Archive for July 10th, 2007
Continue Reading July 10th, 2007
We run this picture, not because there’s any particular reason to run it, but because it’s the All-Star Game tonight, and we will never, ever tire of looking at this picture. It has been five years since the ultimate Bud Selig befuddled moment — honestly, just look at that picture again; doesn’t it just make you want to laugh and dance? That’s what it does to us — and it’s pretty much the first, last and every image we think about it anytime the game comes back around. It makes us happy. It just does.
We hope you all enjoyed Bud’s chat today and are raring and ready for the 78th All-Star Game. The American League has won nine in a row. Since they made that All Important Rule about home-field advantage in the World Series going to the league that wins here, the World Series is even between leagues at 2. So strap in and HOLD ON TIGHT. (And play Bingo!)
Because this is a Big Game — and the Only Thing Happening Today — we are proud to introduce the fine crew at Babes Love Baseball, who will be live blogging this monster for you tonight. Their words will begin a bit before gametime after the jump. Make them feel welcome, and do try to enjoy yourselves.
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Continue Reading July 10th, 2007
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sports
Electronic Arts is launching a second football franchise with the NFL license. NFL Tour is being billed as more of an arcade-style sports game and “will bring the spectacle of a traveling NFL road show alive” for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Both “intuitive controls” and an appeal to “casual gamers” are mentioned in the press release, indicating EA sees this game as intended for a different audience not wanting the detail of Madden (or maybe even Blitz). The game’s site is set up to show a teaser trailer featuring the logo and … well, not much else, really.
NFL Tour is scheduled for release January 2008.
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Continue Reading July 10th, 2007
In lieu of the whole discussion on how to improve the Home Run Derby, our friends at The Nosebleeds have a proposal that we can absolutely get behind.
If baseball insists on using kids in this event, it should be altered to employ them in a more amusing way. First, it should be renamed the Home Run Pitching Derby. Then someone should construct a giant catapult, like a medieval siege engine.
There would a little seat in which one of the children would be strapped. The seat would be connected to a spring, which would in turn be operated by a lever with a target on it. The game’s best pitchers would line up and attempt to hit the target. Each time there was a hit, there would be a huge SPROINGGGG and a child would be launched out of the stadium. The pitcher with the most children landing in the river (or the parking lot, depending on where the game was being played) wins.
Sounds like a plan! Where do we sign up?
A Modest Proposal [The Nosebleeds]
Back … Back … Oh, Forget It [Deadspin]
Continue Reading July 10th, 2007
So do you really hate the Yankees, or are you just saying that you hate the Yankees? Because according to this poll, someone’s obviously lying. The most loved, and hated, teams in baseball. [Business Wire]
Continue Reading July 10th, 2007
We know that you, like us, have been on your proverbial pins and your proverbial needles wondering whether or not baseball commissioner Bud Selig would attend the game in which Barry Bonds destroys our collective faith in humanity by breaking Hank Aaron’s home run record. Wonder no longer!
SI.com’s Jon Heyman, who’s almost always immediately on top of this stuff, says Selig will suck it up and make an appearance.
SI.com has learned that barring something unforeseen and drastic, Selig plans to be there when Bonds breaks the all-time home run record of Selig’s longtime friend and Milwaukee mate Hank Aaron. While Selig’s long-shot hope for the miracle to stop Bonds is all but extinguished, it’s safe to assume that he wasn’t shedding a tear over Bonds’ me-first decision to skip out on his hometown Home Run Derby Monday night. However, word was that Bonds would have more seriously considered MLB’s invitation had he gotten the clear idea that Selig really wanted him there through a personal invite. When Bonds’ apparent interest in an engraved invite was relayed to someone with MLB, the MLB person said, too late, they’ve already got Matt Holiday to take his place.
While some say Hank Aaron’s stance on this is wrong, we think it’s probably a wise decision Selig bit the bullet and decided to show. Plus, it allows for the possibility that Selig, after the home run, will wave his arms in the air, call the whole thing a tie and send everybody home.
Mandatory Attendance [SI.com]
Continue Reading July 10th, 2007
We’ve talked to you before about Spike, The Super Ball, the official mascot of Super Bowl XLII at the Pink Taco in Glendale next February. Well, now, Spike is making public appearances. We are all of sudden SO EXCITED about Super Bowl XLII, thanks to Spike’s signature brand of crowd-pleasing banter.
Continue Reading July 10th, 2007
Say what you will about NFL players union chief Gene Upshaw — that he’s an out-of-control, useless stooge who collapses under even the slightest bit of pressure from the NFL, which just waits for him to say something idiotic again — but you can’t say he doesn’t know how to take care of himself.
Sports Business Journal reports that Upshaw made $6.7 million last year, more than double his salary from the year before and clearly establishing him as the most highly paid union chief in all of sports. (And, frankly, he’d have to rank in the top five in the country all together. One hopes, anyway.) This now makes his incompetence make more sense. He can’t understand why retired players are so upset … but he’s a retired player, and look how he’s doing! What are all those guys complaining about?
Oh, sure, Mr. Goodell, I’d be happy to fetch you your moccasins.
Upshaw’s Compensation At Least $6.7M [Sports Business Journal]
Is Gene Upshaw Gonna Have To Choke A Bitch? [Deadspin]
Continue Reading July 10th, 2007
The best description of last night’s Home Run Derby — won by Vladimir Guerrero, shown here with a friend who’s a tad too excited about the whole business — was in the comments this morning: “Why does an event that has 8 participants require 9 people to cover it?” This made a certain mad sense to us.
We only watched a bit of the event last night, but mostly, we just surveyed what those who watched all of it said, and it’s not pretty. Most of the vitriol seems to be saved for Chris Berman, though we did appreciate Flyers Fieldhouse’s take: Eventually, one of those kids in the outfield is gonna get killed.
We didn’t watch the celebrity softball game because, christ, we have a little self-respect, you know?
Won’t Someone Please Think Of The Children? [Flyers Fieldhouse]
