The Sports Thread

[RGMike]

I'm glad hockey is back. I'm going to the shark tank next Saturday. There was a family pack offer where you get four tickets, hot dogs, pretzels and sodas.Go Sharks!

Ticket prices look like they're a bit lower (?)  We have tix for 3 games. The Tank rules! Let me know if it's a sellout or if there are a lot of empty seats -- and whether the concession stand prices are lower.

[Gazoo]

The FOX football announcer just made a Holy Grail reference, quoting the movie's "Run away! Runaway!" rabbit line.

You might have heard my head spinning all the way on the other coast.

[ggould]

Tiger and Daly are in a playoff only a mile or two away from me, the Blue Angels rumble in the distance, and the Niners are sucking at Candlestick.

[RGMike]

The FOX football announcer just made a Holy Grail reference, quoting the movie's "Run away! Runaway!" rabbit line.

You might have heard my head spinning all the way on the other coast.

Sorry, you were drowned out by the Blue Angels -- and the sound of the Niners going down the drain :wink:

[RGMike]

Anyone watch the entire 5 hr 50 min, 18-inning Astros/Braves game? God, I hate Roger Clemens.  I mean, I'm no Braves fan, but I REALLY hate Clemens.  

Did I mention that I hate Clemens?

[Alicat]

I was driving over the GG back from Marin about 4pm with the Angels zooming from SF to the Headlands and making loops. AWESOME! One flew across the span very low and close to us. There were more sailboats out there than I have ever seen in one place. I heard on the radio that the game was 17 innings. Maybe they were still playing. Is that a record?

[Gazoo]

I was driving over the GG back from Marin about 4pm with the Angels zooming from SF to the Headlands and making loops. AWESOME! One flew across the span very low and close to us. There were more sailboats out there than I have ever seen in one place. I heard on the radio that the game was 17 innings. Maybe they were still playing. Is that a record?

It was the longest playoff game ever in terms of innings (18) and the second-longest in terms of time elapsed (I didn't catch which game was longer).  I have conflicting feelings about Roger -- as a Red Sox fan, I'm ever mindful of his early work, and certain pictures of him still make me feel funny in my special place; but on the other hand, he is kind of an asshole, and I won't be surprised at all if we someday learn he'd been the biggest steroid abuser of them all.  But trumping all that was/is my dislike of Smoltz and the Braves, so I was fine and dandy with how that one turned out.

[RGMike]

I was driving over the GG back from Marin about 4pm with the Angels zooming from SF to the Headlands and making loops. AWESOME! One flew across the span very low and close to us. There were more sailboats out there than I have ever seen in one place. I heard on the radio that the game was 17 innings. Maybe they were still playing. Is that a record?

It was the longest playoff game ever in terms of innings (18) and the second-longest in terms of time elapsed (I didn't catch which game was longer).  I have conflicting feelings about Roger -- as a Red Sox fan, I'm ever mindful of his early work, and certain pictures of him still make me feel funny in my special place; but on the other hand, he is kind of an asshole, and I won't be surprised at all if we someday learn he'd been the biggest steroid abuser of them all.  But trumping all that was/is my dislike of Smoltz and the Braves, so I was fine and dandy with how that one turned out.

God knows I dislike Smoltz too.   When they pitched against each other last week I called it "Steroids vs. Jesus", which sounds like a South Park ep.

[mshray]

I really hoped that the Braves would win just so they'd be playing today & whoever won would have some juggling to do for the series in St. Louis.  But they played 2 full games on Sunday, so that's nearly as good.  Clemens won't be available until Game 3 now, which means we should get Pettitte on Wed, Oswalt in Game 2 & Bakke in game 4.  

Have I mentioned that I'll be there for game 1?  Leaving tomorrow for a business trip, and by bro from KC will be driving out Wedndasy morning to meet us.  He scored tix, so we'll be taking our folks along.  Look for us straight back from 1st base, one level up, row 6.

I don't have a strong visceral feeling about Clemens, he's too good to hate much (like Barry) & mostly I just don't like my team facing him.  Last year, when he lost Game 7 of the NLCS, it was pretty remarkable that we could come back to win the game.  In the 142 previous games in which Clemens had a 2 run lead at any point, he had won 140 of them.

[urth]

I really hoped that the Braves would win just so they'd be playing today & whoever won would have some juggling to do for the series in St. Louis.  But they played 2 full games on Sunday, so that's nearly as good.  Clemens won't be available until Game 3 now, which means we should get Pettitte on Wed, Oswalt in Game 2 & Bakke in game 4.  

Have I mentioned that I'll be there for game 1?  Leaving tomorrow for a business trip, and by bro from KC will be driving out Wedndasy morning to meet us.  He scored tix, so we'll be taking our folks along.  Look for us straight back from 1st base, one level up, row 6.

I don't have a strong visceral feeling about Clemens, he's too good to hate much (like Barry) & mostly I just don't like my team facing him.  Last year, when he lost Game 7 of the NLCS, it was pretty remarkable that we could come back to win the game.  In the 142 previous games in which Clemens had a 2 run lead at any point, he had won 140 of them.

Hey, man that's some nice timing on your part. Have a great time--hope the Cards knock them on their Astros. And say goodbye to old Busch stadium for me, too!

[RGMike]

hope the Cards knock them on their Astros.

LOL!  I'll be looking for folks holding up signs that say that!

The opposite, which I saw when the Cards played the Giants in 2002:
"Shove it up your Pujols".  That one actually got on TV for a brief second.

[ggould]

And say goodbye to old Busch stadium for me, too!

I remember going there once a few years ago for a Cubs/Cards game, and the main memory is one of overwhelming oppressive heat and humidity.  Weather wimp that I am.

[urth]

And say goodbye to old Busch stadium for me, too!

I remember going there once a few years ago for a Cubs/Cards game, and the main memory is one of overwhelming oppressive heat and humidity.  Weather wimp that I am.

I don't think it's just you, Geoff--Sarah attended several games there while going to school at Mizzou, and she always talked about how hot it was in that ballpark. I remember hearing about games where it was 120+ down on the field.

[urth]

So anyone care to guess how long before Joe Torre is shown the door? I'd say probably by this weekend. Steinbrenner cannot be happy that his Yankees have missed two World Series in a row, have not won the series in 5 years and have only played in two of the last four. I'm thinking Torre will be handed his head, and sooner rather than later.

On the other hand, I don't think he'll be out of work for long. Can you picture him in Dodger blue?

[RGMike]

So anyone care to guess how long before Joe Torre is shown the door? I'd say probably by this weekend. Steinbrenner cannot be happy that his Yankees have missed two World Series in a row, have not won the series in 5 years and have only played in two of the last four. I'm thinking Torre will be handed his head, and sooner rather than later.

On the other hand, I don't think he'll be out of work for long. Can you picture him in Dodger blue?

I dunno, people said the same thing last year. George & Joe are co-dependent, methinks.  Word is Cashman may be more likely to leave.  But yeah, if they fire Torre the Dodgers'll snap him up immediately.  But who will the Yanks get?  Ken Macha? ROTFL!!!