Archive for June 14th, 2006
Continue Reading June 14th, 2006
We apologize for our lingering tech problems today, but all should be resolved now. Sorry. We’re going to try to make it up to you; we’re gonna give you that long-awaited opportunity to punch us in the face.
We haven’t taken any of our Deadspin Field Trips in a while, so we thought long and hard about what our next one should be. And since Deadspin readers and commenters pretty much provide us 75 percent of our daily joy, we thought it should involve you. Therefore, we cordially invite you to join us and your fellow Deadspin readers and commenters at RFK Stadium, on Monday, July 3, for a Deadspin Day At RFK.
Basically, all Deadspin readers are invited to sit together for the stirring 7 p.m. contest between the Nationals and Marlins in the Upper Upper Upper Deck. How Upper Deck? The seats are seven dollars. We would never expect anyone to pay more for a Nationals-Marlins game.
You can get the tickets from the Nationals’ Web site; just make sure you pick the Monday, July 3 game. The section you’re shooting for is Section 532. It’s not sold out — for now — because those seats are just south of the moon. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
So come one, come all. And stay tuned for updates as we all get closer. Nationals-Marlins Independence Day Eve excitement … CATCH IT!
Washington Nationals Ticketing [Nationals.com]
Continue Reading June 14th, 2006
Completely bizarre story out of Turkey, a place where most bizarre stories all end up anyway.
Here’s the setup: The Turkish national team is nailing down its roster for the basketball World Championships in August in Japan, and they turned down Hedo Turkoglu’s attempts to play for the team because he said needed an extra week or so to recover from an injury. (Turkoglu is famous and beloved in Turkey, thanks in part to his returning to the country last year to complete his military service obligation.)
That’s odd — Turkoglu’s very confused — but that’s not the strangest part. Also Turkish? Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur. But is he going to play? He’s not, because he provided a medical report claiming he can’t play because he missed the entire NBA season. Except, uh … he didn’t miss the entire NBA season; he actually didn’t miss a game.
And you know what? They’ll still beat the U.S.
Turkey Players Are Chicken [Some Fine Fellows]
Continue Reading June 14th, 2006
We know you’ve been worried, but you may now relax your troubled brow; Jim Harrick is coaching again. The 67-year-old Harrick, who was fired at UCLA for falsifying expense reports, and fired at the University of Georgia for various recruiting scandals (for which the Bulldogs are still on probation), will be coaching the expansion Bakersfield Jam next season, as the NBA Development League expands from eight to 12 teams. Harrick, whose son was also booted from UG for a variety of coaching misdeeds, had these things to say about his new gig: “My wife wants me out of the house,” and “This will ruin my golf handicap.” (Laugh track). We think coaches should be fired just for dragging out moth-eaten quotes like those.
We also think that, perhaps the NBDL, in addition to developing future NBA players, might also want to dabble in developing the next generation of NBA coaches. Or major college, or whatever. What is accomplished by dusting off warped relics like Harrick is beyond us. But then again, it is the Bakersfield Jam. Seems like a fitting last chapter for the H-Man.
He’s Baaack! Harrick Hired To Coach In NBDL [MSNBC]
NBA Development League [NBDL]
Continue Reading June 14th, 2006
Notes from a day in baseball:
• 1. This Item Soccer-Free For Your Protection. So isn’t this why we follow baseball? Isn’t this the reward for slogging through the steroid, labor and criminal issues? Doesn’t this boil down to be the essence of the game? What? The beer? OK, you’ve got a point. But this was still pretty awesome, especially for Twins fans (both of you pay attention!). Jason Kubel, who sustained a horrible knee injury last season that some thought might end his career, came back in a big way, pounding a grand slam in the 12th off of Julian (It Couldn’t Happen To A Better Guy) Tavarez, as the Twins beat the Red Sox 5-2. The whole thing capped a great pitching duel between Curt Schilling and Johan Santana, both of whom went eight innings.
• 2. La La Wood Fables. It was all looking so good for the Dodgers just a week ago. But there was trouble on the horizon (ominous music here). Mike Cameron came within one single of hitting for the cycle, and former Dodger Chan Ho Park got the win as the Padres prevailed 9-1 on Tuesday. Also, LA uber-closer Eric Gagne was placed on the 15-day DL due to elbow stiffness. Bummer, dude.
• 3. Stripes. Good news for fans in Detroit: the Tigers are off the endangered list (with the exception of Dmitri Young, of course). Kenny Rogers won his 199th career game with eight strong innings as the AL Central leading-Tigers beat the Devil Rays 7-1. After losing series to the Yankees, Red Sox and White Sox, Detroit has won four straight and still has the best record in baseball.
• 4. The Adventures Of Robinson Cano. The Indians and Yankees entered Tuesday’s game tied for the major league lead in runs at 359, but New York eked ahead after a 1-0 win. Chien-Ming Wang went 7 1/3 innings to get the W, and Robinson Cano homered for the only offense that counted.
• 5. Checkout Time At The Halladay Inn. Not to be outdone, Toronto’s Roy Halladay threw a six-hitter to win his seventh straight decision, 7-1 victory over the Orioles. Vernon Wells homered and had three RBI.
Continue Reading June 14th, 2006
Dallas collapse or Miami resurgence? You decide! Dan Le Batard can’t believe what Dwyane Wade did to bring this thing to 2-1. Everyone’s favorite snake-inspired film project needs our full attention today in various aspects - we’ll try to get something up later, but we’re away from the computer for the most part.
Don’t be angry - celebrate that we have much more of an actual series now, plus it’s Wednesday!
Continue Reading June 14th, 2006
After staying up too late watching basketball, we woke up this morning ready to survey the NBA world’s presumed newfound excitement over the NBA Finals, which showed some signs of life last evening. But that’s not what we found.
• True Hoop: “It’s not at all clear to me that this is a replicable victory. It didn’t look like the Heat solved anything about Dallas. It looked like Dwyane Wade sprouted wings. Maybe that can happen three more times.”
• Free Darko: ” If Bream and Hubie were laying it on a bit thick when it came to the emotional pull of the Heat, it probably came out of a need to prop them up and make sure this win counted double in the KEEP WATCHING department. Keep the heart tuned in and eager even if the head remains skeptical.”
In other words: The Heat sneaked out one, by that’s probably it. This may very well be true, but we have no problem with remaining in the KEEP WATCHING camp. A sweep by the Mavericks may support the rather clear change in the NBA architecture, but that doesn’t it mean it’s particularly enjoyable. Sure, it is just one game … but it was a game the Heat had to have. Shouldn’t we credit them for bringing it when it was of the utmost importance? Or should we blame them for saving it until then? Probably both, we suppose. Either way … whew. We have something to watch again.
Poetical Don’t Last [Free Darko]
Oh, Dwyane Wade [True Hoop]
Dwyane Wade: Kind Of Fun To Watch [Deadspin]
(By the way, Free Darko’s got themselves a tasty, nasty little JJ Redick rumor.)
Continue Reading June 14th, 2006
Dmitri hard at workEveryone remembers earlier this year when minor leaguer Delmon Young made like Greg Louganis and threw his bat at some dude, namely the umpire. People were all up in arms about how you shouldn’t throw your bat at people, and how it did not meet proper safety standards. Well, now we know that Delmon Young was not being crazy, but rather, scientific.
Yesterday, Delmon’s older brother Dmitri was supposed to be in court for a pretrial appearance in a domestic violence case in which he is accused of choking a woman. However, he decided in order to keep the research going that he would skip the proceeding. Thus, the judge issued a warrant.
You see, it’s all a part of the Youngs’ elaborate scientific experiment to prove that being a dumbass is hereditary. If they can prove that there is a genetic link to acting like an idiot, they will finally be able to explain away their asinine behavior. Not to mention the fact that once and for all they will be able to stop blaming their dad for not hugging them enough when they were kids.
The lesson here kids is that if you put your mind to it and ignore enough consequences, you can get away with anything. Including inventing Crystal Pepsi.
Continue Reading June 14th, 2006
Of course I went to bed at halftime last night, just before Dallas took a 13-point lead and Dwyane Wade went nuts to make this championship series a series. And of course I live in DC, so my morning print opinion comes courtesy of one Michael Wilbon, who is breathless in South Beach…
“You can have LeBron James. You can have Kobe Bryant. You can have any pick on the playground . . . anybody from here to China. Just let me have Dwyane Wade.”
I agree with that, but that’s because I’m a fan, a fan who doesn’t like LeBron and Kobe, but would Wilbon really take Wade over those guys? Or is it just that he’s fresh off of witnessing a 42-point, series-saving performance by a young star? Seriously, if you could start a team with any one of those guys, what would be the draft order? Objectively, I’d go LeBron, Kobe, Wade. Subjectively, Wade, LeBron, Kobe.
Either which way, the NBA is dope right now. Its two biggest stars went home in the first round, its most dominant player of the past five years (Duncan) got bounced two rounds ago and the two-time reigning MVP is probably dancing with Brazilian women in Germany as I type, but the Association can still trot D-Wade, Dirk, Shaq and even Cuban’s slightly horrifying presence out there for the Finals. Fantastic.
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