Fan Fest, B-Craw and a Poll

Posted in Uncategorized by Flavor on January 31, 2014

And here’s the latest skinny Panda pic. Not sure what the alien light is.

Tons of players missing fanfest tomorrow: Huddy, Bum, Panda, Scoots, Pagan….maybe others. I’m not going, I think I’m headed to Tahoe tomorrow for the weekend after a basketball game. Any of you guys going?

Sabean was asked by Amy G who he predicts will have a breakout season this year and he went with Crawford. There aren’t too many choices so that answer didn’t surprise. B-Craw had some problems in 2013 against left handers. He slashed .199/.288/.546 against them. That’s unacceptable.

He did drop his K rate from 20% to 17.5%. His bb-rate was a decent 7.6% but that should be higher considering he hits 8th….

Forgetting all of his numbers, when I see B-Craw connect for a bomb I always say “why can’t he do this more often?” He’s got a smooth, sweet swing that back spins the shit out of the ball. So he’s gotta hit more than 9 bombs this year, right? Poll time…..

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zumiee said, on January 31, 2014 at 8:57 pm

I actually think too many homeruns is kind of a bad thing for Crawford. His swing gets too uppercut, and he starts flying out and striking out too much. The same with Blanco.
zumiee said, on January 31, 2014 at 8:59 pm

Lindy’s magazine is picking Dodgers/Tigers for the World Series. That would be almost as unwatchable as Seahawks/Broncos. 🙂
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:29 pm
  
  These prognosticators ought to leave the Tigers off the WS predictions every year. Maybe they might make it then…
zumiee said, on January 31, 2014 at 9:05 pm

Crazy stat of the day: in 2004, Barry Bonds was intentionally walked over a 100 times?! I wonder if I heard that right on the MLB network.
It’s not like we could have used a free agent Vlad Guerrero batting behind Bonds, or something.
I’m not trying to dig up 2004, but that stat just kind of blew my mind.
- Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:50 am
  
  or how about walking 232 times that year in 617 plate appearances. Crazy.
blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:27 am

According to RotoWorld, “Buster Posey admitted Friday that he’s added 10 pounds through his training program this offseason in an effort to avoid fatigue on the second half of the season.”

Man, I sure am glad that Panda and Buster are both on the juic . . . umm, working out with weights. 🙂
- unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:44 am
  
  Adding 10 pounds of muscle is one thing. Adding 40 lb in 4 months, a la, BB, is a different story.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:04 pm
  
  As I always say, nobody, nobody in MLB is assuredly “clean”. That’s why they test them all. And, as the Biogenesis case tells us, why the tests are bogus…
DJLoo said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:34 am

Bumgarner is definitely protesting his shitty contract.

One thing I don’t miss is those stupid-ass Neifi chickens. That kinda shit is for fans of losing franchises.
We’re World Champs now. Twice.
- willedav said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:02 am
  
  I’m with what you said earlier—if he’s rolling mid year like last season, SF does the right thing and gives him new deal more in line with what he’s worth for a couple years.
  - Nipper said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:30 am
    
    WilleD concerned?
- Nipper said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:31 am
  
  Loo can count.
  - DJLoo said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:36 am
    
    Nipper has been boosting my self-esteem for about 7 years now…
James said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:47 am

A more interesting question to Sabes would have been whom he thinks will have a breakdown year.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:07 pm
  
  Only Amy G’s evil twin would ask that…
Alleykat said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:57 am

I’m still waiting for Belt’s break out year ,and be healthy from the start of the season to the end.He always goes off in ST,then gets hurt or sick to hold him back,and it takes him half a season or more to find his groove (Stella)
James said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:58 am

I think we’re lucky Crawford’s as good as he is at the plate. If he pushed his walk total up to 55-60 and added 3-4 HRs, i.e, got his OPS into the low 700s, that would count as a breakout season.
- blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:11 am
  
  Well according to this poll, he wont need the walks, as everyone here thinks he is going to hit 74 bombs.
  - snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:08 pm
    
    Has he been visiting Barry Bonds in LA this offseason?…
  - blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:09 pm
    
    No idea, but if he comes to camp 10 lbs. heavier. OH OH!
blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:35 am

New orange uniforms . . . https://twitter.com/SFGiants/statuses/429324255671484417

What do you think? Me? I like the colors and piping, but hate the script. I like the old block lettering.
- Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:58 am
  
  Agreed. Hate the lettering
  - DJLoo said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:44 am
    
    I like the script. Reminds me of the great ’82 season. The uniform should be black and the lettering orange. They used to have an alternate black uniform top in the Bonds years. They abandoned it for some reason.
  - Nipper said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:53 am
    
    What a memory! Hey remember the price of beer in 82? I don’t but I actually bought beers at the Park then that’s all I remember and running to the rest rooms.
  - SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:55 am
    
    I’m down with the lettering and hope they don’t tinker with the hue orange. There is a bit of a burnt orange/GG bridge color to them that I like.
    Now…as for the orange-billed caps, I hope they go away and NEVER return. Hated ’em back in the day and I hate em now.
  - SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:59 am
    
    Vermillion! That’s the GG bridge color I like (had to google it).
    I don’t remember ballpark beer prices in 1982 as I was 17, but I did start junior college that year and clearly remember that we bought many 12 packs of Lucky Lager (11 oz barrel-shaped bottles with riddles on the caps) for $2.89 each.
  - snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:12 pm
    
    Dawg, the official color from day 1 of the GG Bridge has been/ is International Orange. I knew that without going to wiki, but here it is.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_orange
  - SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:22 pm
    
    Yeah Snarkk, I’ve heard that too and saw that when I googled it, but I have heard it referred to as vermillion as well.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:16 pm
  
  I detest any of those orange top uniforms, always have. Give me the cream whites, the real home uniforms. It’s always just been a licensing revenue deal. Isn’t the “Orange Friday” record below .500? Those orange things make the players look like 9 CalTrans dudes standing in the field doing nothing…
DJLoo said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:58 am

The old lady next door to me is rocking one hell of a goiter.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:17 pm
  
  Give her a salt shaker…
zumiee said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:04 pm

According to today’s SF Chronicle, Bumgarner has a sinus infection, and the Giants told him to stay home.
Bumgarner with a sinus infecton? Let the jokes begin….. 🙂
But seriously, folks, sinus infections can be very painful and unpleasant.
- blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:08 pm
  
  Cutting back on snorting coke will clear up that sinus infection right away.
  - stixwiz said, on February 1, 2014 at 3:27 pm
    
    What?? Sticky, white snot-rockets? Say it ain’t Glade, Blade.
James said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:06 pm

Netflix keeps trimming my queue of pre-1980 movies to stream and not replacing them with anything worthwhile. The purging did force me to finally watch John Milius’ “Dillinger” last night, since it’s being pulled today. Milius is the right winger behind the ridiculous “Red Dawn,” but he was a hell of a scriptwriter — probably Del Mar D’s hero — and “Dillinger” has a fantastic cast. Pretty damn good. One of the best exchanges has gang member Harry Dean Stanton responding to a final question about where he played his college football, to which the punch line is “I played center for the State Pen.”
SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:10 pm

I remember back in the day my buddies and I looking at this Darrell E-5ans baseball card and wishing the Giants wore these tops full time.

http://tinyurl.com/mo7np43
DJLoo said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:12 pm

I watched Drugstore Cowboy 10 times this week.
Alleykat said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:39 pm

I always have liked the Giants in the Black uni’s with the orange lettering .
Just looks bad-ass.Remember a game in the early 80’s and they had them on for BP,then changed to their White’s for the game, pissed me off!

Side note: Darryl Evans to me, although he had a great run with us(career rise) never looked good in a uni, not sure if it was his pot marked face,which looked worse when he had the orange baseball cap on occasionally, or just the way he played D at 3B and later at IB,he pretty much Sucked and looked like a doofus doing it.
James said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:44 pm

Hey, tomorrow is the next episode of the Richard Sherman show!

It is sadly amusing that Crabtree is kinda Sonny Liston like.
wswin said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:47 pm

Brandon Belt, who said he has no ill feelings toward the Giants for submitting a $1.55MM arbitration figure ($2.05MM lower than his own figure) and won’t have any hard feelings if they go to a hearing and he listens to the team make a case against him (Sulia link). “I don’t think they think little of me,” said Belt. “I think that’s what teams do. That’s the business side of baseball. I think what both sides are trying to do is create a midpoint, maybe. … I know what I wasn’t good at, so if I go in there it’s not going to hurt my feelings any. If they have to tear me down a little bit, I’ll be OK.”
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 12:57 pm
  
  Belt’s used to the Giants bashing him in public, so what’s the big deal of them bashing him in a private hearing?…
- Les said, on February 1, 2014 at 1:23 pm
  
  Giants submitted 2.05, 1.5 less than Belt
  - wswin said, on February 1, 2014 at 3:30 pm
    
    You’re right. I copied and pasted MLB Trade Rumors who got the numbers backwards…
stixwiz said, on February 1, 2014 at 3:34 pm

Doesn’t surprise me a bit that Belt is angling for a one-year contract only. This could be the year. Batting in front of a bulked up, beefed up Buster, Belt could be blessed with beaucoup opportunities to do some blasting. Brandon breaks .300, with 20+ boomers and 80+ knocked in and nearing 200 runs produced and his agent will have Baer’s butt over a bulging barrel.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:00 pm
  
  Bingo, stix…
Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 3:36 pm

Listening to Marty Lurie’s show this afternoon, he sounds like he’s doing it with a giant woodrow. I’ve never heard a guy so excited to be back on the air.
- SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 4:48 pm
  
  That’s probably because Beer Can is sitting on his lap!
  - blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 4:51 pm
    
    mmmmmm . . . Beer can.
blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 5:35 pm

David Stern retired today. Good riddance. Frickin’ control freak. That fucker was so lucky when during his first year as Commissioner, four of the NBA’s biggest superstars — Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton — entered the league. Anyone else remember CBS aired weeknight playoff games from earlier rounds on tape delay at 11:30 pm Eastern Time (airing games live when the game site was in the Pacific Time Zone)? CBS continued this practice until at least the mid-1980s. What a cluster fuck that was.

During the 1985 NBA Draft Lottery, he was the catalyst for the NBA using a system where seven envelopes representing the seven teams with the worst records were mixed in a tumbler, and then drawn by Stern one at a time to determine which of these clubs would get the 1st pick on wards up to the 7th pick. When these envelopes were added to the tumbler, two envelopes were put in forcibly, and banged against the edge, while all the rest were set in gently. When drawing the envelope for the 1st pick, Stern went for the one with a bent corner, which upon opening the envelope, it was revealed that the New York Knicks logo was inside. Fucking hilarious.

Last, but not least – God forbid anyone should think outside the box (e.g., Mark Cuban) or not kiss his ring (or ass). About the only thing he did do right is play a major role in cleaning up the player drug problem, but even that he did when he was the NBA’s General Counsel under Larry O’Brien. In short, if not for the great players (Bird, Magic, Jordan, Durant, and Lebron), the NBA would probably still be on at 11:30 at night.
- Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 5:56 pm
  - Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:00 pm
    
    Mario Elie was the final pick in that draft, pick #160(!).
  - blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:08 pm
    
    When he pulls out the Knicks envelope, he flips the Warriors envelope out of the way (or whoever the fuck had that envelope . . . Hmm, this fucker isn’t cold? 🙂 ), and then you can see the small bent corner on the one he does select (second 46-47). Snarkk, I also heard the story about the refrigerator.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:01 pm
  
  I heard the story that the Knicks envelope for Ewing was put in the freezer beforehand, so it was easy to pick out the cold one…
Bozo said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:02 pm

Pablo needs to put on some weight. I want a Panda. not a Poindexter playing third.
blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:17 pm

Flavor, that is one of the funniest captions I have ever seen . . . “And here’s the latest skinny Panda pic. Not sure what the alien light is.”

Also, is it just me or does it look like this photo of Pablo was Photoshopped? Almost looks like Pablo’s old fat head was inserted on Eddie Murphy’s body.
- Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:27 pm
  
  watching that ’85 lottery, it just highlights how far we’ve come in terms of technology, digital safety, etc. That video seems like something that would have happened 100 years ago compared to today.
  - blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:33 pm
    
    Yeah. What I don’t get is why the envelopes (other than the obvious reason to fix the draft)? If you are going to go with a Keno type system, consult the experts in Las Vegas.
Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 6:38 pm

Dave Flemming is giving me shit on twitter. Fuck him. Ray Guy deserves to be in the HOF. He’s a d-bag for not getting why.
- blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:13 pm
  
  Saw it. Instead of addressing what you said, he obfuscated the issue by going at the type of fan you are.
- SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:20 pm
  
  I didn’t think it was possible for me to like Flemming any more than I already do, but now he’s tweeting with Big Flav about Ray Guy? He stock has gone even higher in my eyes–regardless of his take on punters in the HOF.
  - Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:26 pm
    
    Hey, how about MY stock rising for getting involved in a tweet-war with a baseball announcer about an NFL punter who, truth be told, neither one of us ever saw do much punting?
  - Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:30 pm
    
    although I saw more punts than he did, he wasn’t born till ’76. In ’76 I’d already rolled deep at an Ed Halicki no hitter. LQTM. Now THAT SHIT is old school……
  - SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:31 pm
    
    Your stock is already sky-high, Sabor. I can’t believe you negative hash-tagged Flemm!
    That’s messed up man.
  - Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:42 pm
    
    Truth be told, I’ve never really liked Flemm. Twin used to say that a great announcer can’t be taken seriously till he’s got a career worth of tales to tell. And he was right. Honest to God truth, that’s the first thing I thought about when Flemm started dissin’ Guy’s HOF induction. He never even fucking saw him kick. And that girly wail on Renteria’s HR’s has always had me doing a slow burn. 🙂
    I do like that he went to Stanford.
    That’s it.
  - Bozo said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:17 pm
    
    Flav, I’m with you on this. I’m not a Flem fan and I still think he is only here because of his kissing Miller’s ass.
  - Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:34 pm
    
    Bozo, you and Loo are both right!
  - snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:10 pm
    
    Flemm is OK. What gets me most about him is when he tends to delve into McCarveresque territory — he explains simple shit to the gnat’s eyebrow, as if everybody listening has no clue not only that Timmy with no outs is going to bunt to move Crawford to second, but why he’s going to do it. Anybody listening to the game on the radio knows the game, we don’t need the remedial baseball description of what’s going on. And, yes, he does kiss Miller’s ass too much…
Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:44 pm

girly wail at about the 9 second mark
- Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:48 pm
  
  Side bar question: How the fuck did Edgar Renteria hit a home run against Cliff Lee? Seriously, how did he do that?
  - DJLoo said, on February 1, 2014 at 7:58 pm
    
    McCarver was imploring them to walk Edgar and pitch to Rowand, I think…
  - snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:12 pm
    
    A guy as experienced as Rent made a guess about the pitch and or location, and he guessed right and executed…
SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:10 pm

The fact that Flemm went to Stanford and is such a Tree-honk is the only thing I DON’T like about the guy! However, I am so not getting into a blog fight with you tonight about his talent as an announcer. I’ll just say he’s my favorite announcer in all of sport—and I’m a guy who is obsessed with announcers—and leave it at that.
I’m off to watch Thanks for Sharing. Review later, even though I got crickets on my Captain Phillips review last week. (C+, loved the first half,lifeboat scene went on WAY too long)
- Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:17 pm
  
  Diggity, you don’t like hubris and everyone that went to Stanford has oodles of hubris. And Flemm oozes hubris.
  I’m a “don’t think you’re better or worse than anyone else” kinda guy. And I KNOW you are too.
  I like that he went to Stanford just because it’s my fav college team. Most of the people that I know in real life that went to Stanford? Get over yourselves……..
  - SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:26 pm
    
    I’ll grant you that, but he’s nothing like guys like Costas and Al Michaels who (while being admittedly great announcers) have hubris flowing out of them like the Russian River.
    I’m an info guy and Flemm gives you info. Plus, I like that he is lot quicker to criticize and call guys out a bit than Miller (who I also think is great).
    
    More importantly than all of this…have you seen Captain Phillips Flav?
  - Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:28 pm
    
    nope. No idea what Capt Phillips is. The last movie I saw was Frozen and I thought it was fantastic, maybe the best Disney movie I’ve ever seen.
Flavor said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:33 pm

Diggity– without looking, that was your C+ movie, right? These days it’s hard to get me into a theater if my date isn’t my kid
Hey–Stanford question 4 you: I hate the hubris as much as you, but you have to appreciate what they do in football, baseball, basketball (and all the other sports) considering their academic requirements, right? Especially football and b-ball. Yes?
- SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 8:42 pm
  
  Yeah, I guess so. I would guess they still lower their admissions standards for stand-out athletes just like everyone else does. Too a lesser extent though, I’m sure.
  I’m actually the same as you on movies. Last 2 times in an actual theater was Harry Potter and Hunger Games with the kids. That is why I amuse myself a bit with the movie reviews—I’m not really a movie guy at all. In fact, I think most people thought Captain Phillips was fantastic. Not for me it wasn’t.
  - blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:15 pm
    
    I saw it SD and I liked it, except I knew the story (which was in all the papers when it happened); so yes, I agree the ending was a bit drawn out. Also, I didn’t understand why those merchant marines were only packing fire hoses. If I am sailing where pirates are, I am expecting the company to protect me or I am bringing heat with me.
snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 9:50 pm

I was a friggin’ Raiders AND Niner fan in the ’60s and ’70s. Yeah, both. When Darth Al moved them to LA, I stopped caring about the Raiduhs. Anyway, I remember as a young kid with my Dad and older brother at the SF Boat Show in the Cow Palace on Super Bowl Sunday II when the Pack vs. Raiders was on TVs at the Boat Show, and people were more interested in boats than the damn game and Lamonica getting his hat handed to him. There was nothing like the Snake-led Raiders in the mid- ’70s for excitement. Bill King was awesome announcing those games. Stabler would bring those bad boys back in the 4th Q like clockwork. And, I mean Bad Boys. Villipiano, Mad Stork, Sistrunk, Upshaw, Biletnikoff with his stickum on his socks, Madden patrolling the sidelines, Blanda as old as Methuseleh winning games. Epic games vs. Miami and especially the Steelers. I saw the friggin’ Immaculate Reception happen LIVE on TV, and was totally pissed because it was an illegal play back then under those rules. I can tell you that waiting 23 years to get Ray Guy into the HOF is a freakin’ joke. He belongs in the HOF because as a punter, he was a revelation. There was NO other punter like him during his period. He was the best, he was the first punter that was a true Weapon for changing field position — totally at a different level compared to punters before him. That’s the essence of a HOFer, a guy who makes you sit up and say “Whoa, what the FUCK was THAT!”. If Flemming is saying No to Ray Guy, I’m sorry, but Flemm is absolutely FOS, and being a Cal guy and he’s a Furd turd, I can say emphatically that he’s FOS and clueless about what Ray Guy meant to a football game in his day…
- blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:02 pm
  
  “. . . he was the first punter that was a true Weapon for changing field position.”
  
  I get it that most teams today have a “Ray Guy” on their team. I also understand that there are quite a few punters today that are better than Guy. However, as you pointed out, there was NO ONE in his era. Zip, nada, zero punters back then that could do what he was doing. He totally dominated his era and isn’t that what the Hall of Fame is all about?
  - snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:06 pm
    
    Bingo, blade. In his time, Guy stood way way above all the rest. Nobody brought rain like his punts, nobody kicked 60 yarders like he did. If somebody asked then who was the best punter, everybody knew who that was — there was no point in having a conversation about it…
  - blade3colorado said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:20 pm
    
    For different reasons, both the baseball and football HOFs are a farce. If I was forced to choose which one was better, I would have to lean toward the football Hall Of Fame. There are so many deserving football players that are “backlogged” due to new players that are eligible. Frankly, they need to address this issue. There are 23 full time 1st string players on each football team. Consequently, you will always have a larger percentage of HOF quality players versus other sports, which have smaller roster sizes (e.g., basketball and baseball).
  - snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:33 pm
    
    Totally agree with you on that point, blade. Baseball HOF now a joke, Canton is less so, but still a joke because the process seems mindless and random. Aeneas Williams was an excellent DB, but in the scheme of things IMO, he’s nowhere near the HOFer that Ray Guy is in terms of historical importance to the NFL game, yet Williams gets in on his second or third shot after being eligible, and Guy takes 2 1/2 decades…
Salty said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:16 pm

Gotta love Cal knocking off Az, eh Snarkk?
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 10:26 pm
  
  Awesome last shot, yeah. Ashley got hurt in first half for the Cats, that helped. Haas is a tough place to play, if Monty has ’em playing some D and the crowd is into it, which it had to be playing the #1. I wanted to go to that game, but the younger Snarkkette had her birthday party this afternoon and tonight, so phhtttt. I really enjoy college basketball, IMO it kicks major ass on the NBA guys dragging their butts around and doing endless pick and rolls and shooting mindless 3s. Arizona’s coach probably secretly glad they lost one now, gets that pressure off their back. BTW, #1 in nation Cal women swim team lambasted UCLA today. Cal’s women swim coach Teri McKeever was the USA Olympic swim coach for 2012 in London — first woman head coach ever of an Olympic women’s swim team…
unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:01 pm

Snarkk, you were one of very few then. When I was a kid it was either or, as in 49ers/Raiders. There was little sharing of affection allowed. Being an aspiring WR as a kid, though, I always liked Freddy B. And the Raiders always looked like they were having way too much fun out there.

As far as Ray Guy getting in, well, he’s a football player who was head-and-shoulders better than everyone else at his position for his entire 14 year career. He should have been a shoo-in. I mean really. Jan Stenerud got in right away. No reason Guy shouldn’t have. Flemm doesn’t think so? He’s a doof.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:07 pm
  
  I didn’t grow up in the Bay Area. So, though Giants were always my baseball team, I was an equal opportunity football fan for Bay Area teams. Then, when as a young adult I did live here, the Niners were really taking off with Walsh and Joe, and Traitor Al then up and moved to LA. So, I haven’t given much time since to following the Raiduhs…
  - unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:08 pm
    
    Ahhh, where’d you grow up?
  - snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:09 pm
    
    Fresburg. Got to watch Bobby Bonds one summer at the ol John Euless ballpark. You could tell he was going to be good from the first moment you saw him run down a flyball. And, nobody was close to Bobby for speed on the bases and stealing, plus he’d hit monster shots to left center that to me, as a kid playing ball, were friggin unbelievable. The only other guy I remember watching there that struck me as much as Bobby was Garry Maddox later on. The guy seemed to glide out there in the outfield…
  - unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:18 pm
    
    Very cool. Bonds was one of my favorites as a kid.
  - snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:21 pm
    
    I think minor league “A” ball is the true essence of baseball. I miss seeing it. At that level, you pretty much can tell right away who the kids are that have a shot. You know they are headed for the next level, but don’t know if they’re going to make it all the way up. Then, there’s that one that really stands out, like Bobby. You friggin KNOW he’s going to make the big leagues. You don’t know how long he’s going to stick, but he’s so much better than the rest, you just know he’s going to get there. Maybe that’s why I get so worked up about the Giants not developing outfielders. As a kid, I SAW them with my own eyes up close. I was awed by them. Damn, that’s probably why I get so pissed about the Giants farm system and outfielders. I need a Makers…
  - unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:56 pm
    
    Yer killin’ me Snarkk! Yeah, when your claim to to fame for the last 20 years is Marvin Benard, well, there you go.
unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:07 pm

And don’t get me started on John Brodie. Shit, even Ken Willard. It took 15 years for Jimmy Johnson to get in. He was hands down the best cover guy of his day. Dude played with 2 broken arms in 1972 IIRC. Dave Wilcox? 26 years. Utter stupidity. Guys like Namath get right in on hype and bullshit.
unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:16 pm

I mean shit. Tim Brown isn’t in? Don’t forget Steve Spurrier, though. He was a hell of a punter back in the day . . .

Great picture of Katie, Flav.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:25 pm
  
  Tim Brown caught what, 3+ times as many balls as Lynn Swann, yet Brown is not in? Andre Reed today gets in before Brown, but Brown’s been eligible for years? As I said, the NFL HOF selection process seems “arbitrary and capricious”, with some kind of bullshit slotting process going on. The baseball HOF process now is just plain stooopid…
unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:25 pm

Yeah, my 1st thought was when watching Cap’t Phillips was why the hell doesn’t anyone have a rifle? The fact the a multi-multi-million dollar ship with millions of dollars in cargo can be taken over by a couple of dudes in a skiff is just nuts. Yeah I liked it. Did drag out though.
- SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:32 pm
  
  Yeah I wonder if that is the way it really went down. Blade mentioned the fire hoses. If that was really their best line of defense that is something else. Another thing that bugged me a bit is that it portrayed Capt Phillips as basically a genius with balls of steel who only cares about the safety of others—including one of his captors! I have a hard time believing that in the actual event the guy handled everything so perfectly. His first mate was a total stud as well. (By the way, I didn’t recognize that actor, but thought he did a good job) The only guys portrayed as having a any weakness are of course the union guys on the front lines. That aspect of it rang a little hollow for me.
  - unca_chuck said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:53 pm
    
    Some of the crew came out and said Phillips didn’t do what was portrayed. That many more people did more than was shown, but most people involved said that was pretty much how it went down. They also said they shouldn’t have travelled that close to the Somalian coast, and were warned, but Phillips said it wouldn’t make a difference.
SanDawg said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:25 pm

I remember watching the Immaculate Reception game at my neighbor’s house—the same kid who was with me when I broke a pipe in my backyard digging for arrowheads–inspired by the Chiefs helmets . I wasn’t a Raider guy, so I was happy.
“Thanks for Sharing” was a mixed bag for me: bizarre, intense, kinda funny at times. Interesting insight into sex addiction and 12 step programs in general. I’m gonna go C+ again.
Snarkk—one of my best friends grew up in Fresno. He’s got a great story about playing in a basketball tournament in 6th grade against Tim McDonald. He said McDonald was shooting pull up jumpers from the top of key like it was nothing. Not set shots—elevating, hanging in the air, and stroking a J at age 12.
- snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:28 pm
  
  McDonald was about a decade after my time there. I remember seeing Roscoe and Clifton Pondexter playing high school B-ball at Selland Arena in Fresno. Anybody remember those guys? Men amongst boys. Clif was 6’9″, played at Long Beach State, then got drafted by the Bulls. But, he hurt his knee or something, and never really did much in the NBA. Ortho surgery has come a long way since those dark ages…
snarkk said, on February 1, 2014 at 11:29 pm

G’night dudes…