Disclaimer, health warning, whatever; If mass-wastage of money on a biblical scale makes you queasy, do not read this story.
Is there a more pathetic team in Major League baseball than the New York Mets? Let's find out! First up, why go here in the first place, why sling mud at a seemingly innocuous NL team? Simple, it's an equation where the Mets are concerned, tangible return minus salary ranking equals complete ineptitude.
Let's put this sentence out on its own, in bold font, heck, I would underline it if this software supported underlining your sentences that need to stand out.
They trail only the Yankees who have a payroll that NASA are currently trying to figure out (only kidding, it's $201,449,289). Third on the list are the Cubs ($135,050,000) followed by the Sox at $122,696,000. Rounding out the top 5 are the Tigers who are paying their merry band $115,085,145 collectively.
The long and the short is, goodness gracious, $135,773,988 sure doesn't get you much at the grocery store any more, does it?
The New York Mets are the second highest paid team in baseball and yet, if you look at the overall rankings, the Mets are the fifteenth best team in MLB. Tampa are 25th on the payroll list and yet are a couple of games ahead of the Mets in the overall standings.
I run a baseball team, no, seriously!
The issue that really stands out, and pretty much always has under the inept guidance of the Mets GM Omar Minaya is the starting pitching. The 2009 Mets have one of the most pathetic, lame excuses for a rotation that $135,773,988 has bought. Apart from one genuine diamond (Santana) the Mets rotation is a collection of cast offs and no hopers. There is only one team in the entire National League with a worse starting 5, the hapless Nationals. At least the Nationals have something approaching an excuse, they only spent$59,328,000 on their collection of scrubs.
The only player in the Mets starting 5 that would break into NL East rivals the Braves rotation is Santana. The Braves wouldn't take any of Pelfrey, Hernandez, Redding or Nieve. Think about that, not one of the Mets four guys other than their ace would break into the Braves rotation, not even the 4-5 spots (Kenshin Kawakami and Tommy Hanson, both vastly superior in their own right to any of the comical 2-5 the Mets wheel out every fifth day).
How about the lowly Marlins, and their minuscule $36,814,000 salary? If you combined the best of the two rotations you would you end up with a five man team of Santana, Johnson (Fla), Pelfrey, Hernandez and Miller (fla). The team with the lowest payroll would be adding two (maybe three with rookie Sean West) elements to the team with the second highest payroll in MLB. Surely that can't be good?
If you ever want to be completely and utterly flabbergasted at just how bad a MLB team can be run, have a quick peek at the Mets 2009 salaries page on ESPN. The one that sticks out like a really sore thumb is the entirely useless Oliver Perez. The Mets are paying this chug monkey $12,000,000 and in return they get a 9.97 ERA? Thanks Oliver!
How about the closer situation? The Mets are paying a Satanic $19, 666,666 for their two headed closing monster, K-Rod and Billy Wagner. I wish i was making this stuff up. All those devilish sixes for two closers, one 38 and one 27. Almost twenty million in salary for one relief pitching position. Nice work, Omar!
The AIG like wasting of cash-money doesn't stop there. It is present all through the entire Mets roster. How about six million a year for a second base man who has no home runs (zero, squat, diddly, nada, none!) and can't catch pop ups at second base? No problem, Luis Castillo and his uber pathetic .337 slugging percentage are yours for just six million US dollars! Just don't ask him to catch the baseball.
And of course, any time you can spend $6,000,000 on middle relief you have to take that chance! Step forward JJ Putz, with his sparkling, diamond like 5.22 ERA. Now if that isn't six million balubas well spent, I just don't know what is!
Truly awful. Omar Minaya shouldn't be allowed run a Sunday afternoon kids pick up soccer game let alone a MLB team.
Clearly Minaya has zero concept of how to 'build' a team, instead he picks up high priced pieces and jams them into slots, even if they don't fit (K-Rod for closer? Great! As long as your not already paying a guy TEN MILLION DOLLARS to do the same job).
Take for example the Mets bullpen. Taking away Wagner, the Mets bullpen cost $17,650,666 to put together. That's a pretty hefty figure when you consider the paltry results in return.
Francisco Rodriguez 9,166,666 J.J. Putz 6,000,000 Pedro Feliciano 1,612,500 Bobby Parnell 0 (Someone else must be paying his salary?) Sean Green 471,000 Brian Stokes 409,500
It gets worse. Much worse. Compare the Mets 'pen with the Majors best: The Boston Red Sox and their glittering array of arms. The Red Sox 'pen cost $10,832,000 to construct. So the Mets bullpen, even without figuring in Wagner's 10 million, still cost ten million dollars more than Boston's, and yet Boston's is wildly more effective.
Takashi Saito 1,500,000 Hideki Okajima 1,750,000 Manny Delcarmen 476,000 Ramon Ramirez 441,000 Justin Masterson 415,500 Jonathan Papelbon 6,250,000
Here's the funniest part. If you remove Papelbon from the equation, the entire Boston bullpen cost less to assemble than the salary of JJ Putz alone! Oh my word!
The New York Mets, wasting money at a time when nobody has two dimes to put together, you have to love them. If you ever find yourself in a 'Brewster's millions' situation, who-you-gonna-call? Omar Minaya, baby. He will spend that cash for you before you even know you have it.
So, first of all, seriously, there apparently is such a thing as the Albuquerque Isotopes! Who knew?!
I honestly thought it was a made-up team from the Simpsons, you know the one, the ''...for I am the mayor of Albuquerque!!'' one?
The fictional Springfield Isotopes from the long running TV series The Simpsons were the influence for the new name of the team. In the episode "Hungry Hungry Homer", main character Homer Simpson attempts to thwart the team's plan to move to Albuquerque by going on a hunger strike. Subsequently, when an Albuquerque Tribune online survey helped the team decide its new name, "Isotopes" received 67 percent of the 120,000 votes.
Stranger than fiction, as they say.
Anyway, guess who is coming to Albuquerque? That's right, Manny Ramirez. ESPN is reporting that Manny will be starting a brief Minor League stint in Albuquerque in early July. Fan reaction is super sycophantic. Ticket sales are through the rough.
It's all pretty sad really. The Minor Leagues are all about hopes, dreams and hard work. For a couple of days in Albuquerque it is going to be all about cramming as many Manny fans into a Minor League stadium as possible. And for what?
Will he actually run out a ground ball in his two at bats? Will he play the field? No, I mean, will he play the field, like will he actually chase after anything? Will he even swing the bat? he chose not to 'that night' against Mariano, why bother in the minors?
My favourite quote from the selection of gormless goons that ESPN talked to;
''Linda McNall made the 60-mile drive from Santa Fe to purchase five tickets. She's taking her daughters and granddaughters because "you just don't get a chance very often to see somebody who plays at that level."
Dear oh dear. In twenty years of reading the generally brilliant Peter Gammons I have never come across anything as shoddy as he wrote recently on ESPN. While beating the rotting dead horse of a topic that is Dice-K and his arm troubles, Gammons said;
‘’ So, a lot can happen. Tim Wakefield and Smoltz are 42 years old. Matsuzaka hasn't been the same since he prioritized the World Baseball Classic exhibitions over the Red Sox regular season.’’
I can only hope that on reflection Gammons would regret this disappointing comment.
For anyone to call a tournament that the rest of the World takes so seriously an exhibition smacks of nothing short of hopeless introverted isolationalism. American sporting journalists struggle mightily to understand why ‘foreign’ players give so much to their country, particularly in the form of the WBC. Perhaps this explains why the Unites States has failed miserably in both events to date? As easily as American players give excuses to not play for their country, ‘foreign’ players quite willingly risk the ire of their MLB clubs and physical injury to put the jersey of their country on their backs.
It is truly shocking that someone such as Gammons, who normally writes in such a fair and even handed manner, would throw such a casual insult at a tournament that most countries have thrown their heart and soul into.
Just because the United States are tip toeing around the edge of the WBC, sticking a toe in occasionally to check the temperature, doesn’t make it any less valid an international event.
Just ask any Cuban, Japanese, Puerto Rican, Dutch, Dominican or Chinese player. Just ask Dice K. You can’t achieve greatness without sacrifice, Dice is paying back his sacrifice right now. He is, however, a legend in his home land. Why? Because he gave everything for his country, he put Japan on his back and pitched like a horse through the WBC.
To call the tournament an exhibition is not only irresponsible for a man of Gammons stature, it is also highly insulting to those countries who, unlike the USA, take the tournament seriously.
Give me a well fought WBC game between Japan and Cuba any day to a stagnant ‘show down’ in front of 9,000 fans between Kansas and the Twins, or the Marlins and the Pirates. At least in the WBC the guys wearing the jerseys are playing from their heart.
First of all, does any sport make you jump out of your seat like Rugby? Quality International rugby, to qualify that statement a little. As the Lions stormed back courageously towards the end of the first test, I found myself more on my feet than on the sofa. Much of this was due to the fact the referee seemed determined to ensure a home win.
Some atmosphere; Marlins v Astros this was not!
Some quick fire thoughts on the game itself.
Fantastic, heart warming showing by the Irish players, continuing a remarkable season for Irish rugby. O’Driscoll was outstanding, Bowe ran some good angles and O’Connell led from the front along with Wallace and Heaslip. Rob Kearney, who could possibly have started, came on as a replacement and looked very strong under the high ball. Irish rugby has come along in light years in the last decade, the best Club sides in Europe (Leinster and Munster) and the best International side in Europe, standing as Six Nations Champions. Heady times indeed.
Down but not out; The Lions can win next weekend in the second test
Shocking display by the referee. How so? Easy, in the final fifteen minutes, as the Lions stormed back in fine style, the Springboks were guilty of several blatant attempts to spoil the ball illegally, penalty after penalty came, and no yellow card. The Sky Sports commentary team were incredulous that the referee didn’t put his hand in his pocket and produce the yellow. In the first half the Lions were also stymied, this time by the referee whistling them at an inordinate rate for several very dubious penalties. To the credit of everyone in the Lions camp, no one has blamed anyone but themselves. To the viewer, the final fifteen minutes produced a disgraceful display of ‘refereeing’. Rugby needs to look at its rules on how yellow cards are given, at the moment it is too heavily a seemingly arbitrary decision. Not good enough for such a high profile encounter.
So close, and yet so far
Not to mention how the referee and linemen completely ignored the South African’s attempted bullying tactics. Thankfully the Lions, led by O’Driscoll, stood up to the ugly South African tactics. This from O’Driscoll’s piece in the Guardian (admirable, blunt honesty here);
‘’Du Plessis pulled his right fist back and said he was going to knock me out. I told him to go ahead. He wanted me to flinch and show weakness, but he had no chance. Suddenly he found himself in a position where, if he went ahead with his threat, he would be in trouble with the officials. He had to pull away.’’
Mike Phillips scores a late cracker
Finally, I have been beating this dead horse all week (dead, as the Lions management team are absolutely glued to playing Jones, who seems to be a teachers pet of sorts) but if dead-eye accurate kicking Ronan O’Gara had played that game, the Lions won. Jones, the incumbent, is in the team on the basis that he tackles more. Your out half is there mainly as an offensive force! Besides, two of the greatest defensive centers in the world, O’Driscoll and Roberts, would protect O’Gara. Jones was largely anonymous however his place kicking was atrocious, O’Gara would have nailed most if not all of those kicks, meaning the Lions would have won even without any of the three potential tries they almost scored. Fact!
I couldn't resist. 'The Hangover' started this. Initially I came up with ten funny movies from the last ten years, however that list grew and grew in my head over the last couple of days, and the expanded list has now lead to an expanded piece on the subject.
Simple enough idea. The top 30 comedies of the last decade
The ground rules
I have to have actually seen the movie. No cartoons. If i didn't at least chuckle at it, it's not in there (which rules out 'You, me and Dupree'). Anything from Zoolander to now. Nothing involving Quentin Tarantino (having said that I begrudgingly admit his new one looks pretty interesting).
The process of selecting the top movies was a wildly scientific one. As a young boy I used to invent sports games I could play at my desk at school during particularly boring classes. I would create tiny cards for NFL teams or soccer teams. I would line them up one on top of the other vertically, and using a Dungeons and Dragons dice I would play games against whichever cards were immediately above or below each other. The winner would get shifted up a row, the loser down one.
As the games evolved I introduced a handicapping system weighted largely in favour of my favourite teams. This killed hours and hours of boring class time and any chance I had of becoming a doctor or lawyer.
This system lends itself beautifully to picking a top ten, top twenty or (if you have time) top 100 anything, movies, songs, CDs, whatever. All you do is line them up in no particular order, one over the other, pick one to start with and ask yourself 'Is this movie better than the one immediately above it?' and if it is, swap them around. Repeat until you have a vertical list 1-20 of your favourite of whatever it is your listing.
It actually lends itself beautifully as a system to this kind of enjoyable time wasting exercise. You find yourself arguing vehemently with yourself, ''No! No! I can not, nay, I will not, place this movie ahead of this movie!''
Enough babbling, on to the good stuff, and remember, as the Bloodhound Gang say, if you were not entertained you did not drink enough booze!
30. Along Came Polly (2004) Come on, the Basketball scenes are funny, and Ben Stiller looks genuinely in distress when trying to eat spicy foods. Movie saved by Phillip Seymor Hoffman's hilarious turn. Bring the raaaaaaaaaaain! Easy enough to place at 30, as although it was funnier than the movies that didn't make the list, it wasn't any funnier than any that finished ahead of it.
Phillip Seymor Hoffman, bringin' the rain
29. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) One of those movies that you spend the entire thing grinning, although you are not completely sure why. Having said that, the meeting with the Beatles was a blast.
28. Blades of Glory (2007) Kind of trips over itself a little near the end but Will Ferrell as an Ice skating anti hero is worth the cost of renting the DVD on its own. It gets the people going! Consistently almost great.
Jimmy: They're laughing at us.Chazz: Hey. They laughed at Louis Armstrong when he said he was gonna go to the moon. Now he's up there, laughing at them.
27. Meet the Fockers (2004) This was on TV a little while ago and at first I thought, 'God no, no, no, I am not subjecting myself to this.' however the funny scenes kept coming and the lady and myself ended up watching the entire thing. ''Surprisingly funny'', is how my review would have gone. Really, who could have thought Robert DeNiro would end up making comedy? Is this the further point in the entire galaxy from 'Heat'?
26. Be Kind Rewind (2008) Not laugh-out-loud, slap your thighs funny, but a charming little movie none the less, probably the least viewed movie, universally speaking, on this list. This was my first tricky movie to place. I couldn't get it past number 25 though, as 25 was simply more frequently funny. Even still, a little treasure.
25. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) You know, you can knock this movie all you want, however it never fails to drag a giggle out of you. Vince Vaughn flat-lines through the entire show however Ben Stiller in a white cowboy outfit and some funny lower level, side characters make up for Vaughn's mailing it in.
Cotton McKnight: In 23 years of broadcasting I thought I'd seen it all, folks. But it looks like Peter La Fleur has actually blindfolded himself.Pepper Brooks: He will not be able to see very well, Cotton.
24. Role Models (2008) Probably too recent to score higher, Williams and Rudd definitely hit it off as the leads however. The story dips a little as it fogs into that silly Hollywood 'we better give them a moral here' ethos, just enough good gags to keep it going.
23. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008) It's filthy! It's great! Seth Rogen continues to belch his way into our hearts with another 'Jovial chubby guy makes us giggle' effort. Pretty full on. If you really want a laugh, how about checking out some of the new paper and online reviewers efforts to validate their own existence by writing about the meaning and depth of the movie. It's a fucking comedy! A self acclaimed dirt-fest, comedy!
Interestingly enough, by reading an abstract from a (presumably) Spanish review, I found out to my own amazement I can actually speak Spanish. This despite the fact I have never taken one class ever.
The abstract; Ainda que Smith continue a exibir sua compulsão em escrever diálogos que usam a escatologia e os palavrões como forma barata (e ineficaz) de humor, o filme é um grande avanço em relação aos seus três últimos péssimos trabalhos.
My (flawless) translation; Andy Q Smith continues to exhibit a compulsion to screw dialogue and the study of snails he has pavlova in the form of a beretta (to infinity) the humour, a film with big avenues of realisation and Swiss three ultimate pessimistic troubles.
Perfect! Bueno!
22. The School of Rock (2003) Yes, seriously. Jack Black carries an entire movie on his shoulders, and does it with aplomb. He is engaging and funny the whole way through.
21. Meet the Parents (2000) Owen Wilson's turn as the schmalzy, sleazy ex boyfriend is sheer comedic genius. Stiller tripping over his own feet for a couple of hours always works.
Greg Focker: Oh, dear God, thank you, you are such a good God to us. A kind and gentle and accommodating God, and we thank You oh sweet, sweet Lord of hosts for the smörgåsbord You have so aptly laid at our table this day, and each day, by day, day by day, by day oh dear Lord three things we pray to love Thee more dearly, to see Thee more clearly, to follow Thee more nearly, day, by day, by day. Amen.
20. Nacho Libre (2006) Kind of a 'concept' movie, if you think Jack Black in Mexican wrestling gear is funny, you are going to love it. Of course, the flip side to that is, if you don't...
Nacho: Chancho. When you are a man, sometimes you wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun.
19. Knocked Up (2007) I wanted to place this a little higher, largely because Katherine Heigl is in it (frying pan to the head was so worth it), however I couldn't slip it past any of the movies higher up the list. Some great scenes, nonetheless. Seth Rogen's entourage of enormous geeks is worth the price of DVD rental alone.
...and she's funny too!!
18. I Love You, Man (2009) This one is definitely going to place higher next year when we inevitably bang out another version of this list. See, certain movies, particularly comedies layered with jokes, mature with age. A couple of extra viewings and suddenly, boom goes the dynamite. Jason Segel and Paul Rudd are brilliant together, continuing on a nice little bit of chemistry they had in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall'. Slapping the bass! Slappa da bass! Slappa da bass mon! Slappa de bass mon!
17. Talladega Nights: (2006) This originally started further back down the list but every time I tried to place it with certainty in the lower echelons, another funny clip from the movie would come back to me. The brilliant dinner scenes with Will Ferrell's character's two kids, Walker and Texas Ranger. John C Reill'y superb turn as a sycophantic side kick. Sasha Baron Cohen as the psychotic French bad guy. Will Ferrell running around a racing track in his underwear thinking he is on fire screaming 'Save me Tom Cruise!' My only complaint is they didn't knock Nascar enough. For God sake, the cars just go in endless circles! At least in Formula One they go round funny shaped corners. Is there anything, anything at all more inane than Nascar?
16.Pineapple Express (2008) A 'feel good' movie if there ever was one, just a heart warming, funny piece of cinematography. So much to like contained in just a short space of time. Seth Rogen's finest work to date. James Franco as a funny, laid back stoner? Who knew! Absolutely nailed it too.
Saul: Well, I don't know, man. I think I'm functioning right now. I was, like, stoned when I saved you with those slushies. What do you gotta say to that?
15. Semi-Pro (2008) I wanted to put this one higher. I tried to, I really did. Just wasn't happening. Too much quality in front of it. A couple of 'dead' spots in the middle and near the end kept it anchored at number 15. Still, very funny, as long as you buy into Will Ferrell's vision of a 70's basketball league. Ferrell himself, or Jackie Moon as he is in the movie, is superb, a totally brilliant character. The huge problem is the support characters are a little empty and not that funny. Woody Harrellson is engaging but not really that funny, and the kid from Outkast never really gets out of first gear. Looks like he can shoot the rock a little though. Nevermind, thankfully there's enough Jackie Moon to go round to keep it going. His lack of a low post move alone is reason to watch 'Semi Pro'. Not to mention his meltdown at a league owners meeting. Oh and the hilarious Russian Roulette scene. See, now I want to move it up the list again. However, I can't.
14. Step Brothers (2008) And here is why Semi Pro doesn't go higher than 15. 'Step Brothers' improves by 12% every time you see it. That's not a suggestion, that's pure fact. It gets 12% funnier every time you see it. There is literally a stack of jokes buried in here, and not only are the two focal characters funny, the peripheral folk aren't bad either. At the end of the day though, it all begins and ends with Will Ferrell and John C Reilly's superbly idiotic 40 something step brothers. The two are absolute comedic dynamite together. I am so calling my '09 fantasy football squad, 'Prestige Worldwide', by the way.
Dale Doback: [after hearing Brennan sing] You have the voice of an angel. Your voice is like a combination of Fergie and Jesus.
13. Napoleon Dynamite (2004) Perhaps not as much of an easy riot of jokes and slapstick as some of the movies on the list, nonetheless a rewarding little movie is you put the effort in. As an aside, what does it say about the world we live in that when you type 'Napoleon' into google, 'Napoleon Dynamite' is ahead of 'Napoleon Bonaparte' in search results. Don't forget though, Pedro offers you his protection! Classic.
12. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) Controversy in the 12 spot! This movie polarizes opinion more than Michael Jackson. Much like Wacko Jacko, you either love the Life Aquatic or hate it. There is no middle ground. If you are a hater, I would urge you to revise your view of this lovingly conceived Wes Anderson joint. Okay, so no one gets smacked in the head with a frying pan. And alright, there is no romantic, schmaltzy Hollywood ending. There is, however, a killer chase scene.
Brilliant support characters, Bill Murray at his finest, and a script dripping with beautiful comedic language. I am stunned, at a personal level, that I can't place this any higher than 12. I want to. I just can't. I mean, how can I place it ahead of...
11. Tropic Thunder (2008) I'm just going to throw this out there, if you don't like it, throw it right back at me. Tropic Thunder is going to be an absolute cult classic in years to come. This movie is packed to bursting with jokes, gags, giggles and the like. The fact that it didn't even break the top ten on this list is only because of the depth of quality of the ten ahead of it. Stiller is in fine form, no more so than in his brilliant 'Simple Jack' performance. Tom Cruise almost steals the show as a completely psychotic studio executive. I say almost as Robert Downey Junior actually does steals the show as Kirk Lazarus, who may or may not be black, we never really find out. His 'full retard' speech is the stuff of comedy legend.
Quick warning though, some sketchy language here, if you are easily offended better take an alternate route and click here instead
10. The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) We break into the top ten in style with this little cracker. Steve Carell's coming out party, a thoroughly enjoyable romp that also introduced us to Seth Rogen, furthered Paul Rudd's comedic standing and featured plenty of Michael McDonald too. Superb, uplifting final credits also, those cats can dance! Second best final credits ever, ever! More on the winner of that particular category ever so slightly later. Virgin hits all the right notes. great script, superb comedic acting and it leaves you feeling good afterwards, it ticks all the Great Comedy boxes. I can't believe it's only number ten actually, however, I couldn't slide it higher than...
9. Zoolander (2003) The fact that this legend of comedy is only number 9 tells you everything you need to know about the top eight! Legend of comedy? That's right! We have become so narrow minded and short sighted in this internet age that a movie made in 2003 is already legendary. Was this filmed in black and white and then, like the Wizard of Oz, changed to colour later? Did they have televisions back in 2003? Zoolander is top ten material for several reasons, none more so than the fantastic editing, a feature of all the top ten flicks on this list. What I mean by that is, hardly a scene is wasted. In some of the lower ranked movies, there are dead spots, scenes not really totally neccesary and clearly in there just to get it to 120 so the punter doesn't feel robbed. Zoolander is the Nomar Garciaparra of funny movies, what was it they said he had, something insane like 2% body fat ratio or something like that? From 'Hansel is SO hot right now' to the brilliant dance off between Zoolander and Hansel all the way up to the funny climax, Zoolander has no wasted moments at all. Stiller, Wilson and Ferrell are all totally superb. Zoolander, for me, really started this wave of great comedy, we have 'Blue Steel' to thank for the latest batch of riotous movies.
8. Starsky & Hutch (2004) How can this finish ahead of Zoolander? The easy answer is, watch it, and you will agree. For me, a smarter, more refined step ahead of Zoolander which was sometimes just a tiny bit silly. More or less the same team a year later cranked out this gem, a movie that increases in hilarity by 17% every time you see it.
The two leads, Stiller and Wilson, are absolutely fantastic but the real star of the show is Vince Vaughn's hilariously evil bad guy. Super stash to boot.
Another one of the recent spate of well made comedies that doesn't waste a shred of film, every single scene is funny or at least reasonably funny. Great soundtrack too, some musical gems in there for your enjoyment.
if you do find yourself in any doubt as to the validity of this movie in the top ten just cast your mind back to Will Ferrell's outragous cameo as big earl..
Big Earl: Alright guys, I'm not gonna lie to you. This is gonna get kinda weird... Two dragons.
7. Superbad (2007) An unusual comedy in that it's actually pretty realistic. Kind of a more grown up, believable 'American Pie' if you will. The beauty of 'Superbad', for this fella anyway, is in it's brilliant portrayal of life as a male teen. Everything fits, the fears, superstitions, clumsy bad language, awkward friendships and distinct lack of action with the opposite sex.
Just three funny guys trying to buy some booze and impress some ladies. The delivery is fantastic. Michael Cera is a real find in one of the lead roles. but Christopher Mintz-Plasse almost steals the show as Fogell/McLovin. Their night of adventure unfolds like so many teenage evenings, messily and with more mishaps than planned fun. Just a rollickin', laugh fuelled ride. Hop on and enjoy.
Evan (on finding that Fogell has put 'McLovin' on his fake drivers licence): What? One name? ONE NAME? Who are you? Seal?
6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) Absolutely no apologies for putting this one so high, it's a freakin riot! I would go even higher however it simply can not crack the top five, you will see why shortly. However, 'Forgetting..' is definitely going to be looked back on as a mini comedy classic in years to come. Relative unknown Jason Segel absolutely nails the role as the lovable loser who ends up getting away from a horrible break up, at the same resort as his ex and her obnoxious British rock star (played brilliantly by Russell Brand) boyfriend.
'Forgetting..' has absolutely everything. A brilliant supporting cast packed with funny cameos (Paul Rudd's brain dead surfer is sheer comedic genius). A laugh-out-loud script, some thigh slapping moments and plenty of surprises. The story line itself is a nice break from the usual comedy templates.
Best of all, the movie has a heart. You find yourself rooting for poor old Peter Bretter (Segel) and who knew the object of his affections would turn out to be Meg from Family Guy (no, really!)?!
The finest moment though has to be Peter's unbelievably obscure Vampire opera. I would pay actual real cash-money to see this on Broadway. Or a bar in Hawaii, either works for me.
The top five Now for the big guns, the big enchilada's, the top dogs, the big cheese. You could, and you probably will, place these in almost any order, I would argue vehemently (and perhaps violently) that these five are all a level ahead of the previous 25, not too mention the 20-25 other comedies that didn't make the top 30 of this list. Without Freddie Adu, the top five comedies in the last decade.
5. Wedding Crashers (2005) Great premise, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in tip top form, an excellent script, great supporting cast and some fantastic scenes all the way through out. It even has a superb Will Ferrell cameo. All the ingredient to push this instant comedy classic into the top 5. The movie starts off in rip roaring form and manages to carry through the slightly quiet patch 3/4 of the way through thanks to Will Ferrell's outrageously obnoxious cameo (was he practicing for Step Brothers here?!) and Owen Wilson's hilarious slide into morbidity (I keep meaning to change my answering machine message to the one he leaves when he is in the middle of his deep depression).
Jeremy Grey: Okay, what's our back story? John Beckwith: We're brothers from New Hampshire. We're venture capitalists. Jeremy Grey: I'm sick of that. Let's be from Vermont. And let's have an emerging maple syrup conglomerate. John Beckwith: Wait, that's stupid. We don't know anything about maple syrup. Jeremy Grey: I happen to know everything there is to know about maple syrup! I love maple syrup. I love maple syrup on pancakes. I love it on pizza. And I take maple syrup and put a little bit in my hair when I've had a rough week. What do you think holds it up, slick?
4. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) Can you imagine how much fun they had making this movie? Seriously! It had to have been a blast. Has any of the movies on this list come close to giving us as many quotable lines as this classic? Most of all, it brought several colourful, enjoyable characters into our lives. Bryan Fantana, Champ Kind and Brick Tamland. The movie is all about the larger than life Ron Bergundy, however, and he delivers on every level. Quite possibly the single funniest character of all time.
''Diversity? Well I believe that's an old Civil War Ship..''
3. The Hangover (2009) Too soon? Not at all. Just right. How can we write that with such confidence? Easy. I almost broke a rib laughing at the damn thing at the Irish (and European actually, now that you mention it) premiere of the movie. An absolutely rip-roaring, rollicking, roller-coaster thrill ride of jokes, it slaps you in the face from the very start.
Another brilliantly executed Todd Phillips joint, nothing is wasted, every scene fits and the jokes come at you thick and fast from start to finish (and oh boy oh boy, what a sensational finish!). The movie is imaginative and creative, taking several new angles that are both hilarious and refreshing.
The characters are fantastic, Ed Helms, who some of you might know as Andy Bernard in the US Office, is hilarious as the accident prone dentist. Bradley Phillips gets the 'straight' role of the piece and shows of a burdgeoining star capacity that promises more to come. Zach Galifianakis, however, makes this baby tick, he is absolutely off the charts hilarious as 'Alan'. His Rainman impersonation is the stuff of legend.
It's a new movie so I don't want to say too much and spoil it, all I can say is, beware naked chinese gangsters jumping out of the trunk of cars, and always check the bathroom for Tigers when you are in Vegas!
2. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) Wait, what's this? Blatant controversy in the two spot! Yes, that's right, The Royal Tenenbaums. You know, as I started this list (believe me, it took about seventy five thousand days to write) the RTs started out by hovering around the ten spot, however every time I tried to place it, it kept moving north, higher and higher. The two hole, after much deliberation, felt absolutely perfect. Not quite as funny as the number one movie (not many movies with a scene where a is guy trying to kill himself to a particularly depressing Elliot Smith song can qualify as a comedy) however a classic in its own right.
Beautifully conceived, the movie will probably go down as Wes Anderson's greatest achievement. The greatest quality of the movie is the assembled talent on display. Luke Wilson gives a thoughtful, even paced and gently funny turn as former tennis super star Richie Tenenbaum. The gift of the RTs is that by the end you start to think of Richie Tenenbaum as a tennis legend, forgetting completely it's Luke Wilson, an actor. Bill Murry is almost, almost wasted in a small part as the brilliant yet tortured Raleigh St Claire (well I wanna die). Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson
Amongst the obscure humour that some might find a little inaccessible there are however some absolute throw-away gems, there for all to enjoy. How about Richie Tenenbaum's unusual melt down on the tennis court?
What sets the RTs apart from the other 28 movies on this list, however, is the beautiful, thoughtful, heart breakingly funny performance of the wonderful Gene Hackman, a man at the peak of his trade. This is a career display by the great man, lending a powerful validity to the movie, bringing it all together.
What else is there to say really, other than, Ethyl, I'm dying baby..
1. Old School (2003)
And on the seventh day, God said, let there be some seriously funny shit. And there was. Nothing was ever going to keep this off the top, though many tried. It all starts and ends with Old School.
From Vince Vaughn's best performance to date, to Luke Wilson's enjoyable deadpan straight act. From Jeremy Riven's coming out party to the hilarious frat house members.
Even the obligatory Todd Phillips cameo works out (''I'm here for the gang bang?!'')
Of course it all starts and ends with Will Ferrell's comedy preformance for the ages, as 'Frank the Tank'.
His lovable loser goes through a personal crisis or ten, the entire movie he is either in trouble for streaking, being beaten up by a drag queen, being attacked violently by Jeremy Piven or getting himself in serious trouble during counselling with his wife. Ah yes, who could forget the Trust Tree?
Old School is a seamless movie with a distinct, wasteless flow. It keeps coming after you scene after scene. Nothing is wasted, everything fits. The editing is that good that there isn't one scene you would remove from the flick.
Just a wildly enjoyable romp, from start to finish.
So there we have it. No doubt you, the reader, would have an entirely different top 30, however, hope you enjoyed reading this one. I bet you twenty dollars cash money you have made a mental note to watch at least two of the above again.
So, anyway, there are some particularly annoying, grating, individuals in sports these days, let's face it. From the inane to the asinine and back again, there's a couple of athletes that really get under ones skin.
Here's one of them.
Congratulations to this particular sporting clown. He just finished off one of the least enjoyable NBA finals ever. Plus he was already the 'highlight' of a sycophantic, boring Spike Lee joint which almost nobody saw on ESPN recently. (This blog has already dealt in length with the 'Kobe doin' work' abomination) Things are really going great for this sporting clown.
The best part is, couldn't happen to a nice guy, right? Oh, wait...
Where do you start with Kobe Bryant? Obviously it all starts and ends with his beating a rape charge, after which he came out and said;
''Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did''
If you ever, ever feel yourself warming to Kobe, just take a deep breath and read the full police report on the incident. After you have taken a shower to remove the pervasive feeling of sleaze, you will be back to normal, or at the very least no longer warming to the clown.
Although the heinous rape charge incident is clearly the badge/label he will wear for the rest of his life, there's plenty of other reasons to not like the guy. From his 'me first' attitude to his disgusting calling-out of his own team mates on the floor, Kobe is about as enjoyable to watch as a dentist at work.
His narcissism truly knows no bounds.
His own team mates don't like him and his coach, Phil Jackson, spent many a paragraph of his biography absolutely slating the guy.
That fall, Jackson released The Last Season, a book which describes his point of view of the tensions that surrounded the 2003–04 Lakers team. The book was pointedly critical of Kobe Bryant; at one point, Jackson called Bryant "uncoachable."
When you add it all up, what do you get? A self obsessed, ego maniac who plays dirty both on and off the court, a guy who nobody seems to enjoy working/playing with and a guy who's own head coach has gone to great lengths character-assassinating in writing.
Dublin Hurricanes 9 Blacksox 8 13th June 2009 Corcaigh Park
The Dublin Hurricanes continued their winning ways for the 2009 season on Saturday against the Blacksox, however not without large helping of drama. The 'Canes needed extra innings to find a way past a Blacksox side desperate to avoid losing their third straight against the home side, quite literally playing to keep their '09 season alive.
The 'Canes looked like they were going to stroll to victory early on, with a stunning seven run outburst, instead it would take some late game dramatics to keep their unbeaten season going. With the 'Canes up by seven the Blacksox launched a ferocious comeback, with all the aggressiveness of a team fighting for their season. They patched together runs in the third and fourth innings before taking advantage of some sloppy Hurricanes pitching in the fifth to take a stunning 8-7 lead.
Lesser teams may have folded in the face of such a come-back however the 'Canes righted their ship defensively and steadied themselves as the two teams put up blanks going into the sixth. The 'Canes managed to load the bases with two outs and left fielder Mike Johnson was hit by a pitch to force in the game tying run, making it 8-8.
The Blacksox had several rallies of their own however the 'Canes got out of trouble with some fine infield defensive play. On the day they turned two superb double plays off the bat of the Blacksox slugger in the three hole. Twice Shortstop Steve Divito and second baseman Eric 'Vegas' Valkys spun beautiful 4-6-2, inning ending double plays off hard hit ground balls.
In extra innings the 'Canes mounted their final assault on a potential 6-0 record.
Eric Valkys smashed a hard single to center, and stole second as Andy Martin came up to bat. Martin grounded hard towards second as Valkys took third on the impending throw, however the Blacksox second baseman threw the ball away, letting Valkys score and the allowing the Hurricanes to take a hard earned, dramatic 9-8 win.
Valkys: Game winning run
This win leaves the 'Canes at 6-0 and continued their unbeaten 2009 season. The 'Canes are now six points up over the second place team in the Irish league. Next up, the Greystones Mariners, Saturday June 20th in Greystones.
If you would like to get involved with Baseball Ireland at any level, Adult or Youth, or would like to support the game in Ireland, please refer to this link
After all the rumours, talks and reports, The Pretend Ronaldo (The real one, as far as I am concerned, plied his trade a few years back!) has finally joined Real Madrid. The news is so big it made the front of ESPN today, a place normally reserved for anything other than, as the Americans call it, 'soccer football'.
The major up-shot of this is, how freakin good is La Liga, the Spanish Premiere division, going to be next season? On one hand you have the best club in the world, Barcelona. On the other, the most expensively created football team ever, Real Madrid. How stunning are the big show downs between these two going to be?
Somewhat off topic, but I couldn't resist. 'The Hangover' is out in Dublin this weekend, do yourself a favour and go see it, funniest movie since 'Old School'.
This statement got me thinking, what are the funniest of the new-wave, Will Ferrell, Todd Phillips, Eoin Wilson and Vince Vaughn movies since 'Old School'?
One man's top ten;
10. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) - Instantly forgettable and yet somehow always enjoyable when you do tune in. 9. Blades of Glory (2007) - 'It gets the people going!' gets me every time, but that's one of the few highlights. 8. Talladega Nights: (2006) - Almost hilarious. 7. Step Brothers (2008) - This gets better every time I see it, there are some gems hidden in there you don't catch the first time. 6. Semi-Pro (2008) - Nearly brilliant, Jackie Moon is a riot. 5. Starsky & Hutch (2004) - Stands up beautifully to repeated viewing, and gets funnier every time. 4. Wedding Crashers (2005) - Not everyones cup of tea, but I love it, from the hilarious opening scene right down to the final slapstick, one of the best. 3. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) - Now for the holy trinity, the top three, and Anchorman is right up there. Brilliantly conceived and delivered, a riot from start to finish. Just have a think how much of this movie has made it into common speech! I love lamp! 2. Old School (2003) - The grandaddy of them all, the original and one of the best still. Frank the Tank! Frank the Tank! 1. The Hangover (2009) - Trust me, once you see it you'll totally understand why this is number one. Guys, there's a tiger in the bathroom!!
Just to note, some good news for 'Old School' fans, believe it or not there is a sequel coming out. We just have to survive until 2011 to see it!
Meanwhile, a gallery of super duper 'The Hangover' wallpapers, feel free to use any yourself!
Fix me! Please! Number one: The Washington Nationals
What a way to start. Even Dr Izzy Steven's would struggle with this flatline case. There can be little doubt about it, the Washington Nationals are the worst team in Major League Baseball.
How can we say this with such bare faced bravado? Easy enough, they don’t win many games, at all. They are six games behind the next worst team in MLB. Extrapolate that over the course of the rest of the season and they could finish as much as eighteen games behind the next worst teams in MLB. That’s pretty shocking.
They make the Orioles, Rockies, A’s and Astros look like decent squads. That in itself takes some doing.
But wait! It gets even worse. Most shocking of all is Washington’s shocking run differential. This is their runs scored subtracting their runs conceded. The best in the Majors is the Dodgers at +82. They are both scoring runs and stopping their opponents from doing same. The bad teams are hovering around the -30 region. Pretty bad.
Washington have an entire category absolutely to themselves at a disgraceful -74! A full thirty runs behind the other struggling teams. Simply put, their pitching is getting absolutely pounded, having given up 324 runs to date.
They should blast through the 1,000 run mark before the season is up.
The irony is they are scoring runs, their 250 runs places them ahead of fourteen other MLB teams, including the likes of Arizona and St Louis and, amazingly, only seven runs behind the over-hyped yet expensively constructed Mets.
They just can't get any outs.
It’s all well and good that the Nationals have the first pick in the up coming draft however they owe it to their fans to start getting some quality outings from their starting pitching right now.
Not tomorrow, now.
Can you even name any other starter on the Nationals rotation, apart from John Lannan? Their leader in wins (5), Martis, has a 5.31 era.Their third starter, Zimmerman, has a 5.71 era. Their fourth and fifth guys go 5.23 and 6.45.
Just plain ugly.
The quick fix here? Two starters. Two fresh faces to plug in behind Lannan and bring some life to the Nationals stagnant rotation.
First up a little maneuvering to get Brad Penny off the Red Sox. Penny can dominate in the National League, and would be a perfect number two man for the Nationals. Easy to get too, Nick Johnson would do it, the Sox would probably bite the Nationals hand off if they offered him up. This wouldn't have to mean offensive suicide for the Nationals either. Remember, scoring runs is not their major issue. Josh Willingham and Austin Kearns can step up the depth chart to fill in the gap left by Johnson. The Sox get a patient bat and the Nationals grab a number two guy with a plus fastball. Everybody comes out a winner.
Trade number two, again targeting a decent starter.
Ron Villone has had a superb last month, having given up zero runs in his last sixteen innings.
Tampa will have a log-jam in the rotation when Kazmir comes back, and are suffering badly in the bullpen area. Washington could package Villone, out of sorts former closer Joel Hanrahan and backup infielder Ronnie Belliard (Tampa need infield cover with Iwamura out) for Jeff Niemann, who is pitching very well lately however might find himself the odd man out when Kazmir comes back.
Imagine a starting rotation of Lannan, Penny, Niemann and two others, a huge upgrade from the current situation. Think of the average Nationals fan, turning off his or her PC at work, grabbing his or her jacket and going to a game. Instead of thinking 'Who on earth is starting tonight?' he or she can think 'Hey, Penny (or Niemann) goes tonight, we actually have a shot..'
Gate receipts go up, earned run averages come down, the bullpen is less taxed and the Nationals are no longer the laughing stock of the Majors.
'My' EPL (English Premiere League) team, Sunderland, have been lined up to take part in the prestigious 'Amsterdam Tournament' in July.
Ajax, Atletico Madrid and Benfica are all taking part.
Ajax have something of a bromance going on with Sunderland the last few years. They were friendly opponents of Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last August, and were also the side chosen to open the stadium in 1997.
The tournament uses an unusual points-scoring system. A victory results in three points and a draw in one, but one point is also given for each goal scored, with the aim of encouraging more attacking football.
The event takes place between July 24 and July 26.
Contrasting fortunes clashed at wet, cold and windy Corcaigh Park on Saturday 6th June. The feisty Belfast Northstars came to Dublin looking for their first win of the 2009 season while the Dublin Hurricanes were looking to remain unbeaten for the year. The weather conditions would be the story of the day. The rain started just prior to the first pitch and didn't let up to the final out.
One thing you always get with the Northstars is 100% effort, and Saturday was no different as the Belfast team made light of the horrible conditions to give the Hurricanes one of their toughest games of the young season.
Although the Northstars have never been one of the top teams in Irish baseball they have always made it hard for the opposition. 2009 is no different as the Stars have run both the Spartans and Mariners close this season.
The 'Canes scraped a run in the first, two in the third and a final run in the fourth inning to build a four-nothing lead against 'Stars veteran pitcher Gordon Cuthbert. Gordon is no doubt amongst the leaders in innings pitched all-time in the Irish League, something we would be sure about if the league kept statistics! Pitching in wet, windy conditions Cuthbert threw a very strong game keeping the powerful 'Canes lineup off balance all day.
For the 'Canes, as usual for '09 it was all about the defence. Considering the weather you would have understood if the 'Canes had made a few mistakes, instead the defence was absolutely perfect.
Play of the day came in the top of the fifth inning.
The Northstars had runners on first and third with two outs, the rain pouring down and the 'Canes clinging to a 4-0 lead. A big hit could have made things very tight. Instead skipper Steve Divito made a play on a ground ball flipping it to second baseman Eric 'Vegas' Valkys, who threw a bullet to first, spinning the beautiful inning-ending double play.
This not only preserved the shut-out but also ended the ball game, both teams agreeing with the umpire that five innings of baseball was all we were going to get in on the rain soaked day in question.
The win pushes the Hurricanes to 5-0 for the 2009 season. Next up, the Blacksox. They come to Corcaigh Park for an 11am showdown against the league leading 'Canes. Should be a good one.
If you would like to get involved with Baseball Ireland at any level, Adult or Youth, or would like to support the game in Ireland, please refer to this link
Feeling very Irish on a Thursday night The following is taken from'Pitching in' A section that dabbles in Nationalism, pride and what it means to play for your country
A huge part of being on a National Team is representing your country. Some people would question a player who lives in the States but plays on the Irish Baseball team. My question to those people would be, who exactly are you to decide 'where' someone is from?
Pair of brown eyes The Pogues
I think my own situation is a perfect example of this. I was born in Connecticut, in the States, my father is American born and bred but my Mother is Irish, through and through. I have spent 90% of my entire life in Ireland, I went to school in Ireland and I have worked, largely, in Ireland since leaving college, with the exception of a four summers in Cape Cod and some time in Boston.
Gangs of New York - Dark Moon, High Tide
I have both Irish and U.S. passports, and I am proud of both. So, where am I from? I really can't answer that question, I am a mongrel. I love my Fathers side of the family as much as I love my mothers.
Damien Dempsey - rainy night in soho
When we played in the States on the Rhode Island tour of 2001 I got goose bumps when I heard both the Irish and the American national anthems played before games. I went just as crazy when Ray Houghton scored that dramatic winner against England in 1988 as when the Patriots won the 2001 Superbowl. What does that tell you, apart from that I watch too much sports?!
Damien Dempsey - the rocky road to Dublin
I am what I am, a mix of Irish/American that I am very proud of. I don't believe anyone has the right to question either of my 'nationalities' or my loyalty to either.
Thin Lizzy - whiskey in the jar
The Irish National team is full of stories like my own, and that is one of the factors that makes our first ten years of existence as a team so special. The team is an amazing mix of people, but the one common defining facet was that they all got a tremendous sense of pride when wearing the Irish jersey.
Damien Dempsey - spraypaint backalley
It was that pride which led to several dramatic, against the odds, victories down the years, and it was that pride that held the team together when times were bad.
the Pogues - Body of an american
Teamwork
the Pogues - dirty old town
Tens of thousands of Munster fans - the fields of athenry
Pretty poor result for the USA in World Cup qualifying, losing 3-1 to Costa Rica. Apparently they should still qualify if they win their home games.
What on earth are the Pittsburgh Pirates doing to their fans? At one stage last season they had a sterling outfield trio of Nady, Bay and McLouth, as of today, every single one of those chaps are gone, with McLouth being traded to Atlanta. How incredibly awful is it to be a Pirates fan right now? This is terrific news for the ‘Tusken Raiders’, my fantasy keeper league baseball team thought. McLouth is one of my better outfielders.
The Globe just ran a nice pictorial piece on ten players the Sox should consider for a trade, at the same time allowing readers the chance to vote on each player in turn.
They started with Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres, but no sooner was he on the list, they were virtually crossing him off on account of his low salary, something the Padres have no incentive to move. Gonzalez is only 27 and his statistics are trending up, so he would definitely be a nice addition. Problem is, there are only two hopes he would be dealt from sunny San Diego, and yes, you know it, Bob just left town.
The next player was a bit of a throw-in to the list, I have nothing against Omar Vizquel, other than the fact he is about thirty seven thousand years old. However, how on earth would he be an upgrade over either Lugo, Green or indeed Lowrie? This was not a serious consideration.
Victor Martinez, next on the list, is an actual possibility. A nice one too. Everything would appear to be in order here for the Sox to swoop with an appetising, Godfather like trade the Tribe would be fools to say no to. Salary? Check, just over $5m. Age? Check, only 30 years old. Big bat? Check! The kid is hammering the ball to all corners so far this season. The Indians are awful? Check (sorry TK)! The Tribe is 7.5 games out and fading. They could be 12-15 games out by the time the all star break comes along.
Nick Johnson? Thanks for calling, but no thanks. What, seriously? This would be nothing short of a regression. This is one of the names that pops up that makes you think, 'What about just bringing up Lars Anderson?'.
The next option was intriguing. Old friend Orlando Cabrera. Did anyone seem to enjoy their time in Boston more than the O.C.? Ever? Cabrera seemed to roam the Fenway park infield with a constant smile on his face. Frankly his current '09 numbers are no great improvement over the Lugo/Green experiment, however you have to think given the chance to escape the abyss that is Oakland, Cabrera would up his game considerably.
''I Love this place!!''
Aubrey Huff is the kind of guy that may not look too appetising on first glance (high salary, poor defence, low average) however if you slotted him in to the Sox lineup and gave him a taste of Fenway, don't you think we could be looking at Bill Mueller with more power? At thirty one there's plenty of miles left in the tyres here, and the ball is hopping off his bat in '09 to the tune of eight bombs and a whopping 39 RBIs. A definite maybe.
Then again, you could have Aubrey Huff version 3.1, otherwise known as Adam Dunn. The big slugger signed with the Nationals in the offseason however Washington are rebuilding and would probably bite Theo's hand off if he approached them with a suitable package of prospects. Dunn has slammed 16 bombs already and would probably go Sammy-Sosa-mental at Fenway. The sky would be the limit.
The last three options were not viable. End of story. Miguel Tejada? 35 years old and no range. John McDonald? Let's just say it's not a good sign when your pen-picture includes your career stats, instead of your 2009 numbers. Alex Gonzalez? I assume Theo isn't in the market for anyone who's bat is described as 'feeble'.
Finally, we are asked to vote. Which of the above would you like to see the Sox trade for? Personally I had it down to two guys, Cabrera and Dunn, hey, can we get both? Go get it done, Theo!
The sprawling Red Sox Nation voted for Victor Martinez with Adrian Gonzalez a close second. As always the lesson here is, what do I know? Having said that, my two guys finished third and fourth respectively in the virtual ballot box.
28,000 Red Sox fans have spoken, now let's see if Theo is listening.
I run a baseball team, no, seriously!
