July 4. High temp in Las Vegas: 116. Lots of great air conditioned casinos here...but for the rest of the country, the 4th means heading outdoors to watch fireworks or to a nearby pool/lake/beach. First incredibly bad joke of this blog!: It's the beginning of the "dog" days of summer. The funnest part about the whole day: The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island, NY. Is there a more American event than seeing who can eat the most hot dogs in 12 minutes? Overeating isn't just a habit here in America, it's a sport. With that in mind, I present the first ever Bullpen Catcher running diary of the July 4 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest!!!
10:01 AM: 74 degrees and a forecast of indigestion. 30,000 plus are live to watch this truly American event. Paul Page and Richard Shea are the commentators. Anybody ever heard of these guys? Competitive food eating experts?
10:02 AM: Kobayashi is officially listed as probable for the event. Is he healthy? Will he be able to compete? In the words of the great Paul Page: "Is he really the underdog?" Apparently Chestnut now holds the record for hot dogs eaten at 59.5 in an event earlier this year. He's never beaten Kobayashi heads up, will this be the year? Only 40 more minutes of commentary and we'll find out.
10:04 AM: Paul and Richard send it to Jimmy Dykes on the field. Nothing like a sideline reporter to break down the action. Jimmy has a tray of 59.5 hot dogs. In 12 minutes, Joey Chestnut ate over 11,000 calories. How many mini-heart attacks in the next 3 months? This is outstanding! Bonus: I just learned there is a championship belt for the winner of this competitive eating event. My question: How has competitive eating killed less people than professional wrestling over the last 20 years?
10:07 AM: Jimmy Dykes just showed footage of the competitive eaters arriving from their "secret" hotel. Why is this secret? Are these people famous? Who follows this? There needs to be a show just about the people that follow competitive eating.
10:10 AM: Jimmy is interviewing "spoiler" Patrick Bertoletti. Patrick is comparing himself to Ross Perot. He's going to surprise everybody by being under the radar. This guy seems to boast the overwhelming intelligence that most competitive eaters share. How did Perot fare in those elections? Great thing to compare yourself to.
10:14 AM: A commercial for the Perfect Pushup. Great demographics. How many of these will be sold to people who watch competitive eating?
10:15 AM: The little bar at the bottom of the screen says Saturday the USA Rock Paper Scissor Championship will be televised at 9 PM ET on ESPN. Get your TIVO ready.
10:16 AM: "Feats and Meats" statistic. Dimaggio hit safely in 56 games. Roger Bannister broke the 4:00 mile. Wilt Chamberlain had his 100 point game. And yes, it happened. Joey Chestnut ate 59.5 hot dogs in June 2007. As you can see, we could be witnessing history today.
10:17 AM: Richard Shea: "Patrick Bertoletti is one of the fastest rising stars in competitive eating." Try saying that out loud without cracking a smile. I dare you.
10:18 AM: Richard Shea on Tim Janus (another competitor): "He always gets here...but probably won't win...he's like the Jake Plummer of summer." Classic.
10:19 AM: The "Bun-tenders" to watch: Bertoletti, Janus, Simpson, Thomas. None of them have ever eaten above 46 dogs.
10:23 AM: Joey Chestnut is also the world record holder for 212 gyoza in 12 minutes. I don't know what gyoza is, but 212 sounds like a lot.
10:24 AM: US vs Japan statistic. Olympic medals: US 2407 Japan 367. Yet 9 of the last 10 Hot Dog Champions from Japan. Impossible. Japan needs to be tested for performance enhancing drugs.
10:26 AM: Keith Hernandez and Walt "Clyde" Frazier Just for Men commercial circa 1994. If I wasn't watching a hot dog eating contest on July 4, that commercial would be fairly high on the unintentional comedy scale.
10:27 AM: Nobody has yet seen Kobayashi. Rumors are flying. Will he be able to compete this year with his sore jaw (wisdom tooth)? Crazy Legs Conti, another competitive eater, just called Kobayashi, "the greatest athlete in the history of sport." This is why the Just for Men commercial barely registers on the unintentional comedy scale.
10:28 AM: Tim Brown, the first competitor is introduced. Apparently, he is the burrito specialist. Next, Allen "the Shredder" Goldstein from Plainview, NY is introduced. He has held titles in bologna and matzah balls. You just can't make this stuff up.
10:29 AM: Dale "The Mouth of the South" Boone from Atlanta, walks up the stage donning a coonskin cap and overalls. He is the titleholder for reindeer sausage and pork 'n beans. A direct descendant of Daniel Boone. Yes, really. Only in America.
10:31 AM: Patick Philbin wins the award for Butterbean look alike. Big bald white guy. Has eaten 4 pounds of cornbread in 10 minutes. Terrific. Paul Page: "Patrick is living proof that weebils wobble but they don't fall down."
10:32 AM: Arturo Rios "Grande". Rookie. Holds the pig feet eating title. No joke here, just thought it was worth mentioning.
10:33 AM: Hailing from Henderson, NV...Rich "The Locust" Lefevre. The chili, spam, and birthday cake champion of the world. Making Southern Nevada proud.
10:34 AM: Most impressive competitor. Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas. 105 pounds, 5'5. She's eaten 10% of her body weight in cheesecake. If that doesn't give you goose bumps, I don't know what will.
10:35 AM: A competitor, Tim "Eater X" Janus, in an ultimate warrior painted mask approaches the stage holding a sign stating "On the 7th day, God created Hartford." I don't think it will get any weirder than that.
10:36 AM: Patrick Bertoletti introduced. Hometown? You guessed it...Las Vegas, NV. Making us all proud. He ate 2 hot dogs for every day Paris Hilton spent in jail last event. And he's dedicating his performance today to Nicky Hilton! Terrific!
10:37 AM: To a thunderous applause, Joey Chestnut makes his way down the stage. I just got goose bumps. This happened. It's like Rocky making his way to the ring.
10:38 AM: "The #1 ranked eater in the world....struggling with an injury today but coming here as the 6 time defending hot dog eating champion...Takeru Kobayashi." Minutes away from starting, I'm giddy.
10:40 AM: A commercial for the redexcerciser. Again, know your audience.
10:41 AM: Chestnut interviewed stating he hasn't eaten in 2 days and he's hungry. Really?
10:42 AM: "The gurgitators are under way..." Kobayashi already being compared to Curt Schilling. 1 minute down: Chestnut 11 Kobayashi 9. Fast start.
10:43 AM: Less than 2 minutes in and I forgot how obscene eating a hot dog quickly appears to be.
10:44 AM: Chestnut is easily at record pace. 3 minutes down: Chestnut 28 Kobayashi 23. Panning the other competitors, Chestnut and Kobayashi are the only 2 that don't have the "I'm full" face.
10:45 AM: Chestnut now has veins popping out of his forehead. This is great. Chestnut 39 Kobayashi 35.
10:47 AM: Paul Page: "it doesn't appear Kobayashi has any gag reflex." He's currently making a run. 5 minutes to go. Chestnut 47 Kobayashi 45.
10:49 AM: 4 minutes to go and Chestnut just broke 50. Kobayashi down by 2 still. Chestnut turning red.
10:50 AM: 3 minutes to go, already a new record with 54 dogs. I'm watching history. Kobayashi ties it at 55 dogs seconds later. The crowd going nuts. And down the stretch they come...
10:51 AM: I'm not sure what color Chestnut is right now. Beyond red. Maybe orange? Over/under on when he drops to the floor in a seizure: 35 seconds. Kobayashi and Chestnut neck and neck.
10:52 AM: Each eater has 2 counters. Interesting job. 1 minute to go. Tied at 60. Richard Shea: "This would be the greatest moment in the history of American Sports if Chestnut can bring the belt home..."
10:53 AM: Clock says 14 seconds, both eaters with 62 dogs and Kobayashi suffers a "reversal"! Clearly the best possible choice of words for spewing hot dog out of your mouth. Chestnut shoves a pile in his mouth. Photo finish. Kobayashi chewing on previously chewed food out of his hands. Immediately, we are reminded that on this July 4 we are close to where George Washington landed to fight the British.
10:54 AM: Currently, waiting for the results of the photo finish and watching Kobayashi eat regurgitated hot dogs out of his hand. You really cannot make this stuff up. The genius at ESPN that decided to televise this either needs to be shot or given a promotion, I'm not sure which one.
10:55 AM: Unofficial results: Chestnut 66 Kobayashi 63. The "reversal of fortune" Kobayashi suffered is going to hit him hard.
10:57 AM: "CHESTNUT HAS DONE IT!" 66 dogs. American flag in hand, draping it over his shoulder. Chants of "Jooo-eeeyyy" in the background. Veins popping out, skin color orange-yellow. Joey states he could eat another hot dog if he needed to. What a country. God Bless America.
10:59 AM: I'm hungry. Maybe a hot dog for lunch?
Rich Kim
Friday, July 6, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Are You Mocking Me?
The NBA draft is tomorrow night and I couldn’t be more excited. There are some bona-fide superstars in this draft (Durant and Oden), potential all-stars (Horford, Conley, Jianlian), and a whole group of guys that bring a specific skill to the table (Green – unselfish play, Noah – energy, Brewer – defense, Hawes – token white guy). So, even though this has been done by more websites than I can count, I thought it would be a great idea to put together a mock draft. What’s a mock draft, you say? This is where I try to look really smart by guessing where a player will get drafted. In then end though, I’ll probably just prove how much of an idiot I really am.
Here are my predictions for the top 10 along with who I think the team should pick. We’ll revisit this Friday morning and I’m sure we’ll all have a big laugh.
1. Portland Trailblazers - Greg Oden, C
The great debate of 2007 will always be remembered as Oden vs Durant. The fact is, both of these players are legitimate big-time prospects…you can’t go wrong either way. Conventional wisdom says take the big center (Oden) over the high scoring forward (Durant) and I don’t think Portland’s GM will risk his job by bucking that trend.
My pick: Greg Oden - even if I do have a man-crush on Durant.
2. Seattle Supersonics – Kevin Durant, SF
Talk about a consolation prize. Sonics GM Sam Presti can put this pick on auto pilot.
My pick: Kevin Durant - I’ve got my #35 Sonics jersey all picked out.
3. Atlanta Hawks – Al Horford, PF
If picks 1a and 1b are Oden and Durant, Horford is clearly the third best player in this draft. Although a bit undersized Horford makes up for that with toughness and determination. We have to keep in mind though that Atlanta is on the clock here. They’ve messed up more drafts than the St. Louis Rams. The question becomes will Atlanta take the best player on the board or fill a need with this pick.
My pick: Al Horford – While they’re loaded with power forwards and desperately need a point guard, there’s no way you pass on Horford.
4. Memphis Grizzlies – Joakim Noah, PF
Just about every expert mock draft I’ve read has Mike Conley going here but that doesn’t make any sense. The team drafted its point guard of the future last year in Kyle Lowry. So why would they draft a near identical player this year? I think Noah is wildly overrated but this is who they’ll probably take.
My pick: Jeff Green – Green fills the void left by the Shane Battier trade last year. Green is a similarly unselfish, pass-first forward that would compliment this team better than a pure hustle guy who can’t shoot in Noah.
5. Boston Celtics – Yi Jianlian, PF
The Celtics have been at the center of nearly every possible trade scenario this off season and every one involves this pick being traded. It’s not very often that a 7 foot perimeter player comes along with as much talent as Yi (think Dirk Nowitzki) so I think they’ll jump on this pick.
My pick: Yi Jianlian – but I don’t think Boston holds on to this pick. Golden State has been rumored to be completely infatuated with Yi so I think they’ll move up to this pick and get him.
6. Milwaukee Bucks – Mike Conley Jr., PG
Most mock drafts do not have Conley dropping below the number 4 pick but I think he will. The only two teams ahead of Milwaukee that would even consider Conley are Atlanta and Memphis. I previously mentioned that Memphis has their PG of the future and Atlanta is notorious for passing on point guards. Plus, the Hawks have the 11th pick that can be used on a guard.
My pick: Mike Conley – Even if Conley can’t shoot the rock, I think he’ll be a great PG for years to come (think Tony Parker).
7. Minnesota Timberwolves – Spencer Hawes, C
The Kevin Garnett trade watch has been one of the most intriguing sub-plots this off-season. Whether or not the T-Wolves trade Garnett (I don’t think they will) has no bearing on this pick. I think Minnesota GM Kevin McHale (big, tall white guy) will take another big, tall white guy. After all, Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer.
My pick: Corey Brewer – Brewer, an athletic, defensive-minded grinder (think Scottie Pippen), would be a steal at this pick.
8. Charlotte Bobcats – Corey Brewer, SG
I had Brandan Wright slotted to go here – Michael Jordan would never pass up on the opportunity to draft a fellow UNC player – but I’m going to assume that this pick gets traded to Phoenix or Philadelphia.
My pick: Brandan Wright – MJ loves his UNC boys so if they hold on to the pick, they take Wright.
9. Chicago Bulls – Julian Wright
Yet another team that will probably trade its pick. I think they trade this pick to Portland for Zach Randolph and Portland drafts Wright. Imagine a future starting five of Jarret Jack, Brandon Roy, Julian Wright, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden. That’s scary!
My pick: Spencer Hawes – Chicago is desperate for low post scoring and Hawes is the next best thing in the draft after Oden. If they keep the pick, they take Hawes.
10. Sacramento Kings – Jeff Green
The Maloof brothers might actually wet themselves if Green slips this far (and then probably turn it into a reality show). The fact is one or two players will plummet in this draft. It happens every year but Green will not make it past this pick.
My pick: Thaddeus Young – The Kings are in a rebuilding phase and can wait a year or two for a player to develop. Young has tremendous potential and could be one of the best players to come out of this draft.
Random Thoughts
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant
Biggest initial impact: Corey Brewer – his defense will shine immediately
Most overrated prospect – Joakim Noah - he will be a bust…write that down
Most underrated prospect – Thaddeus Young
Biggest Busts – Noah, Brandan Wright, Spencer Hawes
Hours spent writing this for the two NBA fans left – 2
Trying to predict who will go where is almost impossible for any professional sports draft. This is especially true this year because of so many trade possibilities. I think there will be a handful of trades that will totally ruin my picks, but hey, what can you do? At least we’ll get a kick out of how wrong I’ll actually be.
The People’s Champ
Here are my predictions for the top 10 along with who I think the team should pick. We’ll revisit this Friday morning and I’m sure we’ll all have a big laugh.
1. Portland Trailblazers - Greg Oden, C
The great debate of 2007 will always be remembered as Oden vs Durant. The fact is, both of these players are legitimate big-time prospects…you can’t go wrong either way. Conventional wisdom says take the big center (Oden) over the high scoring forward (Durant) and I don’t think Portland’s GM will risk his job by bucking that trend.
My pick: Greg Oden - even if I do have a man-crush on Durant.
2. Seattle Supersonics – Kevin Durant, SF
Talk about a consolation prize. Sonics GM Sam Presti can put this pick on auto pilot.
My pick: Kevin Durant - I’ve got my #35 Sonics jersey all picked out.
3. Atlanta Hawks – Al Horford, PF
If picks 1a and 1b are Oden and Durant, Horford is clearly the third best player in this draft. Although a bit undersized Horford makes up for that with toughness and determination. We have to keep in mind though that Atlanta is on the clock here. They’ve messed up more drafts than the St. Louis Rams. The question becomes will Atlanta take the best player on the board or fill a need with this pick.
My pick: Al Horford – While they’re loaded with power forwards and desperately need a point guard, there’s no way you pass on Horford.
4. Memphis Grizzlies – Joakim Noah, PF
Just about every expert mock draft I’ve read has Mike Conley going here but that doesn’t make any sense. The team drafted its point guard of the future last year in Kyle Lowry. So why would they draft a near identical player this year? I think Noah is wildly overrated but this is who they’ll probably take.
My pick: Jeff Green – Green fills the void left by the Shane Battier trade last year. Green is a similarly unselfish, pass-first forward that would compliment this team better than a pure hustle guy who can’t shoot in Noah.
5. Boston Celtics – Yi Jianlian, PF
The Celtics have been at the center of nearly every possible trade scenario this off season and every one involves this pick being traded. It’s not very often that a 7 foot perimeter player comes along with as much talent as Yi (think Dirk Nowitzki) so I think they’ll jump on this pick.
My pick: Yi Jianlian – but I don’t think Boston holds on to this pick. Golden State has been rumored to be completely infatuated with Yi so I think they’ll move up to this pick and get him.
6. Milwaukee Bucks – Mike Conley Jr., PG
Most mock drafts do not have Conley dropping below the number 4 pick but I think he will. The only two teams ahead of Milwaukee that would even consider Conley are Atlanta and Memphis. I previously mentioned that Memphis has their PG of the future and Atlanta is notorious for passing on point guards. Plus, the Hawks have the 11th pick that can be used on a guard.
My pick: Mike Conley – Even if Conley can’t shoot the rock, I think he’ll be a great PG for years to come (think Tony Parker).
7. Minnesota Timberwolves – Spencer Hawes, C
The Kevin Garnett trade watch has been one of the most intriguing sub-plots this off-season. Whether or not the T-Wolves trade Garnett (I don’t think they will) has no bearing on this pick. I think Minnesota GM Kevin McHale (big, tall white guy) will take another big, tall white guy. After all, Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer.
My pick: Corey Brewer – Brewer, an athletic, defensive-minded grinder (think Scottie Pippen), would be a steal at this pick.
8. Charlotte Bobcats – Corey Brewer, SG
I had Brandan Wright slotted to go here – Michael Jordan would never pass up on the opportunity to draft a fellow UNC player – but I’m going to assume that this pick gets traded to Phoenix or Philadelphia.
My pick: Brandan Wright – MJ loves his UNC boys so if they hold on to the pick, they take Wright.
9. Chicago Bulls – Julian Wright
Yet another team that will probably trade its pick. I think they trade this pick to Portland for Zach Randolph and Portland drafts Wright. Imagine a future starting five of Jarret Jack, Brandon Roy, Julian Wright, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden. That’s scary!
My pick: Spencer Hawes – Chicago is desperate for low post scoring and Hawes is the next best thing in the draft after Oden. If they keep the pick, they take Hawes.
10. Sacramento Kings – Jeff Green
The Maloof brothers might actually wet themselves if Green slips this far (and then probably turn it into a reality show). The fact is one or two players will plummet in this draft. It happens every year but Green will not make it past this pick.
My pick: Thaddeus Young – The Kings are in a rebuilding phase and can wait a year or two for a player to develop. Young has tremendous potential and could be one of the best players to come out of this draft.
Random Thoughts
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant
Biggest initial impact: Corey Brewer – his defense will shine immediately
Most overrated prospect – Joakim Noah - he will be a bust…write that down
Most underrated prospect – Thaddeus Young
Biggest Busts – Noah, Brandan Wright, Spencer Hawes
Hours spent writing this for the two NBA fans left – 2
Trying to predict who will go where is almost impossible for any professional sports draft. This is especially true this year because of so many trade possibilities. I think there will be a handful of trades that will totally ruin my picks, but hey, what can you do? At least we’ll get a kick out of how wrong I’ll actually be.
The People’s Champ
Friday, June 22, 2007
600*
Well, it’s official. Sammy Sosa is now a member of one of the most exclusive clubs in sports history. Sosa joins Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Barry Bonds as the only Major League Baseball players to hit 600 career homeruns. Let’s put this achievement into perspective and drop a few more names. Sosa now has more homeruns than (deep breath)……Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial, and Joe DiMaggio. Let’s face it, this is an incredible accomplishment. Sosa has whacked more dingers than Jenna Jameson.
With this milestone comes the inevitable debate...Is Sammy Sosa a Hall of Famer? Let’s play a little game of Point/Counterpoint and see where that leaves us.
Point: In Sosa’s heyday, there was no specific rule in baseball stating steroids
were not allowed. So even if he was doing it he was within the rules of Major
League Baseball.
Counterpoint: My employee handbook doesn’t say smoking crack is against company policy but it’s kind of understood.
were not allowed. So even if he was doing it he was within the rules of Major
League Baseball.
Counterpoint: My employee handbook doesn’t say smoking crack is against company policy but it’s kind of understood.
P: Just about everyone was doing it so he was just keeping up with the Joneses.
CP: What are we...13 years old? The "everyone was doing it" defense is not going to work here.
P: Sammy never tested positive for steroids and there is no proof that he actually took them.
CP: To quote Tony Soprano, “I don't need a gynocologist to know which way the wind blows.”
P: Typically, when a hitter reaches 500 homeruns he can stamp his ticket to Cooperstown. Sammy has 600 so it should be a no-brainer.
CP: With as much juice as he was taking, Sosa could hit 800 homeruns and he still wouldn’t get voted in.
P: If we’re putting each era into perspective (steroids era, dead ball era) you have to put the best of each generation in the HOF. Clearly, Sosa was one of the top 3 players during the steroid era.
CP: So you’re saying just because Sosa was a better cheater than guys like Rafael Palmerio (failed a steroid test) we should put him in the HOF?
P: Sosa testified before Congress and was not found guilty of anything.
CP: The man conveniently forgot how to speak English even though he grew up speaking it!! You know what, forget it, this was a brilliant defense and should be used in every day life. “Sir! You are not allowed to touch the strippers!” “I no speak English.”
I guess since I brought this up I have to take a stand. Even though I'll be accused of being a Cubs apologist, I think Sosa is a Hall of Famer. The numbers can't be denied. He's one of only five players in history to reach 600 homeruns. While steroids might very well have helped him reach this milestone, I'm with the group that says you have to put in the best players of each generation. Sosa is clearly one of the greatest players of our generation. And I really think "Innocent until proven guilty" has to mean something.
The People's Champ
Return of the Prodigy
As most of our loyal readers know (all three of you!), I get really excited before each UFC event, and this Saturday night’s Ultimate Fighter finale has me more excited than Sean Hannity at the Republican National Convention. I’m eager to see the fight between Nate Diaz and Manny Gamburyan, which will determine the winner of season five of the Ultimate Fighter and a six-figure UFC contract, but that pales in comparison to seeing BJ Penn enter the octagon for the first time since his loss to Matt Hughes at UFC 63, a matched he dominated until a fluke rib injury at the end of the second round.
In case you’re unfamiliar with BJ Penn, he holds victories over some of the sport’s biggest names. In 2004 he defeated long-time Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes by rear naked choke and was subsequently stripped of the title after fighting for another organization. Making his return to the UFC early last year, Penn was defeated by Georges St. Pierre in a controversial split decision (many still believe he won that fight). After St. Pierre was forced to pull out of his title shot against Hughes, Penn stepped up and fought Hughes for a second time. Penn dominated the first two rounds, but suffered a fluke rib injury at the end of the second. Hughes won the fight, but it became clear that Hughes poses no threat whatsoever to an uninjured BJ Penn.
BJ Penn vs. Jens Pulver
Saturday night Penn will square off against former lightweight champion and longtime rival Jens Pulver for the opportunity to fight for the lightweight title. Penn was defeated by Pulver via controversial split decision at UFC 35. Pulver, a world-renowned striker fighting out the Militech camp, lost his last fight to UFC newcomer Joe Lauzon and will be looking to put his career back on track.
When you really break this fight down, it becomes difficult to find a way for Pulver to win. Pulver usually likes to stand and trade shots with his opponent, but his last several fights have shown a weakness in his chin. Moreover, Penn has great striking ability and very heavy hands. Thus Pulver has little chance of knocking Penn out. Should the fight go to the ground, Pulver’s chances of winning quickly fade away. BJ’s grounds skills are second to none—and if he gets the top position, Jens will be fighting for his life.
My Prediction:
Although I gained a lot of respect for Jens Pulver during this installment of the Ultimate Fighter, he will be no match for BJ Penn.
Penn by whatever he wants, whenever he wants.
fighting pundit
In case you’re unfamiliar with BJ Penn, he holds victories over some of the sport’s biggest names. In 2004 he defeated long-time Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes by rear naked choke and was subsequently stripped of the title after fighting for another organization. Making his return to the UFC early last year, Penn was defeated by Georges St. Pierre in a controversial split decision (many still believe he won that fight). After St. Pierre was forced to pull out of his title shot against Hughes, Penn stepped up and fought Hughes for a second time. Penn dominated the first two rounds, but suffered a fluke rib injury at the end of the second. Hughes won the fight, but it became clear that Hughes poses no threat whatsoever to an uninjured BJ Penn.
BJ Penn vs. Jens Pulver
Saturday night Penn will square off against former lightweight champion and longtime rival Jens Pulver for the opportunity to fight for the lightweight title. Penn was defeated by Pulver via controversial split decision at UFC 35. Pulver, a world-renowned striker fighting out the Militech camp, lost his last fight to UFC newcomer Joe Lauzon and will be looking to put his career back on track.
When you really break this fight down, it becomes difficult to find a way for Pulver to win. Pulver usually likes to stand and trade shots with his opponent, but his last several fights have shown a weakness in his chin. Moreover, Penn has great striking ability and very heavy hands. Thus Pulver has little chance of knocking Penn out. Should the fight go to the ground, Pulver’s chances of winning quickly fade away. BJ’s grounds skills are second to none—and if he gets the top position, Jens will be fighting for his life.
My Prediction:
Although I gained a lot of respect for Jens Pulver during this installment of the Ultimate Fighter, he will be no match for BJ Penn.
Penn by whatever he wants, whenever he wants.
fighting pundit
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Beisbol
The NBA is over. The NFL is still about 3 months away. The NHL is...who cares. The ONLY sport to talk about right now is baseball. How has baseball kept it's popularity over all these years? I contend that a major factor is that it has a monopoly over much of it's season. For the next 2 months, there is absolutely nothing else going on. Even then, preseason NFL is hardly an event. As a result, I'm forced to blog about the only thing we have to talk about. Baseball. Let's break down each of the division races. Please note, my predictions will change up to 794 times before the end of the season.
AL East: Probably the most talked about division in baseball b/c of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. Outside of those 2 teams, there is not much here. The Red Sox continue to lead the Yanks by a sizable margin (8.5 games as of tonight), however, the Yanks have finally started playing inspired ball. In about 3-4 weeks we'll see a stat showing how well they have played since Roger Clemens joined the team. Let the record show, the Yanks started playing well BEFORE the rocket joined the team. Obviously, he's helped solidify the rotation to keep that streak going.
Prediction: The Yankees nearly nudge out Boston before the end of the season, but Boston hangs on and wins the division by 2 games.
Dark horse: Neither Baltimore, Toronto, or Tampa have what it takes to catch the Sox.
AL Central: Cleveland currently leads the division at 40-28. The Tigers are 1 game behind. I say there is no possible way Cleveland makes the playoffs. They just aren't good enough. The Tigers are solid, and they are hungry to go the distance this time. But look out for the Twins! Only 5.5 back as of today. Last year, with a horrific start, they were completely written off....and look what happened. This year they are a game over .500, and they currently don't look like a threat...but look out!
Prediction: The Twins do it again! They overtake the Tigers in September to win the division.
Dark horse: Minnesota, again.
AL West: At 44-26, the Angels have the 2nd best record in MLB to the Red Sox currently. This team is absolutely solid. The offense has finally found how to score with Figgins and Willits getting on base and the rotation is among the best in all of MLB. Furthermore, Shields and K-Rod are among the best setup-closer combo in the game. However, Oakland historically is one of the best 2nd half teams in baseball...and they are lurking 6 games behind. Seattle, probably the least talked about halfway decent team in all of baseball, is only a game behind Oakland.
Prediction: The Angels win the division with approximately 100 wins. Oakland competes with the Yanks for the wild card spot in the AL but ultimately comes up short. Seattle fades like cheap paint in the desert sun.
Dark horse: Oakland. They don't score much, but their pitching led by Dan Haren and Rich Harden is outstanding.
NL East: The NY Mets are the prohibited favorite in the East, but at 37-29, they aren't exactly shattering any records. After a slow start and early calls for the first manager firing of the year, Philadelphia has picked up steam. Currently, they are only 2.5 back. Their offense has come to life, scoring the most runs in the entire NL. Atlanta is "hanging around."
Prediction: Even though the Mets are currently slumping, they will pick up the pace in the 2nd half aided by a possible trade for Mark Buehrle and win going away. Atlanta will continue to be mediocre and Philly will compete for the NL wild card.
Dark horse: Surprisingly, Philadelphia. How good are these guys?
NL Central: The absolute worst division in baseball. The Brewers started hot, but have cooled off significantly since April. Does anybody want to win this division? The Brewers currently lead the division by 6.5 games at a record of 38-31. The Cubs, Cards, and Astros hope for a 2nd half run to catch the mediocre Brewers.
Prediction: The Cardinals win the division with a slightly over .500 2nd half despite the highest ERA in the NL. 83 wins. Again.
Dark horse: I hope this isn't biased...but the Cubs. They too, are "hanging around." With A-Ram on the shelf and Derrek Lee facing suspension, their only hope is a late season run which "could" happen. The Astros also could fit the bill as they historically have a better 2nd half than 1st half of the season. Almost anything is possible in this horrible division of AAAA baseball.
NL West: Surprisingly, this is a pretty good division this year. We'll go ahead and say the most under-rated in baseball. The Padres, with their excellent pitching, currently have a 1 game lead on the D-Backs at 40-28. The Dodgers are 1.5 games behind also. This division looks to be the most competitive in baseball. The only team out of the race is San Francisco, but at least we have the Barry Bonds/Hank Aaron watch.
Prediction: The Padres/D-Backs/Dodgers division race will continue to be very competitive and the NL wild card will also come out of this division. I'll take the Padres/D-Backs exacta box because of both teams having exceptional pitching. Are Peavy and Webb the most under-rated picthers in all of baseball?
Dark horse: Colorado. This team is blossoming. Look out! The pitching may not be the best, and playing at Coors means anything can happen, but they clearly have the best offense in the division. Tab!, only 5.5 games back right now.
Variables: There could be some serious talent traded before the trade deadline this year. With teams like the White Sox, Orioles, and Giants likely to be sellers, this could be one of the most exciting off-field summers in recent history. Players like Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye, Miguel Tejada and even Barry Bonds could easily be headed to contenders. Reason #877 it is way too early to make predictions like I just did. Also, my predictions are currently under the influence of alcohol.
Recap AL: Division winners: Boston, Minnesota, LA Angels; wild card: Yanks
Team that will probably screw this up: Detroit
Recap NL: Division winners: NY Mets, St. Louis, San Diego; wild card: D-Backs
Team that will probably screw this up: LA Dodgers
Father's Day is way too early to pick World Series participants. Stay tuned!
Rich Kim
AL East: Probably the most talked about division in baseball b/c of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. Outside of those 2 teams, there is not much here. The Red Sox continue to lead the Yanks by a sizable margin (8.5 games as of tonight), however, the Yanks have finally started playing inspired ball. In about 3-4 weeks we'll see a stat showing how well they have played since Roger Clemens joined the team. Let the record show, the Yanks started playing well BEFORE the rocket joined the team. Obviously, he's helped solidify the rotation to keep that streak going.
Prediction: The Yankees nearly nudge out Boston before the end of the season, but Boston hangs on and wins the division by 2 games.
Dark horse: Neither Baltimore, Toronto, or Tampa have what it takes to catch the Sox.
AL Central: Cleveland currently leads the division at 40-28. The Tigers are 1 game behind. I say there is no possible way Cleveland makes the playoffs. They just aren't good enough. The Tigers are solid, and they are hungry to go the distance this time. But look out for the Twins! Only 5.5 back as of today. Last year, with a horrific start, they were completely written off....and look what happened. This year they are a game over .500, and they currently don't look like a threat...but look out!
Prediction: The Twins do it again! They overtake the Tigers in September to win the division.
Dark horse: Minnesota, again.
AL West: At 44-26, the Angels have the 2nd best record in MLB to the Red Sox currently. This team is absolutely solid. The offense has finally found how to score with Figgins and Willits getting on base and the rotation is among the best in all of MLB. Furthermore, Shields and K-Rod are among the best setup-closer combo in the game. However, Oakland historically is one of the best 2nd half teams in baseball...and they are lurking 6 games behind. Seattle, probably the least talked about halfway decent team in all of baseball, is only a game behind Oakland.
Prediction: The Angels win the division with approximately 100 wins. Oakland competes with the Yanks for the wild card spot in the AL but ultimately comes up short. Seattle fades like cheap paint in the desert sun.
Dark horse: Oakland. They don't score much, but their pitching led by Dan Haren and Rich Harden is outstanding.
NL East: The NY Mets are the prohibited favorite in the East, but at 37-29, they aren't exactly shattering any records. After a slow start and early calls for the first manager firing of the year, Philadelphia has picked up steam. Currently, they are only 2.5 back. Their offense has come to life, scoring the most runs in the entire NL. Atlanta is "hanging around."
Prediction: Even though the Mets are currently slumping, they will pick up the pace in the 2nd half aided by a possible trade for Mark Buehrle and win going away. Atlanta will continue to be mediocre and Philly will compete for the NL wild card.
Dark horse: Surprisingly, Philadelphia. How good are these guys?
NL Central: The absolute worst division in baseball. The Brewers started hot, but have cooled off significantly since April. Does anybody want to win this division? The Brewers currently lead the division by 6.5 games at a record of 38-31. The Cubs, Cards, and Astros hope for a 2nd half run to catch the mediocre Brewers.
Prediction: The Cardinals win the division with a slightly over .500 2nd half despite the highest ERA in the NL. 83 wins. Again.
Dark horse: I hope this isn't biased...but the Cubs. They too, are "hanging around." With A-Ram on the shelf and Derrek Lee facing suspension, their only hope is a late season run which "could" happen. The Astros also could fit the bill as they historically have a better 2nd half than 1st half of the season. Almost anything is possible in this horrible division of AAAA baseball.
NL West: Surprisingly, this is a pretty good division this year. We'll go ahead and say the most under-rated in baseball. The Padres, with their excellent pitching, currently have a 1 game lead on the D-Backs at 40-28. The Dodgers are 1.5 games behind also. This division looks to be the most competitive in baseball. The only team out of the race is San Francisco, but at least we have the Barry Bonds/Hank Aaron watch.
Prediction: The Padres/D-Backs/Dodgers division race will continue to be very competitive and the NL wild card will also come out of this division. I'll take the Padres/D-Backs exacta box because of both teams having exceptional pitching. Are Peavy and Webb the most under-rated picthers in all of baseball?
Dark horse: Colorado. This team is blossoming. Look out! The pitching may not be the best, and playing at Coors means anything can happen, but they clearly have the best offense in the division. Tab!, only 5.5 games back right now.
Variables: There could be some serious talent traded before the trade deadline this year. With teams like the White Sox, Orioles, and Giants likely to be sellers, this could be one of the most exciting off-field summers in recent history. Players like Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye, Miguel Tejada and even Barry Bonds could easily be headed to contenders. Reason #877 it is way too early to make predictions like I just did. Also, my predictions are currently under the influence of alcohol.
Recap AL: Division winners: Boston, Minnesota, LA Angels; wild card: Yanks
Team that will probably screw this up: Detroit
Recap NL: Division winners: NY Mets, St. Louis, San Diego; wild card: D-Backs
Team that will probably screw this up: LA Dodgers
Father's Day is way too early to pick World Series participants. Stay tuned!
Rich Kim
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Blurbs - 06/13/07
Enjoy these links I've found in the past few weeks.
- For all of you ladies (and Dave Nagel) that have been waiting for a Sex and the City movie, it looks like it might just happen. IMDB.com confirms this. I have to admit it’s a little scary to think women can actually relate to any of the four main characters. If you guys had to pick one of these choices for your significant other to identify with, whom would you choose?
A. A neurotic, home-wrecking Jezebel who dresses like Steven Tyler and whose better qualities include the inability to commit, infidelity, and a weird shoe fetish.
B. A naive, money-grubbing gal who affectionately refers to her C. U. Next. Tuesday. as “Rebbecca”.
C. An over-aggressive, “try-sexual” who has scored more times than the 2000 Rams. (Did anyone establish if she was really a man dressed in women’s clothing?)
D. A bossy, cynical misandronist who looks like she dipped her head in a tub of orange sherbet.
- I knew American Idol was good for something.
- In related Idol news, it looks like Jim Carrey will be playing the role of Sanjaya in his new movie.
- Doesn’t it seem like the name of the drink gave sufficient warning?
- Is Nicole Richie pregnant?
Is it even possible to bear children when the fetus weighs more than the mother? I’d like to get confirmation on this.
Possible baby names…Beau Lee Mia Richie, Star Veng Richie, Anna Reckseik Richie, Ivanna Meal Richie, Edie Dezorter Richie, Nomar Burger Richie, Di Etta Richie, Earl Ed Richie, Noel Ike Stu Richie
- Sticking with the theme of bad names.
- I guess this guy gets points for creativity but not originality. There has to be a better name here than Shaq. What would your tattoo say? Mine would say, “I Slept With Oprah”.
The People's Champ
- For all of you ladies (and Dave Nagel) that have been waiting for a Sex and the City movie, it looks like it might just happen. IMDB.com confirms this. I have to admit it’s a little scary to think women can actually relate to any of the four main characters. If you guys had to pick one of these choices for your significant other to identify with, whom would you choose?
A. A neurotic, home-wrecking Jezebel who dresses like Steven Tyler and whose better qualities include the inability to commit, infidelity, and a weird shoe fetish.
B. A naive, money-grubbing gal who affectionately refers to her C. U. Next. Tuesday. as “Rebbecca”.
C. An over-aggressive, “try-sexual” who has scored more times than the 2000 Rams. (Did anyone establish if she was really a man dressed in women’s clothing?)
D. A bossy, cynical misandronist who looks like she dipped her head in a tub of orange sherbet.
- I knew American Idol was good for something.
- In related Idol news, it looks like Jim Carrey will be playing the role of Sanjaya in his new movie.
- Doesn’t it seem like the name of the drink gave sufficient warning?
- Is Nicole Richie pregnant?
Is it even possible to bear children when the fetus weighs more than the mother? I’d like to get confirmation on this.
Possible baby names…Beau Lee Mia Richie, Star Veng Richie, Anna Reckseik Richie, Ivanna Meal Richie, Edie Dezorter Richie, Nomar Burger Richie, Di Etta Richie, Earl Ed Richie, Noel Ike Stu Richie
- Sticking with the theme of bad names.
- I guess this guy gets points for creativity but not originality. There has to be a better name here than Shaq. What would your tattoo say? Mine would say, “I Slept With Oprah”.
The People's Champ
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Mas Sopranos Por Favor
I was just going to post a comment under Rich’s post (well done my friend) sharing my thoughts on The Sopranos finale. But, like usual, once I get to writing it’s hard to stop so I had to turn this into a post. One might say my words run like a ducks ass….think about that one for a minute….
Rich and I have had some great banter on this topic, along with 50 million other people in the world. While I think we have some strong points, I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this. What did you think of the ending? What did you think was the significance of the “cut to black?” I’d love to hear from everyone on this (if there’s not enough space in the comment box, shoot me an email at antploza1908@yahoo.com and I’ll post your thoughts).
Random thoughts….
Rich and I have had some great banter on this topic, along with 50 million other people in the world. While I think we have some strong points, I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this. What did you think of the ending? What did you think was the significance of the “cut to black?” I’d love to hear from everyone on this (if there’s not enough space in the comment box, shoot me an email at antploza1908@yahoo.com and I’ll post your thoughts).
Random thoughts….
- I tried to go to hbo.com immediately after the finale aired but I couldn’t get on either. I did find some other message boards and it wasn’t pretty. Almost everyone seemed to be pretty pissed how the show ended. Like you, I was completely shocked when it happened but the ending has grown on me. Just as long as I didn’t have to see Tony get whacked, I can live with that. The ending I like to imagine is everything goes on like normal and the next chapter in his life is trying to beat these new indictments. (*Note* - I wrote this comment on Monday and the ending continues to grow on me. I don’t think I’ve ever been this captivated by a show…aside from my growing crush on The Wire and my first Girls Gone Wild tape.)
- Can you believe Carlo flipped like that? All so he could get his son out of a distribution charge? Weak…WEAK!
- Glad Philly got whacked. Like I said in my post last week, I think this absolutely had to happen. Shelly and I actually cheered when it happened and I’m pretty sure there was a fist pump or two involved. I am, however, troubled by how easily a small, yet formidable NJ mob family was able to dismantle a powerful NY syndicate. Even if that same NY family is now working under it’s 4th boss in the past 6 months. Has a real mafia crime family gone through this many bosses in such short a time? The only real-life comparison I can think of is Loan Services Supervisor.
- The one point I vehemently disagree with is the part about Tony being an FBI informant. I think this scenario is near impossible and I don’t say that just because I didn’t want it to end like that. What would Tony have to offer the FBI? He’s the boss, he’s the target…who would he be snitching on? The guys from NY? They’re all dead too. Let’s just say Tony was an FBI informant and Phil was the target. The FBI agent involved (Tony’s contact) would have been pissed to hear Phil was popped. Coppers don’t want to see their targets killed, they want them brought to justice.
- If you’ve got a couple hours to burn, check out The Sports Guy's chat wrap. Good stuff.
- In an email exchange we had, Rich said someone in Vegas called into a local radio station and said they noticed a lot of things were happening in 3's in the final scene, e.g. 3 people at Tony’s table, Meadow tried to park her car 3 times, 3 coffee creamers on the table. This might be a stretch but does anyone else remember the episode in which Uncle Junior (pre-dementia) said people died in threes? Bobby, Sylvio…..Tony?? Again, I think this is a stretch but it’s worth mentioning
- Did anyone else see the B-side Journey song on the little juke box? Tony picked “Don’t Stop Believin’” but the song underneath that was “Any Way You Want It.” As in, the show ends any way you want it to?
- The cat that was hanging around the safe house and Satriale’s was cracking me up. Not so much the cat but Paulie’s reaction to the cat…classic. In The Sports Guy’s chat wrap (above) a reader asks if the cat is supposed to be a reincarnation of a previous character. I think the cat played an important part in the episode but I don’t think it was Aida or Christopher reincarnated. Anyone remember the character “Big Pussy” that got whacked in the season 2 finale? Well, I think since the show started with a “pussy” it had to end with one. So that’s what the cat represented….or something. This is an actual character from the show. I don’t just love saying the word pussy or anything…..
The more I watch the finale (going on 5 or 6 times now) the more I appreciate the beauty of the ending. For the first time we the audience can genuinely feel what Tony Soprano feels. The nervousness every time someone walks in the door, the heightened sense of awareness, knowing that death could be around every corner. For once, we know what it’s like to be Tony. I couldn’t ask for anything more out of the ending (other than maybe a Cubs World Series win playing in the background).
Again, this is just my interpretation, but I think the abrupt ending was just that, the ending of the show. Life goes on for Tony Soprano. I don’t think the “cut to black” was Tony dying or, like I said earlier, maybe I just don’t want it to mean that. Herein lies the beauty of it all….it ends how we think it ends. And that is much more satisfying than a bloody shoot-out where everyone dies.
The People's Champ
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