The Angels and White Sox pull off a big trade, the Dodgers and Guardians pull off a smaller one, Rob Manfred is reelected, and we talk about Sinéad O’Connor, butter sculptures, and memorable days
Votto was out there cutting a WCW Saturday Night promo from the pre-nWo days and it was incredible stuff.
In my head, he's responding to Col. Robert Parker and setting up a feud with his "Stud Stable" ... Votto and Greinke will eventually have one-on-one matches with the likes of Bunkhouse Buck, Terry Funk, and Dick Slater ... but this feud is building to the big blow-off tag match four weeks later at Clash of the Champions with Parker's top tag team, Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce.
Votto and Greinke go over, obviously, and their new tag team "The Hall of Very Good" goes on to win the WCW Tag Titles for a three month stint before dropping the gold back to the returning Steiner Brothers. THoVG spends the next six-to-ten months feuding on the b-shows with a bunch of jobber teams, occasionally getting the call to put over Harlem Heat or some pairing of the Four Horsemen; but they fade out and by the arrival of the nWo in 1996, they're back to freelancers working the territories and playing baseball on the side to pay the bills.
The part at the end really got to me. My son was in college, but it was ony 45 minites away so even though he was away it didn't feel exactly like an empty nest. He graduated in the Spring and moved to DC (I like in Michigan) and it's really hittng me now and I probably shouldn't be tearing up at 7:30 in the morning, right? Damn you - stick to sports! jk, of course. I really love reading this each (weekday) morning.
I feel you. My son attended college 3 miles away, and tomorrow we are driving halfway across the country (North Carolina to WIsconsin) to move him into his new apartment; he starts his new job a week from Monday. He’s never lived more than 3 miles away, always came home on the weekends, and hasn’t even really travelled away from us very far. He’s our firstborn. I just can’t believe it.
May the drive go well! I did Georgia to Michigan for Kid #1 last week and it was ... problematic. The uhaul broke down in middle of nowhere Indiana leading to a comedy of errors. But at least I eventually made it and it'll be a story to tell.
One silly tidbit: the truck's floorboard wasn't broiling hot, but it was hot enough to melt the heel of my right shoe.
Best thing about the butter sculptures at the Ohio State Fair is that it's right next to the place with the absolute best, richest ice cream ever. Or at least it was back in 1991, the last year I was there. I'd go back to see the musicians in butter too.
We have the butter sculptures in Illinois too. We haven't gone in several years, since the kids are a little older and less into it. But it was usually a fun enough afternoon, even if I could never shake the feeling that the State Fair as a concept is a bit of an historical anachronism in the early-ish 21st century.
Regardless, the butter sculpture was always a highlight. In fact, our local baseball team, the Lucky Horseshoes, is re-branding as the Springfield Butter Cows for a night in August, coinciding with the opening of the State Fair.
The National would make excellent Ohio-themed butter sculptures. Buttery Matt Berninger sounds like a 20’s silent-era movie star, and would look fantastic, perpetually reared back to let out a curdled scream.
I have a VPN and I've used it before, but I never feel motivated enough to watch Cleveland games. Or Pirates games, which are also blacked out here. I have used it for Reds games, the third and final blackout in my area, this season because they're actually fun to watch now, but I hadn't used it on them for a long time before now.
On a random note, one of the fun things about running Verizon 5G Wireless Home Internet is how much it confuses MLB.TV's IP address detector. Sometimes I get the Chicago games on it, and at other times it randomly blacks out the likes of the Padres, Dodgers, Reds, and Pirates (all of whom I watched more this season than the White Sox for what I hope are very understandable reasons)....
Giolito and Lopez being traded at the deadline brings back memories of when the Nats traded them and Cup of Coffee's favorite B movie actor Dane Dunning for Adam Eaton in December of 2016.
Some Nats fans who have seen Giolito's performance since decry the trade, but not me. Eaton's production in the 2019 Series, where he was second only to Juan Soto in OPS, will always make it a good trade in my mind.
Yeah! Living near DC, I got to see Eaton's positive impact on the Nationals first hand. He was a much needed top of the order catalyst. That's a trade I make again. They had pitching depth to cover for Giolito and Lopez never quite lived up to the hype.
Oh yeah? Well the ChiSox showed you when they got Eaton back as a free agent in 2021 and...proceeded to DFA him or something after 219 very bad at bats.... #WowIHateMyTeamNowadays
The music bit with your kids was tremendous, Craig. When my 19 y/o son Jalen chose Dr. Dre’s “Keep Their Heads Ringing” - a song that I wore out in my POS 1986 Ford Tempo when I was his age - as his pre-at bat walk up music for a few weeks during his senior season, woo, buddy, it was a lot.
I love baseball, but boy do I love when you talk about your kids. Such perfect memories that resonate with me. And that Onion article is spot on for us! The Prisoner episodes!! Talking Heads!! Yes!!
My 14-year old sometimes mockingly yells at me for making her like music that none of her friends know. But she's also already planned out that she's going to wear her Ramones t-shirt for her first day of 9th grade next month.
“Heaven” is such an amazing song. And Widespread Panic’s version is also very good.
I have been very sad about Sinéad O’Connor since I heard the news yesterday. I bought her first album when it came out in 1987 and still love Mandinka. Here’s Sharon Van Etten doing her song “Black Boys on Mopeds.”
The full interview airs today, right?
Votto was out there cutting a WCW Saturday Night promo from the pre-nWo days and it was incredible stuff.
In my head, he's responding to Col. Robert Parker and setting up a feud with his "Stud Stable" ... Votto and Greinke will eventually have one-on-one matches with the likes of Bunkhouse Buck, Terry Funk, and Dick Slater ... but this feud is building to the big blow-off tag match four weeks later at Clash of the Champions with Parker's top tag team, Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce.
Votto and Greinke go over, obviously, and their new tag team "The Hall of Very Good" goes on to win the WCW Tag Titles for a three month stint before dropping the gold back to the returning Steiner Brothers. THoVG spends the next six-to-ten months feuding on the b-shows with a bunch of jobber teams, occasionally getting the call to put over Harlem Heat or some pairing of the Four Horsemen; but they fade out and by the arrival of the nWo in 1996, they're back to freelancers working the territories and playing baseball on the side to pay the bills.
There were some lovely pieces about Sinead yesterday -
Dave Holmes in Esquire: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a44655422/sinead-oconnor-death-tribute/
And Matt Nathanson - it was an old record review, but it wasn’t just about that singular record: https://www.talkhouse.com/matt-nathanson-talks-sinead-oconnors-im-not-bossy-im-the-boss/
Even the statement from Ireland’s President Higgins- it seemed genuine and sincere.
Russell Crowe had a nice little five tweet thread about her:
https://twitter.com/russellcrowe/status/1684340208706224129?s=19
I think I read that right after Inposted those 🤦🏼♀️
I have a lot of Sinead to listen to on tap today.
The part at the end really got to me. My son was in college, but it was ony 45 minites away so even though he was away it didn't feel exactly like an empty nest. He graduated in the Spring and moved to DC (I like in Michigan) and it's really hittng me now and I probably shouldn't be tearing up at 7:30 in the morning, right? Damn you - stick to sports! jk, of course. I really love reading this each (weekday) morning.
I feel you. My son attended college 3 miles away, and tomorrow we are driving halfway across the country (North Carolina to WIsconsin) to move him into his new apartment; he starts his new job a week from Monday. He’s never lived more than 3 miles away, always came home on the weekends, and hasn’t even really travelled away from us very far. He’s our firstborn. I just can’t believe it.
Stay strong, which is easier said than done
May the drive go well! I did Georgia to Michigan for Kid #1 last week and it was ... problematic. The uhaul broke down in middle of nowhere Indiana leading to a comedy of errors. But at least I eventually made it and it'll be a story to tell.
One silly tidbit: the truck's floorboard wasn't broiling hot, but it was hot enough to melt the heel of my right shoe.
Best thing about the butter sculptures at the Ohio State Fair is that it's right next to the place with the absolute best, richest ice cream ever. Or at least it was back in 1991, the last year I was there. I'd go back to see the musicians in butter too.
I saw Musicians in Butter open for Industrial Shithouse at The Horseshoe in 1995
Denise Kaufman's basswork with MiB was always the highlight for me!
We have the butter sculptures in Illinois too. We haven't gone in several years, since the kids are a little older and less into it. But it was usually a fun enough afternoon, even if I could never shake the feeling that the State Fair as a concept is a bit of an historical anachronism in the early-ish 21st century.
Regardless, the butter sculpture was always a highlight. In fact, our local baseball team, the Lucky Horseshoes, is re-branding as the Springfield Butter Cows for a night in August, coinciding with the opening of the State Fair.
https://twitter.com/ShoesBaseball/status/1681074720039469056
My brother is an expert in sleep study, and I’ve had this NPR link open for a month meaning to listen to him share his knowledge and passion.
I’ll finally do it today, and welcome anyone else to, as well. We all might learn something:
https://the1a.org/segments/in-good-health-living-with-sleep-disorders/
The National would make excellent Ohio-themed butter sculptures. Buttery Matt Berninger sounds like a 20’s silent-era movie star, and would look fantastic, perpetually reared back to let out a curdled scream.
Nats win again! Can they continue it at Citi Field? (Likely not but it’s the Mets so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
I just LOLed on a plane at the Vans story ... and now I have Phoebe Buffay’s “Stinky Shoes” stuck in my head.
Back in the Minnesota saddle tomorrow - rock on, Cuppagentsia!
It doesn't seem particularly unlikely. The Mets are a below .500 team and the Nats are playing well.
I wonder why someone who writes about baseball doesn't get a VPN like Nordvpn to get around the blackouts? It's somewhat easy and inexpensive to do.
I have a VPN and I've used it before, but I never feel motivated enough to watch Cleveland games. Or Pirates games, which are also blacked out here. I have used it for Reds games, the third and final blackout in my area, this season because they're actually fun to watch now, but I hadn't used it on them for a long time before now.
"Not worth the effort of using my VPN to watch" is a pretty pitiful comment on the state of those teams.
On a random note, one of the fun things about running Verizon 5G Wireless Home Internet is how much it confuses MLB.TV's IP address detector. Sometimes I get the Chicago games on it, and at other times it randomly blacks out the likes of the Padres, Dodgers, Reds, and Pirates (all of whom I watched more this season than the White Sox for what I hope are very understandable reasons)....
And for any device with location/GPS the VPN trick doesn’t work.
Giolito and Lopez being traded at the deadline brings back memories of when the Nats traded them and Cup of Coffee's favorite B movie actor Dane Dunning for Adam Eaton in December of 2016.
Some Nats fans who have seen Giolito's performance since decry the trade, but not me. Eaton's production in the 2019 Series, where he was second only to Juan Soto in OPS, will always make it a good trade in my mind.
Yeah! Living near DC, I got to see Eaton's positive impact on the Nationals first hand. He was a much needed top of the order catalyst. That's a trade I make again. They had pitching depth to cover for Giolito and Lopez never quite lived up to the hype.
Oh yeah? Well the ChiSox showed you when they got Eaton back as a free agent in 2021 and...proceeded to DFA him or something after 219 very bad at bats.... #WowIHateMyTeamNowadays
Casting my vote for a big butter Dave Grohl.
There are probably lots of great videos of Sinead O'Connor singing lots of songs. I'd never seen this one before. Rest in power. https://twitter.com/consequence/status/1684537450109063169?s=20
The music bit with your kids was tremendous, Craig. When my 19 y/o son Jalen chose Dr. Dre’s “Keep Their Heads Ringing” - a song that I wore out in my POS 1986 Ford Tempo when I was his age - as his pre-at bat walk up music for a few weeks during his senior season, woo, buddy, it was a lot.
In my headcannon your son somehow knows Jake Cronenworth and that's why he's using that song now.
I assume the cow and calf in the butter sculpture invented something too?
Milk and veal ?
Mooving pictures.
Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys as butter sculptures would prompt me to drive the five hours to Columbus.
I’d be there too!
I love baseball, but boy do I love when you talk about your kids. Such perfect memories that resonate with me. And that Onion article is spot on for us! The Prisoner episodes!! Talking Heads!! Yes!!
My 14-year old sometimes mockingly yells at me for making her like music that none of her friends know. But she's also already planned out that she's going to wear her Ramones t-shirt for her first day of 9th grade next month.
In summary, my girl is a land of contrasts.
“Heaven” is such an amazing song. And Widespread Panic’s version is also very good.
I have been very sad about Sinéad O’Connor since I heard the news yesterday. I bought her first album when it came out in 1987 and still love Mandinka. Here’s Sharon Van Etten doing her song “Black Boys on Mopeds.”
https://youtu.be/FM2NeRaP4_w