Archive for August 2nd, 2006
Continue Reading August 2nd, 2006
Despite our rather obvious and unapologetic Midwest Bias, we do actually live in Manhattan. That means, of course, we pay triple market value for an apartment the size of your closet, we’re constantly showing family members from back home the same four landmarks and, most important, we have never watched the NFL Network. We have Time Warner Cable, and we’ve never seen the channel. We hear it’s great.
We missed it but were able to survive without it last year, but now, they’re showing actual live games … and we still can’t get it. That’s right: It’s a fun New York City cable-network pissing match. This happened a couple of years ago with the Mets — you were unable to watch Mets games for about half the season — but we care a helluva lot more about the NFL than we did about the 2003 Mets.
The dispute is mostly with Time Warner: Th network isn’t on the air in several Time Warner cities, including Los Angeles, Houston, Cincinnati and (gulp) Green Bay. Time Warner says the NFL wants too much money.
And once again, we as fans find ourselves in the same position as always: Sitting around, twiddling our thumbs while we wait for a couple of billion-dollar corporations to figure out how to split all the money we give them. That’s always fun.
You probably shouldn’t get us started on DirectTV, either.
NFL Get Real [Time Warner]
NFL Network [NFL.com]
Continue Reading August 2nd, 2006
Welcome to Minor Enterprise, where we preview, and occasionally review, the great events of minor league baseball. Each Wednesday we’ll take a look at the promotions, players and mascots which populate our minor league ballparks; the unsung heroes of our national pastime. (Minor Enterprise not responsible for items thrown by Joe Mikulik). If you have a good tip about a minor league promotion, or perhaps you’re dressed as a large mascot beaver and are hopelessly stuck in the suit, contact us at tips@deadspin.com.
We were wondering when Minor League Baseball would get around to addressing baby car safety as it pertains to pop divas, and now that time has finally come. Friday is Britney Spears Baby Safety Night for the Newark Bears, as babies from throughout the tri-state area prepare to invade Riverfront Stadium as the Bears take on the Road Warriors for a 7:05 p.m. tilt (dangerously close to most baby bedtimes). But it’s all in the name of baby safety. Fans who dress as a baby, present a baby toy or bring a baby (4 and under) receive free admission. Baby safety literature will be distributed, and of course there will be fireworks. No, baby, don’t touch that lit fuse! Thanks to Jen Gaffney and Christopher Michael Bellinger, by the way, for bringing this to our attention.
Other minor league promotions coming up this week:
• Superhero Saturday (Atlantic City Surf, Independent Atlantic League). Drag out your He-Man costume and head out to this game, where all fans wearing superhero garb will be admitted for $2. It’s sure to be a dignified event rivaling any comic book convention ever seen on the East Coast. And if you’re busy Saturday, there’s always Weiner Wednesday, which is happening today. We assume there’s free hot dogs involved, although it could just be a warmup for Superhero Saturday. (Thanks to Travis Witmeyer).
• Napoleon Dynamite Night with Efren Ramirez. (Tonight, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, New York-Penn League). “Tina, come get some ham!” You’re rubbing your eyes in disbelief as you discover that, not only are the Scrappers honoring the 2004 cult classic film, but Efren “Vote For Pedro” Ramirez will actually be in attendance for the game against the Batavia Muckdogs. So strap on your skates and get your brother to tow you in to town, you’re not going to want to miss this one. (Thanks to Benjamin Hill).
• A Weekend of Anti-Red Sox Promotions. (Friday through Sunday, Staten Island Yankees, New York-Penn League). After the Lowell Spinners — an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox — offered to replace any Yankees youth team uniforms with brand new Spinners uniforms earlier this year, the Staten Island Yankees decided to retaliate. Fans who arrive at the ballpark with a donation of Red Sox clothing will receive free admission, and in honor of Johnny Damon the club will be giving away free haircuts and shaves. Former Red Sox great Jim Rice will be on hand Sunday. (Thanks to Benjamin Hill).
• College Course Giveaway. (Friday, Southwest Michigan Devil Rays , Midwest League). Yes, the Devil Rays will give away three three-credit college courses at nearby Kellogg Community College. Proving once again that, in the U.S., academics rule. Ha! Take that, Japan! (Thanks to Benjamin Hill).
• Minor League Mascot Of The Week. When we saw the team name — West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx — we knew that their mascot would be either horrid or confusing, and possibly both. Indeed, Ribbee looks like something dreamed up by Hanna-Barbera cartoonists suffering from plague, or else is the rejected fifth Banana Split. We’d also like to point out that the wearing of a large mascot costume does not give one press box groping privleges. Harold Reynolds was fired for something similar, yes?
• Bobblehead Of The Moment. Chris Weinke played for the Tennssee Smokies in the 1990s, spending six seasons in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league chain before switching to football, where he won the Heisman at Florida State. Now you can relive his baseball glory as the Smokies hand out Chris Weinke Trophy Dolls on Saturday, before their Southern League game against the Birmingham Barons. The doll features Weinke striking the Heisman pose, while wearing a Smokies baseball uniform (?). If you go over to eBay, it’s backing up the Jake Delhomme bobble head doll. Anyway, there’s a picture of it after the jump, which was sent in by Kyle Herschelman.
• Minor Enterprise Almost-Eyewitness Report. If you’re like us, you were wondering how that Rochester Honkers promotion, “The World’s Biggest Game of Simon Says,” went last week. Reader Jeff Pieters was there, sort of. He files a report, after the jump.
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Here’s the final report on the World’s Biggest Game of Simon Says. (We were among the early departers, as, by the seventh inning, my son was begging to go home to sleep. I was worried the beer I’d had would have altered my testosterone level and invalidated any records, anyway.) So anyway, here’s what Kim David at KROC AM News wrote about it:
“The Rochester Honkers baseball team had hoped to set a world record last night by organizing a huge game of Simon Says. The current record was set in April in Glasgow in a game that had 1,169 participants. It appears the local effort came up short by about 600. A possible reason for the short number — the Honkers lost 11-3, and many fans may have left early.”
Chris Weinke Trophy Doll
Continue Reading August 2nd, 2006
Bobby Abreu made his debut for the New York Yankees last night, going 0-for-3 with a walk as the Yankees took over first place for the first time in almost two months. It’s a love fest in the Bronx so far, which is to say, it has been about 24 hours.
Much discussion of Abreu of late has revolved around his lack of power since his monstrous performance in the Home Run Derby last year. What is rarely brought up, or remembered even, from that time is what was going on with Abreu’s personal life back when he was hitting homers so regularly.
Excuse us while we we quote from our own post.
The Phillies outfielder — right around the time this story broke, he hit homers in six consecutive games — was engaged to former Miss Universe Alicia Machado. In May, she appeared on a Mexican reality television show called “La Granga (The Farm)” and, in a video you can find on Limewire, had sex with a fellow cast member on camera. Needless to say, Abreu was not a fan of this, called off the engagement and subsequently went on his homer barrage.
So, to serve notice to Brian Cashman and George Steinbrenner: We think you guys know what you need to do. Make it happen: You have a legacy of championships to live up to.
Bobby Abreu’s Otherworldly Restraint [Deadspin]
(UPDATE: And you can also find the video on YouTube.)
Continue Reading August 2nd, 2006
Fret not, loyal Chicago-area readers: Your long national nightmare is now over. After a month-long “vacation” that followed Ozzie Guillen Fag-gate, Chicago Sun-Times “columnist” Jay Mariotti has signed a three-year deal with the paper, assuring his smiling face will grace the paper’s pages four days a week for the next three years.
During Mariotti’s “vacation,” he was appearing regularly on “Around the Horn,” even though he wasn’t writing for the paper. He, of course, wasn’t hanging around clubhouses while was on sabbatical, but that never really bothered us that much anyway.
Mariotti returned with a column about the White Sox, of course, and it began with the words “Remember my magnificent decree.” Hey, you guys have fun, Chicago.
Mariotti Returns To Sun-Times [Editor & Publisher]
A Helpful Tip For Ozzie Guillen, And It’s Free [Deadspin]
Continue Reading August 2nd, 2006
With just two days before their mega-card in Ariake Coliseum, HERO`S just added another heavyweight super fight to round up eleven matches for this August 5th Middleweight and Light Heavyweight tournament extravaganza.
HERO`S committee has announced the inclusion of UFC and PRIDE veteran Semmy Schilt against Korean Olympic judoka Min Soo Kim in a Heavyweight superfight.
On an interesting note, this will mark Schilt’s first MMA fight since 2004 when he was defeated by Sergei Kharitonov in PRIDE. For the last two years, Schilt has dedicated himself to K-1 standing rules matches where he took the K-1 World Grand Prix championship last year.
Sammy Corporation Presents HERO’S 2006
August 5th, 2006
Ariake Coliseum
Tokyo, Japan
Doors Open: 14:30
Fights Start: 16:00
Tentative Fight Card (Card Subject To Change):
Open, 2R/1EXT 5M
Semmy Schilt (Golden Glory) vs. Min Soo Kim (RINGS Korea)
70 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Alexandre Franca Nogueira (Shooto Brazil Dojo) vs. Koutetsu Boku (KILLER BEE)
Open, 2R/1EXT 5M
Don Frye (Team Frye) vs. Yoshihisa Yamamoto (Freelance)
HERO’S 2006 Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinal
70 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Kultar Gill (Revolution Fight Team) vs. Kaoru Uno (Wajyutsu Keisyukai Tokyo Headquarters)
HERO’S 2006 Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinal
70 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Ivan Menjivar (Tristar Gym) vs. Hideo Tokoro (Reversal Gym)
HERO’S 2006 Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinal
70 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Gesias Calvancanti (American Top Team) vs. Hiroyuki Takaya (Team HARDCORE)
HERO’S 2006 Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinal
70 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Rani Yahira (Atiada Jr. Jiu-Jitsu) vs. Kazuya Yasuhiuro (Seido Kaikan)
HERO’S 2006 Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal
85 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Carlos Newton (Warrior MMA) vs. Melvin Manhoef (IT’S SHOWTIME)
HERO’S 2006 Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal
85 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Shungo Oyama (Freelance) vs. Rodrigo Gracie (Team Royce Gracie)
HERO’S 2006 Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal
85 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Yoshihiro Akiyama (Freelance) vs. Kin Taiei (Seido Kaikan)
HERO’S 2006 Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal
85 KG, 2R/1EXT 5M
Kestutis Smirnovas (Audra Gym) vs. Kazushi Sakuraba (Freelance)
Continue Reading August 2nd, 2006
We can all agree that we give much love to the chorizo, slight discomfort with cheap ethnic pandering aside. The chorizo has taken the country by storm! Considering there isn’t that much more to talk about in relation to Milwaukee Brewers baseball right now, you’d think the chorizo would be out there every night.
But nope: The chorizo won’t be back at Miller Park until next season. The team joked that it was because he was going to the minors for more “seasoning,” but the real reason is that Major League Baseball has to vet all new mascots.
According to Susan Goodenow, an MLB spokesman, baseball wants to be sure that fans tie into new characters or promotions from a marketing and licensing standpoint. She was being nice. She meant to say baseball wants to be sure the Chorizo will make the Brewers, Klement’s and anyone else connected with the promotion a lot of money.
That, of course, means no more chorizo until next year. The invasion is only delayed, not avoided.
Hold The Chorizo? This Cannot Stand [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]
Welcome, Chorizo! [Deadspin]
Continue Reading August 2nd, 2006
With the Drew Gooden free agent talks in turmoil, the Cavaliers are poking around elsewhere for a power forward.
Drew wants “Nene money”, which is a problem not just because he’s not worth “Nene money”, but also because the fact the term “Nene money” is in use is some sort of cosmic thing that needs corrected.
(That last sentence is a mess, but we’re crunched for time. Welcome to the new media!)
Anyway, Cleveland is talking with Reggie Evans, who is one of those “great rebounder per 48 minutes” types of guys. You may also remember he’s the starting Testicler on the US/NBA World Cup team we put together.
According to an NBA executive, the Cavs met Tuesday with free-agent forward Reggie Evans at an undisclosed location outside of Cleveland.
Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry declined to comment. Evans’ agent Dan Fegan did not return a phone message.
This is all quite strange to us. Not so much the talking with Balls McCray, but the secrecy of it all.
Undisclosed locations? Comment declining? Unreturned phone calls? Undisclosed locations again? Comment declining again? Unreturned phone calls again?
Absorb that - what’s your conclusion? Yes, it’s all quite obvious, but let’s run through our clues once more. Undisclosed locations once more? Comment declining once more? Unreturned phone once more?
Anyway, between the undisclosed phone calls and the declined comments, we’re once again led to believe there’s an unreturned phone call coming up next somehow or somewhere or sometime.
In other news, the US beat up on Puerto Rico in their first scrimmage in preparation for the World Championships. Kobe was in the crowd, where he was doing things like watching and observing, as is commonly required of people sitting in crowds.
Continue Reading August 2nd, 2006
Notes from a day in baseball:
• 1. Utley Amazing. OK, we know we’re probably getting way ahead of ourselves, but Chase Utley’s hitting streak is still pretty exciting, even though it’s now coming at the expense of a certain team with birds on its uni tops. The major’s longest streak this season continued on Tuesday as Utley had two hits in Philadelphia’s 5-3 win over St. Louis. But hey, the Cards stopped Jimmy Rollins’ 38-game streak earlier this season.
• 2. Cycling Update. Detroit’s 10-4 win over Tampa Bay equaled the Tigers’ win total from last season, but all of that was lost by the fact that Carlos Guillen hit for the cycle. Also, Justin Verlander won his seventh consecutive decision for his 14th win, tops in the majors. Guillen is the third Tiger since 1951 to hit for the cycle.
• 3. You Do The Math. Bobby Abreu did absolutely nothing in his Yankee debut, but Bernie Williams’ tiebreaking, three-run double lifted the Yankees over the Blue Jays 5-1, vaulting New York into first place in the AL East. The Yankees (62-41) hadn’t been in first since June 18. The Boston Red Sox (63-42) are two percentage points back.
• 4. Jeff Cirillo And The Soggy Balls. Jeff Cirillo charged Rockies’ management with using illegal, waterlogged baseballs, and then a few hours later his Brewers beat Colorado 1-0 at Coors Field. It was just the fourth 1-0 game in the stadium’s 12-year history, but the third this season.
• 5. Errors In The Outfield. The Los Angeles Angels, who lead the AL in errors, were helped by two Oakland miscues in a 3-2 win, bringing the Angels within a half-game of the Athletics in the AL West.
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