Italy got the old Dutch Oven treatment yesterday in a 3-0 stunner, and Italy's worst ever defeat at the Euros. For my money, the three most impressive sides thus far are Holland, Germany and Portugal, in that order for now...The Boston Red Sox have 16 of their next 22 on the road, where they're playing .411 ball. Mix in David Ortiz and Dice-K being out, Josh Beckett not right, and not exactly a unified squad with Manny Ramirez smacking around Kevin Youkilis and that knock at the door is opportunity knocking for the rest of the AL East...Dominik Hasek and Michael Strahan retired yesterday. For some reason, which I have yet to fully determine, this seems fitting...a whole lot of dull so far at Euro 2008 as too many squads seem to be playing to not lose rather than playing to win...the Euro account - based on a $100 wager per game on the money line at Pinnacle - sits at +$202 on a 4-2 record after an 0-2 day. Today's picks come from Group D action, and going with Spain (-137) over Russia, and going to take the Swedes and Greece to draw (+210)...Cedric Benson is a drunk piloting of a plane from his own DUI trifecta. See his mugshot? Yeah, he definitely had some booze before this pic was taken. Benson was waived by the Bears...what's with those ugly numbers on the Puma unis that Switzerland, Austria and Italy are rocking? Horrible looking...McMahon's Million Dollar Mania looks about as well run as WCW in its last days but loved the one winner of $200,000 who commented "holy shiiiit" on live air, and is it me, or does Shawn Michaels always look high?...Ken Griffey Jr. took nearly four years to go from 500 homers to 600, but he made it last night. Methinks he'd own the all-time record had he been healthy...Bob McCown is off this week so Mike Toth is hosting for Prime Time Sports on Fan590. That's one hour a day of my life I just got back. Cannot stand Toth...speaking of horrible broadcasters, Maxim has a Top 10 of the worst out there. Some curious names on there (Joe Morgan? Love him!) and some very appropriate ones (John Madden, Dick Vitale, Bryant Gumbel) and clearly they've ignored some who spent a lot of time in Canada up until recently (Suck Chwirsky) or an entire category called "Any Blue Jay Play By Play Guy Since Dan Shulman Left"...have a great Tuesday.
10 comments:
Yup HBK always looks high though I love the role he's playing. Watching his head go through flat screens is a thing of beauty.
Despite the treatment he's planning on getting...the Argos are doubtful David Boston will play this season after suffering a stress fracture.
Spain/Russia draw...Sweden win.
I'm actually working today - BOOO! - so hoping nobody posts scores here. Such a dreamer.
Russia up in the first half 3-2.
Naw I'm playing lol.
TFC ratings on sunday? 20k. What a disgrace.
YF, please do expand - very interesting sounding stuff.
Bukakke, I think you're taking McCown too seriously. He hates on EVERYTHING really. I used to be of a similar view to you but now am a huge fan. Love his interview style and that he's not afraid to burn a bridge if a guy is giving him non-answers (like he did with a certain former Raptors GM).
Not sure how you hate Simmons - he's among my fav writers and his Sunday column is where I got this format from really (bold face, quick hits etc.).
Guessing the HBK hate is from your reading of Hitman's book? Highly recommended, for the rest.
On another front - wearing an orange Under Armour shirt today at work and had some random guy ask if that was for Holland. Totally unintended, but gave me a laugh.
Some dude asked to be honest and ask if the TFC experience is wearing thing. I said MLSE fucked it up along with the same whining bitches. MLS is hard to digest after watching Euros, EPL, SerieA, La Liga etc. and unless your experiencing the event...it's difficult to joy elsewhere.
Out of nowhere Paul comes in and talks about how it's the best thing in Toronto and blah blah blah. Then asks...whose the whining bitch now.
To which I responded with this:
Aww MLSE's brave soul...raping those hard working for years. Here's how you fucked it up..you worked out a contract...where you couldn't implement the one thing you needed...grass! You created a 62 million dollar stadium...with a capacity of 20k..when really and trully looking at the demographics it should have been already documented that the most multicultural city in the world...as crazy as it is on international days..would have generated more than 20k.
To top it off...you have a national team that refuses to play in the National Soccer Stadium...a real senior team that plays their ass off in front of their fans..then goes on away games and looks like 16 year old high school girls.
Best sports value in Toronto? Yea well when your competing with the Raptors, Rock and Blue Jays...that's not much. I wont mention the Laffs because they generate 1.4 million a game in revenue...and that won't change anytime soon because it's the one thing where MLSE hits it on the nail. A 1.4 Billion dollar company making millions off subpar hockey.
Where there is demand...someone will supply. But don't tell that to the TFC fans you rape...generating 20k a game is astonishing and rewarding...but the 80k average watching per game...the Dog Shows and Poker Shows generate more than that.
Allow the same atmosphere you allow at TFC games for all the other sports...prices included...and my oh my we have one amazing sports town.
I don't agree with all you've said YF, the it's-a-lock nature of the sellouts in particular, but couldn't agree more on the grass front, especially when you can easily throw up a bubble with fieldturf for $3-4 million (so I'm told) and that would've satisfied the year-round use requirement. Think the lost revenue from international games isn't worth the million or so a new grass field would run annually?
The TV ratings are a disaster, but given the channel bouncing they do and people maybe being a bit Euro-d out, and that being a time change, it's somewhat more understandable.
yf,
while i have no idea what goes on beyond closed doors, i will say my .02 is the club has done a SHITTY job marketing the team.
(they have circumstance/fandom to thank more than their own efforts.)
ok, you got a guy named danny dichio.
unique look, unique, memorable name -- a name which is on the lips of all fans. the dude is totally marketable.
atop that, he scores your team's first ever goal.
as i anticipate seeing his mug here and there and everywhere -- on ads, personality features on the web site (along with the other guys -- i see squat.
danny dichio is still danny dichio. it's up to the club to drive it, and as far as i can tell, they ain't.
then there's jim brennan. good looking dude, captain, canadian.
again -- nothing.
this is marketing 101, not 401.
yf,
while the level of play in euro obviously is higher than in mls, i'm from the school which believes level of play doesn't necessarily always equal higher level of excitement.
just like baseball, when the game is played "too well" you don't see much in the way of scoring chances.
Well the rant started because I said "MLSE is fucking up". I also added the justification as to why I believe it's wearing thin (year two, bad marketing etc.
But then Mr. Beirne decided to take offense and you know me..I gotta cross the line.
For example...why the hell would you let Hemming go..because he wanted 5 more grand....and 3 weeks later give him the 5gran and more perks than he asked for originally...makes no sense.
It's like if the Raptors release JC and 2 weeks later they sign him again for more than he wanted originally...
GBV, I could see exactly what your saying but how many times do I have to watch CUnny just give up on a run because the ball wasn't placed where he wanted it. Or see DeRo just attack the backs at will and they have no answer for him. As good as this team has gotten, there are still so many flaws that it's tough to stomach.
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