The Sports Thread

[Gazoo]

Couple weeks ago, Sports Illustrated did a cover story on Tim Tebow, the prosletyzing quarterback whose dad is a raibidly right-wing fundamentalist preacher. The article was a total hand-job, gushing over how swell Tebow is, how dedicated to doing good.  No mention of (for one example) his controversial trip to Africa with his father to circumcize people against their will.

So this week came the letters-to-the-editor about the article and much to my delight, of the 9 letters they printed, 6 were anti-Tebow, along the lines of "great, just what the world needs: another football player to tell us that Jesus helped him win the Super Bowl". And my favorite (from a San Franciscan, of course): "Bring back Kenny Stabler!" And this is SI, whose readers are not exactly raging lefties.  Most encouraging -- it's on newsstands now (the College Football Preview issue).

I saw that, and felt the same way: but what does the Kenny Stabler line mean?

Ignorantly yours,
Gaz.

[Gazoo]

So Tom Cable (allegedly) punched one of his coaches, eh?  I can't feign surprise: that organization's almost as lawless as Russia.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4405681

[RGMike]

So Tom Cable (allegedly) punched one of his coaches, eh?  I can't feign surprise: that organization's almost as lawless as Russia.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4405681

Still love the headline when Al Davis hired him: "Old Man in Oakland Gets Cable".

[RGMike]

"Touchdown.... NNNNNNASA!" er, I mean, "RRRRRaiders!"

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/Astronaut-Taking-His-Raider-Gear-to-Outer-Space-54802437.html

[Lightnin' Rod]

"Touchdown.... NNNNNNASA!" er, I mean, "RRRRRaiders!"

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/Astronaut-Taking-His-Raider-Gear-to-Outer-Space-54802437.html

Awesome.

Darth Vader couldn't be more pleased.

[urth]

"Touchdown.... NNNNNNASA!" er, I mean, "RRRRRaiders!"

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/Astronaut-Taking-His-Raider-Gear-to-Outer-Space-54802437.html

Awesome.

Darth Vader couldn't be more pleased.

Dug the "about the author" blurb at the end:

Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who wishes we could leave LaDainian Tomlinson up at the International Space Station.

[Alicat]

A shiny new penny for the g-men? Not shiny but new to the team is Brad Penny.

GIANTS SIGN TWO-TIME ALL-STAR BRAD PENNY

In a move to add a veteran starter for the September playoff chase, the San Francisco Giants have signed two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Brad Penny to a minor league contract, club Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean announced today.

A 10-year veteran and the 2006 National League wins leader (16), Penny went 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA (82er, 131.2ip) in 24 starts with the Boston Red Sox this year before recently being released. Overall, he owns a 101-83 (.549) career ledger and 4.18 ERA (1,592ip, 740er, 1,121so) in 273 games (269 starts) with the Marlins (2000-04), Dodgers (2004-08) and Red Sox (2009). Mostly working in the NL, he has a lifetime 88-65 record with a 3.93 ERA in 228 contests vs. senior circuit opponents, including a 1-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA (5er, 16.2ip) in his three starts vs. the NL this season (outings vs. Atlanta, Florida and Washington).

[urth]

A shiny new penny for the g-men? Not shiny but new to the team is Brad Penny.

GIANTS SIGN TWO-TIME ALL-STAR BRAD PENNY

In a move to add a veteran starter for the September playoff chase, the San Francisco Giants have signed two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Brad Penny to a minor league contract, club Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean announced today.

A 10-year veteran and the 2006 National League wins leader (16), Penny went 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA (82er, 131.2ip) in 24 starts with the Boston Red Sox this year before recently being released. Overall, he owns a 101-83 (.549) career ledger and 4.18 ERA (1,592ip, 740er, 1,121so) in 273 games (269 starts) with the Marlins (2000-04), Dodgers (2004-08) and Red Sox (2009). Mostly working in the NL, he has a lifetime 88-65 record with a 3.93 ERA in 228 contests vs. senior circuit opponents, including a 1-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA (5er, 16.2ip) in his three starts vs. the NL this season (outings vs. Atlanta, Florida and Washington).

Not sure how excited I am about this. He was kind of a bust for the Red Sox since the All-Star break--his last few games he was something like 1 and 6, with an ERA over 6. Getting back to the NL--or just getting on a different team--may make a difference though, so I will cross my fingers for the G's.

[Gazoo]

A shiny new penny for the g-men? Not shiny but new to the team is Brad Penny.

GIANTS SIGN TWO-TIME ALL-STAR BRAD PENNY

In a move to add a veteran starter for the September playoff chase, the San Francisco Giants have signed two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Brad Penny to a minor league contract, club Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean announced today.

A 10-year veteran and the 2006 National League wins leader (16), Penny went 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA (82er, 131.2ip) in 24 starts with the Boston Red Sox this year before recently being released. Overall, he owns a 101-83 (.549) career ledger and 4.18 ERA (1,592ip, 740er, 1,121so) in 273 games (269 starts) with the Marlins (2000-04), Dodgers (2004-08) and Red Sox (2009). Mostly working in the NL, he has a lifetime 88-65 record with a 3.93 ERA in 228 contests vs. senior circuit opponents, including a 1-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA (5er, 16.2ip) in his three starts vs. the NL this season (outings vs. Atlanta, Florida and Washington).

Not sure how excited I am about this. He was kind of a bust for the Red Sox since the All-Star break--his last few games he was something like 1 and 6, with an ERA over 6. Getting back to the NL--or just getting on a different team--may make a difference though, so I will cross my fingers for the G's.

For every John Smoltz, a hundred false hopes bloom.

[SFGuy]

A shiny new penny for the g-men? Not shiny but new to the team is Brad Penny.

GIANTS SIGN TWO-TIME ALL-STAR BRAD PENNY

In a move to add a veteran starter for the September playoff chase, the San Francisco Giants have signed two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Brad Penny to a minor league contract, club Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean announced today.

A 10-year veteran and the 2006 National League wins leader (16), Penny went 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA (82er, 131.2ip) in 24 starts with the Boston Red Sox this year before recently being released. Overall, he owns a 101-83 (.549) career ledger and 4.18 ERA (1,592ip, 740er, 1,121so) in 273 games (269 starts) with the Marlins (2000-04), Dodgers (2004-08) and Red Sox (2009). Mostly working in the NL, he has a lifetime 88-65 record with a 3.93 ERA in 228 contests vs. senior circuit opponents, including a 1-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA (5er, 16.2ip) in his three starts vs. the NL this season (outings vs. Atlanta, Florida and Washington).

Now the Giants have two players who slept with Alyssa Milano, Penny and Barry Zito.

[RGMike]

A shiny new penny for the g-men? Not shiny but new to the team is Brad Penny.

GIANTS SIGN TWO-TIME ALL-STAR BRAD PENNY

In a move to add a veteran starter for the September playoff chase, the San Francisco Giants have signed two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Brad Penny to a minor league contract, club Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean announced today.

A 10-year veteran and the 2006 National League wins leader (16), Penny went 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA (82er, 131.2ip) in 24 starts with the Boston Red Sox this year before recently being released. Overall, he owns a 101-83 (.549) career ledger and 4.18 ERA (1,592ip, 740er, 1,121so) in 273 games (269 starts) with the Marlins (2000-04), Dodgers (2004-08) and Red Sox (2009). Mostly working in the NL, he has a lifetime 88-65 record with a 3.93 ERA in 228 contests vs. senior circuit opponents, including a 1-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA (5er, 16.2ip) in his three starts vs. the NL this season (outings vs. Atlanta, Florida and Washington).

Not sure how excited I am about this. He was kind of a bust for the Red Sox since the All-Star break--his last few games he was something like 1 and 6, with an ERA over 6. Getting back to the NL--or just getting on a different team--may make a difference though, so I will cross my fingers for the G's.

He also has a rep for being a dick.  And SF Guy beat me to the Alyssa Milano reference!

[mshray]

totally unnecessary disclaimer - I am a Cards homer.  But still, anytime a 42 yr old guy sets a team record in his first game for the team that picked him up off of waivers, you gotta give props.  And I'd have to say that on the bell curve of dick-ness in MLB, Smoltz is less than one STD from the mean.

[RGMike]

totally unnecessary disclaimer - I am a Cards homer.  But still, anytime a 42 yr old guy sets a team record in his first game for the team that picked him up off of waivers, you gotta give props.  And I'd have to say that on the bell curve of dick-ness in MLB, Smoltz is less than one STD from the mean.

I cannot tell you how much I detest Smoltz. When he started doing commercials for Home Depot, I started calling them "Homophobe Depot".

[RGMike]

Meanwhile, Dodgers pick up both Jim Thome and Jon Garland.

[Gazoo]

Meanwhile, Dodgers pick up both Jim Thome and Jon Garland.

Kind of an ignominious end to the Anaconda, to become LA's Matt Stairs (that is, a lefty paid to pinch-hit and swing for the fences at all costs).