by Berigan
Well, with snow blanketing much of the US, clearly – it’s time to talk Braves baseball!
So, what do we make of the Braves version 2010? Wasn’t it weird to have an offseason where the last thing we as fans were looking for was starting pitching? Too many starters in fact. When did we last have that problem?! 19 hundred and something, at the latest! Of course if any of the main guys go down, then we are like every other team in baseball, hoping and praying someone at AAA can go 5 innings and only give up 3-4 runs. But, as of now, I am sure everyone will agree that our starting pitching is in very good shape. As good as it was at the start of last season.
Now, the bullpen. Ahh, yes, the bullpen. While Gonzo and Soriano are not perfect, my feelings are they are better than Takashi Saito and Billy Wagner. At least the former are younger! 😉
Takashi Saito has had an ERA under 3 for his 4 seasons in the big leagues. Very impressive! But he is also going to be 40 on Valentine’s Day. He also was in only 56 games last year. I sure hope one of the translators will make both facts well known to Bobby! 😉
Wagner is a relative spring chicken compared to him as he will turn 39 in July. 62 Games and 62 innings the past two years. Can he pitch in 3 straight games?? 2 straight??
We know if the 87 games Peter Moylan pitched in last year don’t cause his arm to fall off this spring, he will be a steady presence, most likely racking up 80 plus appearances again. Kris Medlen should continue to improve on last years work.
Eric O’Flaherty will get the lefties out once again. Scott Proctor, if he has regained his health, could be a big boost to the bullpen. Bobby has to find someone else to rely on besides Gonzo, and Sori…oh wait…anyway. He has to find a way to trust someone besides the 2 middle-aged guys. Just can’t use them like guys 10-12 years younger.
Will Manny Acosta finally get his act together??? Will Chris Resop and his 100 MPH stuff finally come through??? Those guys clearly have great stuff….
Speaking of question marks: our offense. (Some of this is going to be ‘no duh, Berigan,’ please bear with me!)
Starting at 1st. Troy Glaus. Man, if this was 2009, we would be tickled to get him after another 100 RBI season. But it’s 2010 and in 2009 he hit .172 in just 29 AB’s. The biggest thing going in his favor is he is still fairly young, won’t turn 34 til August.
2nd Base. Toot toot! (me tooting my own horn) I have long been a fan of Martin Prado. It seemed like he would never get his chance to show what he could do as a full time player. Finally got that chance, and showed to everyone he deserves it. Still, he only has 770 AB’s for his career, and some guys the league does figure out. I don’t think he will be one of those though.
SS: Yunel Escobar. He has finally proven himself, offensively and defensively -well, as long as no one is sliding into him!- but what about between the ears? Didn’t it seem last year that any day he would do just the right thing to get his talented behind traded??? Will he finally mature this year???
3rd base: Ol Chipper. There was this 37 year old. He hit 17 HR’s drove in 62 RBI’s and hit .337. Then he turned 38 and in 404 AB’s hit 14 HR’s drove in 44 RBIs and hit a lousy .255. A lot of people thought he was washed up. His manager even was trying to tell him he wasn’t a regular anymore. He hit .275 at the age of 39, .288 at the age of 40, and at 41, in 505 AB’s he hit 19 HR’s Drove in 82 RBIs, and had a .330 B.A. Unless I have a cystal ball (I do, but it only sees 30 seconds in the future) I am not talking about Chipper, but another guy already in the the Hall of Fame. Stan Musial!
Funny, when Chipper hit .248 at the age of 32, no one thought he was washed up. He hit .264 last year and even he seems convinced he’s about done. Like the great Joaquin Andujar said, “There is one word in America that says it all, and that one word is, You never know!”
Wait, what am I forgetting on the infield? Catcher. McCann and David Ross. If healthy, no worries. Nuff said.
Left field: Matt Diaz hit .313 last year! Seems hard to believe, doesn’t it?! He was very streaky early, .216 in April, .378 in May, .250 in June. I think if he didn’t take those terrible swings on pitches low and outside he’d be thought of as a regular, IMO.
Anyway, likely a platoon guy with Melky Cabrera, who last year hit .274, 13 HR, 68 RBIs. He lost the starting job last spring but won it back when Brett Gardner went on the DL. So, Cabrera was in 154 games last year, the guy to man center for a team that won 103 games. Of course, they also traded him. But both he and Diaz arguably should be starting players, though neither has a whole lot of power. Seems we do have plenty of outfielders though, if you toss in Eric Hinske.
Center field: Nate McClouth. Did you know he hit 26 HR’s and drove in 94 in 2008? Do you understand why I think it’s bat poop crazy for him to bat leadoff on a team with little power? *sigh* Tilting at windmills.
Right Field: some kid – what’s his name? The JHey Kid! Is he the real deal? Everyone says he is. Those short clips I’ve seen on the web show one of the smoothest swings out there – but he is 20. What can we truly expect from him?
Willie Mays failed at first. Cal Ripkin was bad at the very beginning, as well. ARod, at the age of 20, hit 36 HRs, drove in 123 and had a .358 BA. But he also played 65 games in the previous two years in the majors.
Ken Griffey jr came up at 19, and hit 16 Hr’s drove in 61, and hit .264. Are those realistic numbers for Heyward? Would we win with those numbers? Or How about what a 23 year old rookie by the name of Mark McGwire did as a rookie? 49 Homers! Not much pressure, but he should shoot for 50 to break his record! Still, wish the Braves had brought JHey up for a cup of coffee, especially if they are counting on him right out of the box.
So, long story longer – who knows what will happen this year? 3rd, 2nd or even 1st place all seem to be valid possibilities. Which is why we watch the games, right?
PLAY BALL!!
~Ber~
Wow, Ber! MANY THANKS!!! And I didn’t even have to grovel for a new lead this time! *faint* 😆
This is really appreciated, Ber! Good job!
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This blog is dedicated to SG, only he could write one longer…maybe! 😛
CL, I like to be a bit unpredictable! 🙂 I knew it had to be my turn, and I had some time this A.M.
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From the previous blog…V said…
And where are Wags and Saito?
Well, I hear they are both getting a new set of dentures, and those take time! 😀
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Great lead Ber.. REALLY… and good honest assessment of the team’s outlook this season. Good pitching for sure, I just hope the Braves can string together enough offense to hang with the Phillies this season. The Phils, aside from having the best mascot in baseball undoubtedly has some firepower to make up for some mediocre pitching.
Maybe it will come down to the bench players… stranger things have happened.
From the Who would have thunk it Dept… Derick Lowe as a number four starter… That is some real depth there… His ERA may not be stellar this season but he’ll win a bunch of games.
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And Ber, I’ll take quality over quantity any day….
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And speaking of snow… Well, hard for me not to…
I got the tractor out and cleared the road a bit and moved the snow away from the mailboxes, the USPS will not deliver if they have to reach outside the truck.
Plus clear the driveway and then went down the road and cleared the drive for the elderly black couple that live next door to us. Yes, CL… you have to look out for the elderly folks… 🙂
One observation… This is the whitest snow I have ever seen. It has a blue cast to it when the sun shines on it…. man, this global warming is great… 🙂
The weather folks are predicting that a nor’easter is coming in Friday or Saturday.. UH OH…
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Wagner is still trying to dig out from the snow I think… Dereck Lowe likely is staying warm in Southern Cal… I would…
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Great job, Ber. Nice assessment.
Couple of things:
First, on the ‘pen – and this is just my opinion. I’d rather have a couple of older guys with steady track records than a couple of younger guys that are erratic. Maybe not so much Gonzo, but definitely Sori. Just couldn’t count on him. Million dollar arm, ten cent head. And Wags won’t have to go 3 nights in a row; that’s why they brought in former-closer Saito.
Also, forget about Acosta and Resop. I’ll wager that Acosta won’t be property of the Braves by April. And Resop will have to have really learned how to pitch in Japan to have a gnat’s eyelash of a chance of making the team. Look for newcomer Mike Dunn to make an impact though, as well as rookie hopeful Lee Hyde. Also, everyone forgets about Jesse Chavez, that we got for Sori. He’s a quality young arm for the pen, too.
And Glaus? His poor ’09 numbers were directly attributed to a busted shoulder that has since been repaired and healed. Reports are that he has been working out like a beast, and is in terrific shape. I believe we’ll see numbers much more like ’08 than ’09. And don’t forget a very important fact: he knows the score in Atlanta with Freeman, and is playing 2010 for his 2011 contract. He’s motivated to show he’s healthy and still capable. Smart career move on his part moving to 1B to showcase his athleticism and versatility. He’ll be the shrewdest acquisition of this offseason and a high-dollar FA next offseason. Bank on it.
Last thing. You are absolutely correct regarding the OF. We don’t have the foggiest idea what we’ll break camp with. And that is likely the lynch-pin that’ll define the season…
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O’Brien ha been reporting some of the comments by Bobby Cox on various players across the street. Pretty much as we have surmised. Plus, as I speculated, Schafer has been working on his hitting at home for the past couple of weeks…
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And yeah Raisins, I thought Acosta was already gone… He has the physical tools, he is just such a head case….
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Chipper quote from an interview on 680theFan:
Regarding JHey, “I think after I’m gone you’re looking at the next number 3 hitter in Atlanta for a long time.”
😆
He ain’t giving up that spot, is he?
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Another quote–
About getting ready for 2010: “I’ve hit the weights pretty hard this year.”
Mr. O’B said earlier that he saw Chipper in the clubhouse this morning and that he looks like he’s in great shape. Hope springs anew!
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From the “props where props are due” department:
Lots of good quotes across the street this afternoon. Mr. O’B had conversations with Bobby, Huddy, Pete, and others today. Good stuff.
Also, some folks talking about meeting and talking with players at Caravan stops.
Ah… baseball talk. Feels like April! 😀
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V, I wish it felt like April! 😀 But its coming! 🙂
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from O’Brian:
“Center fielder Jordan Schafer, also at Turner Field working out and hitting Monday, was asked about 245-pound top prospect Jason Heyward, who will compete for the right field job this spring.
“I saw him a couple of weeks ago and I was like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to call for the ball really loud,'” Schafer said. “Because I’m trying to not get run over by him. I don’t want no part of that.” “
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Well, I weigh 240, so he better look out for me when there are pop ups too! 😕
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suggestion Ber, don’t go over the wall… 🙂
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Excellent work, Ber.
😆 at Schafer. I’d get out of Heyward’s way too.
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Hmmm… our young star pitcher hanging out at the Grammys. Is there a love interest amongst the rock, hip-hop, country, and alternative types? Maybe Tommy is a Lady GaGa groupie. Nah… not on the Braves, maybe a Met, but not a Brave. Lady GaGa is definitely American League style not National.
Did y’all see Pink do her thing? YIKES!!!
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Is that a good yikes or a bad one, wildcat? I thought it was really cool but then I like her voice & love Cirque du Soleil.
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On the other end of the spectrum, Zac Brown Band was very impressive. Amazing harmonies & Lord have mercy can that boy play guitar!!!
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Grammys? Were there Grampys, too?
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Gil, I would just go through it…shortest route is the best route.
Wildcat, I sure hope Tommy is not Ga-Ga over Lady Ga-ga.
Interesting tidbit. At 11, she nearly went to Juilliard, but decided against it. Someday, hopefully she will show some music talent.
CL, now that’s funny!
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flbravesgirl…hanging by a sheet, upside down, almost naked, soaking wet, live with no lip sync, definately deserves a YIKES! I’ll give Pink credit for being in great shape. I’ve read that she can attribute her great shape to the P90X workout. Very much the Cirque du Soliel theatrical presentation.
Like Bob Uecker said in Major League, “Just a bit outside!” Pink was a bit over the top for me.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/31/pinks-grammy-performance_n_443915.html
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I pretty much avoid watching awards shows. Of course, I am not in the coveted 18-54 demographic that advertisers want so I don’t think the TV folks care.
Just too many folks with agendas, hidden or otherwise to suit me. Did Marlon Brando start that trend? Anyway, I guess Pink just took a cue from Borat…
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Sorry guys…
I am a musician, but I see the Grammys, the AMA’s and the VMA’s as nothing more than showcases for the freaks. I can’t and won’t handle it. More than that, it really ticks me off.
The freaks come out and grab all of the attention that they can, which is alot, and the real musicians are ignored or cast aside. It speaks pretty harshly toward the consuming public that musical ability is no longer required in the music industry.
Everybody stares at the train wreck, right?
The music industry is a shadow of its former self and its glory days. Now to make a record, you have to fall into one of two categories. 1) Over the top shock value, or 2) Pretty appearance, and cookie-cutter studio produced. In either case, actual musical ability is not a requirement.
Do I sound bitter? Maybe a little. Like I said, I have been close enough to it that I know what it’s about. I am old school in that appreciate music for the creativity, the artistry and the talent. I am thankful that I grew up in an era that still held their musicians to a high standard. It’s kind of hard to hold today’s musicians to any standard considering there are darn few actual musicians left.
I am glad that The Zac Brown Band got a little love. They are the exception these days, definitely not the rule. By the way, did anyone know that Zac Brown is a master axe-thrower? True fact. Dude can split hairs…
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V, you worried me for a sec! I thought you were saying guitar throwing was now considered a talent! 😯
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And Pink seemed cute, in a kind of trashy way a few years back, but now….yikes….
but she sure is strong!
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Raisins, I’m with you. These “artists” nowadays are gimmicks, with very few exceptions. Even the over-glorified term ‘artists’ is a sham: they are performers. And the noise they produce is enough to make your ears bleed.
Soon, I’ll get up enough nerve to tell y’all how I really feel! 😆
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CL, “gimmicks” is the perfect description.
Celebrity often taints the artistry. In baseball, if the “star” ceases to perform up to standard, the fans condemn him – see Andruw Jones.
In music, the fans not only accept the sub-standard product, they follow the “star” as a deity who can do or say no wrong. Where is the logic in that? I don’t get it…
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Style over substance… yep…
Singers vs entertainers… not always one and the same. Martina McBride and Alison Krauss are two of my favorite singers, Tina Turner is one of my favorite entertainers… Big difference.
Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys hated live concerts because he could not reproduce the sounds he could derive in the studio.
I went to see Jonny Lang do a live show… terrible show but I love his music. Sounded the same but he pretty much ignored the audience.
Don’t all preachers pretty much say the same thing but one will put you to sleep while another will have you shouting AMEN…
So yes, it’s all about the “show” … Why else would they have to do the smoke and mirrors.
So, like I said, I don’t watch award shows all that much anymore.
As for Pink… well, I would be embarrassed if I went to see that show with a member of the opposite sex. Guess they are not really aiming for my age group.
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And baseball…. Getting closer everyday to spring training… Yeah… vacation time….
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Florida will be a welcome change from your current white landscape, huh, Gil? 😀
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Jon Miller gets the Frick Award. *sigh* I really hope Skip will get it one of these days.
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Jon Miller gets the Frick Award…. Another example of why I don’t put much stock in awards these days. Miller is in my top two of announcers that make my skin crawl…
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I guess with the world the way it is nowadays it takes some shock value to get attention and become successful. From hip-hop to rock’n’roll and country to pop we have indeed lost a lot of musical artistry and gained theatrics. Oh well… I’m 53 so I guess this all started with my generation. Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Kiss, etc.
So… have the changes in sport equaled the changes in music over the last 100 years? Interesting question. Do we have the equivalent of Pink or Lady GaGa in sports today. Thankfully they’re not on the Braves.
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Let’s see… Owens, Dion Saunders, Ali, all Pro wrestlers, Iverson… yep, there are/were a lot of look at me types in sports…
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All things being equal, it’s the extrovert who gains the attention. Which cars usually gain the most attention? Flashy or stolid? Still, doesn’t mean I have to buy one.
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HYPE
Global Warming Update
FAIRFAX
John Coleman, founder of the Weather Channel, in an hourlong television documentary titled “Global Warming: The Other Side,” presents evidence that our National Climatic Data Center has been manipulating weather data just as the now disgraced and under-investigation British University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit has.
The NCDC is a division of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Its manipulated climate data is used by the Goddard Institute of Space Studies, which is a division of the National Aeronautical and Space Administration. John Coleman’s blockbuster five-part series can be seen at http://www.kusi.com/ weather/colemanscorner/ 81583352.html.
The Coleman documentary presents research by computer expert E. Michael Smith and certified consulting meteorologist Joseph D’Aleo. During the 1960s and into the 1980s, the number of stations used for calculating global surface temperatures was about 6,000. By 1990, the number of stations dropped rapidly to about 1,500. Most of the stations lost were in the colder regions of the Earth. Not adjusting for their loss made temperatures appear to be higher than was in fact the case.
According to the Science & Environmental Policy Project, Russia reported that CRU was ignoring data from colder regions of Russia, even though these stations were still reporting data. That means data loss was not simply the result of station closings but deliberate decisions by CRU to ignore them in order to hype their global warming claims.
D’Aleo and Smith report that our NCDC engaged in similar deceptive activity where they have dropped stations, particularly in colder climates, higher elevations, or closer to the polar regions. Temperatures are now simply projected for these colder stations from other stations, usually in warmer climates.
Mounting evidence of scientific fraud might make little difference in terms of the response to man-made global warming hysteria. Why? Vested economic and political interests have emerged where trillions of dollars and social control are at stake. Therefore, many people who recognize the scientific fraud underlying global warming claims are likely to defend it anyway.
Automobile companies have invested billions in research and investment in producing “green cars.” General Electric and Phillips have spent millions lobbying Congress to outlaw incandescent bulbs so that they can force us to buy costly compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). Farmers and ethanol manufacturers have gotten Congress to enact laws mandating greater use of their product, not to mention massive subsidies.
Thousands of major corporations around the world have taken steps to reduce carbon emissions, including giants like IBM, Nike, Coca-Cola, and BP, the oil giant. Companies like Google, Yahoo, and Dell have vowed to become “carbon neutral.” Then there’s Chicago Climate Futures Exchange that plans to trade in billions of dollars of greenhouse gas emission allowances. Corporate America and labor unions, as well as their international counterparts, have a huge multitrilliondollar financial stake in the perpetuation of the global warming fraud. Federal, state, and local agencies have spent billions of dollars and created millions of jobs to deal with one aspect or another of global warming.
It’s deeper than just money. Schoolteachers have created polar-bear-dying lectures to frighten and indoctrinate our children when in fact there are more polar bears now than in 1950.
They’ve taught children about melting glaciers. Just recently, the International Panel on Climate Change was forced to admit that their Himalayan glacier-melting fraud was done to “impact policy makers and politicians and encourage them to take some concrete action.”
What would all the beneficiaries of the global warming hype do if it becomes widely known and accepted that mankind’s activities have very little to do with the Earth’s temperature? I don’t know, but a lot of people would feel and look like idiots. But I bet that even if the permafrost returned as far south as New Jersey, as it once did, the warmers and their congressional stooges would still call for measures to fight global warming.
© Creators Syndicate
WALTER WILLIAMS
. . .
Copyright © 2010 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company. 02/03/2010
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Sorry, but couldn’t help but share….
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Is it wrong for me to enjoy seeing President Teleprompter stepping in it once again?
The arrogant PresBo thinks he can say or do anything he pleases, but others are taking exception with his royal proclamations.
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/obama-responds-to-ire-289450.html
Example:
“When times are tough, you tighten your belts,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript of his appearance Tuesday at a high school in North Nashua, N.H.
“You don’t go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage,” Obama said. “You don’t blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you’re trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices.”
The comments quickly sparked a flurry of reaction in the Silver State, which supported Obama in the 2008 election. Nevada had an unemployment rate of 13 percent in December.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said during a hastily called news conference that Obama is no friend to Las Vegas and would not be welcomed here if he visits.
“I’ll do everything I can to give him the boot,” Goodman said. “This president is a real slow learner.” [ 😆 ]
Goodman and others are worried that Obama’s words will discourage visitors from coming to Las Vegas and depress the industry further.
“Enough is enough!” Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley said in a statement. “President Obama needs to stop picking on Las Vegas and he needs to let Americans decide for themselves how and where to spend their hard-earned vacation dollars.”
I do love it when he steps in it… ~@~
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Good morning all, just a dusting of snow last night. To be honest, I am getting a bit tired of all this white stuff hanging around.
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I am not normally a “conspiracy” kinda guy, but something smells awful fishy to me.
Toyota has dominated the US auto market for a long time. A hallmark of their dominance has been their quality of product. Suddenly, the news is flooded with the gas pedal problem. You can’t avoid it if you turn on the TV, radio or internet. This morning I hear that there are now “complaints” being received about brakes on the Prius (which should use a skate key, not a car key) followed by another report that there are electrical issues with other cars.
Isn’t it interesting that at a time when the Imperial US government has taken over a faltering US Auto Industry, that the leading import model comes under a media firestorm?
Interesting indeed…
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Very nice story on JHey, courtesy of the ajc:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/heyward-teacher-learn-together-289332.html
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Man, woke up with really blocked ears today. Haven’t a clue why! Hearing whining and whirring that isn’t there.
I have had a bit of sinus drainage but ears felt fine. Now I feel Like I flew with a bad cold! Fun! 😕
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It’s National Eat Your Tater Tots Day!
Woo-hoo!!! 😀
http://blogs.ajc.com/food-and-more/2010/02/02/its-national-eat-your-tater-tots-day/
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Ber, likely a sinus infection. Time for the anti-biotics…
The sun peeked thru today, not a big thing but a gold star for the weatherman today.
Toyota will be flyspecked for a while. Kind of like the perceived symptoms when there is an outbreak of the flu. Still, it’s a pretty big deal and it will be a long time before it settles down. Anyone remember the Corvair? Turns out Nader gamed the data but by the time anyone found out, the car was dead.
I bought a new Toyota Celica back in ’81, great car. No complaints about my Lexus either. Sadly, I can’t say the same for 3 of the last 4 Cadillacs I have owned. My mom had the same thing occurred with her ’81 ElDorado, gas pedal stuck, but we never could decide if it was the car or mom…. Nearly ran over two dryboys at the carwash when it happened. She finally drove the car into a ditch (culvert) to stop the car. Totaled the Caddy and banged mom up pretty good too. Took her a long time for her to get the nerve to drive again.
Anyway, too many satisfied Toyota owners for it to kill the brand, it will hurt them though.
I only wish they (news media) would spend a little more time questioning the funny number put out on global warming. You know, real news for a change…
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High priority media agenda: Push global warming.
Higher priority media agenda: Attack “evil” corporations.
Highest priority media agenda: Lick the boots of the current administration.
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Stumbled across this on youtube – just absolutely stunning pianist! I’ve played piano since 19 – uh, well, a long time – and couldn’t even dream of playing like this!
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A jazzy version of flight of the bumble bee….
Okay, maybe not.
But can she play using her boots like Jerry Lee???? 🙂
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CL, she’s great! And made silk out of a sow’s ear!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our buddy Chris!
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Happy birthday Klobber….
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HB CK. 😀
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Chick-fil-A to add spicy fried chicken sandwich to the menu! Great news for those of us who frequent the best fast food place in the land. Sounds pretty good with a peach shake. Too bad they didn’t introduce it during this season of global warming we’re all experiencing.
http://www.ajc.com/business/chick-fil-a-to-105346.html?imw=Y
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Wildcat, we go to a dwarfhouse every Tuesday because my Dad loves the Buffet they have…
One of the waitresses had the cook frying pickles, and everyone there loved them(Well, ‘cept for my Dad and I, we don’t like pickles! 😳 ) I had never heard of fried pickles and said they ought to add them to the menu. Lots of fast food joints apparently do that now though….
I LOVE their waffle fries…wish you could get those at other restaurants!
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Chris??? Chris??? The name rings a faint bell! 😛
Happy Birthday! 🙂
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I guess mlbtraderumors.com just doesn’t want me to post comments there anymore. Not that I do that often anyway(few times a month) but now whomever they have running their comments demands you allow 3rd party cookies to be turned on! (Or have an exemption for them) Uh, No!
I don’t want that, no one else demands this….Last thing an up and coming company should do, is make it hard for you to read/post/purchase things…but you sure see it happen from time to time….
Oh well, I can still read the site still…for now. Hey, why not charge people for access, like some newspapers do??? I hear Newsday did it, and had something like 30 online only subscribers! 😡
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The Times Dispatch has an internet site plus an on line subscription site with is really pretty nice, still, it’s hard to put it in the bottom of the cages. I won’t pay for access to sites, they already get money for ads. Besides, most everything I need to know I can find here at the ole B&S….
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….Besides, most everything I need to know I can find here at the ole B&S<.b<
Yep!
Like the snowman Gil! Are you going to get rain, or another blizzard???
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heh Dots …. then = all bold…oh well…
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Wildcat, when is your birthday? I’ll add it to our Blog Birthday list.
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V, I honestly thought you were way off base on the Toyota story…but then I read this article, and I’m not so sure!
Is US bullying Toyota on recall?
By Mira Oberman (AFP) – 10 hours ago
CHICAGO — The US transportation chief’s public rebukes of Toyota’s handling of a massive safety recall have raised eyebrows, given the US government’s major stake in rivals General Motors and Chrysler.
“The optics are terrible because — and this is what happens when a government owns a company – the two companies that are going to gain the most out of this are General Motors and Chrysler,” said Peter Morici, a professor at the University of Maryland’s business school.
“But their behavior is consistent with the general policy of the US government, whether it’s dealing with coffeemakers or cars.”
More
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5im7AzPBsRb2Q_qT0FXa8DxrjjLwA
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Here’s a little question:
Do you remember news of a GM recall in the last year? Even one well publicized report?
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Pathetic….
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/02/04/2010-02-04_big_trouble_over_this_tiny_toy_mom_fuming_at_a_lack_of_common_sense_as_son_buste.html
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They’re here! Well…maybe not…but interesting nonetheless. Personally, I think Elvis is swinging by to pick up some friends and jelly doughnuts!!
A…uh,huh!
http://www.comcast.net/video/space-oddity-baffles-boffins/1404654070/Comcast/1404524595/
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How about a recall involving over 1.5 million cars? Yes, I said 1 1/2 million. 6 years’ worth of Buicks, Chevys, Pontiacs, and Oldsmobiles all of which had GM’s 3.8 liter engine, which contained a defect that could cause oil to leak and potentially lead to a car fire.
It was announced coincidentally on February 4, 2009 yet not reported until April 8, 2009. It got very little press.
Betcha don’t even remember it, do ya?
Betcha you’ll remember the Toyota recall for a long, reputation-damaging time.
Watch the next reporting period for auto sales and you’ll almost certainly see a big slip for Toyota, and probably Nissan and Mazda too just by association.
Amazing the power of the press, isn’t it? It got a community organizer elected to the highest office in the land; it can do almost anything…
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To be honest, I have pretty much been a slacker when it comes to safety recalls. I had one on my Ford F150 concerning the cruise control catching fire while the vehicle was shut off and parked. Took me two and a half years to get around to having it fixed… And then there was the big to do over the fuel tanks on the old Chevy and GMC tanks located behind the driver’s seat. Well, drove my old truck until I gave it to my oldest step son… Of course, he proceeded to total it but that’s another story…
I have found the biggest safety defect is alcohol. I am not a teetotaler by any means but I have no patience with people driving under the influence. Did you all know that 1/3 of all traffic accidents involve alcohol? I haven’t seen anybody recalling Jim Beam though.
Ber, I don’t know how much snow we are going to get, we live on the sleet-rain-snow boundary so that’s why it is so unusual for us to get a lot of snow. The prediction is for at least another 4 inches but we could just as easily get 12 or get nothing. Will have to wait and see. I do however often get snow and just a quarter mile away they get rain… It is not than unusual for it to be 5 degrees cooler here than it is in Mechaniscville proper.
Wife, being the redneck girl she is, says that what Toyota gets for hiring the Mexicans to build their cars. Now, I don’t know about that, all I can say is I would still buy one if the price were right and I liked the looks of the car. Unfortunately, so few cars have eye appeal for me and if a car doesn’t do it for me, I just can’t get interested… Okay, I admit it, I’m shallow…. 🙂
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Leaking oil??? What, they got the engines for the British? Triumphs and MGs came straight from the factories back in the day with the oil leaks as standard equipment… That’s okay if you have a gravel drive but not so hot if you had a concrete floor in your garage.
The weather alert just sounded, winter storm warning was announced, I guess that means we will get more snow. At least they didn’t wait until 4 AM to sound it like last week….
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Gil, my car is 16 years old. I have three more years of driving an “old” car, then I’ll be driving a CLASSIC! 😆
I like it, it looks great, it’s PAID for, my taxes on it are less than $4 a year, gets around 25+ mpg in town (with a 3.8L engine), in the upper 30s on the highway. When it needs parts, I go to a junk yard. What’s not to like??
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Talk about a model collection!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/sets/72157604247242338/show/with/2346008881/
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Wow CL, talk about taking a trip down memory lane. Makes me yearn for the good old days. Sigh…
My cars are usually distributed to whichever offspring who proclaims a need for a really good used car. I wish I could find someone to buy a car from who takes as good of care of their vehicle as I do. That said, it always makes me sad to see them take a really nice vehicle and trash it.
I guess my obsession goes back to my childhood (teen years) when all I could afford were clunkers. Made me appreciate a really nice car or truck. Still, that does not mean I am willing to pay more for a car than I paid for my first house…
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I guess my obsession goes back to my childhood (teen years) when all I could afford were clunkers.
You mean that changes over time?
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Just got a note from the Klobber, he said, “Please tell everyone hello and be sure to tell FBG that my cake was a red velvet cake!”
Hope he can resume his place at our round table ASAP! Besides, I bet the dust is two inches deep in the Saloon! And I’d like to have a Diet Coke…
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Hey CL mark me down for March 9. The way the years are flying by it seems I’m celebrating birthdays way too often. Don’t get me wrong celebrating birthdays may be better than the alternative. This year I’ll be 54… hurray!
My daughter’s car is a 2009 Camry we bought for her last year. Great car! The local dealership knows very little but assures us they will make the car right. We’ve owned several Toyotas and I’m certain we’ll buy again. Will keep y’all informed.
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Got it, Wildcat!
I’ve had two Toyotas and really liked both of them. One was crunched by a Cadillac, the other by an 18-wheeler. *sigh* Would probably still have a Toyota but the local dealership changed hands every other day, it seemed, and it became too much of a hassle to try to deal with them. Service dept. went down the tubes in a hurry.
Wish I had had parents to buy cars for me. I always had to get my own! I think I’ll go pout! 😆
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Hey! Mama Eagle has already laid TWO eggs! One Jan 31, one Feb 3. The EagleCam link is under “Stuff” to the right.
One of last year’s eaglets, Azalea, was rigged with a satellite tracker and she has been all over the place – from the Delmarva peninsula to the lower outer banks of NC. It’s been fascinating to watch her progress. Shes flown over 1900 km. (1931 Kilometers = 1199.8677722102918 Miles) roughly 1200 miles. That’s a lot of flying!
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Thanks for letting us know, CL. I miss Chris.
It’s my dad’s birthday too. As he’s on a diet he requested that I hold off on his Pineapple Upside-Down Cake ’til next month but I did make him a nice pot roast.
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Pretty dark and ominous looking outside… Well, I guess the dark should be expected because it’s only 7AM… but cloudy still, I get a sense of foreboding with yet another snow on the way. The kids will get no spring break at all if this keeps up. I remember having to attend school on Saturday a few times myself. Now I realize it was the teachers more than the students who thought that was a bummer…
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I owned a Toyota Corolla SRX Coupe for over 10 years. I put almost 300,000 miles on it before selling it to a friend of a friend for his daughter 5 years ago. After he bought it, he liked it so much he kept it for himself. He’s still driving it today.
Then I bought a Toyota RAV4. I sold it last year with just over 200,000 miles on it.
Now I have a Pontiac Vibe – cousin to the Toyota Matrix. Wonder how many miles I’ll put on this one?
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Raisins, I remember when getting 100,000 miles out of a vehicle was a significant achievement, with a Toyota or a Honda, that is just past the normal break in period. I usually get tired of a car before I wear it out… Except for my Caddys. They bit the dust pretty quick. I love a Cadillac but they just die way before their time.
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Okay now, a good morning so far. Just sold a Dell Desk top computer via Craig’s list. Made $50 on the deal. Ain’t no big thing but will buy dog food for a couple of weeks 🙂
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And the snow has shown up… UGH….
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Man, I wish it was snowing here! 😦
It’s amazing the miles you can put on a car today. We did put over 225K on a 1968 and 1969 Buick…and that’s with Mom, Dad and I all being leadfoots! 😈
Gil, I had a 1971 Caddy, probably about the end of the line of great Caddy’s. Thing never once left me stranded in the 60K + I put on it….and it still had a lot of original parts when I got it…
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My Sable (at 16) has a tad over 104,000 miles on it. It had right at 20,000 when I bought it in 1995. Curious, I just did some math:
104k – 20k = 84,000/16 yrs = 5,250 miles per year/12mos = 437.5 miles per month. Did I ever mention that I prefer staying home instead of gallivanting around the countryside?? 😆
My brother’s old Chevy Blazer (’93) has 300,000+ on it. Still runs great but it is rusting now.
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I had a ’70 Fleetwood Brougham Ber, My kids made me drop them off two blocks from wherever I was taking them… 🙂 It got a lot cheaper to maintain after I discovered most of the chassis parts cross referenced to a 3/4 ton Chevy truck… I have some pictures of it but nothing digital. She was a hoss though..
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’70 Fleetwood… land yacht. Man, that was a big’un.
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Quote from Mr. O’B regarding JHey:
At 6-4 and 245 pounds, he’s about 20 pounds heavier than when we saw him last spring. But he’s still got the narrow waist and V-back. I used to say he looked like a young Derrek Lee when Lee came to the Marlins from San Diego. But now he looks more like full-grown Derrek Lee. And then some.
I cannot wait…
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She was a 21 footer Ber…
CL.. Rust?? Near the ocean??? Who would have thunk it? 🙂
J Hey just might be the real deal… The next Chipper Jones, but smarter…
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Takes a big car for a big man Ber… Last time I think I was comfortable…
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Of course, being a Chevy, it did not need the ocean’s help on that one…
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Question, of all the cars we see restored, anyone ever see a K-car?
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Would we want to?
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No
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😆
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Well, after teasing us all morning, the snow has finally started to get serious. This is a more typical snow storm for us as it is one of those wet sloppy snows that tend to be heavy an weigh down the trees and power lines… Blowing in from the east now so there will be no shortage of moisture with this bad boy…
Predictions are for DC to get about 2 feet, thus paralyzing our government…. Will we be able to tell the difference? Most government workers have already left early, this is as opposed to simply being at the office and occupying a seat. Could bode ill for Amazon.com and others of their ilk however, as said employees will not be able to shop on line from work and make their on-line purchases on company time.
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What did that Chuck James say … he don’t scout hitters, he just throws the ball? Something like that, but that’s probably why he’s in the Nats minors right now. — TnBrian
Chuck also said, “It ain’t rocket surgery.”
And wasn’t trying to be funny. DOB
Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are… Chuck is going to feel right at home with the Nationals…
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That IS funny! Nat’s minors, huh? At least he has another occupation he can fall back on if need be.
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he had shoulder surgery last year.
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You sure it wasn’t rocket surgery?
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The Phillies have signed Japanese southpaws Shigetoshi Yamakita and Naoyo Okamoto to minor league contracts according to Daily Sports Online.
Free agent lefty Hisanori Takahashi has minor league offers from the Red Sox, Giants, Padres, and Dodgers, according to a Sports Hochi report.
Word has it that their physicals will include being inspected for wiring issues and brake deficiencies…
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Gil and V are a couple of cards tonight! 🙂 But, one doesn’t have to be a rocket surgeon to be funny.
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This sure doesn’t help Toyota’s problems… 30 second ad before the clip
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/toyotas-pedal-problems-priuss-brakes-9751945
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That’s some pretty serious stuff Ber, I still contend the problem is in the computer… We shall see….
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This snow thing is starting to get tiresome…
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how much now Gil??? 3 feet in Baltimore!!!!!
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Well, weather gal said 3 feet, but it’s near Baltimore…
She also said 3 inches in Baltimore!
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About 4 or 5 inches but it is really weighing down the trees. Blowing sideways from the north west. It rained all last night so any snow we got yesterday got washed away, not that I had a problem with that.
So, setting in front of the boob tube watching the Daytona qualifying. Hey, if NASCAR is starting, it means baseball season is right around the corner.
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Gil, is that you? 😉
http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/viewsingleimage.html?mode=singleimage&handle=hayewe&number=1&thumbstart=1&gallery=CURRWEATHER
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Perhaps Gil lost his power…I know a lot of folks up north did…
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Knock on wood Ber, the electrons are still flowing… I watched the ARCA race, (hey had to see what all the hype about Danica was about) and the Bud Shootout.
The rain managed to make this snowfall crusty. Now some really cold air has moved in to assure us that this white stuff will remain with us for a while.
I hate to wish my life away but I can hardly wait until March….
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eleven days until the rest of the pitchers and catchers report…
The latest snowstorm has left the area and to be truthful, the landscape is rather pretty. Sunglasses will again be the order of the day. Only about 4 inches of new accumulation for me but we still had six inches on the ground from the last snow and now we also have a layer of ice sandwiched between the two.
I think we have just enough seed left to fill the feeders once more. It is pretty interesting to watch how the birds and squirrels have developed a peaceful co-existence and work to assist each other in emptying out the troth…
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No Ber, won’t me but I will get out later today (maybe) and clear some of the road. Too dang cold right now, only about 25 degrees. Maybe if I don’t provide too much assistance, folks will stay in.
I am going to have to go up and clear the snow from around the mail boxes anyway. Not sure as to why, the mail carrier has not made any attempts to deliver my mail for three days and I am kind of doubtful about Monday… When the postal service says they may have to cut out Saturday delivery, I say go ahead, I won’t notice any difference… Sorry FBG, no slight to your dad but this is not the same mail service I grew up with.
I sometimes think they work so hard at trying not to do anything, they wear themselves out. A bit of a unionization syndrome…
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Gil, just be careful out there with there being ice between the snow! Not that anyone needs to fall on the ice, but you really don’t need that!
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A beautiful, beautiful song:
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It’s not the same one he grew up with either, Gil. Why do you think he went ahead & retired so young?
Be careful of that ice.
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from here and there:
Brian Giles signs Minor League contract with the Dodgers –
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Brian-Giles-signs-minor-league-contract-with-Dodgers-020710
Braves, Tigers interested in Damon –
“It’s not clear how many suitors are showing interest in Johnny Damon at the moment. But the Tigers and Braves are definitely among the group, multiple major league sources told FOXSports.com late Friday.
Both clubs hold spring training near Damon’s Orlando home and play their home games in the Eastern time zone — satisfying two criteria that Damon is said to be considering.
Thus far, the Braves have taken a more passive approach than the Tigers. They would be happy to sign Damon if he “falls into their lap,” one source said Friday, but are unlikely to offer him a lucrative deal.” – Fox Sports
*sigh* – not much at all besides that exciting news….
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If you haven’t read it, here’s a pretty neat story about the Braves’ executive VP of business operations and the Olympics:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-exec-has-key-292779.html
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Pretty good football game tonight, the Saints actually won the game because they played with heart and abandon… I am not all that for New Orleans (the city) but you have to root for an organization that shows a lot of class, and that is going some for an organization located in the “Sportsman’s Paradise”
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Okay Raisins.. Salty.. It’s Monday morning… Time to wake up!!!
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Had a great time last night at a Super Bowl party hosted by a good friend. The food was awesome and the company was even better. The game was very entertaining and we acutally got the wives involved a bit more this year. Commercials were generally a let down but did love the one with Betty White and Abe Vigoda.
Thought Peyton and the Colts would dominate but as usual my Super Bowl pick was completely wrong. Looking forward to some college BBall and finally some Braves baseball!
GO BRAVES!!!
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I’m awake, Gil…
Just very little to report on the Braves front.
When the “big news” is all about a guy that you’re not actively pursuing, and his possible interest by other teams, the news stream is pretty lean.
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Good example:
Bowman’s blog headline reads Braves still not actively pursuing Damon.
And in a related story, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.
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Betty White is just fantastic. Hope I’m that spry at 88!
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Wildcat, that’s a funny ad! V, you are too young to remember Franco…wait, I know about that as well… 😳
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Everyone see the Audi ad??? 😀
In other news, not unlike the Franco story…more rain in the ATL! 😕
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Did y’all see where the Braves just signed Albert Pujols??
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I didn’t either, but it sure got your molecules moving, didn’t it??
😆
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And this just in… (That’s in case Braveheart is lurking) The Braves say they have no interest in signing Barry Bonds… Phone calls to the Braves have not been returned on this breaking story…
And anyone else besides me have a completely different feeling about Haiti since the arrested the 10 Baptist missioners from Idaho? I am thinking Somalia all over again…
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John Murtha, D-PA dead. Complications of gall bladder surgery? That’s what it says…
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John Murtha, D-PA dead.
First, I am sorry for his family.
The US is better off today. Murtha was a master string puller and arm twister in Congress for way too many years. He was also a master at finding ways to get all of his pet earmarks funded by your and my tax dollars. If ever there was a case study for term limits, he was it…. well, he and Teddy.
God must be in favor of term limits, too, I suppose…
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Yes folks, I m sadden by his death but not for his exit. Will special election be held or appointment made by the Gov?
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Which party is the Governor?
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Special election… most likely to coincide with the primary election in May.
The Congress has 10 days to declare the seat vacant. Pa.’s Governor then has to declare a date for a special election to be held no sooner than 60 days. Those requirements should make it easy for them to hold it on the already scheduled primary date, saving alot of $$$. I think I read that the cost of a special election can run in the millions.
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Should be interesting….
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Of course, truth be told, there was no love lost between Murtha and Pelosi. He was a threat to her so she had to pander to him. Goes to show you that when your time on earth is done, it’s done… Pretty simple surgery, must have developed peritonitis.
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Yep, Fox is reporting a botched surgery… That’s going to cost somebody their job…
See, that is why I have such a phobia about hospitals. Nothing is really routine. The more routine, the more likely it is someone will get lackadaisical and goof up.
Like the baseball player that makes the really tough plays but boots the ball on a routine grounder.
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Good analogy Gil!
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Here’s a headline from the front page of ajc.com:
Brakes don’t work: What do you do?
Guess what kind of car is pictured under the caption? Yep… a Toyota.
I’m tellin’ ya, it’s no coincidence…
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I was a paramedic for 25 years and an EMT before that. I had a philosophy that served me well. “The most nothing you can do is always the best course of treatment for every patient” You would not believe the number of times I would see a bunch of wahoos do things because they could, not because they should. They would say, they needed the practice…
The flip side was the folks that took everything for granted. Honestly, they acted like a bunch of sociopaths. I saw/see a lot of that in nursing homes. People who hate their job and take it out on their patients.
For goodness sakes, if you hate your job that much, do everyone a favor and change your career path…
[stepping back off soap box now]
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I had the breaks fail on my my cars twice. Both times I was setting in a driveway with my foot on the breaks. The first was a ’55 Ford and the second was a ’65 Mercury Park Lane. break line ruptured both times. Important lesson, never, never, never rely on your breaks to work all the time in an emergency. Space between objects is insurance….
Like the pilots adage about altitude.. Right CL?
Slow news cycle Raisins. Still say it’s the CPU… And like I said, the problem is not confined to Toyota. GM cars have done the same thing in the past, just not as frequently. That said, I am still not buying a Chrysler product. And not selling my Lexus either…
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Uh oh.. The snow birds are gathering at the feeders again today… Sigh… 😦
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Yep, Gil, about time for round 3.
ding ding
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Gil, it’s said that you need two things to sustain flight: airspeed and altitude. If you run out of either one, you have a problem. Especially if you run out of them simultaneously! 🙂
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I’m in NJ this week…apparently awaiting a blizzard. Suspect my view’s going to look remarkably like Lew’s old avatar. Livin’ large! 🙄
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yuk…
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So Salty, gardening again? 🙂
Okay, bring it on… just returned from restocking the larder. Tractor supply was out of bird seed however, so I guess that means a lot of other folks are dispensing free meals to our fine feathered friends. We have enough left to refill the feeders one more time. I guess the birds won’t starve, not saying they won’t develop hypothermia however.
A little side note… When we first moved out here, I bought a 20 gal. plastic trash container to store the bird seed in. I found that the squirrels thought it to be hilarious at how naive I was about the persistence and ingenuity of a country squirrel. Wasn’t long before they had chewed a hole through the lid and were gorging themselves at my expense. Needless to say, I now use a metal trash can and lid for feed storage.
They did make it pretty convenient for me to recycle aluminum cans though. Perfect size hole in the lid of the container…
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Just back from visiting Mom at the nursing home. She’s having a Fourth of July weekend as best I could make out. In years past, we used to pack up enough of everything to last an entire day, leave EARLY in the morning and drive down to Southport (across the river) for the 4th. HUGE parade, thousands upon thousands of people descend on this tiny village, non-stop lines of craft tents and at 9 that night, fireworks over the water. By the time we’d get home, it would be 11:30 at least.
That’s where she was (in her mind) today. Talking a mile a minute about the parade and what she saw and was (my brother) going to get there in time, etc etc etc.
At least she’s in a happy place mentally and not fretting about anything.
Official diagnosis: Advanced dementia
In a few minutes after we left, she wouldn’t even remember that we had been there. But that’s alright as long as she’s happy.
Still nothing new in baseball? *sigh*
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Yes CL… It is a strange and wondrous world and maybe they are lucky to have those good memories to fall back on. Boy, are my kids going to be surprised at the places I’m going to ramble on about… 🙂
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And yes, I liked Southport too… Really a charming little town. A couple of pretty good seafood places too… 🙂
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Good news bad news for me… Good news, it’s not snowing, bad news… it’s freezing rain…
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Gil, Southport used to be the real deal until all the ‘retirees’ started coming down here and began changing it into their foggy idea of what they thought it SHOULD have been like. Planted a bunch of huge stupid palm trees, got everything ’boutiqued’ and landscaped to pieces and drove the prices of everything up ’til nobody except those just like them even bother to go there now. Completely destroyed it. Now it’s just another enclave of rich – you know. Another beautiful place they’ve destroyed.
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CL… amazing what our brains store and when it decides to recall that information Sounds like you can relive your childhood again through her recollections. Southport sounds like a great place to be a kid and celebrate the 4th!
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Oh, those were wonderful times, Wildcat. I continued that tradition with Kelly until Mother was unable to go anymore. (She had the first stroke 10 years ago.) Unfortunately, now most of her speech is unintelligible. I can pick out a lot of words, usually enough to know what she’s talking about (I think!)but the details are known only to her. We simply agree with everything and assure her that everything is okay and taken care of. That seems to satisfy her.
Southport was always a fun trip. We’d ride the ferry from Ft Fisher to Southport. Not a very long ride, but fun just the same. I have a special fondness for the ferries because I’ve ridden so many going back and forth to the Outer Banks. Lord, wouldn’t I love to be able to go back there!
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CL… Life teaches us that the only thing certain about change is that change is certain… A lesson for all of us to enjoy life as we can and if we don’t like things the way they are, well, that’s going to change…
Reminds me a little of the joke of how many Virginians does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: 10, one to change the bulb and nine to sit around and talk about how great the old bulb was.
As for me… I keep trying to make new memories… 🙂
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And the outer banks have undergone a lot of changes too. I lived/worked in Kitty Hawk for about a year back in ’72. A much different place than the one I saw last year during an overnighter.
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SIGH! Snowing again… This is really getting old….
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And a new wrinkle… wind gust to 45 mph… even the birds are getting a little disgusted. No pun intended… well, maybe.. 🙂
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CL, talk of past 4th of Julys makes me think back to how much I enjoyed them in my youth. Fond memories…of the best was out in L.A. amazingly enough. I wish I had pictures of it. Some huge, huge empty field(don’t even know where it was) lots of people, makes me think of the old coke song, I’d like to teach the world to sing….
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Gil, I am still envious! 😡 No snow, just cold, and windy here. Wouldn’t the birds be gusted, not disgusted ??? 😕
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Chien-Ming Wang is close to signing with the Nats. With a little luck, they are going to be much better this year. Not good news for the bravos!
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Actually Ber, only the ones nopt hiding in the trees.
The Nats will be better against the rest of the NL East teams too. Evens out somewhere along the line…
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It just plain cold here. 36 with wind gusting to 49 = wind chill of 24. There is just no way to stay warm when the wind is blowing like that.
Salty, how is it in NJ?
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Fascinating interactive weather map:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/zoa/mwmap3.php?map=usa
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Well…lookin’ at about 8-10″ so far…of course, now the nor’easter is about to rev up…Gil’s 45 mph gusts should be arrving soon…snow to continue to midnight…or beyond. And to think there was nothing this time yesterday!
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ajc:
Braves, Chipper make pitch to Damon
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-chipper-make-pitch-296606.html
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CL: The winds… nearly blew me over walking to the car this morning. I don’t recall where abouts you are in NC. I just moved to Raleigh not long ago. Actually, I moved in right when the rain, snow, and supper cold weather rolled into town. Perfect timing. But these winds. Is this normal?
Hope all is well. Sorry I haven’t been around in a while. But its good to read the old names.
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Welcome back TP… The wind is just a residual effect of the gas bags in Washington…
Not sure what is normal any longer. I do know that our current weather is unusual.
It stopped snowing this morning around noon but we got another 2 inches of accumulation from the snow being blown off the trees… Another storm is possible next week, that said, it looks to be worse to our south so get your snow shovel now TP and avoid the rush.
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Howdy 10Paul!
Good to see you back in Stuffville…
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On Damon… I’m not sure what to think, of course if he signs with the Braves, Gwinnette will lkely have a pretty stout outfield to begin the season. It would also delay the clock on Heyward. Sorry guys but as good a player as Heyward has the potential to be, more experience in the minors is not going to be detrimental to his development.
I know a lot of folks are anxious to see the JHey kid in Atlanta. Same folks who were clamoring for Schafer last year. How did that work out for all concerned?
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And a political comment… Every time the liberals make fun of Palin, it only gets people like me riled up a little more. I will be the first to admit that she might not be the brightest kid in class but at least she doesn’t come off as a snob. The problem with really smart people (and I am referring to the uber educated) is they think everyone besides themselves is an idiot. At least those of us who may not be blessed with a high IQ know when to call in the experts, and then cut through the BS and apply some common sense to the problem.
Okay, back off soap box now…
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Gee, Gil… I don’t know. She strikes me as a pretty sharp lady.
Of course, I value common sense alot more that the average liberal…
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Did not say she wasn’t smart, just not brainy… She does scare the pediddle out of the libs though..
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WOHOOO!!! Winter storm warning for south Alabama for late Thursday and into Friday. 90% chance of the white stuff. Can’t let y’all up nawth hog all the fun! Does it have to be cold and windy as well?
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“She does scare the pediddle out of the libs though..” Common sense and a huge fan base will do that.
TnPaul! So glad to see you again! And welcome to NC. So YOU brought all this stuff here, huh?? No. This is decidedly NOT usual!
There is so much posturing going on with the Damon negotiations. Just so funny! Damon wants to sign with the Braves. Boras tells him, text ajc – so he does. Boras says “Got other teams interested – and they’ve offered two years.” Chipper suddenly makes the pitch to Damon. Wren says no comment. Dancing.
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How nice to know when I return to Georgia, there will be white waiting on me there, too! 🙄
Flying up to NJ on Sunday, you could tell a LOT of snow had fallen over Virginia to southern New Jersey…so many streets had’t even been touched with a plow. And to think more fell on top of that…that’s just rough! White seems to be the predominate color over much of the US right now! 😆
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Wildcat, congrats on the potential snowfall! I am about as jealous as I get seeing everyone getting snow, and just being stuck with gloomy dead lawns,(that feel like walking on sponges because of all the rain) trees, yet it’s clearly cold enough to snow. I’m just glad to see a weekend that might actually be dry….
Hey 10Paul! 🙂
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And where is FBG??? She go to Calgary, to watch skiing in the rain??? 😛
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Michael Yon (the Ernie Pyle of today) posted a new dispatch from Afghanistan today:
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/seven.htm?test=latestnews
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Here, Ber! Just busy lately & it seems like I have less time on the computer than ever.
It’s cold again here, too. Talking about more freezing temps which leads to the farmers spraying their fields all night again which leads to more sinkholes. This is more winter than I can remember ever having before. Last couple of years we didn’t even have a chance of freezing temps.
Hey TennPaul! Good to see you!
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Good morning folks, Braves sign Damon yet? Using the Braves for leverage? Anyone know? Anyone care? Just asking….
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Morning, Gil, everyone.
Schultz has an interesting article on Smoltz:
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2010/02/10/smoltz-waiting-for-a-job-and-could-he-be-a-brave-again/
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No, Gil, no news on Damon. But I am beginning to believe that they might just get this thing done. For all of the Braves’ official talk of “We are very pleased with the team we have currently assembled”, their actions seem to belie (first on blog?) that stance.
Yep, I think they might just pursue this to fruition. (Also first on blog?)
😀
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Start with this: We saw two different aging pitchers last year. The first Smoltz came off shoulder surgery for a torn labrum, signed with Boston and then crashed in spectacular fashion. He was 2-5 with an 8.32 ERA in eight games. He allowed eight runs in 3.1 innings in his last start against the New York Yankees. The Red Sox said, “Enough,” and released him.
The second Smoltz came from some alternate universe. He signed with St. Louis. In his first start, he struck out seven straight and threw five shutout innings against San Diego.
Half of Boston went on suicide watch. Jeff Schultz AJC
Now that’s funny….
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Hey, I don’t begrudge Smoltz a bit, you’ve got to do what you think is best for yourself and your family in the long run.
Yes Raisins, I think Frank Wren learned his lesson about building up fan expectations after last year’s debacle with Raffy…
Since it’s not really my money, I don’t really care who the Braves spend it on. I don’t blame them for not wanting to pay full asking price for any player. There are really very few players really worth all the money they demand but then again, who am I to say what someone’s labor is worth? Do we really know how much a club brings in? Profits from privately owned companies are pretty closely guarded secrets.
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All righty then, guess I will get ready to go visit mom today. Later folks…
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Yes. I brought it all back. Packed it in my trunk, drove real fast, and got all the wind to shift towards the East. 🙂
I am glad to see the sun for the next few days. It seems like months.
For all of the Braves’ official talk of “We are very pleased with the team we have currently assembled”, their actions seem to belie (first on blog?) that stance.
I still like this stance better than last year where Wren discussed every rumor in detail… that was torture. I hope they are aiming for Damon to keep Heyward down on the farm for a few months. Only good can come from that. But we will see. So far the Braves offer is the only “public” offer out there. Boras claims there are other teams, but other teams typically leak more information than the Braves (who saw Glaus coming?) so I’m skeptical of Boras’ assertions.
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Yep, 10P, a signing of Damon helps the team in multiple ways.
First, you have a better leadoff alternative than anyone currently on the roster. And that allows N8 to move down to the 6th or 7th slot and maximize his run producing ability.
And has been documented over and over, it allows the Braves to keep JHey down until mid-season, at which time they can use MattyD (yep, I said MattyD. Melky is MUCH more valuable off the bench) as a trade piece pre-deadline.
I have been pondering the batting order including Damon. (I know I have been scolded across the street for posting a batting order because “I am not the manager” blah, blah, blah. Don’t get me started on that jerk-wad.) Anyway, ponder this pre-JHey:
1- Damon
2- Yunel
3- Chipper
4- Glaus
5- Mac
6- N8
7- Prado
8- Melky/Diaz
Then post-JHey:
1- Damon
2- Yunel
3- Chipper
4- Glaus
5- Mac
6- N8
7- JHey
8- Prado
You realize when you’re talking about Prado at 7th and 8th that you have a pretty potent lineup. There may be no 40 HR guys, but every guy (or platoon) 1 thru 8 has a legitimate shot at 20. Seriously.
I am very excited about this season.
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I want JHey, and I want JHey now! 😡
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
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😉
All I know is Damon is a winner. And is very patient at the plate, and you all know I want to see this lineup be more patient, ala Yankees and Red Sox.
IF they braves aren’t going to offer 2 years, then pay him a bit more this year. Hey, it’s not my moola either! 😛
And then there is Schafer…..
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And then there is Schafer…
2011, Ber… 2011…
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2011???? He will be 24 then! That’s over the hill! 😛
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2011: LF= N8, CF= Schafer, RF= JHey
That’ll be a good’un.
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BREAKING NEWS!
TommyG has been hired as Special Assistant to Braves Pres. John Schuerholz… more details to follow.
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Glavine story:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100211&content_id=8061414&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
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Glavine:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/glavine-joins-braves-front-298830.html
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Welcome back Tommy… it is a fitting final arc to complete the full circle.
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His first order of business will be to hire John Smoltz as deputy to the deputy of the special assistant in charge of spin… 🙂
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And if I were Don Sutton or Chip Carey, I would be just a little bit nervous.
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While there is no mention of expected salary, I would venture it will keep him in gas money. I know Tom is not all that crazy about cab rides…
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Think maybe they could fit him with a transmitter and put a receiver in Jo Jo’s ear. Could coax him through game situations… 🙂
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Damon to the Tigers.. 2 years, $14 mill… I don’t understand why the Tigers got rid of Granderson if they were going to pay more for a lessor player. That’s pretty dumb to me.
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Not so fast, Gil… the White Sox have now entered the JD fray.
Matters not, though, to the Braves nation. He won’t be here. How does the bidding go from 1 year / $4-6MM, to 2 years / $14MM that quickly? What is Dombrowski thinking? And why the heck did they trade Granderson if they’re gonna pay that much to Damon? That makes no sense to me. Boras must have some sort of Chinese mind-control thingie goin’…
And I’m OK with that. It would have been kinda nice, but it’s OK. Honestly, I’d like to see Schafer have another spring like last year and force himself into the lineup again – hopefully to stay healthy and productive for more than a week. He has the potential to have a similar bat to Damon, but with far superior defense.
It’s all your fault, Ber. You didn’t want to wait until 2011. 😀
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UH – winter storm warning – 3″-4″ by Sat morning?
TNPAUL!!! Could I have a WORD with you??!!!
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UH – winter storm warning – 3″-4″ by Sat morning?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA….. 🙂
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Sorry, couldn’t help myself…
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Shut up, Gil!
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😛
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This winter…every one should share in the snow! It’s caused by that global warming thing, you know. And since it’s been so hot down south, doesn’t it stand to reason (I prefer sitting to reason, myself…but I digress!) we should get a disproportionate amount of snow…or in the case of Enterprise, AL…snow, period! 😆
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In that case, Brazil better watch out! I just read that they are having a ‘killing’ heatwave down there.
You know, I don’t understand. Haven’t heard a peep out of AlGore lately.
On Fox.com: Former Pres Clinton taken to NYC hospital in ‘unknown condition.’
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“Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was seen leaving the Oval Office but was not “in a rush,” the network (ABC) reported.”
Wouldn’t read a whole lot in that one way or the other….
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On Fox.com: Former Pres Clinton taken to NYC hospital in ‘unknown condition.’
Hmmm… maybe it lasted more than 4 hours?
*
*
*
*
**I can’t believe I just said that… 😳
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Scientists freeze water with heat:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/02/11/scientists-freeze-water-heat/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+foxnews%252Fscitech+%2528Text+-+SciTech%2529
Oh lord! Don’t let Gore find out about this…. “Yeah, it’s so HOT with all this GLOBAL WARMING that it is SNOWING! See, I told ya!”
🙄
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By the way…at 4:15, FOXsports’ Jim Bowden tweeted that John Schuerholz told him that the Braves were still “engaged” in talks with Damon…
Read into that what you will, but apparently they are interested enough not to have already folded the deck.
I really, really hope they don’t go 2 years on their offer…
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V, sign for two, then flip him?
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Don’t worry Raisins, as soon as Hilary shows up I am sure that problem would abate… 🙂
And snow… hey, need snow to make potholes. It’s really just an evil plot to create jobs to repair highways. And front end alignments… and oh yeah, tires… going to need tires…
So, what does all this mean? Hot weather in summer, cold weather in winter… Who knew?
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And honestly, I am glad you folks will get a bit of the white stuff, didn’t want to be a hog about it. And Ber, maybe even some snow for you…
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Man, CL, Gil, Salty, and V in particular, Y’all are cracking me up! 😀 😀 😀
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Gil, your generosity knows no bounds! 😆
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Think maybe they could fit him with a transmitter and put a receiver in Jo Jo’s ear. Could coax him through game situations…
Gil, That’s a GREAT idea! 🙂
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Gil, I am sure hoping for snow here, but believe it or not, they are predicting most of the snow Macon, and south of us!
Here is a funny photo I found on that jazz forum I read…Gil can relate I am sure.
[URL=http://www.imagebam.com/image/564eab67713969/][IMG]http://thumbnails28.imagebam.com/6772/564eab67713969.gif[/IMG][/URL]
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Oh nurts….I HATE that wordpress doesn’t let one easily put a photo up. Funny, I youtube clip shows up better…
anyway, a link….
http://www.imagebam.com/image/564eab67713969/
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That IS funny, Ber!
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The Dept of Defense briefed the president this morning.
They told President Obama that 2 Brazilian soldiers were killed in Iraq .
To everyone’s surprise, all the color drained from Obama’s face.
Then he collapsed onto his desk, head in his hands, visibly shaken, almost in tears.
Finally, he composed himself and asked, ‘Just how many is a Brazilian?’
This is not surprising, since he obviously has no understanding of billion or trillion either.
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Man, CL, Gil, Salty, and V in particular, Y’all are cracking me up!
Uhm…Ber…I know everyone on the list ‘cept the first one. Who is ‘Man’? 😛
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Scientists freeze water with heat:
Well…there you have it. Hell will freeze over!
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…and Al Gore will take credit for it!
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now Salty is on a roll! 😆
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Tomorrow is going to be crazy! Not a single flake has fallen and it’s a snow day for most of the schools and government offices already. I work on Fort Rucker and I’m willing to bet there will be very little going on. You don’t get a snow day but every 15 years so why not celebrate? Friday before a three day weekend… fantastic!
Raisins… keep posting those lineups. They’ve got me excited as well. I’m not that high on Damon but I realize we need a leadoff hitter. This spring is going to be very interesting. If JHey has a great spring I say bring him up. What to do with Matt Diaz? How do we get him in the lineup?
GO BRAVES!!!
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Yes, snow can make all of us a little crazy. Or make us go crazy… Take your pick.
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Diaz may well be one of the most underrated players ever to grace the Tomahawk across his chest.
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Good morning Gil! Not a single flake has fallen but the radar looks promising.
Does anyone here listen to XM Radio and the MLB Home Plate channel. Rob Dibble is killing that show for me. How in the world did the Nationals hire this guy as a color commentator. I’d rather listen to Stephen A. Smith on Fox Sports Radio. Listening in the morning is often the only time I can get to listen regularly and I can’t stand Dibble. Arghhhh!!!
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Wildcat, I agree, it’s a real chore especially when you team Dibble up with Bob Carpenter.
I canceled XM shortly after I retired and realized I spent very little time listening to the radio when I no longer commuted. That and realizing that most of their music was caned formats, repeated over and over and over… Like regular radio but more expensive.
By the way, I feel the same about Jon Miller…
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Gil… I listen to music infrequently but I listen to sports talk and games all the time. I’ve gotten to the point where I can’t drive anywhere without having XM. When I’m not watching the Braves I can listen to them anywhere. We have a Braves affiliate in Albany, GA but reception is awful. My wife is the same however she listens to news and talk shows. So, we’ve got XM in her car.
The weather guess’ers were right. The snow has been falling at a nice clip for the last hour or so. Nice wet sloppy snow. Gibson, our crazy Shitzu puppy, got soaked outside playing in it. He had a blast!
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Surprised you are not availing yourself of the computer feeds of the FAN out of Atlanta.
http://www.680thefan.com/
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Nice analysis of this spring’s Braves non-roster invitees:
http://capitolavenueclub.com/?p=1906
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Harwell wins Scully Award
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/02/11/scully.harwell.ap/index.html
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Lincecum/Giants, 2-yrs, $23m+
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Frank Thomas retires.
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That’s it. Bottom of the (news) barrel.
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Interesting assessment from the above mentioned non-roster invitee analysis:
Chris Resop – It’s unclear whether or not the Braves will use him as a pitcher or left fielder during spring training.
Uh… wha? 😯
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SI’s Jon Heyman:
The Braves are the one eminently logical interested team [in Johnny Damon]. They need offense, have done nothing to enhance their lineup this winter and are a perfect geographical fit or Damon, who lives in Orlando, not far from where Atlanta’s Disney training facility is located. Yet, at the moment, they appear to be running third in this derby. Early reports suggested the Braves were offering $4 million, with $2 million of it deferred. But sources have indicated they might have $6 million or so to spend.
Interesting indeed…
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How in the heck did Corey Hart, Milwaukee’s version of Jeff Francoeur, win his arb case? Do these arbitration judges even follow baseball? Or have they been popped by a foul ball or something?
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“Do these arbitration judges even follow baseball?” They watched part of a ballgame once and it was awarded to them. 😛
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“Chris Resop – It’s unclear whether or not the Braves will use him as a pitcher or left fielder during spring training.”
I saw that, V, and had the same reaction. Huh??
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“Do these arbitration judges even follow baseball?”
The nature of arbitration is such that the player only presents his demands. Said demands are to be met in his favor, unless the team can prove he’s worthless. Well, that’s a lost cause as the mere offering of arbitration implies value, thus…the team actually helps the player win the case! How’s that for a circular explanation!?!
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Sounds like a government program…
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Now the weather people are saying 5 inches. *sigh* Guess I’ll have to move up to Virginia, around Mechanicsville, where they don’t get much snow….
*ducks to avoid mysteriously thrown snowball*
😆
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Yes, flakes are even in abundance here in Jefferson. And I’m not talking about the kind that are in abundance in Midtown year-round… 😀
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Guess I’ll have to move up to Virginia, around Mechanicsville, where they don’t get much snow….
CL…you’ll have to go further north…and west…say…around Vancouver! 😆
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And speaking of circular logic, of sorts:
I have been on record speaking of advocating the signing of Damon at a reasonable contract price. No reason to rehash the details of my stance as those details can be found by scrolling up a bit.
As the news of an alleged 2-year / $14MM offer from Detroit surfaced yesterday, I was a little baffled why the Tigers would offer him that kind of money in light of their trading of the younger and similarly talented Curtis Granderson, whom was under contract and team control for 3 years and less overall money. Made no sense, right?
Now, bring that home to our Braves. Who is the one current Major League outfielder that homegrown Jordan Schafer has repeatedly been compared to? Yep… Granderson.
So under that logic, why wouldn’t the Braves give Schafer an opportunity to win a job instead? Yeah, yeah… I understand the whole suspension/injury/not enough at-bats/blah, blah argument. Hey, if a player can win a job – like he has already done once – who cares about the at-bats? Not me.
The next argument is: would you then want potentially 2 rookies in the same outfield in a season when you are supposedly making a huge playoff push to send Bobby out on? My answer: winning a job is winning a job… period. Let ’em go to camp and compete. If you don’t have the talent emerge that you want to open the season with, then go shopping.
So my stance has changed. Johnny, enjoy the motor city.
OK… stepping down now…
😀
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CL.. 20 years ago you wouldn’t have been able to duck out of the way, now I can throw only slightly harder than Tom Glavin… Actually, now you don’t even have to duck, I can’t hit the side of a barn from the inside… Sigh…
I’ll not worry too much over the Damon thing. I have learned that with the Braves, there is always something brewing that we don’t know about. If Damon wants to play for the Braves like he says he does, he’ll take the money. If not, then the folks in the Tiger front office are dumber than a box of rocks to trade Granderson and replace him with Damon.
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Raisins…I…uhmm…..agree!
Now we should both move along before we dizzy ourselves! 😆
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Wildcat, glad you got in on the snow fun too! It’s snowing here(Jonesboro, GA) as well! I am quite 😀 😀 😀 It really beautifies a dead, ugly winter. It can then melt, and get warm just in time for baseball!
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Ber, to tell the truth, I’m really looking forward to seeing the bare ground again… I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
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By the way, you’ll find this kind of funny…
My business is real estate related. I got an order in yesterday pertaining to the sale of a property owned by a “Kelly Johnson” in Roswell. I half-jokingly inquired to the client if it was the same Kelly Johnson formerly of the Braves and recently signed by Arizona. The client replied with “I don’t know” in a seemingly non-Braves-follower kind of way.
An hour or so later, they followed up with “It must be him. Mrs Johnson just informed us that we would have to acquire a Power of Attorney from Mr. Johnson who is currently in Arizona.”
😆
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Salty, re: Vancouver – maybe I can borrow TNPaul’s truck and haul all this mess back out there!
Raisins, now that is neat!
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Just saw the video of the luger who was killed in Vancouver, painful to watch. No need to see it again. 😦
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CL.. you’re going to need a bigger truck…
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agreed Gil, they keep showing the footage, and it really isn’t necessary….
V, that’s pretty cool!
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Enjoy these real-time views. Gil and Raisins, pretend you’re not Hokie and Dawg fans for just a few. The scenes bring back memories from
thirty-plus…a few years back! 🙄http://www.clemson.edu/webcams/
Check out the Sirrine Courtyard shot…I was watching the kids when they made they were at work.
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I took twenty years before I saw footage of Lawrence Taylor breaking Theisman’s leg. I have no desire to watch a man die.
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Looks like the snow’s knocking on CL’s door…and by the looks of the radar, she’ll get more than we did in the ATL. Enjoy…it’s real purdy! And quiet…that’s the part I like!
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Salty, as a younger man, I attended a Clemson-Maryland game at night in Death Valley with a buddy who was a Clemson guy. It was during Maryland’s Bobby Ross era; I don’t remember the year. It was preceded by the World’s Largest Pep Rally held in Memorial Stadium. It was just about the most fun I have ever had at a football game…
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Salty, did/does Clemson have an ROTC program? I know the Citadel is like VMI in being a straight up military school but for some reason I am thinking Clemson was much like VaTech. ROTC was mandatory there for many years, you could still attend Tech if you were unfit for the military (unlike VMI) so for a long time it was a quasi military school but without the same reputation as VMI.
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And now that I think about it, they would likely be a better school if they were still quasi military… Could keep out some of the riff raff..
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Yep, Gil…Clemson and Tech are very similar in their military histories. Clemson wasn’t even coed until, I believe, the early ’60’s. Johnstone Hall is the main male dorm…looks very much like the military barracks of the day…was fondly called the ‘Tin Can’…all metal. You didn’t need a key, just a can opener! 😆
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I just “atempted” to slide down our back yard hill….on a priority box that I opened up. Didn’t work out too well. But I had some fun trying. 🙂 As slow as I went down the hill, it was slower walking back up a hill covered with heavy wet snow. A hill you could in no way shape or form use a rider mower on in the summer. But hey, you are only middle-aged once 😕
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I am young at heart though! 😀
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The ground is white. Heavy, wet stuff – not the pretty fluffy kind.
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Pretty and fluffy here…
… and it’s been snowing, too!
😀
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Local weather bureau put out a newsflash: ‘This is a heavy, wet snow and limbs and even large trees may fall as the snow amount accumulates. Motorists should use extreme caution.’
Ya think?? 🙄
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Warning to all motorist, stay out of the woods…
Actually, we had one of our worst power outages a few years ago because Va Power failed to keep the right of ways cleared of overhanging tree limbs. Results was catastrophic. I’m sure the fellow who scored all the points for saving money on that idea was long gone before the storm struck and left some other poor smuck holding the bag.
Stay safe CL and away from the pine trees… Oh wait…
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My cousin has been sending video & pics from Suwanee. Their yard looks like a winter wonderland. Looks like Tiger got a pretty good snowfall too. Snow in north Florida but just a very cold rain here. Yuck.
Hope y’all watched the opening ceremonies. I thought they were very well-done. That effect of using the lights & graphics in the floor to make it look like the ice floes & then open water with whales swimming through was really cool. They did a lovely job of paying respects to the young man from Georgia too. I misted up a bit when his teammates entered the stadium & everyone stood & applauded in tribute.
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ACK… Snowing again…
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Got about 5 or 6 inches here. Tree boughs are really bent, a few pine limbs down in the back. Thankfully, still have those basic necessities of life: power and internet! 😆
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flbravesgirl… I’m with you about the Olympics opening ceremony. Very well done Canada! I’m a big fan of the Olympics and really enjoy the winter games. Just something about the USA competing against other countries. With USA on their jackets I can even get interested in curling.
USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!
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Good morning all from snowy Jefferson, Georgia.
The kids had a great time playing in the snow late yesterday afternoon, but this morning it is a melting mess. No playing this morning.
Now, my final word on Johnny Damon, after which I won’t mention him again until he signs somewhere.
I am convinced that he doesn’t actually have that mythical 2 year/$14MM offer from Detroit. If it actually exists, he’d be a fool not to sign it. Nope, I am convinced it’s a typical Boras maneuver. I just wish he’d sign soon because I am very tired of the whole soap opera.
I prefer to see the Braves open with N8/Schafer/JHey, and let the kids play. But, that’s just me. I think the likelihood of that happening is pretty slim. More likely to see Schafer in AAA. That’s OK, too.
I think I’m just ready for baseball period. No more speculating, alot more observing.
See ya later…
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CL, you forgot Diet Coke! 🙂
V, I cannot believe how fast this snow is melting! I have photos of it snowing today, with nary a rain or snowcloud in the sky. Windy. Sun feels like it does during the summer. It was so beautiful yesterday, looked like a postcard.
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“this snow is melting!”.. Gee, how I wish I could say the same…
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And Danica finds out why it’s better to be running in the front of the pack vs towards the back… Much ado about nothing…
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Speed skating as a national sport, very weird! Soccer I can understand, but speed skating? The Dutch are a little different.
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Local scene this morning.
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Good grief CL… Think golf might be out of the question?
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Trying to watch the Olympic competition. If the talking heads would shut up, maybe we could. We’ve had it on for an hour and 25 minutes… seen maybe a half-hour of actual competition. 😐
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I dunno, Gil. Guess it depends on how
stupiddedicated somebody would have to be… 😛Raisins, don’t you know that the whole idea of Olympics is so these
yahoosreporters can show off? “Look, Ma! I’m on the TeeVee!”LikeLike
I just love this photo:
Sledding
Forget sand castles. How about building a snowman on the beach?
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VR & CL… I know what ya mean. Yak, Yak, Yak. I will give them credit for some amazing video coverage. Really looks great in HD! Competitors in the luge superimposed on their runs is cool technology.
Hannah Kearney winning the women’s moguls was interesting. Judged on speed and style points. Pretty subjective if you ask me, but I think they got it right.
How come Americans can’t slide as well as Europeans? Luge or bobsled we can’t compete with these guys. The sleds look very cool. Much better than the cardboard box I used yesterday.
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I think the Dutch invented speedskating on their frozen canals, wildcat. They look like fun people to hang out with.
Pairs short program is on tomorrow night. Our kids have no realistic shot at a medal but stranger things have happened at the Olympics. I’m rooting for them to skate their best & have a great experience & for my all-time favorite pair Shen & Zhao to win gold ( the only thing lacking from their amazing career).
Valentine hugs all around!
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“Much better than the cardboard box I used yesterday.” Everybody’s gotta start somewhere, wildcat! Bet it was a ton of fun!
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, y’all!
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Need to wrap that cardboard with a large trash bag to reduce friction…
Yep, I miss old Jim McKay, it was canned coverage but less talk, more action. I am guessing that the sportscasters are thinking the general public is too stupid to understand what is actually taking place.
Subjective judging at the Olympics??? Say it isn’t so!!!! By the way, anyone seen the French judge lately?
And I hope you all have a great Heart Day… Personally, I try to make everyday Valentine’s Day for Josie…
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FBG… Might be the Dutchs’ very liberal drug laws that make them so friendly.. Also would explain why they like to play on the ice… “Hey dude.. this is way cool sliding on the canals…” 8)
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“Personally, I try to make everyday Valentine’s Day for Josie…”
God bless ya, Gil!
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Valentine’s Day. Bah Humbug.
I’m sure that comment has nothing to do with being single. 😕
Anyway, hope everyone else has a good one!
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Happy VD everybody!!!
Uh, perhaps there are times when acronyms are inappropriate… 😆
Happy Valentines Day everybody!!!
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I saw a lot of snow on the flight up to New Jersey last weekend; however, flying back today, I saw a LOT of snow. I’ve never seen so much spread over such a large area…from New Jersey to Atlanta you could see it…non-stop. The country looks like a friggin’ glacier from 30,000 feet…absolutely unreal!
Apparently we’re getting up to an other four inches by morning. Wow, I can hardly wait! 🙄
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Welcome back to the sunny South, Salty! Great description of the snow you gave. I didn’t realize that it was still so widespread.
This clip is shot out the rear door of a tanker refueling two fighters over Iraq. Seeing those guys sitting so close to the edge must made my stomach clinch!
http://www.airspacemag.com/multimedia/videos/Refueling-Over-Iraq.html
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Olympic figure skating scoring… things that make you go “hmmm???” or “what’s up with that???”
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Hey, wildcat! To me they need a whole new system of judging and scoring. Too much favoritism and politics in it now.
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This is a new system, CL. Personally I thought the old one worked fine. It’s the judges that needed changing.
They got the top right. I’d bump Pang/Tong up one spot & I have no idea what Dube/Davison are doing in the top 6, they were a mess. Home cookin’ , I guess.
Denney/Barrett showed some nerves. Not their usual speed & she doubled the side-by-side triple jump. Evora/Ladwig skated very well though. If they can hang onto a top 10 finish it would be a major step for US pairs.
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Didn’t see much of the pairs, but Shen and Zhao are in a class by themselves…the ones that followed them were plain vanilla. I chuckle at comments made about skaters…90 seconds on ice and I’d be reaching for my last breath…and I like to believe I’m pretty fit. Those folks are gymnasts…on skates. Lots of strength, stamina, and grace. They have my respect.
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So… Will anyone attempt the Iron Lotus??? 🙂
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My question is… what are the olympics really all about? Money? Because that is what it appears to me it has become. Except for the Chinese… Then it’s power… Oh, and NBC…
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Everything starts with money…the list following is window dressing…essentially, irrelevant.
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I don’t care to watch anything that involves judging and subjective scoring. If it involves absolute measurables, then I’m all over it.
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For the first time in many years, I haven’t even turned on the TV to watch. I have to agree with Gil – it’s all about money and power, advertisements, face time. The athletes are secondary to all the trappings.
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Talk about class! (from an email)
It can be said that some people take their football and the fighting for their alma mater way too serious in the “big” picture of life, a game should be a game, with good sports, no hard feelings and being an adult. This was sent to me by a friend, and sort of points that out.
Just prior to the start of the Air Force-BYU football game, Sept. 22, 2009, this video was broadcast in the BYU stadium in Provo, Utah.
Later, the USAF Academy Superintendent, LtGen Gould, showed this clip to the faculty and staff. He told everyone that BYU ran it minutes before the kickoff at the game. He was clearly moved by it, as were those who watched it.
BYU is a class act.
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Amen CL…
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Ditto….
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“So… Will anyone attempt the Iron Lotus???”
Or maybe the Triple Lindey!
CL… the athleticism is still there and makes the Olympics worth watching. Besides with all the commercials you’ve got plenty of time to write a novel, add a spare room, or maybe even clean the garage. Ha!
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Gil…the avatar…’self-sculpture’? 😆
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Jurrjens to have MRI on sore shoulder
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/jurrjens-to-have-mri-306819.html
Not the kind of story we want to hear before catchers and pitchers report. I guess better now than Aug or Sep.
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Let’s hope and pray that it is just tendinitis or something minor that will work itself out quickly.
Don’t even mention ‘rotator cuff’. Feb 3 was one year for me – and I’m just now getting free from most of the pain. (Miss Josie was right, Gil.) Still have limited use of it, but at least it doesn’t hurt as much as it did before surgery! I’ll take my blessings where I can find them! 🙂
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CL… my wife has been advised to have rotator cuff surgery. There is not going to be a good time so… as soon as possible would be best. She is very anxious but the pain and discomfort is awful. Nice to hear you are finally feeling some relief. Better give Bobby a call and let know you can pitch a few innings if necessary.
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SQEEEEE!!!! ( OK, I know y’all don’t care but let me spaz for a minute) My beloved Shen/Zhao finally have their gold medal! And Pang/Tong had the performance of the night to rise to silver. Just fantastic. I’m so happy for them & their wonderful coach Bin Yao.
Our kids did a fine job. Evora/Ladwig held onto 10th & Denney/Barrett moved up to 13th. This sets them up well for Worlds this year & for future seasons. Speaking of which, we got our seat location for next year’s Nationals today.
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😯 JJ? Not what I want to hear!!!
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Yes Salty, pretty munch… 🙂
JJ–Sore shoulder— let the gnashing of teeth, rolling in ashes and wearing of sackcloth begin…
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CL, glad your are almost pain free! Great news! 🙂
Wildcat, sorry your wife has the same problem, but the good news is they can fix it.
FLB, glad your team(s) won! I imagine they had a nice big screen for my Mom to watch skating in Heaven!
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I wonder if JJ will ever tell the Braves what really happened? I’m not buying the “twinge while tossing underhand” story…
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gnash, gnash
🙄 🙄
scratch, scratch
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ajc: since his mild soreness has lingered for several few days, the decision was made to fly him to Atlanta for a precautionary MRI
Several few days?!? That’s alot!!!
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Wildcat, Mrs Wildcat has my DEEPEST sympathy!!!!!!!! Not to be dramatic, but the pain simply cannot be described. Ms Josie can tell you the same. And physical ‘therapy’ literally had me in tears at times. God bless her! Please keep us posted!
I’ve been practicing by throwing rocks of JDeere – and my velocity again put dents in it – I think I’m about ready! Just in time for ST, too! *goes to find Bobby’s cell phone number*
😆
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I wunda ifen I 2 canz getz a jobe written an rittin or proff reeding for the AJC???
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With no problem, Gil! It’s too bad that English and English composition are no longer taught in our schools. Along with reading, penmanship, math, HISTORY – real, actual history, that is, geography, etc.
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JJ had his “precautionary” MRI today. Docs will read it tomorrow.
And as Gil accurately called it, there is much wailing and doom-saying across the way. I hope that the APD has the bridges and overpasses covered this evening as there could be a huge number of jumpers overnight…
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OK, this is just stooooopid. This is why the Orioles are what they are…
Pitcher injures shoulder shooting TV ad
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles have instituted a new policy regarding commercial shoots after right-hander Brad Bergesen hurt his shoulder filming a promotional spot in December.
Bergesen strained his right shoulder while performing in a commercial promoting Baltimore’s 2010 season. He will see limited action for a week to 10 days after the Orioles pitchers and catchers begin workouts Thursday.
Bergesen had his rookie season cut short last year after being hit in the shin by a line drive on July 30. The right-hander had not thrown off a mound from August until the commercial shoot, and he hurt himself by throwing too hard.
Andy MacPhail, the club president of baseball operations, is certain Bergesen will be ready well before the start of the regular season.
🙄
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It’s the silly season… well, one of them anyway. Don’t we hear of one or two players every spring who are hurt in some strange way. Carrying groceries, etc.. Of course, to confess to anything else will get you traded or released.
Oh well, I have long held that young pitchers will pull up lame if ridden too hard too soon. Let’s hope it’s not too serious and JJ can hold up over the long haul.
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I think I’d enjoy the skating a little more if there were another skater on the ice trying to knock him (and I use the pronoun “him” very loosely) into the wall…
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Trying to get me into lecture mode, VOR? This is the only country where people seem to assume that all male skaters are gay. I assure you that there are plenty of straight men in the sport.
And you try jumping up in the air, spinning 3 times & landing on the edge of a kitchen knife strapped to your foot on a slippery surface.
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Oh, they are incredible athletes no doubt.
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FBG, my apologoes if I stepped on your toes. It was not intentional.
That said, I have never disputed the athleticism.
Also, I have never tried to denigrate its appeal to others. I just do not share in it. As I have said on the past, I don’t personally care for events that occur one person at a time, and require judging. I prefer face-to-face competition. I prefer measurable outcomes: score, speed, length, height, distance, etc. Simply my preference. It takes the politics out of the outcome. (You should hear me rant on the College Football
BS, er, BCS system.)And while I also never said that ALL of the competitors are gay, the higher profile skaters do nothing to dispel the notion.
4 simple words:
Men should not flit…
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Apologoes? Aow about apologies? 😳
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OK… I cannot type this morning.
It’s not my fault entirely. We were out of coffee filters, and I have yet to have my first sip of coffee – which ought to be ready about now.
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Out of filters? Plan B.. paper towels…
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This morning’s agenda:
1. Wake up. Make coffee. Freak out when no filters can be found.
2. Have Bible/prayer time.
3. Make kids’ school lunches.
4. Drive daughter to school.
5. Acquire coffee filters on way home.
6. Start coffee brewing – 2 hours later than preferred.
7. Check the ol’ B&S. Make amends with FBG. Make a mess typing in the process. Blame on lack of coffee.
8. Get first cup of coffee.
9. Take deep breath knowing everything will be OK.
10. Acknowledge reality that coffee won’t make everything OK, but it sure helps.
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MLBTR:
The Mets are making a “hard push” to sign free agent catcher Rod Barajas on a one-year deal, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Barajas is the only starter available at the position, and the Mets still have a need. The Mets offered a low-dollar, minor league deal, tweets SI’s Jon Heyman.
Barajas, 34, hit .226/.258/.403 in 460 plate appearances for the Blue Jays last year, earning $2.5MM. Consider him the poor man’s Bengie Molina.
Is it wrong that I chuckle at the rudderless navigation of the Mets?
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Me: And while I also never said that ALL of the competitors are gay, the higher profile skaters do nothing to dispel the notion.
Uh, examples from America’s own – *cringe* – Johnny Weir, just from today’s ESPN column:
On what the room he and ice dancer Tanith Belbin share in the athlete’s village looks like:
“It’s very clean. Last night I was very nervous so I Pledged everything. Some people eat, some people drink, some people smoke — I Pledge. So I cleaned everything up. I didn’t really add so much because I feel the sheer beauty of rooming with Tanith Belbin is quite enough. But she’s been the best roommate. She stayed out all day so I could run around naked and watch ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ and just relax for the competition. And I’m going to do the same for her when her time comes. But we do have Audrey Hepburn on the wall.” 😯
On whether he might be tempted to do a backflip as French skater Surya Bonaly famously did:
“It’s funny you ask that. All day today I was thinking, if I don’t skate that well in the short program and I go into the long program and get tired, I’m just going to do a backflip like Surya Bonaly. I mean, it’s not going to matter what I do. A medal is pretty far out of my grasp even with a clean short program. You never know. Maybe I’ll just have the urge to throw on a tutu with glitter in my hair and it will be all good.” 😕
On the blue overalls that Italy’s Samuel Contesti skated in:
“I thought it was very fashion forward and a very big risk and even riskier than man-cleavage and a pink ruffle [describing his own attire].” 😐
I mean… c’mon. He doesn’t exactly help squash any myths, now does he?
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Oops… bolding error. Oh, well…
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V, I hear you. They had co-ed rooming accommodations??? Ooookay. I would think that, in some cases, that could be quite awkward. Or am I too old fashioned?? Just old????? Nah. I may not be a young chick but I refuse to be an old biddy! 😆
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Relief for Braves: Jurrjens’ shoulder not damaged
Huge sign of relief for the Braves today: Braves pitcher Jair Jurrjens has only mild inflammation in his right shoulder and could resume throwing as soon as next week.
Jurrjens and the Braves could finally relax a bit after MRI results showed no damage to the rotator cuff or labrum in the young standout’s pitching shoulder. — ajc
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They had co-ed rooming accommodations??? Ooookay. I would think that, in some cases, that could be quite awkward.
You think that’s awkward? Try rooming him with a guy. That’d be awkward!
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Can’t you see him rooming with one of the US Hockey Team members? 😆
JW: “Can you leave so I can run around naked and Pledge everything?”
Hockey dude: *pound*
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😆 😆 😆
Visualization kicked in on those, V!
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With the latest revelation on JJ… and the old My Bad excuse… the sack cloths are being put away until such time as Pick one McCann, Chipper, Hudson, Lowe, Escobar, Prado, Heyward exhibits some malady or angst..
Not even going there on the figure skating thingee… Just remember however that I am an old guy who thinks the Taliban may indeed have a point about the morals of our country…
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Gil, I think many in our country do have high moral standards. However, the overwhelming majority of those in the news, in politics, on TV and in the entertainment industry do not. Those aren’t ‘newsworthy’ or ‘interesting enough’. We know these people only through our individual contacts – even on a certain little baseball blog.
And, hopefully, there are more of us than we realize. It’s just harder to make our voices heard.
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Incredible historical baseball geek article:
http://baseballresearcher.blogspot.com/2010/02/rabbit-maranville-is-not-nazi.html
It’s a fun read…
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Note to FBG:
It needs to be re-emphasized, that I in now way, shape or form meant to disrespect Figure Skating or Figure Skaters in general. Like I said, it’s just not my particular cup of tea, just as I am sure that my son’s Folkstyle Wrestling is not for everyone.
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uh, NO way, etc…
Still can’t type… 😐
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Check your caffeine low-level warning light, V.
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Sigh… I think the cat lost the key to my tractor…. She likes shiny things and will often play with them until the are lost forever, or until we move the refrigerator or the stove…
I guess the potholes in our road are safe for a few more days.
Well, I finally got the pain in my right leg to stop… Yep, moved over to the left side sometime during the night. It’s getting so I really do walk funny.. Like walking on ice skates, without the skates.. or the ice… Not buying a power chair quite yet but I may start looking… Wonder if I can get it with racing stripes.
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I guess the potholes in our road are safe for a few more days.
Where are you, Daytona International Speedway? 😆
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Saw this yesterday. You know, I love the trade rumor stuff, but mlbtraderumors slavish adherence to OBP, whatever that fielding stat that is (-7.1, Zkrpb?) and other ways of judging players that have popped up, gets really old.
From a post yesterday about Cody Ross winning Arbitration.
Ross, who won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2011 season, earned $2.25MM for the Marlins last year. Corey Hart, a comparable outfielder who figures to hit free agency when Ross does, won his hearing with the Brewers last week.
Last year’s stats.
Cody Ross, 24 HR’s, 90 RBI’s .321 OBP
Corey Hart. 12 HR’s 48 RBI’s >335 OBP
Yep, the same guy! 🙄
I’d comment on that, but they now force you to accept 3rd party cookies for the privilege of posting there. No thanks.
I emailed the site saying I never had seen that from any site I posted on, and Tim Dierkes himself emailed me back saying most of them did that…that’s simply not true, but whatever…I waste too much time on the web as it is.
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V, I know from watching ice skating with my Mom, that there are married skaters…they just don’t get the same press, it appears.
We all know there are gay baseball players, but they don’t get to wear that fact on their uni’s! 😉
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I lost my keyring in the house ONCE. After that one time, I put a large cuphook into the wall beside the side door. When I go out, the keys are right there. When I come back in, the keys immediately go back on that hook. Haven’t lost them in nearly thir – uh, a very long time!
Tractor key, JDeere key, etc live on the kitchen window sill. Have never lost either one.
😛
😆
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Those icons look weird like that!
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We all know there are gay baseball players, but they don’t get to wear that fact on their uni’s!
When their uniforms start including “man-cleavage and a pink ruffle”, you’ll know for sure.
Or, if in the post-game interview Don asks the closer, “So, you didn’t have your best stuff tonight. Will there be any carry over to your next outing?” and he gets a reply of, “Maybe I’ll just have the urge to throw on a tutu with glitter in my hair and it will be all good,” then you’ll know.
But, I just don’t see that happ’nin’…
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CL… I have hooks, and a bazillion keys, just don’t know what happened to that particular one.
and I am smart enough to stay away from the whole topic of sexual orientation,, other than I have a preference…. 🙂
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I am smart enough to stay away from the whole topic of sexual orientation
It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to know that “Maybe I’ll just have the urge to throw on a tutu with glitter in my hair and it will be all good” should never be uttered by a man, especially to the world media…
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Well, I can honestly attest to the fact that my race, gender and sexual orientation were all factors in the denial for promotion when I worked for the evil empire. Sad but true…
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So, in baseball news, the last vestige of Richmond’s affiliation with the Braves has been sold to a downtown developer. Yes, Connecticut will be moved to the top of the old Lucky Strike power plant. Perhaps he will be known as a tobacco store indian on steroids and maybe he is looking for the Braves to return or just maybe the powers that be have concluded that even though their will be no new downtown ballpark, at least a part will be in place as a reminder of the huge screw up by Doug Wilder.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/CONN17_20100216-221806/324760/
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“can honestly attest to the fact that my race, gender and sexual orientation were all factors in the denial for promotion” – and for me as well, Gil. Sometimes couldn’t even get hired for one reason: being female. Regardless of other qualifications. Discrimination stinks.
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Sigh… I think the cat lost the key to my tractor….
Reminiscing, Gil! Sounds like the days gone by when you’d say, “Honest, Mr/Mrs (insert teacher’s name), I did do the assignment, but….(fill in the blank in the most creative fashion!)”. 😛
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“Thou shalt not bear false witness against your cat!” 😆
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Good grief! From a local newspaper article about a wreck involving a school bus and a car:
“Officer J.E. Moore II said the school bus driver, Otis Hames Jr., 80, pulled away from McClelland Drive without yielding to traffic on North Kerr. Hames did stop at the stop sign and had dropped off students before pulling into the intersection, Moore said.”
Age 80?? Driving a school bus?? 😯
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OK, I definitely would not use Johnny as an example of straightness in skating because I’m quite sure he’s not. He’s gotten a lot of grief over it, both from the USFSA for not being manly enough & from the gay “press” for not coming out publicly. I respect him for not giving under the pressure from either side.
And I know why he & Tanith are roomies. Some of the skaters had flight problems & Johnny, Tanith & Evan Lysacek were the last 3 to check into the US dorm. There was a 1-bedroom & a 2-bedroom suite left. Can’t put Johnny & Evan together, they’re rivals & not really friendly. Can’t put Tanith & Evan together, they dated for a long time & broke up last year.
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And honestly I think Plushenko is one of the prissiest-looking skaters & he’s married & a father (second marriage actually, he’s also an arrogant cheating jerk).
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Who knows? He might have some great suggestions for wardrobe and hair styles!
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Oh, wait. With pink tutus and hair glitter, maybe not. Kinda sounds like he might have a good sense of humor, though. Guess he’d have to!
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He’s very funny, CL. And he enjoys slyly tweaking the noses of those who don’t know how to deal with him by making statements like that.
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I don’t know anything about him, but I sensed that from his quotes. I used to work with a guy who was – uh, not straight – and he would keep everybody around him in stitches. Just incredibly funny.
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You have to develop a great sense of humor to keep from being beat up… or maybe because of it….
Adversity makes us stronger I would think. That lesson can be applied to everything.
I watched a bit of the down hill skiing last night, WOW… that’s some scary stuff there. Must be pretty exhilarating but man o man it has to be painful to crash…. And isn’t it funny how someone can sit back and complain about how slow someone is skiing when the difference between 1st and 3rd is 2 seconds…
I have made statement that I can’t think of anything that scares me… Well, I take it back… that (skiing) scares me.
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Wouldn’t normally blame the cat but the circumstantial evidence is tremendous.
And from the list of “Lame excuses that were actually true” dept.
Did I ever tell ya’ll the story about the time my car ate my best friend’s homework and it ended up getting him drafted? Strange but true….
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Gil,that cat story reminds me of my old friend Bill Franco, from St. Louis. We were visiting him in 1998, and he said if he didn’t keep his cat’s litter box clean enough for the cat, he’d bury his keys deep i the box! 😯
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The one experience I would have wanted (certainly not now) is to have been a competitive downhill skier. I absolutely love watching them. I could easily default to snow-boarding, though…either one would work for me. What an absolute rush that has to be!!! Wwwhhhooooooooshhhh!!!!
Did I ever tell ya’ll the story about the time my car ate my best friend’s homework and it ended up getting him drafted? Strange but true….
That would definitely be a big ‘No’…but we’re waiting. Don’t let Stephen King in on it…sounds like a ‘Christine’ follow-up!
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He’s gotten a lot of grief over it… from the gay “press” for not coming out publicly.
Uh, is that REALLY necessary? I mean, he’s not only out, he came busting through the door with a battering ram…
OK, that’s the last I say about it. Period.
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Great story Ber… Reminds me of my ex wife…. Always had me in deep dodo..
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Come on, Gil! Ya gotta tell that story! 🙂
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El Bravos perspectiva de 17 años de edad firmada de terreno central Alejandro Sanchez Martinez a un contrato del siete-año fuera de España antes en el invierno, según David Menayo de Marca.com.
http://www.marca.com/2010/02/18/mas_deportes/otros_deportes/1266476324.html
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The Braves signed 17-year-old infield prospect Alejandro Sanchez Martinez to a seven-year contract out of Spain earlier in the winter, according to David Menayo of Marca.com.
😀
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“ATLANTA (AP)—Getting ready for Friday’s start to his final spring training as a major league manager, Atlanta’s Bobby Cox insists he will not attempt to savor this visit to Florida more than any other.
He announced last September that he plans to retire after this season. Not that the cigar-smoking, tough-talking 68-year-old was looking for a farewell tour.
“I think I did it the right way. Now I’ve got to do it and there’s no looking back,” he said while relaxing in his office at Turner Field this month.”
….”Cox has agreed to serve as a consultant for the team after his retirement as manager.”
Really nice article, good quotes
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-braves-coxsspringfarewell&prov=ap&type=lgns
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Spring Training? Is it that time already?
Who knew?
😀
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I don’t suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.
Gotta love Maxine! 😆
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Okay, I’ll work on it. I had written it down somewhere but I can’t find it right this moment. Of course, if you knew all the folks involved like I did, makes it even funnier.
Went and bought a new key for the tractor today. Looks like the road should be pothole free tomorrow.
And how about the wacko that drove his plane into the IRS building in Texas. A shame really for someone to get that frustrated. Should have been satisfied with just mooning to guy like I did… No harm, no foul…. bless their heart…
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Okay – who was back there playing with the machinery earlier?? *wipes greasy hands and picks up tool box* That oughta hold it for now. At least it’s back online again.
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I’ve added another good site to our Braves links up on the right:
Atlanta Baseball Talk. Good people, good site. Go say hello. And mind your manners.
😆
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Time for Spring Training to start! Yay!!!
Y’all just missed the fascinating spectacle of Melissa & I holding onto each other’s arms & jumping up & down like maniacs in the living room, screaming “Evan won! Evan won!” First American man to win Olympic gold since Boitano. Not only am I happy for him, I’m ecstatic that someone beat the hated Plushenko.
Our friend Johnny skated beautifully & finished 6th (I’d have him 3rd or 4th) & our third guy Jeremy Abbott pulled up to 9th. So all 3 in the top 10, very good results.
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VOR, Johnny chooses not to discuss his personal life with the media. He feels it’s none of their business. I agree.
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:-).. I’m happy for all of you FBG…
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Yeah, pretty much Tiger’s stance too… Too late… A cheat is a cheat… Time for him to disappear.
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FBG, I apologize if I crossed the line…
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I have located our old friend the Scribe. Found him via a common friend on Facebook of all places. Pretty cool…
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Great quotes across the street from the guy in LBV with the Braves:
He’s [Billy Wagner] very quotable, great sense of humor. Asked about wanting to help get Cox back to the World Series, he said, “How ’bout me? Chipper and Bobby and those guys have been to the World Series. How ’bout getting one for Wags?”
Ya know… I kind of like that attitude – not selfish, but driven and focused… a true closer’s attitude, I believe.
In a related story, Mr. O’B also reports that Tampa’s new closer (his name slips my mind) had to leave today’s workout with “respiratory issues”. God bless Tampa and their new reliever. Whether he’s actually a closer still remains to be seen.
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I’m thinking the should give Derek Lowe and Wagner Drill Instructor hats and let them whip the rest of the pitchers into shape… Two very focused dudes if you ask me.
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Pitchers and catchers are reporting, baseball is getting underway, and all of the news is about Tiger Prima Donna Woods and his contrived apology read at his closely controlled media event.
Bah… 😡
I’m gonna be grouchy all day and just grouse (FOB?) about everything…
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The fact that Tiger Woods apologized for being a human douche bag does not impress me. He only apologized after he got caught. Want to impress me? Apologize before you get caught. Stop acting the spoiled brat to begin with. I am certainly no fan of his, even if he could walk on water, he is still a douche… Character matters to me…
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For some men, no matter how good what they have is – family, home, etc – it’s never good enough for them.
Nursing home adventures – or, a conversation with Mom:
Mom: “I was almost late this morning, but I got there.”
Me: “Where was that?”
Mom: “Lane 5.”
Me: (Never heard of it. Bowling Alley?) “Oh. Did you have a good time?”
Mom: “Yeah. I got ALLLL those presents wrapped.”
Me (looking for clue): “Wow. What kind of presents?”
Mom, who looked at me as if an eye had suddenly appeared in my forehead): “Food!”
Me: “That’s great! How did you wrap it?”
Mom, staring at her oldest child with incredulity: “In PLATES!”
Me: “Oh, you must have done a really good job.”
Mom, nodding decisively: “They said it was enough for a whole year!”
More from her that simply defied translation or explanation.
Then:
Mom: “I had a baby two nights ago. A boy. And they put him on the shelf. But it was so hot, I thought it was going to roast him.”
Me (retrieving chin from floor): “A what?”
Mom (now convinced that I’ve become a blithering idiot): A BABY. A boy.”
Me: “Ooooh. What’s his name?”
Mom: “They didn’t tell me.”
Me: “Where is he?”
Mom (thinking for a minute): “I don’t know. Maybe in the kitchen.”
And so it goes. She’s happy, interested in things going on around her – though those activities are strictly up to her interpretation.
Be thankful for what you have, friends. We are more blessed than we realize.
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“NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball has a new message for players and employees this spring training: Keep guns, long knives and explosives out of the clubhouse.
Signs have been placed in spring training locker rooms stating “individuals are prohibited from possessing deadly weapons while performing any services for MLB.” The rules apply to employees of the commissioner’s office, other central MLB businesses and to teams, including players.”
Does that apply to baseball bats??
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Jurrjens: Shoulder is “really tight”
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/02/19/jurrjens.braves.ap/index.html
Braves banking on healthy Jurrgens:
“Jurrgens arrived at the Spring Training complex…
Amid the handshakes and backslaps, one player shouted, “DON’T TOUCH HIM!” 😆
“…He’s a charismatic star in the making, fluent in four languages (English, Spanish, Dutch, Papiamento)…”
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/12950369/tigers-latest-to-make-offer-to-exyankees-outfielder-damon/rss
White Sox withdraw offer to Damon, Tigers make offer, “Braves also interested.”
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/12950369/tigers-latest-to-make-offer-to-exyankees-outfielder-damon/rss
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“And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence-”
Simon and Garfunkel
PLEASE NOTE: the above does not apply to Braves & Stuff.
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The Winter Olympics are really a joy! Watching cool events from a great location all in HD… WOW!!! This men’s Super G is awesome.
Watching a staged apology, delivered by a disingenuous multi millionaire, written by well paid advisers, well… not so much. Praying that my take of Tiger’s apology is all wrong.
OUCH!!! The skier from Sweden just hooked a tip and wiped out big time. Lying there unconcious. Yikes!!!
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Curiosity getting the best of me, I googled and –
“Papiamento (or Papiamentu) is the official and most widely spoken language on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (the so-called “ABC islands”). Papiamento is also spoken on the island of Sint Eustatius.
Papiamento is a creole language derived from the Portuguese language[2] with vocabulary influences from African languages, English and Arawak native languages.”
Hey, wildcat! Man, I hate it when the athletes get hurt. They work so very hard for so many years and it can be wiped out in one split second.
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“Yeah, pretty much Tiger’s stance too… Too late… A cheat is a cheat… Time for him to disappear.”
That last part is slightly less likely to happen than me hooking up with Jessica Biel! 😕
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You’re so right CL! The danger that is present in most of these events in the Olympics is really extreme. Not to mention the sports we watch more regularly. Athletes definitely live on the edge. The older I get the further from the edge is where you’ll find me. However, it’s fascinating to watch.
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Scary, isn’t it? Being a very uncoordinated person, I could probably break numerous bones on the bunny slope. I have no idea how humans can do what those skiers do.
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VOR, stop apologizing! I’m not mad at you. Really. (You’ll be pleased to know that the long program costume had no pink or ruffles & was quite restrained by Johnny’s standard.)
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Pink ruffles + Johnny. Why do I smile/laugh/chuckle every time I think of that?
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CL!!! What in the wide, wide, world of sports are you doing up now??? No sane person is up at this hour! 😛
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Why did Tiger even bother?
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Salty… I agree! Why open up his situation to even more scrutiny and discussion. What was the desired outcome of this so called press conference? Did he think the public would think more highly of him? I think he should take enough time for counseling/treatment and solving his marriage problems and to heck with the public and sponsors. Even if he doesn’t come back until next year he will still be the greatest golfer on the planet. The sponsors and public will come back… they always do!
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Good morning everyone.. I finally gave in and took a sleeping pill last night. I slept a good eight hours for a change. Of course I will now be in a fog for two days but I doubt that most people will notice the difference.
I admit, the downhill skiing is pretty awesome to watch. I always thought the Nordic events were what the winter Olympics were all about. Listen to the talking heads chatter about how the Russians have declined in their prowess. I still remember the 1980 winter Olympics when only the men’s hockey team saved the USA from complete embarrassment.
When it comes down to the bottom line it is still about the Benjamins. Speed cost money, how fast do you want to go
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Damon signs one-year $8m contract with Detroit. Has no-trade clause.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/02/20/tigers.damon/index.html
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Good for him. Glad it’s over. Glad he didn’t waste Liberty’s money.
My hope is that Schafer can silence his critics and win a job in ST.
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Thank goodness. I was tired of him.
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AJC has pics of the first workout today. Mac looks very trim.
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Some men have no business wearing spandex! The driver for USA-1 two man bobsled is one of them. He has a former Nebraska Cornhusker football player as brakeman. Good idea! Wasn’t it Herschel Walker that did the same thing in the 92 Winter Olympics?
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I think you’re right about Walker, Wildcat. And on spandex – the same goes for most women. Some of the things I see people walking around it makes me wonder if they even have a mirror at home! Yikes! (And what is scary is that most have the right to vote. That might explain a lot, now that I think about it….)
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Interesting article on ST:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,585885,00.html
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Well, so much for the sleeping pill…. guess it only works when it want to. 😦
Thanks for the ST tip CL..
And so much for the Damon saga. Would have been a decent pick up but the old adage is to play the hand you’re dealt. I think the Braves will do just fine.
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Okay Braves fans, time to keep your nose in your own bag… Let’s see how things look coming out of spring training before we throw in the towel because one player decided he wanted more money than he is worth.
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Gil, I read somewhere that Damon has already made something around $100 MILLION in baseball. It simply escapes me that people like that are STILL chasing the last possible dime.
I didn’t really care too much one way or the other where he signed, but DETROIT???
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Maybe he likes soul music… Maybe it’s just pride. Maybe he has big gambling debts.
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💡 Or! Is it Boras?? He gets a BIG cut of that money. Hmmm.
Well, in any case, the player is the one who signs on the dotted line. Whatever.
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Nice article on Wags:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/02/20/braves.wagner.ap/index.html
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You know I can be a bit of a contrarian (I seem to have spelled it correctly, but Mozilla disagrees)
I really don’t care about Damon or how much he makes. It’s just that he had about a good an offensive season as he ever had, and was asked to take a pay cut for one reason, and one reason only, and that’s because he’s 36. I can understand someone not giving him more than a year, or even a pay cut during a recession. But almost 50%? It’s weird.
Jim Thome is 36 homers short of 600. A very rare number, especially for a guy not linked to steroids. He hit 23 homers in 107 games for the white sox, before being traded to the NL. But, he is 39, so instead of someone giving him a full time job, he is going to be a pinch hitter for the Twins. They already have a full time DH.
I admire him being willing to hurt his chances to reach 600 last year, for a chance to get to the playoffs.
I don’t know, even not being in my 40’s this would bother me.
A lot of teams have won with vets, yet now everyone is talking about being younger, more “athletic”, whatever that means. I haven’t seen terrible, fat 1st basemans in many a year.
Now the white sox have Alexis Rios, who is only 28, to replace Thome’s and Jermaine Dye’s offense. He’s never driven in more than 85 RBI’s in a year, but he’s young! :rolleye:
Off rant! 😉
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Here’s the thing, though, Ber… JD had a big offensive season playing half of his games in a tinker toy box and all his games with Derek Jeter batting in front of him and Mark Teixeira batting behind him. What’s he gonna do in Detroit batting leadoff for a team with team doofus Miguel Cabrera as the only other bona fide offensive threat?
IMO, Johnny is a nice player, but he’s no all-star anymore. He benefited greatly from his circumstances. On that team, with that lineup, his skill set was a terrific match. Away from that ideal setting..?
The end will justify the means. We’ll all know by mid-season whether or not the “pay cut” was justified. And in truth, that’s the only place it can be justified.
As for the others who are seemingly being out out to pasture… well, I believe it was Gil who pointed out that the end of the steroid era also marked the end of the clinging star era. Teams have to go with younger, more athletic players because the synthetic boppers can longer bop. If you can no longer field “The Bash Brothers”, well, you do what you have to do…
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Well thought out post, V.
Hey! Our blog odometer just rolled over 65,000 hits. Not bad for out little piece of cyber-real estate! 😀
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He is a bit chunky for that uniform, isn’t he, wildcat?
*on my soapbox* Wonder why the ST article mentions a Sarasota hotel in cunjunction with the Pirates, since they train here in Bradenton & we have perfectly good hotels that are much closer to McKechnie Field? *off the soapbox*
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I saw that too FBG. Same question… I guess you make deals where ever you can. Josie and I are still on track to head to Florida next week. Can hardly wait to escape the frozen tundra here.
Yes, we still have snow on the ground. Not as much mind you and the front yard(s) are starting to reveal the brown grass but still lots of it in the woods where the sun cannot melt it as fast.
I will take pictures to share from spring training and try to give some good assessments of what to expect.
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One other thought on JD taking a pay cut at this point in his career.
When you think of him, do you think of the wildman on that crazy Red Sox team? How about the clean cut version from the Yankees?
Believe it or not, I think of him as a multi-talented youngster roaming CF for the Royals. He wasn’t in Oakland long enough to really conjure up a mental picture there.
But, that’s the point. Players such as Chipper are rewarded with their “lifetime achievement” deals because they are a part of a team’s history. Mercenary players such as JD have no such affiliation from which to draw. Heck, he even crossed the line and went straight from Boston to The Bronx.
Nope, there is no such legacy award for a player who was seemingly me-first/team-second. They take what they can get when they can get it. That is, if they can get it…
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Lots of positive vibes coming out of spring training reports for the Braves. OKAY TEAM, Let’s WIN IT FOR THE WAGS…
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And time to pick out a new avatar…
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Let’s take our country back…
http://www.letstakeourcountryback.net/Site_2/Welcome.html
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Great song Raisins…
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Time for the ‘royals’ in DC to lose their stranglehold on the rest of us. Also time for all their special perks and exorbitant lifetime incomes to cease. Time for them to live as the rest of us do.
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I just checked on the Eagle Nest Cam – mama and poppa are taking turns sitting on their three eggs.
Checked on “Azalea”, a female from last years’ hatching, who was fitted with a satellite tracking device ($23,000 per unit) and she has now flown over 1400 miles – from her home nest in Norfolk up to Maryland almost to PA, down to near Hatteras in North Carolina, and now back up to Norfolk.
It just amazes me that a live camera gives me a window into the eagles’ world and into their nest that sits 90 feet above the ground. What a privilege!!
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from ajc: “We’ve got deep depth,” Braves president John Schuerholz said, smiling in amusement over that summary.”
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Butter pecan ice cream…
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Wow, what a vast array of “Stuff”.. From protest songs to eagles to butter pecan ice cream… even a little baseball thrown in.. Deep Depth indeed…
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I am not quite sure why I watch the news… Just makes me mad… I am sick to death of people whining. Just when did it happen that the world owes anybody anything? Why is it news?
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So many drama queens, too many news outlets.
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Gil, you need butter pecan ice cream. You would feel better. Really…
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Y’all want protesting? Drama? I just finished watching the ice dancing. AAAUUGGHHH!!!! Our wonderful young team of Meryl Davis/ Charlie White wuzrobbed! @#$%&*!!!!! Nice gift to the host country there. 😡
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Need chocolate!!!
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FBG: Butter pecan ice cream…
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Oh, and I believe today os the first day of full squad workouts.
Ah… I can feel the tension easing up already…
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… need coffee…
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FBG… It’s the Olympics.. It’s all biased… Anything that requires a judge is open for speculation. A shame but true. The USA vs Canada hockey game was pretty special though.
Yes, nothing like a cup of Joe to get you going in the morning.
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I don’t know what I’d do without my coffee in the morning – even if it is decaf…. 😆
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Decaf? 😯
Zounds! Perish the thought!!!
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Interesting perspective on Bobby given by the beat writer across the street:
There are reasons Cox, at 67, still can make young guys want to play hard for him. Things that have to do with a unique personality and gift for making people feel comfortable. Things that go far beyond the metal spikes he continues to wears in the dugout, artificial knees be damned. Speaking of which, some players have said that when he goes clanging across a concrete floor with that painful, shuffling gate of his, they figure their own nagging aches and pains are nothing and that if the old man can keep grinding away, so can they.
I love that. I’ll miss that. Not many left that continue to wear the whole uni including spikes. There’s a whole commentary included in that one simple fact.
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Info from DOB:
Diory Hernandez had offseason shoulder surgery and is not 100%. Not that it impacts the big club… just FYI.
Lots of bits of info trickling in now that the workouts have started. My info addiction is kicking in hard…
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Mr. O’Brien says Troy Glaus looks to be in fantastic shape, and was effortlessly launching bombs over the LF wall in BP…
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You and me both, Raisins. That is beautiful.
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DOB:
Also in great shape: Martin Prado, who lost 14 pounds through PX90 program. His arms and chest just as big and he’s stronger, he says. Lost all the weight in his midsection.
I cannot to see these boys in action!!! 😀
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You gotta read this account of Heyward’s first BP session. (I feel bad jacking all of Mr. O’B’s comments.) It’s at the top of this page:
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2010/02/22/coxs-first-day-speech-will-presumably-be-his-last/comment-page-4/
Man! Ain’t spring just the BOMB!!!
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From the Braves twitter:
During BP Jason Heyward smashed the sunroof of Asst GM Bruce Manno’s car- about 450+ feet!
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
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Yes, but can he hit a curve ball…. ? 🙂
Actually, Heyward reminds me a lot of Ryan Howard.
Reserved my motel accommodations today for my impending trip. I am leaving the following week open. May pick up the game in Lakeland on the 8th. I will have to wait and see if Josie is bored with baseball by then…
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Great story on Chipper in this story by Boog – shamelessly lifted from DOB’s blog:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10101#commentMessage
The sunroof?? Does he have to pay for it??? Yesterday I got a notice from MLB.com about renewing my subscription for the 2010 season. Sometimes I’ve waffled about it, but didn’t even have to think twice this year! I just won’t buy groceries for two weeks to make up the cost of it….
But that’s ok. Need to lose some pounds anyway. Was doing well until SOMEBODY had to start talking about butter pecan ice cream. 😡
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I think we can all appreciate this little tidbit Mr. O’B shared about our old pal Lew:
I don’t think Lew’s posted yet today, but make sure to have him tell you the details of the scene this morning when he presented his painting to Cox, the painting of Bobby with his dogs.
It was pretty cool, took place right there by the dugout. Lew presented it on behalf of the fans and specifically the fans who are on this blog.
Bobby was blown away. Loved the painting. He spent 10 minutes or more over there, talking with Lew and then signing autographs for everyone around.
Then when we were in his office afterward, Chip Caray came in and Bobby had him turn the painting around and take a look at it, showing it off.
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Was doing well until SOMEBODY had to start talking about butter pecan ice cream.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm……
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DOB:
It’s official: Edward Salcedo has signed. Braves have signed the 18-year-old Dominican SS prospect.
Woo-hoo!
Big time prospect, too. This is really great news. He is considered the equivalent to a high 1st round pick. Highly developed kid with plus-defense and a big bat. Probably at least 4 years from the bigs, but likely the long-term replacement for Chipper at 3B.
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Y’all, that is a major signing. Really.
Perfect Game USA has this profile on him:
Edward Salcedo is a FA [not any more 😀 ] SS with a 6’3”, 190 lb. frame from La Vega, Dominican Republic. Big League body, strong and athletic. Smooth, easy defensive actions, easy plus arm, can really play SS. Aggressive swing, power projection, deep load from wide base, good bat speed, geared to drive fastballs, timing will be an issue. All the tools to be a top player. Potential 1st round type if in draft.
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V, wow!!! I sure hope the braves are serious about giving him the spot…if he earns it!
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Greetings all… I am really exited about attending a couple of ST games this year. So much to look forward to. I wish we could all go…
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I wish we could all go…
Me too, Gil, me too…
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During BP Jason Heyward smashed the sunroof of Asst GM Bruce Manno’s car- about 450+ feet!
😯 Hmm…how’d he do that….smash a sunroof 450+ feet…did it explode?
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Raisins, ya got a mean streak, ya know that?? mmmmmmmmm, indeed!
😆
Wow, Gil. Y’all need somebody to carry your luggage, bring coffee – anything like that??
I’d fall all over myself to– uh, I mean I’d probably be able to help you out down there in FL, in spite of the hardship it would put me in…. Anything to help a friend, you know.LikeLike
Did I ever tell you folks about the time I showed up at a labor negotiations wearing a “WILL WORK FOR FOOD” placard… Kind of lighten the mood. 🙂 Sometimes I think there are some folks who don’t understand what a recession is…
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/business/transportation/article/B-GRTC23_20100222-212202/326106/
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I am really regretting that I was unable to make the trip over to Orlando, today in particular. I would’ve liked to have seen that.
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Ahhh…. Spring Training! Everyone looks and feels great. The balls are busting up windows and sunroofs over 400 feet away. Pitchers are starting to feel it and everyone is ripping the cover off the ball. Life is good!!!
GO BRAVES!!!
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Is it the start of the season yet???
Is it the start of the season yet???
Is it the start of the season yet???
Is it the start of the season yet???
Is it the start of the season yet???
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And don’t forget, most players show up in BSOML…
😀
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Boy, I wish round was a good shape… Then I could say I was in the BSOML too. 😦 Can only say I am in the roundest shape of my life 😦
Ah well, at least there is little danger of me starving to death. Will be the last guy standing… Uh, okay .. sitting.. but ya’ll get the idea.
Calling for a dusting of snow this evening but I don’t think we will get much. The birds are not indicating much snow here. Most of the weather appears to be south of us today.
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About 3 years ago, I began a 2 year steady workout regimen that did in fact lead me to BSMOL. Unfortunately, over this past year, my steadiest physical activity was probably brushing my teeth daily. (I am old school – no electric toothbrush…)
After reading about Marteeen and his P90X success, which reminded me of MattyD’s similar story last year, I did a little research.
I like what I found, and God willing, I am going to acquire the necessary P90X materials in the next couple of weeks and begin working toward a true BSMOL. I have the willingness and the desire. The $$$ is my obstacle. I am praying for providence. I’ll get it…
It has been my recent years’ experience that a relatively fit body, used to exercise, minimizes the long standing ill-effects that my younger athletic endeavors wreaked upon my joints. I have 2 bad knees, 1 bad ankle, 1 bad shoulder, 1 very sore elbow and continuing back ailments. When I was working out regularly, only the shoulder chronically plagued me. (And that is likely because it is the one part that was actually intruded upon with a scalpel.) Anyway, I refuse to grow older and more sedentary (FOB?) out of necessity. The fight begins soon.
Bring it on… bring it on…
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Oh… one more helping of positivity regarding young Mr. Salcedo…
As I referenced yesterday, he is widely considered to be the equivalent of a high 1st round pick. This is significant considering that the Braves forfeited their 2010 1st rounder with the Wags-y signing.
Now, get this. Not only do they have a kid considered rated higher than they would have picked, he is already signed and will spend an entire year at low-A ball rather than a couple of months in Rookie League. In other words, he’ll essentially be 1 year ahead developmentally. Who can’t like that?
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I admire your desire and ambition for the exercise program, Raisins.
I think I have finally just surrendered and quit worrying about it. I am what I am. Now I think I’ll go get some of that BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM THAT I HAD TO GO BUY. Thank you very much, Mr P90X!
😛
😆
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hmmm…
I wonder where Butter Pecan Ice Cream will fit into the program…
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I wonder where Butter Pecan Ice Cream will fit into the program…
Replaces cereal…have with coffee and save on cream! Start the day off right! 😆
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Let’s see…
Dairy group: butter, cream… CHECK!
Protein group: pecans… that’s a nut… CHECK!
Supplements: calcium, Vitamin D… CHECK!
Hey! It IS part of a healthy breakfast! 😀
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My left knee keeps trying to buckle under me. I scared the pediddle out of an old lady at the nursing home today. I think she thought the end was near when I nearly fell on top of her because of my faulty joint. I stumbled but managed to avoid her.
My dog still doesn’t trust me. I feel on him while feeding him one night shortly after my second knee surgery. He now stands back a respectful distance until I am safely away from his dish.
And yes, time for all of us to bite the bullet so to speak. Actually, I don’t have to reach back very far to get into the BSOML… I’ve always been out of shape… Just more stamina and two good knees…
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Gil: http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS298&q=walking+canes+for+men&aq=0&aqi=g10&oq=walking+canes
I never had much of a problem until the spinal problem got bad – and once your mobility goes, including exercise, that scale is gonna go – UP. In a hurry. Especially if you’ve had any quantity of birthday cake. 😥
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from DOB:
““Schafe last year unfortunately broke his hand, and played with it,” Cox said. “It really wasn’t fair to him. I was kind of selfish, I left him in there because of his defense. I thought we’d hit enough to get by. But at any rate, we’ve got a little more depth in the outfield with Melky Cabrera.””
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I already have a magnificent cane CL… 🙂 Still, things can get shaky sometimes.
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Leave it to Bobby to take the blame for Schaf trying to hide his injury….
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Ah… there we go… 😀
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Gil, I’ve been considering training wheels…. 😆
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Raisins, you’re in trouble!
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Does anybody know where that key to the doghouse is???
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I think Ber had them last 🙂
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I left them in the doghouse door last time! 😉
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Dadgummit… there’s fleas in here! 😡
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There’s a can of spray by the door, V.
Ber, what did ya do with ’em?? ‘Fess up!
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Sold ’em for scrap! There was some copper in them! 🙂
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Sounds like it would be pretty tough for Schafer to win a job this spring…his hand is still a problem.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-keep-reins-on-327206.html
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I look for Jordan to be a May or June call up. I don’t think there is room for him on this team right now. Of course, you can never say never.
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grrrrr *grumbles, puts on shoes, gets keys, goes to locksmith, gets new key* 😡
Move over, Raisins. Ber is joining you.
😛
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psst! Ber.. I found a back door…. shhhh… don’t tell anybody… they’ll never know we weren’t here…
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Uh-uh! I’m on night duty & I see you 2 sneaking out the back to the ice cream freezer.
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I know the Olympics are heavy on the “fluff pieces”, usually containing a sob story about some challenge an athlete has had to overcome but here’s someone who’s truly dealing with a challenge right now. Canadian skater Joannie Rochette is a strong contender for a medal. On Sunday her 55-year old mother died of a heart attack. Joannie chose to compete & skated brilliantly in the short program last night, holding off tears ’til she was done. It was a very brave performance. Tomorrow night is the ladies’ long program. There are a lot of talented ladies who would be worthy Olympic medalists but my #1 rooting will be for Joannie to make the podium. If y’all are watching send her some love.
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What I find incredible is how a commentator can describe one competitor in (pick your sport) as being slow vs another flying when the difference is often a few hundredths of a second. Like they can really tell… Personally, I think they are all pretty impressive athletes, especially the down hill skiers.
The one time in my life when I tried to do a backwards somersault I think I was seven or eight. I landed flat on my back and could not breath for what seemed an eternity. (Did you know that you cannot cry when you have no air to pass through your windpipe?) Cured me of trying any further stunts off the top of the dog house for sure….
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Well… what an awful night in the doghouse *he said with fingers crossed and a wink to the side*. 😉
OK… I have paid my penance. Freedom awaits.
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Did you hear about the 83-year-old woman who talked herself out of a speeding ticket by telling the young officer that she had to get there before she forgot where she was going?
Makes perfectly good sense to me…..
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This was interesting (at least to me):
COFFEE FILTERS – Better than paper towels and a lot less expensive.
Who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing, even the large ones.
1. Use on glass microwave tray as pad. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome. Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling.
3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.
4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..
13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them.. It soaks out all the grease.
14. Keep in the bathroom.. They make great “razor nick fixers.”
15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics.
16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.
17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.
18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car..
19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.
20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies.. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.
21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.
22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.
23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.
24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee
filters and put the coffee filters in phone book..
25. Use as a disposable “snack bowl” for popcorn, chips, etc.
OH YEAH, THEY ARE GREAT TO USE IN YOUR COFFEE MAKERS TOO!
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Yeah, especially around the Raisin’s household, maybe that’s why he ran out last week… 🙂
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Gil, first thing I thought of when I read that was – Raisins’ coffee machine! 😆
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Such a small world CL… 🙂
Now, an update… It’s Friday!!!! Wow, snuck up on me. Funny how weeks can just fly by even when you are not working. Must be all this fun I am having.
One of my nephews is getting married this Saturday. I promised my brother I would attend. I am happy for the kid, of course I think he is really doing it to escape the clutches of his overbearing mother… LOL.. Boy, is he in for a surprise….
I told my brother I was a little disappointed in him, (my brother). Here he was just expecting his first grandchild and I am expecting my 20th in April…. Somehow I just don’t think he is doing his part in perpetuating the family line…
And now baseball…. Yeehaw, by this time next week I will be experiencing insomnia in the Sunshine State. I can hardly wait… 🙂
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Maybe this guy should be glad it was a hot dog and not a baseball. Pays to be alert when at the ball game.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Baseball fans who sit six rows behind the third-base dugout at the Kansas City Royals’ stadium know they might have to duck a few foul balls.
But a Kansas man says it was a flying hot dog, not a baseball, that almost put his eye out last year.
John Coomer has filed a lawsuit against the Royals seeking more than $25,000 for injuries he sustained Sept. 8 when he was smacked in the eye with a hot dog chucked by the team’s mascot, Sluggerrr.
Coomer said the wayward wiener caused a detached retina and the development of cataracts in his left eye.
The Royals declined to comment Tuesday. The team is looking for someone new to wear the mascot’s large lion costume. Spokesman Toby Cook says there’s “no connection” with the hot dog affair
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/12968322/fan-sues-royals-claiming-hot-dog-almost-put-out-his-eye/cbsnews
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From an e-mail
During my second month of college, our professor Gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read
the last one:
“What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall,dark-haired and in her 50’s, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
“Absolutely, ” said the professor… “In your careers,you will meet many people. All are significant.. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say “hello..”
I’ve never forgotten that lesson.. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
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Consider yourself lucky Salty, she could have dropped a house on you… 🙂
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I reallyl appreciated what this man had to say: (political, of course )
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Salty, that quiz question was probably one of the more important lessons that could be learned!
from the WHAT??! department:
“Friday, February 26, 2010
Pinnacle Airlines flight from Rochester, N.Y., to Atlanta was canceled after two flight attendants got into a fight, AJC.com reported.
Two female flight attendants got into a verbal argument and the pilot decided to cancel the flight, Amy Howell, owner of Howell Marketing Strategies, which represents Pinnacle Airlines, told FoxNews.com.
“They told us we had to get off the plane because stewardesses were fighting,” said passenger Corey Minton.
The Delta Connection flight was operated by Pinnacle Airlines, which has suspended the two women while an investigation is conducted, the site reported.
“The acts described are not acceptable,” said Joe Williams, a spokesman for Pinnacle Airlines.
Passengers were reportedly placed on other flights.”
😯 😯 😯
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Gil, I may have said this before…do the grandkids have to wear nametags???? 😛
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CL, I lost a longer post, just let me say I think the Judge is a very smart man, but he also likes to go on the Alex Jones radio show, a big time truther(now after bashing Bush for years, he bashes Obama)
And he thinks civilian trials are just fine for 9-11 terrorists…
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My friend Brian is up from Savannah(You know, my BFF! 😛 ) and so I am behind on the baseball news…I have recorded, but not yet seen the baseball tonight on the braves from Thursday…anyone else see it???
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by the by, I lost that post because it claimed I wasn’t logged in, just after I made the post about Gil’ grandkids!
😯
I went elsewhere, and when I saw that , I tried to back up but no post was there…almost always is with firefox….
CL, what I was trying to say is I take what he says with a grain of salt, not that what he says isn’t true.
Clear as mud? 😕
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Ber, “clear as mud”? I have no idea! I don’t know whose shows he’s been on or where. I only know that the words he spoke in THIS clip made a lot of sense. *sigh*
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Ber, while I think the name tag suggestion would be a big help, I am afraid it would be a non-starter with Ms Josie… Therefore I always can fall back on terms like sweetheart, darlin, bubba and killer… you know, al the terms our grandparents used. 🙂
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NEW BLOG IS UP!!
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