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Friday, August 31, 2007US OpenLast night Mikah and I watched the last 2 sets of a fantastic tennis match between James Blake and Fabrice Santoro. Well, I watched it. Mikah watched about 2 minutes of it and promptly fell asleep. Anyway, it was an extremely entertaining match played at a decent level of tennis, minus the 78 unforced errors that Blake had. And the 17 total breaks of serve. And though Blake is American, and therefore I am supposed to root for him, I found myself rooting for Santoro. Mostly because he was more fun to watch. But he is also VERY annoying. He is a drama queen...basically a girlier version of Maria Sharapova. Both of them over dramatize everything that happens on the court. He grunts less than she does but both of them hit tennis balls like girls. Actually, Sharapova hits much better than him. He hits a two handed forehand!!! He never hits it with top spin either, only a slice. It's funny to watch. Also, both of them take dubious "injury" time-outs to change the pace of the game. I would like to see an E! reality show with the two of them. They could participate in different jobs and then fake injuries whenever something wasn't going their way. It would be a hit. [Abby -- make this happen] Also last nights match was Blake's first 5-set win in his career. He was pumped up and getting all excited. OK...I get that he was pleased he finally won one. But the only reason he won is because he was playing Santoro, who by the way, is the oldest player on tour...hits softer than the top tier girls...had quad cramps for the last 2 sets...and is a whiny baby. Congrats James Blake...big win for you.  Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Fabrice Santoro, James Blake, Maria Sharapova, Tennis, US Open Thursday, August 30, 2007Hurricane Season The nice folks at Chicago Sports Review asked me to review Hurricane Season: A Coach, His Team, and Their Triumph in the Time of Katrina  , by Neal Thompson.My review can be found here. But I'll give you a sneak peak: the book was fantastic. I highly reccomend buying it, or checking it out at your local library. They have also arranged for me to interview the author, which I am very much looking forward to. When it happens I'll post a link for you to check that out too. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Books, Chicago Sports Review Wednesday, August 29, 2007Why I Hate The Red SoxI used to be like most of America...I hated the Yankees. Although, my heart was never really in it: deep down I respected George Steinbrenner for doing what he did because he was just doing what any die hard fan would do if they had billions of dollars. They would buy the best team that money could buy - if the rules allowed for it. And they do. So I used to hate the Yankees because that's what you are supposed to do. If you seen pinstripes…you boo. Whenever they played the Red Sox I rooted for the Sox because they were playing the Yankees and that is what I was supposed to do. But I came across a problem: I actually like the Yankees. I like a lot of their players. A-Rod is awesome. I like the pinstripes. I like New York City. I like the Yankees! This was an odd feeling I had...I felt awkward and insecure - much like puberty. How could I live with myself? How can I be a baseball fan and like the Yankees?!? It was a rough time for me as a fan, I had to keep my feelings to myself. Being a Yankees fan is a pretty serious offense that brings scorn and hatred. I dealt with that for about a year until I was given a very good reason to root for the Yankees: the Boston Red Sox. I hate the Red Sox. I don't like most of their players (except Kevin Youkilis...but that's probably only because he went to my high school!). Curt Schilling makes my blood boil. I don't like Boston as a city. I don’t like their accent. But most importantly...I REALLY don't like their fans. Yankees fans are fairly obnoxious; there is no doubt about that. But Red Sox fans have become totally oppressive. I can't breathe when I am around them (actually, now that I think about it...so are Celtics and Patriots fans. Maybe, it's just Boston). I can't stand the way they arrogantly complain about the Yankees organization, as if their beloved Red Sox are just homeless kids who don’t have a chance. Phooey! They currently spend about $145 million per year. That is a LOT of money. True, the Yankees spend upwards of $200 million. But at least they admit what they are doing. Boston fans have convinced themselves that their overspending is righteous while New York is just plain irresponsible. But Boston is the team that paid $52 million just to talk to Dice-K. Boston is the team that has paid Manny Ramirez over $128 million dollars since he joined the team. And Boston is the team that tried...and failed...to obtain Alex Rodriguez, only to turn on him once he joined another team. So while I don't like what the organization as done at times (true with every team), I dislike the team almost exclusively because of their fans. There are only two teams in baseball that I don't like purely due to their fan base: Boston and the Chicago Cubs. Both teams have equally annoying fans. I have been to a lot of baseball games involving a lot of different teams...but only two teams have fans that are as discourteous and annoying (in general...I am sure there are also super nice Cub fans too...just not many). I actually avoid going to games that involve the Cubs and Red Sox because I don’t feel like listening to their fans. When I think about it, it is unfortunate that the reason I can't like a very good baseball team is because their fans (both real and pseudo) ruin the team for me. Or maybe it's just the accent. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees Tuesday, August 28, 2007All Vick...All The TimeLast night I was watching Michael Vick coverage because I am very interested in what 7,000 different & random people think about it. So it was nice to hear some newspaper writer from Atlanta, who by her own admission doesn't like football and doesn't follow the Falcons or Vick, tell me her deepest feelings about the whole situation. It was good to hear her opinion of the impact Vick's (who, I repeat, she doesn't pay attention to) legal troubles are having on her city. It was nice to hear Chris Mortensen report 55 times about what is happening with the case RIGHT NOW. It was nice to see Suze Kolber. (no seriously, I like her. Like Joe Namath said.) It was nice to see the game crew interview the "ESPN legal analyst" for 3 segments...asking him the same questions over and over again. By the way...do you think Roger Cossack was mad he didn't get the face time? I bet he was. Isn't he supposed to be ESPN's resident legal expert? I can only assume his head exploded after being on every single ESPN show for the previous 10 hours. Otherwise, they would have flown him in, right? It was nice to see video of Vick apologizing to everyone in the world for what he did. It was especially nice to see it multiple times. Although it seemed to me that he was more sorry that he got caught. He wasn't so apologetic when he lied to the NFL, the Falcons, and the Police and plead not guilty. But NOW he is sorry. Of course he is. He is trying to avoid jail time. Now is the exactly perfect time to "be sorry". It was nice to hear that now it is just time to move and and the rehabilitation of Michael Vick can begin. Ummm...why? Hasn't the bad stuff just started for him? He still has to go through sentencing. oh yeah...AND PRISON. HE HAS TO GO TO PRISON FOR AT LEAST 1 YEAR!!!! How can it be time for everyone to move on...it literally JUST HAPPENED. LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO!!!! But here's the thing that bothered me about last night. I'm sitting there trying to enjoy some Michael Vick analysis, minding my own business. And every once in a while they would start talking about the football game that was being played on the field in front of them! Ridiculous! I didn't turn on Monday Night Football to watch and hear about football!! I turned on Monday Night Football to watch and hear about Michael Vick. All I have to say is that if I turn on football again this week and they are talking about the game instead of Michael Vick...I might kick my dog. (just kidding...I'm not going to kick my dog. Put down the phone...leave PETA out of this) Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: ESPN, Michael Vick Monday, August 27, 2007Joe HedgesBack when I was in college...oh so many years ago (I graduated in '04)...a friend of mine got me listening to a band called July For Kings. They were awesome but apparently they have broken up. The lead singer is back though and he is fantastic. I love listening to his music, so I thought I would link to him here. Joe Hedges Go there to listen to the music...it's great. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Joe Hedges, Music Sunday, August 26, 2007Reds are 6.5 backIt is August 26th and with 32 games remaining the Reds are only 6.5 games out of first place. The NL Central is brutally bad, but at least there is something to root for now! It will be tough going because we have 3 teams we have to top to get to the playoffs. Luckily we play those three teams 18 times out of the rest of the games. If we play well in those games at least we can keep it close and exciting. I gotta say that I am VERY pleased with Adam Dunn (as I have always been) and think he is extremely valuable. People like to rag on him because he strikes out a lot and never hits sac flies, but I am willing to look past that because of the sweet numbers he puts up. His numbers are: .264 AvgThose numbers are pretty good for a power hitter. 2nd in HR, 5th in RBI's, 8th in Runs, and 8th in walks. Pretty good indeed. Adam Dunn is extremely valuable to the Reds and should be signed long term. I am pretty excited and interested to see what happens the rest of the year. If they can stay close...it will go a long way towards next years optimism. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Adam Dunn, Baseball, Cincinnati Reds
Warren Buffett is Smart One of the blogs that I read daily is Get Rich Slowly. It is a fantastic personal finance blog that almost always has something interesting to say. Today they posted video, and comments, from a Warren Buffett Q&A from a few years ago. It is really good. There are links at the bottom of the post to the 10 segments of the Q&A. If you at all interested in finance/investing/wealth/whatever...I'd recommend watching these videos...because he knows what he is talking about. Warren Buffett Q&A Besides Get Rich Slowly, I also highly recommend Free Money Finance for those interested in personal finance. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Blogs, Finances, Free Money Finance, Get Rich Slowly, money, Warren Buffett Thursday, August 23, 2007Local Sheriff Needs More SchoolingButler County Sheriff Richard Jones apparently slept through his Econ classes in school. I am making this assumption based on the stupid comments he had in yesterday's paper: Sheriff Takes On High Gas Prices (well...this was online, but it was probably printed somewhere, right?). It reports that Jones wrote a letter to Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann asking him to carry out an investigation into the rising prices and whoever is behind it. I agree!!! Go get those dastardly people who are behind the rising prices. ARREST THEM AND SKIN THEM ALIVE!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! wait...what? really? You and I are the ones responsible? How? Oh. Supply and Demand huh. So you are trying to tell me that because I am demanding more gasoline, the prices goes up. Oh. Well, I was just kidding about the arresting and the skinning. heh heh. Anyway, the best quote of the article goes like this: I would like to know why the people of this great state and country seem to fall victim to the whims of whoever grabs at any possible catastrophic event to justify higher gas prices," said Jones. "All the while major oil companies continue to post record profits.Back to School Time!!!
 , by Thomas Sowell. Maybe then he'll learn how the world works. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Cincinnati, Economics, Gasoline, Politics Wednesday, August 22, 2007Wayne Krivsky is a ClownToday, Reds GM Wayne Krivsky had a segment on 1530AM (The SPORTS ANIMAL!!!!). He was asked why Jon Coutlangus was sent back down to the minors. Wayne's response was that "He was walking too many batters and getting the first batter out is paramount". "That's odd," I thought. "It seems to me that he was out best pitcher before he got sent down. I wonder what the stats are." But I didn't wonder enough to actually look at the stats. Luckily, Lance McCalister has done that for me. Here are the numbers from his blog: % of times first batter is retiredummm...don't those numbers say EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE from what Klown Krivsky (forever to be referred to as KK) said? Does he not have access to the intergoogle? Couldn't he open up reds.com and look at the stats? Is Double K lying to us? Or is he just stupid? I have to assume he is lying to us, because from what I understand he is a pretty smart guy. I would at least respect him if he answered honestly. "We needed the spot, but Stanton costs $3 million per year, so we couldn't drop him. Actual baseball talent had nothing to do with this decision. It was purely based on financial reasons" I would still write about him being a clown...but at least he wouldn't be a liar too. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Baseball, Cincinnati Reds, Wayne Krivsky
Bill & Ted Today I was talking with a friend about TGIF on ABC. For those who don't know, TGIF was a series of shows on Friday nights on ABC. Family Matters, Full House, Perfect Strangers & others. Eventually we got around to Step-by-Step starring Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Somers. Because we are deep and philosophical we noted that the character Cody was basically the same character as Ted, from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. This got us talking about Bill & Ted's and how it is still a good movie. I saw it somewhat recently and it still holds up pretty well. The music is terrible and all of the scenes with George Carlin up in heaven or the future or where ever they were are terrible as well. But the rest of the movie rules. As an added bonus, I learned about history:
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Tuesday, August 21, 2007More ESPN InanityESPN had an all out attack today on Fantasy Football. ESPN.com made it the headline story along with a number of side stories from the past week. Who should you draft first? Who is a sleeper? Who is a dud? Should Larry Johnson be drafted above Stephen Jackson? SOOO MANY QUESTIONS!!! But here I am...preparing for my draft...I've got all the magazines, read all the articles and I'm ready for war. But something is missing...what is it? Oh...there it is. From 6:30-8, ESPN showed a LIVE Fantasy Draft. Chris Mortenson, Nick Backay, Cato June (?) and others participated in a live draft. It went just like any other fantasy draft would go...a bunch of friends getting together to make their picks and rag on each other. No problem there. Except these people aren't friends. This thing was so contrived and forced, I'm actually embarrassed I watched 5 minutes of it. I mean, in the end I am glad because now I have something to blog about...but still. There is nothing like watching Chris Mortenson try to playfully insult Nick Backay (a comedian/writer). hmmm...actually now that I re-read that sentence I was probably using hyperbole a bit. Actually that happens a lot...every time some nerd loser gets paid to attempt to playfully insult someone else. Now...to be fair...I like fantasy football. I play it every year. I have fun with it. But what drives me crazy is that it becomes the only thing people talk about. Here is a typical conversation on Mondays: Fantasy Footballer: Oh man!! Did you see how many points LT put up! It was awesome! Me: Please don't talk about your fantasy football team. No one actually cares about anyone else's team FF: And then...right before the games started I decided to switch out Dallas' Defense for Kansas City's Defense. I don't even know why I did. I just had that feeling...you know? And then KC put up a shut out with 2 TD's and 4 INT's!!!11!!!!!11a! Me: I hate you Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: ESPN, Fantasy Football, NFL Monday, August 20, 2007What the...?I was watching a show tonight, How Do They Do It (the Science Channel), and they were showing how they build modern bank vaults. Pretty cool stuff. And the main ingredient is a super strong concrete blend with secret additives. The narrator said the concrete can take over 100,000 tons of pressure or something like that. I don't remember the exact amount and it doesn't matter. The interesting part was what he said after that. He said this: "That's equivalent to 1000 elephants dancing on the concrete..on stilts" Wha...? Who...?? Why...? Why stilts? Why are the elephants dancing on stilts. Now, don't get me wrong...that's a very funny image. In fact, you are picturing it right this second. But why did he have to say they were dancing? Do elephants dance? And seriously...why are they on stilts?!? I DON'T GET IT. heh heh...elephants on stilts Subscribe to the DIA Feed
Sunday, August 19, 2007Bengals 2007...So FarWe are now 2 games into the 2007 preseason so I thought I would enlighten you all with my thoughts of what I see so far:
Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Cincinnati Bengals, NFL Friday, August 17, 2007I love Jim Bowden!!!Today Jim Bowden, former GM of the Reds and current GM of the Nationals, traded for Wily Mo Pena. This is awesome news! The reason this is awesome is because Bowden is apparently trying to rebuild the 2002 Reds team...which was terrible. The team he built back then was really bad...so I guess he figures he should try to get all these same people and it will work. Here is the current list of former Reds now on the Nationals: Wily Mo Pena, Ryan Wagner, Dmitri Young, D'Angelo Jimenez, Felipe Lopez & Austin Kearns. And that is just the big league club. Here are the former Bowden draftees who are now in the Nationals minor league system: Chris Booker, Hector Carrasco, Brandon Claussen, Josh Hall, Chris Michalak, Eddie Valdez, Brandon Watson, Tony Blanco & Trevor Lawhorn. Next up: Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr., Sean Casey and Brandon Larson. How does he still have a job?!? It's like he should be an NBA GM (comically terrible) but accidentally signed up for the wrong sport. Good Times! Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Baseball, Cincinnati Reds, Jim Bowden, Washington Nationals Thursday, August 16, 2007Sub Prime Mortgage: Who's to Blame?There has been an awful lot of talk lately about the sub-prime mortgage "crisis" that is going on in America. People across the country are defaulting left and right because they can't pay off their mortgage! This is bad. But I am a bit confused about the whole thing, because I can't figure out who is to blame...but I have my suspicions. First, lets define the term. From Wikipedia: Sub prime lending, also called B-Paper, near-prime, or second chance lending, is a general term that refers to the practice of making loans to borrowers who do not qualify for the best market interest rates because of their deficient credit history. {generally a credit score < 650}This is inherently not a bad thing. It extends credit to people who couldn't normally get credit. It becomes a bad thing when people don't pay their loans. It's not that difficult. So the other day I read this news story. It talks about how Democrats are taking on the mortgage problem, and offering ways to fix it. This is a good thing. Ideas are good. Unless they are bad ideas. Then they are bad. Now, before I continue, you should know that I don't like politicians. Almost all of them. I think they are greasy liars who are only looking out for themselves to keep their jobs (probably like most people...but I try not to be that cynical). These particular politicians have put the entire weight of blame on the lenders...100%. The ENTIRE sub prime meltdown is their fault, because they are unscrupulous corporate jerks. I am sure some of the blame should fall on them. There are probably some devious people who run devious lending institutions, trying to get people to default on their loans. Probably not many though. I would say most of the blame has to ride on the homeowners. And it could all be fixed with a little personal responsibility: DON'T GET A LOAN YOU CAN'T PAY BACK!!!!! That's not so hard. I wish I had a bigger/better house. But I wouldn't be able to pay for it...so I couldn't do it. It doesn't really take smarts really...just common sense. If I don't pay my loans...I will be in a lot of trouble. Senator Christopher Dodd, the Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, recently came out with a list of things he wants to see enacted into law: End prepayment penalties - the fees paid if a borrower chooses to pay off a mortgage early.Let's go through those.
My problem with politician's ideas is that they all require more law and more regulation instead of teaching people to not be idiots. I wish I ruled the world...everything would be so much better. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Banking, Economics, Subprime Lending Friday, August 10, 2007Basic InstructionsScott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comics, has a blog. This week he introduced the readers to a new comic that he really likes and is going to try to help get published more. It is called Basic Instructions. The artist is Scott Meyer. The comics are very funny so I am recommending that you check some out. Here is one that I found particularly funny.  Go read some more! Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Basic Instructions, Comics, Dilbert Wednesday, August 8, 2007BondsDid you see it? I did...kind of. I turned off the TV after his second at bat. Because I am stupid. But I saw the replay right after I found out. I don't care if you love him or hate him...that was a cool moment. Very cool stuff and a FANTASTIC call by whoever the announcer was on the local Giants station. GREAT call. I haven't heard the ESPN guys, but my guess is that Rick Sutcliffe was drunk. And even better is that we don't have to watch Giants games on national television anymore! Yeah!!!! Can't wait for A-Rod to hit 800. Subscribe to the DIA FeedLabels: Barry Bonds, Baseball Friday, August 3, 2007Top 7 - 8.3.07The weekly DIA Top 7 List Seven Things I Like Right Now
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