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Friday, February 25, 2005
SEEING REDOld Reds Regroup For Nats - The Post
Each of D.C.'s broadsheets have stories about all those former Cincinnati folks who wear the W or D.C. now. Here is The Wash. Times article (actually a Thom Loverro column) on the subject.
Baseball's New Lobbyist - The Post
Long-time D.C. council member John Ray has been hired to smooth over the council after the drawn out and difficult saga of getting the ballpark approved. Jack Evans (D, Ward-2) does not want his help and Adrian Fenty (D, Ward-5) appreciates it, but he is not going to change his mind.
Angelos, baseball closing on deal - The Wash. Times
A payoff, which MLB is under no legal/moral obligation to do, is just about ready for Baltimore owner Peter Angelo$. We have heard this before, hopefully MLB has not sold out the Nats in the process. There was a great editorial the other day: Lining Angelos' pockets.
We also learn that Mayor Tony Williams is looking at getting Les Boulez/MCI Center owner Abe Pollin involved. More from WTOP (requires RealAudio).
I probably will not update tomorrow morning, since I will be traveling again. I may update Saturday night or Sunday morning though.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
THERE IS NO SNOW IN VIERA (OR D.C. -- YET)Johnson Trying to Get Back to First - The Post
He Has What Nationals Need -- If He's Healthy
A full season out of 1B Nick Johnson seems like some impossible dream. Tom Loverro of The Wash. Times has more: Johnson gets healthy in the Nick of time.
Nats eager to plumb their depth - The Wash. Times
Praise for GM Jim Bowden's offseason acquisitions, fulfilling Frank Robinson's wish list.
Hitters can't catch up to pitchers - The Wash. Times
It is easier for pitchers to get going in spring training than it is hitters. Also, Good Morning America's Charlie Gibson isn't much of a batter.
Mayor, officials to see games in Florida - The Wash. Times
Wow, somebody convinced Mayor Anthony Williams to take a trip out of D.C., how unusual. Our man Jack Evans (D, Ward-2) wants to go to, but needs to make sure the funding of this trip is on the up and up. Good thinking, Jack.
Slowes, Shea to Broadcast Radio - The Post
We have a radio team now. I have never heard of these guys; one has been the voice of the Devils Rays (who can blame him from running) and the other was part of the Boston Bruins booth. Anybody have anything to add?
Spring training more than baseball - Florida Today
At last, Al Neuharth's first "baby" has a motherlode of Nats articles. You can get to them by going to the WEB EXTRAS box.
A FEW THINGS I MISSEDBaseball Boosters Kick In for Schools - The Post
D.C. PAC Raises Money to Promote Education, Award Tickets, Support Teams
This is excellent, this is the kind of thing the team needs to do a lot of to be good corporate citizens. Granted, this is not the team itself, but it gets the ball rolling when actual ownership arrives.
Supreme Court Case Could Affect Baseball Stadium - The Post
I have been following Kelo v. City of New London, Conn. on NPR and USA Today over the last few days. In the back of my mind, I wondered how this might affect the ballpark and this article takes a look at how.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
40 DAYS UNTIL THE OPENERNats, Castilla Keep It in Perspective - The Post
Third Baseman Will Be Asked to Lead, Won't Be Expected to Post Huge Numbers
It seems people are being realistic about what Vinny Castilla can do at the plate. The Wash. Times has a similar article today as well and the official site does too. They like the way he does business more than the home runs.
Stadium design draws eight bidders - The Wash. Times
Details on the eight companies in the running to build D.C.'s ballpark. The announcement is coming March 10, unless they delay it again. I think it is going to be tough to get it built, on budget, on deadline (March 2008) and be unique. We shall see. I fully expect there to be the typical D.C. holdups as well.
More from The Wash. Post: 8 Bid to Design Nationals' Stadium
Nats' full squad studies chemistry - The Wash. Times
Manager Frank Robinson gave his preseason pep talk. The Nats official site has more.
Nationals bring fans to ballpark - Florida Today
Space Coast Stadium is seeing a lot more fans now that the team that trains there has a "W" (or DC) on their caps.
Q & A with GM Jim Bowden - nationals.com
Read it if you want to, it is typical JimBow.
Nats' Terrmel Sledge Deals With Steroids - AP/WTOP
Terrmel Sledge claims his positive steroid test was an honest mistake and that he never wants to put his family through that sort of thing again.
Wilkerson: I'm ready for big 2005 - nationals.com
Versatile outfielder looking forward to new D.C. home
Already anointed as everyone's favorite player, Brad Wilkerson will be doing a monthly diary for the official team Web site. It's the stuff you would expect from a ballplayer.
RFK Stadium Renovations - WTOP (requires RealMedia)
Mark Tuohey D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission leader was interviewed on WTOP yesterday. He is very positive, as always, about progress at RFK.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
QUICK NATS NOTESNationals' Guillen Makes 1st Impression - The Post
Maybe the seventh is the charm for Jose Guillen. Here is The Wash. Times take: Guillen calls fit 'perfect'
Robinson Evaluates New Talent - The Post
Not much I can add to this one.
Dick Heller - Honoring the Big Train - The Wash. Times
A look at Walter Johnson's daughter who belongs at the opener, according to Heller. He is right, of course.
MORE ON HSTWithin hours of his suicide (former Dead Milkman frontman Rodney Anonymousnot work safe links the decline of Rolling Stone as a reason), The Times put together a special section on Hunter S. Thompson that includes interviews and book reviews spanning three decades. That is exactly what the paper of record's Web site should be doing. The last place he had a steady gig, ESPN's Page 2 has a tribute as well. You better get there before noon when they update that site. If a permanent archive appears, I will link to it as well. Here is The Post appreciation
I first became aware of HST from my brother while he was in high school. I think he made a diorama of the opening chapter too.
One of my history professors, the infamous Tony Gronowicz assigned the first chapter or two of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" in one of his classes. He also showed us Oliver Stone's "The Doors." Dr. Gronowicz was that kind of instructor. It was a damn shame he didn't get tenure too (PDF), but none of us were surprised.
Back to Thompson, we continued reading him in some of my COMM classes. I recall my very straight-laced COMM 461 instructor reading the first chapter of Vegas, completely deadpan. It was hysterical and one of the highlights of classes. I read a whole bunch of HST books at the Shore one year too. Of them all, "Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72" was his most complete work (the WWN Ombudsman kept insisting that I read it after I already had) and really captures the essence of campaigning. My friend Brenda, who has worked a few campaigns backs that statement up. She even returned it when I lent it to her, which is more than I can say about my copy of "1984" lent to a current Costa Rican yoga instructor. Not that I am bitter, just making the observation because one or two people will find it funny. I never expected to see that one again.
Of late, Thompson's work has been mixed, at best. He wrote a column on ESPN Page 2 that was mostly about gambling (yawn) and his hatred of the Bush administration. Occasionally, it was good, but not frequently. His last column one of his better ones of late. He called up Bill Murray (I guess they made up after "Where the Buffalo Roam") at 3:30 a.m. to propose a new sport that combines skeet shooting with golf.
Other thoughts:
The movie adaptation of Vegas was pretty good, though as Christopher pointed out, excluding the bats swooping down on the car was a major omission.
I would have liked to have seen him speak or go to a booksigning. I don't think he was doing much of that though.
When Erica and I were thinking of visiting Brenda for a ski weekend, Brenda and I pondered taking a ride up to Owl Farm. We did not make the trip, so we never got the chance to chicken out for fear of being fired upon.
Other Thompson highlights:
The first chapter or two of "Vegas"
The lede of his Super Bowl VII write-up (in the Epitaph of "'72") , which became the inspiration for the term "gonzo bowl," to describe a intense football game (usually playoffs) with wild swings of momentum, bizarre plays, controversial officiating, and stupefying mental errors. Think Steelers vs. Titans in 2002 or Giants vs. 49ers that same weekend.
"The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved." -- This is where he coined the term "fear and loathing" and where he first met illustrator Ralph Stedman, a Brit who is generally horrified by America. Someday, if my family and I are not hosting a Derby party, I have to go down there see what he was talking about firsthand.
Monday, February 21, 2005
I DON'T LIKE THE TWO-TONE DC HATIt should be all blue or all redNo Offense, but Nationals See Need for More Runs - The Post
Last year's Expos could not get men on base and those who made it could not advance home.
GM Bowden Scouts the Pitching - The Post
GM Jim Bowden is getting a look at ptichers Mike Hinckley and Darrell Rasner. Also, yesterday was Livan Hernandez's birthday.
Loaiza: Nationals' Man of Mystery - The Post
Which Esteban Loaiza will show up this year, the one who won 20 games in 2003 or the one that has played every other year?
Nats field plenty of talent - The Wash. Times
These guys know how to play defense. Brad Wilkerson is apparently everyone on the squad's favorite defensive player.
HUNTER S. THOMPSONHunter S. Thompson Dies at 67 - The Post
'Fear and Loathing' Writer Apparently Committed Suicide
In the end, this is a logical end to an completely illogical and improbable life. His best work was "Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72."
More from The Times: Hunter S. Thompson, 65, Author, Commits Suicide
More from The Denver Post: Hunter S. Thompson shoots self in head
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William F. Yurasko
May 1, 2006
Photo by Erica Yurasko
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# posted by Anonymous : Friday, February 25, 2005 4:33:14 PM