Friday, February 20, 2009

An Encouraging First Step: Oregon 5 St. Mary's 3


To be honest, I was not one of those fans going nuts about the return of baseball to the University Of Oregon after 28 years (in a similar manner to those Oregon State fans who never really cared for their own program until they started winning in the last few years), but Friday afternoon's win in a game with St. Mary's was a lovely diversion on a spring-like day here in the mid-valley.


The Ducks rallied in the top of the fifth with four runs to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 lead, the key hit being a two-run triple by Jett Hart that accounted for the final two runs as well as the margin of victory.


Oregon got some good pitching in the second inning when starter Tyler Anderson allowed one run, and then pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam with no further scoring. They also got some timely defense, in particular another situation in the seventh when reliever Ryan Fleckenstein, with the bases loaded and one out, got the Gaels batter to hit the ball back to him. Fleckenstein fired the ball to the plate for a 1-2-3 double play that proved to be another critical point of the game. In the ninth, Drew Gagnier induced a game-ending double play.


Radio announcer Brian Prawitz was quite enthusiastic about being there for the return of Oregon baseball, though he did have a Jerry Allen-type moment just before the Ducks took the field for defense for the first time when he mentioned that Anderson could be the "staff of the ace". That very minor quibble aside, he kept my attention for the times I was listening (most of the game, but I did have to let work have its say every once in awhile.)


With my work schedule, it's hard to say how many games I'll personally be able to attend this year, but this win was solid enough to insure that I'll be tuning in to the radio broadcasts whenever I can. Nice job George, keep up the good work and let's go Ducks!






GO DUCKS RECAP

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Baseball Around The Corner: Spring Training Starts


So a large number of people around the country may have been permanently put off by major league baseball in this steroid age, but there are still a larger number of people who still have a certain faith that most of the players are playing the game the right way ("right way" being relative to current societal norms, I'd suppose).


To celebrate, Sports Illustrated has a lovely 21 PICTURE SET of baseball players in spring training over the years, with this amazing Walter Iooss Jr. photo of Yankee pitcher Sam McDowell in 1974 being my personal favourite.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Valentine's Day Special: It'll End In Tears, It's A Heart Disease Called Love

A fine, country-rock version from Miracle Legion of John Cooper Clarke's Heart Disease Called Love dedicated to both the delusional and hopeless amongst us, a perfect antidote for when 'perfect love' is currently not on the cards. Thanks to DigitalDeviant340 for the clip, this was a track I played a lot when it was released.






Washington State 67 Oregon 38: Bad Is Bad

Some numbers from the debacle in Pullman, thankfully this was not broadcast on TV.




    * 10 field goals made (6 2-pointers, 4 3-pointers)

    * 5 in each half

    * 20.8% shooting percentage (10 of 48)

    * 9 minutes 26 seconds first half scoreless drought, as the Ducks found themselves trailing 19 to 2 after a 2-2 tie at the 18:44 mark.

    * 4 minutes 17 scoreless streak to start second half, as the deficit went from 29-15 to 37-15.

    * 5 minutes 12 seconds into the second half before the Ducks make their first bucket in the second half, a three by Tajuan Porter.


    * Duck starters combined to hit 5 of their 26 shots.


    * 5 assists for the game


    * 0-12 record for the Ducks in the Pac-10 season now












ESPN RECAP

Saturday, February 07, 2009

That Voodoo That You Do (Probably Won't Work So Well Wednesday)


Yes, the national teams for the U.S. and Mexico face off in a World Cup qualifying match in Columbus, OH on Wednesday, and there's been some talk about the efforts of a Mexican newspaper to put a voodoo hex on the U.S. team so that El Tri might secure their first win on U.S. soil in 10 years.


While it would take a major catastrophe for either side fail to qualify for the World Cup from CONCACAF every four years, the failure of the Mexican side to win here remains somewhat of a consternation with their fans that I know, and luckily they, and I, can see that this whole thing is just a light-hearted promotional stunt. They agree that a Mexico win won't stop the U.S. from qualifying for South Africa 2010, they'd just like to have the bragging rights that go along with such a win.



Glad to see that they've adopted this tactic now, the last time that both of the teams met when it really, really mattered was the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea, with the U.S. recording a decisive 2-0 win to knock them out of the World Cup and allowing the U.S. to reach the quarter-finals against eventual runner-ups Germany. I'd kind of forgotten how desperate Mexico was in the second half, with the cynical red card that Rafael Márquez drew for his hit on Cobi Jones coming back to me from watching the YouTube video highlights below. What a wanker.





A-P STORY




Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Lux Interior, R.I.P.

Thank you so much for your great music Erick/Lux, it was always exciting back in the day to gauge the reactions from the uninitiated to your music from your classic clip in Urgh!, and it was an added bonus when your famous live video from the Napa State Mental Hospital came out via Target a bit later, it certainly was one of the most watched videos in our household for a long while. I always drew encouragement from The Cramps longevity, and it is sad to see a man of your taste and talent pass away.






Sunday, February 01, 2009

To Interfere With Nature?




A couple of weeks ago, near the Valley River Center, I came across this guy foraging for food. Unseen in this pic, just a few feet away, was a cat carefully stalking out his next meal, and as the scenario began to unfold, the thought struck me as to whether or not I should let nature play itself out.


Of course, as a human, I had to put my two cents worth into the affair, and I lobbed a rock at the cat, sending him scurrying away, the prey safe from its potential deathly fate for at least for another couple of hours. Why should any of us in this day and age here pretend that the world doesn't operate in a clean, sanitary manner because it's not right in our faces? Carry on, squirrel, until tomorrow......when all bets are off again.

Karma For The Cardinals?


This fellow was seen sticking his head above the parapet around my parents house late last year. Good omen for the Cardinals today?

Well Heck, They All Wear Uniforms And Chase Balls Around, Don't They?


Nice to see some careless editing in a rush job on a "timely" photo collection piece. According to TMZ (second picture ), Rosario Dawson, by holding the jersey above, is a celebrity football fanatic. I guess the good news is that this now makes one less team in the National League East for the Mets to contend with this year. Let's root along with our fave celebutards.........let's go TEAM!