As (hopefully) all of you know by now, I've done a few episodes of what I'm calling The GoodPointJoe Podcast, a variety show where I talk about whatever I want to talk about. So far, that's been exclusively sports topics. That's not to say that sports are the only thing I care about; far from it, in fact. I would say that my attention to sports is, overall, at an all-time low (discounting those first few years when my sole concern with sports was that I was being dressed in Washington Redskins apparel).
But sports are incredibly easy to talk about at a moment's notice, because so much of it is based on opinion. Just this week I mentioned in a blog post how I had an opinion on someone else's opinion on some sports topics.
It's also much easier to find people who are willing to talk about sports for a few minutes for a podcast, and much easier to frame a conversation about sports. It's no surprise that sports and politics have countless podcasts available to listen to on iTunes.
But the reality is, that's not why I got into the podcast game. Before I even decided to make it an actual podcast, I set out to create a series of audio recordings offering advice on various Dungeons-and-Dragons-related topics. I've been DMing on and off for several years, and I love it. I love doing it, I love prepping for it, I love talking about it, I love it all. And I think there's still plenty of space available for DM advice and discussion on iTunes.
(I also think Dungeons and Dragons is in the midst of a great period of growth, but that's a topic for another article.)
For the past few months, I've been putting together outlines for podcasts on a variety of DM-related topics: adapting pre-made adventures, dealing with problem players, useful DM books and accessories, etc. They're all built to be solo shows, each running between 15 and 25 minutes. I've test-run a couple of them, and they're improving, but they're not ready yet.
Anyways, I wanted to give you an idea of what to look forward to with the podcast. While sports topics will always be part of the equation, there's more variety on the horizon. Stay tuned!
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Re-Podcasting
As some(/most?) of you know, I've made a triumphant return to podcasting.
Previously, the other Joe and I ran the show called "Joe and Joe Sports." I did a couple dozen episodes, many with Joe, some featuring other sports-knowledgeable friends. That was followed by a show I ran on my own, called "...and Joe Sports." That had maybe a dozen more episodes before it faded into antiquity.
If you'd like to revel in the past, you can find the entirety of our old radio shows here.
Recently, I found myself pining for the days of yore, when I'd produce marginally interesting content and have a buttload of fun doing it. So I talked to a couple of friends, thought up some topics, and set out to start podcasting again.
Of course, I wasn't really podcasting "again." I was podcasting for the first time.
When I used to work on TalkShoe, they had their own recording system, their own call-in feature for guests, and their own listening mechanism. I simply recorded the material and presumed people would listen at their leisure. And I suppose they did...the four people who ever listened. We never publicized our radio show beyond mentioning it to a few close friends. And so, unsurprisingly, it never got much beyond an in-house experiment.
This time, I'd like to push that boundary a little.
It was an arduous process, but I finally got my first two podcasts posted to iTunes. I won't share the details of the process, but suffice it to say it took me nearly a week (with time doing other things, obviously), and about ten different failed attempts along the way. Anyways, as I said, there are two shows available right now. You can view them (and the channel itself) at The GoodPointJoe Podcast.
The currently listed shows are a 2-parter on the rest of the NHL regular season this year. I imagine many of the shows will be about sports, since sports offer so many opportunities for discussion, debate, and opinion. I hope to also include shows about video games, movies, board games, and anything else I feel like talking about. But in general, expect more sports shows than anything else.
As far as frequency, I haven't really decided. My short-term goal is just to get the next podcast done. But it's nice to think about what might come to pass down the road. Here are some random thoughts I have about what I'd like to look into as far as this new podcast:
Previously, the other Joe and I ran the show called "Joe and Joe Sports." I did a couple dozen episodes, many with Joe, some featuring other sports-knowledgeable friends. That was followed by a show I ran on my own, called "...and Joe Sports." That had maybe a dozen more episodes before it faded into antiquity.
If you'd like to revel in the past, you can find the entirety of our old radio shows here.
Recently, I found myself pining for the days of yore, when I'd produce marginally interesting content and have a buttload of fun doing it. So I talked to a couple of friends, thought up some topics, and set out to start podcasting again.
Of course, I wasn't really podcasting "again." I was podcasting for the first time.
When I used to work on TalkShoe, they had their own recording system, their own call-in feature for guests, and their own listening mechanism. I simply recorded the material and presumed people would listen at their leisure. And I suppose they did...the four people who ever listened. We never publicized our radio show beyond mentioning it to a few close friends. And so, unsurprisingly, it never got much beyond an in-house experiment.
This time, I'd like to push that boundary a little.
It was an arduous process, but I finally got my first two podcasts posted to iTunes. I won't share the details of the process, but suffice it to say it took me nearly a week (with time doing other things, obviously), and about ten different failed attempts along the way. Anyways, as I said, there are two shows available right now. You can view them (and the channel itself) at The GoodPointJoe Podcast.
The currently listed shows are a 2-parter on the rest of the NHL regular season this year. I imagine many of the shows will be about sports, since sports offer so many opportunities for discussion, debate, and opinion. I hope to also include shows about video games, movies, board games, and anything else I feel like talking about. But in general, expect more sports shows than anything else.
As far as frequency, I haven't really decided. My short-term goal is just to get the next podcast done. But it's nice to think about what might come to pass down the road. Here are some random thoughts I have about what I'd like to look into as far as this new podcast:
- How hard is it to generate content on my own? I can write a blog post without anyone else, but one-man radio shows are a trickier nut to crack. I imagine it'll take some practice before I feel confident in carrying a show on my own.
- How challenging will it be to create non-sports content? I've listened to a podcast called Geek's Guide to the Galaxy, which focuses on various geeky topics. It's entertaining from time to time, but having at least 2-3 people on that show is a must, in order to keep the conversation lively.
- Because of the value of guests, I'm going to have to start working on a network of people to draw from when I want to do shows.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
2016 Salary Keeper Machinations - Part 1
I'm in a salary-based fantasy baseball keeper league that is probably my most fun fantasy league right now. I have other leagues with more friends, but the framework of how this league is set up really piques my interest.
Last season I finished in third place, which paid for my entry into this year's league. The league just opened up, so I'm starting to look at my options for this coming season. I like writing, and I like talking about this league, so I'm going to post my whole roster with relevant contract information, and give my thoughts about each player. If you have any input, I'm happy to hear it.
Here are some of the basic rules to help you understand how the league works.
The league is run through CBS, and uses their position eligibility rules. The scoring is 5x5 rotisserie with on-base percentage instead of batting average. There are 12 teams in the league.
During the auction draft, players are put into type A contracts at their sale price. After the first season, you can keep any player on an A contract for the same price, moving them to a B contract. After that season, you can keep players on B contracts by paying $5 more and moving them to a C contract. Players on C contracts cannot be kept.
Each team gets $280 of salary. Each team can keep up to 10 A, B, or C keepers, and up to $100 of salary. There are also minor league contracts, but they don't suffer any limitations, so they'll just be an afterthought here. I'll mention who I've got on minor league deals, but only so you have a full picture of my team.
Here we go. The players will be listed with their position eligibility and their contract status if I choose to keep them (players who just finished C-contract seasons have already been removed from my team).
*** indicates player has multiple position eligibility
John Jaso, C - $6, B
Jaso was a spot-filler for me towards the end of the season. He did a fine job of posting mediocre stats to close out my run, but he's barely worth a roster spot. Plan: Release into draft.
Carlos Santana, 1B - $30, BSantana was one of a few "high OBP" targets in my first draft. He was also 3B eligible, increasing his value. But his bat was limp, and he's just a 1B now. Plan: Release into draft.
***Chris Colabello, 1B/OF - $1, B
Colabello had an insane BABIP, so it's fair to expect that he won't be hitting .321 again. But if he hits .275 with 20 HR, $1 is a reasonable price. I've also noticed that position flexibility is pretty useful, even if it's these two positions. Plan: Keep if there's room.
Robinson Cano, 2B - $35, B
Cano was a guy in that second tier that I'd hoped to capitalize on: strong, reliable players who wouldn't cost the $50-$60 that a guy like McCutchen or Goldschmidt would cost. Well, it turned out Cano was a real disappointment. Maybe he'll bounce back. I might end up with him on my team. But not at this price. Plan: Release into draft.
***Logan Forsythe, 1B/2B - $2, B
Forsythe is a curious case. He's projected to hit about .260 with 17 HR and 6 SB, making him the 12th-rated 2B. But that means he's a started in this league (we use MI spots as well). As long as he gets playing time, he should be fine. Using one spot out of ten might be too much for him, though. Plan: Keep if there's room.
Manny Machado, 3B - $21, B
Don't need to waste brain cells on this one. Plan: Locked in as a keeper.
***Jung Ho Kang, 3B/SS - $1, B
The only hesitation I have about Kang is that he was on the shelf to end the season last year. But if he's healthy, he's more valuable than Forsythe. He's expected to return in April; that timetable works for me. Plan: Keep as long as he doesn't suffer injury setbacks.
Mookie Betts, OF - $10, C
Betts was one of a short list of holdovers from the original team I picked up before the 2015 season. He really came into his own last year, which is nice, except that this is the last year I can keep him. Ah well, nothing lasts forever. Plan: Locked in as a keeper.
Hunter Pence, OF - $15, B
Pence is a rough decision. After a lifetime of durability, he muddled through injuries all year in 2015. Despite that, his pace would've put him at 27 HR, 120 RBI, and 90 R. If he's healthy, $15 is a good price, but it's a fair chunk to spend. Plan: Keep if there's money.
Kevin Kiermaier, OF - $6, B
Kiermaier is a nice player, but $6 is too much for a guy whose claim to (minimal) fame is solid defense. Plan: Release into draft.
Jayson Werth, OF - $9, B
Werth is a 36-year-old player coming off of a pretty bad year. Maybe he bounces back a little bit, but no way am I spending $9 and a keeper slot on that. Plan: Release into draft.
Shin-Soo Choo, OF - $1, B
Choo was one of the brightest spots on my team. That I managed to get a top 25 outfielder for a dollar made it even more exciting. No question about this one; the price is oh so right. Plan: Locked in as a keeper.
Khris Davis, OF - $7, B
This is a guy with a lot of power upside, but his inconsistent play and marginal batting average make him a risky play. I think, at worst, he'll be available for $4-$6 in the draft, so $7 to keep him isn't worth it. Plan: Release into draft.
Evan Gattis, U - $25, C
Gattis was a decent play last year when he was catcher-eligible, but he played almost exclusively at DH in 2015, and is only utility eligible. That won't do. Plan: Release into draft.
Alex Rodriguez, U - $2, B
A-Rod is one of my most difficult decisions. He's only a DH now, and at 40, a decline is almost inevitable. He popped 33 homers last year, though, and that kind of power isn't common in today's game. At $2 he's a keeper, but I might dangle him to see if I can divest. Plan: Keep or trade.
*** Kyle Schwarber, C/OF
Schwarber was my first mid-season minor league draftee, and so far it looks like he'll pan out fairly well. He's already projected as a top five catcher, and if he can develop further in an improving Cubs lineup, the sky's the limit. Might just be an outfielder down the line, though.
Yoan Moncada, 2B
I acquired Moncada in a trade when I thought I was out of the running in July. Our fates were intertwined from that point, where he flourished and my team jumped up the standings. He's still probably a year away from getting to the big leagues, but he's trending very nicely.
Javier Baez, 2B
I'm not real excited about Baez at this point. He seems to be kind of a quadruple-A player; too good for the minors, but lacking the plate discipline to make it in the big leagues. Hopefully he develops an eye for the strike zone this year; next year he costs money to keep, and I can't see paying for him if it's a repeat of 2015.
Rafael Devers, 3B
Devers is probably two years from producing. He's a 19-year-old Red Sox prospect, but they say he can really hit. We'll find out down the road.
Aaron Judge, OF
Judge is the Yankees' top hitting prospect, which makes him big news. But he's 6'7", and height can be a problem for hitters (see Richie Sexson). He's highly touted, but I might try to move him. The height really does scare me.
That's the end of part 1. Part 2 will go into my pitching staff (a hodgepodge of miscreants and nobodies), and take an overall look at my team's keeper options. See you then!
Last season I finished in third place, which paid for my entry into this year's league. The league just opened up, so I'm starting to look at my options for this coming season. I like writing, and I like talking about this league, so I'm going to post my whole roster with relevant contract information, and give my thoughts about each player. If you have any input, I'm happy to hear it.
Here are some of the basic rules to help you understand how the league works.
The league is run through CBS, and uses their position eligibility rules. The scoring is 5x5 rotisserie with on-base percentage instead of batting average. There are 12 teams in the league.
During the auction draft, players are put into type A contracts at their sale price. After the first season, you can keep any player on an A contract for the same price, moving them to a B contract. After that season, you can keep players on B contracts by paying $5 more and moving them to a C contract. Players on C contracts cannot be kept.
Each team gets $280 of salary. Each team can keep up to 10 A, B, or C keepers, and up to $100 of salary. There are also minor league contracts, but they don't suffer any limitations, so they'll just be an afterthought here. I'll mention who I've got on minor league deals, but only so you have a full picture of my team.
Here we go. The players will be listed with their position eligibility and their contract status if I choose to keep them (players who just finished C-contract seasons have already been removed from my team).
*** indicates player has multiple position eligibility
HITTERS
John Jaso, C - $6, B
Jaso was a spot-filler for me towards the end of the season. He did a fine job of posting mediocre stats to close out my run, but he's barely worth a roster spot. Plan: Release into draft.
Carlos Santana, 1B - $30, BSantana was one of a few "high OBP" targets in my first draft. He was also 3B eligible, increasing his value. But his bat was limp, and he's just a 1B now. Plan: Release into draft.
***Chris Colabello, 1B/OF - $1, B
Colabello had an insane BABIP, so it's fair to expect that he won't be hitting .321 again. But if he hits .275 with 20 HR, $1 is a reasonable price. I've also noticed that position flexibility is pretty useful, even if it's these two positions. Plan: Keep if there's room.
Robinson Cano, 2B - $35, B
Cano was a guy in that second tier that I'd hoped to capitalize on: strong, reliable players who wouldn't cost the $50-$60 that a guy like McCutchen or Goldschmidt would cost. Well, it turned out Cano was a real disappointment. Maybe he'll bounce back. I might end up with him on my team. But not at this price. Plan: Release into draft.
***Logan Forsythe, 1B/2B - $2, B
Forsythe is a curious case. He's projected to hit about .260 with 17 HR and 6 SB, making him the 12th-rated 2B. But that means he's a started in this league (we use MI spots as well). As long as he gets playing time, he should be fine. Using one spot out of ten might be too much for him, though. Plan: Keep if there's room.
Manny Machado, 3B - $21, B
Don't need to waste brain cells on this one. Plan: Locked in as a keeper.
***Jung Ho Kang, 3B/SS - $1, B
The only hesitation I have about Kang is that he was on the shelf to end the season last year. But if he's healthy, he's more valuable than Forsythe. He's expected to return in April; that timetable works for me. Plan: Keep as long as he doesn't suffer injury setbacks.
Mookie Betts, OF - $10, C
Betts was one of a short list of holdovers from the original team I picked up before the 2015 season. He really came into his own last year, which is nice, except that this is the last year I can keep him. Ah well, nothing lasts forever. Plan: Locked in as a keeper.
Hunter Pence, OF - $15, B
Pence is a rough decision. After a lifetime of durability, he muddled through injuries all year in 2015. Despite that, his pace would've put him at 27 HR, 120 RBI, and 90 R. If he's healthy, $15 is a good price, but it's a fair chunk to spend. Plan: Keep if there's money.
Kevin Kiermaier, OF - $6, B
Kiermaier is a nice player, but $6 is too much for a guy whose claim to (minimal) fame is solid defense. Plan: Release into draft.
Jayson Werth, OF - $9, B
Werth is a 36-year-old player coming off of a pretty bad year. Maybe he bounces back a little bit, but no way am I spending $9 and a keeper slot on that. Plan: Release into draft.
Shin-Soo Choo, OF - $1, B
Choo was one of the brightest spots on my team. That I managed to get a top 25 outfielder for a dollar made it even more exciting. No question about this one; the price is oh so right. Plan: Locked in as a keeper.
Khris Davis, OF - $7, B
This is a guy with a lot of power upside, but his inconsistent play and marginal batting average make him a risky play. I think, at worst, he'll be available for $4-$6 in the draft, so $7 to keep him isn't worth it. Plan: Release into draft.
Evan Gattis, U - $25, C
Gattis was a decent play last year when he was catcher-eligible, but he played almost exclusively at DH in 2015, and is only utility eligible. That won't do. Plan: Release into draft.
Alex Rodriguez, U - $2, B
A-Rod is one of my most difficult decisions. He's only a DH now, and at 40, a decline is almost inevitable. He popped 33 homers last year, though, and that kind of power isn't common in today's game. At $2 he's a keeper, but I might dangle him to see if I can divest. Plan: Keep or trade.
HITTERS - MINOR LEAGUES
*** Kyle Schwarber, C/OF
Schwarber was my first mid-season minor league draftee, and so far it looks like he'll pan out fairly well. He's already projected as a top five catcher, and if he can develop further in an improving Cubs lineup, the sky's the limit. Might just be an outfielder down the line, though.
Yoan Moncada, 2B
I acquired Moncada in a trade when I thought I was out of the running in July. Our fates were intertwined from that point, where he flourished and my team jumped up the standings. He's still probably a year away from getting to the big leagues, but he's trending very nicely.
Javier Baez, 2B
I'm not real excited about Baez at this point. He seems to be kind of a quadruple-A player; too good for the minors, but lacking the plate discipline to make it in the big leagues. Hopefully he develops an eye for the strike zone this year; next year he costs money to keep, and I can't see paying for him if it's a repeat of 2015.
Rafael Devers, 3B
Devers is probably two years from producing. He's a 19-year-old Red Sox prospect, but they say he can really hit. We'll find out down the road.
Aaron Judge, OF
Judge is the Yankees' top hitting prospect, which makes him big news. But he's 6'7", and height can be a problem for hitters (see Richie Sexson). He's highly touted, but I might try to move him. The height really does scare me.
That's the end of part 1. Part 2 will go into my pitching staff (a hodgepodge of miscreants and nobodies), and take an overall look at my team's keeper options. See you then!
Monday, August 17, 2015
How the Caps Looking This Year?
In reviewing my previous posts, I noticed that while I did a lot of speculation and evaluation on potential moves the Washington Capitals might make, I never gave my opinion on the roster changes they actually did make. I'll split it up into each different transaction, and give my thoughts on how the move impacts the team.
We'll start with the new players, since those happened first.
Acquired T.J. Oshie in exchange for Troy Brouwer, Pheonix Copley, and a 3rd round pick
This was the Caps' biggest change this offseason. Brouwer has been on the team for several years, often playing a key role both offensively and defensively. He's got a good reputation around the league, but from what I saw last season, especially during the playoffs, he seems to have lost a step. Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I think he's a 4th line player at this point.
Oshie, however, doesn't excite me as much as he does other people. I know he's famous for taking all those penalty shots in the Olympics a couple years ago, but he hasn't scored 60 points in any season, and while he's got some skill, I have to think that there's something about his game that's been left behind. Hopefully playing with dynamos like Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom will unlock his greater potential. Regardless, Oshie is definitely an upgrade over Brouwer for me, and Copley was years away from mattering anyways. I'm happy with the deal.
Signed Justin Williams - $3.25 million/year for 2 years
To me, Williams replaced Troy Brouwer, and he's actually a little bit cheaper this year than Brouwer. Williams is a veteran with a solid scoring touch, and he's got three rings to Brouwer's one. Williams was also a far more vital part of the Kings' championship than Brouwer was for the Blackhawks'. Regardless, I think it's probably about a push, with Williams rating slightly higher and being slightly cheaper, so it's a good move to me.
Signed Zach Sill and Taylor Chorney - $1.275 million total, both on one-year deals
Depth moves, I like that they're cheap. A friend from Pittsburgh says Chorney is decent, which is good enough for me.
Re-signed Evgeny Kuznetsov - $3.0 million/year for 2 years
I was at game 7 against the Islanders when Kuznetsov scored the biggest goal of his NHL career so far on a total composure play. He knew the right move, and skated from circle to circle to drag Jaroslav Halak out of position, finally opening up a chance to score the game-winning goal. That was basically the point at which I decided that the Caps should open up the pocketbook a little bit for Kuznetsov. He may not ever top that moment, but the potential is there for him to be a great player as he continues to develop.
Re-signed Braden Holtby - $6.1 million/year through 2020
You basically had to give Holtby something. The Caps' "backup" plan was Justin Peters (who's best spot is backing up a guy who plays 73 games a year) or Philipp Grubauer, who's probably okay, but I don't want to find that out just yet. Holtby was a horse last year, and has been a top 10 goalie for a few years now (accounting for the dark days of Oates). I'm comfortable with Holtby going forward, and it was going to cost about this much to keep him short- or long-term, so I'm fine with the resulting contract. It's possible that Grubauer will be very good, but when you've got a guy, I think you keep him.
Re-signed Marcus Johansson - $3.75 million for 2015-16
The Caps' offseason acquisitions left Johansson a player in flux. The top two lines seem to be set, with Ovechkin/Backstrom/Oshie up top and Andre Burakovsky/Kuznetsov/Williams on the second line. But the reality is that while Burakovsky has some ability and coach Barry Trotz seems to really like him, Johansson has been a productive offensive player for years for the Caps. He's proven himself enough to warrant being on that second line. And at least for one year, I prefer it that way. Let Burakovsky continue to grow with Tom Wilson and Brooks Laich, that sounds like a dynamic third line to me.
2015-2016 Prediction: Stanley Cup Champions
I mean, it could happen right? I think the Caps are strong on offense, defense, in goal, and behind the bench. What else is there? Maybe the Caps don't have the mystique of the Red Wings or Bruins, but you only get that mystique by winning Cups. So let's start now.
We'll start with the new players, since those happened first.
Acquired T.J. Oshie in exchange for Troy Brouwer, Pheonix Copley, and a 3rd round pick
This was the Caps' biggest change this offseason. Brouwer has been on the team for several years, often playing a key role both offensively and defensively. He's got a good reputation around the league, but from what I saw last season, especially during the playoffs, he seems to have lost a step. Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I think he's a 4th line player at this point.
Oshie, however, doesn't excite me as much as he does other people. I know he's famous for taking all those penalty shots in the Olympics a couple years ago, but he hasn't scored 60 points in any season, and while he's got some skill, I have to think that there's something about his game that's been left behind. Hopefully playing with dynamos like Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom will unlock his greater potential. Regardless, Oshie is definitely an upgrade over Brouwer for me, and Copley was years away from mattering anyways. I'm happy with the deal.
Signed Justin Williams - $3.25 million/year for 2 years
To me, Williams replaced Troy Brouwer, and he's actually a little bit cheaper this year than Brouwer. Williams is a veteran with a solid scoring touch, and he's got three rings to Brouwer's one. Williams was also a far more vital part of the Kings' championship than Brouwer was for the Blackhawks'. Regardless, I think it's probably about a push, with Williams rating slightly higher and being slightly cheaper, so it's a good move to me.
Signed Zach Sill and Taylor Chorney - $1.275 million total, both on one-year deals
Depth moves, I like that they're cheap. A friend from Pittsburgh says Chorney is decent, which is good enough for me.
Re-signed Evgeny Kuznetsov - $3.0 million/year for 2 years
I was at game 7 against the Islanders when Kuznetsov scored the biggest goal of his NHL career so far on a total composure play. He knew the right move, and skated from circle to circle to drag Jaroslav Halak out of position, finally opening up a chance to score the game-winning goal. That was basically the point at which I decided that the Caps should open up the pocketbook a little bit for Kuznetsov. He may not ever top that moment, but the potential is there for him to be a great player as he continues to develop.
Re-signed Braden Holtby - $6.1 million/year through 2020
You basically had to give Holtby something. The Caps' "backup" plan was Justin Peters (who's best spot is backing up a guy who plays 73 games a year) or Philipp Grubauer, who's probably okay, but I don't want to find that out just yet. Holtby was a horse last year, and has been a top 10 goalie for a few years now (accounting for the dark days of Oates). I'm comfortable with Holtby going forward, and it was going to cost about this much to keep him short- or long-term, so I'm fine with the resulting contract. It's possible that Grubauer will be very good, but when you've got a guy, I think you keep him.
Re-signed Marcus Johansson - $3.75 million for 2015-16
The Caps' offseason acquisitions left Johansson a player in flux. The top two lines seem to be set, with Ovechkin/Backstrom/Oshie up top and Andre Burakovsky/Kuznetsov/Williams on the second line. But the reality is that while Burakovsky has some ability and coach Barry Trotz seems to really like him, Johansson has been a productive offensive player for years for the Caps. He's proven himself enough to warrant being on that second line. And at least for one year, I prefer it that way. Let Burakovsky continue to grow with Tom Wilson and Brooks Laich, that sounds like a dynamic third line to me.
2015-2016 Prediction: Stanley Cup Champions
I mean, it could happen right? I think the Caps are strong on offense, defense, in goal, and behind the bench. What else is there? Maybe the Caps don't have the mystique of the Red Wings or Bruins, but you only get that mystique by winning Cups. So let's start now.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
2015 NHL Playoffs - First Round Part 2
The Capitals and Islanders have each won two games, which means each team is halfway to the second round. But they've both also lost two games, which means they're both half of the way to going home. That makes the next two (or three) games very exciting, matching the intensity level of so many of the other series in these playoffs.
Where exactly are the Caps?
It's hard to say what the Caps' situation is right now. They've won a pair of extremely close games, and lost a pair of games that weren't terribly close. There have been parts of each of these games when both teams have looked unstoppable. Sometimes the Isles seem to be inside the minds of the Capitals where they read every pass, and other times the Caps are three steps ahead of New York.
So my question is, where are the real Caps? When Washington is humming, they are able to use their size to their advantage and muscle themselves into favorable situations. And I'm not being a total homer when I say that, when Braden Holtby hasn't been sick, he's been sick. I'm hopeful that they'll be able to build upon their better play in games 2-4 and make the most of their home ice advantage (including myself, as I'll be attending game 5).
Rules? There're no rules here.
I remember watching the video of P.K. Subban slashing the hell out of Mark Stone, and thinking, "That's just completely illegal." He received a 5-minute major penalty as well as a game misconduct, sending him to the locker room. But it was pretty egregious, and I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd gotten another game suspension since it was so completely away from the play, and was clearly intentional.
Now we've got Calgary and Vancouver basically engaging in a WWF Royal Rumble (yes, WWF, the World Wrestling Federation; the WWE is an abomination). There haven't been any suspensions from their shenanigans either, despite the fact that a hundred guys could have been suspended.
Then was the worst play in the whole playoffs, when Dustin Byfuglien mashed Corey Perry right after Perry scored. That's a star player attacking another star player after the play was over, from behind. Utterly unacceptable. But the punishment? A two-minute minor for roughing.
Get the fuck out of here.
I'm a longtime advocate of attempts to reduce the number of fights in hockey. I've written about it before so I'll try not to repeat myself, but basically I don't like stopping a game to let people beat each other up because reasons. But the whole "value" of fighting that people keep saying is that fighting is a method of on-ice policing, to create repercussions for rough play.
You know, like when a guy slashes someone completely away from the play and breaks his hand. Or attacks your most prolific scorer after he scores. These are exactly the situations that demand justice, in one form or another. And the NHL had an opportunity here to lay down the law and prove that fighting isn't necessary to protect its star players and prevent aggressive, intentionally dangerous play. And they completely shit their pants and ran away.
I don't know how you don't suspend Byfuglien. It was a goon play, a dangerous play, and completely not what you want out of your premier event. I will never again presume to know what the NHL wants (though I will absolutely continue to declare what the NHL should want).
See you Thursday night, boys. Hope nobody gets killed.
Where exactly are the Caps?
It's hard to say what the Caps' situation is right now. They've won a pair of extremely close games, and lost a pair of games that weren't terribly close. There have been parts of each of these games when both teams have looked unstoppable. Sometimes the Isles seem to be inside the minds of the Capitals where they read every pass, and other times the Caps are three steps ahead of New York.
So my question is, where are the real Caps? When Washington is humming, they are able to use their size to their advantage and muscle themselves into favorable situations. And I'm not being a total homer when I say that, when Braden Holtby hasn't been sick, he's been sick. I'm hopeful that they'll be able to build upon their better play in games 2-4 and make the most of their home ice advantage (including myself, as I'll be attending game 5).
Rules? There're no rules here.
I remember watching the video of P.K. Subban slashing the hell out of Mark Stone, and thinking, "That's just completely illegal." He received a 5-minute major penalty as well as a game misconduct, sending him to the locker room. But it was pretty egregious, and I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd gotten another game suspension since it was so completely away from the play, and was clearly intentional.
Now we've got Calgary and Vancouver basically engaging in a WWF Royal Rumble (yes, WWF, the World Wrestling Federation; the WWE is an abomination). There haven't been any suspensions from their shenanigans either, despite the fact that a hundred guys could have been suspended.
Then was the worst play in the whole playoffs, when Dustin Byfuglien mashed Corey Perry right after Perry scored. That's a star player attacking another star player after the play was over, from behind. Utterly unacceptable. But the punishment? A two-minute minor for roughing.
Get the fuck out of here.
I'm a longtime advocate of attempts to reduce the number of fights in hockey. I've written about it before so I'll try not to repeat myself, but basically I don't like stopping a game to let people beat each other up because reasons. But the whole "value" of fighting that people keep saying is that fighting is a method of on-ice policing, to create repercussions for rough play.
You know, like when a guy slashes someone completely away from the play and breaks his hand. Or attacks your most prolific scorer after he scores. These are exactly the situations that demand justice, in one form or another. And the NHL had an opportunity here to lay down the law and prove that fighting isn't necessary to protect its star players and prevent aggressive, intentionally dangerous play. And they completely shit their pants and ran away.
I don't know how you don't suspend Byfuglien. It was a goon play, a dangerous play, and completely not what you want out of your premier event. I will never again presume to know what the NHL wants (though I will absolutely continue to declare what the NHL should want).
See you Thursday night, boys. Hope nobody gets killed.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Pie Tuesday
Today is Pie Tuesday.
I know some of you recognize March 14 (or 3-14) as Pi Day, and bully for you. But Pie Tuesday has a storied history that goes back like seven or eight years.
Alright, I'm being a little facetious, but I like that Pie Tuesday is our own. The original Pie Tuesday sprung from my friend Mark and I visiting my cousin Michael at his late night job as a desk clerk in College Park. The plan was to surprise him with snacks and company. We went to a few different spots searching for pies (on a whim), but each place we went to was closed. Perkins, Target, even the Wal-Mart we visited was shut down for the night. We were all set to give up hope when we remembered that there was a Shoppers Food Warehouse in College Park. So we scooted on down the highway and made our way to CP.
We grabbed a case of Little Hugs
fruit drinks, a tray of cinnamon rolls, a half gallon of ice cream, and a pair of pies that would become our standard: apple and pumpkin. We surprised Michael, fun times were had, snacks were eaten, and a tradition was born.
These days, Pie Tuesday has evolved into a general guy-time hangout, with an emphasis on pies (unsurprisingly). It's no longer a surprise for anyone, but we sit around and play board games, watch sports, stuff our faces, and be loud and obnoxious. It's great.
If you're not celebrating Pie Tuesday, you should. And if you are, save me a slice.
I know some of you recognize March 14 (or 3-14) as Pi Day, and bully for you. But Pie Tuesday has a storied history that goes back like seven or eight years.
Alright, I'm being a little facetious, but I like that Pie Tuesday is our own. The original Pie Tuesday sprung from my friend Mark and I visiting my cousin Michael at his late night job as a desk clerk in College Park. The plan was to surprise him with snacks and company. We went to a few different spots searching for pies (on a whim), but each place we went to was closed. Perkins, Target, even the Wal-Mart we visited was shut down for the night. We were all set to give up hope when we remembered that there was a Shoppers Food Warehouse in College Park. So we scooted on down the highway and made our way to CP.
We grabbed a case of Little Hugs
fruit drinks, a tray of cinnamon rolls, a half gallon of ice cream, and a pair of pies that would become our standard: apple and pumpkin. We surprised Michael, fun times were had, snacks were eaten, and a tradition was born.These days, Pie Tuesday has evolved into a general guy-time hangout, with an emphasis on pies (unsurprisingly). It's no longer a surprise for anyone, but we sit around and play board games, watch sports, stuff our faces, and be loud and obnoxious. It's great.
If you're not celebrating Pie Tuesday, you should. And if you are, save me a slice.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Joe and Joe Sports
I got an email notification yesterday reminding me that www.joeandjoesports.com is going to expire soon. So you guys who've been coming here for a while, make sure that your bookmarks are all in order. You'll want to make sure that you keep coming to www.GoodPointJoe.com...daily.
Maybe many times a day.
Maybe many times a day.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Top 5 "Sports-Watching Beers"
We're well into autumn now, and that means a few things:
Not every beer is built for this sort of event. There are a lot of brews out there that are built on pretentiousness and expectation and basically anything hipsters think is so rad. But there are a lot of beers that encourage you to relax and just enjoy the damn game. My favorites are below.
5. Bud Light - Does Bud Light make my socks roll up and down? No, it does not. But I like it well enough, I can drink pretty much as many as I want, and it's fairly cheap. Sometimes when you're watching sports (at a bar, for example), you just want a beer you can forget about. For me, Bud Light is that beer.
4. Molson Canadian - The best thing about Canadian beers is that, almost without fail, they're all twist-offs. Who wants to waste valuable drinking time looking for a bottle opener? Also, Molson tastes good.
3. Honey Brown - There are a lot of "sweet" beers out there. Leinenkugel makes a few that are good, and plenty of companies make ones that aren't so good. Honey Brown sounds like it would be a sweet beer, and it's got a hint of sweetness, but really it's more hearty than sweet. It's a great chilly outdoor beer; if you're tailgating or at one of the NHL's outdoor games, Honey Brown is a good fit.
2. Killian's Irish Red - I didn't know this for a while, but apparently Killian's is a "value" beer. A year or two ago, I was in a county liquor store and was browsing their beer selection, and I noticed that Killian's was a sight cheaper than most of the other selections. As it was already one of my favorite choices, the price is a constant tipping point when I'm planning ahead and have time to chill the brews (liquor stores here don't sell cold beer).
1. Blue Moon - At first, I didn't think of Blue Moon as a winter beer; the crispness and freshness of it would make you think it's a summer brew. But for my money, Blue Moon is a beer for all seasons. The Blue Moon beer stand is also right at the concourse entrance where my family's Caps tickets are located, so it's even convenient. Win-win.
Honorable mention: Busch Light. In the words of Dave Chappelle, it'll get you drunk.
- the holidays are coming up;
- it's time to put away the shorts for a little while; and
- football and hockey are in full swing.
Not every beer is built for this sort of event. There are a lot of brews out there that are built on pretentiousness and expectation and basically anything hipsters think is so rad. But there are a lot of beers that encourage you to relax and just enjoy the damn game. My favorites are below.
5. Bud Light - Does Bud Light make my socks roll up and down? No, it does not. But I like it well enough, I can drink pretty much as many as I want, and it's fairly cheap. Sometimes when you're watching sports (at a bar, for example), you just want a beer you can forget about. For me, Bud Light is that beer.
4. Molson Canadian - The best thing about Canadian beers is that, almost without fail, they're all twist-offs. Who wants to waste valuable drinking time looking for a bottle opener? Also, Molson tastes good.
3. Honey Brown - There are a lot of "sweet" beers out there. Leinenkugel makes a few that are good, and plenty of companies make ones that aren't so good. Honey Brown sounds like it would be a sweet beer, and it's got a hint of sweetness, but really it's more hearty than sweet. It's a great chilly outdoor beer; if you're tailgating or at one of the NHL's outdoor games, Honey Brown is a good fit.
2. Killian's Irish Red - I didn't know this for a while, but apparently Killian's is a "value" beer. A year or two ago, I was in a county liquor store and was browsing their beer selection, and I noticed that Killian's was a sight cheaper than most of the other selections. As it was already one of my favorite choices, the price is a constant tipping point when I'm planning ahead and have time to chill the brews (liquor stores here don't sell cold beer).
1. Blue Moon - At first, I didn't think of Blue Moon as a winter beer; the crispness and freshness of it would make you think it's a summer brew. But for my money, Blue Moon is a beer for all seasons. The Blue Moon beer stand is also right at the concourse entrance where my family's Caps tickets are located, so it's even convenient. Win-win.
Honorable mention: Busch Light. In the words of Dave Chappelle, it'll get you drunk.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Killing the Radio Stars
I listened to about twenty minutes Chad Dukes' radio show last week. I've never particularly cared for him, but I have a 25 minute drive to the rink for work, and I only get about seven channels on my radio, so I take what I can find when it comes to sports talk radio.
Anyways, I was listening, and he was talking about something or other, I don't remember what, and I noticed I was getting agitated at random moments during the broadcast. The noteworthy part of this experience was that my spurts of disgust weren't in response to a particular position or topic. After a few minutes, I realized that I was reacting to his words, the actual words. Chad Dukes (and, I've been realizing, countless other radio sportscasters) lapses into cliches on a regular basis. You don't notice them regularly because you're not looking for them, and they certainly sound like normal discussion. But the content is as worthless as when you said "um" or "ah" during high school speech class.
They're not just any cliches though. You would expect sports-based cliches, like "give 110%" or "taking it one game at a time." But these aren't limited to sports; you'll hear them from anyone in any line of work. And they make my skin crawl.
Some examples, just from the past week:
These are verbal crutches that all of us use, because we're not comfortable sitting with silence while we search for the right words. But it's that discomfort that creates the problem in the first place. If we'd just not start talking until we had our words ready, we'd be good.
There are two guys who notably avoid this problem in two different ways.
Dan Patrick doesn't use any of the above filler phrases. The way he avoids them is that he embraces silence. If you tune in to Patrick on a given day, there's the chance that you initially think your radio's busted, because there's just a lot of dead air when he's on. It's not bad, per se, but there's a limit to how much dead time you can have before you sound like a douche, (see Jim Rome. By the way, Rome has insane amounts of dead air and uses the crutches above. It's amazing people like him; it's literally amazing).
But the guy who does it right on all accounts is Tony Kornheiser. He uses silence occasionally when he's trying to decide what to say. But by and large, he simply provides interesting, useful commentary for virtually every second of his radio or television segments. He obviously knows a ton about sports, he has definitive and well-described opinions, and he's funny. On top of all that, he doesn't waste any time with those horrible nothing phrases above.
How? It's pretty simple actually. He was an English major. His command of the English language is superb, and he's able to craft his messages without any of the nonsense we hear from so many other places. He also probably doesn't give a damn about anybody anymore, so he's not worried about what comes out of his mouth. Intelligence, wit, and candor, that's what Kornheiser gives you.
Anyways, I hope I didn't ruin sports radio for you by pointing this out. But if I did, it'll just be my rebuttal to my college buddy Adam Marino, who ruined Steal My Sunshine for me by telling me to just listen to the wood block. It never stops; it's the same beat the whole song.
Also, I just found out that the music video is terrible. So sorry about showing you that, too.
Note: When I started this post, it wasn't supposed to be a Kornheiser lovefest. Truthfully, he wasn't even in the initial concept of the post. That's just where the path led. Also, Kornheiser doesn't have Twitter, so I linked his Wikipedia page.
Anyways, I was listening, and he was talking about something or other, I don't remember what, and I noticed I was getting agitated at random moments during the broadcast. The noteworthy part of this experience was that my spurts of disgust weren't in response to a particular position or topic. After a few minutes, I realized that I was reacting to his words, the actual words. Chad Dukes (and, I've been realizing, countless other radio sportscasters) lapses into cliches on a regular basis. You don't notice them regularly because you're not looking for them, and they certainly sound like normal discussion. But the content is as worthless as when you said "um" or "ah" during high school speech class.
They're not just any cliches though. You would expect sports-based cliches, like "give 110%" or "taking it one game at a time." But these aren't limited to sports; you'll hear them from anyone in any line of work. And they make my skin crawl.
Some examples, just from the past week:
- for all intents and purposes
- any way, shape, or form
- by any stretch of the imagination
- be that as it may
- goes without saying
- things of that nature
These are verbal crutches that all of us use, because we're not comfortable sitting with silence while we search for the right words. But it's that discomfort that creates the problem in the first place. If we'd just not start talking until we had our words ready, we'd be good.
There are two guys who notably avoid this problem in two different ways.
Dan Patrick doesn't use any of the above filler phrases. The way he avoids them is that he embraces silence. If you tune in to Patrick on a given day, there's the chance that you initially think your radio's busted, because there's just a lot of dead air when he's on. It's not bad, per se, but there's a limit to how much dead time you can have before you sound like a douche, (see Jim Rome. By the way, Rome has insane amounts of dead air and uses the crutches above. It's amazing people like him; it's literally amazing).
But the guy who does it right on all accounts is Tony Kornheiser. He uses silence occasionally when he's trying to decide what to say. But by and large, he simply provides interesting, useful commentary for virtually every second of his radio or television segments. He obviously knows a ton about sports, he has definitive and well-described opinions, and he's funny. On top of all that, he doesn't waste any time with those horrible nothing phrases above.
How? It's pretty simple actually. He was an English major. His command of the English language is superb, and he's able to craft his messages without any of the nonsense we hear from so many other places. He also probably doesn't give a damn about anybody anymore, so he's not worried about what comes out of his mouth. Intelligence, wit, and candor, that's what Kornheiser gives you.
Anyways, I hope I didn't ruin sports radio for you by pointing this out. But if I did, it'll just be my rebuttal to my college buddy Adam Marino, who ruined Steal My Sunshine for me by telling me to just listen to the wood block. It never stops; it's the same beat the whole song.
Also, I just found out that the music video is terrible. So sorry about showing you that, too.
Note: When I started this post, it wasn't supposed to be a Kornheiser lovefest. Truthfully, he wasn't even in the initial concept of the post. That's just where the path led. Also, Kornheiser doesn't have Twitter, so I linked his Wikipedia page.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
The Grand Re-Brand
As you've probably noticed, I've made a few changes to the blog. The title is no longer "Joe and Joe Sports." While Joe and I still talk about sports, the scope of the blog is getting both broader and more specific.
As far as topics, sports is just one arm of a multi-dimensional approach I'll be taking. I'll also talk about movies, music, video games, the Internet, the world, and anything else that comes to mind. I find sports to be a more common inspiration for writing, so that'll still drive a lot of my content, but it won't be exclusively sports any longer.
The other side of this equation is the list of people who'll be contributing. Other Joe is still a designated author, as are several other previous writers for Joe and Joe Sports. I've also extended invitations to writers from my other blogs, to make posts on non-sports topics here. But I'll be taking on the lion's share of content creation myself.
The direction of this blog is simple: make good points. I am, after all, GoodPointJoe.
As far as topics, sports is just one arm of a multi-dimensional approach I'll be taking. I'll also talk about movies, music, video games, the Internet, the world, and anything else that comes to mind. I find sports to be a more common inspiration for writing, so that'll still drive a lot of my content, but it won't be exclusively sports any longer.
The other side of this equation is the list of people who'll be contributing. Other Joe is still a designated author, as are several other previous writers for Joe and Joe Sports. I've also extended invitations to writers from my other blogs, to make posts on non-sports topics here. But I'll be taking on the lion's share of content creation myself.
The direction of this blog is simple: make good points. I am, after all, GoodPointJoe.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
A Washington Capitals Constellation Energy Power Play
I like hockey, specifically the Washington Capitals. I also enjoy imbibing in the occasional adult beverage. So, naturally, I set out to find a common ground for the two. I give you the Washington Capitals Constellation Energy Power Play!
It's a shooter.
1 oz. Hot Damn (100 proof)
.5 oz. sour apple schnapps
splash Red Bull
It's a shooter.
1 oz. Hot Damn (100 proof)
.5 oz. sour apple schnapps
splash Red Bull
Friday, March 2, 2012
Space Time Caps Tickets
Do you see the issue with the ad in the middle of the screen? I'll give you a clue: it's not that the ticket prices are outrageous (though I believe they are).
Need another clue?
Look at the bottom right. They're advertising tickets for a game gone by. They did win the game 4-3, though, so if you could travel back in time to go to the game, at least it's a win.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Interactivity / Twitter?
Let me be the first to say that I have trouble getting what the big draw is for Twitter. It's like if you took Facebook and stripped away everything interesting and just had the status updates. No pictures, no videos, not even any long statuses that actually give you information. Just quick-hitters, like "Going to the mall to get my nails done" or "Let's go Cavs! Two of the top four picks!"
Are these invalid ideas? No, of course not. But it's like an entire website devoted to smalltalk. Are we so starved for human interaction that we'll settle for an occasional impersonal text from celebrities, or cousins, or strangers?
Well, yes, probably. As some of you may know, I run a little sports blog called Joe and Joe Sports, and I've set up a Twitter account for it. I don't post regularly (on either), so the synergy between the two is negligible, but with the recent explosion of smart phones, I know that social media is becoming a quick way to "check up" on people, both friends and strangers. And if you want to grow your web presence, it's definitely useful to employ multiple vehicles.
Anyways, where was I going with this? Right, interactivity. I'd like to have a little more of it on here. Now, it'd be easier for you all to chime in if I posted more often, I'll grant you that. So here's the deal. I'm going to post more often (promise), and you're going to respond more often.
Not gonna wait for you to agree. That's how we do it in sales; we presume agreement and move right on to the details.
I've got a few ideas for how to generate some back and forth. Look for the first one later today.
LOOK FOR IT.
Are these invalid ideas? No, of course not. But it's like an entire website devoted to smalltalk. Are we so starved for human interaction that we'll settle for an occasional impersonal text from celebrities, or cousins, or strangers?
Well, yes, probably. As some of you may know, I run a little sports blog called Joe and Joe Sports, and I've set up a Twitter account for it. I don't post regularly (on either), so the synergy between the two is negligible, but with the recent explosion of smart phones, I know that social media is becoming a quick way to "check up" on people, both friends and strangers. And if you want to grow your web presence, it's definitely useful to employ multiple vehicles.
Anyways, where was I going with this? Right, interactivity. I'd like to have a little more of it on here. Now, it'd be easier for you all to chime in if I posted more often, I'll grant you that. So here's the deal. I'm going to post more often (promise), and you're going to respond more often.
Not gonna wait for you to agree. That's how we do it in sales; we presume agreement and move right on to the details.
I've got a few ideas for how to generate some back and forth. Look for the first one later today.
LOOK FOR IT.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Yes, dogfighting is bad, but...
I caught an article on Yahoo Sports today that reports how Michael Vick came out against an Android application called Dog Wars that allows users to raise and fight dogs.
First off, this is absolutely the thing Michael Vick should do. He still has work to do to repair his image with a lot of people, and taking this kind of stand only helps him. Additionally, it's a perfectly reasonable stance to take. Animal rights activists, animal lovers, and even just decent people will feel similarly about dogfighting.
I came away with two things here, though. First, it's a video game. Video games offer an overwhelming number of opportunities for players to engage in illegal activities: murder, battery, robbery, prostitution, and aggressive driving, plus plenty of missions in Warcraft and other RTS's that force you to engage in treason or even genocide. Part of the draw of playing a video game is being able to synthesize an experience that you'd never have in real life.
The second interesting bit is this line from the article: "Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle said, however, the game could be used as virtual training ground for would-be dogfighters." Not really though, right? I mean, we don't think there are dogfighting recruiters out there who see this app and think, "Finally, a digital way for our industry to appeal to the masses!"
Besides, that game already exists anyways, and kids are already playing it by the millions. It's called Pokemon.
First off, this is absolutely the thing Michael Vick should do. He still has work to do to repair his image with a lot of people, and taking this kind of stand only helps him. Additionally, it's a perfectly reasonable stance to take. Animal rights activists, animal lovers, and even just decent people will feel similarly about dogfighting.
I came away with two things here, though. First, it's a video game. Video games offer an overwhelming number of opportunities for players to engage in illegal activities: murder, battery, robbery, prostitution, and aggressive driving, plus plenty of missions in Warcraft and other RTS's that force you to engage in treason or even genocide. Part of the draw of playing a video game is being able to synthesize an experience that you'd never have in real life.
The second interesting bit is this line from the article: "Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle said, however, the game could be used as virtual training ground for would-be dogfighters." Not really though, right? I mean, we don't think there are dogfighting recruiters out there who see this app and think, "Finally, a digital way for our industry to appeal to the masses!"
Besides, that game already exists anyways, and kids are already playing it by the millions. It's called Pokemon.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Twenty for Thirty Update - 2/16
So it's been a month and a half, and I've converted two of the easier goals from my list:
2) Move out of my mom's house.
This was in the works before the list was even released, but it was still one of the things I wanted to do this year. Living at home has its perks, but getting out of my mom's house has far more perks. I'm hoping that, by getting out of the house and living much closer to my work, I can use this as a jumping off point for trying to lose weight (through complete diet control) and having a successful party.
18) Host a Joe and Joe trivia show.
As I had mentioned, this has been in the works for a while, so it was nice to finally get it done. You can listen here; the show is just under an hour, and I think it's one of our best shows yet at Joe and Joe Sports. In fact, one of the contestants, my cousin Michael, had such a fun time doing the show that he has taken it upon himself to arrange the next baseball trivia show. Success!
2) Move out of my mom's house.
This was in the works before the list was even released, but it was still one of the things I wanted to do this year. Living at home has its perks, but getting out of my mom's house has far more perks. I'm hoping that, by getting out of the house and living much closer to my work, I can use this as a jumping off point for trying to lose weight (through complete diet control) and having a successful party.
18) Host a Joe and Joe trivia show.
As I had mentioned, this has been in the works for a while, so it was nice to finally get it done. You can listen here; the show is just under an hour, and I think it's one of our best shows yet at Joe and Joe Sports. In fact, one of the contestants, my cousin Michael, had such a fun time doing the show that he has taken it upon himself to arrange the next baseball trivia show. Success!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Just Like Music
First things first, I have decided nothing for my birthday. I'll probably have pie of some sort, though fried ice cream is still on the table. Dessert is about all I look forward to these days. PS: There's pie at the house.
Moneyball
is the second most important book I've ever read, behind only Ishmael
by Daniel Quinn.
Remember ages ago when I said I was going to start posting audio files of myself playing and singing songs on a regular basis? And remember how not only did I not start posting them on a regular basis, but didn't in fact post a single one? Well, I've got a faint hope of finally coming around on that. Faint.
I'm compiling a list of potential songs right now, and putting them into two categories: A) songs I can play/have played, and B) songs I think I could play and might sound good, were it someone else singing and playing. If you've got any suggestions for either list, I'm happy to hear them. I make no promises about how long it'll take to post anything, or even that anything will progress on this front at all.
Wish me luck.
Moneyball
is the second most important book I've ever read, behind only Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.Remember ages ago when I said I was going to start posting audio files of myself playing and singing songs on a regular basis? And remember how not only did I not start posting them on a regular basis, but didn't in fact post a single one? Well, I've got a faint hope of finally coming around on that. Faint.
I'm compiling a list of potential songs right now, and putting them into two categories: A) songs I can play/have played, and B) songs I think I could play and might sound good, were it someone else singing and playing. If you've got any suggestions for either list, I'm happy to hear them. I make no promises about how long it'll take to post anything, or even that anything will progress on this front at all.
Wish me luck.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Walt Disney World Trip: Day 1 (Friday)
As many of you know, I went to Disney World last weekend, and as per Plundo's suggestion and example, I'll give you a run down of how the trip was (along with the occasional complementary picture and relevant Wikipedia links). I took the trip with my mom and my youngest brother, Kevin.
For starters, I was sick. I got sick at the beginning of last week, and just got sicker as the week went on. Friday morning, the day of our flight, I was sick as a dog, and had been swigging Dayquil and Nyquil to try to bust up the cold before the trip. No such luck. I ended up blowing my nose at least 100 times over the course of the trip, but I was able to shut out most of the sickness with the distraction of the parks.
We left the house around 9:30 to catch our 12:00 flight out of Dulles. We were able to get through security without too much of a wait. Our flight was fully booked, but without any of the hullabaloo that Plundo had to endure, and the rest of the transportation went off without a hitch. During this trip, I spent most of my downtime and flight time reading, starting with Moneyball. If you're unfamiliar with Moneyball, it's a non-fiction book that reports on how the Oakland A's were able to field a highly competitive team despite having a small payroll and a lack of big bopper power hitters. It's honestly one of the most exciting and interesting books I've ever read, and I'd recommend it to any reasonably intelligent sports fan.
When we arrived in Orlando, we were all pretty hungry, so we got a table at the airport Chili's. I don't know if I've ever had their fajitas before, but they were better than I expected. The steak was very flavorful, and it was just enough food that I would be sated until dinner time.
We stayed at the Saratoga Springs resort, which is a Disney resort. There are several advantages of this, and the first one starts when you step out of the airport. Disney has a Magical Express service that allows you to ride one of their private buses from the airport directly to your resort. After checking in, we were offered a cart ride to the front of our building (which of course we accepted), and we headed up to the room.
The Saratoga Springs rooms are suites with a bedroom or bedrooms, as well as a kitchen and a common area. The resort has a small grocery on the property, and we went there to pick up some essentials (most importantly an Entenmann's raspberry danish). We put the groceries away, and then decided to head to Epcot (each Disney resort offers free bus rides to all of their parks, another perk of stayin at a Disney resort).
Kevin's big thing this trip (although it would slip away fairly quickly) was that he wanted to eat at as many of the different countries at Epcot as possible. This started on Friday night, when we went to the Japanese portion of Epcot. We ate at a restaurant called Teppan Edo, which is essentially a Benihana. The food was very good; they offered three sauces, each of which was different and tasty. I got New York strip sirloin steak, but everyone's food looked good (even the vegitarian selection, which was somewhat surprising). Additionally, I got a drink called a "ninja," a combination of sake and plum wine. I'm not normally a wine fan, but this was good enough that I got two.
We walked around Epcot a little more after dinner, but it was surprisingly crowded, and we were all fairly tired after a travel day, so we decided to head back. At the hotel, I grabbed a slice of danish and read a chapter of Moneyball before hitting the hay.
Next up: Saturday at The Magic Kingdom.
For starters, I was sick. I got sick at the beginning of last week, and just got sicker as the week went on. Friday morning, the day of our flight, I was sick as a dog, and had been swigging Dayquil and Nyquil to try to bust up the cold before the trip. No such luck. I ended up blowing my nose at least 100 times over the course of the trip, but I was able to shut out most of the sickness with the distraction of the parks.
We left the house around 9:30 to catch our 12:00 flight out of Dulles. We were able to get through security without too much of a wait. Our flight was fully booked, but without any of the hullabaloo that Plundo had to endure, and the rest of the transportation went off without a hitch. During this trip, I spent most of my downtime and flight time reading, starting with Moneyball. If you're unfamiliar with Moneyball, it's a non-fiction book that reports on how the Oakland A's were able to field a highly competitive team despite having a small payroll and a lack of big bopper power hitters. It's honestly one of the most exciting and interesting books I've ever read, and I'd recommend it to any reasonably intelligent sports fan.
When we arrived in Orlando, we were all pretty hungry, so we got a table at the airport Chili's. I don't know if I've ever had their fajitas before, but they were better than I expected. The steak was very flavorful, and it was just enough food that I would be sated until dinner time.
We stayed at the Saratoga Springs resort, which is a Disney resort. There are several advantages of this, and the first one starts when you step out of the airport. Disney has a Magical Express service that allows you to ride one of their private buses from the airport directly to your resort. After checking in, we were offered a cart ride to the front of our building (which of course we accepted), and we headed up to the room.
The Saratoga Springs rooms are suites with a bedroom or bedrooms, as well as a kitchen and a common area. The resort has a small grocery on the property, and we went there to pick up some essentials (most importantly an Entenmann's raspberry danish). We put the groceries away, and then decided to head to Epcot (each Disney resort offers free bus rides to all of their parks, another perk of stayin at a Disney resort).
Kevin's big thing this trip (although it would slip away fairly quickly) was that he wanted to eat at as many of the different countries at Epcot as possible. This started on Friday night, when we went to the Japanese portion of Epcot. We ate at a restaurant called Teppan Edo, which is essentially a Benihana. The food was very good; they offered three sauces, each of which was different and tasty. I got New York strip sirloin steak, but everyone's food looked good (even the vegitarian selection, which was somewhat surprising). Additionally, I got a drink called a "ninja," a combination of sake and plum wine. I'm not normally a wine fan, but this was good enough that I got two.We walked around Epcot a little more after dinner, but it was surprisingly crowded, and we were all fairly tired after a travel day, so we decided to head back. At the hotel, I grabbed a slice of danish and read a chapter of Moneyball before hitting the hay.
Next up: Saturday at The Magic Kingdom.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Eve Post
It's Christmas Eve, and I've got a couple things to mention, but figured it'd be a waste to put them in separate posts. First, a friend brought this to my attention; you can track Santa's sleigh ride 'round the world. So...enjoy that.
Additionally, our second round of voting also ended in a tie, so I'm just going to arbitrarily pick the song that was part of both of the ties, and play that one. Look forward to that.
My brother bought NHL '09 for the Xbox 360 a couple months ago, and while I was unexcited initially, I've come to really enjoy playing it. It's got a neat feature that coincides with similar features present in most other EA Sports games where you take control of a single player and try to guide them to the promised land...which I guess is the hockey hall of fame? I haven't gotten that far into it yet, still in season one. Anyways, it's really interesting to try to learn a specific position, to work off the puck, and to play positional defense (rather than the wild checkfest that my normal defense tends to deteriorate into).
Don't forget to check out our partner site, Joe and Joe Sports, now on its own domain!
Additionally, our second round of voting also ended in a tie, so I'm just going to arbitrarily pick the song that was part of both of the ties, and play that one. Look forward to that.
My brother bought NHL '09 for the Xbox 360 a couple months ago, and while I was unexcited initially, I've come to really enjoy playing it. It's got a neat feature that coincides with similar features present in most other EA Sports games where you take control of a single player and try to guide them to the promised land...which I guess is the hockey hall of fame? I haven't gotten that far into it yet, still in season one. Anyways, it's really interesting to try to learn a specific position, to work off the puck, and to play positional defense (rather than the wild checkfest that my normal defense tends to deteriorate into).
Don't forget to check out our partner site, Joe and Joe Sports, now on its own domain!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
That Dr. Pepper Song
Some of you know that I was racking my brain trying to figure out how to find the name and artist of a song I heard in a recent Dr. Pepper commercial. It is also often used at sporting events to get the crowd going, and I believe was first used in that manner for the Chicago Bulls teams of the mid-1990s.
Anyways, the song is called Sirius, and it's by Alan Parsons Project. In its original context, it's also used as an introduction to a popular song by the band called Eye In The Sky. Not surprisingly, they're the two highest rated tracks by Alan Parsons Project on Rhapsody. Also, is anyone talking about this site? It's awesome. You can listen to anything they've got on a whim. It's the site I linked to when I wanted you to listen to a song off of a 5-song special release CD from the Dave Matthews Band. I'm gonna do some more research, but best I can tell, this site is just sweet.
Socialism rules!
Yeah, that's gonna bring traffic to this blog, but maybe not the kind of traffic I want...oh, who am I kidding, any traffic is good.
Anyways, the song is called Sirius, and it's by Alan Parsons Project. In its original context, it's also used as an introduction to a popular song by the band called Eye In The Sky. Not surprisingly, they're the two highest rated tracks by Alan Parsons Project on Rhapsody. Also, is anyone talking about this site? It's awesome. You can listen to anything they've got on a whim. It's the site I linked to when I wanted you to listen to a song off of a 5-song special release CD from the Dave Matthews Band. I'm gonna do some more research, but best I can tell, this site is just sweet.
Socialism rules!
Yeah, that's gonna bring traffic to this blog, but maybe not the kind of traffic I want...oh, who am I kidding, any traffic is good.
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