Site News: An experiment sure to go wrong

So tomorrow, for the late morning Tech game, I'm going to try something new: a live blog/live diary! Oh my is this going to be a disaster...

Yay, Joe Nathan is injured! (Updated)

(UPDATE: 3/10/10) This morning, SportCenter recapped the Joe Nathan Story. In their highlight package, the first 4 clips were of Nathan beating the White Sox. Yep, real happy he's injured.

Something may be seriously wrong with me.

I shall not tell a lie, when I first read the news this morning that All-Star Twins closer, and long time Sox nemesis, Joe Nathan could possibly be out for the season with an elbow ligament tear, I quietly cheered.

(Do you know what nemesis means...)

Now, Joe Nathan is an enormously gifted athlete. Anchoring the Twins bullpen, he has been chosen to All-Star teams, and led his team to the playoffs. He has consistently been one of the best closers in baseball. I freely admit that if he were a White Sox, I would probably have a jersey with his name and number on it (See: Pierzynski, A.J. Coincidentally, the Twins traded A.J. to the Giants to get Nathan). Were he a member of any other team than the damn Twins, I'd be perfectly fine with him, probably even perusing him for fantasy baseball purposes. Going further, I'm sure he's even a nice guy in "real life," probably spearheading many philanthropic efforts across the Upper Midwest.

But the fact remains, he is a Twin. Every time the Twins have won a close game over my beloved Sox during the past 6 years, Nathan has been the smiling face of South Side defeat. It's the nature of the beast. It's why everyone hates K-Rod. The closers antics on the mound are the last things you see as "your" team loses. By the very nature, the position breeds resentment.

I'm not proud of it. I'm really not. I try to justify my schadenfreude with explanations like "his contract's guaranteed, and, with modern sports medicine, he'll make a complete recovery," but that only covers up for the fact that this morning I cheered another man's pain. It's a funny thing, being a sports fan. A sad, depressing, funny thing.

Monday Grab Bag: Oscars, Buffs Win!, and Bears spending a lot of money

After a pretty solid weekend, there's plenty in the bag to discuss...

Oscars: While not necessarily germane to the blog, I am a major movie fanatic and I watch these every year. "The Hurt Locker" rightly smashed Avatar last night. A major technical achievement does not mean it was a great movie. I would've liked to have seen a little more payoff for "Inglourious Basterds," but I recognize that Tarrantino is caught in that nebulous place where he is too established to get the fresh face love, and not long-toothed enough to get the "achievement" love. Also, J-Lo looked like she was wearing bubble-wrap.

(How did she go all evening without popping it all? From: some blog via google image search)

Big CU win vs Texas Tech: Let me start out by saying that Saturday's win vs Tech was great to be at. Dwight Thorne closed out the Ricardo Patton era out with a win (he was the last RP recruit still playing), CU clinched the 8th seed and a rematch vs Tech in the conference tournament on Wednesday, and a nice crowd got a good show as Cory Higgins dropped 30 (vaulting into the top ten of all time CU scorers) and Al Burks threw in 24 (becoming the highest scoring freshmen in CU history). There were a few defensive lapses, but CU held strong in the 2nd half and wound up scoring 101pts, which was pretty cool. It's going to be hard to repeat this type of performance on Wednesday (usually teams struggle to win in the tournament against teams they just saw and beat), but I expect Coach Bz will get the team ready for the biggest game of their season. A win on Wednesday, and the NIT should call (Not to mention, another shot at Kansas).

(I'll miss ya, DW. From: BDC)

Texas Tech has 8 coaches: That's right, 8 coaches. They don't even list them all on their website, but there they sat on Saturday, 8 strong. It looked like a clown car was emptying when they came out of the locker room. All-in-all, Tech brought 8 coaches, 2 trainers, 3 broadcasters, and a towel boy (In addition to, you know, the players). I'm not entirely sure what they all do, after all, there's only so much coaching one person can provide. Hasn't Pat Knight ever heard of diminishing returns? Think of it this way: Tech scored 90 points on Saturday, so that's an average of 11.25 points per coach. Not very spectacular, especially when compared to CU's 20.2 points per coach (CU had 5 coaches on bench). Tech's 8 coaches sure haven't helped them much this year: Tech went from being ranked in the pre-conference season, to barely finishing over .500 overall. Just saying...

(That'd be them in the red polos. From: Me)

Cory shows his inner MJ: It's widely known that Cory Higgins practices over the summer with his father's friend and boss Michael Jordan. Knowing this, it's easy to notice a little of the MJ has rubbed off on him. On two occasions on Saturday, Cory drove down the baseline, and dunked over a defender that had been grabbing onto him. He'd hang on the rim while glaring at his opponent, as if to say "keep grabbing". Those were two spectacular FU dunks (The Jordan special). Usually, Cory appears to be a little laid back on the court. But, if you piss him off, he's got a fire and a glare that only MJ could've taught him.

Cubs Tax: I don't want to get to heavily into this topic, but essentially the Cubs are close to getting the State of Arizona to impart a tax on tickets for the rest of the Cactus League to keep them in Mesa, Arizona and build a new spring training facility. This past week, 4 teams (The White Sox, Reds, Angels, and Dodgers) boycotted some league-wide kick-off breakfast to protest this tax. You'd think that I'd be ready to burn down the Arizona Capitol over this, but, honestly, I don't care. My beloved White Sox already screwed over Tucson to move closer to Phoneix, and then had the gall to massively hike ticket prices (which, in turn, will keep me from attending Spring Training in the near future), so they don't have much of a leg to stand on. The only problem I have is the Cubs forcing the fans of other teams to pay for their new facility, rather than the other clubs. (The other clubs reap a big benefit from the traveling Cub fans going to the "road" spring training games). Do notice that now the Cubs are screwing over other fan bases, and not just their own.

The Bears sign every free agent: Over the weekend, the Bears made a big splash in the free agency market by scooping up TE Brandon Manumaleuna, RB Chester Taylor, and DE Julius Peppers. Lots of money going out of Virginia McCaskey's pocket there. It's nice to see the normally frugal Bears try to utilize free agency to actually improve the team (after trading away their entire draft last year in the stupid Cutler trade, did they have any other option?), but where's the wide receiver that is so badly needed? I guess getting a new receiver would just get Cutler to sulk some more, as he would surely throw even more interceptions trying to find his new play-thing down field.

(Someone's got a case of the Monday's)

MLB 2k10: I only have a x-box 360, so my sole baseball video game option is the 2k series. (Widely regarded as the superior baseball sim, MLB: The Show is a PS3 exclusive) I haven't been buying baseball video games over the past few years, but I decided to give this one a shot. I really like the pitching mechanics (you use your right stick to perform pitch specific motions), and the hitting system is O.K (I prefer the stick version to the button mashing of other series). The "My Player" mode (where you create a player and them try to take him from minors, to majors, to the HOF) is also kind of nifty. The opponent A.I, however, is a disaster. You have hitters swinging at 3-0 breaking balls, fielders not covering the line with 2 outs, and pitchers swinging away all the time. It's as if the makers of the game have no idea how baseball is actually played. I'm sure the game will provide hours of enjoyment, but, honestly, it's crap until they can make an A.I. system that actually plays professional baseball, and not sandlot crap.

Have a happy Monday!

Friday Beer Post: Vietnamese Beer

One of my guilty pleasures is food television. Not necessarily "Food Network" mind you, but anything that can be considered an exploitation of food. My favorite foodie, Anthony Bourdain, calls this "food porn." It's an exploitation and celebration of the pure indulgence of color, quality and taste of food maxed to the extreme and milked for viewership. Bourdain's show "No Reservations" even had an episode devoted entirely to the concept of "food porn." If you seek it out, have something to munch on near by, or else you'll start gnawing on your arm. I love Bourdain's show (and his books), and make every attempt to keep up with his adventures.

(Monday's on the Travel Channel!)

Anyone who follows Bourdain's travels knows of his love for Vietnam. It seems like he does a show a season there. As I am a fan of his work, I tend to lean towards what he's passionate about. I've come to look forward to his missives on his adventures to Vietnam. He's so passionate about the place, that his passion leads to my interest. The exotic world of food, adventure, and culture that he describes intrigues me to no end.

Which is why, when I stumbled upon an article from Russ Juskalian in the New York Times on Vietnamese beer culture, I had to stop everything to read. You can check out the article for yourself here. As Vietnam has had a myriad of foreign cultures attempting to impose their rule, their beer influences can be wide and varied. French, Czech, German, and American influences abound. The most interesting to me is the mix of the traditional Northern European beer-styles and South-Asian Flavors. From the article:

"I first ordered a Crystal Ale draft, a top-fermented beer made with passion fruit and local rambutan, a tropical fruit similar to litchi. It tasted faintly of honey, matched with floral highlights and a mild bitter finish. Next, I had a Passion Fruit Witbier draft, a slight twist on a Belgian classic. The witbier base itself was made with a mixture of local and imported wheat grains, and a gruit, or flavoring base, consisting of local coriander and orange, and imported hops. The resulting beer, served with a slice of lime, reminded me of the Portuguese wine vinho verde with a spicy kick of coriander. An excellent match for freshly caught seafood."

I love local takes like that. Complexity of flavor often comes from a complex cultural background. (This goes into my love of Kona Brewing Company, who sometimes mix old-world style with Polynesian ingredients)

By far the most iconic of the Vietnamese beer styles is the one Bourdain himself has featured on a few of his shows. Bia Hoi...

"...sometimes called fresh beer but literally meaning gas beer, is an unpasteurized, unpreserved brew made before the sun rises, and often imbibed before the sun sets. ... Walking around Hanoi’s narrow, warrenlike streets, one sees bia hoi joints on just about every corner — with locals quaffing the low-alcohol brew (2 to 4 percent) as early as 8 a.m., after which time, some locals say, the peak flavors are already in decline. ... The best bia hoi places in Hanoi serve a crisp, cold beer with a clean taste suggesting rice and an almost subliminal whisper of something like hops."

The article then mentions that bia hoi is essentially cheaper than water! (!!!!!)

(Gallons and gallons of bia hoi. From: NYT)

I definitely suggest you check out the article, as it's a good read. I can't imagine how awesome it would be to wander the streets of Vietnam, sampling the beers brewed by small vendors. Until I get the opportunity, I guess I'll just have to live vicariously through Bourdain and the travel section of the New York Times.

Happy Friday!

Baseball, territorial rights and YOU: Why I'm the only satisfied out of market baseball fan

I originally started out writing a lengthy diatribe on the history of the antiquated territorial blackout system used by Major League Baseball. It was pointless and boring, so I scrapped it. Suffice to say, the system was created for the time of "bunny ear" TV's, low Western population density, and localized urban centers. While the system isn't all bad (It does throw up a legal and financial roadblock to franchise movement), it's pointless in the age of instant communication and streaming video. In the particular territory, you are expected to watch home team games on television, whether its available or not. Combine that with the monopoly that DirecTV holds on the satellite TV packages, and many baseball fans get left in the dark.

(Above, the MLB blackout map. Seriously, try to make sense of that.)

Which brings me to MLB.TV. When I moved from Chicago to Colorado oh so many years ago, I was able, through the magic of the internet, to bring my beloved White Sox with me. MLB.TV allows live streaming viewing of any game baseball game you want on your computer... as long as you observe those pesky blackout restrictions. Works great for me, since Colorado is not the White Sox territory. However, it can royally suck for other transplants. The poor saps in Las Vegas and Iowa, still struggling to make sense of the blackout map, can't even use access paths like MLB.TV (or the DirecTV package) to follow baseball completely. They're stuck in '80s territorial hell.

Let's say you are a Rockies fan who, for job reasons, moves to Las Vegas. If you purchased either the internet or DirecTV baseball packages, you would, theoretically, be able to follow every game. And you could... as long as the game you wanted to watch didn't involve either the Giants, A's, Angels, Dodgers, Padres, or Diamondbacks. See, even though those 6 teams claim Las Vegas as in their territory, none of their TV partners show games there. But since those teams claim Vegas, games involving those teams are "blacked-out" for out of market viewing options. Since most of those teams are in division, in the example you would be unable to watch 75 Rox games this season, or just shy of 50% of the season, even with a DirecTV or MLB.TV subscription.

It's a bullshit system that needs to be adapted. In the past few years, soon to be outgoing baseball commissioner Bud Selig has told owners that a new system is coming, and that they are going to have to give up some of their previously claimed territory. But for now, the only option baseball gives many fans across the country is to watch pirated streams, which, in turn, costs baseball money. Fans want to give baseball their money so that they can follow their favorite teams, but baseball is currently just shrugging its shoulders.

Just today, I re-upped my MLB.TV subscription. I love it. The streams are high quality, allow for DVR capability, and are a relative bargain. But, for many its a pointless option until baseball changes their antiquated territorial division.

Ahhhh, that's good victory

The day always starts brighter after a Colorado victory. It's certainly been a while since the day started this bright after a Big XII road game. Prior to last night's 81-68 shellacking of the hated Corn in Lincoln, the last CU road Big XII victory was in January of 2006. That's like, four years ago, dude.

To be honest, I had completely forgotten that the game was last night. I'm so used to the Saturday/Wednesday rhythm of the Big XII regular season, that I assumed the game was tonight. I jumped into the game halfway through the 1st. And, lo and behold, CU was hitting every 3 pointer they took. Nebraska flailed around like a dieing chicken for the rest of the game, causing some rough stretches of ball, but in reality they had no chance once CU and Casey Crawford started their 3 point barrage.

(Casey has been huge the last two games. From: the BDC)

Obviously, shooting over 60% from the field will help you cause. And, yes, Nebraska is an awful team coached by an angry elf. But, as always, a win is a win is a win.

(You're right, Doc. That was a cheap shot. You're still the basketball equivalent of Bill Callahan.)

The road to the NIT is still clear. CU needs a win Saturday over Texas Tech and a win in the conference tournament to make it a very strong possibility. I've postulated that, should CU make the NIT, that they will be in a strong position to make a deep run in the tournament. Typically, a team's ability to succeed in the NIT is a direct correlation to it's interest in being there. Should CU make it, they will certainly be one of the teams happy and interested in being at the "Not In Tournament, Tournament." CU might even get to host a game!

(Let them play, let them play!)

Before I get ahead of the pace of time itself, I should mention that the rebounding woes continued. Nebraska collected 38 boards, 18 of them offensive, compared to CU's 18 total rebounds. Opponents 2nd chances will continue to hurt the Buff's chances, but there is little that can be done at this point. With a 5-out or 4 and 1 offense, CU will always struggle on the glass, which compounds the lack of athleticism amongst the few big men CU has to throw at the court. It's not necessarily a lack of rebounding effort that leads to stat lines like last night.

Regardless, the plan is still intact, and CU is in position to meet their preseason goal.

In latest Harris Poll, the neighborhood cat has a 73% approval rating

Every morning I wake up, take a shower, get back in bed, and turn on Sportscenter before heading off to work. For many "red-blooded American men" this routine is familiar. But Sportscenter can sometimes piss me off. Usually I let the "Bristol Bullshit" slide. I understand that ESPN needs to trot out celebrities, cross promote, and play up trifling crap to bring in the non-sports fan. It's how they make money. It's easier to just let it go then get in a huff about it.

(Howudoin' Hannah. A morning without my daily Hannah is a morning wasted. Also pictured: some guy.)

This morning, however Sportscenter went too far. They dropped this bomb shell: Tiger Woods only has a 39% approval rating. The Fuck?

I honestly feel awful for the poor Schmuck who had to run this poll. While other pollsters run around gathering America's pulse on political matters, and thereby basically driving policy and conversation in this country, this poor, unlucky fool had to gather data on whether or not American's "approve" of a golfer. What is there to approve of. He golfs. Well, I guess I do approve of his conventional back-swing. But that's not the point.
(I certainly don't approve of that choice of shirt. That's, like, sooo last year)

The Cult of Personality that courses throughout this country is massively aggravating. As far as I see it, as long as the law was not violated, it is not the public's business what Tiger did, or did not, do. Just because someone gets their own line of Gatorade, we as a society should not be allowed to "approve" or "dis-approve" of their private lives. Tiger is only responsible to his family, his friends, his sponsors, the PGA, and his faith. That's it. The over 1000 people polled have absolutely no say in his life.

You need to get that crap off of my TV, Sportscenter. I'll even take NASCAR news over that muck-raking swill.