Thursday, September 21, 2006

Thursday P.M. Wrap

Once again, I apologize for the lack of updates throughout the afternoon. I promise I'll make up for it tomorrow, when I'll be at home all day taking care of my infant son. I'm sure he will be able to make some sense of the Packers-Lions game.

Let's clean up the afternoon junk:

You aren't a baseball fan if you're rooting for the Wild Card to go to the runner-up in the NL West. Let winner take all in that division and throw a bone to Ryan Howard and Co. in Philly.

I want the Falcons to run the option exclusively the entire game on Monday night in New Orleans. It's already going to be a wild night -- going option-nutty on national TV might spark a revolution. A good one.

I am SO ready for a full-strength (or, at least, full-GAME) Clinton Portis. More ready for his mid-week press conference persona.

I want LeBron James and Warren Buffett to get together and have babies that would rule the world.

Joe Paterno might not be able to control Ted Ginn, but if he was smart, he would take notes and figure out how to turn Derrick Williams into the NEXT Ted Ginn.

Someone who knows a lot more about baseball than I do needs to give me the argument why Rich Harden is the difference between the A's making the playoffs -- and winning the AL title.

(I have to say: In the Quickie, I picked the A's to meet the Mets in the World Series before the season started. If that came to pass, it would represent my greatest prediction ever. I could stop predicting. Could. But won't.)

Steve Smith practiced Thursday: See, it wasn't about the contract. Haters.

I was just reading the AP interview with George Steinbrenner from last week. I can't help but attach Larry David's "Seinfeld" voice to him for every quote. And it makes it SO much better. Buster Olney is working on the definitive biography of the Boss -- it better include Seinfeld stuff!

Last thing: Here's the link to that BlogPoll that I started participating in this week. Interesting results. I'm not as bullish on Florida as the rest (and I'm a FAN!), but more bullish on WVA. I'm also more bullish on Georgia, but way less into FSU. I'll have to give this a longer analysis later tonight. I need a few weeks to see how my own poll fluctuates.

Uh, one more: I just read that Georgia Tech is wearing throwback unis vs. UVA tonight on ESPN. I love when the college teams do that. We'll see how it comes across on TV.

By the way, I just saw an ad for that new "Longest Yard" meets "Dawson's Creek" movie with the Rock, "Gridiron Gang." Anyone see it? It was No. 1 last weekend. Any reviews?

Catch you in the a.m.

-- D.S.

10 comments:

Christian Thoma said...

Just got an email from my brother: he bought tickets to Game 5 of the Division Series at Shea. So all of you: hope that the Dodgers get the WC (that's why he got them) and that the series goes to game 5. Heck, I don't even care if the Mets win, it'll be fun just to go.

Christian (High Point, NC)

Mega said...

Since the CWS are practically out of it, I really don't know who to root for in the playoffs.

Yankees? They have enough titles.
A's? I don't want to hear how much of a genious Beane supposedly is.
Twins? I'll never root for them.

That leaves the Tigers. Ugh.

I don't think anyone in the NL can run with the AL. Sure the Mets are good, but they play in a weak division versus the weak NL teams. Put the Mets in the AL and they are an 88 win team. Book it. If I'm wrong I'll cook my crow later.

Jake C said...

How about mention of the Orioles fans leaving the game early in protest. That is great! They wore protest t-shirts and then left in unison at 5:08pm (in honor of Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken). I love it when fans make people take notice to hope and create change.

Also, I hope your prediction comes true for two reasons...as a Mets fan, I'd rather face the A's than the Yanks loaded lineup. Second, that was also my exact prediction...in fact, as it stands now, I would have 6 of the 8 playoff teams correct - pretty damn good!

Badass Of The Year said...

I hope you are right. I've been saying I wanted Oakland all along, so I don't have to compete with Yankee fans for tkts.

Jingoist said...

Does it spoil it if I suggest that Ryan Howard just simply has not yet been caught on paper (or in a vial) yet, and that maybe he's just like the McGwire's, Giambi's and Canseco's who stormed through major league pitching in their early years like Alexander through the Eastern Hemisphere?

I could be THAT jaded (and spoil Dan's fun with Howard to boot), but I won't. Go Phillies!

rob (warwick)

Christian Thoma said...

rob (warwick):

The word on Howard is that he's always been huge, even back to grade school. While of course that doesn't immediately negate any concern, at least it's not like Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens doubling in size since their debut in the leagues.

Jingoist said...

chrth:

Shanoff knows I'm just busting his chops. I really do believe in Ryan Howard's ability.

Anonymous said...

The Game of Shadows journalists have been sentenced to jail.
GOOD.

Media members..and reporters and journalists are about as trustworthy as..well..they aren't. Someone leaked testimony that was illegal to leak..they are covering up for those people..so they go to jail. Good riddance.
Reporters don't need a federal law to protect them from divulging their sources...Reporters should know that writing things accusing a person of illegal acts, then saying "we have sources..but we can't talk about them"..is bullcrap. As a sports fan, until I know who the sources are, I'll consider those two journalists to be nothing but liars and sensationalists.

Tony E said...

Having Rich Harden healthy enough for a 5 game series gives Oakland the edge. His line today was 7 K's through 3 innings, even if he comes out of the bullpen, the man is dangerous and so are the Oakland A's

I too predicted the A's and Mets, but I am an A's fan so I don't think I count. Love the Thomas for MVP, but we all know Jeter will win it because of the East Coast Bias, seriously the dude plays on a team full of all stars, they could have had Nefi Perez as the starting SS and still be expected to win the whole damn thing. He is NOT a difference maker ala Frank Thomas.

CYGNUS003 said...

virgil said...

I took my father to a sneek preview of the "Gridiron Gang" for his birthday. I thought for what its worth a very good movie. Not Oscar level but definitly a "feel good story". The Rock does suprisingly well, and I enjoyed the football scenes.