May 26, 2008
Eagles 20 - Broncos 5
Chase Utley drove in a career-best six runs, Jamie Moyer had a season-high seven strikeouts and the Philadelphia Phillies scored their most runs in nearly a decade, a 20-5 rout over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.Utley hit a three-run shot to tie Lance Berkman and Dan Uggla for the major league lead with 16 homers. Utley finished 3-for-6, Chris Coste added a three-run homer and Pedro Feliz had four hits and four RBIs.
Philadelphia scored its most runs since a 21-8 win over the Chicago Cubs on July 3, 1999, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Phillies batted around three times and had season-highs in hits (19) and runs a day after beating Houston 15-6.
Ow! I should send you a couple of TastyKakes back.
Posted by: jk at May 27, 2008 10:33 AMSix runs here, six runs there ... pretty soon you're talking about a real score!
Dagny told me when I came inside at the top of the sixth, "You don't want to watch the game." It got worse from there, but I watched. 'Til the end. What can I say, I'm a fan when they win and I'm a fan when they lose. Still looking for them to find the winning formula again...
P.S. Out-of-staters likely haven't seen the infamous new Rockies commercial: Clint Hurdle - "Hey Mattie, you touch that?" (Addressing Matt Holiday and pointing at a plate on the table.) Other players chimed in, "Yeah, he touched it. I saw him." It was an instant classic.
Posted by: johngalt at May 27, 2008 3:27 PMOctober 7, 2007
Swept
Ugh.
At least the third game was close.
Addresses please gentlemen.
That was a great game. Humidor or not, I am still not used to seeing a pitchers' battle at Coors Field.
I feel sheepish accepting payment when the full details of the wager were never settled. However, I am now intrigued by Tastykakes. I suggest that JG and I can share, we need a good excuse to get together.
Close game it was. However, jg noted that the Rockies scored exactly twice as many points as the Phillies in each game.
Posted by: dagny at October 7, 2007 3:25 PMUrrghhh,..how well does Yuengling travel??
Posted by: TrekMedic251 at October 8, 2007 11:42 PMHey, anything can be shipped if it's packed carefully enough!
Posted by: johngalt at October 10, 2007 2:55 PMTastykakes!
The Colorado Rockies nascent postseason dream rolls on. AlexC voiced the Phillies' sentiment that they'd rather have faced the Padres than the Rockies. I'm confident the Diamondbacks would rather be facing the Padres too, or even the Phillies. After all, the Rox beat Arizona 10 games to 8 during the season including 2 of 3 to close it out. Had the Snakes managed to win just one of those final two games they'd have saved the Padres their early disappointment... and the Phillies theirs... and, just maybe, their own.
No I'm not counting chickens, at least not yet, but it's hard to imagine the D-backs not having some doubts. They watched Rockies pitching shut down the highest scoring team in the National League. And they did it with a pitching staff comprised of rookies, cast-offs and a second-year staff ace, none of whom anyone east of Limon has ever heard of. Then consider that Helton's Heroes led the National League in team batting average this season while Snakes batters were dead last. (Only the lowly Chicago White Sox were worse in all of MLB.) In fact, Arizona won the NL West title while allowing more runs than they scored, a feat comparable to George Bush's 2000 electoral performance over Albert Gore Jr: Both are still being studied for clues to explain how they were even possible.
A careful, objective series preview for Rox vs. Snakes isn't what this post is all about, although they stack up against each other pretty well. The point right here, right now, is that sometimes in sports "magic" happens. It isn't really magic of course, that's just what it feels like. Clint Hurdle's not a rah rah guy and rarely shows emotion on the bench, but he does know how to fire up players and inspire their best performances. He's used the same line all season: "Respect everything. Be in awe of nothing." There's a tremendous amount of power to motivate hard work and confidence in those few words. Now, on the eve of the pennant series, there's more to add: "They've [Diamondbacks] had more success than us in the past and that was always a little rock in our shoe that we've had to wear, so now the opportunity to play them in the N.L.C.S. is going to be special."
The charmed season continues.
October 4, 2007
Rockies Up Two Games to Zero
When the first two batters hit home runs, it's hard to get your hopes up.
But they were close, until they blew it.
Kaz...
Posted by: jk at October 4, 2007 8:54 PMjg has me mostly converted to a baseball fan these days. The cool thing about the Rockies is that the hero is different each time. Noone expected Kaz.
Posted by: dagny at October 5, 2007 9:53 AMOctober 2, 2007
"Holy Cow."
Breaking news from the Guardian UK: In the immortal words of Harry Caray, "Rockies Win! Rockies Win!"
After watching patiently for 12 and a half innings and being crushed by the two-run homer given up by a hapless Jorge Julio I announced to my parents that I'd listen to the rest of the game on the drive home. Decorated in the Troy Tulowitzki jersey I had worn to the office I loaded the sleeping kids into the car and started off on the somber drive that would witness the playing out of the end of a season to remember for the 'never-say-die' Colorado Rockies. I parted with the words, "Yeah, but we've hit him hard before" when dad grimly observed that the Padres closer is something of a legend. I was tough on the outside but in my heart I was beginning the grieving process. I was ready to say "Die well my brothers."
Fortunately, for the Rockies, for Denver, for me, I wasn't at the plate to start the bottom of the 13th against the "Hall of Fame lock" the "best closer of all time" Trevor Hoffman. Kazuo Matsui was. On a 2-2 pitch Kaz doubled to right-center. "The tying run is at the plate" says Rockies play-by-play man Jeff Kingery. I thought to myself how Jeff always puts the best spin on the situation, and what a pleasure it was to listen to his account rather than the dunderheads from Atlanta calling the game for TBS. The next batter, Troy Tulowitzki, the steeley rookie shortstop with the maturity of a mere one season under his belt, worked the dominating owner of 524 career saves into a 3-2 count before hammering the ball into the gap in left-center to score his fellow middle infielder and then legging it into a double. Still with no outs the MVP candidate Matt Holiday came to the plate. "Pinch me" I thought. Tying run in scoring position and nobody out! Matt drove a first pitch fastball into right field sending the ball and the Padres Brian Giles careening off the wall in quick succession. By the time Giles got up and got the ball back in Tulowitzki had tied the game and the winning run slid into third in the person of Matt Holliday. Nobody out. I struggled to contain my cheers lest I wake the dear little ones in the back seat. The unavoidable conclusion didn't wait long to arrive. Bud Black intentionally walked the left-handed Todd Helton to face the utility infielder who had replaced the power-hitting Garrett Atkins as a pinch runner in the seventh. On Hoffman's first pitch Jamey Carroll flew out to medium right field and Holliday tagged up. Sliding in head first, after a pregnant pause, "He's in there!! Barrett dropped the ball! The Rockies have won the game!" There's only one word to describe a win like this one - "Epic."
On an interesting side note, and something I didn't notice throughout the entire game until watching DVR'd replays after the fact, the mechanical out-of-town scoreboard that Brian Giles bounced off of in right field was replete with game scores. But there weren't any other games today. Hey, those are yesterday's scores. Why would the Coors Field staff leave yesterday's scores plastered all over the right field wall? Was everyone occupied hanging the bunting for this 'not quite postseason, not quite regular season' winner take all crap shoot? Or, perhaps, they wanted to remind the Padres what happened to them yesterday in Milwaukee, losing 11-6 at the hands of the Brewers. I don't know what to say, except thank you Brewers. Thank you Ned Yost.
Next stop: The city of brotherly love and the Phillies. See you Wednesday!
I would have rather faced the Padres in post-season, but I'll take an exhausted Rockies over golf in October.
... and Holliday never touched the bag!
A case of Tastykakes to you guys if the Rockies win the series.
-alex
Posted by: AlexC at October 2, 2007 11:44 AMI was thinking of Rocky Mountain Oysters if the Phils prevail...
Posted by: jk at October 2, 2007 11:54 AMYeah, yeah, you can take up that "he missed the plate" stuff with these guys. The Rox lost games to the Brewers and the Giants when two other home run calls were blown by the ump so to have a third one in the last game of the season is ironic. Fix any ONE of those three umpiring errors and this game is either won or never played.
Personally I'm glad the game ended on a controversial play so fans around the country have something to gripe about besides "Coors Field sucks and should be torn down and replaced by a pressurized dome!" Whatever. Last I checked, both teams pitched from the same mound and hit for the same fences. It's different. Live with it.
Rocky Mountain Oysters, JK? Heck, WE should have to eat those if the Phillies win. How about some Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter? mmmmmmm!
Posted by: johngalt at October 2, 2007 2:26 PMYou've a point, jg, but then again, I've never had TastyKakes. I was trying to think of something good, but every one I thought of was beer as well. I don't think our soi disant free country would allow its citizens to ship a whole case across state lines. You know, commerce clause and all. Wickard v Filburn.
Not to mention the implicit refutation of whether a bag was touched...
A case of Yuengling Lager! Since all that ever came outta Colorado was Coors, you might like to try some real beer! :)
Posted by: TrekMedic251 at October 2, 2007 10:14 PMI elected to go with Tastykakes because of that whole "shipping bottles" problem.
Besides, Tastykakes are full of fat and sugar and goodness.
But you guys better start thinkin' about what to git me.
Posted by: AlexC at October 3, 2007 1:59 PMSeptember 23, 2007
You Win Some...
For a brief second, it looked like Cleveland Browns were off to a 2-1 start for the 2007 season. The Oakland Raiders, using a tactic that worked against them last week with the Denver Broncos, would call a timeout at the last second and make Phil Dawson and the Browns attempt a field goal a second time. The first, that didn't matter, sailed through the goal posts. The second attempt would be blocked.
Bob Costas chimed in on JK's side during halftime of NBC's 'Football Night in America.' His suggestion was that time outs should only be allowed when the clock isn't already stopped. Apparently Bob has never changed his mind, or doesn't think NFL coaches should possess the ability to do so.
Posted by: johngalt at September 25, 2007 3:31 PMJuly 28, 2007
Bonds & the Home Run
In a more enlightened age, when the risks and the costs of these medical miracles come down, we'll look back on Bonds' triumph as a victory for all of us. We'll see our booing of him as symptoms of a silly, Luddite phobia of manipulating our own bodies. I'm sure there was an equal outcry when makeup was invented. And hair dye and the Wonder bra. How our ancestors went on, I have no idea.Bonds is not using a corked bat, which many players have, just as plenty of pitchers have scuffed balls. He has simply redesigned his body. Like so many of us have. Medicine, surgery and genetic engineering are no more an affront to God than drinking the protein shakes he didn't leave on the vine. And until we accept that, we're going to keep losing to those we call cheaters.
So next week, I'll be watching Bonds with my Lasiked eyes, free of the scar that was laser-pulsed from my nose, while I run a hand through my Rogained hair. And of course I'll be holding -- because it makes me feel better -- a beer.
I'm wondering if the pitch that goes over the fence is going to a sandbagged "i want to be the one that threw that pitch" kind of deal.
Because at least he should work for it.
It really is an interesting question. "Isn't that what Jefferson meant when he wrote that whole "pursuit of happiness" thing? Or do you really think the dude was just talking about stamps and tea?"
A blogger long ago asked journalists who were beating up on McGwire and Bonds: "What if there were a drug that would boost your IQ 20 points and improve your memory with the same long term risks as steroids?"
I'm sorry I've forgotten who it was, but the suggestion was that that people would enhance their own careers if the compounds existed, yet they are quick to leap on athletes.
That said, it doesn't help that he is a complete asshole...
Posted by: jk at July 29, 2007 2:16 PMIs it any wonder why McGuire got out of the game before confronting this PR nightmare?
I guess steroids do make you stupid.
Posted by: TrekMedic251 at July 29, 2007 10:28 PMJanuary 1, 2007
Woe Big Red
I bleed black and gold. It's been that way ever since April 24, 1985, when the University of Colorado Golden Buffaloes reverted to their traditional color scheme from the ghastly "Air Force Blue" mandated by the University's Board of Regents in 1981 (the year of my matriculation to CU).
Colorado football has seen rough times since the 1990 National Championship season, Coach McCartney's abrupt resignation in 1994, and the November 23, 2001 blowout victory over Nebraska (the "62-36" game). Troubles on the field coincided with off-field distractions in 2004-2005 arising from a largely trumped up case of date rape by Boulder DA Mary Keenan Lacy, who took office in 2001 and who boasts of becoming "a successful prosecutor and national instructor on Acquaintance Rape," on her official web page.
Despite the recent disappointments, Buff fans still had the Nebraska rivalry to keep their hopes high and their blood warm. Since the Buffaloes finally broke through and defeated Nebraska in 1989, and again in the Championship season, it has been the red-letter game for the team and its fans. The 2001 team dealt an embarrasing defeat to "The Corn" but with this year's loss are 2-3 in subsequent matchups.
The Buffaloes stayed home this bowl season. Under first year head coach Dan Hawkins they managed only two victories all season, four shy of the minimum for bowl eligibility. As such, die hard fans such as myself are relegated to rooting for other Big 12 teams in the various bowls. Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas did the conference proud with victories while Kansas State and Texas A&M were blown out and Missouri lost a squeaker to Oregon State.
Then there was the Auburn-Nebraska Cotton Bowl game today. I'm sorry, it just isn't possible for me to root for The Corn. Even against an SEC opponent. At the end of this year's CU-NU game, which was 14-14 late into the 3rd quarter, Nebraska had scored on a trick play and added two more touchdowns but CU's Hawkins was not about to quit. When he called a time out late in the game, Nebraska's coach Bill Callahan shook his head and smirked. "What an ass," I thought. "Is a coach not supposed to do his job for the full 60 minutes? Does he inspire a warrior spirit in his players by folding up his playbook when his team trails late in a game?" Apparently that is precisely Callahan's philosophy. Fast forward to the end of today's Cotton Bowl. The teams were tied 14-14 at halftime and Auburn added a field goal in the 3rd quarter. Nebraska had its chances to score but never capitalized, even forgoing a 47-yard field goal attempt for a pass play on 4th and 13. (Apparently the coach who is a "rare find" found an average field goal kicker to be even rarer during recruiting season.) But with 1 minute to go Auburn had 3rd down, 2 yards to go. They ran a sweep right and the Auburn ball carrier was tackled at the line to make. It was close. The officials ruled a first down... without a measurement. Callahan's reaction? The smirk. He took off his headset and handed it to an assistant. "Game over," he clearly thought, still smirking.
Fortunately for Callahan's team, the officials didn't think so. A booth review showed that the Auburn player was down by contact before the ball crossed the line to make. It was 4th and 1 and Auburn had to punt. Unfortunately for Callahan's team, coach Bill didn't find it necessary to replace his smirk with his headset before his offense ran two more plays, both incomplete passes. As he walked to midfield to shake hands with the Auburn coach, he smirked.
Perhaps if coach hadn't given up his players might have given a better effort, with a better result. Perhaps not. Either way, I'll take coach Hawkins over pretty-boy Callahan to lead my young men in battle every time.
Go Buffs!
P.S. I'm still undecided in a rooting interest for tonight's Fiesta Bowl. The Oklahoma Sooners are in the Big 12 but their coach, Bob Stoops, is almost as arrogant a prima donna as Callahan. And the Boise State Broncos were coached last season by... Colorado's new coach, Dan Hawkins. The balance may be tipped in the Broncos' favor by this article on ESPN. Either way, it should be a whale of a game!
UPDATE: Wow!
I had no ambivalence nor split allegiance. I was for Boise State all the way.
I hate to play this game, but did anybody really think that that was pass interference on the 2-pt conversion? Whatever.
Through the game I really grew to dislike OU Coach, Bob Stoops. A man of zero grace, leading a HEAVILY favored team and complaining about every call.
Denver Bronco Shot and Killed Overnight
Dagny and I were stunned this morning when Google News included a Hawaii Channel.com story headlined Denver Bronco Williams Dies in Drive-By Shooting. I didn't immediately realize who "Williams" was since it's a common surname. I opened the link expecting to read about a backup player we knew little about. Instead I received a second shock when I read the murdered Bronco was starting cornerback Darrent Williams. Darrent has been something of a phenomenon in Denver over the last two seasons and was a fan favorite.
Another report hints at a possible motive for the outrage:
Authorities say that prior to the shooting Williams, Javon Walker and a few other players were at a club when an alteration [sic] broke out with other patrons inside the bar. Williams and his friends decided to leave and the shooting took place moments later.
ESPN reports that "In December, Williams spoke of his desire to return to his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, this offseason to talk to kids about staying out of gangs." [...] "When he was younger, he always gravitated to the wrong crowd," said Criss, who coached Williams for three seasons at O.D. Wyatt High in Fort Worth and continued to speak regularly with Williams.
It's too early to tell if Darrent's troubled youth was to blame in the altercation, but the kind of reckless disregard for the law and for human life displayed by the shooter is typical of urban "gangstas." The only good news in these reports is that there seem to be plenty of leads to identify the murderer.
Sad stuff. I was looking to tease the NFC segment of our blog with some gag about the Broncos staying home with a 9-7 record, while the Giants get a wild card slot at 8-8.
I saw the headline and thought that you had beaten me to the punch. Troubled youth or not, let's clearly place the culpability on the thug (or thugs) who pulled the trigger.
You have to hope this was truly something random, or the work of some disgruntled fan and not caused by Williams' lifestyle (whatever it may have been)
Posted by: TrekMedic251 at January 1, 2007 1:01 PMI just watched a live Denver PD news conference on myfoxcolorado.com. We learned that the other two injured passengers were not Broncos, though there were other uninjured passengers who could have been Broncos. The suspect vehicle is a white Chevy Suburban. The weapon was a handgun of unspecified caliber. We didn't hear whether a license plate number was observed.
By "Darrent's troubled youth to blame" I meant one of several possibilities: Darrent partying with gang members who clashed with a rival gang leading to the shooting; or Darrent's group encountering a gang group and Darrent or a friend provoking (or egging on) the gang, which led to the shooting.
Obviously there is no amount of taunting that justifies murder. Only the shooter(s) are to blame. However, gang membership teaches young men to provoke confrontation rather than diffuse it.
Posted by: johngalt at January 1, 2007 2:21 PMIt's a fine line between dangerous and deserved but it must be preserved. I am not guessing that Mr. Williams was leaving choir practice on his way to morning vespers. Any party involving basketball players has to be viewed with suspicion.
And yet, the girl in the short skirt does not deserve rape and the guy at the raucous party does not deserve to be shot.
At the risk of flippancy, jg, I am trying to reconcile your appreciation for diffusing confrontation with your "Albums of the Year" selection of "Stuck Mojo." Am I missing some subtleties?
The fact that you consider the differences "subtleties" makes me wonder if you've dismissed them for some reason:
"Trash talk" doesn't equal mass murder.
Answering the bravado of a bar room bully with more of the same is foolish.
Defending your self, your family, your home, and your "'hood" from murderous thugs is valorous.
Please remember that all of my comments as regard this particular tragedy were purely speculative.
Posted by: johngalt at January 2, 2007 10:28 PMI agree that the thread of this topic has left the tragic death of young Mr. Williams. I will continue it in a new post. I think we all agree on the tragedy.
Posted by: jk at January 3, 2007 11:01 AMDecember 20, 2006
Your Problem
Now he's your problem, Denver.
Actually, the Nuggets have a reputation for not being all choirboys. I imagine he will fit in when the rest of the team gets back from suspension.
I'll confess I don't follow basketball but it seems that a big name player might do the franchise good.
Posted by: jk at December 20, 2006 10:30 AMOctober 8, 2006
Countdown to Debauchery
4PM Eastern on Sunday, if history is any guide, Philadelphia Eagles fans will welcome the Dallas Cowboys and Terrell Owens to Lincoln Financial Field in a "special way."
Booing is old hat.
Throwing empty pill bottles is not.
Any sort of medical type thing that can be easily made airborne, will be.
It's a good thing for the Cowboys, snow is not in the forecast.
It's gonna be great. or embarassing. Depending on your perspective.
T.O. catches three for 45 yards -- no doubt the Cowboys organization will throw a big party to commemorate the achievement.
Posted by: jk at October 8, 2006 8:36 PMI must credit the stadium security for doing a commendable job of scanning the 60,000 fans for "throwables." I don't think any were thrown!
How about that finish? Just when I thought the Eagles blew it, an interception is returned 102 yards!
Posted by: AlexC at October 8, 2006 9:23 PMYeah, I was sure TO was going to catch the tying TD and the two-point conversion. You guys have pulled me over to the dark side.
My beloved Broncs will have their hands full tonight; don't know if we'll beat Baltimore with a few field goals.
Posted by: jk at October 9, 2006 10:38 AMHow about O.D and his "attempt" at making a catch?
Even the announcers said he looked to see if he was going to get hit before catching the ball.
Posted by: AlexC at October 9, 2006 12:31 PMI am an AFC guy and haven't paid that much attention to another prima dona athlete but I was amazed and astounded by Mr. Owens of the tentative feet and untentative mouth. That dude is a piece of work.
I never felt sorry for Bill Parcels (certainly not after Super Bowl XXI) but I felt a tinge of pity for the man yesterday.
Fly! Eagles! Fly!
http://trekmedic251.blogspot.com/2006/10/e-g-l-e-s-no-overdose-version.html
Posted by: TrekMedic251 at October 9, 2006 9:40 PMSeptember 28, 2006
Phillies Bandwagon
I'm definately on the Phillies bandwagon of late... 58 home run hitter Ryan Howard (au natural) AND a wild-card race.
I watched last night's 8-7 14 inning victory until the end, and now I feel like I need to watch tonight's 4 1/2 hour rain delayed game. (An 11:30 pm start)
They're a game and a half back behind the Dodgers and some baseball team from one of those square states out west keeps dropping the ball.
Update: 12:30 am, fourth inning, 1-0 Washington. Highlight so far? Jefferson, Washington and Lincoln running down the first base line. They're guys in regular suits, except for the 8 foot tall heads. I guess that's so you can see them from the upper deck..
Jefferson takes a face plant in the dirt. Ha! He gets up, and shakes his enormous head.
I guess we'd never know if his face turned red.
Update: 1:46 AM. Ken Mandell was the guy playing Jefferson.
Update: That's all she wrote. 3-1 Nationals. Phils now two games back of the Dodgers in the wildcard race. Only the Giants sweeping the Dodgers can help them now.
Wild card berth or not, I'm jealous of your Phillies. At least they're in the hunt! Sorry about the Rocks. A team that pounds out 11 runs shouldn't lose a game by 8. Starting pitching awesome, relievers woesome - that's the story for the Rockies this season.
Better luck next year when they replace Jose Mesa and a few more underachievers.
Posted by: johngalt at September 30, 2006 10:10 AMGive the Phillies a few more seasons. Gillick's so-called "fire sale" that was ballyhooed as the team's white flag for 2006 actually HELPED a team that sinking fast.
Addition by subtraction?
Next on the block: Pat "Bat Glued to My Shoulder" Burrell.
Posted by: TrekMedic251 at September 30, 2006 12:30 PMMarch 18, 2006
Terrell Owens
That bum of a football "player" is now playing for the Dallas Cowboys.
- Terrell Owens has gone from stomping on the Dallas Cowboys' star logo to wearing it on his helmet.
The reviled receiver joined the Cowboys on Saturday, signing a contract to play for Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells in what promises to be an interesting combination of strong personalities.
There's no questioning his talent -- Owens has consistently put up numbers the Cowboys have lacked since Michael Irvin was in the prime of his career a decade ago.
It's his attitude that prompted the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles to get rid of Owens. His relationship with the Eagles soured only months after he led them to the Super Bowl, finally ending with his release Tuesday.
Given that Eagles fans hate the Dallas Cowboys more than Satan himself, I eagerly anticipate the day when the Eagles host the Cowboys.
The schedule isn't out yet, but let's hope for Monday Night.
You only have yourseleves to blame, Philidephians. Youi should have had a big party for his 100th toughdown -- who cares if the team is 3-6. Football is all about individual achievement.
I*'m happy he is at the Cowboys. Usually, every bad boy in the NFL ends up at the Raiders and we have to play them twice.
Posted by: jk at March 19, 2006 10:45 AMUPDATE: I haven't deleted many comments since I instituted the "password" that keeps the vI@gra and teen porn spam bots away.
Someone had posted an anti Rachel Corrie screed here. While I am sympathetic to everything it said, I did not see the connection to TO or the Cowboys football organization.
Get your own blog, or email me with a post. Indiscriminate commenting rubs me the wrong way.
T.O. finally does something good for Philly! Die-hard Iggles fans already have enough reason to hate the Cowpokes, now we get to exact our revenge on that team cancer!
Posted by: TrekMedic251 at March 19, 2006 12:31 PM