IGT 6/2/10 Mets vs. Padres, Johan runs with his new MI mojo

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

See, things CAN get better!

So in that spirit, we can concentrate on some of the nice things about Michigan.




We -- I should say they, since I'm not really one of them. I just live here -- are a state of two big peninsulas. The Upper Peninsula is populated largely by moose and people who call themselves "Yoopers" and call people in the rest of the state "trolls" because we live under the bridge.

That bridge would be:



The two peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge, the third-largest suspension bridge in the world. It's more impressive to non-New Yorkers, since we cross the Verrazano with far less fanfare. Mackinac is pronounced "mack-in-aw." At the base of the bridge is Mackinaw City, spelled differently but pronounced the same. This confuses tourists, who go to Mackinac Island to eat fudge and stay at the Grand Hotel. Cars are not allowed on Mackinac Island, so the place smells like lilacs and horse pooh. But the fudge is really good.

While there are plenty of famous Michiganders -- Madonna, Michael Moore, Magic Johnson, Eminem, Bob Seger, Ted Nugent -- not all of them brought shame and disgrace. One honorable Michigander would be:



Gerald R. Ford of Grand Rapids, who rests a short walk from my office. Has nice children.



The all-consuming rivalry: University of Michigan vs. Michigan State University. U of M = Yankees. Arrogant, gets undeserved praise, corrupt. MSU = Mets. Treated like second-class citizens, prone to occasional rioting.



Your breakfast comes from nearby Battle Creek, where there was a whole theme park, "Cereal City" dedicated to the breakfast food industry. You walked out with a free box of Frosted Flakes. It's closed now. Flint had an industry celebrating theme park, too, called "Auto World." It's closed, too, made famous in "Roger & Me." Michigan does not do theme parks well.

There you go! Now Johan has Motown Mojo for the 6 p.m. EDT game!

LET'S GO METS!

[Fman99]

I enjoyed the Michigan tutorial.

I visit Detroit all the time, it's my favorite airport to make connecting flights to points further west and south.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Fun Michigan Fact: the Kingsford charcoal brand was founded in Michigan as a means to recycle the remains of the forests leveled for wood parts for the Model T.

Henry Ford was a nutcase.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I did not know that fact! And Ford was indeed crazy. His museum outside Detroit is like a smaller Smithsonian with all kinds of strange things, including what they swear to be Thomas Edison's final breath, there in a test tube for all to see.



He's also got the chair from Ford's Theater that Lincoln was sitting in when Booth interrupted the play.

The airport has gotten better over the years. We sometimes fly from there.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Reading 'Fordlandia' now, fascinating tale of fantastic Ford failure.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

On a non-Ford-y innovative note, in 1862, pharmacist James Vernor was trying to create a new beverage when he was called away to serve our country in the Civil War. When he returned, 4 years later, the syrup base he had stored in an oak case had acquired a delicious flavor from the wood's aging. Voila... Vernor's ginger ale, the oldest surviving American soda. Detroit, WHAT!

It's often used as a stomachache remedy, thanks to ginger's analgesic effects... the same effect that Venezuelans tap in making a poultice to treat bad menstrual cramps. It's what Johan uses... when he's being a caring husband!

[soupcan]

Excellent album:

[Fman99]

Reading 'Fordlandia' now, fascinating tale of fantastic Ford failure.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Wow... MGIM is like our own Rosie O'Donnell*. He starts an IGT, and it becomes all about Michigan!




*In that she always makes everything all about her.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Excellent album:

[TransMonk]

I'll be visiting the Warren Dunes State Park for a long weekend at the end of the month.

Located on the west coast of Michigan, it is one of my favorite summer destinations.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Cool! That's about an hour away. If you have time to kill, the House of David Museum is just up the road, outside of Benton Harbor. There are some neat baseball exhibits in there, but it's very much a labor of love for the operator. Not a traditional museum by any means.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Soup I thought you said that Sufjan Stevens record sucked.

Michigan is also the birthplace of K-Mart, the K-car, and special K, but not K-tel.

[TransMonk]

Cool! That's about an hour away. If you have time to kill, the House of David Museum is just up the road, outside of Benton Harbor. There are some neat baseball exhibits in there, but it's very much a labor of love for the operator. Not a traditional museum by any means.[/quote:deuytio5]
Sounds like my kind of place...I'll be in the Saugatuck area on that Sunday, so if it's open I might have to drop by.

[Guest Edgy DC]

And the last Michigander-born Met was...

[soupcan]

Soup I thought you said that Sufjan Stevens record sucked.[/quote:3mfk8a8o]

Did I? Huh.

Maybe I'm thinking of something else. Oh well, it says 'Michigan' on it.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

And the last Michigander-born Met was...[/quote:d0s23ise]

Unless someone from this year is from the Wolverine State, I'm guessing J.J. Putz, who is from Trenton.


Steve Phillips is from the Detroit area. Mike Bordick is a Yooper. Jim Gosger is from Port Huron, Clint Hurdle is from Big Rapids, Mike Kinkade is from the Detroit area, Al Luplow is from Saginaw, Mike Marshall the pitcher is from Adrian, one of the Bob Millers is a Detroiter, Keith Miller's from Midland, Frank Tanana's from Detroit, as is Al Moran.

[ashie62]

I was in the old Tiger stadium in the 70's and did the loop up through Canada..Great trip with fond memories.

If they could only get rid of Rich Rodriguez all would be in balance.

[Frayed Knot]

Cars are not allowed on Mackinac Island, so the place smells like lilacs and horse pooh. But the fudge is really good.

And as long as one doesn't confuse the pooh with the fudge I guess things will remain A-OK

Henry Ford was crazy

So was old man Kellogg

[ashie62]

I'd like to personally see one car on the road Model-T Ford Black, his insanity lives on.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Henry Ford was crazy

So was old man Kellogg

[bmfc1]

METS:
Reyes-SS
Pagan-CF
Bay-LF
Davis-1B
Wright-3B
Francoeur-RF
Cora-2B
Blanco-C
Santana-LHP

The 2B isn't batting second?

Padres:
J. Hairston 6
Eckstein 4
Gonzalez 3
Headley 5
Hundley 2
S. Hairston 8
Salazar 7
Denorfia 9
Richard 1

[Guest Edgy DC]

Learn, Jerry, learn!

[Zvon]

Most informative opening EVEH!

I want to read this book.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/343065/the_story_of_thomas_edisons_dying_breath.html

The sordid tale of the last breath.

They used to sell t-shirts and everything.

It's actually a cool museum. There's a restored village -- think Old Bethpage on steroids -- with the Wright Bros. bike shop, Edison's labs, and you can get a ride in a Model T that they built for the 100th anniversary using the same tools and procedures. They have old-time baseball games there, and some of the guests get to play. I pitched in one. Was cautioned by the umpire for being "ungentlemanly" because back in the day, you were supposed to let the batter put the ball in play.

The museum itself is heavy on cars, but there are all kinds of things. Kennedy's death car is there, too.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Learn, Jerry, learn![/quote:32p2hz0q]

I'm bemused. I'm amazed. I'm bemazed and amused.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Learn, Jerry, learn![/quote:22794f2e]

I'm bemused. I'm amazed. I'm bemazed and amused.[/quote:22794f2e]

Yeah but that three-in-a-row of Frenchy, Cora and Blanco is craptastic no matter where.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Nothing for nothing but the King of the World Grand Exalted Mystic Ruler of the Kingdom of the Second Baseman .............. Must ..............Bat ...........Second is Willie Small Balls who came to the throne on the sole strength of his 2005 Cairo must bat second if he's replacing Kaz Matui who had to bat second because he's ......... the second baseman campaign.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Learn, Jerry, learn!

[Zvon]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/343065/the_story_of_thomas_edisons_dying_breath.html