Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Not a big fan of Lebron James but it should be pointed out he's "only" 26-years old. A very immature 26-years old. Maybe the fact is that he just can't handle the pressure... Tim Wakefield vs. Derek Jeter: A matchup for the ages... Someone should come up with a "Frank McCourt has made payroll" site similar to the "Abe Vigoda is still alive" site... A pet peeve if you'll allow me. People today associating LBJ with LeBron James and not Lyndon Johnson has to be part of the dumbing down of America... Another Deadwood actor is cast on Sons of Anarchy, continuing the "Deadwood"/ "Sons"/ "Justified" competition... I have to wonder if what Mark Jackson will make with Golden State is actually less money than what Steve Lavin makes at St John's? I think St. John's missed the boat on alumni Jackson... By letting Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre walk away, the Red Sox set themselves up to diversify their portfolio in the draft... Speaking of the MLB Draft - whatever happened with Red Sox prospect Mike Rozier? I think he left baseball after being hit in the head twice. Why did he also quit Tennessee football? Was that related to him getting hit in the head? What's the story?... Very funny old Conan O'Brian clip with Dave Chappelle.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Things would have been much better for baseball if it was the author Frank McCourt of Angela's Ashes fame who bought the Los Angeles Dodgers instead of the Frank McCourt who actually did. I know that the author has now passed away but admit it many people still think it's that Frank McCourt anyway... Did you know that the first pro baseball player was Lipman Pike and that he was also first pro Jewish player? You can look it up... Robert Redford was in a movie called Havana and it wasn't half bad - Sean Connery was in a movie called Cuba that wasn't half good... Deposition suggests Cubs threw 1918 Series. For anyone with half a brain this really isn't news. It is silly to think that the 1919 Black Sox came out of nowhere and that baseball fixing didn't exist prior to that... Speaking of forgotten history - the Hitler Cup... Did you know that Gene Hackman was the original choice of show's producers to play Mr. Brady on The Brady Bunch but the studio insisted on Robert Reed?... Very cool indeed. San Francisco now features the world's coolest garage door... On this date in 1864 the U.S. Congress passed the Coinage Act which mandated that the inscription "In God We Trust" be placed on all coins minted as US currency. Part of the reasoning behind this was because the US Constitution does not talk about God while the Confederate constitution did. This was a measure in part to show that the Union wanted God on their side... This is SPARTA!... Happy 52nd birthday to Red Sox manager Terry Francona. I hope the team gets you a win for your birthday... I find Brian Wilson and his bread shtick tedious. I also don't think he's that great a closer but I admit that this was pretty cool... Hard to imagine but it's been seven years since Pat Tillman was killed in action.

Dodgers Tap into "V" Energy

I got a real kick out of the story of the McCourt's using a Russian physicist to channel his energy towards the Dodgers in an effort to increase the performance of the team.

Frank and Jamie McCourt paid him [Vladimir Shpunt] to help the team win by sending positive energy over great distances.

Why can't I get a job like that? A job where your performance cannot be measured in any way and where you can take credit for any success the team has. I mean I think I can claim partial credit for the Red Sox titles in 2004 and 2007.

Shpunt began to use touch therapy with clients whom modern medicine could not help. He would place his hands on various places on the body, believing his healing energy would be transmitted to the source of the illness... she [Jamie McCourt] urged Frank to consult Shpunt regarding an undisclosed health issue...

OK am I the only one picturing Frank McCourt's undisclosed health issue as erectile dysfunction? Can you picture the guy with his hands on Frank's junk saying "Heal!" Or "Feel the power!"

Shpunt most often dispatched the energy from his home office, in a room that included a television, chair, bed and computer, watching the Dodgers late into the evening. If the Dodgers played on the West Coast, the game usually started at 10 p.m. in Boston... He would concentrate, sometimes with his eyes closed, as if meditating, Cohen said.

Well its not unusual for me to fall asleep during a West Coast game. Also not unusual for me to tell my wife I was just resting my eyes and meditating on sending positive energy to the team. Dear every team in MLB - I am available to do this sort of work!!