Chiefs v. Rams, Preseason

I've been trying to get this blog up for a few days now, but since I'm downloading and burning a project to DVD for a coworker, things here have been moving slow and slow makes me frustrated with computing in general. So, instead of trying so hard, I've walked away and ignored it... until now.

Here are some pictures from the Chiefs and Rams game I went to with Carolyn, her coworker, and her coworker's friend.

It poured before the game. I mean, POURED. Hell, it poured during the game, too. There was hail and lightning. It was a pretty bad-ass storm. So, we sat in the parking lot for almost an hour and a half and drank beer. It was a pretty good time. But then we decided that we better brave the weather and go in or miss all of the game. We got pretty wet on the way to the stadium, but it had gotten better by the time we actually moved from the safety of the car.



Once we got in we found out that the game hadn't even started yet. They postponed it temporarily for all the lightning. So we found our seats and had another beer! The people sitting around us were all super awesome and every time the Chiefs scored, there were high fives all around. Football games are 20 billion times better than baseball games.


The Chiefs even won this game! Look at how empty the seats are since the weather was so bad and it was "only a preseason game". Whatever. Any football is fun to watch. It's sad that the place wasn't packed. I bet the Patriots and Giants and Colts preseason games were all at full capacity.



I took this picture near the start of the game. Look at the color of the sky! What a weird storm. It looked grey-purple. I'm not sure if the picture really does it justice.


The seats we had were awesome. We were under the overhang so when it started raining again, people flocked to our area. We didn't even have to wipe down our seats. And do you see how close we were? Totally cool.


Look at the deluge! Haha all you other people (including the players)!


It was a super good time. I'm looking forward to Sunday when I get to go see the home opener against the Raiders. Let's hope that if that game comes down to making 5 yards in 4 downs again, they actually DO it this time.

Sadly, Croyle is out this week with a shoulder separation so Huard is quarterbacking. That's a little disappointing, but maybe he'll prove himself this week.

I'll be happy enough if Bowe doesn't drop the ball.


End Blog.

PS - I lost my fantasy football game by 0.40 points this week. I blame Peyton Manning. Does he even remember how to play?

Real and Fantasy Football

I love Carolyn's new job. She just got free tickets to the pre-season Chiefs v. Rams game! It's tomorrow night and she's taking me with her because she's super nice like that. So, that's special for me - I get to see the Rams (Dad's favorite team) and the Raiders (Mom's favorite team) this year. Too bad the Chiefs don't play my favorite team, the Giants.

I like going to football games way more than baseball games, but don't usually go to that many since they're so much more expensive than popping in to see the Royals play. So, this is really awesome.

While we're on the subject of sports, I came in 2nd in my division in fantasy baseball, and fourth in overall points.

Meanwhile, I've just joined a fantasy football league. We had our draft on Saturday and here is my roster:

QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
QB David Garrad, Jacksonville Jaguars

WR Plaxico Burress, New York Giants
WR Larry Fitzgereld, Arizona Cardinals
WR Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers
WR Darrell Jackson, Denver Broncos
WR Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers

RB Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants
RB Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins
RB Willis McGahee, Baltimore Ravens

TE Alge Crumpler, Tennessee Titans
TE Owen Daniels, Houston Texans

Defense Minnesota Vikings
Defense Seattle Seahawks

K Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots

I ended up with one more wide reciever than I wanted. I was trying to keep the running backs and wide receivers in equal numbers, but setting stuff up for an auto draft is kinda hard. I didn't want any Dallas or New England players, simply because I hate both of those teams, but I did end up with the Patriots kicker. I suppose that's not so bad.

I'm pretty happy with my team, for all that I know about football. So, this should be fun. It's my first year. Considering I did relatively well in fantasy baseball even though I'd never done it before, I have high hopes. However, I am in a league where everyone has played before.

It's okay though. Since I know that all of football is based on how awesome your mascot is, I've decided to name my team the Fire Dragons. I'm sure I'll do well based on that fact alone.


End Blog.

Olympic Backyard Games

I love the Olympics. However, they are keeping me up past my bedtime and I have been really tired recently. Not only are they on television for slightly over four hours every night, but you can watch clips of things online any time you want, and stream some events live, as they happen. Not to mention newspapers and radio, but I try to stay away from them because they spoil you on events that haven't happened yet here in prime time because of the crazy China time difference.

That being said, I find myself watching the craziest things. Things I would not watch on tv if it weren't for the Olympics. Here is an example of things I would cruise past with my remote control:

Discus or shotput
Any sort of running in general
MEN'S field hockey (who knew this existed?)
Trampoline
Anything Equestrian (do they do anything other than make their horses walk in circles?)
Shooting
Weightlifting (Ew, did you see that elbow?)
Boxing
Badminton
Table Tennis

I've also watched all sorts of gymnastics, swimming, diving, synchronized diving, rowing, beach volleyball, volleyball, softball, high jump (which I love, why is there not more of it?) and other more conventional things. I might watch some of these things even if it weren't for the Olympics.

But, out of all of these things, I think we need to focus a bit on the trampoline. Yes, trampoline is an Olympic sport, and in 2012 they are taking away softball. Men's field hockey is a sport! I can't even wrap my head around that. I hope they were kilts.

Anyway... I was talking about trampoline.

To be eligible to compete, you must be 18. I assume this is because you have to be of legal age to sign waivers in case you fall on your neck and become a paraplegic. There can't be any other explanations since 12 16 year olds can compete in gymnastics.

These men and women are thrust nearly 30 feet into the air as they jump and complete 10 elements in their routine. This sport is basically platform diving without water. ...Except sometimes, on purpose, they land on the bed of the trampoline flat on their backs or stomachs. And they have to stop with like, one jump and not fall over. I think.

You see, the only way I've managed to watch this sport is online. And when you watch those feeds, there are no commentators. It's like they just put some cameras there and you're spying on what's going on in the venues sometimes. Other times, there seems to be a real camera person, there just isn't anyone telling you want's going on.

Mostly, I just sit here wishing that they'll jump from one trampoline to the other. I'm sure the Olympic official judges would frown upon that and disqualify the athlete, but I think it would be pretty damn cool.

Also, this whole stromotion thing is ridiculous. Stop it! There's only one person up there jumping around! Stop fucking with my pea-sized brain. It's weird and unnecessary. I hate stromotion, and I hate it's dumb name.

Televise the men's trampoline finals in prime time!


End Blog.


PS - Holy crap, they're televising the women's finals tonight. And I already watched it online without commentary. I wonder if it was better or worse that way...

I know who wins!

Remy in a Hat... Kinda

Brenda told me about this contest that the Royals are doing where you're supposed to dress your pet in Royals gear and take a picture. I'm not really sure what you win, or if the contest is even still going on, but last weekend while she was visiting, she brought me some Royals gear that Remy would fit into. So, of course I put her in it.

Even Remy's Ducky is a Royals fan.

I'm saying, "Go Royals!" is this photo. Remy is licking my face. You can tell she's really happy in her shiny Royals jacket.

I understand why people dress up their pets. It's hilarious. But, only for five minutes... then it's just plain cruel.


End Blog.

Sunday at the Ballpark

Bren and I had a really good time at the Royals game last Sunday. They even won against the O's. I had some great burgers on the grill while we tailgated, got slightly sunburned, and drank a sufficient amount of beer. I think Bren did too, as evidenced here:

That's not really true. Knowing Bren, I'm sure she'd have done this sober... although this is the second take - because after she did it the first time I was highly disappointed that I couldn't relive that magical moment over and over again. So, I made the monkey perform again. And I didn't even have to crack a whip... I think she volunteered.

Like I said... fun times. Even though I have absolutely no idea what happened during this game, and I made it a point to pay attention for a whole inning. The only thing I can tell you is that they were wearing powder blue jerseys and it was a beautiful, sunny, yet windy day.

And we hogged all the peanuts. They were delicious.


End Blog.

Fantasy Baseball

I got conned into joining a fantasy baseball team. Actually, it didn't take much - I kinda hoped I could somehow ruin things for everyone else in the league. I'm fun like that.

Anyway, I know we're only in week two, but I wanted to let you know, that for this very brief moment in time, I am tied for first place with 315 points.

Yay! Go fancy computer thing-a-ma-bob that picked all my players for me! Here's a rundown of who's on my team:

C

Mike Napoli (C , LAA)

1B

Albert Pujols (1B , STL)

2B

B.J. Upton (2B,OF , TB)

3B

Ryan Braun (3B , MIL)

SS

Edgar Renteria (SS , DET)

OF

Nick Swisher (1B,OF , CWS)

OF

Jermaine Dye (OF , CWS)

OF

Pat Burrell (OF , PHI)

P

Los Angeles Dodgers (P , LAD)

(I have a few others sitting on the bench right now, too.)

So... Go all those people! Play well! Be basebally! Don't eat the grass!

I wish I could put Dottie Henson, Marla Hooch, and Mae Mordabito on my team. I mean, what kind of fantasy is this? Boo. My fantasy baseball team would be way cooler if I could pick them... and Crash Davis. And Rick Vaughn, Willie Mays Hayes, and Pedro Cerrano. Yeah... that'd be a much better fantasy...

Lay off the high ones!


End Blog.

Television and Movie Entertainment Stuff

TNL. Thursday Night Live? I just read a news article that says SNL will have four 30 minute episodes running on Thursday nights (after The Office) for the four weeks prior to the 2008 Presidential Elections.

Oh pleeeeeeeease let Hillary Clinton get the Democratic nomination. Then we get to see Amy Poehler as Hillary even more! What do you mean that is not the way the country should vote for a President??

In related news:
Only 17 days until the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler comedy Baby Mama comes to a theater near you.



In other-other completely non-related news (except that it's a movie):
I watched Chariots of Fire this weekend. I thought it was a movie about running. I was unprepared for all the religious stuff in it. And that the Chariots of Fire theme song was hardly in it at all. I was kinda disappointed overall.

I'm pretty sure I had that movie confused with another one. But, I don't know what the other movie is that I have it confused with. In my mind Chariots of Fire was supposed to be about running - more specifically marathon running, not sprinting - and something was supposed to happen at the end... something big... and everyone who has ever watched it is supposed to have cried. Now, whatever movie I have just described... I want to see it - because it wasn't Chariots of Fire.

Except I don't want anyone to spoil the ending as to why everyone cries (which is a large reason why I have not done a lot of searching into this). So, if you know what movie this could be (the sport might not be running, this has obviously passed through some sort of Nikki filter that has distorted all of the facts), you should let me know so I can put it on my Blockbuster queue. And in case you think it's Brian's Song, it's not. I've seen that. I'm sure it's something else that I'm thinking of. (But I'm nearly positive that it's an older movie, likely made in the seventies.)

So, think on that, would ya? Sports-type movie (that may or may not involve running), made possibly in the 70s, that is a tear-jerker. I'm not sure why I want to watch such a movie, other than the fact that it's famous... and I always cry at sports movies anyway.

Could it be something to do with Steve Prefontaine? Did he have a movie made about him? Help! It's driving me crazy.


End Blog.
(Wow, I was feeling very parenthetical, wasn't I?)

The Free Go

You may not know this about me, but I'm a seriously awful bowler. I remember bowling with my parents when I was much younger - probably between the ages of 7-10 or so, and I have to tell you, I was much better at it then. And we weren't even using the magic bumpers or anything.

Since then, I have lost all bowling talent. And that's why I invented the "Free Go". Here's how it works:

Make sure you get two balls to play this game. One must be really light (think 6 pounds) and then something else that looks like you actually know how to play (an 8 or 9 pound ball usually works for little weakling girls like me). Now, throw the light ball down the lane, but don't give it too much power. It'll knock over a few pins (if you're lucky!). Usually this will not reset the mechanism that re-racks your pins. Don't ask why, it's a big mystery. I think if the computer likes you, you get to go again. So, while your pins are rolling about on the lane, take the other heavier ball and toss it down the lane as well. You'll likely pick up a few more pins... and if not, the heavier ball will register whatever it is that resets the pins.

Voilà! The Free Go.

Now both of your balls will be returned to you and you can try this again. The key is to get some pins down on your first light-ball turn, because if you get a gutter ball, the machine will reset itself. The second key is to not push the reset button... or let anyone else near the reset button who would push it for you, thinking that they are being helpful... or trying to prevent you from cheating.

Listen up. The Free Go is NOT cheating. It's a FREE turn given to you by the all knowing bowling gods. It would be wrong to upset them. It's totally cool to throw another ball down the lane if they don't reset your pins. They want you to. It's just that most people only have one ball... so they push the button to get their ball back and go again. This is silly and unnecessary. Get two balls.

It doesn't work every time. It's an art that must be mastered. I am very good at it. We all have talents.

With this technique, my score nearly broke 100. I would have done it too, if it wasn't for frame nine where I got two gutter balls.



Look at that score! (N would be me.) One of the spares was a two ball spare (a "real" one), the other was a four ball spare, and that strike? It was a two ball strike. I was the second best player that game.

...I also got the most Free Gos. Think how you could improve your game!

Also - Yes, I do think that you could throw MORE than two balls down the lane in the event that the second ball also does not register the reset of pins. However, I have no idea how many pins and balls it can handle and I get nervous of putting three down there at a time. But, by all means, check it out. I'm sure that anyone can be a great bowler if they try hard enough.


End Blog.

Go Big Blue

I've been a Giants fan since I was eight or nine. Certainly, there were a few years that I wasn't really following professional football at all, but not this year. I've been watching the team this season, along with the Chiefs, because well, I thought I should cheer for the hometown team. I finally made it to my first professional football game, too.

It's nice to be able to say this, the year I really got back into watching and cheering for football...

YAY!! The Giants are going to the Superbowl! Finally, I can cheer for a team instead of watching commercials (which, by the way, have been seriously lacking in quality in recent years).


Sure, they're up against an undefeated team, but I have faith in my underdogs, and of their NFL record of ten consecutive wins on the road. Plus, I hear that cheaters never win...

GO GIANTS!


End Blog.