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Spring Break Training PART I |
Spring Break Training PART II |
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SABRES, PENS, SHOTGUNS & METS |
BILL BUCKNER WAS INNOCENT |
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West Coast Craig
Posts:249
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| 06-16-2008 - SelecA - |
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Seems things have gotten a tad sentimental here on MTM Enterprises of late, what with B. Cox’s waxing nostalgic on Friday, the Tim Russert obit on Saturday, and the eloquently personal paean to Rex’s dear ol’ Da yesterday. Lovely pieces all, but where’s the hard hitting sports reporting we’ve come to expect? Two things occurred to me over the weekend: first, lost in the myriad of recent celebrity passings reported here, the great Bo Diddley’s went unmentioned—so this title should take care of that—and second, that as your Monday correspondent, I’m in a good position to set up the coming week’s worth of sports…and this should be a good one. So without further ado…
Has anybody heard anything about Tiger Woods lately? You know that world you’re living on right now? It’s apparently his. We start right off here with a playoff in a Major tournament, golf on a Monday, something to tune in office televisions and discuss around water coolers everywhere. Even those who find the sport utterly boring, you had to see that there was some good drama down at Torrey Pines this weekend, and if Tiger—looking for his own Kirk Gibson-gimpy knee moment—loses it will be because he’s facing one of the few guys on the tour with a name that might be cooler than his. Rocco Mediate. Meanwhile, spanning the globe, the Euro Cup continues with a bunch of former Eastern Bloc nations playing each other today, while the real question of the week is whether the Orange of the Netherlands is as real as their drubbing of powerhouses Italy and France might indicate. They’ve turned their “Group of Death” into a “Group of Red Headed Step Children,” but don’t go betting the house on them on Tuesday, they may sit some key starters against Romania. Back here in the States, the NBA Finals continue/conclude on Tuesday, which means either we get the two most exciting words in sports, “Game Seven,” or the season is finally, mercifully over (until it starts up again in what, two weeks?). Nearer and dearer to our readers’ hearts, the College World Series gets into the pinging swing this week, with Miami and FSU facing off today. Anybody wondering if an FSU hitter will step up in a clutch situation and hit the ball wide right?
And finally, last but certainly not least, the Mets are coming to Anaheim. I could be wrong, but I can’t remember if they’ve ever played at Edison Field (nee Angel Stadium, formerly Anaheim Stadium) before? This may be beating a horse that died two years ago, but I can’t go any further without scoffing at the idea that these are the “Los Angeles” Angels of Anaheim. For those of you unfamiliar with SoCal landscape, Anaheim is in a whole different county, behind the Orange Curtain, which couldn’t be any different from Los Angeles…and it’s not like anyone will go to a Dodger game, find it sold out, and say “hey, let’s just drive over to Anaheim!” No, to get there you must traverse one of the dumbest, most irritating stretches of freeway ever designed. In the span of maybe three miles, FIVE different freeways merge into the 5 just south of Los Angeles, and then the five lanes of traffic bottleneck down to TWO. I’ve lived here 18 years now, and I think there’s been construction along there every one of those. I know Arte Moreno somehow makes more money by putting “Los Angeles” in front of their name, but really, it’s an entirely different universe. I’m sure it’s tricky for New Yorkers to swallow the fact that their two football teams play in a different state, but I guarantee it’s easier to get to Giants stadium than it is to get to Anaheim from Los Angeles, especially on a weeknight.
Oh yeah, the sports. This will be a real test for the Mutts…the Angels aren’t a very sexy team, but they’re pretty solid all the way around, and Vlad Guerrero, like a John Woo movie, has one of the most violently beautiful swings in the bigs. I expect it to go into slow motion with doves fluttering up behind him each time. There are some pretty good match-ups this series, which should prove entertaining in a lot of ways. The highlight of course pits aces Johan Santana and John Lackey against each other on Tuesday…I’m thinking the Under in that game will be 2.5. The third game figures to be Oliver Perez against John Garland, two guys more than capable of implosion…this will make a fine rubber match. The real entertainment may happen off the field though, as the question on everyone’s lips is sure to be: Will Willie be going with them…and if he does, does he last all three games or does he make the hell-drive up the 5 and stay with his old pal Joe Torre? Stay tuned, MTM Nation…I can feel your anticipation.
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TheMatts
Posts:1579
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| 06-16-2008 - SelecA - |
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| West Coast Craig: The ante has been raised at the MTM table, with Angry Ward's regular brilliance being followed by the Rick Reilly-esque entries of B. Cox and Sam's-A-Fan on Phriday, which in turn produced all-ins from Rex and you. Dare we say that you folks, along with the likes of Cookie, Philview, Grote2DMax and Yankees Suck have made this This Best Damned Sports Site on Al Gore's Information Super Highway??? We love the idea of your Monday set-up and might start setting it up with a Saturday Summary... Either way, you're spot-on with sports giving us some real nuggets this week. Will Tiger scratch out a win? Can Kobe come through? Will the Angels manage a run against the now desperate Metropolitans? Will the Angles change their names again??? You've got us on the edges of our office chairs, WCC. Well done! |
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Cookie
Posts:591
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| 06-16-2008 - SelecA - |
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Bravo WCC.. after some needed tributes and acknowledgements-- back to the sports jabber.
I'll take a pass on the NBA talk (as I've previously made my feelings known on the sport) and take up the Golf. Me... I don't know much about it. I'd like to take up the game and haven't done much beyond a driving range. It's simply not in the cards. I do understand the greatness of Tiger's accomplishments and think it'd be nice to get paid hugely for whacking a ball and walking around some nice greenery on (mostly) lovely days. Not that I'm diminishing golf as a sport... but for someone who doesn't play-- it doesn't seem to shabby. All I know is when I went to the Open years ago (at Shinneknob, NY)-- I've never seen so many drunk people in one place. My parting note.. I guess this is a biggie-- because the primetime void was made larger because of NBC's coverage of this match... er... game.
And there's a tie-breaker here today.. right?!? Go Tiger!!
Euro 2008... I've been watching some of it (by force). Seems there was already a good upset.. and the Spaniards are really on fire. I like it.. go Espana!!
WCC.. I feel for you with those freeways. I've only heard about it-- never experienced it. I am guessing only the I-95/I-91 interchange up in New Haven can compare. Whomever planned that stretch of road genius should be shot.
And... bring back the 'California Angels.' 'Nuff said.
WCC.. I gotta check out some of Vlad's plate work. I've only got a good memory of him (when he was with a defunct Canadian team) unleashing his cannon from the outfield in to a play on the infield. He was quite dramatic there too.. as if we all didn't know he threw hard.
Mutts... I am guessing Willie will be shown the door this week. It's the only thing Minaya can do to keep the heat off himself. At best, ousting Willie will give the team enough of a change of dugout scenery to eek out a few wins.. and then fall back into mediocrity. Once that happens... the tail end of the season will be nothing but angry fireworks.
And.. I repeat... is anyone paying attention to the Cubbies?!?! |
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david
Posts:430
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| 06-16-2008 - SelecA - |
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| the cubbies are on fire, we see that. it's just in the 2nd city and we live in the 1st city. why can't they play sudden death in the us open? they do that in other championships no? this rocco mediate is going to have 18 holes of torture today. |
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Mike in the Mezz
Posts:66
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| 06-16-2008 - SelecA - |
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| Um, not that I'm the biggest basketball fan and certainly I'll be losing sleep literally and figuratively while the Mets are on the West Coast Craig (I like that) but YOUR OWN WEST COAST LA Lakers are still in the NBA Finals this week. ABout to lose probably but is that not worthy a mention for a preview of the coming weeks sport events? |
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ANGRYWARD
Posts:689
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| 06-16-2008 - SelecA - |
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| Good job WCC. I do want to point out that Sam's-a-Fan did make mention of Bo Diddley's passing on my post last week. It was followed by a flurry of quotes from the movie "Trading Places." The funny thing about this whole Willie Randolph saga is that I now find myself rooting for Willie. The guy has taken such a beating at this point that he has become a genuine underdog and I can't help but pull for someone in such a desperate situation. I have been one of his most vocal critics but you can't pin everything on him. Minaya is the main architect of this club and as far as architects go, Omar is on par with Art Vandelay. |
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ActiveForums 3.6
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MATTS-MATICS: NY Jets vs NY Rangers |
BRAVE Fan Talks REDSKINS
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ROY HOBBS ON STEROIDS??? |
MEAGHAN & JAKE: COOLEST FANS |
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Nobody Remembers The Loser |
Giant/Super Tuesday |
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MATTS-MATICS: Hockey Nuts Go At It |
See us on: "Law & Order" |
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MATT FACTS:
Chad Pennington is NOT a Brett Favre fan... Hillary Clinton and Don Nelson have never been seen in the same place... Jerry Manuel is not related to Charlie ManuelJerry Manuel is not related to Charlie Manuel... Somebody namd Michel coaches the Pittsburgh Penguins... Tiki Barber quit the Giants. The Giants then won the Super Bowl... The New England Patriots only lost ONE game out of 19!!! Aaron Heilman was actually funny in re to Eli and Plaxico Burress helping the Mets as a pitcher and outfielder, respectively. Repeat, Heilman was funny... Jessica Simpson would rather date Tom Brady - trust us... Eli Manning is better than Archie - now... Alyssa Milano is a Met fan. RRRRR... Rickey Henderson speaks in the 3rd Person... Shawn Green has big ears... Howard Johnson likes to stay at the Holiday Inn, ironically... Sandy Alomar, Sr. is the youngest of 9 kids. That's why he was quick around the dish. Jiminy Cricket was the Philly Phanatic in a previous life…Fred Wilpon is pals with Sandy Koufax... Mike Ditka is a really tough guy.. Buffalo has a Triple A baseball team. They are NOT called The Snowballs... Chan Ho Park has people thinking of naming a ballfield after him - it would be called Chan Ho Park Park... John Maine has never been, oddly enough, to Maine... Curt Gowdy, Jr. has never been to Yellow Knife, Canada... Kevin Mitchell played 6 positions for the Mets in '86 and, according to Doc Gooden's book, didn't like cats... John Olerud & Wayne Gretzky have never been seen in the same place... Kevin McReynolds now makes his living doing laugh tracks for sit-coms... Tony Gwynn is nearing 300 lbs... Carlos Beltran has Mercedes Benz dealerships named for him in Barcelona, Spain... Willie Montanez was called Guillermo by Lenny Randle... Rusty Staub beat Jeff Kent in a race – TODAY... Jay Horwitz is a dynamite Cricket players – somebody said... Jeff Wilpon was a decent minor league catcher... Ziggy Palfy lives in Slovakia and is a big Met fan... Superman Returns, yet still can’t hit Billy Wagner... David Wright will win the Triple Crown – on a horse... Omar Minaya is Tobey McGuire’s stunt-double in Spider Man 3... Hilary Clinton has Mr. Met pajamas – we think... Albert Einstein was a HUGE Met fan... The Metropolitan Opera House was named for the Mets after their 2nd season in ’63... Wally Backman, ’86 sparkplug, considered changing his name to Wally Back-Matt... Neil Allen and Mike Stanton, former Mets, have Allen & Stanton Streets on Lower East Side named for them.
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