Athletics Nation

...

This is a cricket bat

game on

crickets

it was pretty quiet here for awhile

I watched a cricket match with a friend from India once on TV

let’s just say I like baseball better.

Yeah... I love cricket. If you love baseball, you could teach yourself to love cricket.

But it’d take a while.

I already follow baseball,football and golf

If I added something else I think I’d be single again pretty fast.

Oh yeah, I mean, I'm not suggestion that you do it, by any means

RYAN HOWARD MUST STRIKEOUT

Shouldn’t be hard, though.

Go Dodgers!!! Looks like Craig Sager’s suit agrees with me.

You're not as loud.

as the suit?

No, I can’t say that I am

NLCS and College Football

I am trying to watch both. I have college football going on a stream.

Cincinnati @ USF RRS?

I can’t say I’ve ever seen either team play.

Yeah

They are the two best teams in the Big East. Cincinnati is ranked eighth and they just scored a touchdown. Also, South Florida isn’t too bad themselves being ranked 21st in the nation.

With the way my Jayhawks are playing

and as bad as that certain team I follow in the NFL is I might get more into college football this year as I need a good football fix.

I saw Kershaw struggle a couple times before

Today I can see what all the hoopla is about.

he's like what Mulder was in his prime

But better and younger

Does anyone think Mulder will ever comeback as a good pitcher?

Considering Mulder's "side session" never happened, no.

It was going to be March, then May, then June, then…never heard about it.

Kershaw doesn’t really remind me of Mulder, though. He throws harder and relies on a sharp curve; Mulder was a groundball pitcher with a splitter, who used the curve mostly to “steal a strike.”

It does seem unlikely Mulder will ever get back to a high level

it’s too bad. None of the big 3 are going to end up being truly great pitchers it seems.

Hudson is a solid pitcher and Zito is a very rich 4/5 starter.

mulder, mmmmmmm

hi there

Hey OAH

Coul Mulder be a decent reliever? Would he??

BERRYJO - October 15, 2009 reply

maybe it's his windup or something that reminds me

I don’t know — he certainly doesn’t work as fast as Mulder did, that’s for sure.

There were reports of scouts watching him workout, as I recall

But I don’t ever recall any feedback from those. Seeing how far he’s fallen from his prime, though, and the injuries… it would be a minor miracle for him to come back and even win 10 games, I think.

I totally nearly forgot this game was on

hi guys, have i missed anything exciting?

Loney hit one out

1-0 Dodgers

hi

hello there

you’re still rooting for the Dodgers, right?

of course ; )

Hi

Hi, how are you?

i'm fine my sweet litte cinnamon roll, how are you?

(taking a cue from lynnzgal)

Eh

I’m okay, I guess.

here's a hug

{intercepts hug}

Mmmmmm.

you'll get yours later

Yeah, you will.

(clears chamber of shotgun)

Thanks

That was nice.

pre-calc getting you down?

Math

I don’t even have to take that class. The highest I ever got was geometry essentials. I’m taking financial math right now.

good

math blows. All that is useful in math can be done by a Excel/statistics program or TI calculators.

I can count to 10 and balance my checkbook

that’s all the math skill I need or have.

pretty much

Balance your checkbook??? Who does that!! LOL

BERRYJO - October 15, 2009 reply

I'm going to try to chime in for math, here

It kinda doesn’t blow.

In fact, it’s great.

booo! bobnothing booo!

History is much better!

People always say we should learn from our mistakes in History

But in reality, isn’t knowing too much History what keeps nations and races harboring old grudges, and leads to wars, etc?

(I don’t think that’s all that true, but still)

Well I'm not sure most people know their history

There was a story that 53% of high school age kids in I think it was Oklahoma (I could be wrong so sorry in advance) didn’t know who George Washington was.

I do think knowing about history helps in making the right decision and I like my job so I’m going to stick with history being important.

Oh yeah, I'm don't disagree with you

I’m not trying to be competative here, by any means, it’s just something I find interesting.

Besides which, on the whole, Americans don’t really suffer from long term grudges against countries that have done them wrong (the Bush family excepted).

But, say, if the Serbs and Croats didn’t have hundreds of years of killing each other, etc, then, could things be different?

Didn't quite finish my thought, there

- and if they weren’t taught that a fundamental part of their history was in opposition to the other

Obviously I don't know what they teach in other

countries but I imagine you’re right bobnothing as hate isn’t something you’re born with it’s taught.

Hopefully one day people can figure out that war rarely is the right answer and we can all focus our hate on someting that should be hated like the Denver Broncos.

Ha, I don't know if I'm write. I'm often not.

Incidentally, if you’ve not read ‘The Naked Ape’ by Desmond Morris, it’s rather good, and talks about stuff like the role of sports in an evolutionary context

I haven't but I'll look it up

I love to read.

Thank goodness I only had to get through Algebra II

to get my degree. I barely made it even with a tutor and when the final test was over I forgot it all that instant.

Sometimes it's not about the content.....but the process and the critical thinking needed.....

{spoken like an educator}

BERRYJO - October 15, 2009 reply

hi everyone

I turn on the radio and dude is like, oh the A’s had Andre Ethier but dealt him for Milton Bradley, that was the first words I heard LOL

Hmm I've never heard much about that trade

did they say 'Andre Ethier' with a suitably french accent?

If not, it doesn’t count

Me too!!

BERRYJO - October 15, 2009 reply

so have these playoff threads been this slow?

the Rockies-Phillies ones people were pretty good

I think people are staggering home/eating still

ok i'll stick around

This game is background noise for me as I grade papers

but I sure hope these games are better than the 1st round games were.

I'm waiting for the flyover by a homemade saucer-blimp

Oh wait

that story

is out of control…. the family is SO out there, I was reading how they are always sending up Roswell balloons looking for ET life, it’s off the chain.

Oh yeah, did that earthquake practice scare the bejesus out of anyone else this morning?

I phoned a friend downtown to ask him if the world was ending

was that just in sf?

Dunno, maybe? I live in San Francisco, so it might be, yeah

I think the people in Milwaukee probably aren't worried about an earthquake

I know every time I go to the city I always wonder is this the day the big one happens then I eat some great food and forget about it.

NO it was supposed to be statewide

BERRYJO - October 15, 2009 reply

There was an earthquake today?

Nah, but there was a practice with the alarm about 10.15am (like the one normally at midday on Tuesday)

either I didn’t know, or I’d forgotten, so I kinda did shit myself for a second.

Metaphorically speaking, of course

There was one Tuesday night though.

Or was I dreaming?

67MARQUEZ - October 15, 2009 reply

Maybe? I didn't notice it. It'd be on the California earthquake whatsit, if there were

Not dreaming.....

BERRYJO - October 15, 2009 reply

Right. Read the whole comment first, Pam.

earthquake PRACTICE. hello.

There was a little earthquake that I felt the other night.

I thought I was just dizzy!

BERRYJO - October 15, 2009 reply

OH HEY. Baseball.

Go Dodgers.

Boo

I’m rooting for the Phillies.

That's nice for you.

No

They’re losing.

I'm with the kid

gooo! Phillies

Yeah, go Phillies

Lesser of two evils, at this point

Stairs. Blanton.

Even Davey Lopes. I like Rick Honeycutt, but he’s outnumbered.

catching up with mad men, let me know if anything exciting is about to happen...

On Mad Men? You're in for a treat.

The last episode was great

FOR SURE.

I think Don is headed off a cliff

and it should be fun to watch

Needs more Joan, Peggy, Pete tho.

I agree

I love Joan and Peggy and Pete…well I don’t love him but he’s a fascinating character

Ronnie Belliard reminds me of Snoop from The Wire for some reason.

Elvez - October 15, 2009 reply

I can see that Elvez

agrd.

maybe they’re related.

Plus they wear their hat the same.

I know this is common knowledge, but just how awesome is Shakira?

very

oooh, a home run

muy

67MARQUEZ - October 15, 2009 reply

Hmm I've never heard any of her songs

but I might like to watch some of her videos

Her Hips

They don’t lie.

I think I love her

Not least, for that bit of Socrates

After the "life is a soccer field" thing

I thought her Socrates quote would be more like, “Tell Junior not to wear out in the first half, and get the ball to Julio César in space.”

Ha!

Did you see the games on Wednesday? I was watching the US game with a friend of mine from Honduras, and she went from the verge of tears to losing her shit and jumping around my living room…

Soccer does stir people's passion

I played it for years as a kid but I’ve just never been able to get into it as a spectator

I saw the US-Costa Rica game on ESPN

The US is in a bad position without Davies, and maybe without Onyewu (though it sounds like he could well be able to get back on the pitch a few months before the World Cup).

I’m hardly an expert, but the US’s midfield always looks overmatched — mediocre ball control, and defensive, oh-I-hope-I-don’t-lose-the-ball play. Donovan has been very good, but he presses forward on the wing — he’s not controlling the ball in the middle of the field. Costa Rica conceded midfield late in the match, even when the US was down to 10. I understand the impulse to just protect the lead, but your opponent can’t score without the ball, and midfield is where the US coughs it up.

Still, they deserve a lot of credit for fighting back, all the way to the end. Torres and Rogers looked good after Bradley put them in.

The US team, traditionally

Is one that makes up for not having the most talented players by being fitter and more organized than most other sides.

What’s weird, at the moment, is that they look very shakey at the back, but they’re able to move the ball around better than I expected them to do.

I think that unless something changes, they’re going to struggle in South Africa next summer; though, a decent draw, players coming into form at the right time, their back four remembering each others’ names, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that they might put a couple of wins together.

Weirdly, the US looked a lot like Mexico normally do, but with shorter hair

I think it's hard for the U.S. to get the best athletes to play

soccer. The best kids play basketball and football over soccer and it’s hard to see that changing anytime soon.

Oh, I agree. I mean, it's going to take some US success in a major tournament to change

people’s view of soccer.

Or perhaps, a major US star on a Eureopean team winning the Champions League, or whatnot.

I think it would take a dominant, creative scorer

to make Americans really like watching soccer on tv — someone who makes you go, “What is he going to do next?” But there are probably no more than 10 of those players in the world at any given time, none of them has ever been an American, and it’s not likely that the US is going to produce one any time soon.

No, you're right

But you never know where they’re going to come from. It’s such a fluke of nature and nuture, but it could happen…

Has Mexico ever had a back as big as Onyewu?

And I agree about their backs — both of Costa Rica’s goals involved sloppy defense, especially the second one.

Also, there’s the finishing. Though I wonder if “not finishing” is the soccer equivalent of “leaving runners in scoring position” — only the very best teams seem to do it well.

Yeah, the US missed a hatful, but they were missing a couple players, no?

Finishing is more like BABIP – you try to put it on target, and some of them will fly in, others the keeper will save.

And no, you’re right – it’s not a direct comparison to Mexico, more that it’s traditionally the Mexican team that plays the flowing game and leaves holes at the back, but the US is normally more solid.

Putting it on target has been a problem, though

Casey completely blew his chance after a great push forward and pass from Altidore, although that’s not a gimme chance there, coming straight at the goal, down the middle of the field, with the GK closing on you. And of course Davies missed a wide open goal following his header in the 1st half at Honduras.

The US won the group, but if Honduras hits that penalty, and Bornstein doesn’t get that injury-time goal…they get 1 point in the last two matches and they don’t qualify.

Oh yep, it was definitely closer than it should have been

I mean, all credit to Honduras and Costa Rica, but if the US really wants to get somewhere, it should be beating those teams comfortably

+infinity

JLaff - October 15, 2009 reply

Well I guess Hamels won't be bunting now

damn the Phils are good

up in the zone and bye-bye, damn.

Hey a team I'm rooting for is winning

what am I supposed to do in this situation?

hmmmmm

Drink?

That's always the right answer Nick

according to the oakland athletics 2009 fan manual

this is not the team you’re rooting for

fruitattack - October 15, 2009 reply

these are not the droids we're looking for.

Kershaw seems to have lost the strike zone here

all right. real baseball is back.

this is more like Claton Mortensen

someone pass me the bottle.

Oh boy, Kershaw has an unpleasant beard, doesn't he

I'll bet Cahill is still jealous, though

Yeouch.

boy scout versus daniel boone

I'll take Boone and the points

I got kicked out of the Boy Scouts for being a smart ass and I hold a grudge.

that's called

leaving your young starter in a batter too many.

I actually think Torre played it right

Kershaw played it wrong by sucking goat balls, but I’d have given him through Howard to try to get through the 5th.

debatable

but Clayton was so up in the zone, and there’s MVP ninja-stick-of-death Howard looming with runs-that-break-the-game-open on base, it was a recipe for disaster.

mmm ninja-stick-of-death

I want the A’s to get one of those

...

yes, his disposition was poised for disaster

Go Phillies

Fark LA

Am I the only one rooting for the Dodgers?

no there are a few of you

but we have you surrounded

It's cool. I'm going to dinner.

Guten appetit

Bring us back something, okay?

I am

Not with a passion, but I am.

I don't think anyone is massively bothered about who wins, when it comes down to it

you got that. i am free of being tweaked out over outcomes, the Cal loss

to Oregon was my tipping point for that for the rest of the year.

Cal seems like a tease

It seems like they never quite live up to the hype

tell me about it.

My feeling about Cal recently

is that you need either a great QB or a great defense to deal with the top teams. Cal hasn’t had either lately.

oh for sure. Riley? sheesh

Oregon and USC

Oregon and USC are two pretty damn good teams. If we had played UCLA and Oregon State instead, maybe we’re ranked fourth and undefeated.

USC is always going to have the best talent in the Pac-10

but Cal should be on par with Oregon as Eugene isn’t as much fun to live in as the Bay Area

i am rooting for the dodgers

no

80 mins longest standing ovation?

Rickey Henderson, to himself.

Greatest of all time. All time!

A'sian - October 15, 2009 reply

Two good things about this inning

1. Dogger fans are already contemplating heading for the parking lot.
2. Neither the home run or the double could be described by little Chippy as being ‘fisted’ (ewwwwww).

that would be foul if the yankees were in the field.

Or a home run if there were at bat

yahoo sports needs an o.hud pic with a dodgers cap...

it’s not like he was traded during the season…

fruitattack - October 15, 2009 reply

Epic ESPN FAIL

From McC:

yahoo had something similar too

cept they quickly appended the part about Ruiz’s hr

fruitattack - October 15, 2009 reply

fisted!

I may have to start drinking every time he says that

(burp)....I uh...already started drinking

whatcha pouring?

I'm a fraud

I’m really only drinking diet Coke

tease

just like the A's in the 8th or 9th inning

oh the memories...

i'm going to have a t-shirt made that says "teaAse"

I'll take one in a medium please

son of a gun

Manny being ___________

uh....

Manny

He’s awesome.

yep

and I’m glad his pregnancy went well

Oh wow, this is quite a game.

I have to leave to go to a bar; hopefully the game will be on…

I've discovered something disturbing.

Christopher Columbus, is that you?

this should be good

Does it have 8 legs?

I don't think I can quite say this here.

I think another forum that allowed my full range of expression might be better….

Um, hmmm….okay…let’s see.

People from Boston cannot properly pronounce the word “can’t.” I’m not sure why, but it does not come out “can’t” and in fact, sounds quite unlike “can’t.”