Archive for the 'Thoughts' Category

An Ode to Sports Blogs

Published
by
Daniel-San
on September 30, 2008
in Essays, MLB and Thoughts
. 3 Comments

I was a young, innocent Freshman at Syracuse University when I sat down for my first class in film school. The failed writer/director, known as my professor, started class with this sickening statement:

“Film school will ruin your enjoyment of watching movies forever.”

I was horrified. The reason I went to film school was because I loved movies.  And now it was going to be ruined? No, it couldn’t happen, it couldn’t- I thoroughly enjoyed going to the movies and, often times, movies really made me ponder such important themes like fate, fatherly love, or how a young hockey team that just won a championship against the entire world could now not even beat their high school’s Varsity team. And at this moment, I was apparently losing it all.

Well, after I had contemplated immediately jumping out the window and running to a nice and safe Poly-Sci degree, I stuck around for four years. And you know what, that professor was right. Now I watch movies and all I can think about is ‘why did they make that cut there? Did they have nothing else to cut away to?’ OR ‘Are we in the 3rd act now, where’s the all is lost moment?’ OR ‘Wow, they wasted two hundred grand putting this song in the movie’- it goes on and on. I rarely even go to the movies anymore. All I do is watch the Law and Order Franchises and laugh at the latest ADA Dick Wolf must be sleeping with.

But it wasn’t until just recently that I realized that another one of my true loves was being ruined as well. Film school had done the same thing to me with movies that the Mainstream Sports Media was doing to me with Sports.

Ever since Barry Bonds hit 73 Home Runs, the Mainstream Sports Media only seems to have one angle on every story: steroids. And everyone writes a performance enhancing drugs story, even if it isn’t warranted. 41-year-old Olympic Swimmer Dara Torres was accused of taking something illegal by almost everyone in the Mainstream Media. I couldn’t even enjoy a great story like that about someone who inspires people that I have nothing in common with- because all I’m thinking about are performance enhancing drugs. I can’t even go to a Dodger Game and enjoy a Home Run. Instead, I’m studying the player’s biceps and assuming he’s on something.

Frankly, I got sick and tired of baseball five years ago when ESPN led every Sportscenter with a BALCO story. I just couldn’t take it anymore. Dan Patrick’s radio show turned into him talking about how no one wanted to talk about Steroids anymore- by incessantly talking about it!

Baseball was my first love- I studied the backs of my Topps and Donruss Baseball Cards until I had figured out who had the most Home Runs in the 80’s or how many Yankees were born in January- I played catch with my father every night until I blamed my errors on the lack of light- I fell asleep every summer night listening to Phil Rizzuto not call the game in front of him, but talk about the nice old lady he met on his way to the ballpark that afternoon… But now Baseball is virtually ruined for me. The more I paid attention to the Mainstream Media’s coverage of sports, rightly so or not, the less enjoyment I got out of it.

And I’m not saying I want it back to the olden days where sports journalists kept Athletes’ dark sides hidden from the general public- I love the annual Matt Leinart story just as much as the next guy- but the main difference is that that story mainly makes its rounds on Sports Blogs, where Bloggers have no limitations and always have to try to find the next big story or give the next unique opinion.  Sports Blogs are almost forced to forget about yesterdays headline and come up with new material constantly- or else they lose their readership and their good name.

There seems to be almost an infinite amount of interesting stories out there- but networks like ESPN and mainstream newspapers don’t ever seem to search for the next story- they just keep banging on what everyone else is covering until they’ve just straight up killed it and almost ruined sports for me. I turn on Sportscenter because I want to hear original analysis and I want to see highlights- I don’t want to listen to people talk about Brett Favre for the first 20 minutes of every show. And if I wanted a so-called “hard news” story like steroids, I’d turn on CNN or just watch Outside the Lines.

Maybe that’s why Will Leitch- or Jesus or whoever- invented Sports Blogs.  Sports Blogs are for the guys who ESPN ruined.  Guys like me.

Radio at Random

Published
by
Daniel-San
on September 11, 2008
in ESPN, Thoughts and sports guy
. 0 Comments

From “The Adam Carolla Show”, Adam portrays Bill Simmons after Tom Brady’s injury:

Link

I have a feeling Carolla doesn’t respect what Simmons does for a living. I wonder what he would think of me, then?

Thoughts at Random

Published
by
Daniel-San
on September 8, 2008
in NFL, Politics and Thoughts
. 0 Comments


- John, please stop trying to raise your arms. I know some stupid Republican adviser has told you to not look weak and waive your arms around, but you just can’t. You’re old and injured. So don’t. It’s really not a big deal- doesn’t effect your candidacy. You look weaker when you struggle raising your arms than if you just didn’t do it at all. You look like Frankenstein.


- Bill Gates’ shaking ass has replaced the dog-kidnapper in my nightmares.

- Buffalo News writer Bob DiCesare has the same feeling that I have about Marshawn Lynch: You hit a girl with your SUV (possibly while drunk), left the scene of the accident, and you are mad at the media for reporting this? If it’s true, then you’re an idiot; if it’s not true, then stop your silence with the media for just a minute and tell everyone why you are not speaking with the media.


- I went to The Getty over the weekend and was surprised to see a blind guy walking through the museum. Now, he was led by another old man so he wasn’t knocking down the sculptures or anything… but still- it’s an entirely visual museum. There’s no soft jazz music or anything playing in the background. It just seemed to accomplish as much as a deaf guy with headphones on his ears.

Politics at Random

Published
by
Daniel-San
on August 29, 2008
in Thoughts
. 11 Comments

Hillary Clinton must just be absolutely furious right now.  

She’s gotta be thinking that McCain could easily keel over in a couple years and then, suddenly, she’s not the first woman President, but instead a first-term female Governor of such a sparsely populated state is thrust into history.

Oh, and she rocks the pants-suit hotter than you ever could, Hillary.

The media will soon bombard you with the idea that Sarah Palin could beat Barack Obama in basketball.  She was the starting Point Guard on the lower division State Champion basketball team in High School and once even said, ”Everything I need to know, I learned on the basketball court.”  Man, I can’t wait until Charles Barkley uses that line when running for Governor of Alabama.

After finishing 2nd in the Miss Wasilla Pageant, Sarah Palin majored in Journalism at the University of Idaho and was actually a Sports Reporter in Anchorage (which I guess explains the RUDY-themed entrance music, I don’t know).

I’m going to appear to stay impartial here, but I do have to just say one thing… her kids’ names are: Bristol, Piper, Track, Willow, and Trig.

So she’s that Mom.

 

(and who wants a VP with a daughter with the same name as the city where the Evil-Four-Letter resides)

Thoughts at Random

Published
by
Daniel-San
on August 26, 2008
in MLB, NBA and Thoughts
. 2 Comments

- The real loser in the whole 9-year-old Jericho Scott Little League ban story?  The now-not-originally-named New York Jets Wide Receiver, Jerricho Cotchery.

 

- The Los Angeles Lakers reported that Kobe Bryant has not decided yet when he is going to have surgery on his pinky.  He is going to take a few days to contemplate the situation.  ”Contemplate the situation”?  He injured his pinky before the freaking All-Star Game.  He hasn’t had time yet to schedule his surgery?  For someone who was so anti-Shaq, especially Shaq’s “I got hurt on company time, I’ll heal on company time”, Kobe better not miss even a second of training camp.  What is there to think about?  You need to fix your finger, you’ve been playing hurt.  It takes about a month to heal.  In the words of your omnipotent sponsor… JUST DO IT

 

- The Los Angeles Dodgers have basically the same record before and after the Manny Ramirez trade, including 2 wins in the last 9 games and 4 straight losses since Manny cut his hair, even if it was ever so slightly.  The requirement by Joe Torre for Manny to cut his hair, along with a ton of close losses, pitching problems, and still some alleged problems in the clubhouse, is causing Dodger fans to speak out against the Brooklyn born Manager.  I don’t really think these fans actually believe that Manny’s shorter hair is really negatively affecting him- but, Man, it sure seems like it.  Maybe LA fans are really this stupid.  Maybe they just need something to complain about.  It’s just too nice here everyday.  It makes you stupid.

Wake at Random

Published
by
Daniel-San
on August 19, 2008
in Thoughts
. 5 Comments

There have obviously been millions upon millions of wishes by the living about what to do with their corpse when they have died. Some want to be buried with a loved one, some want a closed casket, others want to be cremated- and then there is Angel Pantoja Medina of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Angel was a 24-year-old who apparently knew he was going to die soon. So when his body was found dead underneath a bridge, his family immediately knew what to do with it- and they honored his last wish.

 

He wanted to stand up during his entire wake. So he did- for 3 days, in his mother’s small, government sponsored apartment. It’s the way Stephen Hawking wants to go now, too.

The owner of the Marin Funeral Home told the AP that Angel was embalmed with a special embalming fluid that allowed him to stand upright, just leaning against the wall.

Angel did not want to be dressed in your typical suit, though. As you can see, Angel has on what probably is an Ed Hardy knock-off T-Shirt with the long white sleeves underneath (you know you rocked this same look in 8th grade). He also has on his Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses, silver cross necklace, and to top it off, a New York Yankees hat. Sadly, though, this was just one last prank his brother Carlos played on poor Angel.

You see, Angel was a huge Red Sox fan.


The police are still investigating his murder.

Thoughts at Random

Published
by
Daniel-San
on July 2, 2008
in NBA, Olympics and Thoughts
. 0 Comments

- The rumors are true: Mike Francesa will be leaving The Fan, splitting up the most successful sports radio duo in history- and heading to Cleveland to host a local sports talk show. The Program Director of the Cleveland station has been letting people go for years and has not signed any big names to long term deals, instead just going the syndication route. Francesa was asked why he would take a pay cut, leave his hometown, leave a station that was contending for the best station in the country- and take this job, and Francesa responded, “LeBron James is gonna do it in a couple years, right? So why shouldn’t I?”

- I don’t know what is worse- having Manny Ramirez push down the Traveling Secretary and the following George Costanza jokes or the United States’ top two track stars named “Gay” and “Hooker“.

- I don’t understand why everyone is saying Baron Davis to the Clippers doesn’t mean anything- that the Clippers will still be bad. People- Elton Brand was hurt last year. There was no PG. The team was a mess. Now they have a healthy Brand, a great PG coming off his most injury-free season, a rising Sophomore who developed possibly more than any other Rookie last year, a Center who has developed into a very solid double-double guy, and a decent, not good, but decent bench. They are not adding Davis to the team from last year. They are adding him to a much better team- one with one of the most solid post presences in the League. The Clippers could easily get the 4 seed this next season. Easily.

Thoughts at Random

Published
by
Daniel-San
on June 16, 2008
in Golf, NBA, NBA Draft 2008, NFL and Thoughts
. 1 Comment

- If I hear one person mention the words “Willis Reed” and “Tiger Woods” in the same sentence this week, I’m going to light myself on fire.

- I can’t help it. I told you so.

- I don’t really think I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m going with… Brook Lopez = BUST.

- Here in LA, Laker fans are absolutely going crazy. Not “crazy” like cheering and happy, but “crazy” like this series is wrapped up… for them. In 7. In Boston.

- Speaking of Los Angeles, we need to seriously consider making rules for TIVO and telling people when they can and cannot tell people about what has happened on a sports game, sitcom, reality show, or whatever.

Last night I emerged from a play (I had TIVO’ed the game) and one usher was just shouting - “The Lakers won! Celtics lose!” for no reason. We had just watched Glinda and Elphaba sing to each other, possibly a very touching moment for some, and the usher thought it was a good idea to let everyone know what had happened in the game. Thanks, Dick.

First off, these were people going to see a PLAY. A PLAY. Not at the Dodgers game or a Kings game, not even at a comedy show- it was a freakin’ PLAY. The majority of these people get hungry when you mention the word “Kobe”, not think of one of the greatest players of our time. I don’t think they cared enough to walk right out of the show and hear what happened.

And second, on that topic, way to ruin the show for these people, Douche. These nice old ladies just saw a great Musical and want to talk about it and they get bum-rushed by Lakers news- You are an usher at Pantages Theater, not a security guard at Staples! The old ladies were so confused, they were still in the Land of Oz, they didn’t know what was going on.

And last, but certainly not least- I TIVO’ed the game, ASS. I turned my cell phone off, didn’t check it at intermission, stayed far away from any person that said words like “Ball” even though they were talking about the dance they just saw or words like “Perkins” even though they were talking about where they were going for dinner after the show. I managed to ignore every one and every thing and all I had left was a straight shoot down Hollywood Blvd. back home, ignoring random Homeless Men in Lakers jerseys, the blonde-black midget, and Tom Petty Spiderman- or anyone else who talks to me.

I, too, have let the proverbial cat out of the bag before, once telling a friend “Oh, you missed that last ‘Office’ where they kissed at the end?”, so I know both sides of this. And I have since tried my best to understand that you cannot tell anyone anything about anything on TV unless you preface it with “Did you watch… (blank)… yet?” I don’t care if it is Game 7 of the NBA Finals or the 3rd episode of the 5th season of Tila Tequila, I don’t talk about anything on TV to anyone.

And that should be your rule now, too.

Thoughts at Random: NBA Finals Edition

Published
by
Daniel-San
on June 5, 2008
in NBA and Thoughts
. 0 Comments


- Jack Nicholson allegedly paid $75,000 for floor seats to tonight’s game. Damn. Just damn. Jack, just make a movie with a company owned by Disney and ABC will just give you the tickets. Come on, Jack. This is a recession.

- If Kobe Bean Bryant takes over in Game 1 or Game 2, get ready for a plethora of “‘Bean’-town” headlines. Very creative, People. Very.

- Paul Pierce has been way too happy to “just be here” in the Finals. He acted like he won the Championship after beating the Pistons. Now, I don’t normally think stuff like that matters because when you get on the floor, all that other stuff doesn’t matter… BUT… he’s got to be the go to guy in this series. He needs to not be content to make it here. So, I’m not saying it’s going to matter, but I’m going to watch Pierce, the usual Laker-killer, very closely.

Thoughts at Random

Published
by
Daniel-San
on September 22, 2007
in College Football, NBA, NFL and Thoughts
. 1 Comment


- Baltimore fans are feeling what Bills fans felt the last few years- that Willis McGahee often seems to not try- often near the end zone. Just watching a couple of Ravens’ drives this season- where Willis just stutters as he doesn’t know whether to take it outside or smash into the line- it makes me feel like a weight has been lifted off my back- and thrust upon Ravens fans.

- Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated recently wrote about Larry Brown and his decision to stay in Philadelphia, instead of going to be an “assistant” under Doc Rivers in Boston (or numerous other college jobs).

Thomsen says at one point in the article: “But his meetings with Snider (76ers owner) and 76ers president Billy King convinced Brown to stay in Philadelphia, where he and wife Shelly are raising their young family.”

Larry, you just got like a $40-million buyout from the Knicks- you want to live in Philly? Don’t you have a house in Malibu? You can live anywhere you want in the country- in the WORLD even, and you pick Philadelphia? I have nothing against Philly, I like Philly- but come on, Larry. Your kid could’ve been so much nicer a person.


- I can’t watch Jesse Palmer. Not that he’s an idiot or anything, I just can’t physically look at him. He looks like the epitome of a douche bag. Even the douchiest of the frat boys at Syracuse University or the douchiest wannabe actor I see out at a bar here in LA- they don’t compare with Jesse Palmer. I just want to punch him in the face. Yet, I don’t hate him- I can’t explain it.

- Talked about intensely over 2 months ago, ESPN2 again showed Darren McFadden’s pimped out Crown Vic during the Kentucky at Arkansas game on Saturday. Making it on blogs is one thing, but letting ESPN cameras come and film your ride which has at least $10,000 worth of “extras” on it, seems a bit overconfident. Where is D-Mac getting all this money from? As far as I know, his mother has been in jail and was addicted to drugs, but even if someone in his family has money- don’t flaunt it like that. I’m not saying he’s getting paid- I’m just going to leave saying people in Arkansas take their football seriously.