Looking Back to Living Abroad

So I was thinking today about when I lived in Barcelona Jan 06' and Paris Jan 05'. It was a great experience and I highly suggest everyone live in a foreign country for a month or so. Get immersed in the culture and see if you can handle living in a foreign place on your own.

Just so everyone is clear, I lived in Paris with a UD study abroad group. I loved the experience so much that I found an internship/housing in Barcelona the next winter session and went on my own. The latter was definitely a harder experience but I wouldn't change anything.

With the power that Google has now I thought I would share the Apt's that I lived in just for shits and giggles.

Barcelona

(I lived in the apt next to that white little car. The apt with the black door)

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Paris

(I lived in the Apt next to the shop with the green awning and the store with the orange sign.)


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That's all, just thought it'd be cool to show where I called home for a couple months.

Hide your junk

James Lipton was brought on for a PSA ad to warn of the dangers of Sexting/sending racy photographs. (See Grady Sizemore, Vanessa Hudgens, Rihanna, Sean Salisbury, Jeff Reed etc...) Check it out below..

Dating in the 80's was awesome

This video is absolutely awesome... I wish these types of videos still existed on cable tv... Maybe E harmony should use these clips for a commercial or something like that... My favorite is the guy in the Viking Costume because obviously that's something that turns the ladies on.


Best Photoshopped ad Ever







An awesome photoshopped ad found at RiverAveBlues

Yanks Game 6 Recap (Wayy overdue)

To all of my loyal readers ( I count something around 3 based on the analytics). I think it's high time I give you my two cents on how the 2009 MLB season ended. The Yankees won their 27th World Series title, by far the most in MLB. The second most championships for a MLB team is the Cardinals with 10 and the A's with 9. Not to mention the Yankees also have the most championships for any team in sports history. The Montreal Canadians are 2nd with 24 Stanley Cups and the Celtics are 3rd with 17 NBA championships.

For those that don't know I was extremely lucky and attended the World Series clinching game 6. This was my second clinching World Series game I have been to but the first where I had free reign to do as I pleased and celebrate.

The plan all along was to head up to the Dugout and drink some beers and watch the game on TV with hopes of possibly scalping a ticket in the 3rd inning. Earlier in the day I read on Craigslist that the Yankees released 1,000 tickets. Not having much to do I mozied on up to the Bronx and waited on line for 30 minutes only to be turned away saying no tickets were available. Hey it was worth a shot, I still had my backup plan of catching the game with a ton of Yanks fans with hopes of celebrating on River Ave after the win.

My buddy Adam and his brother Matt came up to the dugout about 30 minutes before first pitch and we drank a few brews. Already 5 man can's of PBR deep I was lovin life. That fateful call came to Adam, it was his dad and he was already in the stadium but had come across 3 tickets. I was in the right place at the right time, and a thousand thanks go to Adam, Matt and their dad Jay. We ran around the stadium and waited on line at Gate 2, this seems to be where all the VIP people enter, as I saw Bill Murray usher in 10-15 people (Mostly young females). I couldn't hold back and shouted I love you Carl Spackler!! Unfortunately he did not look my way but it was still awesome to see him. I only wish I was one of those lucky people who have randomly ran into him at parties throughout NYC.



We got inside in time to catch the first pitch down on the lower level and headed up to our seats in the bottom of the first. Located in the last section in LF and the 2nd to last row I couldn't have cared less if I was sitting on top of the lights. To be in the stadium was all I wanted. From the first pitch to the final out I made as much noise as possible and gave every Philly fan the Bronx Cheer, better known as booing.

We got ahead of Pedro early and rode Pettitte as far as we could. The best part about winning this was beating Pedro twice. For all the jibber jabber he had for the NY media about how we mistreated him, he can add to list the drumming we gave him in game 6. Mariano came in to seal the deal and we took home World Series #27!

9 years is a long time for Yankees fans of my generation. I did grow up with the maligned Yankees team of the late 80's and early 90's with Donnie Baseball at the helm but the dynasty years of 96-00' surely made up for it. Here's to the beginning of a new dynasty and many more championships in the new house!

Jimmy Rollins is an asshat by first of all picking the Phils in 5, but also not giving credit to the Yankees after we took it to them and deflecting the attention to how poorly they played. Be a man and accept defeat. By the way, my prediction of Yanks in 6 held up. I don't think I could've survived a game 7.

After the Yanks won everyone poured out onto the streets and there was slight pandemonium underneath the L, all along River Ave. The police did their best to curb any rioting and dispersed the large crowd approximately 30 minutes after the ceremony. All in all it was an incredible playoffs and a great way to finish up the 2009 baseball season.

My Fantasy Baseball dominance, the Yankees best record in baseball and finishing that up with a World Series made this an unforgettable year.

See my previous post and you can see why I have been living in NYC for the past 3 years.

Yanks in 2010!

Best Print Ad EVER




Such a great ad! 27 Baby!

Who's Your Daddy?

Quite a couple of statements by Pedro Martinez. Nothing too in depth here just thought you'd get a chuckle at an over the hill jheri curler.



























3 L's on that jersey and the 4th L for that horrible suit in the post game press conference. That will lose the series for ya.


World Series 2009

For those that know me and even those that don't. This next week and a half is going to be one of the most stressfull/joyful weeks in recent years. My beloved Yankees are back in the World Series for a record setting 40th time and looking to capture their 27th championship.


I am by no means a front runner, I've been a baseball fan for as I can remember, playing little league as a 7 year old and idolizing Don Mattingly and the New York Yankees. In fact me and my buddy Keith often play a game where we spend 10 minutes rattling off obscure Yankees of the late 80's and early 90's. (Andy Stankiewicz, Mell Hall, Eric Plunk, Greg Cadaret, Scott Sanderson, Roberto Kelly, Matt Nokes etc.)


I have experienced the full gamut of emotions during my 20 years as a fan from heartbreak (2001 WS, 2004 ALCS, 1994 Strike, Don Mattingly's retirement are some that come to mind) to absolute joy. (See 1996 playoffs, 1998 season, 1999 WS, 2003 ALCS). This season has an extra layer of meaning. It's the first season in the new house, we finally beat our playoffs nemesis in the Angels, we are arguably the best team in baseball for the first time in a few years and it's going against the 2008 World Series Champs.


My disgust for Philly is almost as much as my hatred for Boston and the vast majority of fans that live in those cesspools. Going to school at the University of Delaware I was exposed to wayy too many Philadelphia sports fans, the reputation they have earned for some of the worst fans in all of sports is being kind. I actually think Boston fans are more informed sports fans in general.


Some of my best friends are Philly fans, but the gloves will come off for this match up and I've already heard my fair share of Philly chatter. They are not fans of the game of baseball but are more about getting as drunk as possible and rooting for whatever team is doing well at that time. I still hear those horrible echoes of E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES chants wherever and opportunity presented itself.



Not to mention I made a nice little bet with my buddy Drew who happens to be a big Philly fan. Last year he proposed a bet to me that the Yankees wouldn't win the WS in the next 5 years and if they did he'd pay me $500, and if they didn't win I'd pay him. I liked my odds when I made the bet, but with the acquisition of CC, Tex and Burnett, I like my position even more.

This is for ultimate bragging rights for years to come. Philly has a very formidable ball club and this will be a great series! My guess is Yankees in 6.


LETS GO YANKS! 


I'll see you at the Canyon of Heroes in 2 weeks

The Elephant in the room

The Yankees lost a heart breaker last night in Los Angeles. Burnett gave up 4 runs in the first and there was a lot of trepidation with the crowd I was watching with that we'd have to dip into the bullpen early and claw our way back for a win.

I think I would've been happier if we lost 4-0 instead of scoring 6 runs in the 7th to take a 6-4 lead only to give up that lead in the bottom half of the inning. The turning point in this game was Phil Franchise's performance. He had Vlad at a 1-2 count with 2 outs. On the previous pitch he made him look silly on a nasty curve ball in the dirt. With the reputation Vlad has for being a free swinger, why not throw the same pitch and see if he'll chase. Instead Hughes shook of Jorge and went for a fast ball up and in. He missed his spot and left a fastball in the heart of the plate and Vlad got his game tying RBI. Fast forward to the top of 9th. We load the bases all with 2 outs and Swish works the count full. As a kid you dream for this situation, unfortunately Swish popped out on a fastball right down the middle.

I caught the game at my buddy Adam's where he has a ridiculously awesome private deck where the game was broadcast with a HD projector on the wall. It's probably 8ft by 10 ft. The best part about this screen is the ability to throw beer cans at the screen when you're frustrated. Needless to say there were plenty of beer cans both full and empty being tossed at the screen from the 7th inning on.

This game 6 is a must win for the Yanks. By pitching CC in game 7 it will ultimately screw up the rotation for the pending WS games. Obviously we need CC to pitch game 7 if that situation presents itself. I just hope the big game pitcher we all know and love, Andy Pettitte, shows up.

Now to the elephant in the room, there will be endless talk about 2004 especially if we lose game 6. The Yankees had 2 games slip out of their hands when they had the chance to bury their opponent. This is not a situation any Yankees fan wants to be in. So in short, lets hope the Yankees drop a crooked number on Saunders early and Pettitte cruises for 7 strong innings.

I love October baseball, especially when the Yankees are involved. I'm not sure if I can take much more of this drama though.

LETS GO YANKS!

Movember

This upcoming November will be called Movember for all intensive purposes. For all of those not familiar with Movember it is a month dedicated to Men's health. More specifically prostate health. Men should grow out their mustaches for the entire month and be proud of their facial hair!


I participated in Movember last year as a team leader and raised somewhere in the neighborhood of $500. Also as a team leader I was sent 2 electric shavers, mustache stickers, rubber wrist bands and some other schwag.


I thought I would include my  "Greatest Hits Album" below.





(Justache)

(My Personal Favorite)





(Not grown during Movember but it was still pretty awesome)


So hopefully we have more converts this year and here's to a successful Movember in 09'. There is a Gala to cap off the end of the month and it's really for a good cause! I'm certainly at a crossroads here, I should stay clean shaven for interviews but this is for a good cause... Maybe my post yesterday about doing everything the opposite  from what I'm used to should apply here.


Thoughts?

MLB Umpires

I watch a ton of ESPN and of course they have the tendency to blow sports stories out of proportion. They bring in all sorts of experts to debate and profess their point of view to the point of insanity. I read God Save the Fan by the former editor of Deadspin, Will Leitch. The book was basically a 300 page blog but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

One chapter in particular places Leitch in a self made situation where he forces himself to watch 24 straight hours of ESPN broadcasts. This includes ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN2 etc. By the end of the 24 hours he was just about delirious. I enjoy the highlights and all but everything else I could certainly do without.

This rant was necessary because ESPN of course had major coverage of the MLB umpires mistakes this postseason. They even had a top 10 umpire mistakes of the 2009 playoffs!. Yesterday was pretty bad with 3 missed calls in the game. Thankfully these calls didn't really have an effect on the outcome of the game and Tim Mcclellan clearly screwed up.

All of the ESPN analysts are calling for instant replay. I however don't believe that instant replay is needed in baseball. MLB employs 6 umpires during the playoffs to make their lives easier and one blip on the radar in 2009 has everyone up in arms. Yes it seems that the Yankees have gotten more than their fair share of calls but that's the breaks.

In the one game playoff, Brandon Inge was hit on his uniform with the bases loaded, this would've given the Tigers the go ahead run and changed the landscape of the game. Instead he was not given the HBP and we subsequently made an out. The Twins won the game and made it into the playoffs. Fast forward to game two of the ALDS and Joe Mauer hit a ball that was called foul. By all accounts the ball was clearly fair and should have been a double. Mauer wound up reaching first on a single and the Twins loaded the bases only to squander the opportunity and lose the game in the bottom half. Ron Gardenhire spoke to the press afterwards and said that's the breaks. Sometimes the calls go your way (like the one game playoff) and sometimes they don't.

Baseball is America's pastime, it took long enough for MLB to use instant replay on HR calls. I don't think it belongs in the postseason. A sport proud of it's tradition and slow to change thinking should not jump ship because of one poor postseason by the umpires.

Jets Fins MNF recap

A lot of hype went into this Monday Night Matchup and of course the ESPN machine leading the hype. Can rookie QB Mark Sanchez lead the Jets past Miami? That's all I heard on the commercials for MNF.  Nothing was said about Chad Henne and his 2nd start of his career. He did come out of Michigan as a 4 year starter but I guess that's no big deal. Lets hype up a 2 year starter at USC.


So when it came down to the battle of the QB's it looks like my man the other Chad is someone worth hyping. He had an incredible 4th quarter and ultimately led a 5 minute game winning drive with 3 unbelievable 3rd down conversions. The first was a bullet pass to Anthony Fasano while being draped by a defender. This set up the next play which was play action pass where Ted Ginn burnt Pro Bowler Darelle Revis, and beat triple coverage for a well placed pass and a TD.  


The second was probably the most impressive, with an all out blitz coming at him on 3rd and 10, he had the wherewithal to float a pass over Greg Camarillos shoulder while being blanketed by coverage. The Jets had been successful all game in these 3rd and long situations with sending the kitchen sink so it was even more impressive that Henne made that pass. The final conversion was a designed roll out and he threw and absolute strike where only Camarillo could catch it again. This set the Fins up in a goal line situation and we had the opportunity to tie it or win it.


In that final quarter, Henne completed 9 of 11 passes for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns against one of the top 5 defenses in the NFL.  His fourth quarter QB rating of 152.1 is very impressive and definitely a building block for this kid's future as an NFL QB. 


Miami's running game was also on point,  We ran for 151 yards with 2 TD's. The two back system of Ronnie and Rickey works great as both backs looked fresh in the 4th quarter with the game on the line. They combined for 32 carries and that's how you win ball games. Run the ball effectively and use the pass when the defense is on their heels.



This game showed that the Wildcat is not a gimmick, we've been running this offense for a year now. We are averaging something along the lines of 6 yds per play while running the wildcat. We tore the Jets defense up and Dan Henning gave Rex Ryan a good ole punch in the nuts by calling the game winning TD with a Wildcat play. A lot of the Jets defensive players are not giving the Dolphins the credit due for the victory. We'll see what happens Nov. 1.


Finally, the Dolphins really would have clubbed the Jets if it weren't for two bad pass interference calls and two Gimmick Fake Punts. You could tell the Jets had their backs against the wall when they called two fake punts. 


The first bad call was a throw where there was definitely contact but the ball was thrown so high that there was no way the WR could have caught the ball. The second was an absolute disgrace, with 1 on 1 coverage in the 4th Q, Will Allen was beat by Braylon Edwards and got an inside position on the football. There was the usual contact that happens on every pass. Edwards just let the ball go through his hands and the referee could only infer that since he dropped the ball it was pass interference. Honestly it was a horrible call and potentially a game changing play. We were fortunate that skill prevailed and brought home a big victory and are now 1 game out of the AFC East.


Finally, the Dolphins are 3-0 in the orange jerseys. Let's save the next time for the Super Bowl!










Photos courtesy of (Robert Duyos, Sun Sentinel / October 12, 2009)

Fins Jets MNF






This speaks for itself, doesn't Suprise me. Lets go Fins!

Next Step: ALCS

In case you haven't noticed, a good portion, if not all of the posts in the month of October will be about my beloved Yankees.

The Yankees continued their dominance of the Minnesota Twins with a 3-0 series sweep. That's a record of 10-0 this season against the Twins in 2009, I wish we could play them 162 games a season with numbers like this. We also have dominated the Twins in each of our last 4 playoff matchups. When the Twins beat the Tigers there was that feeling in my gut that we had the Twins number but they were playing sooo well that it made me nervous.


We didn't annhilate the Twins but we capitalized on their mistakes and we were lucky enough to ride the bat of Alex Rodriguez to a series sweep. Another big game out of Arod, Pavano and Pettitte were exchanging blows and really dominating the opposing hitters. Pavano gave up a game tying home run once again to Arod and then Jorge followed up with a solo shot to take a 2-1 lead.

We would hold on to the lead for the rest of the game but not without some tension of course. Jeter made a game saving/changing play in the bottom of the 8th to get a ball hit up the middle and saw Punto round 3rd too far and threw immediately to Jorge. Jorge fired it to 3rd to nail Punto and instead of runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out, it was runner on 1st with 2 outs.

We tacked on some insurance runs in the 9th and the next thing you know it was ball game over, ALDS over, Yankeees Win, Theee Yankees Win!.

In case you missed the Red Sox/Angels game, Papelsuck blew the game for the Sox with two outs in the ninth with a two run lead. He quickly got two outs and then gave up a line drive up the middle to Aybar. Figgins then walked to place runners at 1st and 2nd. Abreu came up and lined a double off the monster, scoring Aybar. Hunter was intentionally walked to set up a force at any bag and then Vlad the Impaler lined a 2 RBI single up the middle to take the lead.


Next up probably the only team in the playoffs I don't want to see. The Angels have had our number for as long as Torre was managing the team. We finally took a series from the Angels in Anaheim for the first time in like 5 years this season, so hopefully we can take that momentum and roll with it. This series is not going to be easy by any means. The Angels are a very scary ballclub and do everything right. They have a balanced lineup 1-9 and will no doubt try and rattle our pitching staff on the base paths. Here's to an exciting ALCS and the 2009 playoffs that will enshrine Arod forever in Yankees lore.

I really don't like the fact that game 1 of the ALCS is going to be Friday night. I understand Fox paid a lot of money to broadcast these games and they want prime time days/hours. Giving both teams 4 days off will hurt the teams more than it helps in my opinion and 2 days off is reasonable. Ha it also doesn't help that I am going to Vermont for the weekend, I'm just hoping I'll be able to get watch the Yanks!


The Ghosts Have Moved


For all of you reading this, get ready for a long one because I'm still riding a huge wave of emotion of last nights instant classic.

Along with 50,000+ other people I was lucky enough to witness all 11 innings of game 2 of the ALDS between the Yanks and Twins. I was somewhat skeptical what the feeling would be like in the new digs but I was thoroughly impressed. Nothing can compare to playoff games in the the old house that Ruth Built, but it for all it's worth the only word that I can think of is Electric.

I was laying on my couch nursing a hangover from all you can eat sushi/saki when my phone rang around 11am. It was my dad, and I've received enough of these phone calls in the past to expect playoff tickets. (Lofty expectations I know, I've been very fortunate/lucky). Lo and behold tickets were bestowed upon him last minute and I quickly found myself mentally preparing for my 16th playoff game, and the first one in the new house.

Just to highlight some of the big games I've attended.

1995 game 2 of the ALDS: Jim Leyritz 15th inning HR off Tim Belcher and Donnie Baseball's first and last postseason HR. Not a bad game for an 11 yr old to attend to get a real taste of playoff baseball. (I will never forgive Jack McDowell for blowing game 5).

1996 ALDS game 1: Jeffrey Maier made this game famous, and I was sitting right above him in the Loge. This was the start of good teams getting lucky.


1999 World Series Game 4: SWEEP! We swept 4 straight from the Braves to win our 25th World Series and River Ave ran wild with celebrations.


2001 ALDS Game 5: This was one of the loudest occasions I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing. Derek Jeter fell into the stands in the top of the 8th making a great catch and securing a 2 run lead while Oakland was threatening. The stadium was literally shaking and that's what I really miss. Chants for Paul Oneill bellowed through the stadium as everyone knew he was hanging up the spikes at the end of the season.

And of course 2009 ALDS Game 2: A well fought battle with Nick Blackburn keeping the Yankees offense off balance for 5 innings and AJ Burnett generally matching him all in all. For all of the Alex Rodriguez detractors and the media attention he has receieved since coming to NY about not being clutch. He finally got that 800lb gorilla off his back with 2 game tying hits. In the 6th inning the crowd could smell blood, Posada led off the inning in a pinch hit role driving the ball to the warning track for the first out. Derek Jeter smoked a liner into right center for a ground rule double. Damon went on to walk and at this point there wasn't a person in the stadium not making noise. Tex had a good at bat and lined a ball foul down the right field line, missing a 3 run HR by 5 feet. He then made a weak fly ball out to make it 2 outs. A-rod stepped up in a huge position, at this point Blackburn was owning us and we had him on the ropes for the first time. Arod came thru in the clutch lining a single into LF and tying the game 1-1.

Fastforward to the ninth inning, the battery of Hughes/Mariano gave up 2 runs and the Twins sent Nathan to the bump for the Save. Over the Past 5 years the two best closers in baseball have been Nathan and Mariano. I still had a good feeling with Tex, Arod and Matsui due up. The only thing that could have made it better would've been a Jeter, Tex, Arod situation but that's neither here nor there.

I sent my buddy Craig a text going into the bottom of the ninth saying its not if we win, but when. Tex lined a single to start off the inning and also picking up his first postseason hit as a Yankee. By doing so Nathan opened the door for the crowd to get in the game. The stadium was deafening, and this is why you play 162 games to secure home field advantage. You want last licks, by all accounts the Yankees have been the best team in baseball in this position with a MLB leading 15 walk off wins this season.

Arod worked Nathan to a 3-1 count laying off a couple of breaking balls and knew he had a pitch to hit in this position. Nathan grooved a fastball right down the middle and Arod didn't miss, in fact as soon as he hit it everyone in the stadium knew. I was jumping around, hugging people I didn't know and throwing out high fives. I could've sworn I lost my voice a few times in the night starting in the 6th inning and peaking in the 9th. A buddy said to me afterwards, you sacrificed your voice to the baseball gods for a win. If that's the case I'd be mute to see the Yanks win every year. Arod took a much welcomed curtain call and just when you thought the crowd couldn't get louder it went to 11.


10th inning Jorge gets a base hit and Girardi smartly pinch runs with Gardner. Brett the Jet picked a good spot to run, a 2-0 count on Derek Jeter and the heart of the order in the hole. He then got in Nathans head forcing a horrible attempt at a pick off move at second, sending the ball into center. Brett stumbled and hesitated but decided to make that move for 3rd. A good throw would've gotten him but we got lucky. Jeter is then smartly intentionally walked and Nathan is pulled begrudgingly. With the infield in Damon had a 3-0 count and Mijares worked it to a 3-2 count. Damon hit a liner and Gardner took off on contact, unfortunately it was hit right at Cabrera and they were able to get out of a huge jam. At this point I was notably nervous and disappointed, Mauer, Kubel and Cuddyer were due up and our bullpen was thin to say the least.

Marte is a bum and wound up getting extremely lucky on an umpires mistake of calling Joe Mauer's apparent ground rule double, a foul ball. Mauer still raked a single in the at bat but who's to say what the inning would've looked like with Mauer standing on 2nd instead of 1st. Kubel lined a single following this and Marte was booed off the field as Girardi came to take the ball.

In comes the young hard throwing righty, David Robertson. He then gives up a hard single to CF, keeping Mauer at 3rd base because there were no outs and Gardner closed on the ball very quickly. What can only be seen as the Ghosts of Yankee Stadium helping us to victory, the Yankees are forced to play the infield in and Delmon Young smoked a liner right at Tex, 1 out. Carlos Gomez then swings at the first pitch and taps a grounder right at Tex and he makes the play at the plate for the 2nd out. Brendan Harris flied out to center and you could feel the momentum switch and a collective sigh of relief gasped out of the stadium.

Tex came up to the right side of the plate for the first time in the series and pulverized a pitch just over the wall. BALL GAME OVER, THE YANKEES WIN, THEEEEE YANKEEES WIN!


The Twins had a runner on base in every inning and a total of 21 base runners. They are the only team to do so and score 3 runs in baseball history. This is a huge momentum swing for the Yanks, a 2-0 lead going into Minnesota is obviously much different than a 1-1 series. I'd love to squash the Twins with Pavano on the mound.

If you've made it this far I thank you, I'd love to hear some of your favorite Yankee playoff moments!

October


October has to be one of my favorites month's of the year. First and foremost it's associated with playoff baseball and for the past 15 years I've been lucky enough to see the Yankees reach the playoffs (with the exception of last year). I've got quite the good feeling about the Yankees this season and I'm rooting for the Tigers to beat the Twins in the one game playoff. I'd rather play a team that's stumbling it's way into the playoffs than a team that's won something like 16 of it's last 20 games.

Football season is also in full swing by now. Unfortunately for me it seems as though the Dolphins are out of the playoffs already but they can affect the AFC east race with 2 big games against the jets in the next 3 weeks.

Fall weather is yet another reason why I love October, it's not freezing temps and snow like you find in December. There are those 70 degree days mixed in with 50 degree days and I can deal with that just about any day of the year. Being born and raised in Poughkeepsie, I was also lucky enough to see the fall foliage in all of it's glory. There's a certain smell to fall that's very comforting.

The past few years I've been taking an October golf trip to my families apartment in North Miami Beach. Unfortunately I'm not sure if that's going to happen this year. There is a slight chance that I make it down but the lack of funds and no job doesn't make it seem like the best decision.

Lastly, Oktoberfest, which actually takes place in September in Germany. Any excuse to drink litres of beer and eat Bratwurst, sign me up!

I know it's a little bit of a stretch, but any time I can throw a Supertroopers reference in I'll take it and run with it. Note: The reference was to a liter of beer instead of liter cola for all of those that are behind the curve, or god forbid haven't seen Supertroopers.



Fantasy Baseball Dominance


Now that the baseball's regular season has come to a close I can recap my Fantasy Baseball Season...


BobLobLaw's Law Blog (83 pts) and I Gambled and Lost (82 pts) both brought home the bacon, and by bacon I mean championships. My margin of victory over the 2nd place team in both leagues was 13 points, I maintained a position in 1st or 2nd for over 90% of the season. I'd say and it really was no contest. For my efforts I won a nice sum of $550 dollars, with a total investment of $100. Both leagues are 5x5 roto leagues and 10 team mixed leagues. By far my strongest asset was pitching. I dominated all pitching categories and it ultimately led to my win this year.

Last year in the same leagues I finished tied for first and 2nd place. Some may attribute my surge in dominance this year to the lack of unemployment. I will agree I've had more time to dole over potential waiver wire pickup's and craft potential trades. For the most part however I spent the same amount of time on Fantasy as I did last year.

This was also my first year attempting to play h2h and I performed honorably, The Golden Jew (aka Sam Rothstein from Casino) fell in the finals on the last day by a score of 6-4. It would've been a tie if I had started Joe Saunders like I thought I had, so all in all a tremendously successful season.

I'm not a big fan of h2h in baseball format as the beauty of Fantasy Baseball is the ability to project stats over the course of a season with a high degree of accuracy and by making it a weekly crap shoot it diminishes the skill level associated with the format.

H2H makes sense in fantasy football as it's hard enough to project stats for any one player in a 16 game season with so many prevalent injuries. Fantasy football is perfect for the novice fantasy players as it allows someone to check in once a week and still field a competitive team as long as they have a kernel of football knowledge.

I'm looking for big money leagues for next year if anyone is interested (~ $250-$500 a team). For the year of 2009 I followed the Yankees to the best record in the league. Hopefully I can ride this momentum into gainful employment. ( I know they are unrelated, but hey one can hope)

Here's to a successful post season to my beloved Yankees and a trip down the Canyon of Heroes.

Elevator Etiquette

So I've been thinking about this ever since I moved into my latest apartment. It's a doorman elevator building with 2 elevators and 26 floors. I happen to live on the 23rd floor (With a great view in case you're wondering or want to visit.) so there is plenty of opportunity for me to share some elevator time with strangers.

What is the protocol in the elevators when a stranger enters the elevator? Do you say hello? Do you strike up a conversation? Do you wish them a good day/night? Or do you look at the floor and fumble with your phone/thumb through your mail?

I am guilty of all of these and quite frankly I think it's a nice thing to at least recognize the other person in the elevator with you. I try to at least say have a good day/night when they arrive on their floor/I depart to mine. Too many people go through life without thinking about the little things, who knows it may have made someones day to say something as easy as have a good day.

On the other hand when there are 2 people or more going to different floors all bets are off. If you're the first person off the elevator it's okay to give the remaining people in the elevator good wishes but it just seems weird the other way around.

What are your thoughts on elevator etiquette? This is something I'm definitely intrigued by, and I routinely am amazed by behavior that occurs in elevators.

Lastly, I'll leave you with this. I would never wish to be in this position and thankfully have never been stuck in an elevator, I'd definitely have a panic attack and try climb out the top.



Incredible Dancing Video

This kid is dynamite

Shana Tova Yelladim

As you may or may not know, I am Jewish. The last name is Beinstein so if you didn't associate my last name with the chosen people then you must not know many Jews. This weekend was our new year, also known as Rosh Hashanah and it's a good time to get together with family and friends and celebrate. We are now in the year 5770 for all of you keeping track.


I'm hoping this year was better than the last, I went unemployed for 80% of year so it seems as though there's only one way to go but up. I have been able to stay busy and keep my mind sharp but paying rent/living in NYC on peanuts is not advisable.

While in PK i got a couple of rounds of golf in. I played the Links once again, which must have been my 10th round of the season there. I shot a 41 on the front and then fell apart with a 51 on the back. The foursome I played with had to have been the most interesting/strange foursome I've ever been a part of. Mainly because of one character that we played with. Honestly he screamed an obscenity every 3rd word or so. Even if he hit a good shot he would yell at himself saying great shot asshole. Needless to say it was kind of tough to concentrate with this kind of character playing with you.

I then played on Sunday @ Baird with Sefcik and Holmes. This was by the longest round of golf I have ever played. I played well shooting an 83 but the round took 6 hours. We honestly waited on every single hole on every single shot. Some holes there were 3 groups waiting on the tee, there is nothing I hate more than a slow round of golf so it was bittersweet that I played so well. Also, most of you have never played Baird and you are better off. The layout is great but the condition of the course has never been up to par since I've known it. It really is a shame, it's a State course and a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design. In fact it's so bad that our score card was a computer paper print out. Hopefully the state turns it around, it could be a great course if only they had some money and a competent greenskeeper.

That's enough for my golfing trial and tribulations. Next week is Yom Kippur, the day of atonement and by all standards the most important Jewish holiday. I'll be heading back to Poughkeepsie to observe the holiday. Here's to a happy and a healthy new year to everyone and keep reading!


Me Encanta Comida de Mexico

In honor of NYC's Mexican Restaurant Week I'd like to cover my love of Mexican food and where it all started.


I am lucky enough to have one of the best Mexican restaurants right in the heart of Poughkeepsie. This little joint is better known as Mole Mole. Mole Mole is the end all be all of my crew's livelihood. It is the defacto place to spend an hour or two and just shoot the shit and have some good laughs and reminisce. I even had Mole Mole cater my birthday/grad party. So needless to say the amount of love I have for this restaurant is unparalleled. I love walking in and being welcomed by a familiar face and stuffing my face with some kind of dish containing Al Pastor.

I've had a soft spot for Mexican food for most of my life but the moment in my life when I knew I loved Mexican food was in Acapulco. Spring break my junior year. More importantly at Tacos and Beer. There was at least one meal a night at Tacos and Beer during my time in Acapulco and I yearn for another visit. Add to mix, street cart Tortas, which is basically a Mexican sandwich and this was heaven.

This was my first exposure to Al Pastor and since then it's been a match made in heaven. More importantly I love the Southern Mexican, Oaxacan style of Mexican cooking, not to be mistaken with Northern Puebla style. Who wouldn't love this giant spigot of roasted pineapple marinated pork topped with cilantro, lime, onion and you're favorite hot sauce.

Since I've lived in Manhattan I've been on a search for the perfect al pastor taco. Quite frankly I might have found my holy grail. Mercadito, in alphabet city put together a stellar Taco Al Pastor. Soberman, Keith and myself made a pilgrimage yesterday after the 1pm football games to partake in their ALL YOU CAN EAT TACO deal that is all day Sunday and all day Monday. Each and every taco I had was delectable and savory and I would be happy eating a plate of any one of their tacos that have meat (excuse my distaste for vegetarian tacos). For all you of curious as to their offering I suggest you check out their menu and I'll be happy to give you my review of each taco.

I know you're all curious about the results of the eating competition, because that's what bro's do. Keith scarfed down a whopping 23 to earn the crown of Taco King, myself 22, and Dave with a sobering 21. In case you don't know Dave, he's my roommate and his last name is Soberman, so I had to include a pun there.

Needless to say right now I am still full, 24 hours later and no major bowel movement to speak of. Sorry for full disclosure here but when eating this much food I'm sure someone who is reading this is wondering that. This is something I only suggest for iron stomachs or iron wills, the weak shall not apply. Well I hope I gave you a glimpse of my love for this culinary delight, please do share your love for Mexican as well, or whatever type of food it is that does it for you! Go out and enjoy the Mexican Restaurant Week.

I am trying to cut down the rambling in my posts so I will leave it at this, although I'm sure I could delve deep into why it Mexican food makes me tick. Adios

How Green Are You?




After taking a trip today to Whole Foods I thought I'd take a small survey of my readers on how green you are. I by no means am the source for all things green but I like to think if everyone makes a concerted effort we can help to "save/prolong" the Earth.

Whole Foods has really done a great job and I love going to their stores, even if it means a higher price point. You really do get quality food and a large product offering that is so hard to come by here in NYC.

Since being Green has been such a buzz word over the past few years I feel like it's about time to jump on the bandwagon.


Below I will conduct a poll in which I will start the trend of copying and pasting the poll into the comments section and take the poll. (I suggest you follow suit!)




1. Do you recycle?
A. Yes, I seek out recycling areas wherever I am and consider myself to be conscious of separating paper/plastic/glass.
B. Yes I recycle at home but there is an occasion when I may throw away recyclables
C. I recycle on occasion, it is not something that I am cognizant of.
D. What is recycling?


2. If going you're going a mile in Manhattan and not in a rush (Not Snowing or Raining) would you rather:
A. Walk/Bike
B. Pedicab (Who really takes those anyways?)
C. Subway/Bus
D. Taxi/Personal Car

3. If going 2+ miles in the same conditions:
A. Walk/Bike
C. Subway/Bus
D. Taxi/Personal Car

4.) When buying groceries do you bring your own bag?
A. Of course, I even have canvas bags with stupid sayings on them.
B. Sometimes, whenever it's convenient for me.
C. I ask for paper bags
D. Give me those damn plastic bags already, and double bag em!

5.) What is your opinion on clean energy?
A. My house is solar cell equipped/ I drive an electric car.
B. I'd buy solar cells if they were more affordable and cost efficient/ I drive a Hybrid.
C. Lets move to Holland and live amongst the windmills and wooden shoes/I drive a car with at least 25 mpg
D. I love fossil fuels and give me the biggest gas guzzler you've got!

(If you have this then you're the coolest person i know)

6.) The U.S. should focus on this issue with the next 20 years in mind.
A. Clean/Renewable Energy
B. Foreign Policy
C. Education
D. Health care reform

7.) Drinking Water
A. I drink tap/filtered water out of a reusable container
B. I buy bottled water but I recycle the bottles I do buy
C. I buy bottled water and could care less if they end up in the garbage.

8.) Electricity
A. If the tv is on I will turn the lights off because the ambient light is enough.
B. Whenever I leave the room I turn off the lights/tv/fan/ac
C. There is an occasion when I may leave an appliance on but its far and few between.
D. I leave the air conditioning on at all times. Because I hate being at an uncomfortable temp.

That's about all I could think of right now.. I've been busy watching the first football game of the season and can't think of much more. I may amend this later. Stay tuned.

Grinding My Gears at the Stadium


I'd like to share with all of my 10 or so readers what I really hate about baseball games and for that matter sports in general. It's been brewing for a long time and I thought I'd go along with what seems to be theme of this blog of things I can't stand. (Drum roll please)

1.) The Wave: I absolutely cannot stand for the Wave when I'm catching a baseball game. More importantly a Yankees game. All too often the wave will rear its ugly head around the 6th inning once we hit that two hour mark and fans start to get restless. You'll find the culprit in the upper corners of the field where large groups are sold tickets. For the most part, these people aren't real baseball fans or else they wouldn't be partaking in the wave. Its distracting, silly and face it people, it will always die in the bleachers because that's where the wave goes to die. Every time the wave is in my area I am sure to scowl at those around me and make snide remarks to demean them. If you're too bored at the stadium then leave. I'd rather have a stadium half full of real fans.

2.) Mascots: There are very few mascots I enjoy, in fact I don't think I really enjoy any mascot but there are a few I can tolerate. The Philadelphia Phanatic is one, the San Diego Chicken is two. (Mainly because of that commercial with peyton) Mascots belong in College Sports, Minor League Sports and I can accept them in football. Baseball however really has no place for them. If anyone over the age of 10 enjoys mascots at a baseball game and calls themselves a fan of the sport then we are not friends. Notice these two clowns below. (Bonus points if you can name the Red Sox mascot). Would they pump you up for a 2 out rally? My point exactly.



3.) Marriage Proposals: Really? I don't think this needs explaining. Although if you have not seen this video from the guys at CollegeHumor I HIGHLY suggest it!




4.) The YMCA: This should be buried along with the old stadium.

5.) Prize Patrols: You all know those Prize Patrol crews that have slingshots or airguns that propel $2 t shirts to the crowd in which an 8 year old kid catches an elbow in the face because a 35 year old balding man wants that shirt to wash his car in!! Thankfully the Yankees do not have this at the stadium. However, at the All Star game last year Aquafina made an appearance with a prize patrol and I was utterly disgusted.

Stay tuned for the next installment as I am getting quite sleepy and figure this is enough for tonight..

Memorial Day Weekend Recap

This weekend was one of the better weekends I've had in a while, especially in the 6 months that I've been unemployed. 


Friday I went out to Brooklyn to hang out at Nebs' place and catch the Yanks Phils game. It's really nice to have the luxury of a backyard, but I guess that's Brooklyn for ya. Unfortunately the Yanks couldn't pull out a win but it was definitely a good time. Nebs got me on a Bruce Springsteen kick, I really love movies and music from the 70's. I really appreciate the unpolished effects that they seem to have, compared to music and movies over the past 10-15 years. Not to mention that alot of the music that was made because the artists loved to make music and not because the labels were pushing them to put out album after album.

Saturday I went out to Fabrices for Paintball and a BBQ. Second time paintballing in a week and it really is a lot of fun. I guess the fact that I haven't really been shot up too many times definitely helps.

Sunday was a hangin out in Boken and yet another BBQ at Dara's, props to Dara for throwing together quite the spread of middle eastern fair.

Monday we hit up an awesome Mexican place called Charittos and then hung around the pool and watched the Cuse v Cornell lax game. What a game, I didn't catch the whole game but I did catch the last 4 minutes where Cuse' went on to score 3 goals to tie the game. The last goal coming with 4 seconds left. Widhalm and Day were ecstatic as they are Syracuse Alumni and I was pretty pumped since I have adopted them as one my college teams since Sarah graduated from there. Cuse then went on to win the game a minute into OT to complete the comeback.

Monday night I was persuaded to meet a couple of the guys and have some beers at Dukes, I was pretty exhausted but I was lured with the idea of a trivia night which wound up being cancelled. During any Yankee or Met game they have $1 beers or $4 pitchers which is awesome. We broke into quite a few songs and just had an awesome night overall.

I'm really looking forward to the Barca - Man Utd. Champions League final tomorrow.


Here comes summer

Unfortunately the weather outlook for this weekend doesn't look like beach weather. I've been trying to decide on what to do this weekend based on the weather and it looks as though I may partake in a round of golf and some paintball intermixed with alot of maxin and relaxin. 


I thought about going down to Sea Isle City but the trip is quite long, its over my budget and the bars are sure to be packed. Add to the fact that its not beach weather that idea was nixed pretty early.

Next up is beaching it in Point Pleasant New Jersey... This is a feasible option yet the whole weather and packed bars thing rears its ugly head again.

I think I'll take a trip to Central Park or Long Beach tomorrow for some fun in the sun and some much needed catching up on My Chuck Palahniuk Novel, Pygmy. As for the rest of the weekend I'm not utterly concerned about what I do, as long as I spend some time with my buddies I'm cool doin whatever.

2 weeks til im 25!

Cuse'

A good weekend overall. Went up to Syracuse to see Sarah graduate. Probably the last time I'll hang out with college aged kids. Johnny A came out to meet us at the bar Friday night and copious amounts of beer and tequila were consumed. I love the fact that 2 shots of tequila and a Guinness was $12. I inhaled a Jimmy Johns sub at 2 am which is standard protocol for any late night hangover helper and then passed out on the floor of our room at the Comfort Inn Suites because a cot had not been delivered to the room. Needless to say this was not the most comfortable slumber I've had in a while.

Vice President Joe Biden was the commencement speaker, he spoke for ~30 minutes and delivered a nice speech. Gotta give respect for the University of Delaware! In all seriousness though he had an inspiring speech. The gist of the speech was this generation is at an inflection point in history and that we can help to influence the direction we are going.

With two wars being fought across the globe, an economic crisis throughout the world and a greater responsibility for the survival of our planet our generation has the potential to be truly great. Not many times do you get to grab the wheel and alter the path we careening towards.

The end of the speech sounded more like it was coming from a politician however. He spoke of affordable health care,a college education for all of those who qualify and finished the speech with God Bless our Troops and God Bless America. I understand that he's the VP and that these are important issues to alot of Americans. However I highly doubt that this applies to the majority of the population at Syracuse. Tuition is around $40,000 a year and my sister noted that over the weekend she was counting the number of Range Rovers she saw. It's pretty easy to see if you've ever been to Syracuse University that these issues are not what the students of SU are worried about.

Today I went out to Mcann Memorial Golf Course in beautiful Poughkeepsie to play 18 holes for a steal of a deal at $20. A great day, I shot an 81 which easily could've been a 79. I shanked a 7 iron on my second shot on the par 5 17th hole and wound up scrambling under some trees and through a bunker to pull a bogey out of my ass instead of what would most likely have been a birdie. I Played my round in 4 hours and it easily could've been 3 if I didn't have 2 foursomes in front of me. The course was relatively empty and it was a nice relaxing round. My ball striking was pretty solid off the tee all day. I still have to work on my game from within 175 yards but its getting better. On the back 9 I only missed one fairway and that was on 17 where i was about 3 yards into the rough so all in all it was a promising round. 

For all of those golfers out there I highly suggest checking out oobgolf.com. I use Oob to input all of my scores and it allows you keep track of numerous statistics to get a better insight into how you're playing. After today my handicap is a 9.9 which I am happy with.

Rant


Today was a pretty damn good day. Started out the day with a very promising meeting that will no doubt help me in my professional development and eventually land me a job. There was no job offer but there was plenty of valuable information I took away from that meeting and it will no doubt help me going forward. 

On my way back from that meeting I noticed a chalkboard that said the Barcelona v Chelsea Semi Final Champions League Match that was to be televised @ 2:30. I made a mental note about that game the week before but I totally would have forgotten about it if it weren't for that chalkboard. I strolled into my apartment at 2:40 to catch the first minute of the game and saw a well fought match by both sides where it seemed as though Chelsea dominated Barcelona for much of the match. Michael Essien scored in the 12th minute on an incredible side volley knuckler that grazed the crossbar into the back of the net. (See Video Below) 

Valdes had absolutely no shot at stopping this goal and in all likelihood I don't think Essien could make that shot if he had 100 more tries. Barca played a very physical match and were quite aggressive in their own box. There were a couple slide tackles that could've ended up in a penalty kicks but they also got screwed on the red card given in the 60th minute that put them a man down. I'll call it a wash. 

In the 2nd half Barcelona had plenty of opportunities to put the ball in the net off of Free Kicks and Corners but they couldn't capitalize and it seemed as though Chelsea was destined to win. Fast forward to the 92nd minute and the current man of the match Essien whiffs on a clearance just inside of their box. The ball gets played out to Iniesta at the top of the 20 and he ripped a shot on the outside of his foot that bent perfectly away from the diving keeper to tie the game up 1-1 and all but secure their position in the finals in Rome.



For those of you who don't follow soccer, and I imagine that is the vast majority of you. I myself am a novice, yet I do love catching top notch futbol. In Champions League play there are two matches, each team gets a home game and the aggregate score for both matches ultimately decides the winner. The first game ended in a 0-0 tie, this game ended in a 1-1 tie. You may think they would go to penalty kicks, but that is not the case as away goals are weighed more heavily than home goals. Tie Breakers are decided on the away goal aggregate. So Barcelona's aggregate total was 1-0 over Chelsea.

I'll never forget the last time Barcelona was in the Champions League Final. It was the senior year at UD and the final day of classes for me. I had one class at 5 pm and it was a joke to say the least. For those of you who did not attend UD and even those who did and would like to reminisce. I caught the game at Grotto's which serves $2 24oz beers. I downed 10 of those bad boys in the 2 hours of soccer that was played. Even in my best drinking days that is alot. Needless to say I was quite stumbly and incoherent. I made it to my 5 oclock class drunk as a skunk and I can say that is the only time I've ever been in a college class wasted. 

Ahh yes, for those of you who don't know the end result of that game; Barcelona played Arsenal and they were down a goal going into the half. Barcelona went on to score 2 goals in the second half to take home the cup in an incredible match.

That was quite the tangent I just had. Applause for all of you who have made it this far. I rarely have that kind of patience for rambling. 

For a nightcap I got to meet one of the most venerable literary figures and by far my favorite author ever. Mr. Chuck Palahniuk. I've been a big Chuck fan for the past 7 years after I fell in love with Fight Club my Freshman Year of college. I've seen the movie over 500 times  and was lucky enough to write a paper on the movie in English 101. He has consistently written books that I love to read and have actually re-read Lullaby. I cannot say that about any other author, how many of you have read a fiction book twice? Exactly. 

Note the sweet mutton chops on Chuck here.

There is no author I can even put in the same ballpark. For the past 4 years I have been at the bookstore the first day to pick up his latest novel. I could never say that about anyone else. He is the author of one of the greatest novels of our generation and I was ecstatic to get a ticket early enough that I got VIP status where I got a picture with Chuck as well as a signed copy of his new book Pygmy. I also snagged a sweet blow up penguin that he was throwing out to members of the crowd. (For all of those people not fortunate enough to see or read Fight Club, it's his power animal. What is your power animal? )

Sliddeee

The reading was held at Webster Hall and this was the first time the Strand held any reading/signing at Webster Hall. It was a great experience and I intend on catching him in years to come on his book tours. There were no instances of people passing out or anything too crazy. I did see a few people dressed in German Beer maiden attire and one dude rocking a sombrero with a drug rug. Chuck fans are definitely an eccentric bunch and I'm happy to say I'm one of em. I'll save a Chuck rant for later as I'm sure this post is getting wayyy too long. 

Stay tuned for pictures from the Chuck reading...hopefully I don't look like too much of a jackass in the pictures. A nice high school student in line behind me was nice enough to take pictures of me and said he'd send over the photos.. 


Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more Beinstein Rules!



My Fave 5

My Fave 5



This idea is pawned off from the “Sir” Charles Barkley and Dwayne Wade commercials for T-mobile. The idea really started with the movie High Fidelity. Many people, including myself have a hard time in letting someone know with absolute certainty that they are in love with Pastor Tacos and could go about every day of their lives eating said tacos, or their favorite beer and so on. The character in the movie had this same predicament and I usually find myself in the same boat. So, as I see fit, perhaps once a week, I will throw out my “fave 5”. Ideas for future Fave 5’s are more than welcome, in fact they are encouraged. Ideas that have crossed my mind are as follows; Favorite Beers, Favorite Movies, Favorite Websites and Favorite Foods that make me fart… You get the idea.


Since I’ve been on quite the baseball kick in the month of April I will continue the trend with my Favorite Baseball Players.


1.) Donald Arthur Mattingly a.k.a Donnie Baseball, The Hitman, The Captain: I have been a Don Mattingly Fan as long as I can remember. When I was a kid watching those telecasts and even when I was lucky enough to go to the stadium, where they were lucky to get 25,000 fans into the stadium. You knew that Mattingly was out there giving it his all. He played the game the right way and was everything a Yankee is supposed to be. In his only post season appearance in 1995, he left everything he possibly could on the field with this line .414/.440/.770 1 Hr 6 RBI. When he hung up the spikes and had to call it quits due to injury it was a sad day for me. I pine for him to be the next Yankee manager and hope he can get his much deserved ring while wearing the pinstripes. If I had a vote for the hall of fame you’d surely get my vote!


2.) Cal Ripken Jr.: Another player that seems to be cut from the same cloth as the Hitman. I was lucky enough to meet Cal Ripken at Joe’s Stone Crab (Keep this in mind for my favorite restaurants) in Miami. I was about 12 years old and he seemed like a giant to me. He was a gentleman and obliged a young baseball fan by signing a menu for me. I don’t know a single person that was rooting against him to break Lou Gehrig’s record. Athletes like Cal come by once every generation. I’ll be lucky enough to say I met him.

3.) Derek Sanderson Jeter: Perhaps you’re seeing a trend here. I couldn’t ask for a better player to follow in the footsteps of Mattingly to be the next Yankee Captain. Derek has always been in the limelight since he stepped onto the big stage in 1996 as rookie. To maintain the level of respect he’s garnered in the media and sports capital of the world speaks volumes of the man he is. Everyone speaks of his relationships with models, actresses’ and so on. All the more to him, if I were Derek Jeter I would be doing the same thing. The fact that he is able to keep out of the back pages of the NY Post while A-Rod seems to have a new story every 2 months really shows you how focused and awesome Derek really is. Not to mention as a kid I grew up wearing the number two playing shortstop for my little league teams on up through high school. I also attended both games in which Jeter dove into the stands. The playoff game against Oakland was probably the loudest I have ever heard it in the Stadium. I’ve been to a lot of playoff games in my time but nothing compared to the intensity of the crowd in this moment.

4.) Paul O’Neill: This guy was a straight up gamer, there wasn’t an at bat that he didn’t take seriously. Anyone who wasn’t a Yankees fan thought of him as a primidona who was only concerned with smashing water coolers and making a stink on the field when things didn’t go his way. After reading Buster Olney’s book the Last night of the Yankee Dynasty it really gave me a better view into the man that Paul O’Neill is. He’s the guy everyone hates but secretly wants on their team. That’s exactly how I feel about Kevin Youkilis but he’ll never make it to this list. He will always be remembered as one of the Yankee greats and was a key part of that dynasty I grew up with. My one lasting memory of Paulie would be that incredible catch he made in game 3 against Atlanta in the 7th inning on a bad knee. He is the Warrior.

5.) Wade Boggs: Not necessarily because he stuck it to the sox by going to the Yankees and winning that World Series in 96’ and gloating like a 7 year old on that stupid horse. It’s because this guy could straight up hit. I’ve went to games where he would have a 10 minute at bat, fouling off 25-30 pitches until he found the one he liked and would slap it into right for a single. There are also the rumor’s that he could drink with the best of them. If I can find the link I will surely post it. Rumors have it he was known to polish off 64 beers on a cross country flight without looking the slightest bit intoxicated. On a side note, I’ve actually heard many stories that a lot of ballplayers actually play better when hung over. If this is actually true we’ll never know. Hey, maybe Sports Science can do a show on this myth? Wade also was notorious for being a habitual creature by eating his chicken at a certain hour every day before a ball game. Baseball players, of all professional athletes are extreme creatures of habit. He is the only player in major league history to have his 3,000 hit come via a home run.




5a.) Rickey Henderson: Ricky is quite the opposite of Donnie Baseball but they did play together early on his Mattingly’s career. You have to love a person who talks about himself in the 3rd person. In fact Rickey was an important reason why Mattingly won the MVP in 85’. Who do you think was setting the table for all of those 145 RBI’s Mattingly had? It was always exciting to see Rickey play. Making those flashy catches in the outfield, stealing bases at rates that were unheard of and most importantly for “Rickey being Rickey”. He is one of the most ostentatious athletes I know, and his time was before the primidona WR’s of the NFL came to be. In fact I will display some choice quotes from Rickey for your viewing pleasure.


"“This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.”


In the early 1980s, the Oakland A’s accounting department was freaking out. The books were off $1 million. After an investigation, it was determined Rickey was the reason why. The GM asked him about a $1 million bonus he had received and Rickey said instead of cashing it, he framed it and hung it on a wall at his house.


Check out that link for the rest of Rickey being Rickey


Well folks that’s all for this installment of my fave 5 even though it turned into a fave 6, hope you enjoyed it!