The Washington Nationals may or may not finish the season at .500, but in the last two weeks they have made the statement that this may be a team to reckon with in the relatively near future. The team is coming of a four game sweep of arguably the best team in baseball: the Philadelphia Phillies (this was the FIRST time all season the Phillies have been swept in a series). Great pitching, outstanding defense and timely hitting have put the Nats solidly in third place in the division. The Nats don't quite have all the parts to be a bonafide contender, but I think they have enough quality players to make a run at post season play. The one thing I do know for sure is that it'll be fun to watch.
The Redskins could also be turning a corner. It's way too early in the season to jump on the Skins Superbowl Bandwagon, and two wins do not a season make (2009 saw the Skins win their first six games only to miss the playoffs with a pitiful 2-8 run in the second half). But the dead weight is gone. Albert Haynesworth is now plaguing Bill Belicheck with his attitude, and Donovan McNabb is busy stinking up the Metrodome. There has been an infusion of youth brought in through the first quality draft the Skins have had in years, and it seems that veterans and rookies alike have bought into Mike Shanahan's program. I remain cautiously optimistic about the Redskins chances this season, but a win against the hated Cowboys in Dallas on Monday night would go a long way towards reviving my faith.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Departmental Review
"I Gots Me An Ejamicashun" Dept.:
I finished my TESOL certificate program today, and it feels GOOD! All I'm waiting for are the final grades on my last two assignments and it will be official. Now I can fully enjoy the last week of my vacation! I might have a ceremonial bonfire and burn all this paper the damn thing generated!
"Take That, Suckers!" Dept.:
Over the weekend, the nationals played a three game series against the hated Phillies in Nationals Park in DC. This may not seem like much, but every time the Phillies play there, so many Phillies fans show up they've dubbed the place Citizens Bank Park South. The Philly fans are like...well...Philly fans: OBNOXIOUS! Friday night's game was typical with the Phillies fans drowning out the Nats fans (who were unfortunately outnumbered as well). However, in the bottom of the 9th, with the Phillies up 4-2 and the Nationals down to their last strike, Ryan Zimmerman jacked a walk-off grand slam into the left field bleachers. HA! Have a nice bus ride home chumps! The Saturday game was won by Philly as the Nats played pretty badly. Final score: 5-0...sigh. Along comes Sunday. The Nats go into the 9th again, looking as though they're going to drop another game. However, Ian Desmond, who has been struggling at the plate all season, sends an 0-2 fastball over the left field fence to tie the game. Sean Burnett, who has had his struggles on the mound in pressure situations, throws a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 10th. Nats come up to bat. Ryan Zimmerman hits a double. Danny Espinoza walks, Jayson Werth singles, and suddenly the bases are loaded. Up comes Jonny Gomes, recently aquired from the Reds and still getting acclimated. Gomes stands in and what happens? Brad Lidge, one of the best closers in the business, plunks Gomes on the elbow with his first pitch!!! Walk-off HIT BY PITCH for the win!! The silence from the Philly fans was DEAFENING! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
It was arguably the most satisfying series win I've watched. I hope the Philthy fans enjoyed their bus ride home!
To add icing to the cake, the Nats started off their series against the Diamondbacks today with a convincing 4-1 victory. There be good things happening in Nats Town!
And so it goes!
I finished my TESOL certificate program today, and it feels GOOD! All I'm waiting for are the final grades on my last two assignments and it will be official. Now I can fully enjoy the last week of my vacation! I might have a ceremonial bonfire and burn all this paper the damn thing generated!
"Take That, Suckers!" Dept.:
Over the weekend, the nationals played a three game series against the hated Phillies in Nationals Park in DC. This may not seem like much, but every time the Phillies play there, so many Phillies fans show up they've dubbed the place Citizens Bank Park South. The Philly fans are like...well...Philly fans: OBNOXIOUS! Friday night's game was typical with the Phillies fans drowning out the Nats fans (who were unfortunately outnumbered as well). However, in the bottom of the 9th, with the Phillies up 4-2 and the Nationals down to their last strike, Ryan Zimmerman jacked a walk-off grand slam into the left field bleachers. HA! Have a nice bus ride home chumps! The Saturday game was won by Philly as the Nats played pretty badly. Final score: 5-0...sigh. Along comes Sunday. The Nats go into the 9th again, looking as though they're going to drop another game. However, Ian Desmond, who has been struggling at the plate all season, sends an 0-2 fastball over the left field fence to tie the game. Sean Burnett, who has had his struggles on the mound in pressure situations, throws a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 10th. Nats come up to bat. Ryan Zimmerman hits a double. Danny Espinoza walks, Jayson Werth singles, and suddenly the bases are loaded. Up comes Jonny Gomes, recently aquired from the Reds and still getting acclimated. Gomes stands in and what happens? Brad Lidge, one of the best closers in the business, plunks Gomes on the elbow with his first pitch!!! Walk-off HIT BY PITCH for the win!! The silence from the Philly fans was DEAFENING! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
It was arguably the most satisfying series win I've watched. I hope the Philthy fans enjoyed their bus ride home!
To add icing to the cake, the Nats started off their series against the Diamondbacks today with a convincing 4-1 victory. There be good things happening in Nats Town!
And so it goes!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
US Economy Flight 2011 Feared Lost over Washington DC. Officials unclear how to proceed.
KruseNews, August 9, 2011
The tragic tale of US Economy Flight 2011, which went down yesterday in a severe political storm, may never be fully understood. However, according to reports, bickering at Washington's Ivory Tower over procedure could have had a direct impact on the fate of 2011. Exerpts of the final moments of US Economy 2011, picked up by a HAM radio operator and sent to this reporter, reveal the last desperate plea for assistance:
Pilot: US Economy Flight 2011 to Ivory Tower. We're experiencing severe political turbulence and have lost all guidance systems. Requesting emergency assistance.
Ivory Tower: Ivory Tower to US Economy Flight 2011. Maintain current heading while we work out the details.
Pilot: US Economy Flight 2011 to Ivory Tower. We have lost rudder function and are descending out of control. Request emergency assistance!
Ivory Tower: Ivory Tower to US Economy Flight 2011. Maintain current heading while we work out the details.
Pilot: US Economy Flight 2011 to Ivory Tower. Please be advised that we no longer have...**static**
Ivory Tower: Congressional Tower to US Economy Flight 2011. Maintain current heading while we work out the details.
Ivory Tower: Flight 2011??
Meanwhile, in Washington, recriminations and finger pointing continue unabated and with no end in sight.
Senator Kyl DePore (R - TX) stated that his party "could not abide by the course corrections demanded by irresponsible members of this administration!"
In response, Democratic Representative Ivan O. Spine (CA) said, "We have tried and tried to get the other side to reach a consensus on the proper direction of Economy 2011, but the ideologues in the Tower would not agree."
An angry John Q. Public, who lost his family pension in the crash, bemoaned the state of gridlock among Tower officials stating, "This tragedy could have been avoided if only those people would get their heads out of [expletive deleted][expletive deleted][expletive deleted]!"
Until the Ivory Tower can get its act together it's a matter of "when" not "if " another tragedy like this will occur.
Eric Kruse reporting from South Korea
The tragic tale of US Economy Flight 2011, which went down yesterday in a severe political storm, may never be fully understood. However, according to reports, bickering at Washington's Ivory Tower over procedure could have had a direct impact on the fate of 2011. Exerpts of the final moments of US Economy 2011, picked up by a HAM radio operator and sent to this reporter, reveal the last desperate plea for assistance:
Pilot: US Economy Flight 2011 to Ivory Tower. We're experiencing severe political turbulence and have lost all guidance systems. Requesting emergency assistance.
Ivory Tower: Ivory Tower to US Economy Flight 2011. Maintain current heading while we work out the details.
Pilot: US Economy Flight 2011 to Ivory Tower. We have lost rudder function and are descending out of control. Request emergency assistance!
Ivory Tower: Ivory Tower to US Economy Flight 2011. Maintain current heading while we work out the details.
Pilot: US Economy Flight 2011 to Ivory Tower. Please be advised that we no longer have...**static**
Ivory Tower: Congressional Tower to US Economy Flight 2011. Maintain current heading while we work out the details.
Ivory Tower: Flight 2011??
Meanwhile, in Washington, recriminations and finger pointing continue unabated and with no end in sight.
Senator Kyl DePore (R - TX) stated that his party "could not abide by the course corrections demanded by irresponsible members of this administration!"
In response, Democratic Representative Ivan O. Spine (CA) said, "We have tried and tried to get the other side to reach a consensus on the proper direction of Economy 2011, but the ideologues in the Tower would not agree."
An angry John Q. Public, who lost his family pension in the crash, bemoaned the state of gridlock among Tower officials stating, "This tragedy could have been avoided if only those people would get their heads out of [expletive deleted][expletive deleted][expletive deleted]!"
Until the Ivory Tower can get its act together it's a matter of "when" not "if " another tragedy like this will occur.
Eric Kruse reporting from South Korea
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Forgive me Father for I have sinned. It's been a month since my last post!
Well, of course the big news is that the US finally got Osama bin Laden, but who cares about that? Let's talk BASEBALL!!!!
The Washington Nationals have always been a fairly schizophrenic team, and this season isn't much different with one great exception: THEY'RE WINNING GAMES. The Nats are .500 after taking three of four, including two shutouts, from the hated S.F. Giants. The thing that is fabulous and mind-boggling is that it's the pitching staff that's really carrying the torch for this team right now. Plus, the defense, which, early on, looked as if it was going to be mediocre at best (this despite defensive additions in the off-season) has really stepped up.
The problem is that the Nats couldn't hit the broadside of a barn if it fell on them. They're averaging maybe two or three hits a game. They have three or four guys in the starting line-up hitting .200 or less. I mean really; if these guys weren't great on defense, they'd get cut from a little league team. Take the one loss to the Giants this weekend. Rick Sanchez, the Giants pitcher, walked seven batters and hit three more in the first three innings. All in all, Giants pitching gave free passes to twelve, count 'em, twelve Nats hitters! The Nats had the bases loaded THREE times! Final score: Giants 2 - Nationals 1. Are you kidding me?!? The bats need to come alive soon because they're heading into two series against teams that have owned the Nats for the past three seasons: the Phillies and Marlins. The pitching has been good, but without any offense, they're gonna lose more than they win.
GO NATS!!!
The Washington Nationals have always been a fairly schizophrenic team, and this season isn't much different with one great exception: THEY'RE WINNING GAMES. The Nats are .500 after taking three of four, including two shutouts, from the hated S.F. Giants. The thing that is fabulous and mind-boggling is that it's the pitching staff that's really carrying the torch for this team right now. Plus, the defense, which, early on, looked as if it was going to be mediocre at best (this despite defensive additions in the off-season) has really stepped up.
The problem is that the Nats couldn't hit the broadside of a barn if it fell on them. They're averaging maybe two or three hits a game. They have three or four guys in the starting line-up hitting .200 or less. I mean really; if these guys weren't great on defense, they'd get cut from a little league team. Take the one loss to the Giants this weekend. Rick Sanchez, the Giants pitcher, walked seven batters and hit three more in the first three innings. All in all, Giants pitching gave free passes to twelve, count 'em, twelve Nats hitters! The Nats had the bases loaded THREE times! Final score: Giants 2 - Nationals 1. Are you kidding me?!? The bats need to come alive soon because they're heading into two series against teams that have owned the Nats for the past three seasons: the Phillies and Marlins. The pitching has been good, but without any offense, they're gonna lose more than they win.
GO NATS!!!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
PLAY BALL! Baseball starts on Thursday!
My attitude towards my favorite sports is experiencing a bit of a sea change lately. My love for the NFL has started to wan in recent years, and my excitement every year for opening day of the baseball season has grown. My frustration with the NFL primarily stems from the fact that the Redskins have been so abysmal for so long with no real improvement in sight. Add to that the labor issues plaguing the sport, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Since I REALLY started following baseball in 1994 (the year MLB's own labor issues cost the fans the World Series), interest in the game has grown exponentially every year. I started following the Orioles when Cal Ripken Jr. was on his way to breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak, and then switched allegiances when the Expos moved to DC and became the Nationals. Now you may ask how I can lose faith in football because of the Redskins when the Nationals suck just as bad? Well, it's easy. The Redskins lose and have been losing for a long time in very predictable ways, and it's simply pathetic. The Nats, while they have had back to back 100 loss seasons are at least entertaining. They never lose the same way twice! Also, unlike the Redskins, the Nats over the past two seasons have made some moves that should greatly improve the team in the next few years to come. They've pulled in a few quality veterans through free agency (Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche) and infused the team with young guys like Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasbourg who should, if they live up to their potential, help the team turn around in the relatively near future. Will the Nats be a contender this year? Probably not. But I think they have a shot at becoming a .500 team, which would be a vast improvement and instill hope into the hearts of even the most cynical Nats fan.
Anyway, I'm lookig forward to a fun season. I bought the MLB season package, so I'll be able to watch all the games from opening day. I'm also going to try to get in to Daejeon a couple times a month to see some Hanwha Eagles games.
GO NATS!
Since I REALLY started following baseball in 1994 (the year MLB's own labor issues cost the fans the World Series), interest in the game has grown exponentially every year. I started following the Orioles when Cal Ripken Jr. was on his way to breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak, and then switched allegiances when the Expos moved to DC and became the Nationals. Now you may ask how I can lose faith in football because of the Redskins when the Nationals suck just as bad? Well, it's easy. The Redskins lose and have been losing for a long time in very predictable ways, and it's simply pathetic. The Nats, while they have had back to back 100 loss seasons are at least entertaining. They never lose the same way twice! Also, unlike the Redskins, the Nats over the past two seasons have made some moves that should greatly improve the team in the next few years to come. They've pulled in a few quality veterans through free agency (Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche) and infused the team with young guys like Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasbourg who should, if they live up to their potential, help the team turn around in the relatively near future. Will the Nats be a contender this year? Probably not. But I think they have a shot at becoming a .500 team, which would be a vast improvement and instill hope into the hearts of even the most cynical Nats fan.
Anyway, I'm lookig forward to a fun season. I bought the MLB season package, so I'll be able to watch all the games from opening day. I'm also going to try to get in to Daejeon a couple times a month to see some Hanwha Eagles games.
GO NATS!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Song of the Day
TOUCH OF GREY
Grateful Dead
Must be getting early
Clocks are running late
Paint-by-number morning sky looks so phony
Dawn is breaking everywhere
Light a candle, curse the glare
Draw the curtains, I don't care, cuz
It's alright
I will get by
I will get by
I will get by
I will survive
I see you've got your fist out
Say your piece and get out
Yes I get the gist of it, but
It's alright
Sorry that you feel that way
The only there is to say:
Every silver lining's got a touch of grey
I will get by
I will get by
I will get by
I will survive
It's a lesson to me
The Ables and the Bakers and the Cs
The ABC's we all must face
Try to keep a little grace
It's a lesson to me
The Deltas and the East and the Freeze
The ABC's we all think of
And try to win a little love
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears, but
It's alright
The Cow is giving kerosene
Kid can't read at seventeen
The words he knows are all obscene, but
It's alright
I will get by
I will get by
I will get by
I will survive
The shoe is on the hand that fits.
There's really nothing much to it
Whistle through your teeth and spit, cuz
It's alright
Oh well, a touch of grey
Kinda suits you anyway
And that was all I had to say,
And it's alright
I will get by
I will get by
I will get by
I will survive
We will get by
We will get by
We will get by
We will survive
We will get by
We will get by
We will get by
We will survive
Sunday, March 13, 2011
IRON MAIDEN: Seoul, South Korea, March 10, 2011
I've been an Iron Maiden fan forever. However, they've been one of those bands that I always managed to miss when they came through whatever town I was living in at the time. There was always something: work, lack of money or transportation, work. Well, when the opportunity presented itself to see the boys in Seoul, I jumped at the chance. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait!
The oddest thing about the night was the fact that only about 1,500 people showed up for the show. For those of you unfamiliar with Maiden, this is a band that usually plays to packed stadiums, so I imagine it was a bit of a shock. It did lead to one of the more amusing quips from front man Bruce Dickenson who said, "Amazingly enough, this is our first time in South Korea. When we come back next time, call a few friends, eh?" Despite the small crowd, Iron Maiden showed themselves to be the consummate professionals they are and played just as hard as if they had been playing for 50,000 people.
They played a good mix of new stuff from the Final Frontier album as well as all time classic songs like "The Trooper" and "Number of the Beast". Dickenson introduced the song Blood Brothers by saying that being an Iron Maiden fans transcend the political, racial boundaries that divide so much of our world. He ended his spiel by saying, "I'm sure there are a couple of folks up there in Kim Jong Il Land right now going, 'FUCK! I'm missing Iron Maiden!'" Needless to say, that got a few laughs out of the crowd.
All in all, it was a great show, and I'm happy to say I can finally cross Iron Maiden of my list of must see bands.
UP THE IRONS!!!
The oddest thing about the night was the fact that only about 1,500 people showed up for the show. For those of you unfamiliar with Maiden, this is a band that usually plays to packed stadiums, so I imagine it was a bit of a shock. It did lead to one of the more amusing quips from front man Bruce Dickenson who said, "Amazingly enough, this is our first time in South Korea. When we come back next time, call a few friends, eh?" Despite the small crowd, Iron Maiden showed themselves to be the consummate professionals they are and played just as hard as if they had been playing for 50,000 people.
They played a good mix of new stuff from the Final Frontier album as well as all time classic songs like "The Trooper" and "Number of the Beast". Dickenson introduced the song Blood Brothers by saying that being an Iron Maiden fans transcend the political, racial boundaries that divide so much of our world. He ended his spiel by saying, "I'm sure there are a couple of folks up there in Kim Jong Il Land right now going, 'FUCK! I'm missing Iron Maiden!'" Needless to say, that got a few laughs out of the crowd.
All in all, it was a great show, and I'm happy to say I can finally cross Iron Maiden of my list of must see bands.
UP THE IRONS!!!
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