Vic Sage

It's national "talk like a pirate" day!everybody say "AAAAARGH!"Yours in treachery, Dread Pirate BonneyTake the pirate quiz/name generator at http://www.piratequiz.com/

the Jets coverage is WAY better than the Mets coverage. Ray Lucas rocks. As for the Mets: - I like Gary Thorne alot. A professional broadcaster with informed opinions but he lets the jocks do most of the analysis. - Keith and Ron: the dynamic duo. They're fun and obviously offer great insights, and i like them, but they lean a bit too heavily on jockspeak and macho posturing for my tastes. Speaking of which: - Bobby O. Honest and opinionated, as far as that goes, but his "old school" BS wears thin quickly. - Gary Apple is pleasant enough, in a nondescript way. - Kevin Burkhart was great. He offered thoughtful commentary from the sidelines and did excellent interviews, finding the human interest in his stories. - I don't know who the women are that were mentioned. They left absolutely no impression on me, which is unusual for what I assume are attractive young women. - I want to smack Jim Duquette's semi-bald head over and over, screaming "you assclown." Speaking of clowns and big fat bald heads: - Chris Carlin. I didn't mind him on FAN, when he teamed with a woman broadcaster for a while (I don't remember her name; it was something Jones). They had a good chemistry. And SHE was smart, at least. But seeing that bulbous noodle atop that potato body, with mindless quips and pointless drivel drooling from his gaping maw, makes me want to hit myself in the head repeatedly with a ball peen hammer.

you mean besides youth and talent? i don't have any projections for Flores, but trading Murphy doesn't scare me as much as going into next season with those 2 major holes still in the lineup. According to ESPN, Murphy has put up 2 WAR, and has averaged around 1.5/full season, and is currently ranked 12th in WAR, with the top 7 2bmen putting up 2x-3x as much. Even with bounce-back years from Wright and Granderson, and our great pitching, Murphy is not getting us over the top. But there are 47 OFers who have put up at least that much WAR, and the top end is even larger proportionally. I want me some of that.

They should deal whichever they can get the most for, maybe in a package with an arm, to get either a legit lead-off guy or a slugger, one a SS the other a RFer. Then go out and get the other one, either thru trade or FA.

every team is entitled to one "wtf" contract, and to use it on the best offensive player in the team's history, a team leader and captain who exemplifies all that is good about the game, is not the worst idea in the world.

Washingtonnn, come out to play-ay... Washingtonnn, come out to play-ay... Washingtonnn, come out to play-ay!

Start with 30 players in April, while guys are still trying to win jobs and get over post-season surgeries, and pitchers aren't really able to go deep, and the weather is bad. Then, cut the roster to 25 on May 1, and keep it there through the end of the year. This way, guys still get major-league service time, and a greater shot at winning a job, but teams don't start screwing around with their rosters just as pennant races heat up in September, when the playing field should be as level as possible and teams that are out of it don't just play their kids to see what they've got for next year without much concern for Ws and Ls down the stretch.

I bought the soundtrack, too, and have no complaints. It has all the songs that were in the movie...that's all i want from a soundtrack. And i thought the labeling of it as "Awesome Mix, Vol.1", in reference to the movie, was nifty. It's true, 2 of the songs were shown in the fil to be on "Mix V2", and that could have been easily addressed in liner notes that said "as a bonus, we're including 2 extra songs from Mix 2". Maybe they did that; i didn't check. Do record companies even bother creating "liner notes" anymore? Do you only get them if you buy a hard copy of the music? As for an audio tape version, maybe if it sells well enough, they'll do that. Is there really a market for that now? I had no idea. Maybe the technology has changed alot, i don't know, but tape used to be a poor 2nd choice to vinyl, and used only for its portability. Now, downloads (and even CDs) have better portability, while delivering superior sound. I know vinyl is still around, because it gives you a different audio experience (and some would argue a better one) than digital, and an album is a better package (bigger cover art, inserts, liner notes, etc, plus the utility of double-albums to clean your weed), but i can't imagine audio tape is an equivalent (or even good) audio version of the music. It has the reproduction quality of a VHS with the small packaging of a CD. Why would tape, or 8-track, or victrola cylinders, be popular now, beyond hipsterish iconoclasm? I guess the tech has really changed that much.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Me, I really despise the latest wild-card innovation. A one-game playoff is fine for teams that end with the same record, but the two wild card teams could be separated by five or six games in the standings. To resolve that difference with just one game seems totally wrong to me. I know the argument is that it makes finishing in first place more of a reward, and that's true, but I don't like how it can potentially allow a third-place team to take such a great leap forward. I'd be much better with it if it was a best-of-three series rather than a best-of-one. (Those three games can even be played in two days. One game on Monday and a day/night doubleheader on Tuesday.) I disagree. The only things that makes a WC system work for me at all is if the teams that don't win their division are significantly disadvantaged against those who did. And i think a one-game playoff (actually, its not a playoff game; it's a "play-in" game) accomplishes that. Teams will not want to be subject to the vagaries of a 1-game post-season, and so will go to the whip down the stretch to try and win the division instead of just resting guys and cruising, if the difference between winning the division or getting the WC is more significant than being able to rest key players. As to any notion of unfairness to the 1st WC team... look, you either win the division or you don't. If your team doesn't, whether by a little or by a alot, they should just consider themselves lucky to have any post-season at all. It's the very unpredictability of 1 game that makes it such a ballbuster and a fate teams would prefer to avoid. It also prevents such a team from setting up its rotation, likely having to burn their best starter in the play-in game before they play a team that has its rotation set up the way it wants. And that's the point; not just to keep more teams playing "meaningful games" in September but actually incentivizing teams to go hard down the stretch. If i can get that and all i have to give up is the possibility that the 4th best team may lose to the 5th best team, i'm ok with that.

Yes, there are some early laughs, but the first 1/2 plays mostly like a not-so-hilarious satire that i thought was less successful than the poignant love story it becomes during the 2nd half. Carrell's hangdog loser sleepwalking through the last days of life on Earth is a performance that drags down the energy of the early satirical elements. But as he evolves into a romantic character, his energy begins to match Knightly, which makes the love story work. The movie is a bit schizophrenic in that way, and if you just watched the first 1/2 (well, maybe first 1/3), you'd have a very different idea about the tone and nature of this movie than if you'd seen the 2nd part.

It starts pretty slowly, but as the romantic tragedy of the 2nd half unfolds, I was totally smitten by it. The final moments are simultaneously beautifully uplifting and terribly sad, and well worth the journey. As for Mr. Sheen's flight, sorry but thinking about the fuel capacity of his plane was not the first (or even last) thought i had while watching this love story wind toward its inevitable conclusion. Maybe he was going to make a pit stop on a newly risen Atlantis.

i agree that its a stupid overreaction, but its not confusing. It's the way they're calling it so catchers need to adapt to it.

I simply said that the expanded playoff system in baseball was a big turnoff for me, and that it exacerbates what I consider to be a problem with the sport -- that the ratio of luck to skill in baseball is greater than my tastes would prefer. I don't consider it a problem. Baseball is the game that most replicates life. As far as i'm concerned, that's its great strength.

i think confusion on this rule is often expressed by those who don't like it. Unless I'm missing something, it seems fairly straightforward to me. Each time i've seen this infraction called, its been because the 3rd catcher set up with his foot outside the 3rd base line. So apparently if a catcher has a foot outside the line before he catches the ball and after the runner has rounded 3rd, then an ump may call it "illegal blocking" and the runner will be safe. So it should be a simple matter for a catcher to take an appropriate stance with his left foot inside the baseline as he waits to receive a throw. If he doesn't, he runs the risk the runner will be called safe, just like a 1bman who didn't have his foot on a base when he caught the ball. Once the catcher has the ball, he can block the plate and the runner can try to knock him out of the way. Once catchers get used to this, and adjust the way they set up for a play at the plate, and once umps learn to call this more consistently, this will become a non-issue and suddenly the rule won't be confusing anymore. And if it keeps one catcher from having his career cut short by an unnecessary collision, then it'll have been worth it, despite all the macho posturing from Keith and Ronnie.

so you think that if Terry was really serious about winning, he'd be playing Tejada and Eric Young every day? He'd have kept Abreu and C.Young on the roster? Please. Flores and dDekker (or Nieuhenheis or campbell) give us at least as good a chance to win each day, and also give us a better understanding of what we've got going forward.

Edgy MD wrote: For nine fucking innings?! [youtube]U3ZUPR1mPeQ[/youtube] Ellis is So High on the Diamond (To the tune of �Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds� by Lennon / McCartney) Picture him now on the mound at Three Rivers With two base-runners starting, and threatening skies The umpire calls him, he answers quite slowly He�s the guy with 2 pinwheels for eyes With the sweat soaking through the yellow and black Wiping his brow, he looks in for a sign He stares like a guy with the sun in his eyes He's so gone Ellis is so high on the diamond Ellis is so high on the diamond Ellis is so high on the diamond Aaaahhhhhh..... He stands in the dugout, takes a sip at the fountain He got out of the inning to his great surprise His teammates all grin as he drifts past them, smiling He is so incredibly high Newspaper writers appear at his stall Anxious to drive him away They tear at him, frenzied, blood in the water� He�s gone. Ellis is so high on the diamond Ellis is so high on the diamond Ellis is so high on the diamond Aaaahhhhhh..... Picture the man on a train leaving Pittsburgh With the sealed plastic cups packed in with his ties Suddenly something is there by the turnstile But the drug-sniffing dog lets him by Ellis was so high on the diamond Ellis was so high on the diamond Ellis was so high on the diamond Aaaahhhhhh.....

Here's the thread with discussion of his films: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=21686

and i left out a bunch, too.

Robin Williams selected filmography: The 80s --------------- Popeye (1980)- Williams 1st major film role was a total flop musical adaptation of the comic strip, mis-directed by Robert Altman, with somber songs by Harry Nillson. the movie's general weirdness, and Nilllson's songs, have developed a bit of a cult reputation for it. The World According to Garp (1982) - Williams shines in this tragicomedy, beautifully adapted from the picaresque Irving novel by George Roy Hill, earning Oscar nominations for Glenn Close and John Lithgow. The Survivors (1983) - This comic misfire by Michael Ritchie teamed Williams with Walter Matthau to less than spectacular results. Moscow on the Hudson(1984) - Williams got a Golden Globe nomination as a Russian musician defecting in NYC in this sweet Paul Mazursky film. Club Paradise (1986) - This Harold Ramis "comedy" is a blight on the career of Peter O'Toole. The Best of Times (1986) - Williams teams with Kurt Russell in a comedy about guys trying to rewrite their high school football failures with one last big game. Pedestrian, but the Ron Shelton script gives it a whiff of authentic jockitude. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) - Williams's biggest critical and commercial hit to this point, he won a Golden Globe and got an Oscar nomination for his performance as an irreverent Vietnam War Armed Forces DJ, directed by Barry Levinson. Its the first time a director figured out how to let Williams be Williams on screen, and it relaunched Williams' career as not only an actor but as a movie star. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) - Terry Gilliam's surreal fantasy features a great cameo by Williams as the king of the moon in an otherwise earthbound piece of whimsy. Dead Poets Society (1989) - Peter Weir directed this old fashioned "inspiring teacher" tale that earned big BO and a pocketful of awards, including Oscar and Globe nominations for Williams; it's not my favorite Weir or Williams film and is too polite by half, but its a solid entertainment despite the hollow platitudes of its Oscar-winning script. The 90s -------------------- Cadillac Man (1990) - Williams teams with Tim Robbins in this unfunny comedy about a car salesman trying to talk a gun-toting biker, insane with jealousy, out of shooting up the car dealership, and so redeem his crappy life. Awakenings (1990) - Williams got a GGlobe nomination opposite Robert DeNiro, playing it straight in this medical drama based on a true story, directed with heavy-handed obviousness and piety by Penny (Laverne) Marshall. Her brother Gary had originally launched Robin's TV career with HAPPY DAYS and MORK. Dead Again (1991 ) - Williams is great in a small part as a doctor involved in Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson's comic noir about reincarnated lovers. It came and went, but has evolved a solid critical and cult rep. The Fisher King (1991) - Re-teaming with Terry Gilliam, Williams got a GG award and an Oscar nomination opposite Jeff Bridges, as a man driven insane by tragic loss who inspires a cynical, broken radio shock jock into committing an act of faith. A story of friendship, trauma, love and redemption, and the best film of his career. Gilliam, working from an Oscar winning script by Richard LaGravenese, made his second look at the Grail legend into his most coherent and moving film. Hook (1991) - Overproduced, underwhelming Peter Pan sequel by Spielberg was a hit, with Williams as a grown up Pan who has forgotten who he is, Dustin Hoffman chewing the scenery as Captain Hook, and Julia Roberts as Tink. The movie isn't directed, it's art directed. Neverland is a candy-colored theme park, and the action is slapdash. Still, there is something that resonates about a father who has to reclaim his youthful spirit in order to save his children. Toys(1992) - Another triumph of art direction over narrative, this time Williams re-teams with Barry Levinson in an over-stylized, incomprehensibly allegorical example of lead-footed whimsy. It does have a good soundrack, though, and i always like Joan Cusack. Aladdin (1992) - Williams' genie is a special effect that launched this otherwise mediocre Disney cartoon into the stratosphere on the wings of a few great Alan Menken songs. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) - Williams won a Golden Globe for this cross-dressing TOOTSIE-style comedy about a divorced dad trying to spend time with his kids and keep a job. It was a mega-hit, the biggest of Williams' career. But the film, by hackmeister Chris Columbus, lacks the teeth to deal with divorce honestly, and it overly sentimentalizes everything. Still, it's entertaining in its own manipulative way.There was a sequel being written but that project is now likely cancelled with his death. But there is still a Broadway musical adaptation being developed. Being Human (1994) - Terrific Scot director Bill Forsyth (LOCAL HERO) couldn't execute the ambition of his own screenplay in this disappointing film with Williams as a single soul reincarnated throughout history. Jumanji (1995) - This family fantasy adventure about a magical board game is almost overwhelmed by its effects, but it retains its heart, thanks to Williams and Bonnie Hunt. Nine Months (1995) - Chris Columbus strikes again, with a Hugh Grant romantic comedy that is neither romantic nor particularly comic, except for Williams in a supporting role as a mad Russian obstetrician. Jack (1995) - Francis Ford Coppola crashed and burned with this comic drama about a child with premature aging who becomes Robin Williams, in the style of BIG-type body-switching comedies. The problem was the comedy wasn't funny and the drama wasn't dramatic, and Coppola clearly had no interest in this crap. The Birdcage (1996) - This Mike Nichols remake of the French comedy LA CAGE AUX FOLLES is a hilarious adaptation, teaming Williams with Nathan Lane as a gay couple running a drag nightclub in south beach, pretending to be straight married couple when they host their son's fiance and future in-laws (conservative politician played by Gene Hackman). Its funny and poignant, and was a huge hit. Williams is actually the "straight man" for Lane's amazingly over the top yet touching drag queen. Hank Azaria's houseboy is a comic gem of a performance. Good Will Hunting (1997) - Williams finally won an Oscar for his supporting performance as the psychologist to Matt Damon's southie savant. The Damon-Affleck script and performances offer surprisingly strong context for Williams' sort of working-class headshrinker. Flubber (1997) - Disney remake based on a John Hughes script; it was a hit, but just awful on every level. Fathers' Day (1997) - If one French adaptation with Williams worked, why not another? Here, Williams and Billy Crystal remake LES COMPRERES in a film by Ivan Reitman, and it doesn't work at all. Patch Adams (1998) - Williams got another Globe nomination for this mediocre dramedy about a doctor who challenges the medical establishment and wants to heal through humor. Ugh. Even the real Patch Adams hated it. What Dreams May Come (1998) Based on a classic story by legendary SF/fantasy writer Richard Matheson, this deeply affecting story of love after death offers a ravishing vision of the afterworld that won Oscars for its art direction and visual effects. I know some have a problem with this movie, but it left me bawling like an infant. Bicentennial Man (1999) - The ineluctable Chris Columbus pops up once more to nearly ruin this Asimov story of a robot on his journey towards personhood, but Williams snatches it away and steers it safely to harbor within the human heart. Like WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, many view this as mawkish and overly sentimental, and i cannot argue. But it worked for me. Jacob the Liar (1999) - wow, was this a bad idea. If LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, then JACOB is decidedly not. The new millenium --------------- Insomnia (2002) - Chris Nolan adapted a Norwegian thriller, with Williams as a serial killer in Alaska and Al Pacino as a corrupt cop in pursuit. The film was well received, and Williams was a chilling psycho, but it felt lethargic and meandering to me. Death to Smoochy (2002) - Danny DeVito's black comedy about a corrupt and murderous kiddie show host was a total disaster on every level, but its undiluted and uncompromising misanthropy has made this something of a cult film over the years. One Hour Photo (2002) - Like INSOMNIA, Williams again plays a psycho stalking a family he thinks he is a part of. Reminiscent in some ways of TAXI DRIVER, it was a low budget indie thriller that made some money and has earned a critical reputation. The Final Cut (2004) - This European SF drama raises issues of privacy, surveillance and memory, but doesn't dramatize them, and is just dull and obscure. Robots (2005) - An amusing CGI-animated SF feature, with Williams in a solid supporting role as a broken down robot. Man of the Year (2006) - The third time is not the charm for Williams as he re-teams with Barry Levinson for this wan political satire that lacks bite and loses its focus. Night at the Museum (2006) - This hit family fantasy with Ben Stiller features Williams in a solid supporting performance as Teddy Roosevelt. Not memorable, but not bad. Williams reprises the role in the film's 2 sequels, which are even less memorable and much less "not bad". Happy Feet (2006) - Williams is great as a latin penguin in George (The Road Warrior) Miller's CGI animated conservation movie and its sequel. RV (2006) - mildly amusing family comedy by Barry Sonnenfeld, with workaholic Williams learning the value of "family" on a disastrous vacation. August Rush (2007) - Williams as a Fagin-like figure, exploiting the musical talents of runaways, including a savant orphan who believes his parents are alive and looking for him in NYC. Like many Williams dramas, its schmaltzy and sentimental, but its supposed to be, so your tolerance for that will dictate your reaction. But our human interconnectedness through music is a compelling theme regardless. World's Greatest Dad (2009) This underrated and overlooked black comedy by Bobcat Goldthwait about a father exploiting the death of his own son is a perverse little gem of social satire. Old Dogs (2009) - Instead of 3 MEN AND A BABY, it's 2 IDIOTS AND SOME TWINS, with Williams and John Travolta in as bad a movie as Williams ever made.

The problem with DEAD AGAIN and MUNCHAUSEN, in this context, is that they're not really Robin Williams films. Williams isn't even giving a supporting performance in these movies; his roles are little more than glorified cameos. But he does make a big impact in them (or, as he says in ALADDIN: ""Phenomenal cosmic power...itty bitty living space"), so they are certainly worth mentioning. As for BEST OF TIMES, i had originally included it among my double feature list with CADILLAC MAN, as pedestrian comedies about a guy desperately trying to overcome one bad day. But neither of these movies is very good, nor were they particularly successful or acclaimed, so i ignored them, along with comedies like NINE MONTHS, CLUB PARADISE, JACK, FATHER'S DAY, FLUBBER, RV, and MAN OF THE YEAR, and the dramas BEING HUMAN,NIGHT LISTENER, THE FINAL CUT and the uncategorizable DEATH TO SMOOCHY.

My Top 10 (in order): Fisher King World According to Garp The Birdcage Good Morning, Vietnam Aladdin Good Will Hunting Dead Poets Society Moscow on the Hudson Mrs. Doubtfire Awakenings The next 10 (some personal faves): Happy Feet Jumanji What Dreams May Come Bicentennial Man one hour photo Insomnia World's Greatest Dad Baron Munchausen Toys Popeye The Robin Williams film festival: 12 weeks of double features! FISHER KING GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM - The impact of radio on the worlds of Mr. Williams THE BIRDCAGE MRS. DOUBTFIRE - He's a gay man and a cross dresser, trying to get his kid's approval GOOD WILL HUNTING DEAD POETS SOCIETY - He inspires us,as a doctor and a teacher WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP WORLD'S GREATEST DAD - In both, he's a writer whose son meets a tragicomic end WHAT DREAMS MAY COME BICENNTENNIAL MAN - Triumph of the human spirit over non-human circumstances (either dead or a robot) in these SF/Fantasies JUMANJI HOOK - Trying to recover his lost youth in this pair of fantasies MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON AUGUST RUSH - He's a musician in NYC AWAKENINGS PATCH ADAMS - He's a doctor, working miracles ALADDIN POPEYE - Williams sings as cartoon characters ONE HOUR PHOTO INSOMNIA -Williams in psycho-thrillers TOYS BARON MUNCHAUSEN - Whimsy runs amok HAPPY FEET ROBOTS - supporting roles in animated features

i have no interest in CarGo. He's hurt as much as (if not more than) Tulowitzki, and he's basically a Coors hitter, with significant home/road splits. In Citi, even healthy, he'd probably hit .260/20hr/75runs at most, for which they'd have to pay him $20m/yr. And there are more OFers who can hit than SSs.

Next year's rotation (By June 2015): 1- Harvey 2- deGrom 3- Wheeler 4- Niese 5- Syndergaard Traded: Colon and/or Gee In the wings: Hefner Montero Mazzoni Fulmer Matz Ynoa A few years away: Mateo Leathersich Gorski Molina Meisner Taylor Flexen Cessa Whalen Bowman Bradford Lara Verrett Tapia Gsellman

i was at this one with my family. I feared it'd be rained out, but the weather was perfect. We sat behind 1st base, up in the Mezz (sorry, the Caesar section, whateverthefuck that is), which are fine seats, and more reasonably priced than the Field/Loge areas. The dueling no-hitters got us to to the 7th Inning Stretch in 1.5 hours; i thought the game would get completed in under 2hrs, which would've made us, and Frayed Knot, very happy. But the bats finally came alive, and both teams scored a bit, but the bullpens held up and we got the W in about 2.5 hours. The game was followed by some nice fireworks, an easy exit of the lot and onto the highway, with no traffic home. A lovely evening. and, by the way, deGrom is a beast.

I loved it. My son and I saw it twice over the weekend. Even my wife liked it, and she has a lower tolerance for this sort of thing. It's a great marvel movie, 2nd only to Avengers (and not by much). Despite the references here to SPACEBALLS and FLASH GORDON, do not think that this is a spoof, satire, or camp in any way. Sure, it mocks some SF and superhero tropes, but that's not its focus. It's an action comedy, with a bit of pathos. The action is well done, the comedy is laugh-out-loud funny, the characters have back-stories, leading to some touching moments. The terrific use of music to define character, set mood, even furthering the action, is unique for this genre. And the visuals are, as you would expect, pretty grand. No, these are not the Guardians i grew up with, except Yondu, whose character is totally different here but for the name, blue skin and mohawk. There is no Charlie-27, or Martinex, or Starhawk, or Vance Astro. But the presence of Thanos, Ronan, Nebula and Gamora and the Collector provide a sufficient nostalgia factor. Starlord, too, was a 70s character, connected to the Guardians. And the cameo after the credits made my 12-year old self giddy. The movie isn't flawless; some of the attempts at sentiment are maudlin and heavy handed. The storyline, while pretty straightforward, does a poor job of explaining the infinity stones (one of which is the core of the tale), and it leaves some storylines open for the inevitable sequel, which is a device i don't much care for. And the acting is not always entirely convincing, particularly Chris Pratt in the lead as StarLord. He's OK, but everything sounds like sarcasm coming from him, so his attempts at heroic speeches are undercut by his tone. But Bradley Cooper's vocal performance as Rocket Racoon is spot on, and i always like Zoe Saldana, whether her skin is green, blue or her more natural dark tan. two thumbs way up on this one.