Ballpark Rankings Update - O.co Coliseum

While I was in the San Francisco area I was able to get to an Oakland Athletics game. They play in what is now called the O.co Coliseum. O.co is the new name for Overstock.com. It's a terrible name but the sponsorship makes sense, since the whole Moneyball theory the A's operate on is based on trying to get quality players at a cheap price. Anyway, O.co is an old place -- older than the Vet. It opened in 1966 for the NFL Raiders and the A's moved in from Kansas City in 1968. So old that the men's room had troughs instead of urinals. I've taken a vow to never use a trough.

Being one of those multi-purpose places, the sightlines aren't so great in some areas. And even where I sat (seven rows behind the visitors' dugout; thanks for not buying up the good seats, A's fans), it seemed far away because there's a lot of room between the stands and the foul lines. That helps pitchers a lot, because foul pops that go into the seats in many places are easily caught here.

I stood up between innings of the game (in which the former Philadelphia A's beat Detroit, the day after the Tigers clinched the AL Central title) and circled around to take this video. YouTube is having issues again, or something, because the sound

Too Long For Twitter: "Whitney"

So a few minutes ago while I was finishing up some reading, I had the TV tuned to some college football game but I wasn't really interested. So I decided to see what else could be on in the background. I saw that the new sitcom "Whitney," starring Whitney Cummings (see photo) was on NBC, and decided to check it out. It started promisingly, with the hairy-chested boyfriend (Chris D'Elia, also see photo) joining the title character in the shower.

Then they opened their mouths and began to speak, and ruined everything.

Phillies: So Much For Those "Previews"

At the end of June the Phillies and Boston Red Sox played a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The media, fans, etc. hyped it as a "World Series preview."

The Phils took two of three. The Red Sox aren't in the playoffs after their mighty September collapse, capped off by last night's stunning 9th-inning loss at Baltimore combined with the Tampa Bay Rays' rally from a 7-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in extra innings.

At the end of July, and again in early August, the Phils and San Francisco Giants got together for the first time since last year's NL Championship Series. The matchup was hyped, again, as a "preview" of a possible playoff rematch.

The Phils took 4 of 7, including 3 of 4 out west. The Giants faded badly and finished eight games out of first place. They aren't in the playoffs.

At the beginning of September the Phils welcomed the Atlanta Braves to town

Wayne Simmonds Joins DeSean On My Dislike List

It looks like I'm down to two Philadelphia teams now. Granted, I'm not much of a fan of the NBA but I still root for the Sixers. But the NBA is in a lockout that seems to have no end in sight. That leaves the Phillies, who tied their franchise record with 101 wins, with one more game to try and break it before they begin postseason play on Saturday.

But wait -- what about the Flyers and the Eagles?

I've discussed my Eagles conundrum regarding DeSean Jackson enough times. If it weren't already obvious that neither the team nor the NFL plan to do anything about Jackson's anti-gay slur, it became a given when reports surfaced that the NFL and its players agreed that only eight players were subject to suspensions for actions that occurred during the lockout. So right now, for all I care Jackson can take his non-apology and go to hell, sans contract extension. And the Eagles, for all their arrogance in just about everything they do, can do the same. I have yet to wear an Eagles t-shirt or jersey this season -- that used to be standard practice on game days. I will still watch the games. I will not at this point root against them, but right now I can't root for them either. So their falling to 1-2 and last place in the NFC East after an absurdly lame defensive and coaching performance Sunday against the New York Giants didn't really bother me much.

The Flyers situation I'm faced with is a bit worse in two respects.

Scott Rolen In A Gay Bar*

Harry and me in 2003

On my flight out to San Francisco on the 13th I finally finished reading "Harry the K: The Remarkable Life of Harry Kalas," by Randy Miller. It's a must-read for Phillies fans, Philadelphia sports fans, baseball fans in general, fans of Kalas' work for NFL Films, or anyone interested in a fascinating biography. Miller's book is not a fluff piece. He spares no details in telling the life story of the late Phillies broadcaster. Harry was a drinker, although he never let it interfere with his work. And he was a womanizer. He was living with, and had a son with, the woman who eventually became his second wife years before his divorce from his first wife became final. He cheated on both wives for some time. Yet, for all his flaws, he was beloved by his family and friends, not to mention Phillies fans.

But that's not why you're reading this, are you? You read that headline and want the dirt, you naughty little minx. Well, you may have guessed that the following tale comes from Miller's book.

The team traveled to Pittsburgh for a series in June 2001. The night before the series was to begin, a group of Phillies personnel was at the hotel bar, including Kalas, fellow broadcasters Larry Andersen and Scott Graham, and third baseman Rolen (who eventually moved on, of course) and his fiancee. At 1 a.m. the bartender announced that it was last call -- early for Pennsylvania, since the bars are allowed to stay open until 2. The group, except for Graham, wasn't ready to call it a night.

So the bartender directed them to a nearby block where bars were still open:

Quick Review: Moneyball

Remember those days when I went to see at least one movie each week, if not more? It's been a while. Back then the Phillies were still winning games. Speaking of baseball, today I went to see "Moneyball." It's based on the Michael Lewis book about Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane and his use of sabermetrics to put together a competitive roster despite extremely limited financial resources, focusing particularly on the 2002 season. That year the A's, despite losing big names Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen to big-market clubs, won 103 games, including an AL-record 20 straight.

In other words, the stat geeks who are doing their best to ruin the game now have their own movie. And it stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane. So there's been a lot of hype about it in baseball circles as well as the usual places where movies are discussed.

Pitt is fine, but the movie itself doesn't entirely hold up. A lot of scenes -- Beane and his assistant GM (Jonah Hill, whose Peter Brand is either based on Paul DePodesta, the actual assistant GM, or some amalgam of DePodesta, Theo Epstein and possibly others, depending on what you read), going about rebuilding the club, aggravating the old-time scouts, or Beane's clashing with A's manager Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman) have snap to them, but to balance it out (or to try to attract people who don't like sports, or women, or something) there are also a few softer scenes featuring Beane and his daughter. These scenes, and the entire ending, in which Beane is wooed by the Red Sox after the 2002 season, drag the film down. And there's some other fictionalization. Trades that actually occurred two months apart are depicted as happening almost simultaneously at the trade deadline.

So the movie, like the concept, is flawed.

Breaking News?

This is a test of the Yahoo Breaking News red box. If this had been actual breaking news, you would see an actual news story with links that connected to something other than Yahoo's home page. But at least it will accept four more characters than Twitter.

I'm Baaaaaaack

Hello!

I don't have much time at the moment to write about things but I wanted to post something. Anything. So, a couple of coming attractions:

• A fun story I read recently about a group of people at a gay bar -- and one of them was a Major League Baseball player. Did I say "was"? I mean "is."
• Speaking of baseball, I managed to knock another ballpark off my list of MLB stadiums where I've seen a game. If you follow me on Twitter you know which one.
• Maybe, just maybe, I'll get to see a movie again. It's been some time since I've seen one.
• And probably other stuff.

So, for now, just enjoy these pics of tennis star Rafael Nadal posing for Armani underwear ads (via TooFab.com)...is it my imagination or is Nadal's butt looking smaller than it used to?

Travel And Leg Updates

So I'm headed off to San Francisco this evening for a week to take care of the stuff I have to do regarding my dad's estate. I did buy a new laptop but I'm not sure I'll have time to actually write any blog posts, so this may be the last one until I return.

As for my leg, I have an appointment to see a surgeon on October 11th. As I mentioned in my last post, I was concerned that my leg might get worse during my trip without any further antibiotics. My doctor said I should be fine as long as I don't develop a fever. I have an old digital thermometer, but it's very old and I wasn't sure how reliable it is so I bought a new one. I'm going to carefully monitor my temperature to make sure it's okay. Here's a question, though: the last three days I've taken a reading with both thermometers. The old one has registered a temperature that's 0.4 or 0.5 degrees higher than the new one. Is it safe to assume the new one is the more accurate one? That's the one I'm taking with me.

I went for the ultrasound and x-ray. They asked me if I wanted to have a report sent to the doctor, or if I wanted them to give me films or a CD of my x-rays. How the hell am I supposed to know??????? I finally decided to take the CD because it would be easier to carry. So they burned my x-rays onto a disc. If I get around to it I may post it.

September 11

I'm not going to say much about the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that claimed so many lives. There are many places for you to get every bit of commemoration, analysis, hyperbole, patriotic overkill (I"m looking at you, NFL and Fox), etc. While our nation was briefly united like it hadn't been in a long time, the feeling didn't last and so much has happened since and it's gotten much, much worse. So I'm avoiding as much of the 9/11 anniversary coverage as I can because, even if it's by accident, much of it will be tinged with politics. But I wanted to share some pictures. (Quick note: these are 10 old scans done back then by a friend, which is why they're so small. I may try and find the pictures and re-scan them and any others I took at the time.) I put them in a Flickr set.

A month after the attacks, on Columbus Day weekend, I went to New York. Since Mayor Giuliani asked people to visit and spend money, I heeded the call. That Sunday I watched NFL games at a sports bar with some friends (as it happened, the USA began the war against Afghanistan that day). Earlier that day, I was one of many pathetic gawkers people trying to get as close as allowed to the World Trade Center site. I also took a few pictures of the skyline from the Empire State Building. It's an amazing view. I wish I had gotten to see the view from the Twin Towers while they stood. There's one picture of "The Wall of Hope and Remembrance" outside the now-closed St. Vincent's Hospital, one of the American flags at Rockefeller Plaza, and these two, taken at the West Village firehouse of Squad 18 of the Fire Department of New York. (At the time the firehouse was undergoing renovations so it was closed and the squad operated out of another firehouse.)

The sight of this memorial itself was moving, but when I saw this toy figure left there, perhaps by a child, you can imagine my reaction...

But let's end this on a happier note. In July 2010 Squad 18 went Gaga!

NOT The Grammy People

My friend Kurt recently moved to South Philly, Home of the Cheesesteak Wars (both Pat's and Geno's are at the intersection of 9th St. and Passyunk Ave.). I was at his place the other day, and after I left I was walking along Reed St. to 9th to catch a bus into Center City. I found an odd sight. Between 8th and 9th on Reed is a small cross-street, Darien St. It's not much more than an alley, and is actually a dead end. At left is a picture, taken while I was on Reed St.

Notice how there's a building at the very end with a sign over the door. You can't make it out in the picture, but at the end of this nondescript street is the Pennsylvania Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

I immediately thought of the Grammy awards, handed out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Obviously this was a local chapter, but why would they be in such an off-the-beaten-path location?

Turns out I was wrong. The Philadelphia chapter of NARAS is in Center City. This Pennsylvania Academy is a school. They have an outlet in Gettysburg as well. Their name seems juuuuust a bit misleading, don't you think?

Eagles 2011: Meh

That's right. I said, meh. M-E-H, meh.

I'm supposed to be so excited for the 2011 Eagles' season because the lockout ended and they signed a bunch of free agents and one of them said the Eagles were the "Dream Team" and they gave Michael Vick a contract extension and the other teams in the NFC East suck and on and on and on. Super Bowl! Wooooooo!

As I see it, while they have a lot of promise, they also have question marks. Potentially major question marks. The offensive line. The linebackers. The safeties. Rookie placekicker and rookie punter. The offensive line coach-turned-defensive coordinator. Not to mention the same old head coach with the same old playcalling issues and the same old clock management issues and the same old "time's yours" demeanor.

So I see it as just another typical year: 10 or 11 wins, another NFC East title or at least a wild card, eliminated in the playoffs early. And with ownership still not inclined to replace Andy Reid, it's more "lather, rinse, repeat."

Beyond that, neither the Eagles nor the league have bothered to take any action or even so much as comment on DeSean Jackson's "gay-ass faggot" radio interview from before the lockout ended. It's been over two months since it occurred and nearly a month since I last wrote about this issue. Until something happens beyond the weak non-apology that was released via statement, I can't root for this guy. I don't want him to get that reworked contract he wants so badly. Frankly, if he got hurt I'd probably chalk it up to karma. And if the team and the NFL are going to ignore this, then I'm not sure how much I want to support them.

There you have it. My raison d'meh, if you will. Enjoy your football season.

My Leg! My Leg!

So, a while back this happened...



This was about 10 days after I was hit by a smash back to the mound in my last softball game of the season. Unlike other times when I've been hit in the leg by a ball, the bruising did not fully clear up and the raised/swollen area did not go completely away after ice treatments. My doctor gave me a prescription for an antibiotic at the time. 10 days later, it was still there. I went back to the doctor and he prescribed a different (and, I assume, stronger) antibiotic. 10 days later, and it's still there. It is a little smaller in size, but there's still a raised area and discoloration.

So now I have to get an ultrasound (cue the "are you pregnant?" jokes) and an x-ray, and I'm being referred to a surgeon. My doctor thinks it may be just blood that needs to be removed or drained. He said that when he felt the bump, it doesn't feel warm to the touch compared to when he previously checked my leg, so for now I'm not taking any more antibiotics. I was concerned about this because of my trip next week, but he said as long as I don't develop a fever I should be okay. (The assistant took my temperature today: 98.3.)

And there's no pain at all. That's not even an issue. So I just have to stay alive until I get back from California.

Too Long For Twitter: Netbook Part Deux

I'm so confused and frustrated. Help! I previously wrote about how I want to buy a netbook or laptop before my trip to California (which is next week already). In checking various websites (and going into a couple of stores) I'm just not completely satisfied with any of them. Either they're too expensive or they have issues:

• Too large to easily carry on the plane (or anywhere else) with my backpack
• Only 1 GB of memory (I've seen a lot of comments on different pages saying that 2 GB or more is better)
• Includes Windows 7 Starter instead of Windows 7 Home Premium (almost all comments say the Starter edition is really bad)
• Out of stock
• Not sold in the store and it can't be shipped in time for my trip unless I pay a high price
• And probably one or two other things I'm forgetting at the moment

The cheapest I've seen is a Gateway netbook sold at Best Buy for $199.99, and on its site it has surprisingly decent reviews from customers. I'm thinking I should either settle for it (even though it's one of those with the 1 GB memory and Windows 7 Starter) or get nothing at all. But it's gonna be a serious pain in the ass to carry the old laptop with me.

Missing Person Alert

There was a column in the paper a couple of weeks ago that referred to this, so I had to find out where Obama's quote came from. Turns out it's from an interview last month with CNN's Wolf Blitzer...

BLITZER: Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, Republican presidential candidate now, says, the men and women of the United States military want someone who's worn the uniform. He says he served in the Air Force.

Do you see a comment like that, that he makes, referring to you, as disrespectful to the commander in chief?

OBAMA: You know, Mr. Perry just got into the presidential race. I think that everybody who runs for president, it probably takes them a little bit of time before they start realizing that this isn't like running for governor or running for senator or running for Congress, and you've got to be a little more careful about what you say.

But I'll cut him some slack. He's only been at it for a few days now.

Sigh. "I'll cut him some slack." That says it all right there about what's wrong with this administration and the Democratic party.

(Maybe this post should be titled "Missing Cojones Alert" instead.)

Looking Down On LOVE Park (And Other Pics)

Last month I was at a party for my softball team on the rooftop deck of the building where our team's manager lives. I...well, quite a few of us, actually...took a few photos. I love being in high-rise buildings and looking down upon the area. Whether it's the Empire State Building in New York or the Sears Tower (or whatever it's called now) in Chicago or the CN Tower in Toronto, there's just something special to me about being so far up and viewing the landscape, the buildings, etc. as far as the eye can see. This building isn't quite as high as those... ;-)

LOVE Park from above.

Off in the distance (just above the cathedral's dome) is the Art Museum.

Quick Review: Our Idiot Brother

I'd like to thank Paul Rudd for starring in "Our Little Brother," because it gives me the excuse to show this picture again...

Oh, I could look at that all day. Anyway, Rudd is the title character, Ned, who's sort of a throwback to the 60s in that he has long hair and a beard and has a very casual and mellow outlook. He's selling organic food at a farmers' market when a uniformed police officer tricks Ned into selling him some pot. Boom, he's arrested and spends a few months in jail. He's released and is thrown out by his girlfriend, and after a brief stay with his mother Ned then bounces, one by one, from his mom's home to those of his three sisters (Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer). In each stop he causes great upheaval to his sisters' lives just by being himself: honest, trusting, and more than a little naive. Eventually, of course, things get resolved, but it's an interesting journey to get there. I don't think the trailers did this film justice. I expected a lot of stupidity but it's really a charming, sweet little film. My grade: B-plus.

My (Last*) Week In Comics 8-31-11

Well, today was the big day. The final issue of "Flashpoint," the end of the DC Comics Universe as we know it and the launch of the new DC Universe, or DCnU, to use the shorthand that someone came up with. (Was it DC themselves? Not sure.) The first of the 52 monthly titles, all starting with issue 1 -- even long-running Action Comics and Detective Comics -- was also released: Justice League #1. So let's get to what I bought today, and then we'll discuss this some more...

Flashpoint 5 (of 5): In this issue, the war between Wonder Woman's Amazons and Aquaman's Atlanteans has begun, and unless it's somehow stopped, will result in an earth-shattering cataclysm. The attempt by some of the heroes of this world, including the Flash and this alternate world's Batman, finally gathered in an attempt to stop it, isn't going so well. Then Eobard Thawne, a.k.a. Professor Zoom, the Reverse-Flash, shows up to make things worse for Barry Allen by explaining exactly how the timeline was changed so drastically. The revelation is quite a twist. How things are resolved essentially boils down to one man's love for his mother, and another man's love for his son, and the sacrifices both must make in order to restore the correct timeline. The Amazon-Atlantis war itself is mostly an afterthought. Some characters from the various tie-in series show up dramatically for a couple of pages, but the whole thing is pretty much in the background of the Thawne/Flash/Batman drama. The final 9 pages feature a two-page sequence which bridges the old and new DCU, and hints at an upcoming threat, followed by Barry Allen waking up back at his police crime lab job. I guess it's kind of a spoiler but we all knew that when this was over Bruce Wayne would be Batman again, so it's no surprise when Flash rushes into the Batcave to find Bruce/Batman. There's a nice conversation and a touching moment.