Monday's ponderings
I guess I am a glutton for punishment. I am already over-scheduled this week and when asked if I would cover one more class, I said yes. But considering my workload drops to near nothing after this Saturday, I'm making hay while the sun shines.
On last week's edition of SNL, guest host Amy Schumer took what some consider a cheap shot at Khloe Kardashian over her recent weight loss. Seems strange to me, considering how adamant Ms Schumer was earlier this year about not putting up with fat-shaming when a troll made remarks about her weight.
* * *
USC Athletic Director Pat Haden lowered the boom on football coach Steve Sarkisian today, firing him. While there were words of concern for Sarkisian, whose struggles with alcohol and apparently alcoholism have been detailed over the past few weeks; it sounded like the real concern was righting the Trojan football program. One blue-chip recruit has already decommitted from the program. I just hope Sarkisian gets help and soon.
* * *
A big shout-out to my sister in law for completing the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. Her finishing time isn't important to anyone but her. Whenever someone raises the issue of finishing time in a marathon, I'm reminded of a story a friend told me once. He ran the Boston Marathon one of the four years that American Bill Rogers won the race. A mutual friend introduced them at the post-race celebration that evening and Bill asked me friend what his time was. My friend was embarrassed but replied "a little over four and a half hours" and was surprised by Rogers' response. "Wow, I don't think I could have run for that long a time." For the elite runners, and the competitors in their age groups, a marathon is a race against each other. For most of the runners, a marathon is a race between themselves and the obstacles that make such a feat so impressive. Well done, Jen!
* * *
William Shatner is taking another shot at George Takei, calling him a "...very disturbed individual" in a recent interview. I'm a fan of Shatner's works, but his words over the past few decades leave a lot to be desired.
* * *
So who was in Los Angeles first, the Dodgers or the Angels? If we look strictly at when the Major League Baseball franchises were awarded, Dodgers have been here since 1958 and the Angels since 1961. But there was a Pacific Coast League team, the Los Angeles Angels in Southern California all the way back in 1903. When the original owners of the MLB Angels bought the franchise in 1961, he also bought the rights to the team name and agreed that the MLB franchise he would operate would carry on the history of the original Angels. So the subject will be forever open to debate. But it certainly isn't worth getting pissy over in the comment sections of social media platforms.
* * *
Dean Chance has died. He was the first California Angels pitcher to win the Cy Young award, in 1964. He was a nearly unanimous winner with 17 of the 20 first place votes. He's mentioned frequently in what I consider my favorite baseball biography.
In the minds of many, Dean Chance and Bo Belinsky were both extremely talented pitching prospects with the Angels in 1962. Chance wound up pitching for 11 seasons, won a Cy Young award, was a two-time All-Star and finished with a won-loss record of 128-115. In nine season, Belinsky's won-loss record was a dismal 28-51, with a career ERA of a whopping 4.10 and a career that many refer to as an almost complete waste of talent. He was engaged to actress Mamie Van Doren, married Playboy Playmate of the Year Jo Collins.
So how did Belinsky achieve such notoriety? By becoming the first and one of only two Angels pitchers to win his first four career starts with the team. It also helped that his fourth win was the first no-hitter ever pitched at Chavez Ravine. On Cinco de Mayo, no less.
I identify with Bo. I often think I wasted much of the talents I was blessed to have. I was always a fan of both Belinsky and Chance. Now I picture them together in Heaven, sitting at a bar with Dean telling Bo that he's had enough and it is time to go home.
* * *
I'm wondering if Yahoo has developed a split personality. As I land on their page today, I get two different splash pages. It seems to be happening totally at random.
* * *
The MLB playoffs are still going on, the Dodgers are still involved and yet the L. A. Times finds it necessary to speculate about whether or not Zack Greinke will be on a different team's roster next season. Greinke has a player option to end his contract after this season and given his performance the last few seasons, the 31 year old would command a premium salary. The Dodgers might have the biggest payroll in baseball but they need to lock Greinke into a multi-year deal. He and Kershaw are the best 1-2 starters in baseball.
Letting him leave would be the equivalent of allowing either Don Drysdale or Sandy Koufax to just up and go back in 1965.
* * *
Did Jason Biggs' wife take this selfie because she wants to let Justin Bieber know he's got competition?
On a related note, it is extremely creepy that Bieber's father is tweeting about how proud he is of his kid's "junk."
* * *
On last week's edition of SNL, guest host Amy Schumer took what some consider a cheap shot at Khloe Kardashian over her recent weight loss. Seems strange to me, considering how adamant Ms Schumer was earlier this year about not putting up with fat-shaming when a troll made remarks about her weight.
* * *
USC Athletic Director Pat Haden lowered the boom on football coach Steve Sarkisian today, firing him. While there were words of concern for Sarkisian, whose struggles with alcohol and apparently alcoholism have been detailed over the past few weeks; it sounded like the real concern was righting the Trojan football program. One blue-chip recruit has already decommitted from the program. I just hope Sarkisian gets help and soon.
* * *
A big shout-out to my sister in law for completing the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. Her finishing time isn't important to anyone but her. Whenever someone raises the issue of finishing time in a marathon, I'm reminded of a story a friend told me once. He ran the Boston Marathon one of the four years that American Bill Rogers won the race. A mutual friend introduced them at the post-race celebration that evening and Bill asked me friend what his time was. My friend was embarrassed but replied "a little over four and a half hours" and was surprised by Rogers' response. "Wow, I don't think I could have run for that long a time." For the elite runners, and the competitors in their age groups, a marathon is a race against each other. For most of the runners, a marathon is a race between themselves and the obstacles that make such a feat so impressive. Well done, Jen!
* * *
William Shatner is taking another shot at George Takei, calling him a "...very disturbed individual" in a recent interview. I'm a fan of Shatner's works, but his words over the past few decades leave a lot to be desired.
* * *
So who was in Los Angeles first, the Dodgers or the Angels? If we look strictly at when the Major League Baseball franchises were awarded, Dodgers have been here since 1958 and the Angels since 1961. But there was a Pacific Coast League team, the Los Angeles Angels in Southern California all the way back in 1903. When the original owners of the MLB Angels bought the franchise in 1961, he also bought the rights to the team name and agreed that the MLB franchise he would operate would carry on the history of the original Angels. So the subject will be forever open to debate. But it certainly isn't worth getting pissy over in the comment sections of social media platforms.
* * *
Dean Chance has died. He was the first California Angels pitcher to win the Cy Young award, in 1964. He was a nearly unanimous winner with 17 of the 20 first place votes. He's mentioned frequently in what I consider my favorite baseball biography.
In the minds of many, Dean Chance and Bo Belinsky were both extremely talented pitching prospects with the Angels in 1962. Chance wound up pitching for 11 seasons, won a Cy Young award, was a two-time All-Star and finished with a won-loss record of 128-115. In nine season, Belinsky's won-loss record was a dismal 28-51, with a career ERA of a whopping 4.10 and a career that many refer to as an almost complete waste of talent. He was engaged to actress Mamie Van Doren, married Playboy Playmate of the Year Jo Collins.
So how did Belinsky achieve such notoriety? By becoming the first and one of only two Angels pitchers to win his first four career starts with the team. It also helped that his fourth win was the first no-hitter ever pitched at Chavez Ravine. On Cinco de Mayo, no less.
I identify with Bo. I often think I wasted much of the talents I was blessed to have. I was always a fan of both Belinsky and Chance. Now I picture them together in Heaven, sitting at a bar with Dean telling Bo that he's had enough and it is time to go home.
* * *
I'm wondering if Yahoo has developed a split personality. As I land on their page today, I get two different splash pages. It seems to be happening totally at random.
* * *
The MLB playoffs are still going on, the Dodgers are still involved and yet the L. A. Times finds it necessary to speculate about whether or not Zack Greinke will be on a different team's roster next season. Greinke has a player option to end his contract after this season and given his performance the last few seasons, the 31 year old would command a premium salary. The Dodgers might have the biggest payroll in baseball but they need to lock Greinke into a multi-year deal. He and Kershaw are the best 1-2 starters in baseball.
Letting him leave would be the equivalent of allowing either Don Drysdale or Sandy Koufax to just up and go back in 1965.
* * *
Did Jason Biggs' wife take this selfie because she wants to let Justin Bieber know he's got competition?
On a related note, it is extremely creepy that Bieber's father is tweeting about how proud he is of his kid's "junk."
* * *
posted by me at 5:40 PM
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