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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Forgotten Superstars-Jimmie Foxx

This installment of Forgotten Superstars features a Hall of Famer from long ago and who's dominance has faded mainly due to being passed on the all-time records list by players that have accumulated their numbers by questionable means and by feasting on watered down expansion era pitching.
Jimmie Foxx died a year before I was even born,so it makes that his name has quietly dropped into the background,but his numbers speak for themselves.
His 534 homers have steadily dropped from the all-time leaders,but until the later 1960's when Willie Mays passed Foxx,"Double X" was second only to Babe Ruth on the career list of home runs.
Foxx debuted at the age of 17 in 1925 with a 10 game cameo appearance in Philadelphia and appeared in just 26 more games the following season,but after a another season of limited playing time,Foxx cemented himself into the Athletic lineup at the age of 20 with 13 homers and an above .300 average.
But those numbers were mild compared to the numbers that the 21 year old Foxx would start to compile starting in 1929.
From that season through 1940,Foxx would never hit less than 30 homers (peaking with 58 in 1932) or fewer than 105 RBI (peaking with 175 in 1938).
The numbers are staggering and one would think the Athletics would have kept Foxx in Philadelphia for good,but the Athletics under owner/manager Connie Mack were always a struggling franchise financially and they could not afford the cost of a star like Foxx,so before the 1936 season,Jimmie was dealt to Boston for pitcher Johnny Marcum and the old standby-Cash.
As in 250,000 dollars,which is a big total to me today,but then was massive.
Foxx kept up his dominance in Beantown with five more huge seasons,but began to slide for the BoSox in 1941,as his homers dropped to 19 and his RBI total to "only"109.
The skills of Foxx were truly eroded though,as he would only hit 25 total homers over the last few years of his career with the Red Sox,Cubs and Phillies as sinus problems that were caused by a beanball earlier in in career basically finished Foxx off.
Foxx was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1951 and the question that I have is why was Foxx not a first ballot selection?
I suppose back then,the voters must have been tough judges!
Jimmie Foxx died in 1967 after choking to death in Miami.

A few more interesting facts on Jimmie Foxx

The Tom Hanks character in "A league of their own" was based on Foxx.
Foxx did manage one season in the All-American League.

In 1997,Foxx's birth home of Sudlersville,Maryland erected a bronze life size statue of Foxx.
Perhaps a one day trip???

In Foxx's last season in the War season of 1945,he pitched 25 innings compling a 1-0 record and a tiny 1.59 ERA.

Thanks to the Baseball Biography project for the great facts on Foxx!

Bullpen Notes

Jim Zorn left the Seahawks as their QB coach for the Redskins offensive coordinator position.
Zorn was always a favorite of mine as a player and he will be missed in Seattle.

Our friends at Nationals Farm Authority named Cory Van Allen the 18th best pitcher in the Washington system in their top 30 rankings.
Cory was one of our favorites here and should be at either Potomac or Harrisburg to start the 2008 season.

Just purchased a game to mess around with at work-Fire Pro Wrestling returns is a Japanese import that features all the Japanese stars and a edit feature that enables you to add up to 300 more grapplers.
Look for a future slow day look at pro wrestling in Japan.

On the signing front-
one mail sig from former NHL Goalie Clint Malarchuk.

Please forgive any spelling errors for the next few days as Blogger is having spellcheck problems.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

John Edwards suspends candidacy,I wonder about the two survivors..

John Edwards today suspended a campaign that that had been pretty much on hold with the public since he left Iowa.
The only campaign that spoke to "real people" is now history,only thought about for the endorsement that could be the game winner for either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.
John Edwards spoke for the poor,the lower middle class and the middle class and brought issues to the table that had been dumped under the table for quite a while.
First out with a universal health care plan,first to talk about the horrible NAFTA-like agreements,first to talk about the struggles of the working class of this country-none of it mattered.
Read that as-He didn't have the name recognition of Clinton or the celebrity endorsements of Obama.
The media wants celebrities,not candidates and now they have them.
Despite his best efforts,Edwards was simply the wrong man for this time.
Two people are still standing and both have flaws that stand out tremendously.
One has the hatred of the GOP that will do anything to defeat her,the other is an inexperienced Senator of two years that seems almost listless in delivering anything that is not a structured stump speech.
If this campaign on the Democratic side had anything to do with the quality of the candidates,not the fame,money and celebrity endorsers,the two candidates left would be John Edwards and Joe Biden.
Men with intelligence,ideas and experience,not like Clinton and Obama.
Sound like sour grapes?
Just tremendously frustrated with my party and have a striking feeling that an almost certain victory for the Democrats in November is starting to slip away against the prospective Republican shield wearer John McCain.
Thanks to John Edwards for battling the tide for as long as he did and that leaves me questioning why I should even bother with this.
I have never felt the way that I do about politics right now.
I am open to listening to why I should offer my support to either Clinton or Obama,but be forewarned-I will be a tough sale.
Here is a link to a Newsweek article on Edwards' legacy from the 2008 race.

Bullpen Notes

More catching up on what has accumulated in the Bullpen...................

The Devils activated enforcer Cam Janessen for the first time this season from the disabled list,but scratched him from last night's loss to Pittsburgh.

The new All-American football league that starts in April had its first draft last week.
The six team league looks to locate in college football areas and have players from colleges in the area assigned to those teams.
Sounds good to me,but the league has to get a TV contract and as of now they do not.

Margret Truman Daniel died yesterday at 83.
The only child of former President Harry S Truman was a singer and author and is the subject of a famous Truman story.
After her concert in Washington,the critic of the Washington Post,Paul Hume heavily criticized Truman's singing in his review for the Post.
The President ripped off a scathing letter to Hume that basically said that when the President ever met Hume,Hume would need a new nose!
I like to think that I would defend my daughter that way as well....

Until tomorrow.

Photo Credit
Edwards=Chris Carlson -AP Photo

Devils fall through the ice from 1st to 3rd in loss

The New Jersey Devils received two goals from an unlikely source,as Mike Rupp scored his first two goals of the season in the first two periods,but sadly the rest of the team was ineffective and the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Devils 4-2 and as a result sent the Devils spiraling from first place to third in the Atlantic Division.
The culprit to me was poor defensive play,most notably by Johnny Oduya.
A Oduya miscue in puck handling led to the Penguins game tying goal in the second and started the momentum for the visitors from Pittsburgh.
The timing was even more suspect when you consider that Mike Rupp had scored his second goal seconds earlier and killed any New Jersey visit from 'Uncle Mo".
The other three goals that Pittsburgh scored all were of the mucking variety-Devils defenders unable to clear either the puck or the crease of Pittsburgh invaders.
The Devils were somewhat hampered by the loss of Captain Jamie Langenbrunner for the evening to the flu (I personally can relate),but Pittsburgh was without Cindy Crosby and they managed OK.
Brent Sutter was not happy with the play of the Parise,Zajac and Gionta line and their lack of opportunities.
“Your best players need to be your best players,” and “That’s what this month has come down to. We’ve had too much inconsistency. Other teams’ top players have outplayed ours.”
That is why I like Sutter-all about accountabilty.
I like all three of those guys,but the facts are the facts.
The Devils return to action Friday at the Rock to kick off February against the Blueshirts from Manhattan.

Bullpen Notes

Sorry,it has been a while since a new post.
There was not much to write about over the weekend and I have been battling the flu the last few days,so please accept my apologies..
We have accumulated some tosses from the bullpen,so we will use them all over the next two posts.

John Edwards will announce his withdrawal from the Democratic race later this afternoon.
More on this as the main object of our next post...

The Cleveland Browns and coach Romeo Crennel have worked out a two year extension of Crennel's contract.
The 60 year old Crennel is now under contract until 2010.
I might not have done this deal yet,but it was not an unreasonable extension in my opinion..

In other Browns news,the team offered Derek Anderson and Jamal Lewis new contracts.
Both players are free agents effective on Feb 28,but Anderson is a restricted FA.
Reports are that Anderson was offered a three year contract and Lewis a two year deal.
Fully behind an Anderson offer,but we prefer a one year for more money deal for Lewis.
The sudden decline of Shaun Alexander has us a bit leery of older backs right now.

Ryan tells us about a rumored deal between the Devils and the Calgary Flames that would swap young stars Zack Parise and Dion Phaneuf.
As much as I like Parise,it seems to be more likely to find Parise's type player than Phaneuf,which would give the Devils what their fans still pine for-the next Scott Stevens.

Saturday's IBF Heavyweight eliminator was an Ok fight,but could have been better.
Alexander Povetkin earned the next shot at champ Wladimir Klitschko with his unanimous decision win over Eddie Chambers.
Chambers won the first four rounds on our card before inexplicably reducing his punch output.
We scored the battle for Povetkin 116-112 ,with the Russian sweeping the last eight rounds.

Finally,former WBA Heavyweight titlist John Ruiz is back and "ready to clean up the division".
Those are his words-not mine!
Hard to take a guy too seriously when his idea of a combination is a jab,a grab and a clinch.

Back later with John Edwards withdrawal and more Bullpen Notes.

Photo Credit
Rupp-Rich Schultz-AP Photo

Friday, January 25, 2008

Devils melt down in loss to Montreal and why I love Brent Sutter

The New Jersey Devils held a 3-1 lead after two periods against the Montreal Canadiens and appeared to be cruising into the All-Star break with their third win in a row.
But a nuclear size meltdown in the third period allowed the Canadiens to escape with a 4-3 win and allowed Brent Sutter to take charge of the under-performing squad.
Patrik Elias scored a first period powerplay goal and an even strength tally in the second(13 and 14) and when the Captain Jamie Langenbrunner added a late second period goal (8) on the powerplay to build the lead to 3-1,all looked well.
But three goals from Montreal in the final period shocked the Devils,although when you skate like the game is already over and get outshot 20-3 in a period,should you be shocked?
But the General was not shy about the horrible effort and will likely be getting a fine from the league for taking them to the practice rink BEFORE the mandated cool-down time and meeting with the press and (hopefully) skating their ass off-which they certainly did not do during the third period.
Sutter offered these quotes and thoughts and I back Sutter all the way!

"I'm disappointed in the whole team and its commitment to win. Their play was brutal. They already had their plans to head to (Las) Vegas or wherever the hell they're going before the game was half over. It's totally unacceptable. Everything it takes to win a hockey game, we didn't do. It was a total lack of effort from everyone."

"For whatever reason, we had a lot of guys who wanted to do their own thing out there," Sutter said. "We had a 2-0 lead and had a 5-on-3 power play and had four or five quality scoring chances, but they were thinking of themselves instead of the team. We've had two-goal leads in our building and let them slip. It shows a lack of commitment to want to play. It tells you that this is not a mentally strong hockey team."

"To be honest, they should be embarrassed. It's hard for me to sit on this for four days. It sure as hell better be hard on them as well. We were brutal."

It is nice to see that someone cares and is not going to blow smoke up their rear after a gift to Montreal and Brent Sutter may have cemented himself as the Devils leader for quite a while.
New Jersey takes their break (in Vegas or wherever the hell they are going) and will play the Penguins on Tuesday....

Bullpen Notes

Ashland University unveiled plans for a 7,000 seat on campus football stadium.
That would mean that the Eagles would eventually move out of Community Stadium and leave the high school Arrows as the only tenant there.
The design looks like it fits the bill well for a Division II tenant and 14.5 Million has been raised towards the project already.
Looks like a new stop on the hometown returns down the road.

More on the Dana Jacobsen front.
The Christian Defense Coalition held a protest outside of ESPN headquarters in Bristol Connecticut today and the heat is building for ESPN to give her the boot.
As we stated yesterday,we back their efforts to fire Jacobsen,mainly because the michigan grad is annoying and has a better sub waiting in the wings in Sage Steele..

Jacobsen has to be sweating bullets as posted this picture today from the event.
Two things came to my mind...
1)They weren't kidding about swilling Vodka!
Look at the size of the bottle!
2)She actually wore a dress,I was not aware she owned one.
Usually on First Take,her wardrobe is from the Hillary Clinton pantsuit collection.

Understatement of the year goes to ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys.
"We won't be participating in another roast anytime soon."

Thanks to the readers that keep us moving up the charts as Wednesday set another record for visits and Thursday narrowly missed that total!!

Finally, interesting read in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the 20th anniversary of
Jerome ("Send it in,Jerome!) Lane's rim destruction for the Pitt Panthers against Providence.
Sounds like the former Denver Nugget still has ill will towards then-Pitt coach Paul Evans.

Photo Credits
Sutter-Bruce Bennett-Getty Images
Jacobsen-Icon SMI
Lane-Vince Musi-Pittsburgh Press

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Pirates sign Jaret Wright,Suzanne Pleshette passes away and Dana Jacobsen gets drunk

The Pirates signed veteran righthander Jaret Wright to a minor league contract with incentives that could prove to be a bargain,if Wright can return to his Cleveland and Atlanta form.
Wright will earn 800,000 if he makes the team and depending on his performance and role on the team,could make as much as an extra 1.5 million.
Wright was once one of the game's most promising young pitchers after his tremendous 1997 playoff effort with the Indians,but had injury problems and began to look to be finished before a 15-8 career-rebuilding effort in Atlanta in 2004 with pitching coach Leo Mazzone.
That got Wright a big cash contract with the Yankees for 2005.
After a horrid 2005 and an 11 win 2006,Wright was shipped to the Orioles for 2007 only appeared in three games,losing all three.
This is certainly worth the risk and if Wright can do anything for the cost,the Pirates could feel better about getting something for Matt Morris later in the year...

Pittsburgh then signed two more veteran arms for the camp that aren't going to hurt anything,but do not rate with Wright's upside.
Hector Carrasco had a mediocre career before turning things around with two solid years in 2005 and 2006.
But the 39 year old reliever was hammered all over the park last season at two stops in Anaheim and AAA Columbus.
Again,worth a look at a cheap cost,but he looks to be cooked.
Casey Fossum was brought in from Tampa as a possible lefty bullpen arm.
The 30 year old southpaw has never had a winning record in seven MLB seasons and does not have any real stats to look at,but again low cost.
I dont think either of these guys make the team,but no harm in seeing what they have left.

The Bucs signed a couple other minor league free agents and onyl a few worth noting.
Pittsburgh brought back pitcher Josh Shortslef and veteran outfielder Vic Buttler to likely help AA Altoona.
Both Shortslef and Buttler are fan favorites there,but the only mildly intriguing sign was outfielder Anthony Webster from the Rangers.
Good,but not great numbers and seems to be similar to the speedy,slap hitters that are already in the system.

Sad Pirate news-The house organ for the Pirates at talked to GM Neal Huntington and he said that Steven Pearce will likely start at Indianapolis to start the season,so that Xavier Nady can start in right.
This makes little sense to me,as Nady cannot really add to his value,just decrease it.
Move Nady for whatever youngster that you can get,play Pearce and lets really get the rebuilding started!

Speaking of ever notice that every team is in great shape on their sites?
What a bunch of Pollyannas.............

Bullpen Notes

A bit late on noting this,but Suzanne Pleshette passed away at the age of 70 recently.
Pleshette played Emily Hartley on one of my all time favorite shows-the Bob Newhart Show and made an appearance or two on another personal favorite the Wild Wild West.
I was only a casual watcher of Newhart's second show,but the ending of the show was great with Bob and Emily in bed and talking about Bob's dream.....

And one of our least favorite ESPN employees had quite a time at Mike and Mike's celebrity roast recently.
Battlin Bob told us of Dana Jacobsen's drunken rampage on stage during the roast,but we could find little on it.
Well,it is out now!
Jacobsen was ranting at Notre Dame's Charlie Weis,swilling Vodka straight from the bottle and offered these kind words-"F..K Notre Dame,F..K Touchdown Jesus and F..K Jesus".
ESPN suspended Jacobsen for a week,but her job is in trouble.
You see this happened on either the 11th or 12th and just now is it hitting the proverbial fan.
The Catholics are hot because of going after Notre Dame (Catholic university) and the Evangelicals are bouncing off the walls as well.
I personally hope she does lose her job,mainly because I am all for anything that gets Dana Jacobsen off my TV!

Not sure how big of a tax rebate that I will get from today's deal and even less sure if this will be the boost to the economy that it is supposed to be,but I will take what they send!

Photo Credits
Wright-Upper Deck
Newhart Show-unknown

Anger in the Democratic Race

This will be a short political based post and there will be a regular post later in the day.

I watched the Democratic debate the other night and came away wondering where my party is headed.
Was it entertaining? Yes.
Good Television?Sure.
Did it accomplish anything? Not really.
Unless you consider that the candidate that came off the best rarely got to speak and seemed to be ignored.
Here is what I did get out of the debate.
Hillary Clinton will do and say anything to win the nomination.
Barack Obama gives a great speech and is an excellent speaker,but often comes off as a
Pernell Whitaker (Lightweight) in debates.
John Edwards can be the best candidate and still has no chance to win.
In other words-it is not the year for Edwards.

I have been a political junkie since I could walk (believe or not,I remember faintly the Nixon-McGovern race being on TV) and I have always scoffed at people that said that they don't vote,doesn't matter who wins or they are all the same.
I have always felt that looking at things that way never improved things and how could things get better,if you don't at least express an opinion?
Sadly,it appears that I am reaching the point that I can at least see their point.
I am not saying that I am at the destination yet,but I can see the viewpoint.

The Clinton-Obama race has shown this thinking to me simply by existing.
Have we gotten to the point of voting for candidates for what they are instead of who they are?
The media seems to believe that every woman in this country will vote for Clinton and every African-American will vote for Obama.
I hope that will not be the case and if it is-the Democratic party has no interest in running the best candidate.
If this primary season is all about my party "making history" with either the first woman or African-American candidate,instead of nominating the best candidate to regain the White House from a party that has given us the worst two term President in the HISTORY of our country-then sooner or later we are AGAIN doomed to fail.
Hillary Clinton gives the GOP exactly who they want to run against-a symbol of the past that will more than motivate their base to get the vote out and KO the candidate that has represented the worst to them since 1992.
Barack Obama gives them a tougher task on political issues,but gives them an easier task on personal issues.
It will take no time at all for the Republicans to pummel Obama with past drug use,insinuate that he is Muslim (Bet money that is going on as we speak) and the layup that is experience.
As in what he has really gotten accomplished with the exception of some inspirational speeches?

Which leads me back to anger in the Democratic Party.
The current race for the nomination is so anger based and could sow the seeds for the loss of the Presidency,which is laying there for the Democrats like a mint on a Holiday Inn pillow or as fat as
a Joe Welsh fastball.
Clinton seems to look at the other candidates as "how dare these peons challenge a party icon"!
Obama seems to think that he should be handed the nomination because he is "inspiring".
So,then both of them are angry at the other and it is beginning to become quite visible by their behavior and comments towards and about each other.

And what is this accomplishing?
Nothing,but damaged candidates and red meat for the fall against whatever candidate the GOP runs.
And a conceivable loss that that should be only a distant chance.

Sometimes as much as it hurts-it just doesn't matter.........

Back later with our regular sports colortini flying through the net.....

Photo Credits
Debate-AP Photo

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Devils grab wins at home and the road

The New Jersey Devils won both their games since my last post.
Last night the Devils went into Philadelphia and smacked the Flyers 7-3 in a dominant offensive performance that was led by Johnny Oduya (?) and his goal and three assists.
The Devils sent Flyer goalie Antero Niittymaki reeling from the contest after beating him five times and then added two more against Martin Biron in relief.
The Devils scored 5 times on the power play in tying the team record for power play goals in a game.
Oduya's second goal of the year led the Devils scoring night off on the power play and the first five New Jersey goal would all be on the man advantage.
Jamie Langenbrunner's 7th and Dainius Zubrus' 8th goals of the season ended the first with a 3-2 Jersey lead.
The Devils moved the lead to 5-2 at the end of 2 periods with the final PP goals from Patrik Elias (11) and Zach Parise (17) before finishing with two even strength goals in the final period from the same two players.
Parise scored his 18th and Elias ended the night with his 12th.
But,it would not be Philly without some thuggery as thug in training Steve Downie cut David Clarkson's eye in their fight that Clarkson dominated by clawing Clarkson like a girl!
Great effort by the Devils in cooling off the red hot Flyers,who had came into the contest having not lost a regulation game in their last 8 games...

On Sunday,the Devils played an excellent two periods and looked to have a safe 3-0 lead against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
However,the Devils wobbled down the stretch like a damaged Weeble and barely hung on for a 3-2 win over the Leafs.
John Madden returned from his cut ankle and scored two goals (13 and 14) to make the difference.
Travis Zajac scored the Devils first goal of the game with his 11th of the year.
I would have liked to have seen a great effort in the third to close the show,but instead got a effort that left much to be desired and as a result allowed the Leafs to get back into the game.
The Devils return on Thursday with their final game before the All-Star break against the Montreal Canadiens at the Rock.

Bullpen Notes

Great article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the new Pirate management's ideas on scouting and the minors.
Seems like they are saying the right things or they read our Pirates GM series from last year!

Super Middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe will be moving up to 175 pounds to battle kingpin Bernard Hopkins on April 19th in Las Vegas.
Calzaghe seems to have the style for Hopkins as he has a high workrate that will make it difficult for Hopkins to get off any counterpunches..

Art Silber claims that he has a deal to have his Potomac Nationals a new stadium ready to open for 2009.
This seems a bit optimistic,but just in case,maybe a day trip to the current stadium might be in order for this season...

On the signing front-
Just one mail sig,but it is a big one-Hall of Famer Gilbert Perrault! Now we just need to add Rick Martin and Rene Robert to complete the French Connection line.

Photo Credits
Parise-Rusty Kennedy-AP
Madden-Chris Trotman-Getty Images

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Don Wittman passes away

I planned to do a different topic today,but as I worked last night,a note came over the ESPN bottom line that Don Wittman passed away yesterday at the age of 71.
Who is Don Wittman?
Well,if you are Canadian,a hockey fan or a CFL fan,you would not need to ask that question.
The Winnipeg native was the voice of the CFL for years as well as Hockey Night in Canada and ranks right up with the more known American announcers in my opinion as the best in the profession.
As good as Wittman was at hockey,I think he was even better doing the 3 down game of Canadian Football.
Wittman was taken off the broadcasts of the Grey Cup in 1996 for Mark Lee and even though I like Lee's work,it always seemed to miss the voice of Wittman.
For myself and many Canadian Football fans,Don Wittman was "the voice of the CFL"as when you heard his voice of a CFL on CBC broadcast-the right mood was set and instantly put you ready to enjoy the game.
Wittman had suffered with lymphoma for most of the last year and the illness had taken him away from hockey broadcasting.
A fond farewell to Don Wittman,who will always be remembered as the ultimate professional....

Bullpen Notes

Roy Jones pounded out a unanimous win over Felix Trinidad in New York.
Jones scored knockdowns in the 7th and 10th rounds and called out various opponents after the bout and claimed to "fight anyone".
Where was this attitude years ago when his skills could have been tested?
I hope now that Jones needs some of these guys more now than they need him that they tell him to take a flying leap....

The Pirates look to be making a move to get more past Pirates involved with the team and will be making bobbleheads for giveaway nights of players from the 1970's Lumber Company teams.
Al Oliver is a must have for me!

Battlin Bob sends word of the death of Allan Melvin at the age of 84.
Melvin is most noted for his roles as "Sam the butcher" in the Brady Bunch and as "Barney Hefner" in All in the Family.
Melvin also is known to several generations of kids as the voice of Magilla Gorilla in the old Hanna Barbers cartoons.
Condolences to his family.

Picks for today's chilly conference title games are the home teams of Green Bay and New England,although we are rooting for the Packers and Chargers..

Thanks again to any new readers as yesterday we tied the hit record for a day that we set last week!

On the signing front
Former WHA star Michel Goulet,Kings winger Dave Taylor and journeyman of several teams Peter Zezel all signed by mail....

Photo Credits
Boxing-Don Emmert-Getty Images

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Devils fall again,Bill O'Reilly's football picks

Two quick goals early in the third period erased a New Jersey Devil lead and left the Florida Panthers with an unlikely 2-1 win at the Rock.
The Panthers rested all star goalie Tomas Vokoun and played journeyman Craig Anderson and Anderson played maybe the game of his life.
If he played like this more often,he would be starting somewhere!
I hate losing,but it is cool to see guys that aren't that good or don't play much do well.
The Devil goal came in the second period as Travis Zajac slammed home a bouncing rebound that was shot by Jamie Langenbrunner for his 10th goal of the year.
Marty Brodeur and Anderson both made some great,acrobatic saves that could have easily added multiple goals to both teams.
John Madden missed the game due to his slashed ankle and no word on a possible return to the lineup for the Devils game vs Toronto on Sunday....

Bullpen Notes

Noted sports fan Bill O'Reilly (who doesn't talk much about sports) likes the Patriots and Giants to win their games this weekend.

Battlin Bob sends us this link on the death of former Steeler Ernie Holmes.
Holmes perished in a car accident at the age of 59.
Holmes was a defensive tackle on the great Steeler teams of the 70's and briefly wrestled for Georgia Championship Wrestling before quitting.
Holmes also was one of the football players that was recruited to participate in the battle royal at Wrestlemania II and almost turned a verbal confrontation into a physical one in the locker room with Andre the Giant.

Thinking about that Wrestlemania,wonder why former Falcon Bill Fralic,who also participated,never entered wrestling?
He certainly seemed to have the promo part down and seemed to be a natural..

Former Wake Forest basketball coach Dave Odom will be retiring from his current employer South Carolina at the season's end.
Odom never seemed to fully turn the Gamecocks around,but the quiet Odom did an excellent job at Wake Forest.

Speaking of Wake,Hope Ryan and Battlin Bob are ready to find the Wake campus bookstore or least a Deacon shop on this years trip!

Nevada holds their Democratic caucus today.
Looks like a tight race,but we think Barack Obama will squeeze out a tight win..

In tonight's battle of the faded boxing stars,we like Roy Jones with a middle round knockout of Felix Trinidad.....

Our friends over at Bag of Health and Politics have done some good work this week,plus he has written a book that you can download an excerpt,so check them out..

Until tomorrow

Photo Credits
Hockey-Norman Lono-Getty Images
Fralic and Holmes -Topps

Friday, January 18, 2008

Boxing vs MMA

The hot topic among some sports fans is whether Boxing is dying and can the sport of MMA (mixed martial arts) take its place among sports fans.
First of all,boxing has been dying for as long as I can remember and it is still here,so I don't buy into that much.
But boxing has made some errors through the years,mainly in not keeping a network television presence.
Stars are made on networks,then can progress to HBO or Showtime after creating a following and then for the super fights go the pay per view route.
People will not pay 50 bucks to see fighters they are not familiar with even if they are terrific fighters.
Another error is just too many "champions".There needs to be more uniformity in the champions.
I have no problems with 2 or 3 champions in some weight classes,after all with one champion,the title would hardly be defended.
But when the time is right for unification fights,they need to be held just to see who the best is and for the fight fan-creating the best fights.
MMA has their top brand in the UFC,but with several other organizations muddling the waters,MMA may be in worse shape than Boxing on that topic.
For example the IBF Welterweight titlist can fight for the WBA title,there are no exclusive contracts with championship organizations,but in MMA there are and that could be a long term problem in making the best fights.
In closing,you don't have to choose between them(as many seem to do),although I prefer Boxing.
They are different sports,related only by the fact that they are combat sports.
I heard a terrific analogy and I would credit them,if I could remember who came up with it.
Boxing is like playing Basketball-fouls,officiating and the structure of the game,while MMA is basketball in the schoolyard,almost with no rules.
They both use the same ball and hoop,but otherwise different.
Enjoy them both(or the one that you enjoy) for what they are.

Bullpen Notes

Atlanta and Tampa traded yesterday as the Braves sent headcase infielder Willy Aybar to Tampa for journeyman pitcher Jeff Ridgeway.
Ridgway pitched a third of an inning for Tampa last year and allowed 7 runs during it,as he posted a 189.00 ERA!
Tampa also picked up Chase Fontaine in the deal.
We saw Fontaine at Myrtle Beach last year and he signed some stuff for us.
Looks like Tampa got the better end of this deal.

The Devils return to action tonight with a game against the Panthers at the Rock.

Chess genius Bobby Fischer has died in his adopted home of Iceland.
The eccentric Fischer won the world chess title from the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky in 1972,but lost the title without defending it in 1975.
Fischer was forced to move to Iceland after ignoring an international sanction against dealing with Yugoslavia and playing Spassky ( and defeating ) Spassky in a 1992 rematch.
Fischer's behavior had gotten bizarre over the years,as he often ranted with anti-Semitic statements through the years,but to my generation-Bobby Fischer was American chess and the game has never recovered from the loss of Fischer.
Fischer was 64.

Photo Credits
Fischer-AP File

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Islanders dunk Devils again-2008 trip schedule decided

The New Jersey Devils just cannot seem to get past their neighbors from Long Island,the New York Islanders.
Last night in a close game,the Islanders still did enough to get by with a 3-1 win.
Just as it seems that Marty Brodeur always finds a way to nip Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres,Rick DiPietro finds a way to beat the Devils.
Brodeur only allowed 2 goals (the third Islander goal was an empty netter),but only Travis Zajac in the 3rd period was able to beat DiPietro.
Zajac's goal (9) was a tip in of a Brian Gionta shot that gave New Jersey hope,but was the only offense of the evening.
John Madden missed the contest in order to avoid an infection of his slashed ankle that was suffered the Devils win over Buffalo last time out.
Madden is expected to return for Friday's game vs the Florida Panthers.

Bullpen Notes

The work is done and the decisions have been made for the 2008 minor league tour.
One possible game and date could be added at a later date,but for now,they are as follows..
August 10th
Greensboro NC-2:00
Augusta Greenjackets (Giants) at Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins)
Kannapolis NC-7:00
Greenville Drive (Red Sox) at Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox)
August 11th
Hickory NC-7:00
Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins) at Hickory Crawdads (Pirates)
August 12th
Winston-Salem NC-7:00
Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals) at Winston Salem Warthogs (White Sox)
August 13th
Pulaski VA-7:00
Bluefield Orioles (Orioles) at Pulaski Mariners (Mariners)

Possiblity depending on later events
August 9th
Lynchburg VA-6:00
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Braves) at Lynchburg Hillcats (Pirates)

On the Signing Front
Mail signatures from Hockey Hall of Famers Clark Gilles and Joe Mullen,former Bruin All-Star Rick Middleton,former well traveled defenseman Mike Lalor and former Flame Rejean Lemelin.

Photo Credit
Zajac-Rich Schultz-AP Photo

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Random Ramblings

The Oakland Athletics got an additional bonus from the Atlanta Braves in completing the Mark Kotsay for Joey Devine trade,as Oakland also acquired righthanded pitcher Jamie Richmond.
Richmond pitched for the Rome Braves last season and started the game that we saw Rome against Greensboro last year.
The native of Canada was 7-6 with a 3.05 ERA in Rome and will likely be assigned to High A ball this year.

The Pirates announced the coaching staffs for this season (finally) and it is pretty much the status quo with one exception.
Brad Fischer takes over at State College replacing Turner Ward as the Spikes boss,but the systems other managers stayed in place with Trent Jewett at Indianapolis,Tim Leiper at Altoona,Jeff Branson in Lynchburg and Gary Green in Hickory.
No word on the Hillcats or Crawdads coaches,but Sid Bream (all of people) will be State College's hitting coach.

The Braves have decided to move the Richmond Braves to Gwinnett County GA in 2009.
Gwinnett is building a new field and the Atlanta suburb will give the Braves flexibility in calling players up.
The Braves owns their AAA franchise,so they can do the move with ease.
The bigger question is what team and what league will wind up in Richmond?
The Richmond spot will have to be filled by a franchise moved from another city,so stay tuned!

The GOP looks to be in total disarray after the win in Michigan by Willard "Mitt" Romney.
3 winners in 3 states and imagine the race if Fred Thompson wins in South Carolina (shooting for the moon) or Mr.9/11 wins in his debut in Florida!
I know most politicos like to talk about the fabled brokered conventions that never seem to occur,but this is a possibility for the GOP this time.

Last night's love fest debate in Nevada for the Democrats was kinda dull....

Watched Fox's debut of the Terminator series and loved it.
Great job by being reasonably loyal to the films history and was loaded with action.
I recommend it highly for fans of the film series or action/Sci-Fi.

New Jersey Devils return to action tonight against their troublemaking neighbors from Long Island at 7.
Battling Bob here to watch and coverage here tomorrow.

Photo Credit
Richmond-David Cross

Monday, January 14, 2008

Laurinatis stays a Buckeye! Nationals release almost entire 2007 Suns bullpen!!!

James Laurinaitis announced today that he would be staying for his senior year at Ohio State and instantly makes the Buckeyes contenders again.
The "little animal" was thought to be leaving for the NFL draft after his BCS record setting game vs LSU,but apparently decided that the NFL can wait and we applaud his decision.
The Buckeyes were able to retain corner Malcolm Jenkins,linebacker Marcus Freeman,receiver Brian Robiskie and tackle Alex Boone along with Laurinaitis from leaving early as Juniors.
Only junior defensive end Vernon Golston will be leaving Columbus early.
So you Buckeye and Big Ten haters out there should get ready (like it or not) for another Buckeye run at the national title.

The Washington Nationals cut a large number of minor leaguers yesterday and it seems like they pretty much cleaned out the entire 2007 Hagerstown bullpen.
Seven pitchers that saw action in Hagerstown were released along with catcher Erick San Pedro and outfielder Lindon Bond.
Lefty pitchers Zach Baldwin,Coby Mavroulis,Joe Welsh and Gene Yost were released along with righthanders Greg Bunn,Devon Drag and Buzz Vargas.
The one surprise on this list was Baldwin as he seemed to be improving late in the season and seemed like he was certain to be either in Potomac or back in Hagerstown.
Mavroulis was a nice guy.but the sidearmer never seemed to recover from being hit with a line drive in the face early in the season.
Welsh never really showed me much,Yost spent most of the season in Potomac,Bunn was effective in Hagerstown,but was pounded at Potomac,while Drag and Vargas were late season signings to just have arms available in August for the Suns.
Linden Bond seemed like a nice guy that was just overmatched here.
Too much too soon for the Nats last pick in the 2007 draft,although it would have been nice to see him given another try.
San Pedro has been a disappointment to the Expos/Nationals since he was a second round pick a few years back and I suppose that his injury history was finally too much for Washington.
This really throws a wrench into what to expect for the Potomac pitching staff this season and likely improves the chances of Erik Arnesen to start the season at Potomac.

Bullpen Notes

Thanks to Ryan for reminding me of the passing of Don Cardwell.
The well traveled righty pitched for the Cubs and Pirates among others and is (as Ryan noted) best remembered for his 1960 no hitter in Chicago.

Looks like Rex Ryan could be the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.
As a huge Buddy Ryan fan,the Falcons move up on my list with a possible hiring of Ryan.

The Cleveland Indians announced a deal with Progressive Insurance for naming rights to the former Jacobs Field.
Not a big fan of these deals,but Progressive Field is better than most of the parks that sell naming rights.

Finally in good news,Cate Edwards,the daughter of John Edwards was uninjured after her car was rear-ended by a drunk driver in North Carolina.
The Edwards family has had enough tragedy and happy to see that this time they caught a break.

Photo Credits
Laurinatis-Doral Chenoweth-Columbus Dispatch
Baldwin-Hagerstown Suns

"Roll Over" Dungy gets some payback..........

"Roll Over" Tony Dungy got a little bit of payback for his benching of Peyton Manning among other in the Colts season finale' as the Colts were upset by the San Diego Chargers at home yesterday.
This is the second time in three seasons that Dungy has benched players late in the season to "rest" and then were eliminated at home by a lower seeded team that had played the previous week.
Perhaps the Colts loss to an inferior Steeler team two years ago had not sunk in or "Roll Over" enjoys making the same mistake time and time again.
One thing that I noticed in the post-game press conference is Dungy's smiles and almost indifference to the loss.
Perhaps Dungy,who plays the "I don't know if I will coach next year" game seemingly every season,should just pull the trigger and leave the game.
He has a championship and maybe the fire has left the coach...
In any event,congratulations to the Chargers and what goes around comes around to Dungy.....

Bullpen Notes

A final note on the Colts and "Roll Over".
IF they had played it straight against Tennessee,it is possible that they would not have played San Diego in the second round.
Cleveland would have been a much stronger offensive foe for San Diego than Tennessee and may have beaten the Chargers on a day that the Chargers offense was not clicking.

Former Brooklyn Dodger pitcher Johnny Podres died yesterday at the age of 75.
Podres won the 1st World Series MVP in 1955 in winning Game 7 over the Yankees to bring Brooklyn their only World Championship.
Podres was a pitching coach for several teams,most notably the Phillies.
Curt Schilling gives the credit to Podres for turning him into the pitcher that he eventually became.....

Ohio State lost backup QB Rob Schoenhoft,as Schoenhoft announced plans to transfer to 1-AA Delaware.
A good move for him,as Ohio State would have likely moved Antonio Henton ahead of him on the depth chart and the Buckeyes are still in the running for highly touted Terrelle Pryor.

Photo Credits
Dungy-Andy Lyon-Getty Images

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Packers end Seattle's season,Devils knife the Sabres

For a short while,it appeared that the Seattle Seahawks were going to have a great day.
Two Ryan Grant fumbles on his first two touches of the football led to a 14-0 Seattle lead and things were looking up.
That was as good as it got as the Seahawks would never reach the end zone again,the Packers offense and the aforementioned Grant got rolling and there was no stopping them in a 42-20 Green Bay win.
The normally dependable Seahawk defense was helpless against the Packer onslaught in the snowcase that was Lambeau Field.
A funny aside on that-I watched ESPN 2's Boxing last night at work on tape from Friday and on the bottom line was the weather forecast for the game-30% chance of snow FLURRIES!
Glad ESPN isn't buying the Weather Channel anytime soon.
Anyway,yesterday I wrote that the team that ran the ball better would win.
Green Bay 235 rushing yards,Seattle 35.
Game,set and match.
The Seahawks continued their anemic road playoff record as they have not won a road playoff game since their AFC days in 1983 against the Dolphins and a ROOKIE Dan Marino!
A somewhat disappointing year in what could be Mike Holmgren's last year as coach.
The team needs some offensive retooling and could use some new safeties,but what they do will depend on a possible new coach and the system that he would install.
Congratulations to Green Bay and here is hoping you go all the way.....

The New Jersey Devils had to be feeling that their game in Buffalo vs the Sabres was payback night.
Daniel Paille scored two goals in the first period,one being on the patented "Brodeur beater" from the parallel net shot and it seemed like Ryan Miller was going to finally get his win over the Devils.
But the Devils never quit and dominated play for the remainder of the contest,despite Miller's stellar play.
Paul Martin finally cut the lead to 2-1 in the second with his goal that deflected off Miller's glove and into the net for Martin's 3rd goal of the year.
But still despite the Devils energetic play,the tying goal had not came until Martin Brodeur left the net with 90 seconds remaining for the extra attacker and through the Devils aggressive forechecking set up David Clarkson stuffing the puck between the pipe and Miller's right leg for the tying goal and Clarkson's 5th goal of the year.
So on to another scoreless Devils-Sabres overtime and then to the shootout.
Zach Parise quickly beat Miller to give the Devils the edge,Brodeur then turned away Ales Kotalik,who is excellent in shootouts and Thomas Vanek,who is not.
That then set up Patrik Elias beating Miller for the clincher leaving a discontented Miller on his stomach pounding his hand on the ice as the Devils pull 2 points from the fire with the 3-2 win.
The only downside was John Madden leaving the game after being cut by the skate of Buffalo's
Henrik Tallinder.
No word on the seriousness of Madden's injury.
The Devils are off until Wednesday against (uh oh) the Islanders at the Rock....

Bullpen Notes

The Eastern Conference All-Stars were announced.
Marty Brodeur was voted in as the starting goalie by the fans.
Good thing because no other Devils were selected as backups.
So the second best team in the conference got 1 all-star and the second worst (Washington) got two?
And Ryan wonders why I believe there is a anti-Devil bias.......................

The Cleveland Browns wasted no time in replacing Todd Grantham as defensive coordinator with defensive backs coach Mel Tucker.
Tucker was the Browns secondary coach for the last three years and was a coach on the defensive side of the ball for Ohio State before that.
My only question is this,nothing against Tucker,but you fire a coach because your defense was not up to snuff and replace him with a coach that was helping him?
Just asking.........

Looks like another good Billy Beane deal for the Oakland Athletics in swapping aging,injury riddled outfielder Mark Kotsay for power armed reliever Joey Devine with the Atlanta Braves.
This tells me that Huston Street will not be in Oakland past July 31st at the latest...

What a right hand by Super Middleweight contender Edison Miranda in knocking David Banks cold in 3 rounds.
The hard punching Miranda is always an entertaining fighter to watch.

Photo Credits
Favre-Mike Roemer-AP Photo
Devils-Don Heupel-AP Photo

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Seahawks visit the Tundra in NFC Semis

The Seattle Seahawks visit Green Bay and the Packers in the only game this weekend that I am really rooting FOR someone in.
I have always been an unabashed Brett Favre fan and if the Hawks have to lose to someone in the playoffs,I cannot pick a better team than Green Bay.
The keys to this game in my opinion is the same for both teams-the team that can get the most production from their running game will likely win this game.
The teams are very closely matched except at QB where Favre holds an advantage over Matt Hasselbeck.
Watch for excellent and unsung linebacking play from both teams with Seattle's Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson countering the Pack's A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett.
Both Tatupu and Barnett are excellent tacklers and are know for snaring an interception or two as well.
This is a Pick em game and makes a tough call,but the wisdom is the home field is worth 3 points. and that makes the difference.
Our Pick:Packers 24-20.

Last week we went 4-0 on the playoffs opening weekend.
Here are this weeks picks.
Packers over Seahawks,Cowboys over Giants,Colts over Chargers and Jaguars over Patriots.
Yep,I am going for the home run and I am likely just looking for a silver thread,but I have a crazy feeling that Jacksonville will at least scare the hell of the Patriots tonight.
Plus,when I don't hear ANYONE giving a team the slightest chance,that sets off the red flag for me.

Bullpen Notes

Bill Maher's Real Time returned last night and was a terrific show that featured some guy from Rolling Stone giving as good as he got against former White House mouthpiece Tony Snow.
Plus Mark Cuban got a shot in on Bill O'Reilly as well!

For those of you that mailed me about Kirsten Powers (OK,just one of you),here is a picture of the lefty pundit.
Powers appeared on O'Reilly's show last night and gave us this exchange.
O'Reilly:"C'mon Powers,you love doing this show."
Powers:without a smile or laugh-"yeah,right"

Watched last nights Telefutura fights featuring the "Contender" winner Sergio Mora and was far from impressed.
Mora lacks power and attempts to be a boxer type without the skills of a top level boxer.
Look for Mora to be exposed as soon as he fights a top 20 boxer.

On the fight game,look for a Boxing vs MMA post soon on a slow day.....

Mildly surprised that the Browns let go defensive coordinator Todd Grantham yesterday.
The Browns aren't loaded with talent on that side of the ball and looks like Grantham is the scapegoat.
A shot in the dark as his replacement?
Try former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan,if he doesn't get the Baltimore top spot.

The New Jersey Devils visit Buffalo tonight for a game against the Sabres at 7.
Coverage here tomorrow............

On the signing front-
former King and Red Wing Jimmy Carson signed through the mail...

Photo Credits
Helmets-Helmet Project


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West Liberty nets BB&T grant

September 4, 2011
Times Leader

WEST LIBERTY Students at West Liberty University have the opportunity to study and analyze the foundations of capitalism and the free market economy thanks to a $350,000 grant from the BB&T Foundation.

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Ohio State to face Iowa’s touted defense

October 18, 2013
By BETTY POKAS - Buckeye Blitz , Times Leader

THE IOWA Hawkeyes, which will face Ohio State Saturday, are among the top 10 in defense in the nation and "real stout, real firm against the run," according to Buckeye head football coach Urban Meyer.

"I believe they have not given up a rushing touchdown. ... I can see that they are very good. So just a big game," Meyer added.

Both teams are coming off a bye week so not only are they rested, but they've had an opportunity for more practices.

"We've been in here for two weeks trying to figure out how to run the ball against this defense. They are Top 10 in scoring defense or I think Top 10 in rushing defense and very good players," Meyer said.

Everett Withers, Buckeye assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/safeties, pointed out OSU's "No. 1 objective is to stop the run and if a team can't run it on you, and they can throw it on you, you know, as long as you're tackling, as long as you are triggering and tackling, you're going to be OK. We have got to shore up and tackle. That's what we're working on, trigger and tackle."

Withers added that he has known Iowa defensive coordinator Greg Davis for 20-some years, and Davis favors a zone run game.

"So that's what he does and it doesn't change and it hasn't changed. So we have to stop the run, the zone run game," Withers said. "We have backs that are capable, hard runners, tough physical offensive line."

As to why Iowa's run defense is so tough, Hawkeye head coach Kirk Ferentz said, "It's a group effort. One thing I mentioned earlier is the fact that we're a little saltier up front. We weren't very salty last year. We're a little bit better there now.

"Our linebackers are playing better because of that. ... But it's a combination of things. You can't just do it just with the front seven. Our DBs are doing a good job of containing where they have to, and then we've had guys come up and support and make tackles, too. It's everybody doing a good job."

Stan Drayton, OSU assistant head coach/offense/running backs, said the Hawkeyes do a "phenomenal job of playing great discipline defense. We know where they are going to get lined up, but we are going to have to be very, very smart on running our receivers through their zones because they are a very physical football team."

Drayton countered a question with a query when asked what OSU is doing best on offense now as they're halfway through the season.

He replied, "Does it have to be a football answer necessarily? I tell you what we are doing a great job of is trusting each other. ... There is not a selfish bone that has been exposed to us as coaches and to each other as teammates. "

Ohio State's impressive record of having the nation's longest winning streak at 18 games doesn't concern coaches on either team as much as the present.

Ferentz noted the Buckeyes' long streak of wins isn't mentioned so much around the Hawkeyes' locker room. "To me, the one streak that's impressive right now is they're undefeated. They're fourth in the country. You don't fall into that. They've got a really good team, and they're playing really well. That may be as impressive as anything," said the Iowa coach.

Withers indicated he doesn't think there's pressure to maintain the record as such. "I think every game is its own entity, and you go in and you work on every single game and not look at what's happened in the past. You work on the next one."

The two men apparently have the same thoughts about football as poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow when he wrote about life:

"Let the dead Past bury its dead!

"Act,-act in the living Present!"

Junior running back Mark Weisman leads the Hawkeyes and is third in the Big Ten with 104.0 yards per game with three touchdowns. He is described as tough kid and a tough runner, and Withers went into detail about what the Buckeyes will have to do to stop him.

Weisman is listed as probable for Saturday's game after missing much of Iowa's loss to Michigan State two weeks ago because of a foot injury.

Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock, a sophomore, has completed 60.3 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and six interceptions. Described as his favorite target is junior wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Maley, who has 26 catches for 225 yards and one TD.

The Hawkeyes are 4-2 and 1-1 with wins over Missouri State, 28-14; Iowa State, 27-21; Western Michigan, 59-3; and Minnesota, 23-7. Iowa lost its first game of the season to Northern Illinois, 30-27. as well as its most recent game to Michigan State, 26-14.

OHIO STATE has been victorious in its last three games with Iowa and 11 of the last 12 overall.

THE BUCKEYES' 92nd homecoming game is scheduled Saturday. Court members are chosen based on their leadership qualities, spirit, integrity, and achievement through their contributions and involvement at OSU.

SATURDAY'S GAME, which will be televised by ABC (ESPN2 reverse mirror), will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Pokas can be reached at

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July 19, 2013

Friday events: ¯ Warren County Historical Society, 210 Fourth Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ¯ Warren Public Library, Market St., Warren, open, 10 a.m.-5 p.m....

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March 26, 2011
Times Observer

Jack and Marsha Matey formerly from Youngsville are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Marcella Matey, to Samuel Mueller, son of Richard and Barbara Mueller of Honeoye Falls, NY. Marcella is the granddaughter of Audrey and the late Frank Taydus (Warren) and Elsie Taydus (Youngsville).

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Ilona Kremen

Latest on Ilona Kremen »

Indian student makes it to Lithuania’s top 10 graduates’ list. Received Master’s diploma from the hands of the president of Lithuania who gifts him a state sponsored seat for doctoral studies.
Indian students have started to explore new parts of Europe for higher education and many are headed to Lithuania.
Supermodel Irina Shayk has dismissed claims that she had an affair with outgoing Fifa president Sepp Blatter, terming the rumours as "pathetic" and "wholly unfounded".
A review of more than 100 studies comparing organic and conventional farming finds that the crop yields of organic agriculture are higher than previously thought.
Kuzya, like Putin, has territorial ambitions, which this week drew him across the frigid Amur River that separates Russia and China. His arrival set off a diplomatic incident of sorts.

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Local group of artists, lead by Jane Zamost, left, had created a studio in a Hopewell Borough building but recently decided to turn a portion of it into "Lux Gallery" . The "popup" location only opens for special events, but it affords them a place to exhibit and sell their work.
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gypsy wagon

Hercules Caravan

November 7, 2013

I just wanted to Submit Hercules to your website, We live in The Tamar Valley in North Cornwall where we run a small holiday park where each of our lets is a tiny house!

Hercules is a hand built cedar living wagon set in his own little piece of woodland. His interior is fitted with a mixture of vintage and reclaimed furnishings including a train carriage door (leading to the bathroom) and old cinema seats at the table.

A caravan that you can rent in Cornwall, England. More info. here.

  • Reply Joan November 7, 2013 at 6:16 pm

    I love the old cinema seats! Such a lovely little place.

  • Reply Ralph Sly November 7, 2013 at 6:23 pm

    Very nice, classy, too bad you had to butt the flooring at the kitchen but no one could knock this.

  • Reply Mark Gibson November 7, 2013 at 9:24 pm

    So absolutely beautiful. I love it.

    Is there a story behind those incredibly funky kitchen cupboards?

    • Reply Kitty November 9, 2013 at 5:08 am

      Thanks for saying such lovely things The Kitchen cabinets were salvaged they are English Rose from the fifties but the previous owner painted them in the style of Clarice Cliff.

  • Reply Pamela Bockman November 7, 2013 at 9:49 pm

    Love this…..warm and welcoming. I love the kitchen. It looks like Peter Max painted your cabinets. Beautiful!

  • Reply ShawnaEmbry November 8, 2013 at 1:41 am

    Absolutely LOVE the decor and layout! Would it be possible for you to share a blueprint photo? And how many square feet?

  • Reply Lara November 8, 2013 at 9:15 am

    I am confused by these pics because the first pic looks like a rectangle, but it is clear that it is an L shape with the bedroom off to the side. Very cute.

  • Reply #8 Hercules in Tiny House Fame | Spring Park November 8, 2013 at 10:31 am

    […] I know that today’s post should be a day in my life but something way more exciting happened today. Hercules was featured on a favourite blog of mine Tiny House Swoon….Have you seen it I could spend hours scrolling through all the amazing tiny houses on there so if you are going to take a look make sure you have a spare few hours and a cup of tea to hand. You can see Hercules here! […]

  • Reply Hercules Caravan | Tiny House Swoon | Research Material November 8, 2013 at 8:11 pm

    […] caravan. via Facebook Like this:Like Loading… By aindriu, on November 9, 2013 at 12:11 am, under Uncategorized. Tags: […]

  • Reply Joe3 November 8, 2013 at 10:48 pm

    Like Lara, I too was confused about what I was seeing, then I studied the photos, especially the furniture placement and ceilings and understand what I’m looking at. INCREDIBLE is my word for this, love the kitchen cabinets, and the arch in the ceilings. I would like to know the window manufacturer – I haven’t been able to find that style here (USA) And this has given me some great decorating ideas for my Housetruck … What a sweet caravan you have.

    • Reply Kitty November 9, 2013 at 5:15 am

      Thank you Hercules is a special wagon I will look into the window manufacturers for you, we are about to begin building a new on in the next few months ourselves!

  • Reply Ruth Vallejos November 11, 2013 at 3:15 pm

    Wow. That’s not a caravan, that’s a home. Lovely touches, very comfy.

    Just out of curiosity: are taxes on caravans different from taxes on houses in the UK? Is that why it’s still way up on wheels? Or is this the regulations for the park where it’s parked?

    Also, I’m assuming you started with the frame for a large truck trailer, and if you do move it you need a semi?

    Thanks for posting this – very inspiring!

  • Reply Calypso November 12, 2013 at 4:01 am

    It has such a fantasy quality, like being inside of a nineteenth century novel. I love it!

  • Leave a Reply


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Entry #1

2007-07-17 16:44:50 by ToasterDemon

Haha, these blog things are pretty damn cool.
St1k and I just finished a redesign movie. It actually took us a while to make, so take a look at that. Its called "NG: The redesign"
This is more just a test of the blog feature. Im working on a few games right now, and feel free to IM me if you have anything to say.
AIM: kylethompson1111

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2007-07-17 20:40:54

Do you and St1k always do stuff together? Haha... it says you're 7 :D

(Updated ) ToasterDemon responds:

a lot of times we do, not always though, and it says your 7 if you don't bother setting your age :P

2007-07-18 14:03:34

I love you man

2007-07-21 05:00:44

I was thinking we should get married.

You down?

ToasterDemon responds:

omg yes ^_^

2007-09-03 20:52:41

lol yea, i just saw a whole bunch reviews of those on JohnnyUtahs vids like tankmen and 300 queers.

2011-06-15 16:32:12

Hot teen masturbating on cam.

Download here:

She starts crying at the end.


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Belecthor I

Revision as of 09:33, 19 November 2007 by Legolas (Talk | contribs)
Belecthor (I)
Biographical Information
PositionRuling Steward
BirthThird Age 2545
RuleThird Age 2628 - Third Age 2655
DeathThird Age 2655, aged 110 years
ParentageHúrin II
ChildrenMorwen, Orodreth
Physical Description

Belecthor I (Third Age 2545 – 2655, aged 110 years) was the fifteenth Ruling Steward of Gondor.

Belecthor succeeded his father Húrin II at his death in Third Age 2628. The Corsairs of Umbar were the major threat to Gondor at the time, although no major events are recorded.

Belecthor had two children: Morwen and Orodreth.

He was followed by his son Orodreth at his death in 2655.

Preceded by:
Húrin II
15th Ruling Steward of Gondor
III 2628 – 2655
Followed by:


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Portal talk:Music

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Latest revision as of 15:39, 1 February 2011

How about some information about the Lord of the Rings Suite by Johan de Meij.

Go ahead ;). It's a wiki, after all. -- Ederchil 06:19, 27 April 2008 (EDT)
Thanks for reminding me, his article was on my to-do list. We also could use an article specifically on Symphony No. 1 I believe, but for now I've just created the stub for him, feel free to expand it. --Hyarion 14:07, 27 April 2008 (EDT)


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Film Fiber: Midnight Express and the Rosebud Conundrum

Submitted by on October 31, 2012 – 3:58 PM27 Comments

What is film fiber? It's the movies I feel it's necessary to have watched in order to participate in the cultural conversation. Canon, in other words, and whether it's good or enjoyable isn't the point. The point, as our exasperated sophomore-English teacher noted on the subject of The Scarlet Letter: "You can hate Pearl all you want, but if you can't tell me what she means, you're going to fail this class."

The point is also to chop my Netflix queue down to something even slightly shorter than a Soviet bread line. Sometimes it's an unexpected pleasure (Casablanca); other times it's a baffling drag (Myra Breckinridge). But usually, it's a split decision, and I liked a lot of things about Midnight Express — Brad Davis's genuine and lived-in performance; Giorgio Moroder's score, untranslatable to any other material — but I had a lot of problems with it too.

The portrayal of the Turks is as egregious as you've heard… Swarthy, unshaven Jabbas; skittering cockroaches with bad dental work; meretricious dumplings with too many rings…the only thing missing from the cartoon is the identical cacti and clouds repeating in the background. Hayes Sr.'s too-long, too-loud announcement that the local cuisine gave him the trots could just speak to that particular character's blinkered discomfort, but the rest of the film has already declared everything Turkish shady and vile. Many of those involved in the film have apologized formally for that, as they should have.

…but the portrayal of the prison environment has a Camp Turkey feel. It just doesn't look that bad. Hayes's bunk has pictures and candles, he can read, he can get up in the middle of the night and get a drink of water and wander around and brood; he seems to have a supply of fresh clothing. Max gets to keep a cat (that doesn't turn out so well, but still) and drugs. The violence is, compared to what we've seen elsewhere (and, more to the point, expect to see here), not awful, and in the case of the rampant buttock-stabbings, it's actually funny. It's not Midnight Express's fault that we've seen harsher-seeming jails and more obviously psycho inmates (and guards) in the intervening years — Shawshank, Oz — but the movie was for years synonymous with a hard-to-take portrayal of overseas imprisonment, and it's hard to see why from here. (Papillon, which predates it, is far grimier, more dismal, and more successful at imparting a spiritual claustrophobia.)

I don't know what to call that, the inability to feel a film, or meet it as new, the way a contemporary audience would have because said film, and/or its firsts, has existed in the culture for so long. I know I've shared this anecdote before, but Ma tried to inject the occasional classic into our customary drivelous Rocky III rental viewing, and when she brought home Citizen Kane from Video Station, we made in-shite-ful comments like "what's with the weird angle, didn't they have tripods in the eighteen-hundreds" and "ooh, a focus pull, big whoop" and my mother is like "OH MY GOD HE INVENTED THE FOCUS PULL YOU IGNORAMI." We actually liked it pretty well on its line-narrative merits, in the end, but I've seen it several times and I don't think I've caught half of the filmmaking tools Welles pioneered — and I certainly can't get knocked back by it the way a viewer at the time might have.

So let's call it the Rosebud Conundrum for the moment, by way of saying that, through no fault of its own, much of what may have made Midnight Express notably raw or bracing or what have you is more commonplace today (sensual tenderness between two men, say), or we've seen it done better in the interim (Shawshank, In the Name of the Father, pick your prison-injustice movie), or it's in the mix as a parody. I've seen Jim Carrey whamping his breast onto prison glass and moaning "Billlleeee" in Cable Guy so many times by now that, when I got to that scene in its original form, I couldn't see it for itself. And it's stern stuff; he's jerking off, she's crying, it's intensely private — and busted — and I shouldn't immediately think of Matthew Broderick, but: there it is.

Erich looks like the guy from the Nissan "now you'll know when to stop" ad. Also not the film's fault, but I saw that ad about a thousand times during the postseason. The unfortunate result: during the shower scene, I kept expecting a little "honk!" to tell Erich to stop.

The movie's not off the hook for everything, though.

The patented Oliver Stone "Who Am I?" Moment derails the pacing. Look, I love Oliver Stone. Oliver Stone in turn loves a speech, and he can't always pull them off, but one of his gifts as a director is casting and cutting the bombast correctly, so you don't always notice that Gekko or Garrison or whoever has now entered minute 17 of speaking only in abstractions. Stone's not directing here, though, and Hayes's speech at his second sentencing hearing is much too long. From there to the end, the movie feels like it's a beat behind.

The wig work is deplorable. Hayes is sweating balls in the airport bathroom and I'm muttering, "Just take the pelt off if you're that hot, it's not fooling anyone anyway." Dollar-store Frankenstein hair is more realistic, and then it has a reprise when Hayes is in the mental hospital that ruins another kind-of-out-there Stone moment — all the patients walking in a circle — that I could have gone with if I weren't distracted by the Robert Blake scalp on Hayes's head.

So, is it worth pouring a bowl of this film fiber for yourself? Sure. It's not essential, I wouldn't say, but it's got nice performances, Randy Quaid is kind of foxy in it (I know. Abs! …I KNOW!), and in spite of the pacing spanner thrown in the works, it's not boring.

Next up on Film Fiber: Stalag 17

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  • Georgia says:

    Weird, I just watched this very recently for the first time. The performances were great, and I thought Brad Davis was a total fox. (Sidebar: reading Davis's wikipedia entry after watching the movie was possibly more engrossing than the film itself.)

    I agree that the prison just didn't seem that bad. It was dirty, and some bad shit happened, and yes, you don't get to just go outside and see your friends and family when you want, but mostly it's just sitting around getting high, playing guitar and gin rummy, and reading? Sounds like an OK weekend.

    The pacing was off, but I thought it had more to do with attempting the affect of actual prison life. As in: Yep, mostly prison is not so bad–though it's fairly dull–but it's occasionally punctuated by bizarre and horrible violence (the cat, the blanket-stealing, the drug raid). While this may be an accurate depiction of life behind bars, it doesn't make it all that interesting to watch.

  • Ellie says:

    TV Tropes deems it "Seinfeld Is Unfunny." (I like "The Rosebud Conundrum"; just sayin'! Can't help being That Nerd, volunteering all the information.)

  • What did you think of the Giorgio Moroder "Only in the 70's" score? I must confess a certain fondness for it, if only for the fact CBS used to use the theme from the movie during the halftime highlights of its NBA games (just like I always think of the Jordan-era Chicago Bulls whenever I hear Alan Parsons Project's "Sirius"). I haven't seen this movie in a long time, but so I just remember the music, as well as the performances of Quaid, John Hurt and Bo Hopkins (who really makes the most of being in the movie for only a few minutes).

  • Sarah D. Bunting says:

    I like their explanation — but TVT and I both need a term that's a little less opaque about what it actually means. "Innovation Expiration"? "Guess You Had To Be There Vector"?

  • Sarah D. Bunting says:

    Loved the Moroder. It doesn't age well (see: "Electric Dreams") (…don't see it, it's horrendous), and yet it's exactly right for the movie and organic to it.

  • Jack says:

    I remember seeing this movie in college about ten years ago, and my immediate reaction was, "I'm glad I saw that [auth. note: confirming its status as "film fiber"?], but I have no desire to ever watch it again." I found it engrossing, but at the same time unpleasant and exhausting.

    Being something of a Wilder wonk, I love Stalag 17, while fully recognizing – and not caring about – its flaws. Very interested to hear your take on it.

  • haras says:

    I recently completed a project of watching all of the Oscar best picture nominees I hadn't already seen from 1978-present (my lifetime) – this was among them.
    I really like the term "film fiber" because it explains in a nutshell why I wanted to concentrate on watching a lot of these movies I hadn't seen before. There's no pressing reason to sit down and watch Apolcalypse Now, and Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Z, but there was a baseline that I just felt like I was missing before.
    It's certainly been interesting (my next goal is to fill in my gaps back to 1960), but not every classic is an unexpected gem for sure. There were quite a few that surprised me in a good way, but Midnight Express was not among them. It was watchable, but kind of tedious.

  • Tylia says:

    Sars, I called your Rosebud Conundrum The Psycho Dilemma for a very long time because I had avoided Psycho, and much of Hitchcock until my twenties, but because I live in the world, I knew all of the relevant twists and turns and I'd seen it done similarly and better in certain circumstances that when I did watch Psycho, it was just completely underwhelming. How about we call it the Underwhelming Touchstone Experience? Show of hands?

  • ferretrick says:

    Underwhelming Touchstone Experience is gold.

    I really like this new feature. Crush Film Festival was fun too, but that had gotten kind of stale to me. I'd nominate All About Eve for this.

  • anotherkate says:

    I always thought of this as the Simpsons Effect – where I watch a classic film and then recognize a famous line or whatever from a Simpsons parody.
    The main problem I have with older movies is accepting that even though they are often shorter over all, the action is usually slower. This is maybe not the best example, but I just watched How To Steal a Million, and it felt like it took forever to get to the actual heist. Also Hepburn was too old for the role, but that's a separate issue.

  • Sarah D. Bunting says:

    There are also some movies adapted from the thee-ah-tah that…didn't adapt. Static shot compositions and staging, everyone yelling into the cheap seats…a lot of '40s pictures feel that way even if they didn't come from plays.

  • Sandman says:

    Ma tried to inject the occasional classic into our customary drivelous Rocky III rental viewing, and when she brought home Citizen Kane from Video Station, we made in-shite-ful comments like "what's with the weird angle, didn't they have tripods in the eighteen-hundreds" and "ooh, a focus pull, big whoop" and my mother is like "OH MY GOD HE INVENTED THE FOCUS PULL YOU IGNORAMI."

    Hee. I love it when your Ma makes a cameo appearance. She always sounds like such a riot. (But, er, not the prison kind.)

    "Rosebud Conundrum"? In this context? Hew. Dirty! (Sorry, I'm such a philistine, I know.)

    I really like "Underwhelming Touchstone Experience." And I agree with @ferretrick: I think All About Eve would make a good entry in this series. And maybe also The Magnificent Ambersons.

  • Todd K says:

    This is almost spooky — I had watched this the night before you posted. I had seen it once before, many years earlier.

    I found Stone's screenplay awful, not only for the xenophobia. Too many of his storytelling solutions are just absurd. I don't care that he departs from reality and/or Hayes's memoir. He's writing a commercial movie, more power to him. But so much is wrong with key scenes that I can't even buy into it as a lowbrow thriller. That final attempted rape and the manner in which Billy dispatches the behemoth guard is nakedly desperate in its attempt to rig a final-act jam to satisfy the formula, and so *bad* at it. How was it not rewritten on the spot? (I mean…really? The coat hook?)

    A few times I had the discomfort that comes with the worst brand of manipulative propaganda, the feeling that the filmmakers were working backward from states they wanted us to be worked into — laying groundwork so we would be exhilarated by and cheering on that rage episode with the tongue-biting, and the "nation of pigs" speech.

    The homoerotic interlude with the Swede didn't work. As you say, such material has been better presented in prestigious movies since then, besides which this was the most pretentiously shot sequence, and there was also something curiously detachable about it. It is self-contained, disconnected from what comes before and after. I suspect that Stone and Parker et al. put it there believing they might be forced to take it out at some point, and they wanted to make it no great loss to continuity if it came to that.

    The crawl at the end, which tries to weasel-word the viewer into believing the Cannes premiere of this glorified exploitation picture was responsible for a diplomatic breakthrough, is shameful.

    This is a movie that made me ponder to what degree impressive technique can rescue material that is stupid when it isn't reprehensible. Everything I've said above is negative, but Alan Parker is a good director in the mechanical ways. He can get pulses racing, he has style and brio, he pulls you in. I wish I actually liked more of his movies. "Shoot The Moon" is probably the best of them. "Mississippi Burning" has the same problems as "Midnight Express" — it's fraudulent, manipulative, and troubling, yet undeniably well made. But better acted. I liked Brad Davis less than you did; I didn't think he had a lot of presence, for someone who was going to be on screen constantly. But then, this isn't a movie in which actors count for much. They are cast for a look and then just wound up and moved around. Someone with John Hurt's gifts hardly seemed necessary. Anyone of the right age who was English or capable of faking the accent could have slotted right in.

    Ditto on the wig work!

  • Sarah D. Bunting says:

    The homoerotic interlude with the Swede didn't work. As you say, such material has been better presented in prestigious movies since then, besides which this was the most pretentiously shot sequence, and there was also something curiously detachable about it. It is self-contained, disconnected from what comes before and after.

    It did feel like a pointed idyll; I didn't have a problem with it, on that basis or otherwise. Hayes's finger-wagging "you scamp" reaction at the end was a problem for me tonally, but I thought the actors had chemistry that, had the script/project been less fearful about showing two dudes together That Way, could have put it over.

    But though I didn't think as poorly of it as you did, I agree there's a "don't look down" thing happening where, once one thing doesn't work, you start noticing everything that's off.

  • Sandman says:

    But then, this isn't a movie in which actors count for much. They are cast for a look and then just wound up and moved around. Someone with John Hurt's gifts hardly seemed necessary.

    I end up thinking some variation of this about Oliver Stone movies a lot.

  • Sarah D. Bunting says:

    When Charlie Sheen keeps showing up as your lead, you're not going for nuance, I think it's safe to say.

  • Todd K says:

    Briefly re: "Kane." I know a lot of people are underwhelmed. It is hard not to go into it with high expectations, knowing that it's the consensus Greatest Film Of All Time. At least it was, for longer than anything else was. Recently, Sight & Sound (which may have started all the nonsense) transferred the burden to "Vertigo."

    I feel fortunate in that I took to it that first time. It really is a movie for which I have affection, rather than academic appreciation. I've seen it half a dozen times since I was 17, and my favorite scenes are still powerful and beautiful to me. I'm as likely to have as good a time or better rewatching "Kane" than I am seeing something else that's new to me.

    So I think it's one everyone should see, and I believe it holds up; because while it's dated in the details and cannot knock us out with its no-longer-novel techniques, its themes are timeless. In that sense, it's in a movie group that could include everything from "Sunset Boulevard" to "Wild Strawberries." They're old but they've still got it. I just wish its admirers had not so weighed it down, because seeing it should be an enjoyable experience. It has wit and mystery and poignancy and it's just good entertainment, apart from everything else.

  • Sandman says:

    When Charlie Sheen keeps showing up as your lead, you're not going for nuance, I think it's safe to say.

    Maybe it's the GBC fan in me, but I immediately wanted to add "uninvited" to Sars' comment above. I'm imagining Sheen turning up all glad-handy and "Stoney! What up, baby?" and the AD muttering "Psst. Ollie! What's he doing here? Again?"

  • Rachel says:

    I find I have this reaction with a lot of acclaimed or much discussed movies – that I wish I'd seen it at the time, because while I can see what people are reacting to, it just doesn't work as a movie for me because times have changed. I'm very interested to see which movies end up with the Rosebud Conundrum, and which, for you, are still genuinely engrossing.

  • @Georgia – thanks for the note – I just read the wikipedia entry and learned so much!

  • MinglesMommy says:

    "so you don't always notice that Gekko or Garrison or whoever has now entered minute 17 of speaking only in abstractions."

    HEE. Awesome.

  • Darryl says:

    I'm sure the cheese stands alone here, but I feel that Pulp Fiction fits on the Rosebud Conundrum list. I saw it for the first time a few years ago and was entirely, categorically underwhelmed. What must have felt like a serrated knife to the soft loaf of mainstream cinema circa 1994 has been so overplayed, imitated, referenced, and hyped that I failed to connect with it. The middle section also drags unforgivably; my eyes started to glaze over and I wanted to shake Tarantino's shoulders and force him back on point. The ending is admittedly terrific, and almost redeemed the self-satisfied hipster posturing of the previous two and a half hours. Oddly, I enjoyed Reservoir Dogs, which I find leaner and less showy. And Kill Bill remains one of my favorites; every scene feels charged with electric energy, and while I'm not sure I can defend it on an intellectual level, I found the whole two-volume shebang utterly engrossing and charmingly goofy/serious. Tarantino seemed to be having more kid-in-a-sandbox fun with the Kill Bills than with Pulp, where (in retrospect) it felt like he was trying to Shock The World with his new-school brilliance. Once the shock fades – and, almost 20 years later, it has – there's…not much of a movie there.

    (Citizen Kane left me cold, too. Vertigo is another story; I suspect it won't be able to bear the weight of its generationally compounding hype for long, but I loved it.)

  • Sarah D. Bunting says:

    @Darryl, I watched PF endlessly back in the day, but it's one of those, like Seinfeld, that I have nothing left for now.

    BTW, I welcome pitches for Film Fiber AND Crushed Film Festival.

  • Todd K says:

    Addendum on "Midnight Express": I have learned that the troublesome text crawl at the end has been cut. When I re-watched recently, I admit, I stopped at the freeze-frame of Billy clicking his heels after escaping prison; I didn't hang around for the end notes.

    In the version you're likely to see today, you will read only that Hayes crossed the border and was back in the United States shortly thereafter. Moroder's score plays out over black-and-white "joyful reunion" stills of Davis and other actors.

    In the movie's theatrical and videocassette releases, it continued, self-importantly: "On May 18th, 1978, the motion picture you have just seen was shown to an audience of world press at the Cannes Film Festival…43 days later, the United States and Turkey entered into formal negotiations for the exchange of prisoners." As Pauline Kael and other critics pointed out, those negotiations had been ongoing for years; absolutely nothing had happened in those 43 days that was not on schedule to happen anyway. The movie was disingenuously positioning itself as an important tool of reform.

    Theatrical ending:

    Anyway. The movie is just slightly less offensive, to me, with that deletion made. It's still on the hook (…as it were, heh) for the screenplay. And the wigs.

  • Todd K says:

    I haven't seen PF in years, but that sounds about right.

    I don't entirely dismiss Tarantino. His movies have energy, style and some wit, more than can be said for some; but even when he was being anointed an Artiste in 1994-95, I didn't get it. I knew he would never grow into more than he was then, and he hasn't. He reeked of arrested development somehow from the beginning. When one of his movies is over, it's as though a top has stopped spinning and I see how little was there. I never need/want to see one a second time.

    He and David Lynch both play with conventions of old movies they've seen and love, but Tarantino's films are those conventions filtered through that glib, hip-'n'-bitchy Gen X sensibility. Lynch's filters are his dreams and a very painterly eye. I'd rather be in over my head in Lynch's depths (even when, as often the case, murky) than wading in QT's shallows.

  • Darryl says:

    @Todd K, thank you – "glib" is exactly the word I was scrambling for. I do find some of Tarantino's films re-watchable – again, the Kill Bills provide me repeated joys, and I have a soft spot for True Romance – but Pulp Fiction was just so much ado about so little.

    Seinfeld…ehh. I see the "overrated" argument, but I can't call. If anything, my appreciation for the series grows with each passing year. I didn't give two hoots about it while it was on the air (mind you, I was 12 when the series ended, so 90% of its humor went right over my head).

  • Todd K says:

    I think Seinfeld holds up, but I'm more likely to enjoy one of the middle-to-late episodes than the very early ones. The most famous episodes do suffer from familiarity. If I tune in mid-episode and *immediately* recognize dialogue from "The Contest" or "The Chinese Restaurant," I don't stick around. If I tune in and I have to ask myself "Which one is this?" then I can get into it and be entertained, still.

    It has become such a period piece now. The hairstyles and clothes that the characters make fun of seem only slightly worse than the hairstyles and clothes they let pass without comment.

    Some things will never stop being funny to me, such as Mel Tormé serenading "mentally challenged" Kramer. And there's a line from "The Merv Griffin Show" that I'm always using in real life. "[name of person, enthusiastically!] Why, is it possible that you are even more beautiful than the last time I saw you?" Surprisingly, no one ever gets it.

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March 1, 2015, Sunday

Rustic Vows: The Charm of Barn Weddings

A reader recalls the coziness of the converted barn she lived in as a teenager.

August 7, 2014, Thursday

Neighbors Say Barn Weddings Raise a Rumpus

A boom in barn weddings is pitting owners who say they need the revenue against neighbors who worry about noisy intrusions on rural life.

August 4, 2014, Monday

Finding Refuge in the Barns

A Long Island summer house offers a rustic retreat from the high pressure of Hollywood.

August 29, 2013, Thursday

For a Buyer Who Has Everything

A windmill, a barn, a stagecoach tavern and a boathouse are among one-of-a-kind homes on the market.

August 26, 2012, Sunday

If These Barns Could Talk

As barns in Iowa quickly disappear, the fight is on to preserve this part of the state’s rural heritage.

June 3, 2012, Sunday

More Than 20 Horses Killed in New Jersey Barn Fire

The horses died when a predawn fire engulfed the barn they were stabled in, the New Jersey State Police said.

January 22, 2012, Sunday
MORE ON BARNS AND: Fires and Firefighters , Barns , Horses , New Jersey

Dutch Seek Space for a Growing Appetite for Pork

The Netherlands is a small country with a lot of pigs — and growing friction over how and where to raise them.

December 1, 2011, Thursday

The Barns of Iowa

“I really think a farm without an old barn is kind of naked.”

Back to the Land in the Catskills

The farm where Fabio Chizzola, a fashion photographer, and his wife, Laura Ferrara, a stylist, have made a home.

Idyll of the Boroughs

A visit to a recreated historical barn at the Queens County Farm Museum.

Fading Symbols of Rural Life

Barns, once a basic part of Connecticut’s country landscape, are fast disappearing despite the outcry of preservationists.

Going Down the Road

Monica Davey, Nicole Bengiveno and Catrin Einhorn traveled to Iowa to examine the farm life there, past and present.

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