Friday, February 29, 2008
The Tower
Gazing up at the water tower he wondered where he had gone wrong. It seemed like yesterday he had stood in the same welcoming gravel. Though he was much older, and one may say wiser, the odd green tower stood ominous as it always had. The day had just started and nothing could be said for where he was going, or where he had come from. He felt that being here, in this exact spot, would somehow jolt a memory, an epiphany of sort. He had plotted for days, searching with no aid of map or spoken word to find this one childhood piece of glass that hadn’t shattered along with the rest. Finally found, and yet nothing returned. He wonders whether it is his own mind blocking his earlier years, or something else. It was strange; any such thoughts just seemed to fester, then fade….
“ What brought me here pooch.” His only companion, a mutt he shared a common resting place not a week past, looked at him, then the tower, then back to the crickets hopping throughout the golden soil. The ground looked familiar, yet somehow different.
“Rocks. There were more rocks here.”
The smallest glimpse of a thought pops into his head, then squeezes itself out faster than that of its arrival.
‘I’m standing, there.’ He thinks, and quickly shuffles to the spot, ‘and I’m holding, a, a rock.’ He begins urgently searching for a rock. What he finds is a gray and white beauty, perfect for skipping,’ I throw the rock, at, at the tower!’
His voice is rising, the level of excitement is quickly growing in his mind. He hasn’t felt this alive in months. Before he heaves his only solid friend, he feels the slightest bit of remorse for letting go a piece of natured beauty. He decides to throw it anyway. Following the trajectory he watches the rock fall to the ground, probably never to be touched again.
“ What brought me here pooch.” His only companion, a mutt he shared a common resting place not a week past, looked at him, then the tower, then back to the crickets hopping throughout the golden soil. The ground looked familiar, yet somehow different.
“Rocks. There were more rocks here.”
The smallest glimpse of a thought pops into his head, then squeezes itself out faster than that of its arrival.
‘I’m standing, there.’ He thinks, and quickly shuffles to the spot, ‘and I’m holding, a, a rock.’ He begins urgently searching for a rock. What he finds is a gray and white beauty, perfect for skipping,’ I throw the rock, at, at the tower!’
His voice is rising, the level of excitement is quickly growing in his mind. He hasn’t felt this alive in months. Before he heaves his only solid friend, he feels the slightest bit of remorse for letting go a piece of natured beauty. He decides to throw it anyway. Following the trajectory he watches the rock fall to the ground, probably never to be touched again.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Great Site For All News, Rumors of your favorite teams
http://www.prosportsdaily.com/
they basically collect all articles having anything to do with any team and categorize them. pretty good stuff since you can see articles written by outside bay area writers and their insight and rumors they hear about our local teams.
they basically collect all articles having anything to do with any team and categorize them. pretty good stuff since you can see articles written by outside bay area writers and their insight and rumors they hear about our local teams.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Future of Video Games
From: http://tech.msn.com/products/article.aspx?cp-documentid=6284058
How will games (and gamers) be different a decade from now?
The numbers are startling: According to video-game tracking site VG Chartz, Nintendo has sold an astonishing 20.9 million Wii game consoles worldwide, while Microsoft has sold 16.9 million Xbox 360s and Sony has managed to move just 9.8 million PlayStation 3s (PS3).
Yet before the PS3 launched in November 2006, many respectable gaming pundits were convinced Sony would retain its decade-long domination of console gaming. Sure, the PS3 was expensive, but it was loaded with features, like high-definition DVD playback and a hyper-fast 3.2 gigahertz processor.
Nintendo's Wii, on the other hand, was so pathetically underpowered that it couldn't even display high-definition graphics. Sure, it had an innovative, motion-sensitive controller, but to a lot of people, that just sounded gimmicky. Before its worldwide launch in November 2006, lots of smart people thought the Wii would be a niche product, appealing primarily to young children.
Boy, were they wrong.
Predicting the future is never easy, and it's particularly difficult in the fast-paced world of video games. But the runaway success of the Wii highlights some trends that will be very important over the next decade, as the gaming industry matures and becomes more mainstream.
First and foremost, expect the demographics of the average video gamer to change significantly. The Wii's motion-sensitive controller has gotten a lot of credit for being technologically innovative, but its real genius is that it opens up gaming for people who wouldn't normally play video games.
You don't have to read a 30-page manual and memorize 17 button combinations to play "Wii Sports." If you know how to swing a tennis racket or throw a baseball, you're good to go.
Low-time-commitment games are also going to be huge. While it is generally true that middle-aged women won't fire up an Xbox 360 for a hair-raising session of "Bio Shock," older women definitely play puzzle games like "Solitaire" or "Bejeweled."
Shrewd entrepreneurs are already taking this to a new level, offering so-called "casual games" specifically targeted at an older, female audience. Winster.com, for instance, is focused on creating cooperative, social games that particularly appeal to this demographic.
The smartest game makers are also "thinking outside the screen." In 10 years, mashing buttons to control on-screen avatars will no longer be enough. Gamers will insist on being able to "feel" a game, or to "move" realistically within it. We already have force-feedback steering wheels, guitar-shaped controllers and pressure-sensitive dance pads. In the future, expect much more.
Video game graphics will continue to grow richer and more detailed. But don't expect that photo realism alone will be enough to sell a game. Sony's face-flop with the PS3 proves gamers aren't obsessed with hyper-realistic graphics to the extent that game designers are.
Most gamers don't require characters that look exactly like actors in a movie, and don't care how realistically blood splatters; they want to play great games. Chess isn't any more or less fun in high definition; it's the game that counts.
PC games are going to grow in importance, especially for older, more educated gamers. After being widely dismissed as dead (or irrelevant at best) only five years ago, PC role-playing games have made a tremendous comeback.
How will games (and gamers) be different a decade from now?
The numbers are startling: According to video-game tracking site VG Chartz, Nintendo has sold an astonishing 20.9 million Wii game consoles worldwide, while Microsoft has sold 16.9 million Xbox 360s and Sony has managed to move just 9.8 million PlayStation 3s (PS3).
Yet before the PS3 launched in November 2006, many respectable gaming pundits were convinced Sony would retain its decade-long domination of console gaming. Sure, the PS3 was expensive, but it was loaded with features, like high-definition DVD playback and a hyper-fast 3.2 gigahertz processor.
Nintendo's Wii, on the other hand, was so pathetically underpowered that it couldn't even display high-definition graphics. Sure, it had an innovative, motion-sensitive controller, but to a lot of people, that just sounded gimmicky. Before its worldwide launch in November 2006, lots of smart people thought the Wii would be a niche product, appealing primarily to young children.
Boy, were they wrong.
Predicting the future is never easy, and it's particularly difficult in the fast-paced world of video games. But the runaway success of the Wii highlights some trends that will be very important over the next decade, as the gaming industry matures and becomes more mainstream.
First and foremost, expect the demographics of the average video gamer to change significantly. The Wii's motion-sensitive controller has gotten a lot of credit for being technologically innovative, but its real genius is that it opens up gaming for people who wouldn't normally play video games.
You don't have to read a 30-page manual and memorize 17 button combinations to play "Wii Sports." If you know how to swing a tennis racket or throw a baseball, you're good to go.
Low-time-commitment games are also going to be huge. While it is generally true that middle-aged women won't fire up an Xbox 360 for a hair-raising session of "Bio Shock," older women definitely play puzzle games like "Solitaire" or "Bejeweled."
Shrewd entrepreneurs are already taking this to a new level, offering so-called "casual games" specifically targeted at an older, female audience. Winster.com, for instance, is focused on creating cooperative, social games that particularly appeal to this demographic.
The smartest game makers are also "thinking outside the screen." In 10 years, mashing buttons to control on-screen avatars will no longer be enough. Gamers will insist on being able to "feel" a game, or to "move" realistically within it. We already have force-feedback steering wheels, guitar-shaped controllers and pressure-sensitive dance pads. In the future, expect much more.
Video game graphics will continue to grow richer and more detailed. But don't expect that photo realism alone will be enough to sell a game. Sony's face-flop with the PS3 proves gamers aren't obsessed with hyper-realistic graphics to the extent that game designers are.
Most gamers don't require characters that look exactly like actors in a movie, and don't care how realistically blood splatters; they want to play great games. Chess isn't any more or less fun in high definition; it's the game that counts.
PC games are going to grow in importance, especially for older, more educated gamers. After being widely dismissed as dead (or irrelevant at best) only five years ago, PC role-playing games have made a tremendous comeback.
49ers Free Agent Interests...
Although the big-ticket free agents go up for bid starting Thursday, the 49ers have already dipped into the bargain bin, according to reports linking them to running back DeShaun Foster and kick returner Allen Rossum.
ESPN's John Clayton reported the Foster deal Monday, saying that the contract could be announced within the next few days.
Foster, 28, has had at least 800 rushing yards for three consecutive seasons but has been slowed by injuries and fumble problems. The Caroliina Panthers released him Thursday.
If signed, the former second-round draft pick out of UCLA would be in line for the No. 2 job behind Frank Gore.
Rossum, meanwhile, has agreed to a two-year contract, according to the NFL Network. (The 49ers denied Monday that any deal has been signed.)
The 10-year veteran, cut Friday by the Pittsburgh Steelers, would fight to replace Michael Lewis as the 49ers' return man. Lewis is to be an unrestricted free agent.
Rossum, 32, made the Pro Bowl in 2004 while with the Atlanta Falcons; the Steelers acquired him for a conditional seventh-round choice last year.
With Pittsburgh, he ranked 24th in the NFL with a 23.3-yard return average - a total boosted by a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the 49ers in Week 3.
Released players become unrestricted free agents, meaning they can immediately sign with other teams. Players whose contracts have expired with their current teams can sign starting at 9 p.m. Pacific time Thursday.
The Foster and Rossum reports suggest the team is ready to move on without Maurice Hicks, a backup running back and return man. Hicks is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
A 49ers spokesman declined to address the reports, citing the team's policy of not commenting about ongoing negotiations.
ESPN's John Clayton reported the Foster deal Monday, saying that the contract could be announced within the next few days.
Foster, 28, has had at least 800 rushing yards for three consecutive seasons but has been slowed by injuries and fumble problems. The Caroliina Panthers released him Thursday.
If signed, the former second-round draft pick out of UCLA would be in line for the No. 2 job behind Frank Gore.
Rossum, meanwhile, has agreed to a two-year contract, according to the NFL Network. (The 49ers denied Monday that any deal has been signed.)
The 10-year veteran, cut Friday by the Pittsburgh Steelers, would fight to replace Michael Lewis as the 49ers' return man. Lewis is to be an unrestricted free agent.
Rossum, 32, made the Pro Bowl in 2004 while with the Atlanta Falcons; the Steelers acquired him for a conditional seventh-round choice last year.
With Pittsburgh, he ranked 24th in the NFL with a 23.3-yard return average - a total boosted by a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the 49ers in Week 3.
Released players become unrestricted free agents, meaning they can immediately sign with other teams. Players whose contracts have expired with their current teams can sign starting at 9 p.m. Pacific time Thursday.
The Foster and Rossum reports suggest the team is ready to move on without Maurice Hicks, a backup running back and return man. Hicks is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
A 49ers spokesman declined to address the reports, citing the team's policy of not commenting about ongoing negotiations.
what do you guys think
Yao Ming is done for the season.... again. I think this fool is just too damn big to be healthy on a consistent basis. I don't follow that closely, but anybody this tall is going to have more problems than solutions. It appears to me, Yao Ming is the thin line between perfect, and too tall. This is pretty early, I just woke up, it doesn't even make sense to me.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
LIVE AND STREAMING
i saw someone watching the lakers game live today on their laptop and got some great info:
http://www.raptorsnation.net/
go to "all other links here"
NBA games galore (and maybe other sports?? - c'mon baseball!)
http://www.raptorsnation.net/
go to "all other links here"
NBA games galore (and maybe other sports?? - c'mon baseball!)
Saturday, February 23, 2008
this sounds kind of weird
but honestly, test me on this, i have a crazy memory like this guy, and ive always wanted to share it with people, I believe a few of you realize my natural talent in this area..
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080222/ap_on_re_us/memory_man
i remember so many things, that it sucks because other people don't remember the fine details, and nobody can prove that I am correct, although I know I am.
Riddle
Look at this sequence of letters and then tell us what the last letter should be.
O T T F F S S ___ ?????
O T T F F S S ___ ?????
Friday, February 22, 2008
Mary Jane
Puff the magic Buddha here I come once again
Takin' hit number ten and representin' West Marin
I be fillin' my mind with knowledge as my lungs are filled with smoke
Cough, chokin' on the potent smoke inside my throat
From Chico, California to my home in the Bay, say
We like to smoke out every day!
I be Northern Lights smokin' hit the joint until I'm chokin',
My eyes are turnin' red and I can barely keep 'em open
The Mystic Roots be knowin' that the way of the walk is stoned
Ask Seba, Irie, Johnny Kind or Shayne'll say: "It's on"
I got the thin mustache, I need another hit a hash
Cause I smoked all my grass just got a pipe all full a ash
I'm stankin' from the dank and I can only want some more
They call me Coot from Mystic Roots just like I told ya before
Give me the green bud, cause 215 legalized
I be the ganga connoisseur I likes it crazy crystallized so
Pass the marijuana my way, and some papers so that I can roll a Jay
Takin' hit number ten and representin' West Marin
I be fillin' my mind with knowledge as my lungs are filled with smoke
Cough, chokin' on the potent smoke inside my throat
From Chico, California to my home in the Bay, say
We like to smoke out every day!
I be Northern Lights smokin' hit the joint until I'm chokin',
My eyes are turnin' red and I can barely keep 'em open
The Mystic Roots be knowin' that the way of the walk is stoned
Ask Seba, Irie, Johnny Kind or Shayne'll say: "It's on"
I got the thin mustache, I need another hit a hash
Cause I smoked all my grass just got a pipe all full a ash
I'm stankin' from the dank and I can only want some more
They call me Coot from Mystic Roots just like I told ya before
Give me the green bud, cause 215 legalized
I be the ganga connoisseur I likes it crazy crystallized so
Pass the marijuana my way, and some papers so that I can roll a Jay
Prince and I on the same page...
Well, not quite. But the Brewers' hefty slugger showed up to camp on Wednesday and dropped the mother of bombshells for someone of his considerable size: He is now a vegetarian. After learning the dirty truth about how cows are cut up, he now eats no meat and no fish but he does consume plenty of ketchup-drowned Boca Burgers.
You all should stop eeating meat. Or beef at the very least. DId you guys hear about that damn recall? Terrible. It's no better than smoking cigarettes, or breathing in asbestos. It's true...
It's true....
"IT'S DAAAAAMN TRUE!!!" - Kurt Angle
You all should stop eeating meat. Or beef at the very least. DId you guys hear about that damn recall? Terrible. It's no better than smoking cigarettes, or breathing in asbestos. It's true...
It's true....
"IT'S DAAAAAMN TRUE!!!" - Kurt Angle
Thursday, February 21, 2008
speaking of the warriors
| Fri 22 | vs Atlanta  | 7:30pm |
| Tue 26 | vs Seattle | 7:30pm |
| Fri 29 | vs Philadelphia | 7:30pm |
| Sun 02 | vs Portland | 6:00pm |
?? we should head out to the oracle
Never get plastic surgery, ever, ever, ever
or you'll look like this.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=516768&in_page_id=1773
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=516768&in_page_id=1773
Bad News For Warriors Fans
Some bad news from practice today:
As the trade deadline passed at noon, the biggest story for the Warriors wasn't that Mickael Pietrus was still at practice.
It's that Andris Biedrins was not.
The Warriors' starting center is out indefinitely with appendicitis that began flaring up last night. Biedrins is scheduled to have his appendix removed today and will likely out for at least several weeks as he recovers from surgery.
Warriors coach Don Nelson said Biedrins wasn't feeling well during Wednesday's win over the Celtics, though Biedrins still toughed out one of his best games of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds. He got progressively worse overnight before the Warriors' sent him to the doctor Thursday morning.
I'm pulling for Brandan Wright to come out and play, give him a chance to prove him self and run with us. Anyone but Patrick O'Bryant.
As the trade deadline passed at noon, the biggest story for the Warriors wasn't that Mickael Pietrus was still at practice.
It's that Andris Biedrins was not.
The Warriors' starting center is out indefinitely with appendicitis that began flaring up last night. Biedrins is scheduled to have his appendix removed today and will likely out for at least several weeks as he recovers from surgery.
Warriors coach Don Nelson said Biedrins wasn't feeling well during Wednesday's win over the Celtics, though Biedrins still toughed out one of his best games of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds. He got progressively worse overnight before the Warriors' sent him to the doctor Thursday morning.
I'm pulling for Brandan Wright to come out and play, give him a chance to prove him self and run with us. Anyone but Patrick O'Bryant.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
FANTASY BASEBALL
Public League For Now, when enough join we'll do Plus
League ID#: 88027
Password: 12345
cost will probably be around 25-30.
League ID#: 88027
Password: 12345
cost will probably be around 25-30.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Ted Robinson Brings Up A Good Point
How crooked can congress be, if Roger Clemens can buy them for a public hearing for steroids?
Its kind of scary how one sided some of those politicians were, attacking McNamee.
Regardless, I fucking sick of all this shit I think this could've all been over and done with much more quickly with standing up and apologizing.
Players like FP Santangelo who stood up and apologized for their wrong doings, it was a (semi)big deal for 29 hours then forgot about. Even now players like Lo Duca are having quick press conference bringing up the issue and defusing it, its not even making 3rd page of Sports Sections, its on the last page of the baseball section paraphrased in Sub-Headlines. We as a society for some reason or another are extremely accepting of apologies and forgetting about what was done wrong.
Do you think Bonds and Clemens both could've avoided all their shit, if they just apologized and said they did it? Obvoiusly there wouldn't be hearings like the one we had last week, but do you think it would be as big a deal?
Its kind of scary how one sided some of those politicians were, attacking McNamee.
Regardless, I fucking sick of all this shit I think this could've all been over and done with much more quickly with standing up and apologizing.
Players like FP Santangelo who stood up and apologized for their wrong doings, it was a (semi)big deal for 29 hours then forgot about. Even now players like Lo Duca are having quick press conference bringing up the issue and defusing it, its not even making 3rd page of Sports Sections, its on the last page of the baseball section paraphrased in Sub-Headlines. We as a society for some reason or another are extremely accepting of apologies and forgetting about what was done wrong.
Do you think Bonds and Clemens both could've avoided all their shit, if they just apologized and said they did it? Obvoiusly there wouldn't be hearings like the one we had last week, but do you think it would be as big a deal?
Elaborate Spring Training Prank
Kyle Kendrick is "traded" from the Phillies to a Japan Team.
Everyone from his manager to the media is in on it.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
in addition
fantasy march madness?
also i can't help but think this website is going to fade into obscurity with the Fantasy Baseball boards coming back, which also overlap into Fantasy Football. As much as I enjoy this site, part of the fun of the fantasy sports is the boards on that site.
also i can't help but think this website is going to fade into obscurity with the Fantasy Baseball boards coming back, which also overlap into Fantasy Football. As much as I enjoy this site, part of the fun of the fantasy sports is the boards on that site.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
FANTASY BASEBALL
Public League For Now, when enough join we'll do Plus
League ID#: 88027
Password: 12345
cost will probably be around 25-30.
League ID#: 88027
Password: 12345
cost will probably be around 25-30.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Slam Dunks
because this is all-star weekend and we have to go 5 days before seeing monta ellis and the warriors (especially without a weak Webber) play basketball again, here is a video of the "best dunks" in nba dunk contest history.
personally notable:
(0.44) Baron davis siting (1.18) fred jones stretched slam - perfectly done (2:20) Dominiques eyes at the rim (2:40) long 360 by ?? - classic (3:05) young jordan (3:35) J-Rich (4:40) classic MJ (5:18) J-Rich with my favorite - the great backboard between the legs (5:35) J-rich hyping the crowd (6:10) Josh smith has hops (6:40) behind the back by ??
best in-game dunks. obviously older material but still some great stuff
personally notable:
(0.44) Baron davis siting (1.18) fred jones stretched slam - perfectly done (2:20) Dominiques eyes at the rim (2:40) long 360 by ??
best in-game dunks. obviously older material but still some great stuff
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Re: Giants better without Bonds
I think the giants are a good move or two away from winning the West. they have arms, they need offense
Yes, the absence of Barry bonds is likely a big relief for many of the players in the clubhouse. Barry bonds sans cushy attitude and luxuries would be an incredible aura to be around. no matter what he or any of his teammates did, it would have been hard to ignore for some.
He’s arguably the greatest overall player of the last half of the 20th century. 1987-2007 was a phenomenal time to watch him play, grow, and win.
there are a handful of giants players younger than 26 (some our age) who are important for their success. Most had not experienced success with Barry, had not raised a pennant with Barry, had not won 100 games with Barry. Many had not seen 40 home runs and had never watched 30 stolen bases from the dugout. They had not experienced any of it with barry. And Barry had never experienced it with the majority of them. These reciprocally polar feelings made the last season or two awfully apprehensive.
Barry Bonds can still swing a bat. All of us have our own opinions about what he may have done unnaturally but his body is no doubt breaking down naturally. (Too bad for him baseball doesn’t have courtesy runners anymore – a lot of AL teams would have raised interests.) His physical liability in the outfield and on the bases is difficult to deal with but his emotional liability is what is most difficult to sign a contract with. Plus, a jail cell wouldn’t help.
His skill in the batter’s box may turn out to be difficult to replace but the emotional weight lifting from the remaining Giants’ shoulders could turn out to be a profitable return.
Crenshaw high? Or UC Davis?
U.C. Davis is topping a national list of colleges, but for all the wrong reasons. According to a new survey done by Reader's Digest, U.C. Davis is among the most dangerous college campuses in the country. The top five campuses with high crime rates are: University of Colorado, U.C. Davis, University of Florida, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Duke University. The safest campuses are New York University, Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, University of Chicago and University of Nevada at Las Vegas. U.C. Davis has not commented on this survey. In the past University officials have said that their bad ranking may not be an indication of an actual increase in crime but instead an increase in the number of crimes reported because of new procedures put in place to make it easer to report crimes.
I can vouch. After our great bong was stolen, I never looked at Davis in the same light.
I can vouch. After our great bong was stolen, I never looked at Davis in the same light.
giants better without bonds?
From: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/12/SP46V0BG6.DTL
OUT OF THE PICTURE
Giants believe they'll have better chemistry without Bonds
Henry Schulman, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
(02-12) 04:00 PST Scottsdale, Ariz. -- It should not take long to see a different clubhouse when the Giants open spring training Wednesday. Some of the players were contemplating changes even as they honed their golf games this winter.
"I just had some preliminary conversations with Randy Winn about keeping everyone on the same level," reliever Tyler Walker said. "If stretching is at 4 o'clock, you're out there or it's a fine, so nobody feels like somebody's getting preferential treatment."
You don't have to be Rodin to chip away at that quote and see a sculpture of Barry Bonds in repose at his locker while the rest of the Giants got loose outside.
There is much the players cannot control. Manager Bruce Bochy pens the lineups and general manager Brian Sabean will decide the roster, which he hopes to tweak before Opening Day to add offense, if he can.
One thing remains within the players' grasp: Only they can decide what type of clubhouse they want now that Bonds is gone. Only they can anoint leaders and declare the message they want to send to their fans and one another as they launch what could be a turbulent rebuilding season.
One can debate the value of team chemistry from now until the Tampa Bay Rays' first World Series victory parade. There is no question that talent and execution are more important, and the Giants have much room to improve on both counts after a 71-91 season.
Even so, a reporter who visited the home clubhouse at Fenway Park when the Giants played in Boston in June was struck by the jocularity and fellowship inside a room populated by youngsters and superstars who together won a World Series four months later. It was a stark contrast to the way the Giants tiptoed through Bonds' clubhouse.
And make no mistake, it was his clubhouse.
"With his stature, he could trump anybody," Walker said. "His years in the league and his home runs were the biggest trump cards in the deck."
Walker envisions players who once took a "backseat" in leadership emerging to set a tone in 2008, such as Barry Zito, Bengie Molina and even the church mouse Winn, "because they're not afraid of stepping on somebody's toes."
Zito said some players were not "comfortable in their own skin" around Bonds, himself included.
"I'm excited," Zito said, "because people will be allowed to be who they want to be, not who they think they have to be because there is such a heavy presence in the clubhouse, such a superstar player."
Sabean has heard some players talk about a freer clubhouse.
"The players are excited to, on one hand, be themselves, and on the other hand, branch out a little bit," Sabean said. "We all know that in a lot of ways, Barry was bigger than life on the field and in the clubhouse. He was a very dominating personality. At least the players I've talked to, they're interested in making a statement."
That statement is "win together, lose together."
Bochy has expressed his desire for a grittier team, and Walker believes that something as simple as the stretching rule can help.
"I think it's the philosophy behind it that's going to lead to the wins," he said. "Everybody's accountable for his actions. If you go out to stretch late, what's that saying about your attitude that day? That you're going to give it 100 percent? That you're going to be a nose-in-the-dirt player? Are you going to go out and get after it or are you going to be the guy who's late for stretching?"
There will be many dynamics to watch in the weeks ahead, starting with the Aaron Rowand factor. He was known as a unifier in Chicago and Philadelphia, a guy who would invite 15 teammates to dinner and pick up the tab.
Another is how the Giants respond to their inevitable losing streaks. It is easy to promise cohesion now, when they are 0-0. How can anyone say they will keep it together if they implode?
How will the older players and the kids get along? That became a problem in Los Angeles last season, when the two camps splintered.
The Giants promise to infuse some younger players onto their roster who have grown together in the farm system, a novelty in these parts. Last year, Tim Lincecum, Brian Wilson, Jonathan Sanchez, Daniel Ortmeier, Nate Schierholtz, Eliezer Alfonzo, Guillermo Rodriguez and Fred Lewis all spent some time at Triple-A Fresno, and the Grizzlies had their first winning season (77-67) since 1998.
Wilson said good clubhouse vibes played a role.
"Fresno used to be like a disease. There were never winning seasons," he said. "There was no team brotherhood, like we had last year. Everyone knew each other, and we were kind of joking around. We always had a good time. There was never a down point in the season where you lose seven games in a row and everyone hates each other. It wasn't like that.
"We just went on a four-game slide and said, 'OK, let's focus and steamroll these teams.' "
Nobody expects the Giants to do much steamrolling in 2008. But if they can stretch together, and laugh together, perhaps they can weather the adversity that is expected to blow their way.
OUT OF THE PICTURE
Giants believe they'll have better chemistry without Bonds
Henry Schulman, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
(02-12) 04:00 PST Scottsdale, Ariz. -- It should not take long to see a different clubhouse when the Giants open spring training Wednesday. Some of the players were contemplating changes even as they honed their golf games this winter.
"I just had some preliminary conversations with Randy Winn about keeping everyone on the same level," reliever Tyler Walker said. "If stretching is at 4 o'clock, you're out there or it's a fine, so nobody feels like somebody's getting preferential treatment."
You don't have to be Rodin to chip away at that quote and see a sculpture of Barry Bonds in repose at his locker while the rest of the Giants got loose outside.
There is much the players cannot control. Manager Bruce Bochy pens the lineups and general manager Brian Sabean will decide the roster, which he hopes to tweak before Opening Day to add offense, if he can.
One thing remains within the players' grasp: Only they can decide what type of clubhouse they want now that Bonds is gone. Only they can anoint leaders and declare the message they want to send to their fans and one another as they launch what could be a turbulent rebuilding season.
One can debate the value of team chemistry from now until the Tampa Bay Rays' first World Series victory parade. There is no question that talent and execution are more important, and the Giants have much room to improve on both counts after a 71-91 season.
Even so, a reporter who visited the home clubhouse at Fenway Park when the Giants played in Boston in June was struck by the jocularity and fellowship inside a room populated by youngsters and superstars who together won a World Series four months later. It was a stark contrast to the way the Giants tiptoed through Bonds' clubhouse.
And make no mistake, it was his clubhouse.
"With his stature, he could trump anybody," Walker said. "His years in the league and his home runs were the biggest trump cards in the deck."
Walker envisions players who once took a "backseat" in leadership emerging to set a tone in 2008, such as Barry Zito, Bengie Molina and even the church mouse Winn, "because they're not afraid of stepping on somebody's toes."
Zito said some players were not "comfortable in their own skin" around Bonds, himself included.
"I'm excited," Zito said, "because people will be allowed to be who they want to be, not who they think they have to be because there is such a heavy presence in the clubhouse, such a superstar player."
Sabean has heard some players talk about a freer clubhouse.
"The players are excited to, on one hand, be themselves, and on the other hand, branch out a little bit," Sabean said. "We all know that in a lot of ways, Barry was bigger than life on the field and in the clubhouse. He was a very dominating personality. At least the players I've talked to, they're interested in making a statement."
That statement is "win together, lose together."
Bochy has expressed his desire for a grittier team, and Walker believes that something as simple as the stretching rule can help.
"I think it's the philosophy behind it that's going to lead to the wins," he said. "Everybody's accountable for his actions. If you go out to stretch late, what's that saying about your attitude that day? That you're going to give it 100 percent? That you're going to be a nose-in-the-dirt player? Are you going to go out and get after it or are you going to be the guy who's late for stretching?"
There will be many dynamics to watch in the weeks ahead, starting with the Aaron Rowand factor. He was known as a unifier in Chicago and Philadelphia, a guy who would invite 15 teammates to dinner and pick up the tab.
Another is how the Giants respond to their inevitable losing streaks. It is easy to promise cohesion now, when they are 0-0. How can anyone say they will keep it together if they implode?
How will the older players and the kids get along? That became a problem in Los Angeles last season, when the two camps splintered.
The Giants promise to infuse some younger players onto their roster who have grown together in the farm system, a novelty in these parts. Last year, Tim Lincecum, Brian Wilson, Jonathan Sanchez, Daniel Ortmeier, Nate Schierholtz, Eliezer Alfonzo, Guillermo Rodriguez and Fred Lewis all spent some time at Triple-A Fresno, and the Grizzlies had their first winning season (77-67) since 1998.
Wilson said good clubhouse vibes played a role.
"Fresno used to be like a disease. There were never winning seasons," he said. "There was no team brotherhood, like we had last year. Everyone knew each other, and we were kind of joking around. We always had a good time. There was never a down point in the season where you lose seven games in a row and everyone hates each other. It wasn't like that.
"We just went on a four-game slide and said, 'OK, let's focus and steamroll these teams.' "
Nobody expects the Giants to do much steamrolling in 2008. But if they can stretch together, and laugh together, perhaps they can weather the adversity that is expected to blow their way.
Riddle me this Batman..
Shit sucks because shit has been shitty since the first shit was shat.
What hides under mountains.
Is always in one place.
Can always be seen, yet never held.
And is always somewhere.
What hides under mountains.
Is always in one place.
Can always be seen, yet never held.
And is always somewhere.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
so i was taking a really smelly shit...
and i was wondering, and i would like to hear all of your opinions on this one, why are shits such a detestable thing?
a few things i considered as possibilities:
1. because they smell bad and i dont like bad smells i concluded that shits must be repugnant
2. contrary, they smell bad only because they are a disgusting thing, like shitting, and if it were something else - without any prior knowledge that that smell is derived from a shit - that was pleasant, we would not think the smell to be bad at all.
3. and if 2, then shits dont really smell bad at all, but it is more because we think shitting is disgusting the smell that follows must be disgusting too.
4. so my somewhat conclusion after i flushed the toilet was that if it was socially agreed upon, and a norm of human society, that shitting was this thing that was not disgusting or detestable or repugnant, then, maybe smelling shit would not be so bad.
what are your suggestions?
a few things i considered as possibilities:
1. because they smell bad and i dont like bad smells i concluded that shits must be repugnant
2. contrary, they smell bad only because they are a disgusting thing, like shitting, and if it were something else - without any prior knowledge that that smell is derived from a shit - that was pleasant, we would not think the smell to be bad at all.
3. and if 2, then shits dont really smell bad at all, but it is more because we think shitting is disgusting the smell that follows must be disgusting too.
4. so my somewhat conclusion after i flushed the toilet was that if it was socially agreed upon, and a norm of human society, that shitting was this thing that was not disgusting or detestable or repugnant, then, maybe smelling shit would not be so bad.
what are your suggestions?
Friday, February 8, 2008
Riddle
There are 7 girls on a bus
Each girl is wearing 7 backpacks
In each backpack, there are 7 big cats
For every big cat there are 7 little cats
How Many Legs Are In The Bus?
(this is not a trick question, there is a real answer) post your answers
Each girl is wearing 7 backpacks
In each backpack, there are 7 big cats
For every big cat there are 7 little cats
How Many Legs Are In The Bus?
(this is not a trick question, there is a real answer) post your answers
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
clemens
this is one of those situations that its hard to determine who is telling the truth or not - personally, i think clemens took the drugs and used them to his advantage. then again, ive always disliked him and could be somewhat biased in my opinion.
that said, if clemens DID take illegal performance-enhancing drugs and he thinks there is ANY way it could be proved that he did so knowingly, he better stay away from congress next week (or whenever hes going for the hearing). his ex-trainer and ex-good friend are both out there saying contradicting statements which is not a good sign. he should take note of whats happening to bonds out here on the west coast - if he lies and they think they can prove it, they will come after him.
The whole steroids controversy has been way overdone and i have pretty much got over all of it but i will be tuning in when the hearing occurs because this is some real heavy drama.
that said, if clemens DID take illegal performance-enhancing drugs and he thinks there is ANY way it could be proved that he did so knowingly, he better stay away from congress next week (or whenever hes going for the hearing). his ex-trainer and ex-good friend are both out there saying contradicting statements which is not a good sign. he should take note of whats happening to bonds out here on the west coast - if he lies and they think they can prove it, they will come after him.
The whole steroids controversy has been way overdone and i have pretty much got over all of it but i will be tuning in when the hearing occurs because this is some real heavy drama.
honestly
how long shaq going to play basketball, i can't believe we still talk about this guy, it's strsnage that Jorrdan could probably be playing this long also
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Cal Recieves Recruitment From Non-Recruited Player
from: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/andy_staples/02/04/pryor.watch/
Think of the strangest recruiting story you can remember. Got it? It's about to get topped.
Kevin Hart, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive lineman from Fernley (Nev.), held a press conference Friday at Fernley High to announce where he intended to play college football. The local newspaper covered it. So did local television stations. It came down to a tough choice between Oregon and Cal, Hart told reporters, but in the end, he had decided he would sign with the Bears on Wednesday. It was a big moment; no athlete at the school had gone to a Division I school directly from high school, according to the Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal.
"[Cal] coach [Jeff] Tedford and I talked a lot, and the fact that the head coach did most of the recruiting of me kind of gave me that real personal experience," Hart told reporters at the press conference.
Several hours later, BearTerritory.net, a Rivals.com site that covers Cal sports, reported that no scholarship had been offered and that no one on the Cal coaching staff had been in contact with Hart or Fernley coach Mark Hodges. According to the Gazette-Journal, school officials spent part of the weekend trying to discern exactly how Hart came to believe he had scholarship offers to Oregon and Cal. The NCAA was called, Nevada Interscholastic Athletics Association executive director Eddie Bonine said. Hart, reached Monday by SI.com, declined comment. So did Hodges, citing an ongoing investigation. No one from Cal or Oregon can comment on Hart because NCAA rules forbid employees of member schools from commenting publicly about recruitable athletes.
Is it possible someone pulled off an elaborate hoax and made Hart believe he was being recruited when he wasn't? It's easy to guess that Hart invented his recruitment, but if he did, why would he hold a press conference and risk the potential embarrassment of being exposed? That part doesn't make sense.
A little easier to understand is how a player and a family might not have understood how the recruiting process works. A player offered a scholarship would have received volumes of mail from the school. He also would have received a visit from an assistant coach and probably the head coach. School officials would have ensured the player sent his transcript and test scores to the NCAA Clearinghouse for examination. These things are obvious to those who follow college football passionately, but not necessarily to those who don't.
If it was a hoax or practical joke, Hart may not have legal recourse. Lyon County Sheriff's Department Capt. Tom VanDalinda arrived at work Monday with a stack of messages from reporters asking about his department's investigation into the case. VanDalinda said he could find no incident report concerning the case, and even if the department found someone had impersonated a coach, VanDalinda said he isn't sure there is a crime on the books with which to charge the offending party.
"I can't see how we would be involved, because I don't know what crime would have been committed," VanDalinda said. "Either someone is impersonating a recruiter or a fantastic story has been told."
Think of the strangest recruiting story you can remember. Got it? It's about to get topped.
Kevin Hart, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive lineman from Fernley (Nev.), held a press conference Friday at Fernley High to announce where he intended to play college football. The local newspaper covered it. So did local television stations. It came down to a tough choice between Oregon and Cal, Hart told reporters, but in the end, he had decided he would sign with the Bears on Wednesday. It was a big moment; no athlete at the school had gone to a Division I school directly from high school, according to the Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal.
"[Cal] coach [Jeff] Tedford and I talked a lot, and the fact that the head coach did most of the recruiting of me kind of gave me that real personal experience," Hart told reporters at the press conference.
Several hours later, BearTerritory.net, a Rivals.com site that covers Cal sports, reported that no scholarship had been offered and that no one on the Cal coaching staff had been in contact with Hart or Fernley coach Mark Hodges. According to the Gazette-Journal, school officials spent part of the weekend trying to discern exactly how Hart came to believe he had scholarship offers to Oregon and Cal. The NCAA was called, Nevada Interscholastic Athletics Association executive director Eddie Bonine said. Hart, reached Monday by SI.com, declined comment. So did Hodges, citing an ongoing investigation. No one from Cal or Oregon can comment on Hart because NCAA rules forbid employees of member schools from commenting publicly about recruitable athletes.
Is it possible someone pulled off an elaborate hoax and made Hart believe he was being recruited when he wasn't? It's easy to guess that Hart invented his recruitment, but if he did, why would he hold a press conference and risk the potential embarrassment of being exposed? That part doesn't make sense.
A little easier to understand is how a player and a family might not have understood how the recruiting process works. A player offered a scholarship would have received volumes of mail from the school. He also would have received a visit from an assistant coach and probably the head coach. School officials would have ensured the player sent his transcript and test scores to the NCAA Clearinghouse for examination. These things are obvious to those who follow college football passionately, but not necessarily to those who don't.
If it was a hoax or practical joke, Hart may not have legal recourse. Lyon County Sheriff's Department Capt. Tom VanDalinda arrived at work Monday with a stack of messages from reporters asking about his department's investigation into the case. VanDalinda said he could find no incident report concerning the case, and even if the department found someone had impersonated a coach, VanDalinda said he isn't sure there is a crime on the books with which to charge the offending party.
"I can't see how we would be involved, because I don't know what crime would have been committed," VanDalinda said. "Either someone is impersonating a recruiter or a fantastic story has been told."
Monday, February 4, 2008
BLAZE Those Frosty NUGS!
Great sign just shown during the Nuggets-Blazers game on MojoHD (aka simulcast NBA TV)...
"BLAZE Those Frosty NUGS!"
"BLAZE Those Frosty NUGS!"
Got Scripts?
Hey guys, I've got the filming itch again. But I'm workin 8am-5pm Monday through Fridays so time is limited. I want to start to get some shorts under my belt, some actual quality 30 seconds (commercials or just something with substance or quality in that time)-10 minute shorts. I'm gonna be attempting to write 1 a week, and shooting it on Saturdays/Sundays and editing Sunday through the rest of the week. But it can be hard to do this every week, which is why I'm turning to you guys.
If anyone has anything written up, or can write something out and wants to shoot it, send it to me and lets talk. I'm not looking for someone to meet up with on Saturday and go from there, I want an actual idea, I hate sitting around all day shooting jack shit, its pointless. This is an exercise for me and you.
If you are not in town which I know some of you are, this is a really tight way to see how well two people can interpret each other's vision.
So if you ever have a spur of enlightenment and can write it out, do it. Or if you can write something small every week lets shoot it.
and lastly, make sure it can be realistically filmed by someone with a 20 dollar budget and access to a max of 5 actors.
If anyone has anything written up, or can write something out and wants to shoot it, send it to me and lets talk. I'm not looking for someone to meet up with on Saturday and go from there, I want an actual idea, I hate sitting around all day shooting jack shit, its pointless. This is an exercise for me and you.
If you are not in town which I know some of you are, this is a really tight way to see how well two people can interpret each other's vision.
So if you ever have a spur of enlightenment and can write it out, do it. Or if you can write something small every week lets shoot it.
and lastly, make sure it can be realistically filmed by someone with a 20 dollar budget and access to a max of 5 actors.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
what a game
I knew you had it in you kid. The end of the game said it all. Belicheck knows the rules, you finish the game then shake the hand. Tears in the Giants eyes was the proof they had what the Patriots never will, it's called playing with heart. Couldn't have written a better ending to this season. Manning Dynasty Next?!?!?!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Interesting Webber Tidbits
All the rewinding folks are doing these days to Webber's departure from the Warriors in November 1994 should make teams feel grateful all over again that the NBA and the players' union agreed to implement a rookie salary scale starting with the 1995-96 season. Ever since that monumental change, rookies have been forced to wait four or five seasons before they can even think of forcing a trade like Webber did after his first season.
Before the salary scale, remember, rookies could hold out for h-u-g-e contracts that angered veterans and left the league's less glamorous teams in constant fear that they wouldn't be able to keep the young saviors bestowed upon them by the draft. In the draft after Webber's, for example, Milwaukee had legit fears that Glenn Robinson was going to hold out for $100 million before eventually signing Big Dog for $68 million over 10 seasons.
Webber's original contract from the Warriors was a stunning 15-year deal worth about $75 million ... so stunning that it also contained an opt-out clause after his rookie season. The system was such a mess in those days that teams still had to create salary-cap space to sign their rookies, which forced Golden State to trade away Tyrone Hill first and meant that Webber's rookie salary was a mere $1.6 million that first season, which led to a deal strung out over 15 years and included the opt-out clause to compensate. Even though he was a restricted free agent after opting out, Webber still had enough leverage to force his exit, leading to the trade to Washington for Tom Gugliotta and three first-year picks.
As if Clevelanders aren't edgy enough when someone even dares to suggest that LeBron James might leave his hometown Cavs someday, imagine what it would have been like if LeBron would have held the right to become a free agent after Year 1.
Before the salary scale, remember, rookies could hold out for h-u-g-e contracts that angered veterans and left the league's less glamorous teams in constant fear that they wouldn't be able to keep the young saviors bestowed upon them by the draft. In the draft after Webber's, for example, Milwaukee had legit fears that Glenn Robinson was going to hold out for $100 million before eventually signing Big Dog for $68 million over 10 seasons.
Webber's original contract from the Warriors was a stunning 15-year deal worth about $75 million ... so stunning that it also contained an opt-out clause after his rookie season. The system was such a mess in those days that teams still had to create salary-cap space to sign their rookies, which forced Golden State to trade away Tyrone Hill first and meant that Webber's rookie salary was a mere $1.6 million that first season, which led to a deal strung out over 15 years and included the opt-out clause to compensate. Even though he was a restricted free agent after opting out, Webber still had enough leverage to force his exit, leading to the trade to Washington for Tom Gugliotta and three first-year picks.
As if Clevelanders aren't edgy enough when someone even dares to suggest that LeBron James might leave his hometown Cavs someday, imagine what it would have been like if LeBron would have held the right to become a free agent after Year 1.
Thank you
brett, scott, matt, whoever thank you. im sorry for acting likethis but i was very much ready to end it all. im sorry all of you. thank you brett for making feel something. im sorry to all of you.
Friday, February 1, 2008
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