The Yankee Clipper: Same 'ole in Anaheim

No matter how much things change, they always seem to stay the same. The Yankees overcame their inability to beat the Angels in last year's American League Championship Series, but they still are unable to beat them in Anaheim (or is it Los Angeles?). Even last year, en route to winning the series, the Yankees dropped 2 out of 3 in California. The latest iteration was no different--a loss, followed by a win, followed by a tough loss. Let's review:

1. Javier Vazquez was not good. Listen, I'm a Javy Vazquez fan and I think he'll be fine, but this is not the start that helps me to prove that. Not even to myself anymore. How bad is it? Well consider this stat from ESPN's TMI blog: "Vazquez's ERA jumped to 9.00, matching the worst-ever April ERA by a Yankee who pitched at least 20 innings." For my friend Paul who is NOT a Javy fan, I will say this: BRUTAL! That's a horrible start. Jason @ IIATMS debates whether this is a result of a small sample size (and maybe bad luck) or time to panic. Chris at TYU defends Javy a little, saying, at the very least that he's probably not a "gutless bitch". Vazquez claims to be embarrassed by all this and Joe Girardi thinks it's mechanical. Let's hope so. At least that can be corrected.
2. What exactly happened before the Kendry Morales home run? I'm still confused. And, although some will sweep it under the rug, it was a big at-bat in a one-run game. It was runners on 1st and 2nd for Morales vs. Damaso Marte with David Robertson ready in the bullpen and Juan Rivera on deck. Girardi left in Marte. Francisco Cervelli rose from the catcher's stance like they were intentionally walking him and took ball one. Now this seemed like an odd move to me and the rest of the Twitter universe took the task of asking why the Yankee would walk someone when 3rd base was the one that was open. I guess Girardi was checking out his Twitter feed because he decided that they were going to now pitch to Morales. So Marte threw ball 2...and then ball 3. Right before the next pitch was going to be thrown, I saw Girardi signal something to Cervelli. I thought that signal was to let him know to just put Morales on base. Instead, the signal was to let Cervelli know that Morales will swing 3-0 and not to groove one over. Instead, Marte grooved one over and it was crushed out for a three run shot. A close one-run game became an easy four-run lead for the Angels and they never looked back. Girardi looked upset at the time and took all the blame for the Yankees. I know it was just one play, but for a team that prides themselves on professionalism and fundamentals, that was a big hiccup in a bad spot. The New York Times' Ben Shpigel talks about how out of character that was for Girardi.

Read more>>

Brandeis' Name Back in the News Again for all the Wrong Reasons

I was reading through the news today about the Cambridge Police officer who arrested Harvard scholar, Henry Louis Gates Jr., on the front steps of his house, and the scandal that has surrounded that, and I was quite surprised to see a connection to my alma mater, Brandeis University, and to the Boston Celtics. Via the Boston Globe:

"When Sergeant James M. Crowley climbed the front steps of Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s house last week and unexpectedly placed himself in international headlines, it was not the first time he had a memorable encounter in the line of duty with a prominent black man. Nearly 16 years ago, as a Brandeis University police officer, Crowley desperately tried to save the life of Reggie Lewis after the Boston Celtics star collapsed while practicing in the school gym....

Crowley was a certified emergency medical technician when he performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Lewis, to no avail, after the player’s heart stopped on July 27, 1993. In a Globe interview later that day, Crowley said he rushed to the university’s Shapiro Gymnasium, confirmed that Lewis had no pulse, and frantically tried to revive him."

Yeah...nice publicity for Brandeis. This story has gone beyond Massachusetts as President Obama has gotten involve and put a real racial charge into this incident.

And then Deadspin released a column titled "Cop Who Arrested Henry Louis Gates Not A Racist Because He Once Put His Lips On A Dying Black Athlete". Oh joy:

The Cambridge, Mass., cop who arrested (black) Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. is the same guy who tried to resuscitate a dying (and black) Reggie Lewis 16 years ago and is therefore in no way a racist, OK?

Reports the Boston Herald:

The Cambridge cop prominent Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. claims is a racist gave a dying Reggie Lewis mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in a desperate bid to save the Celtics superstar's life 16 years ago Monday.

"I wasn't working on Reggie Lewis the basketball star. I wasn't working on a black man. I was working on another human being," Sgt. James Crowley, in an exclusive interview with the Herald, said of the forward's fatal heart attack July 27, 1993, at age 27 during an off-season practice at Brandeis University, where Crowley was a campus police officer.

It's a date Crowley still can recite by rote - and he still recalls the pain he suffered when people back then questioned whether he had done enough to save the black athlete...

Crowley, 42, said he's not a racist, despite how some have cast his actions in the Gates case. "Those who know me know I'm not," he said.

So, because a black guy was dying in front of him, and because he was so broad-minded as to give this dying black guy mouth-to-mouth, Crowley is demonstrably not a racist. Got it.

Go Judges?

Barack Obama: Fixing the Economy, Ending the War, Inquiring About the Cutter

Barack Obama threw out the first pitch tonight. Just wanted to let you know that. The oddsmakers said that he wouldn't make a fool of himself, and Obama sort of delivered with a slow, wobbly pitch that reached Pujols without a bounce. He did so wearing his hometeam White Sox jacket, explaining that he had to be true to his allegiences and because the First Lady thinks he looks cute in the jacket.

He made his way through all the players making small talk. He joked with Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols about not winning the Home Run Derby on their own turf.

And he asked Mariano Rivera about the cutter. Yup, about the cutter. Mo was interviewed by Ken Rosenthal who handed him his All Star Game MVP trophy about meeting President Obama and Rivera said that it was really cool because the Commander-in-Chief asked him about his cutter.

This is good news for Rivera. Obama threw the first pitch in the 2005 ALCS and the White Sox went on to win 8 straight games and the World Series. Then-Senator Obama played basketball with UNC and predicted they'd win the NCAA tournament and they did. He campaigned with the Rooneys in Pittsburgh and predicted they'd win the Super Bowl and they did so.

And tonight he asked about Mo's cutter and he recorded a save in the All Star Game. Hopefully that means he'll be closing the World Series out as well. He's now got the Obama blessing.

March Madness Day 1 Links

Big evening of sitting front of the TV watching college basketball (when, in fact, I could easily have gone to the gym and done the same thing...oh well)

-Coach K says the President should worry about the economy and not the tournament -- AKA as Barack-etology (H/T Deadspin on that name). In other news, Coach K is a HUGE Republican. In other, other news, I now have even more reason to hate Coach K

-Reviews of the new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees from the New Yorker

-One of my favorite baseball subjects is Jewish ballplayers. From Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg to Shawn Green and Kevin Jew-kilis, it makes me proud to be a part of the Tribe. This article from LoHud's Sam Borden looks into just that (H/T Pete Abraham)

-This A-Rod situation keeps on getting wierder and wierder. What Madonna song is he talking about here???

-Matt Mosley puts the Giants on the clock and talks about draft prospects. Even if they think Plax may be out part of the season, they may be better off drafting someone like Nicks if he falls to them.

-Watch With Kristen asks if someone on The Office is pregnant (and other Dundler Mifflin news)

-Her frenemy, Ausiello, has his weekly Ask Ausiello and says this about Big Love:

Question: I am hooked on Big Love. I'm begging for scoop on Sunday's season finale! --Heather
Ausiello: Bill Paxton...revealed that, unlike last season's capper, this one ends with a cliffhanger. And here's a little season 4 scoop: Damages' Zeljko Ivanek, who debuted two weeks ago as a creep who may or may not have fathered a child with Nikki way back when, will be back next season in a major way.

-Next, the New York Times advises to take advantage of the low air fares because they won't last (H/T Sarah). I just saw $399 each way to New Zealand and Australia on Qantas.

-MarketingProfs Daily Fix talks about getting a job through Twitter. Another way to use social networking to get hired.

-A very, very in-depth look at Bernard L. Madoff from Traders Magazine (H/T Wendy)

-Aaron Boone opens up to the New York Times about his upcoming open heart surgery

-Obama/Leno tonight. The battle should be like camping: INTENSE!

-I linked before on the blog about a suggestion to revive the White House "kitchen garden" and Yahoo! reports that it's coming back

-NPR goes over which politicians got the most from AIG donations (*hint* you may have heard of the first guy...but then he got a lot of donations from EVERYONE)

-Another reason for guys to go to hockey games (as if they needed any more!)

-And, lastly, is Marc Savard a bigger vagina than Sidney Crosby? That would be QUITE a feat

Pre-Thursday Night Out Links (and more videos!)

Some links while I drink my elderflower liquor and wait to head out for the night

-I told you already: Leave Michael Phelps alone

-Again...leave him alone (H/T Jay)

-Here's another guy to leave alone: A-Rod. "Doesn't Congress have anything better to do with its time??" I could not agree more. Insane.

-But some good A-Rod stuff before we do: of course he hits on hot women, he runs back to his wife, hires a crisis management firm (Chris Brown is supposedly doing the same), has someone trying to pretend recent history didn't happen (maybe he needs the island from Lost), pisses off the Commish (what is this man going to do? he can't suspend him...he's just got to grin a bear it), and had SO much potential before steroids (H/T Baseball Musings):



-Speaking of the Yankees, how about some "Joba-the-Not" news (H/T Zack)?

-I think that Claire McCaskill may be my new favorite politician after her Twittering (Twitting? Twating?) about Gregg's sudden departure from the Obama White House

-Happy Birthday, Charles Darwin --from, Freakonomics

-E.J. Hradek knows that the real problem with the Rangers is Glen Sather. His cap blundering will cost this team for years. And any chance they have of acquiring a decent forward at the trade deadline will go out the window because of this. And if they decide to call up Sean Avery they'll probably have to trade someone...unbelievable

-At least maybe King Henrik can lead the Swedish team to another championship in 2010.

-Love those 17 points plays

-Full Lost recap and a recaplet

-Well maybe Burress won't be on the Giants next year. Just a littttle premature.

-That loan-a-weapon-to-an-Afghani program is NOT going well

-A heartwarming story about a girl being able to say thanks to a firefighter who saved her 40 years before..(H/T Paul)



-Lastly, this may be even more disturbing than his affection for his sister in Gladiator...nah:

Pre-LOST Links (and Videos)

Some good links before I sit down to watch LOST

-John Buccigross goes through a Mount Rushmore of every NHL team. I may put Gilbert on there for the Rangers, but I really can't complain.

-Baseball Musings goes over the recent Miguel Tejada guilty plea and wonders if it could lead to deportation

-Ken Rosenthal goes over the lefty reliever market and sees that there are a lot left (as well as second basemen). I wondered at the time if the Yankees should have let Marte go and tried to get a draft pick, but it looks like they woudn't have gotten a pick...but they may have saved some money. Let's hope Marte is a little better than he showed last year.

-The election is done, but Ben Smith shows that Moveon.org is not done bashing Republicans, especially when they make really selfish, stupid and hypocrtical decisions. Awesome!

-First Read shows that you may not want to be the person who responds to the State of the Union...

-Freakonomics asks who would be stupid enough to answer yes to these questions (and why I love questions like this)

-Blogging the Bombers has some info on Jesus Montero and some other of the younger Yankees

-According to this report, teenagers spend 31 hours a week online and 2 hours looking at porn...oh to be a teenager again!

-Roberto Alomar's life gets worse...hopefully those weren't steroids needles

-Doc Jensen on "Lost" time travel anxiety

-Rangers vs. Ovechkin going on right now (4-4)

-Ann Coulter under investigation

-Rihanna and Chris Brown saga gets even crazier

-Sounds like my regular Sunday drive

-Surprised that Madoff got his wife's money out?

-The website for Ted's love interest on "Scrubs"

-More "sexting" (damn...to be young again), this time in Falmouth.

-Former Caterpillar employees may come back if the stimulus passes.

-Someone else agrees that Abreu has "hit the wall" defensively (such a good pun)

-Daily Show to the White House. Love John Oliver and excited for this.

-And I love when Jon Stewart rips Bill O'Reilly:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Bill O'Reilly's Right to Privacy

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Funny Political News
Joke of the Day

Can't Fall Asleep So Why Not Some Links

I have a lot of these and I figured that sleepless time was when to post them...

-Release all the inmates!
-I'm excited to get totally LOST again tonight!
-I didn't want to gauge my eyes out so I didn't watch the A-rod/Gammons interview, but it seems Gammons was no Katie Couric (nice job there by Shysterball) according to The Big Lead. More here from Baseball Musings and Doug Glanville in the New York Times. Also ESPN on whether those other 103 names will be released.
-With the New York Rangers free falling or freefallin' (however you want to say it), and have assigned Sean Avery to Hartford of the AHL. This whole situation is very, very odd. The reason he is on the Rangers AHL affiliate is not because he's been traded to or claimed by the Rangers. Rather, the Stars have no AHL affiliate and they need to get him in game shape to get rid of him so he's being assigned to the Hartford team...but because he's not property of the Rangers, none of the Rangers executives can comment about him so we don't know if they'll every actually get him in the end. So confusing!
-Big Ben's legend continues to grow: he played the Super Bowl with broken ribs
-It seems like we can say good-bye to John Carney. My dad and I knew for about 8 weeks that Carney was going to fail once playoff time came. Glad to see he enjoyed his Pro Bowl time, but maybe he could have actually made some kicks against Philly.
-Lane Kiffin!
-Some people have WAYYYYY too much time on their hands. Fack Youk I would put on that list. Though the faces of A-rod (not be confused with The Three Faces Of Eve) are pretty funny.
-So Simmons doesn't hate Kobe? We couldn't have cleared that up in a podcast? We need to waste an article on it? Torre, Phelps, A-rod, and everything else going on...and his feelings about Kobe is what we talk about?
-If this projection is right, the Yanks finish one game out of first but make the Wild Card. I could live with that (H/T Rob Neyer). Glad to see the Yanks give up the least amount of runs in baseball. I would love to see more, but you need a subscription. I may need to spring for the $40 a month this year. Thoughts?
-I think that Cashman made a good decision in not offering Abreu arbitration. Looks like he's goint to sign with the Angels for WAY less.
-Not good news for business schools
-Well at least Obama is trying to sell his ideas instead of Dubya who just went ahead and implemented them. I know there's a different level of approval needed, but still...
-Pete Abraham has some good stuff...as always
-Want free shit at Fridays? Here you go. (H/T Slickdeals). Though you probably already knew that one if you read my primer on deal finding.

Oh...an update because I just found this link about the idiot cop who arrested 8 people in relation to the Michael Phelps "marijuana incident". Think he's going to try to get them to talk and turn on Phelps? Oy.

Umm...Maybe We Can't Move On

We're fighting two wars, our banking sector is failing which is killing many other sectors of our economy, our stock market is down a tremendous amount, we have a stimulus package that's about to pass as well as TARP, we have global warming, a huge national debt, unemployment reaching towards double digits, threats from Pakistan, Iran, Venezuela, Mexico, etc...

And the guy from the Washington Post asks President Obama what he thinks about A-Rod taking steroids? Are you serious? That guy should be brought out back and shot. Right now.

Some Great Obama Quotes

This needed its own post. When Barack Obama says "You ain't my bitch, nigga. Buy your own damn fries"...well...(H/T April Winchell)

This shit's getting way too complicated


Ignorant Motherfuckers


Sorry ass motherfucker


Sure you can have my number, baby


And...my favorite: You ain't my nigga, bitch

Sunday's New York Times Links

Not necessarily all from today...but needed to get these on here:

-First from the Times, got to go to Brandeis alum Thomas Friedman who says that diplomacy needs to happen now in the Middle East.

-Next, the #1 article for Sunday: What Do Women Want?

-A really good article on the new President's Chief of Staff and his relationship with President Obama

-From the Freakonomics blog, a post about how commercials are actually helpful interruptions

-Also from the Freakonomics blog, a bunch of great links including one about whether business schools are good for their graduates...

-Lastly an article about how this bad economy spurs people to jobs viewed as safe.

I recently went to an alumni event for my business school (Brandeis University International Business School). The new dean is a former executive for Bank of America. He gave a powerpoint presentation which ended with the "top jobs you would want to have in this economy" (paraphrasing). They included consulting, public sector, risk management, energy and life sciences, among others (I pointed on to him he left off compliance from the list and he quickly reversed course...Thank God). So while some may feel like business schools may be part of the problem, in the end, they should become part of the solution.

Nighttime Observations

-It was a "Where's Waldo?" act, but Sarah and I found John McCain's walk-on role on "24"...it was really small, but quite Mavericky

-So the brother of Mark McGwire (who I don't think anyone thinks didn't take PEDs), who he hasn't spoken to for years, is going to come out with a book saying he took steroids at some point...and this is front page news for days on ESPN.com? Does ANYONE care anymore? McGwire isn't going to the Hall of Fame...why the constant need to discuss this?

-How will someone now choose a hedge fund to invest in? If they say they have great returns, everyone will think they're lying. If they have bad returns, you wouldn't want to put your money there anyways. I think hedge funds are in trouble.

-Chris Webber seems pissed off to be on TNT. He either sits there slouched or gets into arguments with people on the set. I don't watch the NBA that often and I have no confirmation from Webber...but I think that he's still bitter about that Kings/Lakers series (and rightfully so).

-I'm pretty sure during HBOs "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration", Garth Brooks screwed up the words to "American Pie", the worst of which, singing "and good old boys were singing whisky and rye".

I did a quick Google search, and it ends up I wasn't the only one who heard that...here also (it was the censored version? are you serious? or is that the story because he messed up?)

Walk This Way

I must have missed Barack perform with Run-DMC...

Awesome shirt.

One Saturday Morning

Links galore..

-Well this is one way to get rid of the problem of geese flying into planes...

-I, for one, am glad that the World Cup of Hockey is coming back

-GREAT question posed by Buster Olney: Could Still-President Bush offer Roger Clemens a pardon?

-The Freakin' Pope (at least according to Family Guy) is going to have his own Google channel...with video, according to Business Week

-Not sure if I linked here before, but if not, this New York Times article on risk management and the financial crisis is a bit robust, but very, very good

-THANK GOD: The Lingerie Bowl is baaacccckkkkk. The Joba Chamberlain impersonator wants leniency (H/T on both goes to Deadspin).

-Yankees and Mets rumors

-Forgot to mention this yesterday. Due to questionable officiating, the Blackhawks had FIVE 5 on 3s against the Rangers. FIVE!

-Is Eli Manning worth $120 million?

-I understand Barack's pain, it's hard to give up your blackberry...

-The NFL states the obvious....fails to make me feel any better.

LOST Spoilers...

Ausiello reports

Oh man, I'm excited!!!!

Next week will be a HUGE week:
24, MLK day off, Barack inauguration, LOST back!!!!, Restaurant Week in NY, Astron Solutions 10 year anniversary, 2 years with Pass...plus a new episode of SVU, Law & Order, the Office, Scrubs

and much, much more...maybe GNW can go to like $10 too...

Delhomme's QB Rating Is Rising!

22.29!

"Yes We Can!" - Barack Obama

"We can build on this!" - Herm Edwards