Saturday, June 7, 2014

Tim Duncan is making me rethink my list of the top-10 all-time NBA players

Exactly one year ago today (which is an odd coincidence, I'd already chosen this topic before I checked) I wrote a post saying that I didn't believe Tim Duncan was one of the top 10 players in NBA history.  In no specific order, my list was Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

But after getting back to the Finals yet again (for the 6th time with the potential of a 5th title), and at 38 years old putting up 21 points and 10 rebounds (while shooting 9-10 from the field) in the 90-degree non-air-conditioned heat that forced LeBron James to leave Game 1 with cramps, I've decided it's time to give Timmy his due.


Sorry Hakeem, I think you're bumped to #11.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Batman vs Superman: Who ya got?


It's recently come to my attention that there's a movie due out next year entitled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  It's a sequel to the last Superman film, Man of Steel, staring the same not very famous guy as Superman, and Ben Affleck as Batman.  Since Man of Steel kind of sucked, I'm going to keep my expectations low for this one.  But I really want to love it.

I've always been a Batman guy.  Yes, I know since he doesn't have any super powers he's not really a superhero, but that's all the more reason to like him; his phenomenal triumph in the face of incredible adversity.  He's managed to be one of (if not the most) successful superheroes of all time despite starting from a competitive disadvantage unlike any other.

Superman, on the other hand, is boring.  He can do everything.  He's not really fair, basically the sum of all superheroes put together (like playing NHL '94 with one of the conference All-Star teams), in many ways the antithesis of Batman.  So there you go, a brilliant idea for a film...

And for the kids out there, here's the Batman action figure I had as a child, as well as some of his buddies:


Please vote:



Thursday, June 5, 2014

How does one become respected enough as a "witch doctor" to make ESPN headlines?

Does anything about this screen shot of ESPN.com's front page seem surprising to you?


The photo of LeBron?  Definitely not (in fact anyone else pictured instead might be considered shocking).  The report of Major League Baseball mourning the death of Don Zimmer?  No.  Oh wait, how about the story on a Ghanaian witch doctor taking credit for using his magic to injure one of the best soccer players in the world?  Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding, we have a winner!

Here's the opening paragraph of the article:
"As if there wasn't enough hand-wringing and medical analysis over Cristiano Ronaldo's tired legs, Ghana's most influential witch doctor has joined the fray, claiming that he is responsible for the knee injury that threatens the Portugal talisman's participation at the World Cup, according to a report."
Portugal, Ghana, the U.S. and Germany will all play in the same group in the World Cup, which begins one week from today.  That explains ESPN's interest in Ronaldo, and why a witch doctor in Ghana would want him injured.  However, the notion that the "spells" of this witch doctor are headline news is a bit perplexing.

I guess I have to give the guy credit for being tops in his field, and somehow becoming credible enough to merit ESPN's interest.

If anybody in Bristol is reading, I reverse-jinxed the Red Sox and turned their 10-game losing streak into a 7-game winning streak, then did it again by writing about said reverse-jinx and sending them on another 3-game skid.  Maybe that should be worthy of a top story?


Wednesday, June 4, 2014

NFL takes my advice, decides to call 2016 Super Bowl "50" instead of "L"

A little over a year ago I wrote the following about how much I hate the Roman numerals in Super Bowl logos:

"The big news of the day is that the NFL has just decided to play the 50th Super Bowl in the San Francisco Bay area in 2016. But the stupid thing about it is the fact that it is referred to as 'Super Bowl L'...  
Back when I was 9 years old I had an awesome Patriots vs. Bears Super Bowl XX shirt.  And ten years later when the Cowboys and Steelers met in Super Bowl XXX, the Roman numerals were still pretty cool.  But you know what isn't cool?  Trying to figure of what next year's Super Bowl XLVIII is.  The numbers are just too big now, and nobody knows what they are anymore.  Get over yourself NFL."

Today the league admitted the "L" is dumb, and released the logo for the 50th Super Bowl.  Unfortunately they also said it will just be a one year change, and that they'll go back to Roman numerals the next year for #51 (LI).

I guess we'll just have to accept the baby steps for now, but probably don't go pre-ordering any Super Bowl LIX t-shirts.

 And that's 59, not 69, get your mind out of the gutter!


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

People who don't clean up after their dogs should be banished from society. Here's how...

A few weeks ago I went out for a jog along the water in South Boston.  It was a Sunday afternoon, and one of the first really beautiful spring days of the year.  People were out and about everywhere; other runners, couples strolling, kids playing, etc.

On multiple occasions I came across piles of dog crap sitting right in the middle of the sidewalk.  While I did manage to avoid stepping in it, that got me thinking...

People who don't clean up after there dogs are basically saying they don't feel the rules of society apply to them.  In this case the punishment should fit the crime.  They should be removed from the society they live in.

Here's how I see it going down: The cops knock on your door.  "Sir we have multiple eyewitness accounts of you leaving your dog's feces on the street, and a video recording of said events as well.  You're going to have to leave now.  We'll give you 24 hours to vacate the premises."

Normal housing and tenant laws no longer apply to you.  Your lease is broken immediately, or your property is put up for sale by the state at auction.  Not only that, but your name is now on the city's "no-resident list" (like the TSA's no-fly list), and you are now prohibited from ever renting or owning in that community again.


Monday, June 2, 2014

Just so you know, my reverse-jinx fixed the Red Sox

Holt is now batting .337.
The Red Sox head into tonight's game in Cleveland only 2.5 games back of a playoff spot, and looking to become the first team in major league history to win 8 straight following a losing streak of 10 or more.  John Lackey will take the mound having thrown 13.1 consecutive scoreless innings spanning his past two starts.

After going through as brutal a stretch as I can ever remember, suddenly everything is working for Boston.

Once Dustin Pedroia got thrown out yesterday 5 of their 9 players were rookies (Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Brock Holt, Alex Hassan and Garin Cecchini), including the top 3 in the batting order; and it didn't even matter.  Two of them (Hassan and Cecchini) collected their first big league hits in their major league debuts, and another (Holt) tied an MLB single-game record with 4 doubles.

Exactly one week ago at roughly 3:15 pm I wrote the following:

"Clay Buchholz just walked 8 guys in 3 innings, and the Red Sox are headed for their eleventh (I wrote the word out for added emphasis) straight loss. For Boston fans in need of a little sports pick-me-up..."

Immediately after I typed that sentence the Sox scored 5 runs in one inning and turned a 6-1 deficit into a 6-6 tie.  While editing the post I debated taking it out, but I decided to leave it in for good luck.  Boston ended up winning the game 8-6, and has been perfect ever since.


Sunday, June 1, 2014

Awesome Old Song of the Week: "With a Little Help from My Friends" by Joe Cocker

Ever since my post from last Friday I've had The Wonder Years on my mind.  It was the single greatest TV show of my adolescence, and Kevin Arnold and I were just about the same age.

Originally a Beatles song, "With a Little Help from My Friends" was on their 1967 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.  Joe Cocker then stole it, totally changed it, and made it the title track of his own album just two years later in 1969 (no way that would fly today).

In 1988 The Wonder Years used the Cocker version for the show intro, and the rest is history.




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