Monday, June 11, 2012

"Uh, No..."

Good afternoon everyone.  I've had WAY TOO BUSY of a day so far considering that it's my only day off this week and that it is the anniversary of the day that I graduated from high school a long, long, long time ago...  Haircut, bank, electric bill, Nike outlet store, phone bill, bookstore...  The Nike trip and the bookstore turned out to be a bunch of 'window shopping' mostly because my conscience got the best of me (I have to save my money for the move), and I got out of the two stores only blemished with the wristband that I bought at Nike.  Interesting (maybe) note:  When I started playing online poker, I began wearing a wristband anytime that I use my computer due to moving and clicking the mouse so often - that habit has stuck with me and I am now on my third wristband...  I'm going to get into this ramble with an apology to the baseball fans of LSU for a comment that I made on my facebook page this weekend.  While watching the 'super regional' from Baton Rouge on Saturday, the Tigers' fans were mercilessly booing the umpires on a call that an umpire got correct (see, I give officials their props when they get it right)...  ;)  An LSU baserunner was called out at second base after being tagged out by Stony Brook on a pitch that was actually ball four to the batter.  The problem was that the Tiger baserunner overslid second base (touching it, and then losing contact with it), so the free base that he was entitled to with the walk was moot when he broke contact with the bag, and he was clearly tagged out before he could re-establish contact.  Your friend 'Coach' made a comment on his facebook page to the effect of, "LSU baseball fans need to learn something about..., baseball...".  Well, last night when I returned home from work, I was watching the highlights of the third and deciding game in the super regional (LSU has always advanced to the College World Series when hosting a super regional).  Well, Stony Brook pulled of the upset of the Tigers and will be heading to Omaha, but the LSU fans seated along the wall, in a VERY CLASSY move, were high-fiving the celebrating kids from Long Island and they took a victory lap around the ballpark.  Very nice gesture...  With a lot of my last post focusing on the officiating in the Spurs/Thunder game six, it should be obvious to you that I cannot prove collusion by the NBA and its officials and I just said that the calls looked really suspect...  Speaking of really suspect, there was a Welterweight title fight in Las Vegas this past weekend...  I did not see the fight, but the OVERWHELMING public opinion is that Manny Pacquiao was robbed when he lost a split-decision to underdog Timothy Bradley in a fight that took place at MGM over the weekend.  Tsk, tsk, tsk...  Since we seem to be on the topic of sports, let me update my predictions and give you my call on the upcoming NBA Finals.  First to the world of hockey, where my New Jersey Devils (mine, because I predicted them to beat the Kings in seven games for the Stanley Cup) are now playing a HUGE game six in Los Angeles tonight.  If the Devils can somehow manage to win this game and erase the 3-0 deficit they were saddled with, and take this series back to New Jersey for a seventh game...  :)  That game will be shown on NBC at 7:00 CST tonight for you hockey fans.  In the world of basketball, I predicted that the San Antonio Spurs would defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games, and as you surely know by now, it was the Thunder downing the Spurs in a half-dozen games.  I was correct on my Eastern Conference prediction, down to the game, as the Heat eliminated the Celtics in seven games.


2012 NBA Finals     -----     Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat


My Prediction      ------     Heat in 5 games


Just as I said about my Devils prediction against a red-hot L.A. Kings team, this prediction is also a hunch.  If you know me at all, you know that I will be rooting for the Thunder in this series.  I am not a LeBron James fan thanks to 'the decision' and the inane smokeshow introduction of the Heat's 'Big Three' when James arrived in Miami.  That being said, I still do not like the fact that OKC has so many young, inexperienced players.  Wade and James have been in the league for a lot of big games, and Wade has even won some...  :P  Okay, so has James.  I think that the experience of the Heat and the outside shooting ability of Wade and James (which the Spurs were SORELY missing in the last series - successful outside shooting) will test the Thunder.  If the Heat can steal one game in Oklahoma, and then return to Miami for three straight games, I think that it might be done - we will see...  Game one of that series is tomorrow night.

For those diehard ramble fans reading this, sorry about the extra paragraphs (Merry Christmas Grrouchie!). Chris Mannix, a writer for SI.com, was the guest host on 'The Dan Patrick Show' this morning.  One of his interviews was Rex Ryan, the head coach of the New York Jets.  Since Mannix was going to be interviewing Mark Paul Gosselaar (a former star on 'Saved By The Bell') later in the morning, Mannix asked Ryan, "did you watch 'Saved By The Bell'?"  Ryan's response - "Uh, no..."  CLASSIC...  :)  Ryan was also asked during the interview about his weight-loss...  Ryan has dropped over 90 pounds, going from 350 to 257...  Being the anniversary of the day that I graduated from high school, this got me thinking...  I remember growing up when we were taught that the United States was going to convert to the metric system.  Obviously, we never have, but I can tell you one thing FOR SURE - Americans completely understand what pounds are...  I hope that you have a great day and I'll see you again on Wednesday.

        

11 comments:

  1. Phil Hellmuth WON his 12 Bracelet!

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  2. Thanks - I haven't checked the website today. I should probably post something about the WSOP on Wednesday... Hastings was selling used books 3 for $21.00, and there were quite a few poker books - it was SO HARD not to buy some... :)

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  3. Boxing is a sport that I used to follow that I no longer do -- too corrupt.

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  4. I've never followed boxing closely, but my brother said that I should go if I get the chance. He said that it's a great atmosphere being there (he used to live in Las Vegas also)...

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  5. It was great because Don King gave out tickets to the Military, Bob Arum is horrible for Boxing.

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  6. I don't follow boxing because Tyson and Holyfield were the only two that ever interested me but I would love to go see a fight live some day.
    Just too cheap to do it.

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  7. Oh, it's definitely pricey...

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  8. I pick Oklahoma City in this series. Just short again for the Heat. I lost my passion for NBA basketball a long time ago (about when Jordan retired, says this Chicago sports nut). However, theses finals might get pretty interesting.

    Rex Ryan -- the man who puts the foot into football!

    As for metric -- yes, we sure as hell were fooled. Heck, I even remember when one local gas station (1970's) converted its pumps from gallons to liters. Hah -- all we did was multiply by four and subtract a bit ... lol.

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  9. I hope you're right on the Thunder... That's a great story about the gas station, well, except for the station. :) Good luck out in Vegas!

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  10. your favorie girl is leading the wat for the Women!

    So far Vanessa Selbst has been carrying the weight for the Selbst/Maria Ho/Liv Boeree/Vanessa Rousso house but that could be changing as Ho recorded her first deep run today.

    Ho outlasted 2,776 players in Event 21 $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em before finally hitting the rail in 24th place for $12,621.

    It was Ho’s first cash of the series and while it was likely a disappointing finish for the California native it is perhaps a sign of things to come.

    For those keeping track at home Selbst has won $181k at the 2012 WSOP, Ho is now second with $12k and Boeree is third with $6,157 (that broken ankle might be slowing her down).

    The only player who hasn’t cashed yet at the 2012 WSOP is landlord Vanessa Rousso. Perhaps she should crank up the rent as the rest of the house can certainly afford to pay.

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  11. Rousso is biding her time... :)

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