Okay, so while we’re all busy feeling sorry for ourselves, I’d just like to point out how much it stinks to be a Blue Jays fan right now:
| WPct | Playoffs | |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Jays | .537 | 3.93 |
| Padres | .496 | 25.74 |
| Source: Baseball Prospectus. Through games of August 17, 2006. | ||
Despite their inferior record, the Padres are six times more likely to reach the playoffs than the Jays. So, yeah, I don’t like getting swept at home by the Giants either, but it sure beats being in the same league as the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox, Twins, and A’s. Or, to put it another way, the Blue Jays would have the second best record in the National League if they were in it.
Anyway, I’m still very frustrated but I’m going to stop whining for now because it isn’t making me feel any better and it isn’t solving the problem. Besides, there’s still no better place to be than the ballpark. Also, we’ve got a boatload o’ links today. In fact, here they are now:
Problogger Lists
Thanks again to Darren Rowse at Problogger for using my list as part of his latest group writing project. This was a lot of fun — it exposed me to some very cool blogs that I never would have found on my own and also provided inspiration for future postings.
Feel free to check out all the entries if you’d like. Otherwise, here are nine of my favorites:
- The Top Ten Important Aspects of a Game (Yehuda). I’m a game geek, so this one hit the spot for me. The author also has high praise (in the comments) for a game I’ve had my eye on called Puerto Rico. Gee, guess what I’ll be buying real soon.
- How to be a Better Sports Radio Caller (Boston Sports Media Watch). This should be required reading for anyone who’s ever had the urge to dial in and start yapping. In a nutshell, be prepared, be cordial, use facts, stay on mission, and conclude by restating main points.
- The best and worst of the Red Wings (Behind the Jersey). My hockey knowledge is extremely dated, but this is a great idea. Don’t be surprised to see something similar around here one of these days.
- Some of the Worst Filler Songs of All Time (The Secret Government EGGO Project). The premise: A list of bad songs on otherwise good albums. I was stuck for ideas on this one; maybe you have some of your own?
- Top 20 Sports Movies of All Time (Lit’s Controversial Sports Chanting). Pretty self-explanatory, and not a bad list. I thought he had Slapshot too low.
- Beyond YouTube and Google Video: 5 Great Video Sites on the Web (Xeep’s Video on the Net). You know I’m a YouTube junkie. Some of you have suggested alternatives. Here are some more. I haven’t checked any of ‘em out yet, but I certainly will be.
- 14 Amazing Chuck Norris Facts (Martial Development). This is just the damn funniest thing I’ve read in a long time. I love #10: “When Chuck Norris does division, there are no remainders.” Solid effort.
- 9 Weird Words That Amuse Me (The Journal). I come from a long line of English teachers and I’ve worked very closely with words most of my adult life. Plus I’m partial to the number nine.
- Top Five Things I’ve Learned Blogging the Yankees (Bronx Pride). Gotta throw a little love to the only other baseball blog represented in this project, even if it is about the New York Yankees.
Okay, there it is. And now back to your regularly scheduled baseball links:
Baseball Links
- Padres Report – August 15th (Padres RunDown). You should already know by now that Peter Friberg is back up and blogging about Padres prospects. In this installment, he asserts that the organization is in better shape than Baseball Prospectus’ Kevin Goldstein seems to think it is.
- Should #31 be retired? (Shea Nation). Of course, it is retired in San Diego. This article is talking about Mike Piazza in New York. That reminds me, I will be tackling the Steve Garvey situation at some point — I thought about doing it for the group writing project list, but I didn’t have time to do the necessary research.
- Does Size Matter? (Part 1) (Hardball Times). Sittin’ on the shelf a while but still worth discussing. Probably the most amusing part of this study, to me, is that according to the Lahman database, which lists Tony Gwynn at 5’11″, 199 lbs., Gwynn doesn’t fall into the short, heavy category where Kirby Puckett resides. The rest of the discussion is interesting, but I wonder about the accuracy of height and weight measurements not only for Gwynn but for other players as well. There are guys who put on 30-40 pounds over the course of their career; how do we account for that? (Incidentally, the second installment is now up.)
- Congratulations to longtime blogger Aaron Gleeman on his new gig. I remember when Gleeman first joined us in this wacky “place” we call the blogosphere. Okay, now I feel old. [Tip o' the Ducksnorts cap to Baseball Musings]
Couple quick reminders, then I’ll let you go. First, if you’re coming to the meetup on Sunday (and you know who you are), I’ll have your tickets for you outside the entrance nearest the park in the park (I think it’s by the corner of 8th and J). I couldn’t get seats in the shade, so wear a hat and some sunscreen.
Second, a few of you have joined the Ducksnort Book Project mailing list to discuss ideas for the upcoming book. I’m still in the gathering phase, but I will be sending something out over the weekend for digestion. Also, if you’d like to get involved but haven’t yet, drop me a line and we’ll make it happen.
That’s all for now; more as it happens. TGIF and keep the faith!
GY – thanks for the first set of links its exactly what self pitying padres fans need!
P.S. how is Plateu (meat puppets) one of the 5 worst filler songs?
Wow I am very unimpressed by the top 20 sports movie list, here is mine (I’m 24 by the way, which may explain the differences)
1. Rudy
2. Major League
3. Miracle
4. Caddy Shack
5. White Men Can’t Jump
6. Bull Durham
7. The Program
8. Days of Thunder
9. Remember the Titans
10. Slap Shot
11. Glory Road
12. Hoosiers
13. Brian’s Song
14. A League of Their Own
15. The Natural
16. Mighty Ducks (I was 10 and playing hockey when this came out)
17. The Karate Kid (once again a movie from my youth)
18. Necessary Roughness (underrated movie)
19. Tin Cup
20. Rocky 1-20 (they are all the same to me)
Steve: Glad you enjoyed it. BTW, I forgot to pimp the football league this morning; would you mind posting that information one more time? I’ll be signing up tomorrow — my football knowledge is pitiful but someone’s got to the butt of everyone’s jokes and it might as well be me.
Interesting list, Steve. I haven’t thought about it too carefully but I’m pretty sure Field of Dreams would make my top 20 (probably even my top 10). As for Rocky, I think the first two are totally different from the second two. The original is terrific, regardless of whether you’re a sports fan.
We have 6 teams now! But there is still plenty of room left!
I created a FFBL through NFL.com (I like there set up a little more than Yahoo) it’s completley free anyone is welcome to join.
http://www.nfl.com/fantasy and click on the “NFL Fantasy 2006″ link
Leauge Name = Ducksnort Nerds
Password = Padres
If you have any problems please email me at Stephen_cook11@hotmail.com
GY – I agree that Rocky 1 is by far the best, im not sure if I have seen any past 4 (thats the one with Drago right?) I just made the joke because they all kind of blend together in my head and I can never rember which is which.
bleh I for got to put Eight Men Out on the list, maybe replace Tin Cup at 19.
You know I have never been a huge field of dreams fan, I guess im not a huge super natural sports fan (maybe angles in the outfield killed it for me).
The 4th and final installment* of the Rocky films is clearly superior to the other three. Rocky ends the Cold War, and owns a robot.
*I do not recognize the existence of a 5th or 6th film.
bull durham is no. 1 for me. Rocky 1-2 would be higher for me as well. Saw both of those in the theatre when I was a kid — when you’re 10 years old, Rocky is the shizzle.
What about “the rookie?” The movie w/ Dennis Quaid. I thought that was pretty good.
Also, the original Bad news Bears is an all time classic.
I have never seen the Rookie, I take it its a good movie?
Bad news bears would be #21, It was a little before my time.
Put it this way: if there was no “Bad News Bears” there’d be no “mighty ducks, ” angels in the outfield,” or any of the other kid sports movies.
The Rookie was good — top 20 or close to it, I’d think.
Bang the Drum slowly was also a solid film. But like the Natural, the books were so much better.
what is bang the drum about?
I dont dispute the importance of bad news bears its just not in my top 20.
Ill have to rent the rookie.
BTW — hate to burst that “Chuck Norris Facts” blogger’s bubble, but whomever it is got it off this website:
http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/
One of the best sites on the internet.
“There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of animals Chuck Norris allows to live.”
n/m its like baseballs version of brians song.
I also should have put 61* some where on the list, but im not sure what I would drop to put it on.
I like The Sandlot a lot. Can that be a sport movie?
Bang the Drum Slowly is pretty good with young DeNiro.
Raging Bull is very good too.
Necessary Roughness better than the Replacements?
What about Bowling? Kingpin and the Big Lebowski are awesome.
Chess? Searching for Bobby Fisher.
Bilyard? The Hustler is a classic.
Poker? The Cincinnati Kid and Rounders are good.
Cycling? Breaking Away is better than American Flyer.
Ski? Downhill Racer with Redford and Hackman is good.
Yeah, I watched way too many of them moving pictures.
I was going to whine about the Pads home record being the worst in the NL and matched only by the Royals in the AL, but talking about movies is much more fun.
Didi, agree on The Sandlot, it should be in anyone’s top 20. Field of Dreams has to make the top 10. Neither are straight sports movies, but movies about the greater issues of life and identity, which is part of what makes them great, but they are intertwined with the greatest sport/game of all, baseball, and that’s enough to put them on the list, imo.
I wouldn’t classify Lebowski as a sports movie. Though it’s in my top 5 movies easily.
Kingpin probably…..that movie is gold.
Also for golf movies, Happy Gilmore beats Tin Cup easily.
I did not include bowling or Poker becuase Rounders, and the Big Lebowski would both be in the top 10 and King pin would be in the top 20.
I totaly forgot about the sandlot, that ahs to be in there.
And yes Im more in favor of Necessary Roughness over the replacments, the replacements just stole the idea and inserted bill form bill and ted’s excelt adventure.
Kiel your probably right about happy Gilmore but I think both got pushed out of my top 20.
Ill have to update my top 20 a little later, I forgot some key movies that people have brought up.
Is kicking people’s asses a sport? Because Roadhouse would then be the best sports movie of all time.
I thought about including Fight Club but i decided it was not sports movie.
Good call on Bad News Bears and Big Lebowski. For whatever reason, I couldn’t get into Kingpin. A lot of people whose opinion I respect really like that movie, but I couldn’t make it past the first 20 minutes.
Is being a Terminator a sport?
Kiel, yeah its like hunting
Sweet, then Terminator 3 is the worst sports movie of all time.
I agree with you on that, but I have to admit it was not as bad as I thought it would be.
Happy Gilmore over Tin Cup?!?! No effing way! Not that I hate HG, but Cup is a top-5′er of all sports movies, no doubt. Let’s run this down:
1. Good star quality (costner, russo, cheech, johnson)
2. Great quotable lines (“it’s a spa”; “winner winner chicken dinner!”; Roy: “this is for venturi, who thinks I should lay up”. Romeo: “what does he know, he only won this tournament before you were born”)
3. Underlying questions about life – is it better to go for it and fail (miserably) or never try?
4. Tremendous ending where you don’t know whether you’re happy or sad for the hero
etc.
HG just has more poo jokes and Bob Barker kicking some a$$
Re: 22
If kicking pople’s asses is a sport, than Chuck Norris should occupy spots 1-20.
Field of Dreams would make my top five, definitely.
I appreciate HG because it’s self consciously ridiculous, whereas TC simply is on its face. I do use the phrase “grip it and rip it” from time to time though…but if I ever say it in earnest, I will be sure to kick my own ass.
Also, Kevin Costner sucks.
Patrick Swayze in Roadhouse could totally kill Chuck Norris. Hell, Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing could stomp Norris.
Kiel…that was funny…Laughing for the last couple mins on that!!!
Bull Durham has got to be the best…
Pads observation…since this is a Pads blog…this from Union Trib.com…
Padres CEO Sandy Alderson said there is “no magic potion or silver bullet†that can be externally introduced to transform a Padres club that has gone 12-21 since the All-Star break.
“This is not a matter of making a trade or acquiring a player,†he said. “This is a collective group getting itself back on track.â€
Does this mean he is setting us up for NO MOVE to be made by August 31st??
Sounds like a man crush to me
Mike do we ever expect the padres to make a big move on either of the 31st?
The only time PatricK Swayze could kick Chuck Norris’ ass is in auditions for westside story.
Look, my point is not that I have a homosexual man-crush on Patrick Swayze– my homosexual man-crush on Patrick Swayze, while an important part of who I am, is a separate topic– my point is that he kicks a lot of hillbilly ass in that movie. Seriously, go out and rent it. Endlessly quotable too.
At this point he could probably take the Padres too. Or at least send it to extra innings.
I agree steve.
Patrick Swayze once kicked Chuck Norris’ ass. He was then awakened from his dream by a roundhouse kick to the face.
“Brokeback Mountain” is not just a movie. It’s also what Chuck Norris calls the pile of dead ninjas in his front yard..
Chuck Norris doesn’t have blood. He is filled with magma.
We live in an expanding universe. All of it is trying to get away from Chuck Norris.
re: The Rookie … I just saw it recently … highly endorse it … it’d be in my Top20 easily … I like true stories … http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/morrija03.shtml
GY – thanks for the link to the Chuck Norris list … VERY FUNNY!
NickG – thanks for the link to the source … MORE VERY FUNNY!
Another movie that’d be on my Top20 list (if I had one) … Chariots of Fire
Keil – I have seen Road house and he does kick alot of hill billy ass – but round house kick allways wins.
Who wins a three-way brawl? Chuck Norris, Patrick Swazye…or Vinny Castilla?
well I would say vinny would have a good shot if he had his trusty bat, but seeing how well he swung the bat this year i would say he would get crushed.
but you knwo his defince would be great
What is the brawl over– who has the sweetest mullet?
Norris wins best mullet hands down.
Ok so I expanded to top 25 because I found that 20 is just not enough, I did not consider Rounders a sports movie because its poker just because its on ESPN does not mean it’s a sport. I also did not include the Big Lebowski because it’s a movie with bowling in it not really a movie about bowling.
1. Rudy
2. Major League
3. Miracle
4. Caddy Shack
5. White Men Can’t Jump
6. Bull Durham
7. The Sandlot
8. The Program
9. 61*
10. Days of Thunder
11. Remember the Titans
12. Slap Shot
13. The Natural
14. Glory Road
15. Hoosiers
16. Brian’s Song
17. Rocky
18. Eight Men Out
19. Tin Cup
20. Happy Gilmore
21. A League of Their Own
22. King Pin
23. Mighty Ducks (I was 10 and playing hockey when this came out)
24. The Karate Kid (once again a movie from my youth)
25. Necessary Roughness (underrated movie)
I know it lacks field of dreams but I just never liked that movie and since it is my top 25 I get to do that. I’m also sure that I forgot a movie…
By the way my top 5 movies all time are:
1. Fight Club
2. Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels
3. Return of the Jedi
4. Raiders of the Lost Arc
5. The Big Lebowski
I have a hard time leaving Billy Crystal’s “61″ off that list – I realize it was an HBO flick that was released on DVD, but it was good. Also “White Men Can’t Jump” over Bull Durham?
wow. we must be REALLY down on the padres.
Heck, yeah, Happy Gilmore. Best Sandler’s movie ever other than Punch-Drunk Love.
Gotta say, Big Wednesday and North Shore for surfing is pretty great.
Also Riding Giants is awesome. Endless Summer, anyone?
Of all time: no E.T. ? Come on. And Empire Strikes Back kicked Return of the Jedi’s butts. Except for the Tattooine rescue, that movie is not as good.
Yeay for Big Lebowski. The Dude could beat both Norris and Swayze in both dancing and fighting.
And speaking of Road House, did anybody notice there is a Road House 2 out on DVD. Also, Next of Kin was another Swayze vs. Rednecks movie with Helen Hunt as his wife. I shouldn’t remember these, should I?
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off has got to be the best movie ever with Wrigley Field in it.
I love Moneyball … can’t wait for the movie
Here’s a *VERY* interesting followup … Rethinking Moneyball … By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports … http://tinyurl.com/mu7ea … especially good read if you read that link posted in the comments a few days ago re: Teahen! (if you didn’t read that one, and this one sparks an interest, that other article is worth digging back thru the comments to find the link and reading).
Has anyone mentioned “Fever Pitch”? That’s another that’d be in my Top20 … an “instant classic” because they luck’d into filming it during the Sox ’04 run to a world championship!