Never Forget!

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Heh Heh

- Oil is probably the reason we the US won't go to war with Iran. Missing from this CNBC report - the word "fracking".

- An interesting look into the shooting of David Ortiz by Sports Illustrated. The line, "When the authorities can't be trusted, people are free to choose their own truth" stuck with me. Long read but worth the time.

- New mind-controlled robot arm works without brain implants.

- In the past 20-years world poverty has been cut in half (thanks to capitalism) but 95% of Americans are unaware of this fact.

- Yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the A-Rod-Varitek fight. Something that is very dear to the hearts of so many Red Sox fans.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Another example of why Alex Rodriguez is going out more of a jester than a villain in people's eyes

- Mysterious Greenland sharks may live to past 400-years old

- Oh CNN you scamps

- See what I mean about more jester than villain?

- Nice story of how Nick Bonino used the Stanley Cup to raise money for Children's Medical Center

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

So the NFL had to cancel the Hall of Fame game. No word on what Tom Brady's punishment for that will be... Good luck if you are traveling with Delta today... I think if you asked most baseball fans about Alex Rodriguez I'm guessing the words "phony" or "goofy" would pop up more often than not... Heh heh - 90-year old man gives perfect 90-year old man answer to prostitution charges... The Mosquito Authority would be a good name for a band... And by "phony" and "goofy" - I'm talking about things like this... No Donald Trump has absolutely no ties to Vladimir Putin - absolutely none...

Valentine's Day Linky Links

- A-Rod wishes you a happy Valentine's Day

- Santa shares his thoughts about Valentine's Day

- The United States as a Valentine's Day card

- Today's not just Valentine's Day - it is also the Anniversary of Oregon joining the Union as the 33rd state in 1859

MLB Hot Stove

With officially 150 days till 2015's Opening Day here's the first of what I'm sure will be many Hot Stove thoughts.

- I wonder if the Nationals would entertain an offer of 3-years of Clay Buchholz for free-agent to be Doug Fister? I think Buchholz would benefit from a change of scenery.

- Speaking of Boston trade targets - how about Jeff Samardzija of the A's? It would be just like Billy Bean to flip an asset like that. What does Oakland need?

- Troy Tulowitzki's agent comments on the Rockies potentially trading Tulo. Read the comments. Never realized the venom some Colorado fans have towards Tulowitzki. And comparing him to Gretzky, Shaq and Joe Montana? Jeez.

- I would agree with this sentiment.

- For the record - I am sick of stories on A-Rod. To paraphrase Jason Varitek "I don't read about .240 hitters."

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If I were a minor league baseball team in the bible-belt - I would make my mascot a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad. I imagine the hats would sell pretty well on the Internet. I also imagine the death threats would come in at a regular clip... Rich Eisen linked to this exclusive clip of A-Rod on the phone discussing his legal strategy... I wonder if Peyton Manning is ever tempted to use Papa John's time-machine car to go back and prevent Eli from ever being conceived...  Interesting interview with the author of Positive Poker... If the Patriots make the Super Bowl they really should vote a full playoff share to Greg Schiano for trading Legarrette Blount to New England...  Very cool photo of Jimmi Hendrix... I don't think I've ever eaten at McDonald's and thought "I'm lovin' it!" It's always been more along the lines of "I'm gonna regret this!"...

Alex Rodriguez

Was in the NY/NJ area the past couple of days and the news of A-Rod's churlish behavior has understandably been the major topic on sports radio. I have a couple of thoughts on the subject that I'd like to revisit or share.

First off let me say how happy super agent Scott Boras must feel to be free of this circus. Boras got paid for the big contracts and is now free from this Bozo act. Second let me say that in the back of my mind I still feel like A-Rod's actions seem like those of a man who is for whatever reason building the foundation for an insanity plea. Exhibit A would be A-Rod's fetish for "walk-off helmets". Now I'm just waiting on the news that A-Rod also wanted to also name Santa Claus to his lawsuit because he felt he was promised a 2014 season for Christmas - only to have his lawyers talk him out of it.

With the news that A-Rod actually turned down a 50-game plea bargain I again say that I had the perfect strategy for A-Roid. All he had to do was take the 50-game suspension but then throw himself on the mercy of the court of public opinion. He could have said that he started taking steroids but only after he was bullied by Jason Varitek or even better he could have said yes he bought the steroids and HGH but it was never for him. It was always for his muscular girlfriends. He could have said "please forgive me I will take the suspension without complaint but please understand that I will not stop seeing ripped women." Some women like roses - A-Rod favors women who like free weights and HGH. Different strokes.

If he took my advice the Yankees would be opening the 2014 season with him at 3rd and over the $189 million luxury tax level. Now he's a pariah.

The A-Rod Interview

ALR: A Large Regular is very pleased that we have been granted an exclusive interview with baseball star Alex Rodriguez. This interview comes as quite a surprise since I’m a lifelong Red Sox fan and A-Rod isn’t exactly my favorite player. First off – thank you Alex for making the time for this interview but I must ask – why me?

A-Rod: Well Chris the answer is actually fairly simple. I’m a fan of your work and I know you won’t hesitate to ask me the hard questions. I thought I could get a good grilling during my 60 Minutes interview but Katie Couric just wanted to smile at me.

ALR: I must admit that I missed that interview. Couric is so sugary sweet I fear just by watching her that I’ll get diabetes. I did see some highlights where she asked you if you used steroids and you said “No”. Let me start by asking you the same question – have you ever purchased or used steroids or HGH?

A-Rod: See Chris – that’s what I mean about tough questions. Couric asked me if I ever used steroids but she never asked me if I’ve ever bought them. Well to be clear – let me say that I have never used steroids but I’ve bought them for years. The steroids were never for me though. They were for my stripper “friends”.

ALR: What?

A-Rod: Come on Chris. It’s no secret that I like muscular strippers. The steroids I buy them make them even more muscular. They say that sex is the best exercise there is and let’s just say that in that regard I’m a workout freak. The more muscular they are the better the workout. My wife is cool with it as long as it’s only on the road and only with strippers. A man’s got to stay in shape? Right?

ALR: To be clear – you say that you have never used steroids or HGH yourself though. If that’s true how to you counter Jose Canseco’s assertion that you should have been named in the Mitchell Report?

A-Rod: Jose is a moron and he’s broke. He wants to write another book and he’s trying to use me and my good name as a hook for an advance. That’s my best guess to why he’s doing what he’s doing. As far as the people who think he’s a reliable source because the players he named in his first book all proved out are forgetting that in his book he made a big deal out of saying that no way could Roger Clemens be a steroids user. That Roger was too much of a work out freak. How wrong was Jose on Clemens? As wrong on Clemens being clean as his slander that I’m dirty. That’s how wrong.

ALR: Speaking of the Mitchell Report – what was your reaction?

A-Rod: I think George Mitchell is a great person but is it any surprise that the brunt of the blame from the report is placed squarely on the shoulders of players and players alone? Owners and baseball have made hundreds of millions of dollars during the steroids era. They knew exactly what was going on. Yet there is no blame placed on or even the slightest examination of any culpability of any of the owners or of Bud Selig for that matter. But then again - baseball paid for the study so that shouldn’t be a surprise. Would you be surprised if big tobacco sponsored a study and the results pointed the finger at everyone but big tobacco?

ALR: Do you have any suggestions on how to clear up the steroid problems in baseball?

A-Rod: I would do four things and these four things would clear up the problems almost overnight. First I would more than double the number of times a player would be tested and there would be no restriction when the tests could take place. Second – I would void any contract for a player found using steroids and suspend the player for the remaining portion of his contract. Third – I would take away the roster spot from the team for the duration that a player is on a steroids related suspension. So if a player had a 3-year contract but was found using after the first year – he’d be suspended 2-years and the team would lose his roster spot for 2-years. That would put a stop to teams signing questionable guys. Finally – I would go back to the equipment men for each team and find out over the past 30-years which players had their hat size increase more than 2 sizes over the years. I would put an asterisk next to each of those players stating how many hat sizes the player’s head grew by. This last thing would be not only be factual but also a wink-wink way for saying something unnatural was going one. People’s melons just don’t get bigger once you are an adult.

ALR: Finally – I have to ask about your relationship with Scott Boras.

A-Rod: I’m very image conscious. That’s no secret. I feel like I’m the best player in the game and I want to be paid as the best. There’s nothing wrong with that. What I’m not happy with is the fact that now people think of me as greedy. I’m not greedy. Scott Boras is. Tiger Woods is the best player in his sport and he’s very image conscious too. Yet nobody thinks of him as greedy. Let me ask you – do you know who Tiger’s agent is? [ALR shakes head in the negative] See! I’m associated with Scott Boras and Scott Boras is one crazy, greedy, mother. I’ve got to get away from him. And that’s what I plan to do.

ALR: Thanks for the interview.

A-Rod: You’re welcome.

A-Rod

Two wrong thinking articles on where Alex Rodriguez will end up and what I think is a very understated slam at A-Rod.

First Rich Lederer (who I greatly respect) suggests that Boston may be in the hunt for A-Rod. That ship sailed long ago. The Boston owners are very savvy marketing wise and they know that the distaste for A-Rod among "Red Sox Nation" can only harm their brand. They've won 2 World Series without A-Rod - why would they want to take on such a potential albatross of a contract? My guess is that either they sign Mike Lowell or they move Kevin Youkilis to 3rd and have a lefty/righty platoon or someone lower cost like Brad Wilkerson at 1st. Rich Lederer is wrong in thinking Boston will be in on the bidding for A-Rod.

Next, Johan Keri (who I've never heard of) of ESPN.com's Page 2 suggests that just maybe Atlanta might be in on the bidding. Here's Keri's smoking gun logic:

Come to think of it, Renteria made $10 million in 2007. Andruw Jones, who's becoming a free agent, made $14 million. Bob Wickman won't be back, shaving another $6.5 million. The Braves would be on the hook for a chunk of Mike Hampton's $14.5 million salary in '08, then he'd be gone too. Hey, wait a minute ... (the light clicks on) ... they could make a run at A-Rod!

See - that's why I don't bother with ESPN's Page 2 anymore. The Braves need to lock up Mark Teixeira and the words "biggest contract in baseball" and "Atlanta Braves" just don't mix.

Finally, SI's Jon Heyman takes a look at possible landing spots for A-Rod and he manages to toss in this gem (emphasis added):

[San Francisco] Ownership is sick of losing, well-heeled and willing to go for the gusto, as they proved last winter when they spent $126 million for Barry Zito, a No. 2 pitcher who pitched like a No. 4. They also seem to love the idea of employing a megastar to market around and might want the chance to celebrate an all-time home-run record without any taint. The lovely city would also allow A-Rod to pursue his cultural interests.

I may be wrong but I think Heyman just took a jab at A-Rod's sexual proclivities and maybe even his sexual orientation. Heh heh - nicely done.