reproductive organs are in their heads. (Hmmm)

    And, drum roll:

    Turtles can breathe through their butts.

    Like

  258. 262 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 8:59 am

    Grinch, it took a long time for me to get interested in NASCAR again after Dale Ernheart was killed. Not because I was a fan of Old #3 but the wife was. I did not get interested again until Denny Hamlin made it to the big time. Not that I didn’t watch a race or two during the year but just did not have a dog in that fight…. And did ya’ll hear that Vick is playing on his prison team. Now somehow I would bet that they play some real “Smash Mouth” football.

    And I like hockey, just about as much as I like soccer and lacrosse, and girls field hockey. I just don’t watch too much of it. Pro football is a very slow game. Really… If you don’t believe me, go to a game and see how many times they hold up play for the commercials.

    Like

  259. 263 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 9:02 am

    I’m still thinking about the butterflies tasting with their feet. Could give a whole new meaning to the term “Watch Your Step”… Things could get real ugly at the Home Town Buffet…

    Like

  260. 264 chrisklob April 7, 2008 at 9:07 am

    Grinch, not to pick nits but Kotsay isn’t making $14m this year. From Cot’s, here are the details on his current contract:

    Mark Kotsay of
    2 years/$15M (2007-08)

    * acquired in trade from Oakland 1/14/08
    (A’s to pay more than $5M of Kotsay’s 2008 salary)
    * signed extension 7/05
    * 07:$7M, 08:$8M

    Either way, it’s a bunch of money.

    Gil, I don’t watch any of those sports either. Maybe that’s the reason why ESPN shows spelling bees, poker, and competitive eating. How in the world do those qualify as sports? For the life of me, I’ve never understood why they didn’t show more baseball, football or basketball — even repeats– instead of those “sports”.

    Like

  261. 265 Salty April 7, 2008 at 9:11 am

    Snails reproductive organs are in their heads. (Hmmm)
    Turtles can breathe through their butts.

    Some suggest this applies to men as well! 😆

    Not too sure about those Greeks, but then they liked little boys, too, so ya gotta take ‘em with a grain of salt. 😯

    Like

  262. 266 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 9:23 am

    I still wish they would show Australian Rules Football. Too bad they never explained what those rule were…

    The reason for ESPN showing Spelling Bees and the like is economic. The pay no fees for broadcast rights yet they have filler for air time. They don’t draw the audience of pro football size but it’s all profit….

    Like

  263. 267 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 9:26 am

    Looks like everyone else involved in my day isn’t sharing my punctuality.

    My bad, Chris; though I saw a 14 in there somewhere. Anyhoo, it’s a good price.

    Gil, it’s not just Dale Sr. (who I was a HUGE fan of), it’s the entire France family and everything they’ve done to ruin the sport in the last 15 years. Taking away races from traditional tracks and adding them to cookie-cutter tracks in the West and Mid-west, digitally imposing Fox’s sponsors over the cars’ actual sponsors during races, talking bobbleheads that never shut the hell up even one second for you to listen to the sound of the cars which is 90% of the race, TOYOTA, the freakin’ Car of Tomorrow that nobody including the drivers like and that completely kills off the “race on Sunday, buy on Monday” concept that the entire sport is based on (though that really started in the late 80’s/early 90’s). 3/4 of the drivers being from Van Nuys or Europe now, etc. I could go on and on; they’ve even ruined “classic” DVD’s in case you want to buy one and watch a real race. They’re all footage of drivers standing around talking about how great the France family is, then the France family standing around talking about how great they are.

    Go watch a tape (if you can find one) of a race from the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s and you’ll see what I mean. Heavenly manna. NASCAR was dying for 10 years; Dale’s death just made it complete.

    Paladin, turtles can breathe through their butts? Can fighter pilots talk through theirs? 🙂

    Now I’m really leaving.

    Like

  264. 268 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:41 am

    Greetings everyone! Yet another cloudy, gloomy day in the vicinity of Atlanta…. 😕 Wouldn’t mind if we got 2 inches of rain a day to shut the folks up about how we are really still in a drought, and just because it’s only severe (Instead of the higher level of exceptional, a genius thought that one up, eh?) or less in most of the state….we need to live like the water will stop coming out of the faucets at any moment!
    All the lakes except Lanier are at or near full pool, but so what??? Sigh…I sound a bit bitter…

    Like

  265. 269 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 9:46 am

    Anyone else watch episode 5 of John Adams last night? SG? The wife gets mad at me because I know the storyline… DUH…

    Grinch. It was way before the 80’s and 90’s with the concept of win on Sunday, buy on Monday. It once was the rule that 500 cars minimum had to be produced for street use in order for a car to be legal for the track.

    A lot of Pontiacs were sold because of Fireball Roberts’ success.

    Like

  266. 270 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:48 am

    Gil, the Tigers sure aren’t playing good ball, are they??? I know managers and fans love offense(I can be quite guilty of that as well) but why did they trade their two best young arms(Andrew Miller and Jurrjens) when they clearly have pitching issues???? I know it’s more bullpen than Starting issues, but they are so young, they could have them both spot starting/long relieving, or working the 7th ala Joba with the Yanks…
    They may be suffering what the Braves dealt with the 2 years they didn’t make the playoffs, where you just think any old castoffs will do well in middle relief….
    Still can’t see the ChiSox being real competition for them in the long run. Just Cleveland…..
    And with my ADD working well this morning….Remember how good Josh Barfield looked in San Diego in 2006??? He bombed in Cleveland last year, but he’s only 25….wonder why some team, somewhere doesn’t trade for him…he’ll just rot on their bench.

    Like

  267. 271 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 9:48 am

    Morning Berigan… A little tired of the spin doctors I take it…. 🙂

    Like

  268. 272 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 9:51 am

    Jose isn’t rotting on Cleveland’s bench. He is on their AAA farm club Buffalo this season.

    Like

  269. 273 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:56 am

    School that youngster Gil! I imagine Hudson Hornet’s sales were helped by NASCAR as well!!!
    I could have more interest in the sport if the cars looked more like…you know, cars! 😉
    And the money folks need to go to a race these days, my God! People pay something like $100 a day for the privilege to park their RV half a mile from the track! I’m sure you get to plug in for power, but still. And how much are tickets???
    Like I said, just a wee bit bitter this morn!
    And yes, tired of the Spin Doctors Gil.(I was going to make a lame joke about how I haven’t heard a spin Doctors song in a decade, but thought better of it! 😳 )
    As you may know, we’d have plenty of water in Lake Lanier, if it wasn’t used to help tiny power plants, and even tinier mussels in Florida….GRRR!!!! 😡

    Like

  270. 274 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:56 am

    Morpheus; We only talk through out butts when talking to Grinches. When in Rome, and all of that. :mrgreen:

    Like

  271. 275 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:57 am

    Gil….oh…I saw the ESPN site say what he did in his last 7 games, saw 9 AB’s and assumed they were talking about this year…silly me! 🙂

    Like

  272. 276 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:00 am

    Swervin’ Irvin was my favorite.

    Like

  273. 277 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 10:17 am

    008… I remember Ernie pretty well. Was an awful crash in Michigan that ended his career. When I see replays of the Jeff Gordon crash in Las Vegas and the one by McDonald this week at Texas, I look a little kinder upon the COT.

    Berigan… And of course Florida blames Georgia for allowing unfettered growth around Atlanta. The real answer is it’s everybody’s fault. “Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die” as the song goes. If you are going to dance, you have to pay the fiddler. And of course a dozen or so other bromides that could fit this situation…. 🙂

    Like

  274. 278 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:22 am

    I meant Irvan, of course.

    Like

  275. 279 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:33 am

    Olympic torch: I think this is the first time in modern history where the torch bearers should get combat pay. I think it is really going to get ugly when it comes to this country. I think the situation in Tibet is terrible, but taking it out on the torch bearers is not cricket. It’s cowardly.

    Like

  276. 280 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 10:39 am

    Paladin… Since when did a mob use common sense to guide its actions?

    Like

  277. 281 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:47 am

    Gil; I wasn’t speaking to the mob. I was preaching to the choir. 😀

    Like

  278. 282 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:53 am

    Gil, I’m sure Florida has some legit gripes as well…but what the Army Corp of engineers was doing last year was crazy. Some power plant(Was it Florida, or Alabama) that only provides power for 50,000 has to have a certain amount of water flow at all times, so drought or not, they got it! And some endangered Mussels, well, can’t dig ’em up am move them somewheres else, they need the water more than silly people do! :X

    I almost hoped Lanier would run dry last year, just to put an end to wasting of water for human beings. Thing is, folks south of Atlanta would likely have been just fine, but folks in the ATL and north would have had some serious problems, and we might have seen riots like we have never seen in the US before….it wouldn’t have been just a week or two like New Orleans that there would be a problem, it would be till what was left of a hurricane made it over Lanier….

    Like

  279. 283 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:55 am

    I don’t want to see any torch bearers to get hurt, but the wee bit of the liberal in me likes to see a finger constantly stuck into the eye of China. 😈

    Like

  280. 284 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 11:02 am

    Are they burning Chinese flag and saying “Death to China” yet? “Great Satan Part Dux”?

    Like

  281. 285 Salty April 7, 2008 at 11:04 am

    Berigan…you should have known it was coming. If not SG, I’ll deliver! 😆

    http://www.last.fm/music/Spin+Doctors

    Like

  282. 286 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 11:15 am

    Salty, 😛

    Like

  283. 287 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 11:25 am

    Well, off to lunch with a lady…a married lady old enough to be my Mom, but a lady none the less! Be good while I am gone. And be good when I get back ! 😛

    Speaking of gone, Hillbilly, where are you??? Is hunting more important than baseball??? Wait, don’t answer that! Baseball should be a close 2nd, if nothing else….

    Like

  284. 288 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:27 am

    Good morning y’all. Now I’m ready to complain about the weather. My power got knocked out just after 11 & didn’t come back on ’til almost 2. Wonder how many people’s alarm clocks didn’t go off this morning?

    Like

  285. 289 sahabat88 April 7, 2008 at 11:28 am

    thanks gil, i apreciate your article.
    nice analysis, but where is argument…?
    keepsmile>/a>:D

    Like

  286. 291 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 11:35 am

    Back from taking Grinch pup to vet…how did I know y’all were going to misinterpret that sentence? I meant “Race on Sunday, win on Monday” STARTED to die in the late 80’s/early 90’s ’cause the cars quit looking like the ones on the street. Good lord, like I’d even bring any of that up if I was that ignorant. Pontiac was also the first major car manufacturer to “soup up” production cars from the factory in the late 50’s with the “Big Chief” program.

    And Berigan, you have no business jumping in; haven’t seen any Lincolns on the track in a while. I at least have an ’85 M/C SS, which Earnhardt drove (not this one but a similar one) after switching from the Wrangler Jeans Ford. Go back to facts on Hippos.

    Like

  287. 292 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:37 am

    Hope she’s OK, Grinch. Routine visit?

    Like

  288. 293 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 11:41 am

    2nd round of booster shots. And she scratched the leather on one of my armrests.

    Like

  289. 294 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:44 am

    Awww, poor baby.

    Like

  290. 295 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 11:48 am

    Girlfriend, or dog? :mrgreen:

    Like

  291. 296 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 11:49 am

    Irvan was the only driver I was really worried about catching Earnhardt; a friend of mine and I used to get into fist fights over it. That wreck that made Irvan have to wear Prism glasses kind of took a little starch out of him, though. We used to take four car teams and add points up at the end of the season: He always had Mark Martin, Irvan, Rusty and Dale Jarett. I always had Earnhardt, Kenny Schrader, Terry Labonte and Darell Waltrip.

    Like

  292. 297 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:49 am

    Paladin 🙄 . Have you not seen her pics? She’s adorable.

    Like

  293. 298 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 11:50 am

    Pup, Vet, booster shots, etc. not enough of a hint? Chianti before lunch? 🙂

    Like

  294. 299 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 11:51 am

    Girlfriend, or dog? 😆

    Like

  295. 300 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 11:53 am

    Grinch… No harm, no foul… 🙂 Remember when Yates was testing Lincolns Marks in the wind tunnels because they had better aero characteristics than the T-Bird and Ford Motor company had a hissy fit…?

    Like

  296. 301 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 11:53 am

    What?! Beating the obvious to death is only a Grinch prerogative?

    Like

  297. 302 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:59 am

    Be nice, Paladin.

    Like

  298. 303 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    Yeah, things like marques (no pun intended) used to matter. I had a hissy myself when Chevy switched from the M/C to the Lumina. Now they’re running Impalas, which nobody but cops actually drive.

    Paladin, you got an Ernie Irvin sticker on your wheelchair?

    Like

  299. 304 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    Gil; I had a ’74 Caddy convertible with the big engine. It was hard to even get parts ’cause the engine was the engine-of-choice for the modifieds during the ’80s.

    Like

  300. 305 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 12:02 pm

    No, I have a Ernie Irvan on there. It is right below the GRINCHES SUX one.

    Like

  301. 306 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 12:05 pm

    Irvin/Irvan. Always got him confused with Michael Irvin; didn’t like either. But I sure do like you, big guy. 🙂

    Like

  302. 307 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 12:06 pm

    You too, my friend. And I had to google, to make sure. 🙄

    Like

  303. 308 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 12:07 pm

    Trying to get yourself in hot water, sir knight?

    Like

  304. 309 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    No ma’am. I had my bath on Saturday.

    Like

  305. 310 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 12:12 pm

    You say that like that’s the only time… never mind, I don’t want to know. Ewww.

    Like

  306. 311 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    And, I should have known better than to pick on darlin’ lil’ Grinch, when YOU are around. 😛

    Like

  307. 312 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 12:21 pm

    As for my personal hygiene: Sat. bath Tues. shower Thurs. Brush and curry.

    Like

  308. 313 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 12:24 pm

    Hey, I stick up for my friends.

    Like

  309. 314 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    And if he doesn’t kick up too much during his bath, he gets a nice bag of oats. 🙂 Later, all; schoolwork to do.

    Like

  310. 315 Bob, journalist April 7, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    Some folks try to play with words … this fellow knows how to use them … has a good voice too!

    Like

  311. 316 Bob, journalist April 7, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    Like

  312. 317 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 12:54 pm

    Grinch; Before we leave stockcar “thoughts”(and you may not want to after I say this)they may have called Ernie Ervan a lot of things, but DE sr never told him he had feathers on his legs like he did one, or maybe two, of those in “your” group.

    Like

  313. 318 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 12:56 pm

    Now, there I go. I-r-v-a-n.

    Like

  314. 319 morpheus45 April 7, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    That was nothin’ compared to how he felt about Geoff Bodine, but there was money on these bets…Davey Allison, Tim Richmond, Kulwicki and others were gone, and King Richard was just rindin’ around waving to the fans at that point. Only a gay homersexual woulda taken Gordon back then, so I did the best I could. I didn’t take Bobby Labonte ’cause he hit on my girlfriend once at Atlanta and P’d me off. In retrospect, I should’ve shaken his hand and passed her off.

    TIME TO GO.

    Like

  315. 320 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 1:51 pm

    The Bodine boys could turn a race track into a junk yard about as quick as any body I’ve seen. Well, maybe there was Mr. Excitement, Jimmy Spencer… 🙂

    Like

  316. 321 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    Grinch, funny you didn’t mention Tim Richmond along with Jeff Gordon. Of course they kept things pretty much under wraps back then. Ford is still mad at Hendricks for stealing him away from them… 🙂

    I still miss Davey Allison…

    Like

  317. 322 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 2:04 pm

    008… I use to love the 350s out of the 69 and 70 Suburbans for the same reason. 4 bolt mains, 310 HP stock and extra thick cylinder wall that allowed for boring for oversize pistons without making the walls so thin that the engine would overheat. I rebuilt my dad’s 69 Chevy pick up to 600 HP. My wife, being the redneck girl she is, used to go looking for Mustangs to blow off the road. She thought it to be great fun to blow the doors off a Ford… 🙂

    Bob, J. Thanks for that super link. I have several folks with whom I am going to share that with.

    Like

  318. 323 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 2:25 pm

    Paladin.. I had a ’70 Fleetwood that I nickname the “Love Boat”.. Great fun that one was too… 🙂 I put that Caddy in places a 4 wheel drive dared to go…

    Like

  319. 324 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    That caddy had a 472cid and produced 500hp. That old barge needed everyone of those horses too on occasion…

    Like

  320. 325 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 2:29 pm

    And sahabat88, thank you and welcome to our little share of the bloggosphere.

    Like

  321. 326 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 2:30 pm

    If I blog 10 in a row, do I win anything? The futility award maybe?

    Like

  322. 327 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 2:31 pm

    Gil; I couldn’t put the Caddy in a lot of parking spaces where others “dared to go”. With the continental kit, it was over 20′ long! I called it my land yacht.

    Like

  323. 328 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    I have to go to the dentist and get my tooth worked on. Back later.

    Like

  324. 329 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    “gay homersexual”. An oxymohican?

    Like

  325. 330 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 2:56 pm

    Well, I suppose one could be a “sad” homosexual…

    Like

  326. 331 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    008… I got my experience in piloting mine from driving Ambulances.. Lord how I loved those Caddys so… 🙂

    Like

  327. 332 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 4:36 pm

    Gil; I gave my Caddy to my son. I had grown too old to enjoy the fringe benefits. 👿

    Like

  328. 333 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    I didn’t mean “enjoy”. Maybe I meant… Oh, to hell with it. I gave it to my son.

    Like

  329. 334 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 4:51 pm

    The Pulitzers have been announced. The AJC won the “best wrap for 3-day old fish”…once again.

    Like

  330. 335 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 4:54 pm

    I watched Caddy Shack a couple of times… 😀

    Like

  331. 336 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    Go to your room, Raisins.

    Like

  332. 337 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    😀

    Like

  333. 338 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    Caddy Shack… That is what you own if you cannot afford a decent house because you are car poor…

    Like

  334. 339 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    Also, the correct term for people who carry golf clubs and might wait for work in a “shack” is caddie. Caddy is the way people who say “I’m going golfing” might say it.

    Like

  335. 340 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    or spell it.

    Like

  336. 341 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    Okay folks, what are the chances of the Braves getting this one in tonight?

    Again I refuse to attend a Richmond game because weather conditions are below my pain threshold.

    Like

  337. 342 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:11 pm

    Assuming they play in snow shoes, the game is on.

    Like

  338. 343 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 5:12 pm

    When I was an avid golfer, my pain threshold was 45 degrees, now it is around 70 degrees give or take a degree…. I’m not sure if is because I enjoy golf less or feel the chill more…

    Like

  339. 344 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:13 pm

    Once, in my youth, I played in freezing rain. ‘Course in my youth I did a lot of other stupid things.

    Like

  340. 345 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 5:14 pm

    Or… it is the way people spell it when they are kiddingly trying to poke their friends in their cyber-ribs. 😀

    Like

  341. 346 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:15 pm

    Quit! It tickles.

    Like

  342. 347 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    My cyber-rib is one of my G spots. 👿

    Like

  343. 348 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:24 pm

    I’m going and walk my dog. BTW, I’ll send some pictures of him sometime. He’ll make Grinch-pup look like a canine Phyllis Diller. 😛

    Like

  344. 349 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 5:25 pm

    Consider the poking to be ceased immediately! 😯

    Like

  345. 350 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 5:26 pm

    The coldest weather I ever played golf in was 38 and there were still patches of snow on the course. (Yes, I know, but I was eat up with it at the time and the new had not worn off) The most miserable was a cold misting rain with about a 15 MPH wind blowing out of the northeast. It was the day I discovered that sometimes, you just have to wait for better weather to actually play the game.

    On a positive note, the course was not the least bit crowded that day.

    Like

  346. 351 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Don’t worry, Raisins. In old folks G has gone down at least one octave. 😛

    Like

  347. 352 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    😆

    Like

  348. 353 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 5:30 pm

    Mmmm… I smell spaghetti! 🙂

    Back in a bit!

    Like

  349. 354 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:31 pm

    Gil; I never played in cold weather again. After that I tried to make sure that sweat ran down my nose when I stood over a putt.

    Like

  350. 355 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:34 pm

    I smell spaghetti, too. But, I’m not cooking anything. A house inspection is called for. Back later…I hope.

    Like

  351. 357 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:43 pm

    No wonder the Japs can sell them for less. 😆

    Like

  352. 358 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 5:47 pm

    Isn’t that a great ad… I love those Rube Goldberg type contraptions. No computer animation, all natural, it took them 3 months, 6 tries and 6 million dollars to produce the ad… Looks superbowl worthy to me…

    Like

  353. 359 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 5:49 pm

    It is one of the BEST I have ever seen. Almost as good as Viva Viagra. 😛

    Like

  354. 360 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 5:53 pm

    Country version or rock (no pun intended) version?

    Like

  355. 361 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 6:21 pm

    Classical.

    Like

  356. 362 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 7:28 pm

    Hmmm… well, it’s happened again.

    Just when I leave for barely two days, look what I see when I return… crickets, gourmand catfish, foot in mouth butterflies, oversexed lions (taking Pal’s Viagra?), long-trunk elephants and water-horse hippos who, like white men, can’t jump… dolphins that enjoy sex, Tigers in the tank, fast pigs, “%@#&-head” snails, butt-breathing turtles and all such madness.

    Then more… endangered mussels (metrosexuals don’t excercise?), a Grinch reported ancient Greek dinner menu that sounds like a Chinese takeout… Sum Yung Gi. Mercy! Then more… AJC fish (bottom feeding?), Honda black sheep and then, as if that weren’t freaky enough… a caged Vick playing football.

    This place turns into an absolute zoo when I leave. It’s an animal house people! It’s a freak animal show… it’s a freak show! Lotta freaks!!! Have you people lost your ever-lovin’ (lion-like) minds? Mercy! Not sure what this all means. Animal fixations and such… am confused. Gonna have to talk with my little sleuth reporter buddy about this animal behavior. Maybe he’ll know why humans discuss such crazy zany wacky unusual animal behavioral stuff.

    This place has been taken over by animals!

    That, and it’s only Monday. Monday!!!

    Like

  357. 363 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 7:52 pm

    Back to crickets? Um… sorry… couldn’t help myself on that last post. Just that, with all those animal facts (and fiction) flying around it was like a big, fat animal tee ball just waiting to get smacked. Lots’a material there after all.

    Anyhoo, Gil… we haven’t yet watched John Adams 4 or 5 yet. Have them both on DVR for Thursday or this weekend, since those are all day games. And yes… I’m married to a wonderful woman who also loves the series but understands those priorities and baseball schedules. She makes a mean bowl of popcorn too. 😀

    Like

  358. 364 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    Hated to miss seeing that game Sunday. What a classic! Swept the Mets… saaawwweeettt!!! Almost swerved off the road a few times listening on the radio. Should’a got it on the DVR to see Smoltzy and Santana. Could have been watching that now instead of talking to myself here. Don’t have any idea why I didn’t. Stupid. Smack

    That was me hitting myself in the forehead with the base of my palm. 🙄

    Like

  359. 365 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    Oh… I get it. 😆 It’s like the time that Frenchy hit the home run and after doing his victory lap he arrived back to the dugout, where all the Braves just sat there and acted like nothing happened. Or was that McCann? Frenchy? Diaz? Hmmm… now I’m really confused about who it was.

    But anyway, like that, right? All coming out now, right?

    Like

  360. 366 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    Ha ha… OK, you’re coming back now right? All a premeditated little joke…

    Like

  361. 367 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    right?

    Like

  362. 368 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    hello?

    Like

  363. 369 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 8:14 pm

    hellooooooo? It’s not funny anymore. Kidding right?

    Like

  364. 370 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 8:14 pm

    right?

    Uh…

    Like

  365. 371 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    TEN!!!! BLOG DOMINATION AT IT’S BEST!!! :mrgreen:

    Eat my cyberdust! 😆

    Like

  366. 372 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:31 pm

    You know, SG, the lion gets tired…at this hour, so does Paladin! 😆

    http://www.last.fm/music/The+Tokens/_/The+Lion+Sleeps+Tonight+%28Wimoweh%29

    Like

  367. 373 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:32 pm

    Redman vs. James on Wednesday! What’s the over/under on that game? 😕

    Like

  368. 374 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:34 pm

    Are there any ads more stupid starfish-brained than the Sonic series…or Comcast?

    Like

  369. 375 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:35 pm

    SG…Sonic and Comcast aren’t your clients, are they? 🙄

    Like

  370. 376 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:36 pm

    Alrighty, then…half-way to matching SG’s domination! I am equal to the task…and, apparently, quite bored!

    Like

  371. 377 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    Yunel single; Chipper double to the gap, 1-0 Braves…as we head to the bottom of the 1st. And now, a word from our sponsors.

    Like

  372. 378 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    I just got back, but had I been here I might have let the same thing go. They did it to me yesterday during a GREAT game. No one would say a word. But, welcome back SG, I missed you. ‘course as usual, I’m in a minority. 😛

    Like

  373. 380 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    #@!#$ Paladin…you interrupted! 😡 I thought you were asleep!

    Like

  374. 381 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:48 pm

    Glavine…nice 8 pitch inning! 😎

    Like

  375. 383 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    I’m getting the game, but I forget who’s playing from inning to inning. Y’all help me out.

    Like

  376. 384 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:51 pm

    The Braves and Rockies are playing every inning…against each other! 😆

    Like

  377. 385 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 8:52 pm

    I’m not going to check out Salty’s “music” on a full stomach.

    Like

  378. 386 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 8:53 pm

    The Rookies and who?

    Like

  379. 387 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:53 pm

    CL…thanks for the article. Essentially, it was a no risk signing, with lots of upside, both for the team, helping Spezio, and letting him work in the community, both in Richmond and, perhaps, Atlanta. If he wants it bad enough, it will work for him, but he has a lot ahead of him, and baseball is the least of it.

    Like

  380. 388 Salty April 7, 2008 at 8:55 pm

    Paladin, you won’t find the music offensive, regardless the state of your stomach…you’ll probably like it…I’m sure you’ve heard it.

    Like

  381. 389 Carolina Lady April 7, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    I’m with you, Salty; I really hope he takes advantage of this great opportunity that he’s been given. I sorta think he will.

    Like

  382. 390 Carolina Lady April 7, 2008 at 8:57 pm

    Duty calls – back later!

    Like

  383. 391 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    OK, I played the music and didn’t barf. Now, what’s your point? 😛

    Like

  384. 392 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    Come back SG, and bring Shane with you. Bob Shane and the rest of the Kingston Trio.

    Like

  385. 393 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:07 pm

    Salty… nope, not clients. Wish they were. Comcast does pretty cool ads. Sonic too. Just shows to go ya…

    Missed you too Pal. Hey, isn’t it way past the end of the chianti when Nursie Rached runs you out of the day room?

    Like

  386. 394 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    Me and Chief made up some injun punch. EVERYBODY is coooool.

    Like

  387. 395 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:10 pm

    Vintage Glavine so far…

    Like

  388. 396 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:12 pm

    “Vintage” is not a word I like.

    Like

  389. 397 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    Shane? As in Alan Ladd Shane?

    Like

  390. 398 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:17 pm

    Don’t like vintage? Are you sure that’s chianti? Maybe Mad Dog 20-20? Ripple?

    Like

  391. 399 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:17 pm

    No. As in “Scotch and Soda” Bob Shane.

    Like

  392. 400 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:18 pm

    A buzz is a buzz is a buzz. How you get it is immaterial.

    Like

  393. 401 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    cheap thrills and cheap buzz. Sounds like my little fly buddy.

    Like

  394. 402 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:22 pm

    Button your fly and behave.

    Like

  395. 403 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:22 pm

    Look at Tommy bustin’em inside. DP YES!!!!

    Like

  396. 404 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:22 pm

    Nice DP!!!

    Like

  397. 405 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:28 pm

    Pitcher’s duel in Colorado. Not words that go together well. C’mon Bravos.

    Like

  398. 406 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Look out SG, Salty is thinking up something to say. 😛

    Like

  399. 407 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Tommy’s thinkin’, “why don’t I get that outside call?”

    Like

  400. 408 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:31 pm

    Salt on a wound?

    Like

  401. 409 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:33 pm

    Maybe not. He might be across the street sucking up to DOB like ww. 👿

    Like

  402. 410 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    Glav is paintin’ those corners now. Inside, outside, 4 seam, 2 seam, change… go Tommy.

    Like

  403. 411 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    You d man, TG!!

    Like

  404. 412 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:39 pm

    Popcorn is here ➡ mmmm…

    sticky fingers.

    Like

  405. 413 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:40 pm

    I, of course, want him to do well. But, well or not, it is good to have Tommy back with a tomahawk on his shirt.

    Like

  406. 414 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    Hit it to anybody but Tulowitzsky and we might have a chance. Where’s Klobber?

    Like

  407. 415 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    In-game prediction: Chipper will hit one out now.

    Like

  408. 416 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    Klobber is also a 2-face. 😥

    Like

  409. 417 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:44 pm

    …hit one out by second base… 😦

    Like

  410. 418 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:46 pm

    When you hear the possible side-effects of Cialis, why would you take it?

    Like

  411. 419 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:46 pm

    2 face? what?

    Like

  412. 420 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:47 pm

    I am still in spring training…forget about checking when games start…or that there will be games……saw EPSN has some 2 sportscenter show…kinda confusing…I heard Ravich(SP?) talking basketball at some point…then the baseball panel….the question was, is Chipper a future HOF’er? Buster, Kruk, and Eric Young say he is…Kruk also said Dale Murphy should be in the hall….remember that next time he gets on your nerves….

    In game prediction: SG will be way off on his predictions! 🙂

    Like

  413. 421 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:47 pm

    Here and THERE. Get it?

    Like

  414. 422 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:49 pm

    How many inches would it take to get a snow out? Snow telling?

    Like

  415. 423 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:49 pm

    Ever notice that Glavine barely bends his arm to throw a pitch???? That’s why he will be able to pitch a long time….Even Maddox snaps his arm a bit on pitches….

    Like

  416. 424 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:51 pm

    There’s snow telling SG 😛

    Like

  417. 425 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    Barely bends his elbow might be a better description…

    Like

  418. 426 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    Look out fellas, berigan’s on a roll!

    Like

  419. 427 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    Pumpernickel

    Like

  420. 428 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    Gil, hearing talk of 4 bolt main 350’s made me all warm and fuzzy!

    Like

  421. 429 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    SG will be way off on his predictions!

    Hey, I said he would hit one out… out by second base. 😳

    Like

  422. 430 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:55 pm

    And Grinch, Salty is the one with the Animal fetish, not me! 😛

    Like

  423. 431 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:56 pm

    SG, we need a drum roll Emoticon! 😆

    Like

  424. 432 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 9:57 pm

    my avatar on jazz forum…

    Like

  425. 433 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 9:57 pm

    Bear again, take the controls… popcorn is gettin’ cold and keyboard is gettin’ greasy. Should be misspellun sune…. too slippary… can’t stop itttttttt………

    Like

  426. 434 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 9:58 pm

    I hope some of the people who said we were gettin’ had by re-signing TG are watching. He is a PITCHER. And the effectiveness of our 3 slot has gone up almost 100%.

    Like

  427. 435 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:01 pm

    Bear again 😆 A guy on a defunct jazz board called me berry gin…liked that one as well!!! 🙂

    Like

  428. 436 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:14 pm

    Paladin , I freely admit to not being a big fan of the signing…Glavine is a gamer, no doubt….Still don’t know why he just collapsed last Sept…I live in mortal fear of him pitching in a big game in October, against a team that won’t swing at the stuff outside…..

    Like

  429. 437 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:15 pm

    The ghost of Wickman pitching in place of Moylan???
    Nope!!!

    Like

  430. 438 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:17 pm

    Berigan; He was pitching for a collapsing team. He NEEDS support. He will get it here.

    Like

  431. 439 Salty April 7, 2008 at 10:19 pm

    He might be across the street sucking up to DOB like ww.

    Wow…hate to see how you treat your enemies!

    Like

  432. 440 Salty April 7, 2008 at 10:20 pm

    SG…point taken. They’re annoying as heck, but I remember whose ad’s they are. Actually, the ‘Big Telephone Company’ ones crack me up! Word! 😆

    Like

  433. 441 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:22 pm

    My apologies Saltman. Where HAVE you been?

    Like

  434. 442 Salty April 7, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    OK, I played the music and didn’t barf. Now, what’s your point?

    That you wouldn’t barf! 🙂

    Like

  435. 443 Salty April 7, 2008 at 10:26 pm

    Just watchin’ the game; doin’ some work. I don’t like looking at the screen for too long at a stretch.

    Berry gin…that’s good.

    Like

  436. 445 Salty April 7, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    Ugly 8th…gettin’ bad vibes…bad vibes! 😦

    Like

  437. 446 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:28 pm

    pitch was up, but outside corner, perhaps just off the plate….tulodontknowthespelling is a player!

    Like

  438. 447 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:29 pm

    All I remember is that you, Berigan and Klobber deserted me yesterday in the middle of a great game. I guess I’m a little gun shy.

    Like

  439. 449 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:32 pm

    I deserted you for something much more important…sleep! 😛

    Nice…Holiday is going to wake up against us…..Helton’s bat is a bit slower than Holiday’s…

    Like

  440. 450 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:33 pm

    Ooob!!

    Like

  441. 451 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    I wasn’t the only one who “noticed”. The Lady of the House did too.

    Like

  442. 452 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    Anyhone who wants to say something to me “live” better hurry.

    Like

  443. 453 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    Good pitching except for that Holliday holiday. Not gonna win many with one run.

    Like

  444. 454 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    😡

    Like

  445. 455 Paladin April 7, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    Bye bye.

    Like

  446. 456 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    blah!!!!!!

    Like

  447. 457 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 10:42 pm

    That hurt.

    Like

  448. 458 Savannah Guy April 7, 2008 at 10:44 pm

    Over and out. Braves… put the bats in a warm room tonight.

    Like

  449. 459 Salty April 7, 2008 at 10:48 pm

    Sweet dreams, all! Shuttin’ down!

    Like

  450. 460 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 7, 2008 at 10:57 pm

    Sweet dreams aren’t made of this…but, nice sentiment anyway Salty! 🙂
    Goin’ to sleep, I hope….later on folks!

    Like

  451. 461 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 10:58 pm

    Okay… I’m back, did I miss anything?

    That was a great game until the brought in Boyer… I called that shot before Holliday came to bat… Blaine can throw some heat but he does not have enough movement on his fast ball and those too flat pitches just take off.

    I can’t put all the blame on the rookie pitcher though, your offense has to score some runs too. Can’t blame it on the cold weather because it was cold for both teams….

    Like

  452. 462 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:03 pm

    Bleh. And I see y’all are running off & leaving before I can get here again. More caffeine, boys.

    Hi, Gil! Glad there’s someone else who doesn’t turn into a pumpkin at 11.

    Like

  453. 463 Gil in Mechanicsville April 7, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    A pumpkin, no but I am pretty well drained…. Sorry to run off and leave you but you can put a fork in me cause I’m done…

    Like

  454. 464 chrisklob April 7, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    Hi guys. The traitor has returned…. 😦

    Like

  455. 465 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:30 pm

    Don’t pay any attention to Paladin. He was cranky today. We still love you, Chris.

    Like

  456. 466 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 11:30 pm

    Like

  457. 467 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:33 pm

    You’re sleep-blogging, VOR?

    Like

  458. 468 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 11:44 pm

    … trying to wrap up some work… can’t keep my eyes open… 🙄

    Like

  459. 469 flbravesgirl April 7, 2008 at 11:48 pm

    Guess you’d better head for your pillow too. Good night.

    I’ll just hang out here…alone… 😦

    Like

  460. 470 Voice of Raisins April 7, 2008 at 11:57 pm

    Like

  461. 471 flbravesgirl April 8, 2008 at 1:01 am

    Good night crickets.

    Like

  462. 472 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 4:40 am

    It would appear our readership is down… Have we jumped the shark?

    Like

  463. 474 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:10 am

    FBG, or anyone else can call me “cranky” but how would you feel if you had worked as hard to make something go as CL has this blog and the thanks she gets is people flitting in and flitting out? Where is loyalty and appreciation in this equation? Look around you. See anyone missing? Other than the Swallows of Capistrano, I mean. And some come in so seldom you can hardly remember their name.
    Beyond that, there is a lack of common blog courtesy. If you are part of a “conversation”, have the courtesy to let the other or others know you are leaving. If that seems like 101, you would be surprised(maybe not)how many flunk it.
    Anyway, I am here to support B & S blog. CL has let me know that I am welcome and needed. I’ll bet she has let you know that too. But, apparently YOU have taken that to mean anytime YOU please, or more accurately, anytime it pleases you. I take it more seriously.
    Com’on folks. We started as a team and now we are a bunch of individuals. Let’s get it together.

    Like

  464. 475 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 8:32 am

    Good morning all.

    Pal, no problem about the blog, man… just the natural ebb and flow.

    Now, the outcome of that game last night left a funny taste in my mouth. That was a hard one to lose. Glavine did so well. Moylan is gonna HAVE to get those pitches down. He threw one that could easily have been launched. It was a great game but it just seemed a bit, um… groundhog dayish.

    Can’t quite put my finger on it. Like Vuja day or sumpin’. Night before last, Soriano is put in a game with a big lead. That was a miserable thing last year. Anyway, that same night Matt Holliday cranks one like he is so apt to do against the Reds to tie the game in their 9th, sending to extra innings and a win for the Rockies. Holliday does that… over and over.

    So… last night Bobby puts Boyer in and actually has him pitch to the monster Holliday. Boyer splits the plate and voila… game winning jack. Why not a walk in that situation? Why not Soriano… oh, that’s right, he was used the night before. Hmmm…

    I don’t know… call me crazy… nit picking, but I see a trend in these one run games. Our bats were not any help either. Good thing we have three day games this week. OK. I’m through replaying the game and second guessing Cox’s moves. But still…

    We’ll get’em tonight.

    Like

  465. 476 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 8:37 am

    Now, I must away. Got big fish to, uh… sautee.

    Have a good’un. I’ll check in if possible here and there. Behave.

    I’ll leave you with this incredible clip. Amazing hand-eye coordination. Or just lot’s of tries and video shot/edited?

    http://www.snotr.com/embed/612

    Like

  466. 477 Salty April 8, 2008 at 9:02 am

    Geometry major…and a bored as heck individual. I’m with you: tries and edit.

    YOU have taken that to mean anytime YOU please, or more accurately, anytime it pleases you. It’s their freedom of choice.

    SG…rather with you on last night. It was preceded by Boyer pitching to Helton. Granted, Boyer threw the best pitch of his MLB career to strike him out, but…Joe and Boog had earlier covered how lefties had rendered Helton a punch and Judy hitter…4 home runs since, I believe, 2005. You have to know/exploit that reality. Boyer was still celebrating his K when Holliday stepped in…predictable results. As you may have noted my comment…bad vibes about the 8th! I hate when that happens! 😡

    Like

  467. 478 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:17 am

    Denvr is a hard place to pitch. That’s what makes Tommy’s performance all the more noteable. Anyplace that it is 35 degrees is a tough place to hit. I’m sure anyone who has played remembers the one you hit way off the sweet spot that felt like you had grabbed a high-voltage wire. That is why the Rockies are the lowest scoring team in the majors right now. It is also why I think a city with a climate like Denver should have to have a domed stadium or be made to play their games in Arizona until the mean temp reaches at least the 50s.

    Like

  468. 479 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:18 am

    Just across my desk and had to bring it:

    Dylan wins Pulitzer

    Dylan’s ship has come in… again.

    The boy from Minnesota has done good. Could a Wurlitzer be next?

    Like

  469. 480 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 9:19 am

    Hello friends and mortal enemies! 😉 Best night of sleep in a month, so no doubt I will have terrible time sleeping tonight! 🙂 Berigan=eternal optimist.

    Last night’s game was quite weird. And fast. Wonder if Glavine will have Smoltz’s bad luck this year??? Hope not.
    Boyer usually cranks it up around 95-96, correct??? Well, I only saw 91-92 last night. Was he trying a 2 seemer in the mile high air???
    We know that air can mess with some good pitchers. Hampton, the late Darryl Kile, and Wickman never looked worse than he did in Colorado.

    Like

  470. 481 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:20 am

    In the outbox and must share:

    http://www.greatquotesmovie.com/

    Like

  471. 482 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 9:21 am

    Paladin you are right(For once! 😛 ) about Glavine pitching well in those conditions being quite notable. A dome would make sense there as well. With a retractable roof.

    Like

  472. 483 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 9:23 am

    That game reminded me of a game last year that turned KC from a Cox apologist to…let’s just say he was still occasionally flipping out about it as recently as a week ago. We were playing the Phillies, Chuck James had hit his 5 1/3 wall and the last couple of outs he’d gotten were warning track shots. 1st base open, 1-run lead, Ryan Howard steps up. NO WAY anyone in their right mind pitches to him, right? When they see McDowell leave the mound without the ball the entire stadium lets out an audible “WTF? Oh, NO!” 1st pitch goes about 450 feet.

    Yes, the offense has some ‘splaining to do. Yes, I love Bobby and I think he deserves the HOF. Yes, he’s also the reason we’re 0-4 in 1 run games this year and that number will only get grotesquely higher as the season goes on. We should be completely dominating the division already. I still think we will win it, but it will be in spite of in-game strategy, not because of it.

    Off to…lots of places.

    Like

  473. 484 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 9:25 am

    SG, I thought that clip of the guy with the basketballs was still amazing, no matter what. We all know the proper trajectory to get a ball in the net, and I for one can’t even get it in the “easy” way much at all…

    Baseball news…Andruw now hitting a robust .115 this year after another 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts. Seriously, if we had signed him to a contract, I don’t think I could watch the games…or would just have to flip away every time he came up….
    Will Juan Pierre, making just a few million less, replace him in center??? Well, luckily for Andruw, he’s hitting .067 this year!!!

    Like

  474. 485 Carolina Lady April 8, 2008 at 9:51 am

    Think you’re a good shot? 😯
    http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?videoId=8e79fce0-b7e5-4c1c-b266-842fd1d25212&sMPlaylistID=

    Paladin, it’s ok. Folks are free to be where they want to be. I sometimes check the ajc sports news myself. (I don’t bother with the blog because I know that, like a soap opera, you can be away for any amount of time but you won’t have missed a thing!) 😆

    Our little place is here and folks will/will not use it as each sees fit. No bars on the windows or locks on the doors. 😀

    Like

  475. 486 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:56 am

    Also, I want to make my nominee for the best-mannered person(aside from our Lady of Hope) on the blog. And that is (drum roll) RAISINS. He is always upbeat. He is never ugly. He can talk to geriatrics (like me) or perennial teen-agers (like him :P) and just be an overall nice guy. We(certainly me) should try to be more like him.

    Like

  476. 487 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 9:59 am

    WWVORD???

    Like

  477. 488 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 10:03 am

    Yes Ma’am. And I wouldn’t have expected you to say anything different. That’s what makes you YOU.

    Like

  478. 489 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 10:11 am

    Did y’all know that Obama’s pastor, Rev. Wright, was a former Muslim??? At least according to a 2007 TNR (The New Republic) article on Obama, he was….
    http://infidelsarecool.com/2008/04/07/jeremiah-wright-former-muslim/

    Like

  479. 490 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 10:16 am

    “former muslim’? Wolf in sheeps clothing. And as Woody Allen said, “When the sheep lie down with the wolf, the sheep won’t get much sleep.” Or shouldn’t.

    Like

  480. 491 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 10:47 am

    While going thru old emails to see if I have missed some business purchases to right off, I found this link in an old email….

    Ever seen color, real color photographs from WW1???? Amazing, IMHO…
    http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/gorskii.html

    Really love how this photo makes the water almost look like oil…slow shutter speed the issue I think…

    Like

  481. 492 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 11:01 am

    I too, visit the AJC on a regular basis. Living in TN it is the only way I can get the news about my Dawgs, and the Braves as well. I also scroll down through the “other” blog to see who is there. I don’t even read their comments ’cause if it is said on that blog, I’m not interested.

    Like

  482. 493 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:54 am

    Good morning friends… A further comment on last night’s game. A magnificent effort by Tom Glavin wasted but then again, the Braves bats were the cause of that loss. Like I said, I knew we were doomed or at least a 1-0 lead was not going to hold up and Moylan has a history of bad outings at mile high. Like he said last year, his sinker doesn’t sink so well there.

    Boyer is what he is, still a young kid. Maybe Bobby didn’t have him walk Holliday because he didn’t want him to give up a 3 run homer. Sometimes, however, you have to see what you have and test a guy’s mettle. More and more I am becoming convinced that Blaine is a situational guy.

    The Braves had their 1 , 2, and 3 guys up. What I want to know is why didn’t Bobby have Yunel bunt Kelly over to 2nd? Before you can win a game you have to tie the game. That DP was a back breaker. It would have given Tex a shot with a guy on base at least.

    I dropped in for a visit with the noted sscribe yesterday and read his take on the Tigers. Now, I know we can get into second guessing managers pretty easily but is the Detroit manager really that bad for the team to be 0-6? Sometimes we need to remember that players play the game and they have to execute the plan like it was drawn up. I certainly don’t think Lyland is a bad manager. I just think that slumps show up more at the beginning of the season.

    Like

  483. 494 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:59 am

    Berigan, you know what is most noticeable about the second photograph to me? It has not been retouched. The landscape looks exactly like it would appear in real life. The foliage is sparse and the terrain looks rugged, not like what you see in today’s typical “travelog” photos.

    Like

  484. 495 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    And a bit of wisdom to share with the community…. I thought about this last night while musing over a situation between my mother and my son. Without going into detail, I just would like to pass along the conclusion I came to and I think it applies to many situations. That being, If you are always obsessing about the things you don’t have, you will never have time to enjoy the things you do.

    That said, I am glad to have made the acquaintance of everyone of the folks who has passed through this blog. I wish some would stay longer but truthfully, I know I have little control over what other say or do and can only control what my wife allows me to in my personal life… 🙂 (A little bit of sarcasm there) …

    Anyway, I do appreciate the efforts of every single person who contributes and especially Carolina Lady to whom we owe our gratitude for holding us together. That said, I am going to enjoy the company of the folks with whom I can and not worry too much about those I can’t.

    Like

  485. 496 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 12:10 pm

    A lot of stuff there… Eh? 🙂

    Like

  486. 497 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 12:14 pm

    Okay folks… as much as I enjoy this stimulating banter we have going here, I have some chores to do. A trip to the dump (hey, the trash man will not come this far off the main road) and a quick visit to the grocery store as I need to buy dog food. Personally, I think he could stand to lose a little weight but the wife insists I feed him… See above comments.. 🙂

    Like

  487. 498 Voice of Raisins April 8, 2008 at 12:34 pm

    Paladin… thanks. That was very kind.

    Aw, shucks… 😳

    Like

  488. 499 jbinatl April 8, 2008 at 1:28 pm

    Hey! When are we gonna get a new post!

    I hope y’all are well. I went to the game on Sunday and it was so nice to see silent Mets fans walking home with their heads hanging. Of course last night we wasted a very fine Tom Glavine outing.

    Oh well. Let’s wake up the bats!

    Like

  489. 500 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 2:10 pm

    jbinatl… Carolina Lady says she would be happy and most honored for you to write a new lead…. 🙂

    Like

  490. 501 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    Re: BC not having Yunel bunt KJ over. It was of course, the “book” move. And as I said on here the other day, Bobby is purportedly a book manager. But, Boog and Joe were saying the other night that coming out of ST Bobby said that Yunel was his BEST player. It’s pretty hard to take the bat out of the hand of your best player and a line-drive hitter. What if they had been one more up into the line-up, would you have had him have Chipper bunt Yunel over? I don’t think so. It was just another of those things that don’t quite work out. Not everything does.

    Like

  491. 502 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 3:06 pm

    Paladin… I will not disagree with you. It is always easier to manage after the fact. Perhaps we should just tip our hat to the Rockies as they did their jobs. In truth, the conventional wisdom is to play for a win on the road and a tie at home. The team with the last at bat, always has the advantage. Like I said somewhere else, the thing I feared most about the Rockies was they were due…

    Now, last night’s game is over and we cannot change the outcome. Who is pitching tonight?

    Like

  492. 503 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 4:02 pm

    Gil, I’d just swear your 11:54 and 11:59 AM posts were not here when I last looked in a few hours back! 😯

    I didn’t know Moylan had said that, (His sinker doesn’t sink much there) I guessed at that earlier though. Wickman suffered from that last year. Something Bobby should keep in mind.

    As for that photo, you are right! It just has such a timeless quality to it….I love B&W photography, but seeing 1917-1918 in color, makes it seem real…if that makes sense…

    Like

  493. 504 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 4:02 pm

    Is it Huddy?

    Like

  494. 505 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 4:06 pm

    Gil, just checked….it Jurrjens vs Ubaldo Jimenez…the guy with the 99 MPH fastball! 😯 Well, if he doesn’t have that tonight, we know the cold is effecting pitchers stuff…Since Glavine has no stuff, weather is not an issue! 😉

    Like

  495. 506 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 4:11 pm

    Gil; Thanks for not disagreeing. And we can disagree and still be friends. Right? Now, my after-the-fact managing. IF we had not sent our only legitimate base threat(Anderson)down he could have been put in to run for KJ. Bad knee and all, that would make sense. Then, with him getting in the pitcher’s head, Yunel might have been able to work him for a walk, or get a better pitch to drive. I said when Anderson was sent down that I thought we would miss his speed and threat on the bases. I think we have, and will.

    Like

  496. 507 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 4:14 pm

    Berigan; Are you sure it is not Jose Jimenez? 😛

    Like

  497. 508 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 4:18 pm

    Si! 😉 Wish it was, since Ubaldo doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue!

    Like

  498. 509 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 4:21 pm

    Good ol’ Jay Rockafeller REALLY stepped into it today…won’t have to lose his job of course, but military folks will remember, won’t they Paladin????

    WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller apologized for suggesting Republican Sen. John McCain doesn’t care about people because he was a Navy fighter pilot who dropped bombs on Vietnam….

    http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8VTT4T80&show_article=1

    Like

  499. 510 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 4:22 pm

    It is fortunate that Smoltz’s first name is not Ubaldo. 😈

    Like

  500. 511 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 4:24 pm

    Even Teddy Kennedy would not say anything that heartless and stupid. THAT being said…

    Like

  501. 512 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 4:28 pm

    We didn’t have laser-guided missiles in Viet Nam. If we had had them, maybe Sen. McCain would not have had to spend 6 years in captivity. Jeez, I’m steaming!!!

    Like

  502. 513 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 4:44 pm

    Paladin, EXCELLENT point about laser guided missles! No one’s mentioned that yet….

    Like

  503. 514 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 4:47 pm

    I feel bad. I signed up for Scribe’s blog to be emailed to me everyday. It’s a cool deal to have his work emailed everyday. But I feel bad because it then makes me too lazy to give him page hits.

    Well, anyways, time for me to pimp something of my own. I wrote a piece on Dale Murphy for Mike Pagliarulo’s website. If you wanna check it out, here it is:

    http://www.dugoutcentral.com/blog/?p=1213

    Like

  504. 515 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 4:55 pm

    Gil, what do you think about BOyer? I know you are more thoroughly familiar with him than everyone else and I respect your opinion. Obviously I got into my little squabble about Boyer today with the android. But I would like to hear more of your thoughts. I don’t like Boyer very much. I just think he is a great stuff guy but more of a thrower than a pitcher. But I always respect your opinion on the AAAers. You are rarely wrong about them. So I would like to hear more about him. I feel like all I get is spin from others about him.

    Like

  505. 516 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 4:57 pm

    jimmy smith, cut the crap and come back.

    Like

  506. 517 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    WW, excellent piece on Murphy!!! I mentioned a few days ago a show on ESPN talking about HOF’ers and while talking about Chipper yes or no(They were all for him being voted in) John Kruk added that Murphy should be in there now…

    You make good points on the wear and tear big catchers suffer from, and the crazy amount of travel the Braves made being in the West. And playing on turf…something most people(Voters for sure) don’t think about.
    I think Dawson would have had 200-300 more RBI’s if he hadn’t played on that concrete in Montreal…That we are even talking about those 3 not being in the Hall right now, is a joke.

    Like

  507. 518 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    I think Wikipedia has info on Murphy that said he drove in more RBI’s than anyone else in the 80s…close it says…
    he also led the major leagues in home runs and runs batted in over the 10-year span from 1981 to 1990.

    Like

  508. 519 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    braveheart… Well put, perhaps you should mail (e-mail) a copy to each member of the BBWA to remind them of the facts. I am doubtful however, it will make too much of an impact because most members of the BBWA are prima donnas and spend little time reading what they don’t themselves produce…

    Like

  509. 520 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    WW, I don’t know if you saw my mention of Boyer up higher, but I only saw 91-92 last night, and I am pretty sure he was 95-96 earlier this month….so, I wonder if he was trying a two seemer, someone told him really hard stuff will straighten out in that air, or if the cold affected him at all…

    Gotta run, some errands to do…

    Like

  510. 521 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    I’ll say this and shut up. The only guided missile–that I know of–that the Navy and Marines had during the VietNam War was one that had to be guided by the pilot looking into his gun sight. He had to guide it from launch to hit. It was incredibly difficult and it made the pilot and a/c very vulnerable because you had to hold your heading and give it your undivided attention. Enemy a/c were seldom a problem, but missiles from the ground and anti-aircraft fire were. Most of the missile delivery platforms today have a pilot(concentrating on flying the a/c and staying out of harm’s way)and a GIB(Guy in the backseat)handling the missile duties. Oh, to be young again!

    Like

  511. 522 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    I agree Berigan. All three should be in the HOF. That turf was awful for those players back then. Dawson played 1400 games on turf. Just awful for his body and his already bad knee. The thing about Dawson though is that he got to spend his last 10 seasons playing on grass in Wrigley, Fenway, and Joe Robbie. Murphy however was stuck playing in AFC and pn the horrendous turf of the vet.

    I really think playing everyday kills these guys too. Just look at Andruw and Chipper. They each played over 155 games for almost 7 to 10 seasons. We know the injury toll it took on Chipper. We can see the toll it took on Andruw.

    I think playing everyday, especially as a centerfielder is just awful. All that hard running and diving Murphy and Andruw had to do just made that too old too fast.

    Like

  512. 523 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 5:15 pm

    Yeah, Gil, I tried it on the veep and he told me to shut up about murphy. the hawk was his man. conflict of interest because he personally covered him in 96? nah. could never be that.

    Here are some of my favorite quotes about Murphy:

    Jerry Royster “If you could improve Andre Dawson, he would be Dale Murphy.”

    Joe Torre “If you’re a coach, you want him as a player, If you’re a father, you want him as a son. If you’re a woman, you want him as a husband. If you’re a kid, you want him as a father. What else can you say about the guy?”

    Billy Connors “The best player I’ve seen since Willie Mays.”

    Terry Forster “Just look at him over there, Doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t take greenies, nicest guy you’d ever want to meet, hits the hell out of the ball, hustles like crazy, plays a great center field and isn’t trying to get anything from anybody…Doesn’t he just make you sick?”

    Nolan Ryan: “I can’t imagine Joe DiMaggio was a better all-around player than Dale Murphy.”

    Like

  513. 524 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 5:24 pm

    On Boyer… he looks better now than he did last year in Richmond. Is that a little scary or what? Now, I will confess that I want all of the kids who played in Richmond to be a big success but alas, me wishing it doesn’t make it so.

    Boyer’s real problem is he is either inconsistency consistent or consistently inconsistent. When he came in last night, I told the wife “here goes the ballgame”. I did not want to be proven right on that point, but experience has made me pretty cynical. His pitches did not have enough movement to allow him to challenge hitters but he does not yet have enough control to hit the corners consistently.

    If you have a 99mph fastball. You can get most hitters out. 95mph some hitters out and at 91mph few hitters out unless you can disrupt their timing enough so they are always off balance. The Braves have few options on what to do with Boyer. If he is going to be a valuable part of the bullpen, he needs to gain experience in coming into pressure situations like the one he was presented with last night. Confidence is a fragile thing and don’t be surprised if Bobby doesn’t throw him back out there tonight.

    Now, with all that said, I don’t know if Boyer is going to be a successful reliever with the Braves. Sometimes it’s better to go to a city where not so much is expected of you. Being a hometown boy is not always a blessing.

    Like

  514. 525 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 5:37 pm

    I think the Braves have too many “arms” to continue to put their eggs in Boyer’s basket. One more time and if he doesn’t impress then “shop him”, or let him become a Fish or a Gnat.

    Like

  515. 526 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    Detroit is 0 – 7 after being shut out by the Sawx. So it could be worse.

    Good news: Muts lost Bad news: Phillies beat them.

    Like

  516. 527 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 5:48 pm

    Thanks for your insights Gil. I really can’t name a player you have been wrong about. I even remember that you were high on Buddy Carlyle last year and Jeff Bennett as well. You were proven right on both of them last year. Both gave the Braves very valuable innings. I remember though when you first started talking so much about Buddy, I said to myself wow this guy is AND IDIOT. But after you were proven right I said damn that man knows what he is talking about. Even Brandon Jones – everyone seemed so high but you kept giving words of caution about him. After this spring, it turns out you were right. I hope he keeps his head up down there in Richmond. They just might need him later – whether on the field or as valuable trade bait.

    Like

  517. 528 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 5:50 pm

    I can’t believe the Tigers are that bad thus far

    Like

  518. 529 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 5:52 pm

    008…. I just goes to prove to you that drugs do have a long term detrimental effect. Jay Rockefeller couldn’t find his way out of a cheap circus fun house but could certainly qualify for a pair of funny shoes.

    Smart bombs and laser guided weapons may not always hit their intended target but they hit them often enough to scare the hell out of our enemies. You don’t think the Soviets rolling over in the early ’90s was a coincidence do you?

    Like

  519. 530 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 5:56 pm

    Question… Does the fact that the Tigers are 0-7 mean that Jim Lyland is a bad manager?

    Like

  520. 531 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 5:56 pm

    Rockefeller is the poster child for “and idiots” all over the world. But, unfortunately for the rest of us, there are way too many of them that will read that and say, “You’re damn right!”

    Like

  521. 532 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 6:00 pm

    One more season until Mike Vick comes back to the Falcons. Can’t wait…..

    Like

  522. 533 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 6:02 pm

    I was pretty high on Manny Acosta too but I know there are time when he will really stink up the place.

    I still think Lillibridge is going to be an all star some day.

    Anderson is playing well in Richmond so far. He is on base a lot. The funny thing is he reminds me of Pete Orr.

    Paladin, Blanco is faster than Kelly although not as fast as Anderson but Kelly is a good base runner. I think I am just going to chalk last night’s lose to the fact the Rockies executed. Escobar hut a pitcher’s pitch and thus… double play.

    Like

  523. 534 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 6:03 pm

    IF Vick comes back to the Falcons LMH becomes a Titan fan.

    Like

  524. 535 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 6:04 pm

    Stupid begats stupid… but sometimes you can teach stupid too…

    Like

  525. 536 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    uh… loss…

    Like

  526. 537 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 6:08 pm

    We knew what you meant, Gil. And I will agree that he “hut” the pitch. He certainly didn’t hurt it. 😛

    Like

  527. 538 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 6:08 pm

    hut??? I really need to proof read these post more closely…

    Like

  528. 539 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 6:10 pm

    Blame it on public education… It could not possible be my own fault I am not better educated and cannot spell “mo better”. 8)

    Like

  529. 540 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    Einstein was a poor speller. That has always been my fallback. 😛

    Like

  530. 541 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    E = Mo Better squared. Works for me.

    Like

  531. 542 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    Just poppin’ in and back out, but had to say:

    WW, just had a moment or two, caught up on the Lady’s blog and then strolled over to check out your advertised post on dugout central. My opinion, in a word… outstanding. Thing is, it’s well researched, common sense and historically grounded, multi-faceted opines and perspectives like yours that can make a difference with reasonable people… even BBWA folks.

    Adding comparative context of other HOF players and good writing like yours can actually move the needle in a vote, two votes or fifty. I’m with Gil… email it to each member of the BBWA or post it where they can see it and it’s bound to at the very least, nudge some in the right direction. You just never know. Just remember… you have logic, reason and “right” on your side in Dale’s case.

    Hey, I may be biased towards Dale Murphy and I appreciate your time and keen ability to put it all together like you did in your post (and others I’ve seen from you on the Murph HOF subject), but I’m buying it lock, stock and barrel.

    Very well done. Do Mr. Murphy and all of us a favor… go for it. Get it out there.

    Like

  532. 543 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 6:26 pm

    289 folks showed up for the Richmond game last night. Well, it was cold and raw and uh.. You Know.. I think the message has been sent….

    Thorman is 0 for Richmond, and had another error last night, his 2nd.

    Anderson was 3-5, Spazio played third and had a 2 run double and an RBI sac fly.

    Canazairs continues his hot hitting. he was 2-4.

    Like

  533. 544 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 6:33 pm

    Gone to dinner. Hope to see at least some of you “at” the game.

    Like

  534. 545 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 6:36 pm

    I have come to a conclusion that Thorman needs a timeout… He is so FUBAR right now that it is painful to watch. I think Andruw Jones must have rubbed off on him.

    It is suppose to warm up into the 80s Thursday so the misses and I plan to take in the game. I am just to old to go to a minor league game when it is damp and raw.

    I checked on tickets for the Nationals vs Braves game for Saturday and the only thing available were right field box seats… No thanks, I will watch the game on TV and spend my $200 (cost of seats and parking and food and gas) on gas for my boat and go fishing…

    Like

  535. 546 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 6:58 pm

    Gil… a wise choice, sir. You may only catch 2 fish that day and therefore seem to be paying $100 per fish for dinner (I have many times), but the pleasure and the memories will be priceless.

    That is, unless the motor breaks down and you have to spend another $400 to get towed back to the ramp. In that case, you’ll have no fish, a sunburn, a hangover, grease all over your hands from trying in vain to start the motor… and will have to drop a hundred bucks for pain pills for your shoulder that you threw out trying to pull-crank an outboard, another two hundred bucks taking your wife out for an evening of fine dining and dancing to help her forgive you for getting her into that fine mess.

    You could wind up spending as much as $700 on your choice there. Hmmm… maybe a ballgame ain’t such a bad idea after all. Nosebleed sure, but you could save at least $500 that way.

    Gotta just think these things through.

    Like

  536. 547 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 7:15 pm

    Jordan Schaeffer tested positive for steroids; 50 game suspension. That is some depressing news if I’ve ever heard any. I hope it’s one of those deals where it’s really a GNC vitamin or something that’s on the banned list. Whatever it is sure didn’t make him look big…I just hope that’s not the source of his breakaway speed.

    Like

  537. 548 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 7:19 pm

    Also an AJC headline about two suspects making off with $24,000 worth of beer. My guess would be Bandit and Snowman; I’d start by interrogating Big and Little Enos. 🙂

    Memory jogger:

    Like

  538. 550 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 7:29 pm

    Shows how much Grinch stays current since I “played” almost this entire sequence the other day. Anyway, I enjoyed it again. Jerry can flat play, and sing.

    Like

  539. 552 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 7:41 pm

    Timing is everything, my man. Was a white semi spotted leaving a warehouse the other day with 24,000 in stolen beer? Besides, you know I’m a drive-by blogger; I didn’t know about FBG’s cousin ’till a couple of days ago.

    Like

  540. 553 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 7:44 pm

    Like

  541. 554 williamwallace April 8, 2008 at 7:47 pm

    THis is what Jurrjens will do to rockies bats:

    Like

  542. 555 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 7:49 pm

    Now the kid will be view with suspicion and will have to prove himself all over again. Of course is he had made the major league roster out of spring training, he would have had a free pass.

    I think it will be either Bennett or Blanco who goes down to Richmond tomorrow night when they activate James.

    JoJo is suppose to start for the R Braves tonight. The weather is better so maybe the attendance doubles or triples tonight. Heck, we might even have 1000 folks show up. Too bad really, it is a good team this year, it’s not the player’s fault. I guess everyone has been convinced that the Diamond is a dump so they won’t attend.

    Like

  543. 556 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 7:51 pm

    $24,000, is that the inflated insurance value or Publix on sale price?

    Like

  544. 557 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 7:51 pm

    He’s going to kick them when they throw them at the mound?

    Like

  545. 558 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 7:52 pm

    No sweat Grincher. These other pinkie in the air chardonnay drinkers didn’t appreciate it. You will. Here’s the real thing.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN8dP4CoFaw – 79k – Cached

    Like

  546. 559 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 7:53 pm

    It is funny about the Tigers in a way, didn’t the White Sox go thru this sort of melt down a couple of years ago.

    Like

  547. 560 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 7:54 pm

    Gil, they say it was a microbrewery. One things for sure; It dang sure wasn’t Schaeffer. The beer, not the player. Man, that stuff was pretty rude. Right on up there with Milwaukee’s Beast and Meister Brau. Yikes; those were the good ol’ days.

    Like

  548. 561 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 8:01 pm

    Hey, I still think Pabst Blue Ribbon is a premium brew… 🙂

    Like

  549. 562 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    They had a brewery in Pensacola, “Sterling”, I think. They use to have open houses, all you could drink. Even a bunch of aviation cadets starved for alcohol, couldn’t drink that horse piece. I think they switched over and started manufacturing weed spray.

    Like

  550. 563 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 8:03 pm

    Funny how a montage set to the theme song is better than the movie itself. Man oh MAN did I want one of those Trans Am’s (and that jacket) when this thing came out. I finally got a ’79 that barely ran and I spent more time in it than I did my house ’till I wrecked it.

    I’d forgotten how cute Sally Field used to be; now her daughter’s got a 10 year old.

    I wish I had one of those…indescribable leisure suits that the Enoses wore; I’d wear it to a Braves game if we could find someone to go along as Little Enos. ‘cept they don’t allow cigars at the Ted. 😦

    Like

  551. 564 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    I’ll go. But I am Big Enos and don’t you forget it! 😆

    Like

  552. 565 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    Gil, I bet the bottom of your lake is still full of ring-tabs from the 70’s. 🙂

    Like

  553. 566 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:06 pm

    Wasn’t Sally Field cute then? ‘Course I think she is kinda hot, now.

    Like

  554. 567 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    Did you have your Cadillac done up that way with longhorns and all, P? White with red leather to match the suits?

    Like

  555. 568 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 8:08 pm

    Don’t get me wrong; she could still eat all the crackers she wanted to. 🙂

    Like

  556. 569 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 8:08 pm

    Damn… Jordan Schafer. Not what the Braves need and certainly not what he needs. Bob, just read the article from your link. Curious how “MLB would have had the right to deem Schafer guilty based on evidence they gathered via conversations with him, other players or even some of his non-baseball related associates.”

    Was that an admission? Sting? Spontaneous bust? Spontaneous combustion? Hopefully something good will come from this. Can’t think of one thing now.

    Like

  557. 570 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 8:09 pm

    Grinch… My dream car was a ’68 Dodge Charger as seen in Bullit… I did buy a ’70 Charger with a 383… Man I lover that car. I still think it had the best instrument display of all the of all the many cars I have owned. It was not the fastest buy it was strong…

    Like

  558. 571 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:10 pm

    It was baby blue with white leather. The ladies loved it. But, I drove up in a friend’s drive one time and his dog had a fit!! He said, “Hell Street, he ain’t never seen a white man in a car like that!”

    Like

  559. 572 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    I bet the bottom of your lake is still full of ring-tabs from the 70’s

    And to this day the bass still won’t hit a chrome spinner bait.

    Like

  560. 573 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    Hummm, My fingers are a bit dyslexic tonight…

    Like

  561. 574 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    Chianti bottles are much “greener”. Small fishes can nest in them. And they make great bobbers if you are fishing for great whites.

    Like

  562. 575 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 8:17 pm

    Gil, that was definitely one of the coolest cars of all time. That one had a 440 magnum in it I seem to remember reading (or it might have been a six-pack); I still cry every time I see it hit the gas station.

    Paladin, I didn’t know you were white. My bad. 🙂

    Like

  563. 576 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 8:24 pm

    Fastest car I ever drove (on the street) was a ’67 Plymouth GTX with a 426 Hemi.. I hit 150 and noticed the broken lines between the lanes were a solid line and I realized that tires were not made to go this fast and I was going to make a big mess when I hit a tree. I did not buy the car… Realize it was like playing Russian roulette with a semi auto…

    Like

  564. 577 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:24 pm

    I don’t know if I am going to make the game, or not. If it was Sept. or Oct. yes! April??

    Like

  565. 578 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 8:30 pm

    Yeah, the GTX’s were like Roadrunner’s; no frills/less weight/nasty fast ride. Tires in ’67 were barely adequate to go 67. 150 on 70 series bias-ply’s? Yikes ahoy. You’re a lucky man.

    Like

  566. 579 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:32 pm

    The fastest car I ever drove on the road was a Jetfire. Any of you remember those? It was a fluid injected turbo charged f-85. When it was right it was awesome! It would lay you back in the seat like an afterburner takeoff. But, it was “right” very seldom. They only manufactured them for one year. I would put it up against ANYTHING that Detroit put on the road.

    Like

  567. 580 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 8:40 pm

    “But, it was “right” very seldom.” Sounds like the ’81 ElDorado I had, it ran perfect for 30 minutes the entire 3 years I owned it

    Like

  568. 581 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    Yeah, love how everyone gets excited over a car that gets 35 MPG now when they had a water/alcohol motor like that 45 years ago.

    Like

  569. 582 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 8:48 pm

    008… Was the Jetfire an Oldsmobile? One of my uncles had a 65 Cutlass convertible that I really liked.

    Like

  570. 583 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 8:52 pm

    Car talk. In the 70’s I used to have a VW van (magical micro-bus) with surf racks on top. ’twas a surfing, camping, overnight beach house chickmobile. Does that excite any of you inland hot-rodders?

    Like

  571. 584 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    Only the chick part, my man. Otherwise I’d as soon drive a team of oxen. 😉

    Like

  572. 585 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 8:55 pm

    Gil <————- Not a beach guy 8)

    Like

  573. 586 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    Yeah Gil, it was an Olds. It was a turbocharged, fluid injected aluminum V8. 10.25 to 1 compression rationio, 215 hp, 215 cubic inch displacement. This was in a Starfire Coupe with a weight of 2618 lbs.

    Like

  574. 587 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    Did I mention that it would go 58 in 3.5 minutes? Top speed… 59 downhill with a tail wind. They just don’t make’em like they used to.

    Like

  575. 588 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 8:57 pm

    Chick and Oxen may not mix. Well, not the kind of nice girls we would want to meet anyway.

    Like

  576. 589 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 8:59 pm

    That was hard to type while the Braves were blowing the lead.

    Like

  577. 590 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    Did I mention that it had an 8-track player with Deep Purple and Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull and Led Zepplin non-stop? Shag carpet? Yes… eat your hearts out.

    Like

  578. 591 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    This guy is wild as a buck and the Braves are first-pitch swinging.

    Like

  579. 592 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    Oldsmobile was always the test car for GM. The did a lot of innovative things before trying them in their other brands. Their really big screw up was trying to turn a 350 small block into a diesel. Set back diesel sales in this country 10 years.

    Like

  580. 593 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:05 pm

    SG; I don’t even remember if it had a sound system. The chicks weren’t there for music. They were there for excitement! We obliged.

    Like

  581. 594 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 9:07 pm

    Perfect timing SG… cue the Jag comercial

    Like

  582. 595 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    …”and they smoked all three…”

    Like

  583. 596 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    Jurgens ain’t foolin’ nobody. Sooner or later, one of those is going yard.

    Like

  584. 597 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 9:14 pm

    Okay guys , I will be back later, I am having to watch the game in the mirror and it looks funny watching guys run to third…

    Like

  585. 598 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    Pal… it ain’t the system that counts… it’s the sound.

    Gil… did you find my baseball vs fishing advice helpful?

    Like

  586. 599 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    Bye Gil. Nice talking at you. I probably won’t be here when you return.

    Like

  587. 600 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:18 pm

    SG; I hate to break it to you but it ain’t the system or the sound. It’s the guy in the drivers seat.

    Like

  588. 601 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    Throw-em-out!!! Yeah!!

    Like

  589. 602 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 9:27 pm

    on phone…..seeing while I’m away longest discussion of cars ever! 😡

    Like

  590. 603 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:34 pm

    BTW, where is Raisins? Last time I’m going to say nice things about him. 😛

    Like

  591. 604 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:35 pm

    No Pal… it’s the guy in the back seat.

    Like

  592. 606 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:36 pm

    Frenchy has a very porous Maginot line.

    Like

  593. 607 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    Darnit. Now you have to also click “Videos”. You must. You will.

    Like

  594. 608 Paladin April 8, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    I’m going to bed. This is gettin’ butt-ugly.

    Like

  595. 609 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    like turtles?

    Like

  596. 610 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    work. the. pitcher. please.

    Like

  597. 611 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 9:45 pm

    like that. Jair worked the pitcher. and it worked… working the pitcher.

    Like

  598. 612 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 9:49 pm

    8-tracks in cars were the greatest. If you only liked one song on the alblum you just had to drive around ’till it came back full circle. Of course, if you had the right alblums it didn’t matter. OK, gotta go talk a friend down from the ledge. Be back shortly.

    Like

  599. 613 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 10:19 pm

    All I gotta say is… what say Kotsay!!!

    Like

  600. 614 Voice of Raisins April 8, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    Howdy!!! 😀

    Like

  601. 615 Savannah Guy April 8, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    Howdy do Raisins. I was just about to log off for the night. Keep the home fires burning.

    Like

  602. 616 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    doody

    Like

  603. 617 Voice of Raisins April 8, 2008 at 10:40 pm

    Doody how?

    Like

  604. 618 Voice of Raisins April 8, 2008 at 10:42 pm

    90′ to tie…

    Like

  605. 619 Voice of Raisins April 8, 2008 at 10:42 pm

    Crap…

    Like

  606. 620 jbinatl April 8, 2008 at 10:45 pm

    hey y’all what did i miss?

    Like

  607. 621 jbinatl April 8, 2008 at 10:48 pm

    So Carolina Lady says I can write the next lead?

    Well that would be a tremendous honor for me.

    Sorry about your ‘Heels, CL.

    How’s everyone doin?

    Like

  608. 622 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 11:04 pm

    a loss, again……

    Like

  609. 623 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    jb… Not my blog but we are pretty communal here. I am positive she will put it in the que…

    Like

  610. 624 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:12 pm

    Now, the Braves best chance will be tomorrow night against Mark Redman. If they fail to score you can officially worry.

    Like

  611. 625 morpheus45 April 8, 2008 at 11:12 pm

    Howdy, JB; times are a little frantic as usual. If CL has offered you point then you must indeed be a man of substance. Just kidding; it’s just like your turn to wash the dishes. 🙂 But that in itself is a good thing; it makes for a happy family. Now, if you could just wake up the bats…

    Like

  612. 626 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    Speaking of sleeping bats… I have some picture of some bats that were sleeping behind the door of the stable I rebuilt. It was funny but I did not see the babies until I downloaded the pictures to the computer. I will send them to CL to post on my page.

    Like

  613. 627 Carolina Lady April 8, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    JB, I’ll be happy to put you into the rotation. Lew is on sabbatical right now, so you can pinch-hit for him.

    Raisins is on deck
    Lew JBinATL on the stop step
    Salty looking for his batting gloves
    Chrisklob hoping those 3 will get on base so he can bring ’em home
    😆

    The list is always on The Lineup Card

    Like

  614. 628 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    Losing one run games is just bad luck, the Braves need to start winning some of those.

    Like

  615. 629 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:20 pm

    Good evening CL… Who do you think is going home tomorrow night on Idol?

    Like

  616. 630 flbravesgirl April 8, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    Good evening y’all. Very disappointed to hear the news about Shafer. Somebody needs to kick his butt for being so stupid.

    JB, looking forward to reading your offering.

    Grinch, I hope the crisis was averted.

    Now I’m imagining SG in a whole different light.

    Like

  617. 631 Carolina Lady April 8, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    Hey, Gil. Dunno. Weakest performance tonight IMHO was David Cook. Brooke’s was a little weak. And Carly. I’m guessing those are the bottom 3. Who are your picks?

    Like

  618. 632 Carolina Lady April 8, 2008 at 11:28 pm

    Hi, FBG! Oh, I agree about Shafer!! Goes beyond regular ‘stupid.’ Bet he got chewed like he’s never been chewed before! Sure hope he did. Would love to know how they found out!

    Like

  619. 633 Carolina Lady April 8, 2008 at 11:32 pm

    Gil, ‘Idol Dial’ shows the bottom 3 as David Cook, Carly and Syesha.
    Top 3: David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Kristy Lee Cook

    Like

  620. 634 flbravesgirl April 8, 2008 at 11:34 pm

    Hi, CL! I only saw half of Idol (taped the rest) ’til the game started. Very disappointed in David Cook, he’s been my favorite for a while.

    Like

  621. 635 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    CL.. Rumor has it that he ratted himself out.. It’s like cop when they stop you and they ask you if you know why they stopped you, the answer should always be, “No sir, I don’t”…

    I think Brooke, Kristy and David Cook. Not that I think Kristy did poorly, she just has not built up a big fan following. David kind of stunk up the place tonight. But who knows… They are all chasing Archaleta..

    Like

  622. 636 chrisklob April 8, 2008 at 11:37 pm

    Greetings all! The Schaffer situation is strange. He got pinched for HGH, yet there is no test for HGH. That leaves the door open for speculation as to exactly how they found out. Did someone rat him out? Did they find it “on” him? Did they intercept a package from a “pharmacy”?

    Either way, it stinks. More importantly, it calls into question the numbers he put up last year in regular season ball and in Arizona last fall. He seemed like such a nice kid too which makes it even that much more disappointing.

    CL, with those guys in front of me, the bases will be empty! I’m still looking for a topic for my next lead. The Rome Braves will be coming to town this weekend but I can’t count on having anything interesting to say.

    I took a peak across the street a little while ago. Someone needs to talk those people off the ledge. It’s as bad as going to the Mets blog. Most ridiculous, pathetic bunch of “fans” you could ever want to listen to. Or NOT listen to. It’s basically unreadable.

    Like

  623. 637 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:40 pm

    Dial Idol does not account for text messaging but they are usually right on the bottom three. I stopped voting after season 5….

    Like

  624. 638 Carolina Lady April 8, 2008 at 11:41 pm

    David Cook just doesn’t appeal to me in any way. Nothing against him, just not a person I can get interested in. I love little David A.! What a voice in a kid so young! He is going to have a great career, I’d wager!

    I like Kristy, but she just has to learn how to perform. Nice country voice.

    IdolDial’s predictions are:
    David A
    Jason Castro
    Kristy Lee Cook
    Brook
    Michael
    David Cook
    Carly
    Syesha

    We’ll find out Thursday how accurate they are this time. They have an incredible record so far. 🙂

    Like

  625. 639 Carolina Lady April 8, 2008 at 11:44 pm

    Chris, they’ll get on and you’ll bring ’em home – at least a double if not a triple! 😆 And our friends across the tracks – aren’t they always on a ledge?? 😀 Not total perfection like we are here! 😆 😆 😆 😆

    Like

  626. 640 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 8, 2008 at 11:44 pm

    Chris, hadn’t read anything on the Schaffer situation, just what had been said here…very sad….HGH…funny, I have heard a lot of comments that it doesn’t do nearly as much as steroids does for folks…might build muscle, but doesn’t seem to give you the speed and sheer strength that the juice does….

    Glad I didn’t bother to check the other blog(Just got off the phone anyway)
    It’s early yet….We are seeing why they were in the WS last year, aren’t we????

    Like

  627. 641 Carolina Lady April 8, 2008 at 11:46 pm

    Carrie was the last one we voted for.

    Like

  628. 642 Gil in Mechanicsville April 8, 2008 at 11:48 pm

    chris… Good thing the are not Tiger fans, they would be calling for Lyland’s head on a stick. I don’t like losing either but there is a game tomorrow, right?

    And don’t worry, there is always something to write about, tell us what the local papers are saying, who is the next latest and greatest for us to look for?

    Richmond won tonight but I don’t have any particulars. The weather has been warming up so I might go to the game tomorrow night. I know I want to go to the Thursday. It is not like I can’t get good seats 🙂

    Only problem is Buddy is pitching tomorrow night and I saw him on opening day.

    Like

  629. 643 chrisklob April 8, 2008 at 11:53 pm

    CL, I have never seen a bigger bunch of manic depressives in my life. If the Braves win one, all is right in the world. If they lose one, armageddon is fast approaching. One idiot blogger, after Kotsay struck out late in the game (remember he had a very good game) said something to the effect of “from hero to goat”. Pathetic.

    Berigan, before this series started the Rockies were 1-5 so therefore they must be awful, right? At least according to their logic. To lose two games to a horrible team is simply unforgivable. Nevermind the fact that they won the NL pennant last year and have basically the same team as last October.

    Like

  630. 644 flbravesgirl April 8, 2008 at 11:56 pm

    My sister votes every week. I try to give credit to whoever does well whether their style is what I like or not. My personal likes are based on “Would I buy this person’s CD?” I’d buy David C’s CD. Probably Carly ( she sounds a little like Ann Wilson to me) & Michael too.

    Syesha’s probably gone. She hasn’t grabbed people. Not my kind of music but I was rooting for her cause she’s a local girl. Went to school a couple of blocks from my house.

    Like

  631. 645 chrisklob April 8, 2008 at 11:58 pm

    Gil, don’t forget, the Tigers are on a pace to be 0-162 this year! I’m surprised that people aren’t already calling for Leyland AND Dombrowski’s heads.

    Have fun at the game if you go. The Rome Braves are coming this weekend and I’m thinking of going to Myrtle Beach on Sunday to check out the Pelicans who are hosting the Frederick Keys. Matt Weiters, who grew up here in Charleston and went to Georgia Tech, is on their roster. He was a very high pick last year (6th overall I think and would have gone higher had he not chosen Scott Borass as his rep) and is supposed to be the next great thing for Baltimore. I’ll believe it when I see it. The Ori-holes have a dismal record for actually developing their prospects.

    Like

  632. 646 flbravesgirl April 8, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    Chris, I gave up reading “over there”. There’s still some good people but a lot of lunatics too.

    Like

  633. 647 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 12:05 am

    FBG, please allow me to rewrite your last post……

    Chris, I gave up reading “over there”. There’s still a few good people but the rest are mostly lunatics!

    Like

  634. 648 Carolina Lady April 9, 2008 at 12:11 am

    See y’all tomorrow! 🙂

    Like

  635. 649 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:11 am

    By the way, did y’all see what the Red Sox did today for their home opener? They do it right in Boston. They include past players in everything, brought in guys from the Celtics, Bruins & Patriots with some of their championship trophies, dropped a huge World Champions banner, handed out the rings,etc. But the really cool thing was the first pitch. They had “Red Sox Nation” bury the hatchet & invited Bill Buckner to throw the first pitch. Guess they figured after a couple of WS wins it was time to forgive him. He got a huge ovation & was fighting back tears. My dad was all choked up.

    Like

  636. 650 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:14 am

    Chris’s new job = editor? Proof reader? 😉

    Like

  637. 652 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:16 am

    I like the Daffy avatar, VOR.

    Like

  638. 653 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:18 am

    Raisins running amok…

    Like

  639. 654 Carolina Lady April 9, 2008 at 12:19 am

    East W L STRK PCT GB
    FLA 4 3 W1 .571 –
    PHI 4 4 W2 .500 0.5
    ATL 3 5 L2 .375 1.5
    WSH 3 5 L5 .375 1.5
    NYM 2 4 L3 .333 1.5
    🙂

    Like

  640. 655 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 12:20 am

    You mean this one? ———————————–>

    Like

  641. 656 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:21 am

    Yep. But you’d better not spit & splutter like he does.

    Like

  642. 657 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:22 am

    Somehow… I see the bases for a great Aflac commercial in there…

    Like

  643. 658 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 12:22 am

    FBG, I hope you didn’t take offense to my last post!

    Goodnight CL!

    Like

  644. 659 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:24 am

    Of course not, silly!

    Like

  645. 660 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 12:25 am

    What about this one? ———————————–>

    Like

  646. 661 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:27 am

    If someone had told me a week ago the Tigers would be 7-0 at this point I’d have believed them. How can they be 0-7? I thought they were gonna kick everyone’s butts.

    Like

  647. 662 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 12:29 am

    Or this one… —————————————->

    Like

  648. 663 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:29 am

    They look the same to me, VOR.

    Like

  649. 664 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:31 am

    Note to self…. Self… find Elmer Fudd avatar..

    Like

  650. 665 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 12:32 am

    I can’t seem to stop this madness…

    Like

  651. 666 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 12:32 am

    FLB, Bill Buckner was a great player, played hurt…terrible he has almost had to hide in shame for one ball thru the legs…funny, Leon Durham did the same thing with the Cubs in 1984, but he didn’t suffer anywhere near as much as Buckner….

    Like

  652. 667 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:33 am

    WooWoo

    Like

  653. 668 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 12:33 am

    My all time favorite WB cartoon is the one with Bugs drawing Daffy doing all kinds of crazy things, being a flower, a girl, etc…..

    Like

  654. 669 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 12:34 am

    Fudd?

    Like

  655. 670 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:35 am

    Now, if they ask Grady Little back, I might forgive them. Just the nicest guy you would ever want to meet.

    Like

  656. 671 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:36 am

    Yeah, Grady was treated very unfairly.

    Like

  657. 672 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:36 am

    Grady did not deserve the abuse heaped upon him by the Red Sox Nation.

    Like

  658. 673 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 12:38 am

    Grady was treated unfairly in LA too.

    Like

  659. 674 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 12:39 am

    This’un, B∞?

    Like

  660. 676 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:51 am

    WooWoo Raisins

    Like

  661. 677 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 12:52 am

    Just so I don’t get accused of leaving without saying goodbye, I bid you good folks a good evening!

    Like

  662. 678 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:52 am

    Beddy bye time for me folks… The sleeping pill is kicking in..

    Like

  663. 679 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:54 am

    Good night VOR & Chris!

    Very sorry to read of the passing of Henry Aaron’s mother. He didn’t get to enjoy his anniversary today.

    Like

  664. 680 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:55 am

    And good night, Gil!

    Like

  665. 681 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 1:04 am

    Time to snuggle my pillow. Good night y’all!

    Like

  666. 682 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 1:09 am

    Was trying to finish up answering questions on my Jazz blindfold test….and talking cars with my Pa….lost track of time…goodnight all! VOR, see you have an avatar from that cartoon I was talking about! Couldn’t find the clip on youtube though…. 😦 Goodnight everyone!

    Like

  667. 683 morpheus45 April 9, 2008 at 4:13 am

    I am the evil late night haint of this blog…at least for long enough to…forget it. Mwaaaa-hhaaa-haaa-haaa, and all that.

    Like

  668. 684 Bob, journalist April 9, 2008 at 4:28 am

    Well, the Air Conditioning became a Heater earlier tonight and, even with it off, it’s still above seventy-five in here. On the surface, it seems bad for young Master Schafer … but, better we find out now than later … I don’t know anything about HGH but I do understand it’s against the rules to use it and methinks to knowingly so do without proper permission is conduct most foul. I wish the penalty for knowingly violating such rules was a lifetime ban, especially for youngsters just getting involved with the sport.

    Perhaps then, they wouldn’t so so … and the participants, their counselors, and powers that are … would join together and do what is necessary to put an end to the mess in which the game finds itself.

    While how he was found out may be of interest to some, it is the doing of the deed with which we should primarily concern ourselves, methinks.

    Bowman evidently considers it less serious than do I … “Jordan Schafer … finds himself staring at the embarrassment of a substance-abuse suspension”.

    Frank Wren said “We are extremely disappointed that Jordan has violated the Commissioner’s Performance Enhancing Drug Policy. We are supportive of the program and will continue to educate all of our players“.

    I don’t fully understand the education being given by the organization or the need for it to be extensive … it all seems rather simple.

    Wren also said “Earlier today Jordan asked to speak to his teammates to apologize for the mistakes he has made and for letting the organization and his team down“. While I think I understand the posture, I don’t understand apologizing for having made mistakes … accidents happen and everybody makes mistakes. It appears he did something wrong but it also appears,at least on the surface, to have been for the purpose of doing wrong. If that is not the case, I would hope that we are so informed.

    It it was a technical violation and he failed to follow proper procedure as a result of ignorance or improper policy interpretation, then it’s understandable … but, were it to have been done on purpose, with full knowledge of both the rules and the consequences, … it would not.

    Wren refused to provide any additional information other that to say “During his suspension, we will continue to support and counsel Jordan” … I’m not sure what “continue to support and counsel” means and speculation accomplishes nothing.

    Regardless of the outcome, it will be more than an embarrassment for Master Schafer, methinks.

    Like

  669. 685 Bob, journalist April 9, 2008 at 4:39 am

    Apologies for the typos … “so so” should have been “so do” or “do so” if you so choose … and “It it” should have been “If it”.

    Like

  670. 686 morpheus45 April 9, 2008 at 5:24 am

    Bob, let me start by telling you I love you like a favorite uncle, which I do.

    Now, performance enhancing drugs…

    It ISN’T really that easy, at all. Not even close. I was 5’10, 245 in high school playing middle linebacker and I only avoided my “B-12” dose (which everyone who wasn’t a fool knew was Winstrol) by being bulky and nasty enough on my own. I was one of exactly two on my HS team (the other was a boy named “Diesel” who was 6’6, 275 naturally at 16). Everyone else got their shots every 6-8 weeks (which just happened to coincide with the typical cycle), administered by the trainer in the left butt cheek.

    If you ducked out, you were a wimp or a fool, because you lost the competetive advantage everyone else had. I witnessed this in HS football, JC football, and HS baseball (which I only played one year). This was in 1988-91. I’m sure the only difference now is that the ‘roids are better and less detectable.

    EVERYONE in high school, college and the pros know what’s going on, from the players to the trainers to the owners. Don’t let Frank Wren, John S., Arthur Blank or anyone else fool you. And just like every game played on the schoolyard in 1925, if you refuse and play by your own rules unless you have a natural advantage (like me) you’re only hurting yourself.

    Young Master Schaeffer got caught. He’s being “punished” accordingly. If there’s someone on his AA team that isn’t taking the same thing or something similar, I’d like to meet him. For you to rear up in righteous indignation at him without knowing he is, in fact, only doing every thing he can to stay even with his teammates shows that you are a man of loyalty, integrity, and the distant past. God bless you, Bob. I love you, but please don’t hang Jordan out to dry without knowing the facts.

    Anderson, Blanco, et al are on them too unless they’re natural freaks, and maybe even then (I could have been 265 and just as fast if I’d taken my “B-12”). It’s just the way it is. We don’t like to think our favorite politicians lie any more than our favorite athletes juice, but there it is.

    God bless.

    Like

  671. 687 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 9:18 am

    Here’s one for all you race fans out there:

    http://www.jayski.com/cts/ctsnews.htm

    😯

    Like

  672. 688 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 9:33 am

    Let me chip in on this substance thing, briefly. When “drugs” were in their heyday(maybe they still are, I don’t know)I was faced with a very simple choice. I could MAYBE find the high down here that I KNEW I could find up there. And it was a simple CHOICE because even the use of one mary jane could find me permanently grounded. Now, alcohol was not lumped into the mix, as it is today. I drank then, heavily some would say, but as long as it did not obviously effect my performance, it was OK. We’ll have the alcohol argument later as it was, and is, legal. Anyway, it looks as if the choice for modern athletes will soon be the same one I faced. Use, or play.

    Braves “problems”. I said back in ST that I was concerned with the Braves “sporadic” bats. I still am. And what is the “fix”? You only have to look back to BC’s handling of Andrew to see that he is not likely to take any radical action. And should he? All I know is that if it were me, I would be thinking of juggling the lineup to get some hits within sight of each other. Why? As the old saying goes, “You can’t win the pennant in April, but you can lose it.”

    Like

  673. 689 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:40 am

    Top o’ the morning fellow Braveites, Bravettes, Stuffites and Stuffettes.

    Good reading the overnights. Thing is, I enjoy reading more than posting. Today I won’t have much time for either, so I’ll just respond to an interesting comment last night from Lady FBG:

    Now I’m imagining SG in a whole different light.

    FBG, I’m not sure what that could mean… any number of things I suppose. Trust me when I say, if I told you what it was like back in the wild, fun, reckless hippy-surfer days, riding great waves, making new “friends” every day, going to great rock concerts, chasing the young ladies and tootling around in the rock n’ roll, party-central “microbus”, you would not even believe me. You would blush. Therefore I would never… wouldn’t be prudent my innocent dear lady.

    Over and out. Give me some good stuff to read when I return. Go Braves.

    Like

  674. 690 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 9:52 am

    Top o’ the morning fellow Braveites, Bravettes, Stuffites and Stuffettes.

    Stuff it, SG. 👿

    Like

  675. 691 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 10:43 am

    G’morning, everyone!

    CL: 35,994 hits to the ol’ blog. 6 away from 36K. Wow! We BS’ers, er, I mean B&S’ers are proud of this slice of Braves heaven. Bravo! 😀

    Like

  676. 692 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 11:12 am

    Good morning y’all!

    I just would never have imagined a “hippy-surfer” past for you, SG. And growing up just a few miles from the water meant I went to school with the islanders. Let me assure you that those surfer kids were not much different from your surfer kid days. And a VW bus would still be a much-coveted vehicle out there.

    Like

  677. 693 Salty April 9, 2008 at 11:21 am

    What the bloody heck is up with American Airlines and their MD-80 planes? A wiring ‘concern’ in the wheel wells…cancelling 100’s of flights! 😯 They say they’re dealing with it ‘one plane at a time’. Apparently the FAA is coming down on them. Fine…why all of a sudden? Those planes have been in the air for years. Something smells! 🙄

    Like

  678. 694 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 11:38 am

    That is alarming.

    Looks like we’re on 35,999.

    Like

  679. 695 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 11:40 am

    Hippy-dippy-surfer, FBG. He still has “flash backs”. Haven’t you read some of his rambling “tomes” when he is having one? 😆

    Like

  680. 696 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 11:46 am

    Salty; Some of those inspectors who have been sucking the federal teat for years are trying to justify their existence. One of the things that they have grounded those planes for is to insure that the plastic wire ties are EXACTLY so many inches apart on those wiring clusters in the wheel well of the M-80s. The contribution of that to air safety. ZERO!

    Like

  681. 697 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 11:46 am

    Lesson in human nature 101 for Salty and others unenlightened to the ways of the common man….

    1. As the work load increases, the level of resistance to such work load also increases.

    2. If one thinks no one will ever find out, said work will never be done.

    3. If the cops are in bed with the criminals, the likelihood of ever being discovered is directly proportional to said cops and criminals ratting themselves out.

    4. The establishment of a government agency responsible for public safety is never repealed, they simply have their ability to police wrong doers diminished by cutting funding to the point they can only afford a director and and office staff.

    5. If Southwest Airlines had not reported on itself, (see rule 3) all of these aircraft would still be flying.

    6. This is what you get when you cut your work force in an attempt to save money.

    Like

  682. 698 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 11:49 am

    MD-80s, I guess. To me, they are all BFAs. Big friggin airplanes.

    Like

  683. 699 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 11:55 am

    36,003!!!

    Like

  684. 700 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 11:56 am

    Paladin… Being a former pilot, would you feel okay with having all the work on your aircraft done by the lowest bidder in a country you have no control? It is one thing to have your car break down on the side of the highway, those suckers usually have the glide path of a big rock…

    Like

  685. 701 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    Just checking the birthday list (I don’t want to miss anybody) & realized someone is missing. CL !!! We need to know our Fearless Leader’s date of birth so we can shower her with cards & presents!

    Like

  686. 702 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 12:15 pm

    And generally speaking, it is never a good thing to use the words lawn dart and aircraft in the same sentence.

    Like

  687. 703 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 12:16 pm

    This is not a matter of work done, Gil. This is inspection of that work. As a pilot I would want it done, of course. But, I would want the emphasis to be on what really matters, not this rikki tikki tavi crap that is grounding these planes, costing the airlines huge amounts of money that will ultimately be passed along to YOU. In the meantime, tell it to those Mothers with small children, and the people who really need to get somewhere that are sitting in the terminals waiting while workers who could be doing worthwhile work are insuring that the wire ties are 6″ apart.

    Like

  688. 704 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    good morning Afternoon 😕

    Like

  689. 705 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 12:20 pm

    New animal fact: More people are killed worldwide by donkeys and jackasses(animal kind)than by airplanes. Look it up!

    Like

  690. 706 Salty April 9, 2008 at 12:37 pm

    Killed by airplanes…or in airplanes? Semantics, I know, but…? 😕

    Like

  691. 707 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 12:41 pm

    when airplanes attack!!!!

    Like

  692. 708 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 12:51 pm

    I know a lot of folks like Jimmy Carter….but, he wants to meet with the leader of Hamas, in April…(Link below) a group who’s charter says…..

    “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”

    “The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. ”

    “There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.”

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,348413,00.html

    Like

  693. 709 jbinatl April 9, 2008 at 1:04 pm

    Hey I’m just getting back. Looks like I miss a lot when I’m gone even for a little bit.

    So the Braves didn’t do too hot last night. We need to get those bats to wake up. Now all we can hope for is a split. At least Jurrjens went 7 IP’s that’s encouraging.

    CL, I’ll have a post to you soon and you can stick in there when my spot in the rotation comes up. I guess it’ll be my turn to do the dishes by then, eh?

    Peace from the Southeast!

    JB in ATL

    Like

  694. 710 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go.
    I’m standin’ here outside the door.
    I hate to wake you up to check a wire.
    But the Feds are callin’, I’m very late.
    The inspector’s waitin’, he’s at the gate.
    Already I’m so late I could be fired.

    So kiss my big white booty.
    Tell me that you’ll wait please hurry.
    Check those plastic ties and let me go.
    ‘Cause I’m waitin’ on a jet plane.
    Don’t know when I’ll be in the air.
    Southwest, I hate you so!

    Like

  695. 711 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 1:06 pm

    JB, I was on the phone last night, so just had half an eye on the game…how many pitches did Jurrjens make last night????

    Like

  696. 712 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    Final word and then you are allowed rebuttal… I worked for a company for 25 years which was a real stickler for safety for 23 of those years. Their entire culture was if it cannot be done safely, it will not be done. There was absolutely no detail that was insignificant to them. I never once knew of a person who lost their job because they did not work but violate a safety rule or falsify records and you were history.

    Then the corporate mentality set in. Suddenly everything change in the name of the bottom line, Shortcuts and layoffs became the order of the day. Along with that came a big change in people’s attitude. They went from whatever it takes to make the company successful to “what’s in it for me.” The funny thing was the bosses could not understand what happened to loyalty. DUH…….

    I have watched over these past several years where the airlines have blamed the unions for all of their troubles. Now there are no unions left so to speak so who is to blame? The government for making the airlines do what they should have been doing all along?

    I have no doubt the FAA isn’t posturing a bit on this but who can blame them. Ask CL if there isn’t hell to pay if one of those big suckers end up in someone’s front yard.

    Yep, it seems pretty nitpicky to ground a huge fleet of airplanes for a seemingly insignificant thing but don’t think for a second that if one of those big buses with wings crashed, some lawyer types would not have jumped all over lapses in inspections as a cornerstone in their suit.

    It can’t always be pilot error despite what they say…. Sometimes the pilot is just hanging on for dear life….

    Like

  697. 713 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 1:17 pm

    Gil,
    Safety is just talk these days. A good friend of mine worked for a Home Depot in a warehouse for a couple of years. Always had to go faster, and faster on forklifts…and they would have the guts to say before the shift went out on the floor, remember, safety is job one! 🙄

    Airlines should NOT be allowed to outsource their repair work! Period.
    The heads of most of these airlines did not come up from within. They weren’t around when Air Tran had a plane crash….and morphed into Jet Blue.

    Like

  698. 714 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 1:24 pm

    Actually Air Tran morphed for that crash. Value Jet I think it was. Loaded chemiox canisters in the hole that caught fire.

    Like

  699. 715 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    My experience has been that most managers are wimps. Rather than take on the perpetrator of bad behavior, they try toot come up with some new rule that covers the situation. They don’t want to be the bad guy. I never minded the boss being a butt head as long as he was consistent. Just don’t make it okay for one and not okay for others.

    Like

  700. 716 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 1:42 pm

    A little something to brighten you boys’ day. Sort of a Catwoman Paso Doble.

    Like

  701. 717 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    And for you folks who like to keep up with the minor league kids… A good report on Jo Jo…..

    http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-04-09-0151.html

    Like

  702. 719 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 1:50 pm

    Kind of an “angry sex” dance I would say FBG…..

    Like

  703. 720 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 2:00 pm

    Great clip Raisins… I can see 008 now saying to himself “Why didn’t I think of that?”

    Like

  704. 721 flbravesgirl April 9, 2008 at 2:06 pm

    Paso does kind of have an angry edge to it. I thought y’all would enjoy Cheryl’s costume.

    Like

  705. 722 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    Raisins; That was hilarious. But, I had a lot fewer passengers. However, my standard safety brief was: “If I say eject and you say ‘Huh?’, you will be talking to yourself.”

    Like

  706. 723 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 2:24 pm

    Gil, I forgot the which airline morphed into which….thanks for correcting. My Mom worked for Delta, which used to be the airline that some pilots would put their family on, instead of their own…..she didn’t have much faith in all those airlines that sprung up out of nowhere….

    Like

  707. 724 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    Gil never heard any situation that he couldn’t turn into a poor mistreated and overworked worker narrative. As for management, not all of them are the bosse’s son. Some of them are there because they know more than you–about the overall picture. And on that, I am leaving for a while.

    Like

  708. 725 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 2:40 pm

    Funny thing 008.. I never heard the military whine because there was a shortage of officers…. Always seems that a lack of senior enlisted men that causes a crisis.

    Like

  709. 726 BeRiGaN 5 tHe ReTuRn April 9, 2008 at 3:19 pm

    All I know from years in retail…from a temp employee to being in management, is that most people in upper management are idiots who have never dealt with real world problems. They just try to justify their jobs be creating solutions to problems that didn’t exist. And wasting time of their employees so they can’t provide the customer service that the company claims is so important.

    I remember when the theft of hardback books was getting to be a big problem. Should the chains hire security guards for their stores?? Nah….lets spend a lot of money on a electronic article surveillance (EAS) reader, and system. and put “Chicklets”(thin, white plastic Magnetic tags) in all the hardback books! The brainy folks at Waldenbooks had us peel the sticker off the Chicklet, and place it under the dust jacket right on the spine of the book! Hope you didn’t collect any first editions in the mid 90s’

    At Borders, the “solution” was to drop them right in the middle of each and every hardback in the store, in the receiving area. Sure, it will slow receiving down, but you gotta do, what you gotta do. Of course, they dropped right out of each and every hardback when someone opened the book. 🙄

    Then they noticed Trade paperbacks(The ridiculously expensive larger paperbacks) and African-American titles were being stolen as well! Should we hire security…shuddup! No! Everyone stop shelving books, we need to spend the next few days dropping these tags in each and every book $10 and up.

    Of course, folks selling books on MARTA are smart enough to figure out what sets off the gates, so they would chuck the Chicklets and still steal the books…

    I started to notice these suckers all over the floor every night. I said to someone, you know…one day some kids going to choke on one of these, and Borders will be sued, and we will have to take them all out again….

    It took a while longer than I thought, but one day….The edict came down from above. Don’t put any books out!!! Take each and every chicklet out of every single book on the floor.

    I have a million other stories like that, but you get the picture……and you know why I work for myself! 😉

    Like

  710. 727 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 3:35 pm

    In my business, I’m both the boss and the grunt. I tick myself off all the time. But, for the most part, I’m pretty good to me.

    Like

  711. 728 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 4:17 pm

    Gil; When I went to flight school I was a Buck Sgt. I have been on both sides of the street, both in the blogs and the military.

    Salty; Before we mire ourselves in semantics: Throughout aviation history airplanes have killed very few people. The sudden stop when they hit the ground has killed a bunch. 😛

    Like

  712. 730 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    Have you people ever heard of the “Peter Principle”? It says that you are promoted until you reach a level of incompetence. It was devised for the private sector. If you listen to these Generals, I think you will agree that they didn’t get where they are because they are dumb, or incompetent. They got there because they are smart as hell and outworked everyone else.

    Like

  713. 731 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    Raisins; That little girl(bless her heart)has her second face in the wrong location for a politician. 😛

    Like

  714. 732 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 4:48 pm

    Good point, pal, good point.

    Like

  715. 733 Salty April 9, 2008 at 4:54 pm

    The sudden stop when they hit the ground has killed a bunch.

    Well…you “out-semantic-ed” me! Can’t argue that point! 😆

    Like

  716. 734 Salty April 9, 2008 at 4:55 pm

    By the way, it’s not the Peter Principle. It’s fumu

    Like

  717. 735 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 4:57 pm

    I was trying to stay within G rating constraints. 😛

    Like

  718. 736 Salty April 9, 2008 at 4:58 pm

    I did as well, Gutter Boy! :mrgreen:

    Like

  719. 737 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 5:00 pm

    CL!!! Salty called me an ugly name! Shame!!

    Like

  720. 738 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 5:02 pm

    So, what you’re saying is that you were trying to keep this a G string?

    Like

  721. 739 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    Oh! You meant FOWL up! I guess it lost something in my USMC translation. 😆

    Like

  722. 740 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    Gotta go…

    Later, taters! 😀

    Like

  723. 741 Salty April 9, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    Or, Foul…your choice…sounds the same! VOR…nice double entendre! 😉

    By the way, sorry I missed you last week…hope you got my e-mail.

    Like

  724. 742 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    G – G# – Ab and we’ll sing along. 😛

    Like

  725. 743 Salty April 9, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    Gotta make vittle…tater time! Later…Paladin, sip a Chianti for me!

    Like

  726. 744 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    Sorry, I hit a fowl bawl.

    Like

  727. 745 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 5:13 pm

    All my playmates have left me. Guess I’ll go throw some rocks at the neighbor’s cat. Chow.

    Like

  728. 746 morpheus45 April 9, 2008 at 5:57 pm

    The neighbor’s cat or the neighbor’s Chow? If it a Chow, I recommend only doing so if it’s on a chain or behind a fence.

    Like

  729. 747 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    Just a purple methophor, Grinch. Don’t be so picky.

    Like

  730. 748 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    BTW, Grinch, I am a chow man. I don’t have one now(I have a full-blooded D. O. G.), but chow’s are like any other dog. You raise them to be mean, and they are mean. Raise them to be companions, and they are companions. ‘Course Chows have fewer companions than other dogs. But, I like it that way.

    Like

  731. 749 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 6:20 pm

    I’m going to eat. And drink. And drink. And…

    Like

  732. 750 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 6:25 pm

    One other thing. My present dog and I have a great and trusting relationship. Or we did, until I ran over a skunk. He has been suspicious of me since then, thinking that when the chips are down, I won’t “play” fair. He’ll get over it. She did.

    Like

  733. 751 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 6:49 pm

    This is not baseball weather.

    Hope tonight’s game gets postponed. When will MLB finally get a season schedule right? Logic and reason play no apparent role in game/venue scheduling. Here’s an earth shattering concept: spring games in the south, summer games in the north. But that would take a five-year climate study that would never get out of committee.

    In the meantime, the Rockies need a retractable dome.

    Like

  734. 752 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 7:07 pm

    Looks like the Braves will be flying to Denver for a twin bill instead of having an off day some time this season.

    After traveling to see my mom this afternoon, I am too worn out for the ballgame in Richmond. Tomorrow’s day game is a go however… We might even pack in 500 fans for the occasion… Sad 😦

    Like

  735. 753 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    If they play, or not, it will be beyond my bedtime. But, I’ll try to make the kickoff, if there is one.

    Like

  736. 754 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 7:32 pm

    I read where federal credit cards have been used for lingerie, on-line dating and custom suits. I’ll leave the punch line for you.

    Like

  737. 755 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 7:46 pm

    AP) – For more than 100 college presidents and athletic directors, beer and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament don’t mix.

    The college leaders – among them the top officials at Harvard, Abilene Christian and Georgia State – wrote a letter to NCAA President Myles Brand on Wednesday calling beer advertising “embarrassingly prominent” during tournament broadcasts. They asked the organization to reconsider its policies on alcohol advertising.

    The Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C., which helped organize the letter, accused the NCAA of violating its own policies that supposedly limit beer advertising to 60 seconds per hour and no more than 120 seconds per telecast. The center said it counted 200 seconds and 240 seconds of beer advertising during Saturday’s two semifinal games, and 270 seconds during Monday night’s final, when Kansas defeated Memphis 75-68 in overtime.

    The NCAA bylaws do not allow any advertising for hard alcohol.

    “Given the persistent problems caused by underage and excessive college drinking, much of it in the form of beer, we find it inconceivable that the NCAA’s profiting from beer promotion during the telecasts of college basketball games comports with the best interests of higher education, sports, or student welfare,” the letter said.

    The NCAA did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment, nor did a spokeswoman for CBS Sports, which broadcast the Final Four.

    Among the signatories were four schools that qualified for this year’s tournament – Baylor, Winthrop, Cornell and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. All four lost in the first round.

    You MEAN that TV is more interested in bucks than competition? Well, duh!!

    Like

  738. 756 Bob, journalist April 9, 2008 at 7:56 pm

    My Lady was named after me … that is to say her folks named her after mine named me … and on the calendar, hers comes after mine too … one day.

    Let me start by telling folks that The Christmas Stealer and I aren’t related and he isn’t in my employ … though he is one of my favorites … and one whose words are truly important to me.

    Now, performance enhancing drugs …

    The Christmas Stealer and I go way back … one of my Super Heroes, he is … still, we sometimes disagree, albeit this ain’t one of them … while at the same time it is … or so methinks.

    I realize that there’s no mention of Yellow Shoes, but I can’t recall a better post than this morning’s 5:24, addressing my 4:28 … were everyone involved to be so honest, forthright and directionally on spot in addressing the issue … then perhaps the problem could be all but eradicated.

    No, the problem isn’t simple … indeed it’s quite complex.

    Albeit typos were obviously missed, I did read what I had initially written before posting … and made three perhaps noteworthy modifications.

    I first deleted a paragraph opining that the system seemed to be preoccupied with identifying and punishing violators rather than eliminating violations … and that, only because it was being so forced.

    Then, and perhaps most importantly “I don’t fully understand the education being given by the organization or the need for it to be extensive … it all seems rather simple” … replaced three paragraphs, one pondering the extent to which the education and counseling references addressed detection … a second averring the complexity of the problem while the other suggested he simplicity of the solution … without addressing any solution … a fetish, with which most are familiar.

    Actually, the replacement initially read … “I don’t fully understand the education being given by the organization or the need for it to be extensive … it all seems rather simple … those who violate the rules can’t play” … but, in addition to my fetish, I thought that obvious. Methinks Paladin may have said it better … but, regardless, “Play or use, it’s up to them to choose” was the idea.

    There was no intended indignation directed at Jordan Schafer, righteous or otherwise … I know nothing of him other than the little I’ve read and what I saw in Spring Training … and indeed I would have preferred one of the youngsters, rather than Kotsay, starting in Center … there was no anger being expressed … and I tried to word things so as not to bring that into question.

    However, given the current posture of MLB, corrupt, contrived or no, … makes such behavior inane and inexcusable … especially for highly talented, bona fide prospects. Even The Christmas Stealer qualified his remarks with “unless you have a natural advantage” which I thought Schafer had, but perhaps he doesn’t.

    I share the belief that the system is corrupt and that many, if not most, are victims … at least in some sense or context. However, I do think that Christmas Stealer’s sweeping assertions relative to the current permeation level are somewhat presumptive, if not excessive … that is to say, I can’t imagine it being so all inclusive.

    Certainly, the notion or argument that “if you refuse and play by your own rules, unless you have a natural advantage, you’re only hurting yourself” … while understood, would be what I would expect from those who indulge, promote and/or benefit from the corruption … it’s wrong but he’s right … it’s an age-old notion … in baseball, politics, life … and it will always be with us, methinks.

    Most everything is subject to interpretation, but “If there’s someone on his AA team that isn’t taking the same thing or something similar, I’d like to meet him” seems pretty clear … and on several different levels. However, I don’t share the view that the Braves’ Organization is so corrupt that everyone on the team is violating the policy … which also suggests that Schafer is the only so inept as to get caught.

    To say that “he is, in fact, only doing every thing he can to stay even with his teammates” suggests that perhaps he isn’t as talented as they would have us to believe … maybe it would have been better to say that “he is, in fact, only doing every thing he can to maintain his natural advantage

    Truly I would like to think that I am a man of loyalty, integrity, and the distant past … as well as current times and hopefully the future … for as I’ve tried to say the notions, as well as the corruption, are timeless. That’s not to say that the attitudes toward same have been constant throughout time … apathy and amorality levels have indeed changed.

    Hopefully, Herr Grinch knows that I wouldn’t hang Jordan out to dry without knowing if he were wet … and only then if his apology wasn’t sincere.

    However, to aver Anderson and Blanco as being freaks and/or also guilty … because “it’s just the way it is” … borders on something … though I just can’t think of what it is at the moment … maybe Grinch meant it as an opine.

    It may be 2008 and not 1925 … but hopefully there are still those who play golf by the rules, as a point of honor if not integrity, even if they are not natural freaks and it would be to their competitive advantage to otherwise so do … baseball too.

    Let me finish as I started … The Christmas Stealer is one of my favorites … and one whose words are truly important to me. Sure, I took issue and played with some of what he said but me third eye understood from whence he came … what he said was well said and appreciated; well said indeed.

    Apologies for the untimeliness, if it is so considered … our air conditioning is out and I was interrupted several hours ago with the information that it wouldn’t be fixed until Friday … and needed to purchase additional fans.

    Now, I will adjourn to the animated room and enjoy the game in relative comfort.

    God Bless

    Like

  739. 757 Paladin April 9, 2008 at 7:59 pm

    There ain’t no bugs on me. There ain’t no bugs on me. There are all sorts of bugs on all of y’all, but there ain’t no bugs on me. G’night.

    Like

  740. 758 Carolina Lady April 9, 2008 at 8:19 pm

    from Neal Boortz:
    “American Airlines is having a bit of a problem as a good portion of their fleet is grounded while some wiring problems are corrected. And why are these wiring problems being corrected? For safety, of course. So the Fox News Channel cameras head to an airport to get the reaction of some of the passengers who were inconvenienced by the delays. In short order they stumble onto some bleached blond who says: “They’re not thinking about us at all … the passengers. I’m never going to fly American again.”

    Hey, you twit .. .these delays are for safety. Your safety. It is precisely you they are thinking about when they inspect these airplanes. Next time take the damned bus.” 😆

    Like

  741. 759 Salty April 9, 2008 at 8:20 pm

    CL…be easy on her…her grandparents are immigrant startfish! She can’t help it! 😆

    Like

  742. 761 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    Sir Bob, a well put and good posit.

    CL… give’em heck… you go, girl. 😆

    Like

  743. 762 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 8:32 pm

    Well said Bob..

    Like

  744. 763 morpheus45 April 9, 2008 at 8:40 pm

    Gee, Paladin; that’s rich. Cutting beer advertising down from 240 seconds per hour to 120 seconds per hour is gonna make college students responsible enough not to imbibe at sporting events or anywhere else on campus. Gotta love it; maybe if we restrict internet porn downloading to half of what’s currently available it’ll stop people from thinking unclean thoughts about the opposite sex (or same sex, or animals, or whatever). How people who think this way get into positions of power such as presidents of universities is something that makes me want to bang my head against the wall.

    Bob, I’d had a few glasses of wine last night and was on my way to bed. I was a bit too sweeping and all-inclusive, and I shouldn’t have implied that almost everyone in baseball does it (the football I’ll stand by dead sober). And I know there are those with natural advantages who do it anyway, just as there are those without who don’t. BUT, I wasn’t making any of that up and the problem is still much more prevalent than most would like to believe. Especially with HGH, because it doesn’t make you huge and bulky like a lot of steroids; it makes you more cut, toned, heal faster, longer endurance and improved mental focus. It has very few side effects. Why wouldn’t you take it other than a moral concern not everyone else is? My mistake was implying that our minor league guys all take a butt-full of the same stuff that football players do (and some BB players like Bonds, McGwire, etc.). Unlike those, HGH isn’t going to make lillibrige look like Francouer; it’s just gonna make him a better and more durable athlete. I would find it mighty tempting if it was the difference between a career in AAA and 10 years in the show.

    Anyhoo, judging by the fact that not a single person other than yourself commented on my post; I’m under the impression nobody here cares one way or another who does what anyway; perhaps we should continue this via e-mail and spare them the boredom. 🙂

    Like

  745. 764 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    Angel Hernandez is still an idiot.

    Like

  746. 765 morpheus45 April 9, 2008 at 8:48 pm

    Oh, I see; they cared but cared not to comment. It’s ok, guys; I don’t bite.

    Like

  747. 766 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 8:51 pm

    OK, I’m eating crow about calling the game tonight. Blame it on NOAA… but since I reported it ‘ll eat it. They’d better settle this game in 9 innings. Snow telling how it will effect the game.

    However, I’m not changing my tune about the MLB schedule being nonsense.

    Like

  748. 767 Salty April 9, 2008 at 8:58 pm

    I don’t believe ‘Everyone does it’ is an excuse; however, lack of enforcement becomes the justification…silent acquiescence. We’re all human, and ‘keeping up with the Jones’ is a part of life. Professional sports created the monster, and it trickled down.

    HGH…I’ve mentioned this before, and like your post this AM/evening, and Bob, J’s as well, no comments were made. Radio informercials were all over the airwaves…probalbly on TV at 3 AM…wouldn’t know about that. (Berigan, Grinch, BobJ…do you know?) 😆 How can that be, and it’s still illegal? Sheesh, I thought the pursuit of the ‘fountain of youth’ was an eternal quest…and HGH was at least a means to get to the edge and sneak a peak, but continue at your own risk…like a pool sans lifeguard.

    It was banned by baseball…so be it. Without more education on the topic, I frankly don’t get it. But isn’t that a typical response…water and baby go out together!?!

    I care guys, once it’s understood what the concern really is. Carry on…I read with interest, and interject my idiocy when warranted! 🙂

    Like

  749. 768 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    Grinch… I used up all my words, paragraphs, vowels, adverbs, adjectives, pronouns, verbs, dangling participles, opines, rants and a few expletive deleted comments talking steroids about the time Clemens was in the headlines. I got nuthin’ left on ‘roids or HGH or any other PED’s, but I do care. Really do. Just got ‘nuthin. I’ll just read yours and Bob Journalist’s and eat popcorn.

    Like

  750. 769 Salty April 9, 2008 at 9:02 pm

    However, I’m not changing my tune about the MLB schedule being nonsense. Nor should you! It is.

    Ouch…that had to hurt Redman. He was getting hit hard this inning…then the metaphor stepped aside and reality took over! Yikes! 😯

    Like

  751. 770 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:03 pm

    Please don’t let them take Mark Redman out now. It’s just getting good. 🙂

    Like

  752. 771 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    Bunting practice?

    Like

  753. 772 Salty April 9, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    Well that sux! Have I ever mentioned my utter disdain for Murphy! 👿

    Like

  754. 773 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    Salty, you mean the one that wrote the law?

    Like

  755. 774 Salty April 9, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    Is he a gremlin?

    Like

  756. 775 Salty April 9, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    Looks like it’s just you ‘n me, SG. Chuckie looks pretty good…’course, still the first trip through the order.

    Have to trek to the airport shortly; pick up the Queen and Princess from their trip to Tejas.

    Like

  757. 776 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:13 pm

    For more than 100 college presidents and athletic directors, beer and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament don’t mix.

    So… they want equal beer ad revenue for women’s basketball now? Sheesh.

    Like

  758. 777 morpheus45 April 9, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    Sorry, Y’all; I didn’t realize you’d already hashed it out in the past. I’m not used to the world revolving around anyone but myself. 🙂 Gotta go get some work done, anyhow.

    Like

  759. 778 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:16 pm

    Chuck does look pretty good. We’ll see soon… the 5th inning bell will sound in a few. Best way for our boys to stay warm tonight is swing away and run freely and often around the bases.

    Like

  760. 779 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:18 pm

    Angel Hernandez is still an idiot. Have I said that?

    Like

  761. 780 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:20 pm

    Salty, were your Queen and Princess vacationing in Mexico?

    Like

  762. 781 Salty April 9, 2008 at 9:22 pm

    Texas=Tejas Espanol, Senor! :mrgreen:
    Visiting friends…wife wants to move back. Hmmm….we shall see, but doubt it.

    Like

  763. 782 Salty April 9, 2008 at 9:29 pm

    I bet Helton agrees with your view on Angel Hernandez…strike 3 was borderline, but looked low. Let’s see it that is called a strike next time.

    Oh, well…gettin’ ugly…guess I’ll head to the airport.

    Like

  764. 783 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:33 pm

    Chuck James thinks it’s the 5th inning. Must be the mountain time differential.

    Like

  765. 784 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 9:35 pm

    Well, maybe that sting of one run losses ends tonight…

    Like

  766. 785 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 9:37 pm

    Maybe if somebody sacrifices a live chiken or something….

    Like

  767. 786 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    Well, maybe that sting of one run losses ends tonight…

    That Gil, was a silk purse you just made.

    Well… this has laugher written all over it, but only funny in Denver. Think I’ll mosey on and peek at the game from time to time.

    Klobber, have you seen or heard Band of Horses? If you haven’t, you will. They are a very good indie rock band. Formed in Seattle, they relocated last year to your Charleston. Here’s a taste:

    Like

  768. 787 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    Squawk….

    Like

  769. 788 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 9:45 pm

    Hi guys. Just got in and turned on the game to see Chuck and Duck give up five. Deja vu, all over again……….

    SG, I have heard of them but have not heard or seen them. They’ve played in Charlie Town twice this year that I am aware of and I do plan on getting out to see them sometime. Just hasn’t been convenient for me to do so yet.

    Like

  770. 789 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 9:48 pm

    The Braves batters sure do have a way of making some pretty bad pitchers look like all stars…

    Like

  771. 790 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 9:50 pm

    THe Mutts are beating the Philthies 8-2 in the 8th inning. Unfortunatley, Joe Morgan is calling this game.

    Like

  772. 791 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    I don’t think Andruw would have gotten that one….

    Like

  773. 792 Gil in Mechanicsville April 9, 2008 at 10:23 pm

    That was a major league play by Yunel… That said, it appears he is not willing to take a hit. Like the wide out who short arms the ball…

    Like

  774. 793 Savannah Guy April 9, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    What a play Yunel made running out and away to third. The young man has range and quite an arm.

    Klobber, some time this summer I’ll try and come see BOH up there. A guy who works with me is old pals with them. I’ll let you know. It would be nice to see them play a small venue or a nightclub somewhere. Klobber’s Saloon maybe.

    Well good peepuls… it’s down time for me. Maybe fishing tomorrow. But then, with gas prices those could be some ‘spensive fish.

    Nighto.

    Like

  775. 794 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 10:34 pm

    Well… look at the bright side. Maybe it won’t be another 1 run loss… 😐

    Like

  776. 795 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 10:44 pm

    I can’t believe how poorly the Braves have played the past few nights.

    Like

  777. 796 chrisklob April 9, 2008 at 10:56 pm

    There is still plenty of time for the Braves to lose this game by one run.

    Like

  778. 797 Voice of Raisins April 9, 2008 at 10:56 pm

    Nice’un, Mac… still on life support, at least.

    Like

  779. 798 Carolina Lady April 9, 2008 at 11:17 pm

    When the disaster in Colorado is over, there’s a NEW BLOG UP!

    Like


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