West Coast Thoughts

I'm back from sunny Southern California here to give the west coast edition of the Bullpen Catcher. The highlight of the trip...The Price is Right. We waited for over 6 hours outside the CBS Television City Studios with no guarantee of getting in. Finally at 12:30, they started letting people inside. The line moved fast and it looked like we would get in. And then wait! They stopped the line right as we were about to move through the gate and into the promised land. The security guard said that it was full. Was he kidding? This can't be happening! My worst dreams coming to fruition. After what seemed like an eternity, they let about 50 more of us inside. We did it! 3 more hours inside the CBS Television City Studios to get in to watch The Price is Right.

What seemed like an eternity of waiting turned out to be worth it. We weren't called on stage or into contestant's row, but it was something magical to watch it all unfold. Bob, at 83 years old, fielded questions from the audience throughout the taping. He recited lines from Happy Gilmore, joked about being a bodybuilder after retirement, and talked about the most memorable moment in TPIR history: a lady in a tube-top jumping up and down...and out they came! It was all surreal. An experience I'll never forget. On June 6, the icon will retire. The show will go on (the replacement host has not been announced), but it will never be the same.

A quick sidebar on the TPIR trip. While waiting inside the gates, I bumped into the last audience member to get inside. I asked him what it felt like to barely get in. He couldn't believe it. He told me it seemed like destiny. I told him to go all the way with that. Wouldn't you know it? He did. His name was Bartholomew...and he won the showcase showdown. The show will air on June 6. Blurb time!

-The NBA. A few things ruin the NBA for me...here are a few.
1. The 24 second shot clock. This makes teams often just throw up a shot instead of passing the ball around like a team.
2. Lack of desire. Example: The "youngest, most exciting" player in the NBA loafed nearly the entire regular season. Lebron has now flipped the switch and has his team on the brink of upsetting the Pistons. Exactly what the NBA needs to get anybody to watch the Finals.
3. Lack of likable players. Kobe, Lebron, D-Wade are the biggest superstars? Seems like a far cry from Bird, Magic, Jordan.
4. Selfish play.
5. Crowds. There are exceptions to this, but most NBA crowds are quiet and stuffy compared to a college atmosphere. Too many upper class executives.

There are more reasons, but those are the first to come to mind.

-Historical perspective. I'm sick and tired of people seeing something rare or exciting in the sports world and immediately saying it was the best thing that has ever happened. After Lebron's performance the other night, ESPN immediately had a poll asking if it was the best clutch performance ever. Of course, because it was the freshest in everybody's mind, Lebron's performance was the most clutch of all time. Why can't we maybe wait a few days/weeks/months to put things in perspective? What if the Cavaliers lose the series still to the Pistons? What if Lebron puts up a total of 25 points in the final 2 games of the series? Doesn't that make his game 5 performance lose it's luster a little bit? Would Kirk Gibson's dramatic home run been as significant if the Dodgers lost the World Series that year? I say no. So people, let's settle down and reflect for a while after something special happens.

-Is Tivo the best invention since the birth control pill? I say yes.

-Why is Lindsay Lohan Maxim's #1? I don't have her in my top ten.

-Anybody ever understand why some states require casinos to be within so many feet of water? Who came up with this rule? The retarded guy from Sling Blade?

-Sopranos. Best show of my generation. 2 more shows left. I'd say Phil has ordered a hit on Tony already...so we'll see how that plays out. My previous prediction (prior to the last episode) on how the series was going to end was the following: AJ was going to commit suicide, Carmella would blame Tony and then kill him. That semi-played out last episode so now I really don't have a clue. I do have one thought though. Tony may live. Phil and Tony are on the verge of war. The show ends that way. Why? Because the producers of the Sopranos could cash in big time. Sopranos: the movie. How many millions would that make??? This could happen.

-Best show on network television: The Office.

-Best place to play poker on the Strip: The Ventian.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns...please e-mail me them at pocket_k@hotmail.com. I'm off to the Venetian for some poker!

Rich Kim