People Will Come...

Paul Silverfarb beat me to posting this on Facebook.  That's OK, I can still put it here.

Haven't watched this movie in a while.  Probably because I wind up in a fetal position with tears running down my cheeks like the Hudson.

Baseball has marked the time.  This field, this game, it's a part of our past, Ray.  It reminds us of all that was once good, and it could be again.  People will come, Ray.

Holy DiMaggio...I'm tearing up already.  That leads me to another baseball scene, if I can find it...

UPDATE:  I couldn't find it.  It's the scene from The Natural, when Robert Redford is laying in bed, talking to Glenn Close, and he says "I wish Dad could have...God, I love baseball."  Awesome spot from a movie that I have mixed emotions about (great fantasy..but destroyed the raw nature of the book).

Baseball 2011

This article from Mike Bauman at MLB.com pretty much says it all.  You can have your Times Square and so on.  Others have diferent ideas of a "new year" (religious and otherwise).

For me, there's an end to my year with the Super Bowl (let's not revisit it).  There's a sad wasteland known as "February and March."  But tomorrow, my year begins anew.  Tomorrow, whether we get snow or not, somewhere on my TV (or radio, or internet...it really doesn't matter), baseball will be played.  The games will count.

I've said too many times that football (yes, the NFL) is America's Game.  It's become the National Passion.  Yet baseball - always baseball - is the National Pastime.  There are reasons why baseball is such a part of our psyche.  It's been woven through our history since not very long after we signed that little old document in 1776.  There is enough proof to indicate that "town ball" was being played in the early 19th Century, and on September 10, 1845, a newspaper account in the New York Morning News discusses "base ball."  It wasn't long before we were hooked as a nation.

We can't forget that, of course, bad things happened.  Gambling (1919 and other cases before and after right up to Pete Rose), drugs (before steroids it was cocaine, "greenies" and so on), lack of interest (ratings were down for 2010), and of course the color line - shameful as it was, and baseball is more than happy to hammer it home.  Still no other sport rides through the very fabric of Americana like baseball - for right or wrong.

Opening Day in Yankee Stadium, April 18, 1923

There is something so right about Opening Day.  Sure the weather isn't going to be good but when that first pitch is thrown (and it should be in Cincinnati, as it always USED to be, but that's for Bud Selig's conscience to deal with), it feels like warmer days are ahead.  As always, there's renewed hope, and I need it, considering how dead I felt after last year's Yankees team crashed and burned.

Opening Day, 2010 - the New Stadium (NY Daily News)

Yeah yeah yeah, there's plenty of skepticism about baseball, for many of the reasons above.  The biggest worry is probably the lack of interest/"the game is boring" thing.  God forbid we might sit down and actually use our brains to watch a game ("that's that lump three feet above your ass" - Tom Hanks).  I love thinking about baseball.  I love wondering what's coming next - managing away like I'm Miller Huggins or something.  Fastball?  Slider?  What?  Pull hitter?  Power or average?  What should be done with the infield?  Outfield shited around?  At these moments, I don't care a wit about WHIP or WAR or OPS.  I probably care about how a player performs in a given spot, but not to the "Nth."

Let's just play ball!

OK, since you haven't asked, here is what won't happen in 2010.  That's right, some predictions!

I refuse, by the way, to go with conentional thinking.  I will not select a Red Sox/Phillies World Series.  It's too easy and I think we should all hope it doesn't happen.  So...

American League East: Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles.  The Yankees are a second place team right now...at best.  The Rays have the best rotation.  The Blue Jays are really good and the Orioles are getting close.  So hello to the American League bEast.  This will be about survival.

AL Central: White Sox, Twins, Tigers, Indians, Royals.  I'm going with the White Sox, and I really don't know why.  Why do I pick against the Twins, just to have them screw me every time?  And I'm popping the Indians out of last place just for the sake of Tim Parry.  I'd like to see Chief Wahoo have a better year (OK, maybe I'd like Tim to have a good year as well, so long as he leaves the Yankees bashing alone).

AL West: Angels, Rangers, A's, Mariners.  The M's have King Felix.  And?  Yeah, Ichiro...OK.  And?  The Angels have Mike Sciosia - best manager in the game.  The Rangers were a nice story, but last I checked, Cliff Lee is somewhere else.  The A's...feh.

Wild Card: Yankees (I have to be optimistic, right?)

National League East: Phillies (duh), Braves, Marlins, Mets, Nationals.  Yes, I put the Mets in fourth.  I've learned...the opposite normally happens.  In reality, I probably expect them to be in last place.  The Nationals aren't bad, and deserve a better pick, but I need to see more.  I liked the Braves last year.  Now I want to see what they can do in the "post-Bobby Cox" era.  The Marlins?  They could flip flop with the Mets and Nats.

NL Central: Reds, Brewers, Cubs, Cardinals, Astros, Pirates.  I like Joey Votto.  I like this Reds team.  Then again, I think this division could be a total dog fight, open to anyone except the Astros and Pirates.  The Cubs just don't seem to get it.  The Cardinals?  Well, yeah.  They're still here.  What will Albert be like, and can the pitching hold up?

NL West: The Don Mattingly Division!  Yeah, but...this division is also wide open.  Rockies, Padres, Giants, Dodgers, Diamondbacks.  The Rockies have been lingering for a while.  The Padres opened a lot of eyes last year.  The Giants will take a step back (already there are concerns about Brian Wilson's health).  The Dodgers have Vin Scully, and that's about it.  He's a broadcaster, and he's 83.

Wild Card: Brewers (why not?)

Thus we get the Red Sox and the White Sox in the first round, with Boston advancing...while the Angels will surpass the Yankees (again).  The Red Sox will finish off the Angels.

In the National League, the Phillies will top the Brewers, while the Rockies will finish off the Reds.  And I believe - really, I'm trying folks, that the Rockies will get by the Phillies.

It's 2007 all over...Rockies/Red Sox.  This time, I hope, there's a different finish.  I'm trying here - I swear!

Rockies in 2011!

I'm not going to worry about the awards.  Maybe Cliff Lee wins the Cy Young (I can only hope he goes under .500).  Maybe Alex Rodriguez has an MVP year.  Who knows?

Again, let's just PLAY BALL!

ESPN New York Picks Top 50 Yankees

Ah...starting tomorrow...maybe...but we might also have FIVE TO TEN INCHES OF SNOW COMING!

ESPN, and its local arm, ESPN New York, put together a list (oh, I know - love them and hate them) of the Top 50 Yankees of all-time. 

A summary, written by Andrew Marchand, is here.  A slideshow is here.

Upon reading Marchand's piece, I discovered the so-called "experts" who served as voters...

Andrew Marchand (he's legit, and a good writer), Matt Marrone (OK, I guess), Wallace Matthews (bit obnoxious, but whatever...), Ian O'Connor (oh...dear...God...), Tim Kurkjian (double oh...dear...God), Michael Kay (biting tongue), Brandon Tierney (whatever), Don LaGreca and Jody McDonald (HUGE METS FANS...but I'm going to guess they played fair). Then we reach the last two...Ryan Ruocco and Robin Lundberg (calling Jeff Pearlman).

For the love of Roger Peckinpaugh (who I'm sure neither Ruocco or Lundberg have ever heard of), I'd rather Bill Lumberg vote before these two.

OK, I get it.  It's ESPN's little poll and they want to let the kiddies play along.  But if we're going to be serious about ESPN, how about some of their other experts?  Buster Olney, for instance.  But to just toss this into the hands of some people who don't have the first clue about Yankees history is idiotic.

Now I'll just sit back and wait for the whole "you're a blogger in your mother's basement" crap.  Yeah, and?  Doesn't mean I don't know my stuff now, does it?

As for the ranking, well, they did...um...OK, I guess.  My top 10 list is in this post from a few weeks ago.  Coincidentally, their top 10 is, um, pretty much the same as mine (though they put Red Ruffing at nine over Bill Dickey, and I think that's OK).  Still, I don't get it with Reggie Jackson.  Sorry, I never will.  Reggie over Bernie or Pettitte or Lazzeri?  No...no...no.

You simply can not get the top five wrong: Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio (or Mantle - I still say it's a virtual tie), and Mariano.  After that comes Yogi, Jeter, Whitey, Dickey (who I rank highter than Ruffing), and I still believe the tenth is open to discussion from a list of players including the aforementioned Pettitte, Lazzeri, Lefty Gomez, and even...GASP! Alex Rodriguez.

Of course, Ian O'Connor dings A-Rod for PED's, but he also takes Jeter over Mo, and literally EVERYONE else believes the most-recent Yankees dynasty doesn't happen without the Great Mariano (and we forgive him for Sandy Alomar Jr...2001 in Arizona...and 2004).

Anyway, I know how this works.  It's a list, full of opinions, which are like...you know.  Plus I wonder who is reading here anyway, because it's not like we load up on comments!  Good thing I don't get paid by the page view!

Ah, and before we depart on this Opening Day's Eve, please give a read to Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports.  I wondered why he was wearing a bow tie during the 2010 World Series (and apparently, so was he).  Now he knows, and says he'll be wearing more of them.

VCU Mania!

Sh-Sh-Sh- Shaka Smart!

The party continues in Richmond (Richmond Times-Dispatch).  The VCU Rams are heading to the Final Four.  People are taking it to the streets - like Broad Street.


Exit 55 Richmond correspondent Jon reports that people are just going crazy down in the city by the James.

Some in R-VA are more than happy to play up the pure aweseomeness of proving everyone wrong, BABY! (Deadspin)

There really isn't much to dislike about this story.  They sent Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk home.  They are an ELEVEN seed, for the love of Wooden!  Most importantly, their coach's name is Shaka!  Not to be confused with this Chaka:

Or this one:

They have a legitamate chance against Butler, though right now, it feels like Kentucky and UConn are playing for the right to be the National Champion. Yet we'll continue to root for the little guy.

The Doors

Mr. Mojo Rising

I just caught some of Oliver Stone's movie, The Doors, on VH1 Classic.  As biopics go, it's fair at best.  The surviving members of the band had their own criticisms of the film - with some saying that much of it was fiction.  Regardless, it's an OK way to waste a few minutes, if only to watch a fairly insane performance by Val Kilmer (and I think it's OK to use the term "insane" here).

Yet there are some memorable moments, including this one.

That's at the very end of the movie.  Perhaps only Jon from R-VA and I appreciate its true comic effect, as we've been saying it to each other for 20 years.

Besides, better this than that "Friday" video (fun, fun, fun, fun)...

Rare Footage of Ruth and Gehrig, 1927

No sport has a better history than baseball.  None.  Finding any new footage can have a "holy grail" feel to it. 

Enter footage found in a cellar in Illinois.  It is of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, at a gathering thought to be in Sioux Falls, SD, during a barnstorming tour in 1927.

John Branch tells the rest of the story in the New York Times.  Links are included to other discoveries, including recently found footage of Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Walter Johnson in an instructional video, believed to be shot in Yankee Stadium in 1924.

Horse to the Water

I didn't know much about this song until I was listening to Darren DeVivo on WFUV yesterday morning.  The song, "Horse to the Water", was written by George Harrison and his son, Dhani, and was performed with Jools Holland and His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.  George could only provide the lead vocal, but was too sick to play guitar, as this was recorded just before his death in 2001.

George was probably the most talented of The Beatles musically.  Yes, John and Paul did a lot musically, and were the most brilliant of songwriters, and Ringo was a largely underappreciated drummer, but George was a wonderful guitarist, among other instruments (most notably the sitar).

There is no video for this song, but an intrepid Beatles fan used the song to put together a tribute to George.

Do Dogs Chase Cats?

Michael McGlone - the Geico Guy

Latest funny stuff from Geico.  I laughed at this one.

They've only done one or two that I haven't liked.

Ten Songs About New York

Mazur/WireImage

Our guy Coach over at the Next Music Blog came up with a list of ten songs about New York.  While I admire his attempt to be different, he blew it by saying "there’s no Frank Sinatra on this list because, quite frankly, I think he sucks."  Yeah, that will earn you my scorn every time.

Still, he scored solidly with the choice of Ryan Adams's "New York, New York."  The video alone makes it worth a place in any list, as it was shot just before September 11, 2001, and prominently features the World Trade Center.  But it's also a great song.


I also give him props for choosing "Rockaway Beach" by the Ramones, and "Marching Bands of Manhattan" by Death Cab for Cutie.  If I'm choosing a Beastie Boys song, it's going to be "No Sleep Till Brooklyn."  But U2's "Angel of Harlem?" never did it for me.  Ever.

Incidentally, the New York Daily News also did a list of ten songs.  Not impressed.

Here are my ten (in no order), starting with the most obvious one...
- "New York New York" (FRANK SINATRA!)  Um, no, not Liza's version.  There's only one Sinatra, and he doesn't suck.  He's simply, with The Beatles and Elvis, the definitive musical entertainer of the 20th Century.  But oh yeah, he sucks.  Whatever.  This is THE song.  I've sang this song after too many victories.  You can just hear it in your mind as you cross the Hudson.

- "New York State of Mind" (Billy Joel)  Oh that's right, he sucks also.  Please.  This song oozes with a New York vibe, albiet 70's style.

- "Empire State of Mind" (Jay-Z and Alicia Keys) The current king of the crop from the "New Sinatra."  Although he STILL hasn't made the Yankee cap more popular than a Yankee can.

[HD] jay-z feat Alicia Keys performance Empire... by Daily1705
The Phillies never stood a chance.

- "Miami 2017 (I've Seen The Light Go Out on Broadway)" (Billy Joel)  The live version just kicks my butt every time.  This version, at the Concert for New York in 2001, floored me.


- "Take the 'A' Train" (Duke Ellington) This is New York without lyrics.

- "New York Groove" (popularized by Ace Frehley)  When Harold and I did our softball video in 2001, this is the song we used to close with.  Quick, poppy, and fun.

- "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" (Elton John) I just love this song, as unhappy as it is.  It's real, and that's New York at it's finest.  We've covered this song before.

Wow...so many to choose from.  We have seven.  Let's continue.  I'll go with...

- "New York Minute" (Don Henley) Hey, it's my list, and this song still grabs me with how quickly things go - in a, you know...

- "New York, New York" (Ryan Adams)  I can't ignore it.  I just can't.  The video does it for me, to go along with the song.

- "Jungleland" (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band)  This one might be a stretch but again, it's my list.  Beginning with "The Rangers had a homecoming, in Harlem late last night" it qualifies as a New York song.  Granted, we never really know if Jungleland is in New York or New Jersey, but it doesn't matter.  Bruce was going to make his way onto this list, if not for this then for "New York City Serenade", "Meeting Across the River" or something.

Those are my ten, for tonight.  I could have worked in The Ramones, Simon and Garfunkel, even the Stones.  There are a lot of songs about New York (take a look at this list).  Tough to not include things like "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, or "On Broadway" or "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" and so many others.  Heck, there could be simply ten Billy Joel New York songs.

Just like the City itself, it isn't easy to narrow it down.

Today's Edition of Obnoxious Sportswriting

TJ Simers is a columnist for the LA Times.  He apparently writes very caustic things.  For reasons known only to himself, he chose to pick a fight with Marcus Thames, the former Yankee who is now with Donnie Baseball in LA.  Jeff Pearlman picks things up from here.

I suggest Googling TJ Simers to see what other hack jobs this hack has done.  Of course, head to this link, and our buddy TJ will regale you with his thoughts on bloggers ("That's some guy in his basement who has never interviewed an athlete").  Guess what?  I HAVE interviewed athletes!  I've written columns - yes, real and published.

Oh, but then again, I'm also a broadcaster and - WORSE - I've hosted sports talk shows.

Yep, more proof I'm going straight to hell. 

I'm sure Simers will be there waiting.

You know what, TJ?  Find some bigger fish to pick on.  Leave Marcus Thames alone.

Queensboro...err...59th Street...um...Ed Koch...um...Bridge

The New York City Council voted 38-12 to rename the Queensboro Bridge in honor of Ed Koch (New York Post).  Moving forward, the structure will be known as the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.  Of course, there are some who still call it the 59th Street Bridge. 

A complete history of the bridge is available from Steve Anderson's NYC Roads. 
Longtime Channel 4 newsman Gabe Pressman penned an open letter to the former mayor.

It does beg the question: doesn't City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have ANYTHING better to do?  The answer: of course not!  Why would they?

Of course, the people of Queens asked - correctly - if anyone would co-name the Brooklyn Bridge?  Um...no, of course not (well maybe for that mouthpiece Judge Judy Sheindlin...or maybe not).  But then again, the Queensboro has always had a bit of an identity problem, and really, does it matter if Queens is being dissed?  There's no Bronx Bridge is there?  None of the bridges to and from Staten Island are named for that boro, and who has a worse identity crisis than them?

At least it will be a co-named thing, and most of us will continue to call it the Queensboro Bridge anyway.  As it is, most of us don't refer to the Triborough Bridge by it's new name - the RFK Bridge (another farce).

By the way, I like Ed Koch, one of the most colorful leaders in the history of New York.  I'd just rather see him honored with something else.

In the end, it's all much ado about nothing (and takes the news away from fawning over the death of Elizabeth Taylor - never a favorite of mine).

Richmond - Basketball Mecca!

Photo by RA - June, 2009.

Don't blink, but two - TWO - schools from the great Richmond, Virginia have advanced to the NCAA's Sweet Sixteen.  The University of Richmond meets top-seeded Kansas while Virginia Commonwealth University tangles with Florida State.  If both teams can pull off the wins (granted it's somewhat unlikely), they'll meet in the Elite Eight, with a trip to Houston and the Final Four on the line.

It's a great story, and ESPN.com's Dana O'Neil picks it up from here.

Little side note - I visited VCU in 1992 with the outside thought of attending.  Ultimately, I had a chance to attend East Carolina, but declined (just felt I didn't want to get involved with student loans and such).  I went back and stayed in a VCU dorm under a year later with my friend Jon (yes, this Jon, who comes to us with pictures of the Downtown Expressway being built in 1975).  I even attended classes with him for a day!

To me, Richmond is, of course, more than a "sleepy Southern city", as O'Neil writes.  It's two hours from Washington.  It's a short drive to the beaches, mountains, and more.  I'm sure most of you who read this blog know how I feel about "R-Va."  It's got great food.  Great shopping.  History.  Outdoor activities.  And great people and southern charm.

It's a great place and, right now, it's a city with two teams in the Big Dance.

Rich Albonizio Up for NFL High School Coach of the Year

Greenwich High School head football coach Rich Albonizio speaks with quarterback Mike Lefflbine in 2009. Photo: Greenwich Time, David Ames / CT

I stopped into WGCH's offices this morning to visit my colleagues (OK, I was there to see if I had a check waiting for me) when News Director Tony Savino told me that he saw something about Greenwich High coach Rich Albonizio on Frank Trotta's website.

Sure enough - Coach Al is up for NFL High School Coach of the Year, as nominated by John Sullivan.

Congrats, and best of luck to Coach Al.

A Beatles Double-Play on a Lousy Spring Day

Greetings.  The Beatles appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" via video in May, 1966.  Some say this is the first music video.

It's worth noting Paul is playing with a chipped tooth - a result of a motor scooter accident in December, 1965. One of the earliest notions of the "Paul is Dead" phenomenon.

I just heard "Rain" earlier today - a somewhat underappreciated song in comparison to the rest of the Fab's catalog.  It includes on of the first example of "backwards masking", the idea of taking the lyric and reversing them.  We've of course heard it countless times since then.  In case you're wondering what the reverse lyric is, it's:  

"When the sun shines," "Rain," and "If the rain comes, they run and hide their heads"

"Paperback Writer" is pure brilliance. Here's Macca playing it at Citi Field on July 18, 2009 (yes, that was the show I was at).

Both Funny and Annoying

This is the Slap Chop dude.  I Googled him and saw his name is Vince Offer, and he was an actor and a guy who seems to have filed a lot of lawsuits because of some movie he made.  Whatever.  His Slap Chop commercial is both humorous (fettucini, linguini, martini, bikini), and annoying.

Does this thing even work?  I only have 20 minutes to order to get the bonus!

Heard it in a Verizon Store

Spent some time in the Verizon Wireless store on Broadway at 17th St. last week as Carrie bought a new phone (the nifty Thunderbolt...I'd like to follow suit...shall we take up a collection?).  The salesman, David (go see this dude - he's beyond good) was shooting the bull with us about a variety of things.  We got around to work and such, when he offered up the magic words from Yoda.

"Do or do not.  There is not try."

Monday's Linky Dinks

Onions!  With a kiss.

We start, in no particular order, with thoughts from John Maffei, writing for the North County Times.  It's not so much everything else in the article - nice stuff about Ted Leitner, and of course the great Dick Enberg, but it's his commentary about the Tournament.  Or most of all, this silly comment:

There were three buzzer-beaters in the early going Thursday -- Butler over Old Dominion, Morehead State over Louisville and Temple over Penn State. But with Bill Raftery calling the Morehead State-Louisville game, I couldn't watch it. For me, he's not Brent Musburger, but he's close. As long as I have another option, I'll avoid Raftery. Had to switch off the BYU-Wofford game, too, because Raftery was working it.

I suppose we can add him to rash of "pro-Gus."  Yet, while watching one of last night's games, Carrie told me that I could turn the sound up (we were at her place).  "That's OK", I said, I don't like the announcer.  Yep, it was Screamin Gus.  Ugh.

The rule around here?  NEVER PICK ON RAFT.  Minutres after Raft and Vern Lundquist began their first call last Thursday, I texted my former "Press Box" co-host Ryan DeMaria with some "ONIONS!"

That means I must - MUST - SEND IT IN JEROME!


Staying in college hoops for a moment, I sent my friend Jon from RVa a note the other day, concerned with his excitment that VCU was in the Big Dance (I'm sure I'm supposed to put a trademark symbol here or something).  Jon, not the biggest sports fan (though a solid baseball guy) said he is excited for his alma mater.  To that end, he posted a classic shot of the then-Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) Rams in 1966.

Back to broadcasters: the greatest of them all has a website.  I did not know this, although it is very basic.  There is a nice collection of links.

By the way, 10 days to first pitch.  Ten long days.

I feel old (and am getting older).  Ferris Bueller is 49 years-old today (Stuck in the 80's).

Thanks to Carrie for sending me a link to an article from the New York Times about the creation of the street grid that we all know in New York City.  Interesting reading.

From Jeff Pearlman, via the Wall Street Journal, an article about the most unloved Met ever (no - not Oliver Perez or our good friend Luis Castillo).  Doug Sisk was a relief pitcher for the Mets in the 80's.  He was not only abused at the ballpark but as the article discussed, he had his car attacked, and he was followed one night.

Really?  And this is supposed to help me NOT hate the Mets and their fans with every fiber of my soul?  Some of that stuff makes Philly fans seem civil.

Sick.

Started writing more...I'll stop.  I just don't get liking the Mets (especially if you like the Yankees).  I'll leave it at that, or else I'll be "snarky" again.

I'm Guessing Mario Lemeiux Has No Comment Now...

This AP picture came from a site called "India Times."  Who knew they loved hockey in India?  You learn something new ever day...

If you saw this yesterday, as Carrie and I both did live, then you know the story.  Matt Cooke delivered a cheap shot (another in a long line), this time on the Rangers' Ryan McDonagh.

Now the NHL has a problem on its hands.  They have to suspend Cooke - and hey, if you want to reenter the whole "Zdeno Chara" debate, have at it...and waste your time.  The simple fact is Chara is a hard-nosed, physical player, who has no prior "record."  Cooke is regarded - everywhere - as a dirty player.  Beyond a goon.  I wish the League luck with this decision.

What it really points out, though, is what a hypocrite Mario Lemeiux is.  He was furious at the League for its handling of blows to the head, but he employs a player that I've seen described as "chicken excremement" and "a scumbag."  Now how does he react?  Scott Burnside on ESPN is wondering the same thing.

Credit to Pens' coach Dan Bylsma, transcribed from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review by Frank D on PensBlog, for being a stand-up guy:

"I don't think you can talk about eliminating headshots as an organization and not expect that to be examined," coach Dan Bylsma said. "It looks to be contact right to the head. The league will look at that at treat it as such."

I'll go back to what I've said all along.  Hockey is a physical game.  However there is a difference between physical and deadly - or dirty. 

By the way, and this should please a friend of mine: I've just about had enough of Pierre McGuire.  Nice guy, and he does do a nice job of breaking down the game, especially with his "Inside the Glass" commentary.  But holy cow, can the guy, get, um, tougher?  He wants the red line removed, wants more skilled play (or...sigh...European style), and generally disregards fighting.  He's part of the call in the video above, along with NBC's A-plus team of Doc Emrick and Ed Olczyk.  Then again, guys like McGuire can inspire drinking games (along with Jack Edwards Bingo - both are in this link).

Saturday Linky Dinks

The Mets released Luis Castillo (Deadspin).  Pity, that.  Seems like a nice guy and not a bad player.  Yet he'll always be remembered (fondly by some of us) for one thing...

It's a gift that keeps on giving.  And I never get tired of this one...PUT IT IN THE BOOKS!


Best to stop here.  Feeling very snarky today, and I could seriously cause trouble.  Nope.  Stopping.

Huge congratulations too the Greenwich High School bowling team!  They took second the in the states (Greenwich Time).

To Vintage Richmond we go where Jon has pictures of crews removing pavement on Mounument Ave. in 1974.  You might not care, and that's fine, but trust me when I say that Monument Ave. is one of this country's great stretches of streets.  Just gorgeous.  The cobblestones help add to the charm (even if your car rumbles along on them).

I love this.  Via Deadspin, Legos reenact four classic March Madness moments (and thankfully, no Gus Johnson).

Two Jeff Pearlman links to finish up...
1) He goes rip city on the Garden for raising Knicks ticket prices 49% (via Sports Illustrated).  Yeah yeah yeah, MSG will say it's due to the renovations.  That's true, I suppose.  Rangers tickets are also shooting up.  So thanks for that.
2) Jeff has decied that he will no longer go to his favorite pizza place, because the proprietor was a rude ass.  The problem is, now I'm curious to try the pizza (I mean, 16th and Third?  I'm down there a lot!).

A Sheryl Crow Start to the Day

I haven't really listened to Sheryl Crow in a while.  I loved - Loved - LOVED her album, The Globe Sessions, but she hasn't really come close to matching that 1998 CD.  I'm going to download her latest, 100 Miles From Memphis, and see if it's any good.

From The Globe Sessions, here's a favorite...


I'm also working on downloading Robert Plant and the Band of Joy.  I had been resisting the urge, but colleague and friend Sean Kilkelly keep posting great songs from them.  So I caved.