April 30, 2010
Link-O-Rama
• One of the most underrated performers in the history of comedy has written a memoir that comes out later this year, and as if that wasn't enough it's apparently being ghost-written by the guy who covers gambling for ESPN.com.
• Pam Grier surely thinks this story about Richard Pryor is something controversial to include in her new book, but the same thing happens to me all the time.
• I've always worked from home, but my goal is to some day have an office one-tenth as nice as new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov's spectacular setup, particularly if the blond woman in the photo is part of the deal.
• Thanks to a few tips from inside sources, I wrote quite a bit on Hardball Talk this week about MLB.com beat writers being asked to cease using Twitter for non-baseball topics. If you missed it, here's my original report, here's the follow-up after speaking to an MLB spokesperson, and here's my final word on the story. An interesting experience to say the least, as it was picked up by, among other places, New York Magazine, Sporting News, The Big Lead, and Mediaite.
• I'm not a journalist, but I am a fat guy who likes to write about trying to become less fat.
• My favorite television writer, Alan Sepinwall, is leaving the newspaper business following 14 years at the Newark Star-Ledger, which is awful news for people in New Jersey and good news for everyone who reads him online anyway.
• Not only have I grown to like Patrick Reusse on the radio since he teamed up with friend of AG.com Phil Mackey, we're starting to think alike. Not sure who should be more disturbed.
• George Costanza is such an amazing character that his story is almost as good as a drama:
Also proof that anything can be dramatic with the right music behind it.
• Catching isn't tough enough for Miguel Olivo, so he passed kidney stones during a game.
• Between her being naked on True Blood and incredibly funny on Party Down, it's probably time to make Lizzy Caplan an Official Fantasy Girl of AG.com candidate.
• A.J. Daulerio and Sarah Silverman star in When Live Chats Get Ugly. Actually, the notion of sports bloggers getting into feuds with female comedians is so amusing to me that I'm giving serious thought to starting a beef with Rita Rudner.
• Speaking of Deadspin, my idol Adam Carolla was the guest on Drew Magary's podcast this week. Good times.
• And speaking of Carolla, one of the guests on his podcast this week was Nick Offerman. I'm actually so excited about Ace Man chatting with Ron "F***ing" Swanson that I haven't even listened yet. I'm saving it for a special occasion or something.
• The genius responsible for creating Swanson and Fire Joe Morgan is now really, really rich.
• If you're into a funnier, online version of Charlie Rose's long-form interviews, check out Kevin Pollak's Chat Show, where Kevin Pollak interviews people from comedy and movies for at least an hour, uninterrupted. His guest list is packed with interesting names and the laid-back chats are great. I've been devouring the archives and my favorites are Jon Hamm, Jason Reitman, Seth MacFarlane, Matthew Perry, Hank Azaria, Josh Malina, and of course Carolla.
• Eastbound and Down will be back for another season on HBO, but Kenny Powers is taking his comeback to Mexico and there are reportedly a shit-ton of changes within the cast.
• My favorite e-mail of the week came from a reader named Chad who sent this link and wrote, "The blond girl in the foreground is what Elisha Cuthbert would look like if she was really hot and holding a giant beer."
• If you threaten to blow up his airplane, Kevin Kennedy will take you out.
• I'm a big fan of SI.com's Richard Deitsch, so this made my week.
• Fred Hoiberg left his job as Timberwolves assistant general manager to coach Iowa State.
• Some of the highlights from my NBCSports.com blogging this week:
- Bobby Cox thinks slumping Jason Heyward is being too patient
- Rangers prospect Tanner Scheppers is toying with Double-A hitters
- Dusty Baker denies asking the Reds for contract extension
- Carlos Beltran fitted for custom knee brace and "not close to returning"
- Diamondbacks put Kris Benson on disabled list, call up Kevin Mulvey
- Rockies demote Opening Day catcher Chris Iannetta to Triple-A
- A flop in Boston, Brad Penny thriving back in National League
• Finally, this week's AG.com-approved music video is a "mash-up" combining "99 Problems" by Jay-Z and "Voodoo Chile" by Jimi Hendrix:
It’s disappointing that neither this post nor your articles mention the likely reason for MLB’s policy change: the draconian anti-Latino immigration law that was recently been passed in Arizona and a growing call for Latino MLB players to speak out against and boycott Arizona. One of the main ways this boycott has been building has been over Twitter, with many people tweeting MLB players asking them to support the boycott of Arizona.
Of course, this is the same boycott St Paul mayor Chris Coleman is taking part in, along with Denver and San Francisco. Specifically, many people are calling for next years All-Star game in Arizona to be boycotted, similar to the boycott that finally got Arizona to recognize Martin Luther King Day after the SB was moved from AZ to California. In fact, the New York Magazine mentions the context of the story at the very beginning.
Some good reporting from Aaron, but I’m somewhat dumbfounded that the major context in which this story took place was not included.
Comment by Jose Crow — April 30, 2010 @ 9:00 am
It’s disappointing that neither this post nor your articles mention the likely reason for MLB’s policy change: the draconian anti-Latino immigration law that was recently been passed in Arizona and a growing call for Latino MLB players to speak out against and boycott Arizona.
Jose Crow, its disappointing that your comment doesnt mention Mila Kunis, FIP or chinese food.
Comment by J. Lichty — April 30, 2010 @ 9:41 am
I second Jose Crow’s comments.
Comment by Jake Depue — April 30, 2010 @ 9:50 am
J. Lichty,
Well how is this. Mila Kunis is an immigrant from the Ukraine. Tom Tango, the inventor of FIP is an immigrant from Canada and we owe the great Chinese food we have in this country to countless Chinese immigrants. So its important to remember that immigrants have generally helped to make America the great country it is!
Comment by Jose Crow — April 30, 2010 @ 10:56 am
The blurry line of blogging vs. reporting….
Comment by pk — April 30, 2010 @ 11:45 am
I am just curious, do you have any comments on how Carlos Silva is suddenly pitching fabulously in Chicago? Did he magically learn to pitch over the off-season?
Comment by Michael — April 30, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
Do you have any thoughts on why Carlos Silva is now pitching fabulously in Chicago? Did he secretly become amazing?
Comment by Michael — April 30, 2010 @ 11:08 pm
Great video! Jimi, Jimi, Jimi
Comment by Eric Hankin — May 1, 2010 @ 10:19 pm
Did Gardy have money on the Indians tonight???????? Terrible managing in the late innings.
1) Why didn’t he have a lefty warmed in the 8th? Left Guerrier to face lefties Sizemore and Choo. Sizemore has obscene splits. Bring in Mahay to face those two and you almost certainly have a lead going into the ninth. Gardy starts warming Mahay with Choo at the plate in case Hafner comes up. WAY TOO LATE.
2) Runner on second, one out in the 10th, Sizemore at the plate with Burnett pitching. It is a NO BRAINER that you intentionally walk here! Sizemore has insane splits!!! There is no reason to pitch to him here. Sizemore lines a single and Span makes a great throw to get the runner at the plate. Very lucky the game doesn’t end right here.
3) Not as egregious. But why pinch run for Thome with Casilla? He’s at first in a tie game with a runner at second. He is not the winning run. There is a very good chance the game continues and that spot bats again and instead of the second best OPS on the team batting you’d have . . . Alexi Casilla. Again, Thome is not the go-ahead run here. Pinch-running really doesn’t help much.
4) Why in the world do you leave Burnett out there for his second inning in the 11th?? He is an untested rookie pitcher that barely got through the 10th. You have Rauch warmed and ready. He’s your best pitcher in the bullpen. If not for the statistic “save”, you would bring in your best remaining relief pitcher in the tightest spot. If the Indians score there, the game is over. Why save your best pitcher for the chance you might get a lead at some point later on? You leave in a rookie and then when he gives up back to back hits, you bring in your shakiest reliever, Crain, to try and get out of things. THIS MAKES NO SENSE. YOU ARE SAVING YOUR “CLOSER” AKA YOUR BEST RELIEF PITCHER FOR THE OFF CHANCE YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS MESS OF AN INNING AND THEN GET A LEAD LATER ON. Your best remaining pitcher sits there and watches a rookie and Jesse Crain let the Indians win. Rauch never gets in the game. Twins lose.
Stupid managing tonight.
Comment by Dave — May 2, 2010 @ 1:55 am