Exit 55

Thought for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:26:00 +0000

It's February 9th.

Forty-eight years ago, a Sunday night, 73 million people tuned into The Ed Sullivan Show. It was not any old show. It was a really big show. It opened looking like this:

Following the commercial, Sullivan returned to say five of the most famous words in popular culture:

"Ladies and gentleman...The Beatles!"

Paul McCartney got the first lead vocal, singing "All My Loving":

"Close your eyes, and I'll kiss you. Tomorrow I'll miss you. Remember I'll always be true. And then while I'm away, I'll write home every day. And I'll send all my loving to you."

The rest, of course, is history.

The Ferris Bueller Easter Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:47:00 +0000

By now, you've all seen the Ferris Bueller Super Bowl ad (the long version is here). Entertainment Weekly pulled together all of the references (aka "easter eggs") that are in the commercial.

I love that there is a very vague Beatles reference. More Fab Four domination!

Enjoy.

Thought for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:36:00 +0000

On the left is Eli Manning, the quarterback of the New York Giants. Mr. Manning is the younger brother of one of the greatest players to ever play the position of quarterback, Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts.

But Mr. Manning, the younger, doesn't need that kind of identity crisis any longer. He is now Eli Manning, TWO-TIME Super Bowl Champion, and TWO-TIME Super Bowl MVP.

(In case you don't know, Peyton has one Super Bowl title and one MVP. So there).

On the right is Mark Sanchez, quarterback of the New York Jets. Seems like a nice guy, and a nice player if he can ever put it all together (which he is having trouble doing).

And so, my friends, we come to yesterday. Now I have reasons that I think these championship celebrations of junk, and nothing makes it more obvious than when the "loyal" fans who have loved this team since Christmas Day (of 2011) come out, get liquored up, and stand in front of a TV camera. As such, we come to the TftD. When asked by a reporter for Channel 4 in New York (WNBC-TV), the Giants "fan" exclaimed:

"Sancheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzz!"

Brilliance.

You better believe that video has gone mighty viral. (Link courtesy New York Daily News)

Thought for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:23:00 +0000

My streak for TftD will end eventually, and today was almost that day. Nothing jumped out at me. But, thanks to the Random Quotes tab on the The Quotations Page, I found a dandy from Dan Rather, who has faded into amazing obscurity:

"Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic."

Amazingly, I think he's quite right. At least he's correct as far as I'm concerned.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

Pure Will Ferrell Brilliance

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:38:00 +0000

Did you know that Will Ferrell did a Super Bowl ad? No? Oh, that's because it only ran in North Platte, Nebraska!

Slate explains.

UPDATE! Deadspin has the "North Platte" commercial in its full-blown HD glory.

Among the many embedded videos on the page is this one, where Ferrell is "hand fishing" in Davenport, IA.

And there's this one.

Love it!

Thought for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:22:00 +0000

No great quotes here today, just a link to a blog post that I think is sophomoric, obnoxious, and just plain thoughtless. This guy (Eric Wilbur, Boston.com) puts the blame of the Patriots loss in Super Bowl 46 on the shoulders of Tom Brady.

Sorry, but this just is just dumb:

That's the TftD.

Not for nothing, but had Brady and the Pats finished the job, he was going to win his third MVP. No doubt in my mind.

I said it, very early on, that the safety was a huge play in the game, since it got the Giants nine points in total. It set a precedent for the game. Now granted, it becomes a footnote if some other things happen - turnovers, the Wes Welker drop - but those things didn't occur.

So much more to get into. The commercials were fine, Madonna was so-so at best but overall no worse than the Black Eyed Peas, some "performer" flipped off the camera during halftime, and the Madge's show had a lame end.

NBC did a good job, but Dan Patrick was painful on the post game stage. He's normally better than that.

That's kind of all I've got for now. Maybe more later. I'm sure you're all on pins and needles!

Linky Dinks/Off the Bench

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:47:00 +0000

This is somebody's bench. I'm borrowing it.

Hey - look who's back! Our old pal "Linky Dinks", who along with "Off the Bench" provides a few hits and runs.

Just in case you need a quick recap of Super Bowl history, the NFL does that nicely.

Phil Hecken does an amazing job of breaking down the history of the Giants - most notably their uniforms. The UniWatch blog also has a section on the Patriots.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman has himself in some strange mess. There might be a mistress who stalked him. Now his wife is divorcing him. It's all very tawdry. Deadspin takes it from here.

The LoHud Yankees Blog normally hosts a pinch-hitter series. This one from Stanford Williams is quite good, in part because we're about the same age and seem to understand the same things.

Pitchers and catchers are getting closer. Just saying.

Old friend Chuck Costello has a post on his blog about closing Catholic school and Victor Cruz - all in one post.

Not that I had a rooting interest, but Matt Diddel and Ryan Whittle from Greenwich joined Chris Kaelin and I for a portion of a recent hockey broadcast to talk wrestling with us. They fell in their match against Brunswick the other day, and Dave Fierro has the results at the Greenwich Time.

Speaking of Greenwich, it was National Letter of Intent day recently. Scott Ericson has the local recap. Congratulations to all, including Shane Nastahowski, who is going to prep at Milford Academy for a year (Dave Fierro, Greenwich Time).

Pete Dougherty of the Times-Union, has a poll, asking who is the best Super Bowl play-by-play TV voice. Sadly, "Rob Adams" isn't an option. Since Vin Scully never called one (though he wanted to), I'll go with Dick Enberg over Pat Summerall and Al Michaels. Amazing that the play-by-play list is filled with only 11 names, including Jack Whitaker, who split the PBP in Super Bowl I with Ray Scott. More here from Tom Hoffarth, and the complete list here from Wikipedia.

Incidentally, Rob Adams did call one. Practicing in his own home.

I don't know how long it has existed, or if it is trademarked, but I just saw that NBC Sports has an Off the Bench site. Damn. Might have to find a new name. Incidentally, Rick Chandler from their damn Off the Bench knockoff, writes that the Cleveland Browns are the best team in NFL history.

And I'm laughing.

Super Bowl 46

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:14:00 +0000

Well here we are. Time to play the damn game and get it over with.

The day that is now a monument to excess (officially pimped out by Pete Rozelle, Paul Tagliabue and Emperor Roger Goodell, along with the TV networks) is one that many football fans like but, to be honest, don't love.

I've seen them all since the 12th game ('Boys 27, Orange Crush 10). I fell for my boyhood team and found my favorite player in the 13th game (Steelers 35, Cowboys 31, and I think the exact words were: "I like this Bradshaw guy. He's pretty good!").

I sat bored out of my mind through some awful games (San Francisco 55, Denver 10 and Dallas 52, Buffalo 17 come to mind). I even fell asleep a few times - once during Super 25 (yes, Giants fans, I was working crazy hours at that time) and the Peyton Manning/Prince snoozefest of 41.

But I was there for the great moments. The heart-stopping of the rest of 25 (Scott Norwood gets such a bad rap to this day), the Elway vs. Favre showdown, Plaxico to the corner of the end zone, Kevin Dyson and that one damn yard, and Adam Vinatieri not once - but twice!

I shook and yelled at James Harrison...and at Santana Moss (before he became your problem, Jets fans). I roared for Hines Ward.

I still deal with Rashard Mendenhall and the lost seventh Lombardi in Pittsburgh.

I'm glad they're not playing the Giants today. Because I'd probably have to go watch the game in Pittsburgh, and perhaps never return. It's become apparent that everyone in my family, and most of my friends - my loved-ones - are Giants fans.

I even got pulled onto the wagon. Now, let me explain this. I've always had an affection for both New York teams. My dad and brother were both Jets fans but somehow never grabbed me. I liked the Dolphins when I was really little (we went to Florida every year, pre-Bucs). I lost touch with them and became the die-hard Stillers fan that I am in Supe 13. But I wanted the G-men to win each of the big games that they played in.

As I've said before, due to their connection to the Rooney's, and the fact that they're very similar organizations (now add in Rooney Mara, who went to Fox Lane High School), I've often called the Giants "Steelers East."

Still, come this past Christmas, I was presented with a New York Giants long-sleeved t-shirt. It was a present from Carrie's mom - a Giants fan. I have worn it a few times, but now it has become customary for me to have to wear it during the playoffs. I'm supposedly the good-luck charm, and that news has spread through Carrie's family. Playfully, of course.

Carrie's uncle has been a G-men ticket holder since they played in the Polo Grounds. You can figure the math on that one. We're talking the Steve Owen, Charlie Connerly days here!

OK, so the "pressure" is on me to wear the t-shirt today. But...I also think I've worn Steelers garb every year for the game. So there must be a compromise. I'll figure that out.

So pin me as a bandwagoner if you like. You're wrong - it's all in good fun and so on - and I'm hardly "Elirific" (Parry, Tim). Just supporting my girl and a team that I like.

To the game! After the Victor Cruz play against the Jets (all 99 yards of it), I felt like the Giants had hit their stride, finally. Yet no 9-7 team has ever won the Super Bowl. I knew they would beat the Falcons, and even sort-of had a strong feeling about the Packers. I picked them to beat the Niners. They were fortunate to not have to face the Saints - that's the luck of the draw.

As for the Pats, I honestly wasn't sure if they could beat the Steelers if they met, but God-*%$^in-$@^& Tim Tebow took care of that. Again, luck of the draw, especially after the Billy Cundiff miss in the AFC Championship Game. They have my respect if only for Tom Brady, Vince Wolfork, and Bill Belichick.

The Giants need to move the ball. They need to utilize their receivers and maybe - possibly - open up the running game. They need to create havoc defensively against Brady.

They are - to be blunt - the better team.

They also better watch out for what Bill Belichick has worked up in his laboratory.

Of course, turnovers are always key. Brady is normally not mistake-prone. Then again, Eli Manning has ice water in his veins.

I've regained my spot on Tony Savino's Friday-morning NewsCenter, and he asked for a prediction. Since I keep hearing so much about how this will be a history-making passing game, I expect points. My pick, which I'll stick with, is probably too high because I expect a better defensive performance out of the Giants. But Tony asked, and I said the first numbers that hit my brain.

I've been picking them all along.

Giants 35, Patriots 31.

The same score as in Super Bowl XIII.

I wish all of my friends/family well. I also have some friends on the Pats side (thinking of Nick Angotto, Jim K. Georges, and old high school buds Dave Belanger and Dan Arturi). I know how they really hurt - they're REAL Pats fans - after the loss in 42. You know they're chomping at the bit today. Good luck to them also.

I have my many reasons for rooting for the Giants, so no hard feelings.

Now just kick the damn thing off!

Thought for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:25:00 +0000

I have to say, you all rock in the social media world! My friends keep unknowingly providing me with amazing TftD's.

Today's contributor: Matt Hamilton!

That's right, by way of Greenwich, WGCH, Mizzou, the GHS Cardinals, and now the NFL Network, Joe Theismann's friend put the following on Twitter a few hours ago...

"The past teaches us lessons, but has no other bearing on the present. Put it behind you and take things as they are now, not as they were."

That's a great quote, right there.

Thought for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:40:00 +0000

I saw my friend Alyce Sinnott Kavanagh post this video on her Facebook page last night. It's a simple message from The Beatles, with a lead vocal by John Lennon, in one of his sappier songs. Still, for a Saturday morning, it's very sweet.

"If I fell in love with you, would you promise to be true, and help me understand? 'Cause I've been in love before, and I've found that love is more than just holding hands."

And so it goes from there.

Thanks, Alyce!

There's an element of fear in the song, especially of being hurt. That swings towards Jeff Pearlman's recent post regarding Josh Hamilton's latest fall from grace. I found it interesting the way Jeff moved the narrative from a scoundrel friend of his to Hamilton. The Hamilton thing is sad, and I also hope he gets whatever help he needs.

Adam Lambert is Replacing Freddie?

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:23:00 +0000

This image makes me sick.

Sorry, that headline might annoy you. Nobody can replace Freddie Mercury - not now, not ever. And yet...when you're in a band called "Queen", and that same band once had perhaps the greatest front man of all in Freddie, and said Freddie has died (and been gone 20 years), and the band is adding a new lead singer...well...

Yep. You're replacing Freddie Mercury.

And it's Adam-freaking-Lambert.

I once spoke out about this, back in 2009. The outrage was apparent at that time. That outrage, at least on my Facebook page, continues.

I said it at the time - Queen should just let it be (Beatles, 1970). When Freddie died, John Deacon (forever known as "Deacon John" on their first album) played a few more gigs and walked away. Why Brian May and Roger Taylor refuse to do so is beyond me. Money? OK then - that's their business. I thought Paul Rodgers was offensive enough, but he at least had the chops of overplayed Bad Company music to fall back on. This guy - Lambert - is a hack.

Blech.

I've got nothing more. I need some of the real thing. I thought this was a great song back in '85, and I'll still crank it today.

Best. Game. Ever.

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:48:00 +0000

On Sunday, Budweiser is going to show you a commercial featuring a hockey game that turns into something big time. Fans fill the stands, broadcasters call the game, and so on. It's basically a rec. league game that becomes major league.

I'm calling BS on it. I saw it this morning and wasn't that impressed. I thought it was over the top. Then Carrie forwarded something to me. NY1's awesome Pat Kiernan (who is only two days older than me...I did not know that) received a tweet that the spot is a complete and total ripoff of something Improv Everywehere did.

In 2008.

There's no acknowledgement of the Improv folks.

Budweiser=Fail.

So watch Improv Everywhere's effort. I'm not posting the Budweiser garbage here.

Thought for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Today's TftD comes from my former WGCH colleague (though once at 'GCH, ALWAYS at 'GCH...it's very "Hotel California" like that) Anthony Kalogrides, who posted these nifty couple of lines tonight from one of the world's greatest pieces of music:

"You don't need money, don't take fame. Don't need no credit card to ride this train."

I had to counter with "It's strong and it's sudden and it's cool sometimes, but it might just save your life!"

Yessir! Happy Friday, y'all, and feel THE POWER! I always preferred the longer version of the video...

Family Guy's Radio Parody

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:46:00 +0000

I'm sure I've posted this sometime before in the past. And I'll probably do it again.

But as someone who has listened to and worked in radio for way a long time, I find this hysterical. I saw it again tonight, and wanted to post it.

Thought for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:11:00 +0000

I saw this quote last night from Stephanie Abrams of The Weather Channel. While you might see it as being a little too "Stuart Smalley", I liked it a lot.

"You ARE good enough! Never make assumptions! We are too hard on ourselves and others! Live an authentic life!" :)

I immediately posted it on Facebook and it got literally no response. But, to me, when life gets you down, it's nice to have a little reminder like this.

So there.

Egyptian Soccer Riot

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:13:00 +0000

I'm trying to keep my rage down right now. The news is still fairly new and we don't have all of the facts. But the reality is that at least 73 people are dead following a soccer match in Egypt.

Right. A soccer match.

The so-called beautiful game isn't so beautiful right now.

Now part of what I'm trying to do is to not paint with broad strokes and label everyone as hooligans. Politics likely played a role in this, given the mess that Egypt has been for about a year. But it's not like soccer riots are new either.

Like I said, I don't want to judge, and I want the details to come out. But this is bad.

People tried to just go to a game. Have some fun. And try to not die. Something is very wrong with that picture.

In the States, we've had our own black eyes. Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles and others have rioted after championships (notice I didn't mention New York?). Disc Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in 1979 was a real low-point (along with 10 cent beer night in Cleveland). The Pacers/Pistons brawl that spilled into the stands. "Mad" Mike Milbury beating a Rangers fan with a shoe. Great video here. PS, that's the great Fred Cusick on the Boston TV call.

In Canada there were riots in Montreal and Vanouver (and that was because they LOST).

The point is, we're not immune in North America. Yet soccer still has this bad reputation.

In case you want video of the Egyptian tragedy, have a look:

Thought For The Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:19:00 +0000

I was struggling to come up with a TFTD, which is part of why I'm not going to commit to doing one every day (plus some days I don't have the time or I'm not near my computer - shockingly).

Anyway, with it being February and the Super Bowl approaching, I found a video of Steve Jobs introducing the famous Apple 1984 ad. It's a little long, and there's an awful interpretation of Irene Cara's "Flashdance...What a Feeling" (an awful song). But if you stay with it, the payoff begins at 4:08.

Then I Googled "quote of the day" and there it was. A George Orwell quote! Symmetry!

"On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time."

Have a good day! Happy February! And oh yeah, Groundhog Day is tomorrow, for whatever that's worth.

Phil Collins

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:59:00 +0000

We had our musical icons in the 80's. Madonna, Springsteen, Wacko Jacko, Hall and Oates, even some guy named Huey.

And Phil Collins.

For a stretch, Phil Collins was it. He made "In the Air Tonight" and, I've never met a person who doesn't like that song, or who hasn't played the air drums to it. I would say that most everyone loved the guy. He could play the drums. He could sing. He could write and produce. He seemed to appear on everybody's records (Philip Bailey, Howard Jones, etc). He appeared at BOTH venues for Live Aid. He had a fun, regular-guy personality. It seemed - seemed - he could do no wrong.

But then, he did. He started making pop music that came off as bland. Some might say that started as early as his monster No Jacket Required album, but I beg to differ. He made a movie (Buster) that was marginally successful at best. His once omnipresence became irritating. Even looking back at Genesis, the band he started with, one finds that there are two distinct camps: those who loved the art/prog-rock of the band that Collins was in but that Peter Gabriel sang lead for, and those who loved the pop band that Collins was the lead singer for.

Indeed, while I enjoy the latter work of the more famous tunes, I tend to prefer the Gabriel years. I likely would have attended a Genesis reunion tour in 2007 if Gabriel had been back at the mic, as was rumored, but chose to skip it once it was announced that Collins would be doing the vocals with mates Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. I meant it as no offense, as I saw that version of the band at Giants Stadium in 1992.

All of this is prologue to this riveting article I read in Rolling Stone. Writer Andy Greene goes in-depth with Collins, exposing all of the details of how he was once uber-popular and now seems reviled. Collins talks about his fascination with the Alamo (yes, really), how he does have a dark side, and most noticeably, how he has had thoughts of suicide.

It's almost as if Collins regrets the whole thing. Whatever - it's all kind of sad.

For 15 Minutes Today, All Was Right in Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:15:00 +0000

There has never been a better sports talk show than "Mike and the Mad Dog." Not even "The Press Box" can top the brilliance that Mike Francesa and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo gave us for 20 years. It was a daily part of my listening routine.

The two have been separate for a few years now, with Francesa continuing on WFAN (and oh, what has become of that station?) and Russo over on SiriusXM.

They're working near each other in Indianapolis this week on their individual shows, but got back together for 15 minutes. I heard it and was laughing and marveling at just how good they are together. I also felt nostalgic, because neither one is right without the other.

Thanks to Fang's Bites for posting the video and, as such, providing the link.

Super Bowl Halftime Shows

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:16:00 +0000

I saw this post from Mitchell and Ness's blog and couldn't resist a comment on it. They asked, simply, which Super Bowl halftime show was the best?

I will tell you, categorically, in the post-"Nipplegate" era, the two worst were Prince and the Black Eyed Peas. Purely terrible. I don't have high expectations for Madonna either. Yet prior to the Janet Jackson fiasco, the halftime shows had been fairly atrocious also (save for U2's remarkable post-9/11 show).

Wikipedia has the full list here. Some of those shows make me pine for the days of marching bands and Up with People.

By the way, Wikipedia also has Madge's set list already. Sheesh. No buildup there.

Anyway, the best? Sticking to the event since after Super Bowl XXXVIII (that's the Janet Jackson game). Some didn't like The Who (Super Bowl XLIV), but I thought they were fine. The Rolling Stones didn't impress me at all (XL), to be blunt. I've already said I thought Prince (XLI) and the Peas (XLV) were terrible. I enjoyed Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (XLII) who were a surprise choice but really rocked. But there are two clear winners:

Paul McCartney (XXXIX), which can't be embedded. Macca went with "Drive My Car", "Get Back", "Live and Let Die", and "Hey Jude" for a safe, yet rollicking show the year after we got to see more of Janet Jackson than we asked for.

But the clear runaway winner is...
Bruce, of course. Step back from the guacamole dip!

Do I need to say it? They kicked...well, you know what (even with a shortened "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"). Complete with Bruce sliding into the camera!

And in case you need a reminder of how that game ended...

Makes me feel good to watch that.

Thought For the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:15:00 +0000

Among the many lessons that I've tried to teach my son is to be gracious in both victory and defeat. This seems to resonate right now at Super Bowl time, but it also works outside of the sports arena. I think it is probably more difficult to be a good winner, but then again, it's sometimes tough to not be a sore loser.

With that in mind, we hit our thought for the day. We'll stick with sports, and go with the guy that Sunday's big trophy is named after: Vince Lombardi. The great Green Bay Packers coach once famously said, "Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser." Well, a bit harsh, but probably true in sports. Yet he also authored this:

“If you can accept losing, you can't win.”

On this morning, that works. Accept it and move on because, some times, it's out of your control. Or it wasn't your fault. It just happens.

A Lost George Harrison Guitar Solo

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:55:00 +0000

I heard this the other day on Pat St. John's show on WCBS-FM (101.1) in New York. It's a video of Sir George Martin, his son Giles Martin, and Dhani Harrison, son of George Harrison, listening to some of The Beatles' classic "Here Comes the Sun."

It gets interesting though, as they hear a guitar solo that was never used.

By the way, St. John's show always includes lost or never-before heard pieces of music history from the rock and roll era. Always a good listen.

FERRIS!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:41:00 +0000

We always knew he'd be back. It just took a while because, after all, he's a fry cook on Venus!

Matthew Broderick has returned as Ferris Bueller...well, sort of. He's actually just Matthew Broderick the actor, but he's doing a sweet parody of Ferris for the Honda CR-V in this new commercial to run during the Super Bowl.

Even though we're already getting to see it. Whatever, it is so choice! I warn you, you have to look really closely for all of the references...I'm still picking them up (like the clothes in the background at the 1:00 mark - the sweater vest and Cameron's T-shirt).

Now we need the real thing (and yes, that means The Beatles)...

And...

Thinking About Baseball

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:10:00 +0000

I know...it's Super Bowl Week. And yes, I'm pleased for the Giants (or "Steelers East", as I've called them on occasion). So I should be all about football. Or hockey, with the Rangers rocking in the Garden. Or basketball, with the Knicks...ooo...maybe not.

So anyway, back to baseball. I saw my friend, Connecticut State Representative in the 151st District, Fred Camillo post that there were only 20 days to pitchers and catchers. I noticed that same number on the marquee outside of Yankee Stadium (you know, the new house) and it made me smile.

Now don't get me wrong. The arrival of pitchers and catchers is lovely, except it's purely symbolic. Sure, they're there...but that's it. It's more about the promise of the season coming (which is still roughly six weeks after that day).

Fred's posting got some of his friends (including one crazy mad baseball historian type) to start commenting. Fred deserves credit for getting us going by posting numbers that baseball fans know and that are at the very heart of the game. Come on: 714, 56, 511, .406. Of course, I chimed in with 3000 and 300 (one could also say 30/30 or 40/40). But don't forget about 61 in '61 and Tinkers to Evers to Chance, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", and "Casey at the Bat."

Everybody knows them. Everybody has heard the line "Mighty Casey has struck out", or "There's no joy in Mudville."

There are the nicknames: "The Duke of Flatbush", "The Babe", "The Iron Horse", "The Mick", The Yankee Clipper", "The Splendid Splnter", "The Say Hey Kid", "Donnie Baseball", "Three Finger" Brown, "Big John Mize", "Catfish", "Stan the Man", "Hammering Hank", and John "Blue Moon" Odom.

And that's just a few of them. Of course, I haven't forgotten about Lawrence Peter "Lawdie" Berra, the kid from the Hill section of St. Louis whose friends (including Joe Garagiola) knew him as "Yogi."

And how many things has Yogi added to society? From Yoo Hoo drinks to his malaprops!

I keep hearing the game is dead, or on life support, and feel free to run with that. But no game causes people to post "20 days" to the opening of TRAINING CAMP, when only the pitchers and catchers and rookies report!

I love football. Love it. Love hockey - some of the best sports history there is. Love basketball. Golf. Tennis (did you watch the brilliance of yesterday's Novak Djokovic/Rafael Nadal Aussie Open Final?). But Babe Ruth once said it best, albeit in 1947: "The only real game I think in the world, is baseball."

Incidentally, Fred commented about Van Lingle Mungo (yes, that was his real name), who became better known as the title of a bossa nova jazz song by Dave Frishberg in 1969. Again, only baseball.

Thought For The Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Adams) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:59:00 +0000

I'm trying to write to the old bloggity from my cell phone, so forgive any spelling errors (darn auto correct).
I've been thinking about doing a "thought for the day", which I wouldn't have to do daily but could still be fun.
Based on my current state of mind, I think I need to call on Crash Davis of Bull Durham fame, who said:

"Don't think. It can only hurt the ballclub."

Don't think...good advice on this day.