Yes, ah, I, oh, I’m gonna love you. Oh, oh, nothing can stop me, now. ‘Cause I’m The Duke of Earl. -Gene Chandler

Before Al Gore invented the interwebs; before Baseball-Reference ever existed; before stuff like that there, there was the Baseball Encyclopedia. When I was a kid, for my 12th birthday, my father gave the Baseball Encyclopedia.  I poured over that huge tome of a book like Rabbi Akiva poured over the Torah.  I poured over that huge tome of a book like Daniel Webster poured over the US Constitution.  As I poured over that huge tome of a book, certain years stood out.  Like Jake LaMotta always says, “They still ring in my ears, after years, they remain in my thoughts.”  Years like Babe Ruth, 1921.  Years like Bob Gibson, 1968.  Like Hank Aaron, 1957 and Ted Williams, 1941.  Big years.  Phenomenal years.  Memorable years.  Duke Snider, in 1955, had one of those big, phenomenal, memorable years.          Read More »

Last July LeBron James made his oft-criticized “Decision” to a nation of NBA fans and casual observers world wide. At the time, most of the ardent NBA fans and followers knew that the ramifications of the “Decision” would have a impact on the league going forward. However, most folks assumed the biggest change would be that the Miami Heat would be a powerhouse team for the next 7 years, and that LeBron and company would have a decent chance at winning a title or two along the way. Now, some 8 months since LeBron introduced the line “I’m taking my talents to South Beach” to the American lexicon, we see the real impact the “decision” made on the NBA. Read More »

If I told you that there was a college basketball game today that pitted two conference rivals, both ranked in the top 10, would that be something you’d be interested in?  Sure you would, probably because you’d assume it meant a Duke vs North Carolina matchup (wrong).  Ohio St vs Michigan St (wrong again).  Syracuse vs Georgetown (not quite).  In actuality, the game was #6 San Diego St and #7 BYU.  Nope, that’s wasn’t a typo.  San Diego St and BYU (quick, what the San Diego St nickname)?  Read More »

Let me root, root, root for the home team.  If they don’t win it’s a shame.  For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out, at the old ball game.  -Jack Norworth

Spring has sprung!  Hope springs eternal in the human breast!  Major League Baseball.  For the first time in 117 days, it’s game day!  I live for this!  Smell it?  Ooooh that smell.  Can’t you smell that smell?   Smells like neat’s-foot oil in that old Wilson A2000.  Smells like Derek Jeter?  Smells like Red Man.  Smells like Fenway Franks.  They plump when you cook ‘em.  Smells like spilled beer on the hot concrete.   Smells like freshly cut grass.  Like Shoeless Joe, that was me.  “I’d wake up at night with the smell of the ballpark in my nose, the cool of the grass on my feet…The thrill of the grass.”  The thrill of the grass is back baby and I’m so excited.  I just can’t hide it.  I’m like Annie Savoy:  “I believe in the Church of Baseball.”  I’m like Rogers Hornsby:  “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball.  I’ll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring.”  Well Rajah, spring has done sprung.  Baseball has begun. Hooray baseball!

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

I am I am I am Superman and I know what’s happening.  I am I am I am Superman and I can do anything.  -REM

This one scares me.  Scares me more than ObamaCares me.  Scares me more than Stephen Colbert and a big bad bears me.  Without Kendrick Perkins manning the post for my beloved Boston Celtics, who’s gonna stop this guy?  Without Kendrick Perkins manning the post for my beloved Boston Celtics, who’s gonna stop this strange visitor from another planet who came to earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men?  Last night, Dwight Howard scored 40 big points.  Last night, Dwight Howard hauled in 15 big rebounds.  Last night, Dwight Howard rejected six big shots in Orlando’s win over Oklahoma City.  Hooray Dwight Howard! Big deal, you say?  Who cares, you say?  I say it was the second time in his career that Howard had such a game.  I say he had 45 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocks against Charlotte on February 17, 2009.  I say Howard is now only the sixth player in NBA history to have more than one game of 40+ points, 15+ rebounds and at least six blocked shots since 1973-74, the first season the NBA started compiling blocks.  The others to do it were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing, Bob Lanier, Bob McAdoo and Larry Nance.  I also say he would never have such a game with Kendrick Perins D’ing him up.  With Nenad Kritic D’ing him up?  Now that’s a scary thought.

Peace out homies. Six two and even!

(See Local Listings For Movie Times)  I’m all sportsded out.  I’m like Popeye.  I’ve had all I can stands and I can’t stands no more.  I’m gonna do what Jimmy Serrano says to do.  I’m gonna sit down, relax.  Have a sandwich, glass of milk.  I’m gonna do some fuckin’ thing.  You know what?  That fuckin’ thing is gonna be going to the movies.  Hooray movies!  I’m gonna go to the Mechanic.  I dug the original version.  I dug Charles Bronson.  I know, I know, Arthur Bishop would say, “You say you can ‘dig it’.  But, the fact is that you don’t know what you’re talking about.”  I know what I’m talking about.  I know this version of the Mechanic features some high-octane action packed fun.  Fun on the run.  The thrills!  The spills!  Oh, the humanity!  Get your popcorn ready!

Peace out homies!  Six Two and Even!

Star of the day, who will it be? Your vote will hold the key. It’s up to you. Tell us who, will be star of the day. -Community Auditions

Back by popular demand! Just in case you didn’t know.  Maybe you didn’t hear about it, you’ve been away a long time.  They didn’t go up there and tell you.  They didn’t go up there and tell you the Brass Bonanza Award is given to the week’s biggest loser.  Brass Bonanza was the Hartford Whalers fight song.  Need I say more? This weeks winner, er loser, are the St. Louis Cardinals. Hooray Cardinals! Read More »

The Sioux City East High School basketball team features two stars, one 7-foot-1 and the other 6-foot-11. Yikes!

Peace out homies. Six two and even!

I got no emotions for anybody else.  You better understand I’m in love with myself,.  Myself, my beautiful self.  -Sex Pistols

If you know me, you know I have no love for the game of soccer.  You know I see what the Brazilians see as the “beautiful game” as painfully dull and boring.  That may change.  That may change because if you know me, you also know I used to love the Sex Pistols and word has it Johnny Rotten is an Arsenal fan. Hooray Arsenal!  Rotten says he’s a fan of Arsenal because his dad was a fan of Arsenal.  Rotten:  “He took us there at four and I just fell in love with the place, you know, the pageantry of it all, and that’s a good thing, support your local.”  It sure is a good thing.  I support my local and now, I support Arsenal.  Sing it with me bitches!  Follow the bouncing ball. Good old Arsenal, we’re proud to say that name.  And while we sing this song, we’ll win the game!

Peace out homies Six two and even!

I can’t sleep ’cause my bed’s on fire.  Don’t touch me I’m a real live wire.  Psycho killer.  Qu’est que c’est.  -Talking Heads

Gloves off, stick down, no warning, he challenged the Chiefs!   Called us names!  Called us names!  But Dave was there.  Dave’s a killer!  Dave’s a killer!  Dave’s a mess.  Dave may be a mess but Loui Eriksson ain’t.  Loui Eriksson’s a killer.  Loui Eriksson is a Red Wing killer.  Last night, Loui Eriksson scored a shorthanded goal in the last minute of the first period in what proved to the winner winner chicken dinner in the Stars in 4-1 victory at Detroit.  Hooray Stars!  Hooray Loui Eriksson!  For those of you keeping score at home, you know Eriksson has now scored three goals in four games against the Red Wings this season.  For those of you keeping score at home, you also know that all three of those goals were game-winners.  But did you know he’s only the third player in the NHL’s expansion era to score three game-winning goals versus the Red Wings in one season?  Did you know the the others were Montreal’s Guy Lafleur in 1977-78 and Toronto’s John Anderson in 1983-84.  Huh?  Did ya?  I thought not.  Now don’t say I never gave you nothin’.  And y’all come back now, ya hear?

Peace out homies. Six two and even!